The city of Belgrade will dismantle a Roma settlement under the Gazela bridge on the Sava River and move its occupants into 13 city municipalities. This was announced in Belgrade on Friday by Deputy Mayor Milan Krkobabić.
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Football honours Sir Bobby Robson
August 1st, 2009 |
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Leading figures from football have paid tribute to Sir Bobby Robson after his death at the age of 76 following a long battle with cancer.
Robson was a renowned and revered figure in football and led England to the World Cup semi-finals at Italia 90, where his side were agonisingly beaten on penalties by West Germany.
As a player, the wing-half had spells at Fulham and West Brom, while also winning 20 England caps.
He successfully moved into management, taking charge at Fulham, Ipswich, PSV Eindhoven, Sporting Lisbon, Porto, Barcelona and Newcastle in his coaching career.
Here, the football fraternity leads the tributes to Robson.
FORMER ENGLAND CAPTAIN BRYAN ROBSON
"He called me his Captain Marvel and it stuck for the rest of my playing career. It made me very proud but it was only typical of the respect he earned from myself and the rest of the dressing room.
"I have never come across anybody with such a passion for football. We had a tremendous personal relationship as manager and skipper.
"Any criticism he had of a player was kept very private and publicly he gave all of us his total backing.
"We stayed pretty close even towards the end and, along with many other friends, I enjoyed his company in Portugal playing in his Golf Classic. He will be missed by everybody who knew him."
MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER SIR ALEX FERGUSON
"I was never too big or proud to ask him for advice which he gave freely and unconditionally. And I’m sure I am speaking for a lot of people when I say that.
"In my 23 years working in England there is not a person I would put an inch above Bobby Robson. I mourn the passing of a great friend, a wonderful individual, a tremendous football man and somebody with passion and knowledge of the game that was unsurpassed.
"His character was hewn out of the coal face, developed by the Durham mining background that he came from. His parents instilled in him the discipline and standards which forged the character of a genuinely colossal human being. He added his own qualities to that which then he passed on to his sons.
"The strength and courage he showed over the past couple of years when battling against his fifth bout of cancer was indescribable. Always a smile, always a friendly word with never a mention of his own problems.
"The world, not just the football world, will miss him. Let’s hope it won’t be long before another like him turns up because we could never get enough of them."
SCOTLAND MANAGER GEORGE BURLEY
"It was a big decision for me and my parents to make such a long journey at that age," said Burley, who played under Robson after leaving his home in Ayrshire to join Ipswich as a 15-year-old.
"But Sir Bobby was like a father to me, taking a personal interest in me right from the start, always checking whether I was happy. His support and enthusiasm was the perfect cure for homesickness and helped my career to get off the ground and thrive.
"I’ll never forget when in 1973, the day before we played Manchester United at Old Trafford, he took me to one side and told me I would be making my first-team debut. I was 17 and the player I had to mark just happened to be George Best.
"My parents came down from Scotland to watch the game and I remember him getting off the team bus and presenting them with two directors’ box tickets. We lost 3-0 but Sir Bobby was magnificent, telling me how well I’d played. It did wonders for my confidence.
"I went on to play over 500 games for Ipswich in a side that drew inspiration from its manager. From 1972 we qualified for European competitions nine out of 10 years which was remarkable considering the size of our squad and our standing as a small-town club.
"That was all down to his man-management, tactics and judgement. No finer example of that was when, after we won the FA Cup, he sold Brian Talbot to Arsenal for £450,000 and spent less than that to bring in that fabulous Dutch pair Arnold Muhren and Frans Thijssen.
"I could not possibly get my head round how my career would have gone had it not been for Sir Bobby Robson. I owe him everything and I only hope I can be guided by the example he showed me."
ENGLAND MANAGER FABIO CAPELLO
"Sir Bobby was a wonderful man, a real gentleman. I remember very well the times I managed my teams against him.
"The first time being when Bobby was manager of Barcelona and I was in my first season with Real Madrid. Later, when he was Newcastle manager and I was with Roma we faced each other – as opponents, but always friends.
"Of course, I recall Bobby as a manager with Ipswich, but more so with England. To manage the national team for so long was a remarkable achievement, and we all remember how close he came to leading England to the World Cup Final in Italy.
"He went on to enjoy success with PSV Eindhoven, Porto, Sporting Lisbon and Barcelona before returning to ‘home’ with Newcastle.
"Earlier this year I spent some time with Bobby when he opened the new cancer treatment centre, for which he worked so hard to raise funds. He was a fantastic man, and loved by so many people. His spirit and courage was incredible. To fight cancer so many times really showed the strength of the man.
"All the time we spoke over a cup of coffee with his close family, his passion for football shone through.
"He loved the game and was extremely proud of his country and the North East region.
"I also recall the tribute dinner the LMA [League Managers' Association] hosted for Bobby when he wasn’t planning to say more than a few words. In the end he stayed on the stage for a very long time, telling story after story, much to everyone’s amusement.
