Newsletter 13 April 2007:

Newspaper publishers worry about new restrictions on sports coverage

1. Newspaper publishers worry about new restrictions on sports coverage
2. Kenyan football officials defy FIFA and launch new threats against Bob Munro
3. Commercial horse racing in Mongolia is endangering child jockeys
4. EU Commission demands end to state sports betting monopoly
5. Liberian football vice president call his own organisation corrupt
6. Liberian sports official attacks journalist in front of congress delegates
7. FIVB cheats in doping case and violates IOC Code of Ethics
8. Drug testing getting popular in high schools
9. Another black hour in sport

1) Newspaper publishers worry about new restrictions on sports coverage

Each month brings fresh examples of how organisers of sport events try to limit media coverage. But is it sound business or a breach of freedom of the press when the Australian Football League refuses accreditation to overseas news agencies and the International Rugby Board restricts the use of photos from the Rugby Union World Cup? In the end, the question may be superseded by what sponsors think.

2) Kenyan football officials defy FIFA and launch new threats against Bob Munro

Bob Munro meets new threats from self-proclaimed KFF chairman, while Kenyan football is heading for a split

3) Commercial horse racing in Mongolia is endangering child jockeys

In Mongolia, more than 30,000 child jockeys compete in horse races each year. Children riding horses in races is a popular tradition, bút as horse racing has become more and more commercialised, innjuries and fatalities have increased drastically - in part because races are now taking place at sub-zero temperatures.

4) EU Commission demands end to state sports betting monopoly

Last round in the wheel of fortune for Denmark, Finland and Hungary has been set off by The European Commission. In the spinning business of betting the EU Commission has issued Reasoned Opinions against the three EU member states to consider their gambling monopolies and make sure they are not contradicted by EU law.

5) Liberian football vice president calls his own organisation corrupt

A vice president of the Liberia Football Association (LFA) insists that it is necessary to carry out an audit of the entire administration of the LFA to determine what has happened to annual FIFA grants of 250,000 US dollars. Adolph Lawrence believes that much of the money has never reached the intended recipients.

6) Liberian sports official attacks journalist in front of congress delegates

Julu Johnson, a sports editor for the Liberian newspaper News, was physically attacked by the deputy secretary general of the Liberia Football Association (LFA) when he went to cover LFA's recent extra-ordinary congress. The attack took place in full public view of all the delegates
 

7) FIVB cheats in doping case and violates IOC Code of Ethics

FIVB top official accused of violating ethical rules by manipulating doping sanction and cheating with player's ages.

8) Drug testing getting popular in high schools

Texas Senate approves the largest programme of random steroid tests for athletes in Texan high schools. WADA applauds the efforts. Meanwhile schools in Australia protest against drug testing of non-elite Australian children.

> 9) Another black hour in sport

20 years ago the German heptathlete Birgit Dressel died from drug poisoning. She did not die because of the lack of medical expertise – she died because of the excess of it. Has sport learned from this?