My five favourite stories from Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
From the man who walks on water to how blind football became the hit of the Games.
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Eileen Gu asked about criticism of her on social media.
"If people don't like me that's their loss, they'll never win the Olympics."
Got to say fair enough.
Jim Lewis, a three-time Gold Cup winning owner, whose horses raced in the colours of his beloved Aston Villa, dies aged 88.
Roared Best Mate to help pick up the jackpot at Cheltenham on the Friday, in the Holte End for this the day after.
Eoin Morgan when asked if his team had the luck of the Irish ...
“We had Allah with us too, I spoke to Adil (Rashid) and he told me,” he said.
Worth reflecting just how this team is a brilliant example of a multicultural Britain, its diversity is its greatest strength.
#CWC19
Geraint Thomas/Dina Asher Smith/Lizzy Yarnold/many others have never had to apologise for being a homophobic, anti-Semitic, sexist and, you know, actually won something.
And if educating about mental health is a criteria of this long-flawed event, give it to Clarke Carlisle.
Tyson is my Sports Personality Of The Year. Not just for heart, desire, talent & bravery of this fight...but for what he’s done for everyone struggling with their mental health.
He’s shown you CAN battle back from depression, you CAN be suicidal and recover. A true inspiration.
Arshad Nadeem enjoys his podium moment after his brilliant javelin gold last night, although the DJ misses his chance to blast out a bit of classic 'Dil Dil Pakistan' instead lazily opting for Katy Perry.
#Athletics
#Paris2024
And yes she’d do exactly the same to politicians of all strips.
@KayBurley
is a brilliant example that journalists on the election trail need to look all candidates from all parties and attack from the default position they aren’t necessarily telling the whole truth.
IOC president Bach on investigation into Valieva's entourage, including coach Eteri Tutberidze
"It's of extreme importance. We've expressed this from the very beginning. She's a minor. Doping very rarely happens alone, there is always an entourage."
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
IOC president Bach on Kamila Valieva
"There is a 15-year old girl with a drug in her body that shouldn't be there. The ones that administered it to her, these are the people that are guilty."
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
Crystal Black is a special story. A small syndicate racing in memory of a friend who died from breast cancer.
A first
#RoyalAscot
runner for Gerry Keane and a first winner too ... with son
@ctkjockey
in the saddle.
Emergency alert in PyeongChang received simultaneously on every phone in the media centre. I hope I won't be spending my last moments quilling this snowboarding feature. Translation?
It's hard to stress just how two footed Thomas Bach has just gone in on the Russian Olympic Committee and Kamila Valieva's coach Eteri Tutberidze.
For a man who talks in diplomatic soundbites, this was a serious spray.
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
Analysis of all this - it's a hot mess. Kamila Valieva could well skate and win gold in next week's women's free programme & then have that medal removed post Olympics. It's an appalling position to put a 15-year-old in. CAS need to make ruling fast.
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
IOC president Bach on Kamila Valieva
"How can you be so cold to your athlete? When I read how Sasha Trusova was being treated, the impression I had was not the wrong one."
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
We've never needed our media more. Whether it's
@piersmorgan
poking politicians,
@MartinSLewis
offering incisive financial consultancy or papers exposing a hypocritical chief medical officer/forcing football clubs into u-turns over furlough calls + more
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IOC president Bach on Kamila Valieva
"When I saw how she was received by her entourage with what appeared to be a tremendous coldness, it was chilling to see this, rather giving her comfort or help."
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
IOC president Bach on Kamila Valieva
“There are issues to be addressed, this concerns the issue of minors in senior competitions. Our executive board have started to think about it, this needs careful deliberation and consultation.”
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
If Emma Raducanu had a scintilla of concern about an injury or a niggle - after all the issues she has had - then it's the completely correct decision to withdraw from mixed doubles tonight.
And that is exactly what Andy Murray would have told her too.
#Wimbledon
IOC president Bach on Kamila Valieva
"This was no way to treat a 15-year old under such mental stress. I wish she has the support of her friends and family to help her through this difficult situation."
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
If Kamila Valieva tested positive on Dec 25, why was this not communicated until Feb 8 - the day after team event?
Note - Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) was declared non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code for two years in December 2020.
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
IOC president on Kamila Valieva
"I must say I was very disturbed when I watched the competition on TV. I saw the pressure on her, it was beyond my imagination for a girl of 15.