"It’s extremely sad that Sir Bobby has lost his final fight against cancer, but he will never be forgotten. He really was a great man."
FORMER NEWCASTLE CHAIRMAN FREDDY SHEPHERD
"It’s very sad, especially on Tyneside. The whole of Tyneside will be grieving. Sir Bobby Robson was a great man and will be sorely missed.
"I worked with him for five years every day. He was certainly the best manager I ever worked with at Newcastle. He never put me under pressure and always tried to see my side.
"He wouldn’t put up with fools and didn’t take any nonsense. He came across as a very kind guy but underneath was very tough. He thought about football 24 hours a day and he would ring me at all hours of the day and never stopped thinking about football."
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT PRINCE WILLIAM
"I am deeply saddened to hear about Sir Bobby Robson’s death.
"His contribution to English football as a player, manager and superb ambassador for our national game has been immense.
"He will be sadly missed by football fans everywhere, and I am thinking about his family at this difficult time."
PRIME MINISTER GORDON BROWN
"I was extremely saddened to hear of the death of Sir Bobby Robson. I had the privilege of meeting Bobby on many occasions. He epitomised everything that is great about football in this country.
"His passion, patriotism, dedication and professionalism knew no equal during his time both as a player and a manager.
"His remarkable achievements as manager of Ipswich Town and then of England are among the most distinguished in English football history, and he was able to replicate that extraordinary success during his time at PSV Eindhoven, Porto and Barcelona.
"Over the past few years, he fought cancer with his characteristic tenacity and good humour.
"He will be sorely missed – not only in Newcastle and Ipswich, both of whom he served with such devotion, but by all sports fans in our country. My sincere condolences go to his wife Elsie and his family."</p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Kidnapped boy found in Belgrade suburb
July 26th, 2009 |
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A three-year-old boy whom two men kidnapped in the Belgrade neighborhood of Bežanijska Kosa on Saturday has been found alive, MUP said. The Serbian police (MUP) specified that the Roma boy was found near the suburb of Makiš, but did not give any further details about the case.
Sven confirmed in Notts County role
July 22nd, 2009 |
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• Eriksson will be joined at Meadow Lane by Tord Grip
• ‘I am particularly attracted to this role’, the Swede said
Sven-Goran Eriksson last night made an extraordinary return to English football when he was appointed director of football at Notts County. In one of the game’s most staggering moves of recent times the former England manager was confirmed in the role at the League Two club after talks yesterday.
Eriksson, whose most recent job was as coach of Mexico, has been lured to Meadow Lane by a Middle East-backed consortium that has taken over at the club, which has finished in the bottom half of League Two for the past five seasons. Those close to Munto Finance, the ambitious consortium which took control last week with plans to establish the club in the Championship within five years, say Eriksson is in for the long haul.
His financial package will be the subject of much conjecture but County said it would “largely be determined by the success of Notts County” on the pitch and that he will also be a shareholder. It would be naive to believe, though, that there is not a hefty basic wage. Eriksson, after all, does not work for pennies, even if he has received three seven-figure pay-offs in as many years, and there were suggestions last night, albeit unconfirmed, that he might pick up as much as £40,000 a week at Meadow Lane. His duties include overseeing training facilities and player development, the youth academy, transfer negotiations and scouting, and the health and fitness of the players. He will be joined by his trusted assistant, Tord Grip.
• Stuart James analyses Eriksson’s latest surprise
• Vote whether Sven will succeed at Notts County
• Test your knowledge on Sven with our daily quiz
Eriksson, who is due to be unveiled today, said: “I am particularly attracted to this role and the unique opportunity to help build a club over the longer term. I will be responsible for all aspects of the football side of the club and in line with the aspirations of the new owners, wish to build the club at the heart of the community. I started my football management career at a small lower division Swedish club and we managed to get them into the top flight.
“I can think of no better challenge than to attempt to do that again but this time with the world’s oldest football club, where we can add to a proud tradition and hopefully bring some richly deserved success. We hope to leave a long lasting football legacy for Notts County FC and its fans.”
Thirty years have passed since he oversaw Degerfors’ rise in Sweden and the majority of those have been spent at some of the most glamorous clubs in Europe such as Benfica, Roma and Lazio. Portsmouth seemed likely to be the next port of call after he was sacked by Mexico in April but instead Eriksson has checked in at a club that finished 87th on the football ladder in May. Ian McParland, the manager has been assured his job is safe despite the arrival of someone who spent five years in charge of England.
County’s chairman, Peter Trembling, said: “Sven and his team join us with an unrivalled football pedigree. Their knowledge of the game and contacts throughout the football world will significantly enhance Notts County’s prospects.
“Sven shares our vision, and to attract someone of his calibre is testament to the ambition that we all share for Notts County. This is a great day for everyone associated with the club.”
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Eriksson lands Notts County role
July 22nd, 2009 |
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Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has joined Notts County as director of football.
The club’s website said Eriksson would be "joining his long-term assistant Tord Grip who will assume the role of general adviser."
The club added that his remuneration would be determined by the success of the team on the pitch.