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
IOC president Thomas Bach in his final press conference of the Olympics. Never has a man been so able to dodge and deflect questions and talk down the clock … let’s see how he does
#Beijing2022
IOC president Bach on Kamila Valieva
"All of which does not give me confidence in the entourage of Kamila, neither in regard to what happened in the past or as far as it concerns the future. "
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
IOC president Thomas Bach on Kamila Valieva
"You can feel the chilling atmosphere, this distance and if you were interpreting the body language it got even worse. It was dismissive."
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
World Swimming Champs - a major Olympic sport 12 months out from Tokyo - starts today but you won’t see it live on BBC or Eurosport because both refused
@fina1908
big rights demands. Same in swim crazy Aus. £30 for Fina TV streaming though. Forget FTA just on air would be good.
IOC president Thomas Bach on Kamila Valieva
"To see her struggling, trying to compose herself, you can see the immense mental stress, perhaps she would have preferred to leave this story behind her."
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
Two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu falls twice early in his free skate. Looked very close to landing a quad axel - which no-one ever has. Fractions.
#FigureSkating
Quite some presser as IOC switch focus hard on Russian coach Eteri Tutberidze - awarded the Order of Honor by Putin & named the ISU's Coach of the Year in 2020.
She'll be on the rink with Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov in today's pairs comp ...
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
Finalised my
#Laureus23
nominations
Sportsman - Lionel Messi 🇦🇷⚽️
Sportswoman - Iga Swiatek 🇵🇱🎾
Team - Argentina Fifa World Cup 🇦🇷⚽️
Breakthrough - Nathan Chen 🇺🇸⛸️
Comeback - Christian Eriksen 🇩🇰⚽️
Action - Eileen Gu 🇨🇳⛷️
🗳 The Laureus Nominations Panel features leading sports journalists, broadcasters and influencers from around the world.
The Panel are now voting to select the Nominees for the 2023 Laureus World Sports Awards.
#Laureus23
Worth reading into the IBA
Involved in multiple corruption scandals
Suspended by IOC in 2019
Elected Umar Kremlev as president, a Putin stooge
Banned Ukraine's national team
Only sport to allow Russia & Belarus to compete under their flags
President called these Games 'sodomy'
The idea that Tyson Fury can donate millions to charity and therefore no-one can criticise him for his previously abhorrent views and actions is bonkers. History tells us it is what rich people do to insulate them from critics.
India journalist asks Kane Williamson whether he’d pick MS Dhoni.
“I’m not the India captain, is he looking to change nationalities? We’d definitely consider that selection.”
#CWC19
Commonwealth Games bingo. How long for these stories?
✅ Hosts asked about Olympic bid
✅ Condoms in athletes’ village
✅ Look how many staff the BBC have got ..
✅ Athletes ‘go missing’
✅ Cyclists caught training on motorway
✅ ‘They only took up sport last year’
#GC2018
No fans at any
#Paralympics
event at
#Tokyo2020
announced by organisers. The velodrome in Izu in the Shizuoka prefecture, which hosted some fans during the Olympics, has now applied state of emergency rules as COVID cases continue to surge.
Highlights of Independent Testing Authority statement
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
The results of that test were not returned until February 8 - which is the reason Kamila Valieva allowed to compete in the European Championships, where she won gold.
Highlights of Independent Testing Authority statement
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
Kamila Kalieva tested positive for trimetazidine at the Russian National Championships in St Petersburg in December - sample collected by Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA).
This is the live tracking for the plane, a Cessna 182P Skylane, that just flew over the Etihad Stadium, carrying the banner 'White Lives Matter Burnley'. It'll be interesting to speak with the owner.
🧵THREAD🧵
Last reporter 🛫 and four 'Pandemic Games' in 233 days ✅
Despite stress, paperwork & logistics, so proud we committed to staff each one - the UK only print media to do so - and were rewarded with super text and video coverage across our network of clients.
The incredible work of our teams in their remarkable coverage of the death of Queen Elizabeth II is recognised with innovation of the year at the Awards for Excellence in Journalism.
Two weeks we’ll never forgot.
🧵THREAD 🧵
Arrived in Beijing for another Olympics, just 177 days after the last finished.
Red-tape, rules and regulations are nothing new to China but a ‘little’ glimpse into what it’s taken to arrive and what’s ahead.
#Beijing2022
You've got to give big credit to the International Olympic Committee who staked so much on this - and those involved who took their responsibilities so seriously.
Of 624,364 tests on those accredited to be at the
#Olympics
, the positivity rate is 0.02%
c/o
@iocmedia
We’ve loved working with Kate (and will miss her and 🐕 Bertie when she leaves). Shorthand - which is hard enough at the best of times aside - she’s bloody brilliant all around and someone needs to hire her.
Blind journalism student Kate Pounds has passed her 100wpm NCTJ shorthand exam using a braille code from 1959 combined with Teeline lessons and a specialist note-taking device. She said she hoped to inspire other visually-impaired journalists. More here:
Nathan Chen in his press conference after a stunning
#FigureSkating
gold.
'Yuzuru Hanyu has progressed the sport in ways that could never be imagined, he's the greatest skater there has ever been and to follow him as Olympic champion means the world to me."
#Beijing2022
I'm so proud of our 'best in the business'
@NewsAssociates
team whose innovative work during the pandemic has been recognised by
@NCTJ_news
- it was a stunning group effort, teaching reimagined and over 2,500 attending our free events. Bit emotional.
#NCTJawards
The media. Total bastards.
First they killed JFK, then they kipnapped Shergar, now they've made Dominic Cummings very sad.
Sooner we get all our important information from Twitter and TikTok the better.
Kamila Valieva was on the ice this morning in practice at 8.30am, she’s due back on ice at 1pm China time - will she show?
She is allowed to practice under the WADA code, according to IOC spox Mark Adams in ongoing news conference.
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
Here's your reason why the government has been keeping Priti Patel on the bench. Her contempt for those asking far and valid questions shines through every answer. The living embodiment of the most tin eared politician.
One of the reasons Britain is so good at skeleton is there are many very hilly towns and throughout history - during winter months - our citizens have saved time getting to work or school by sliding down them on old tea trays. This on Holland via NBC 👇
One of the most heartbreaking parts of covering these Games is not the tales of injury or performance disappointment. It’s the way our unfailingly polite Japanese hosts strain to get any view they can - often in glaring sun.
#Toyko2020
Court of Arbitration in Sport have ruled that Kamila Valieva will be allowed to compete at
#Beijing2022
but it's complicated - she may have any medal taken off her after the Games and investigation continues.
#FigureSkating
Behind our staff in France there's a brilliant
@Sportsbeat
desk working dawn to dusk (and beyond) back home.
From our editors to social media producers, graphic designers and animators.
🥇 for TeamSB
#Paris2024
You know ... there's a fantastic opportunity for sports brands, teams & leagues to own this 'small break in proceedings'. And journalists to tell stories that normally go untold in the drumbeat of daily action.
Fill the vacuum with sparkling content - the lights aren't going out.
Highlights of Independent Testing Authority statement
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
Kamila Valieva challenged suspension at a hearing - very promptly held the day after the provisional suspension was announced (Feb 9). Russian Anti-Doping Agency decided to lift this suspension.
Big thanks to the team
@NewsAssociates
for the way they've delivered our
@NCTJ_news
training since September. Determined to have our people in the office safely, their work - and the hard work of trainees - has been a Christmas miracle. Best in the biz.
Fifth set of this is being served up in the main press conference room.
Stefanos Tsitsipas is pretty 🌶️ on Nick Kyrgios.
"He was probably a bully at school. He has an evil side to him and it does a lot of harm to people around him."
#Wimbledon
IOC spox Adam on Kamila Valieva: "Such cases are not helpful to the Games, these cases need to be prosecuted properly and due process needs to be applied. People need to have confidence in the decisions taken."
#FigureSkating
Once again papers full of anonymous briefings which contradict the previous days anonymous briefings.
Appalling week of the public being treated like a focus group, with trial balloons floated and then punctured.
Total information vacuum & lack of clarity on govn' comms plan.
It's a massive Olympics story (one of the biggest of all-time) and needs to be told but some people's giddy excitement about this Kamila Valieva verdict makes your stomach turn. She's 15. It's possible to be guilty today and, equally, innocent.
#FigureSkating
#Beijing2022
Every major online outlet has reported Woolworth's is returning to the high street.
One call from me to owner Very's PR - he doesn't know a thing about it.
Surely a story based on a Twitter account with 900 followers (and spelling mistakes) should be verified?
IOC spox Adam on Kamila Valieva: "What is clear is we want to expedite this as quickly as possible, it’s a legal issue & they can be complicated. For all concerned, not just the Russian athlete, we need a resolution & we are working as fast as we can to get that."
#FigureSkating
So it ain't so. I can't tell you how much I'm going to miss working with my award night buddy. His list of achievements running our Manchester office cannot be listed in 280 characters but there are journalists on every back page & home page in the UK who he continues to inspire.
"No athlete should be prevented from competing because of their passport."
An existential crisis for Olympic sport. German athletes missed Paris 1924 due to WWI and Germany and Japan were not invited to 1948. There is a firm precedent that the IOC are ignoring.