Eriksson will take up his new role with immediate effect and will also be a shareholder in the club.
Massive coup
The 61-year-old, who spent five years in charge of England, was sacked as coach of Mexico in April.
Following his dismissal as Mexico manager he had been linked with a return to the Premier League with Portsmouth.
Speaking prior to the appointment being made public, former Notts County player Craig Short said the news took him by surprise when it was broken to him on Tuesday.
"I was absolutely shocked. I thought somebody was pulling my leg, to be honest," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
Signing the Swede is a massive coup for the League Two club because of his record of success across European football.
ERIKSSON’S TEAMS- Degerfors 1977-78
- IFK Gothenburg 1979-82
- Benfica 1982-84
- Roma 1984-87
- Fiorentina 1987-89
- Benfica 1989-92
- Sampdoria 1992-97
- Lazio 1997-2001
- England 2001-06
- Manchester City 2007-08
- Mexico 2008-09
Eriksson made a name for himself in his homeland with IFK Gothenburg before moving to Benfica where he won two Portuguese league titles, a Portuguese cup and the team finished runners-up in the Uefa Cup.
A spell in Italy followed before he returned to Benfica, leading them to the final of the European Cup in 1990 where they lost 1-0 to AC Milan.
It was at Italian side Lazio where he achieved arguably his greatest success, winning every major trophy in Italy – including the Serie A title in 2000 for only the second time in the Roman club’s history – and the European Cup Winners Cup.
The Swede became the first foreign manager to take charge of the English national side when he was appointed as Kevin Keegan’s successor in 2001.
He spent five years at the helm, leading England to the quarter-finals of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, as well as a place in the last eight at the 2004 European Championships.
Eriksson announced his decision to step down as England manager before the 2006 World Cup in Germany – two years before his contract was due to expire.
A year out of the game followed before he joined Manchester City, where he spent only one season before being replaced by Mark Hughes.
In June 2008 Eriksson replaced Hugo Sanchez in the Mexico job, the legendary striker having been sacked three months earlier, but he lasted less than a year. </p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Eriksson offered job at Notts County
July 21st, 2009 |
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• Eriksson expected to accept director of football position
• Ian McParland would remain as County manager
So Sven-Goran Eriksson was thinking of Meadow Lane when his agent revealed a couple of months ago that the Swede “would love to work in England again”. Anyone predicting such a return before yesterday’s remarkable developments would have risked being carted off to the nearest psychiatric ward but put a consortium from the Middle East and Eriksson’s name in the same sentence and you start to believe that anything is possible.
This time, however, the investors offering to line Eriksson’s pocket are not fake sheikhs seeking to bring down the England manager but Notts County board members intent on pulling off one of the more staggering football appointments in recent times.
Eriksson is expected to be unveiled as the League Two club’s director of football on Wednesday following talks which presumably did not dwell too much on the 61-year-old’s knowledge of County’s promotion rivals next season.
Quite what was going through Ian McParland’s mind when he learned of the bid to lure Eriksson is anyone’s guess, though the current Notts County manager has been assured that his job is safe despite the imminent arrival of someone who spent five years in charge of England. That period should have prepared Eriksson for most things but there could still be a few shocks in store if he makes his way around the League Two circuit next season.
Whether he will be required to negotiate those kind of trips remains to be seen, with his involvement at one of the world’s oldest football clubs likely to be more advisory than hands-on. Either way those close to Munto Finance, the ambitious Middle-East backed consortium that took control at Meadow Lane last week with plans to establish the club in the Championship within five years, say Eriksson will not be here today and gone tomorrow.
Eriksson does have experience of working at a lower level before when he started out on his managerial career with Degerfors in Sweden but 30 years have since passed and the majority of those have been spent at some of the most glamorous clubs in Europe such as Benfica, Roma and Lazio. Portsmouth seemed likely to be the next port of call after he was sacked by Mexico in April but instead Eriksson has checked in at a club that finished 87th on the football ladder in May.
His financial package will be the subject of much conjecture but it is thought to be strongly linked to the club’s progress, although it would be naive to believe that there is not a hefty basic wage. Eriksson, after all, does not work for pennies, even if he has received three seven-figure pay-offs in as many years, and there were suggestions last night, albeit unconfirmed, that he might pick up as much as £40,000 a week at Meadow Lane.
What a turnaround from 5½ years ago when County, mired in financial trouble, narrowly escaped the threat of expulsion from the Football League. There have been more tough times since, including the last five seasons finishing in the bottom half of League Two, but the loyal supporters that have remained faithful to the club that will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2012 can be forgiven for waking up with a smile this morning.
“We have a vision of success now,” said Glenn Rolley, the chairman of the supporters’ trust. “We stand in the shadow of our neighbours. Appointing Sven will reverberate around the football world. I can only compare it to when Notts County signed Tommy Lawton from Chelsea in the late ’40s.
“He was England’s No 1 centre-forward. This is comparable. I’ve been a supporter for 45 years and this is proud day. It’s quite romantic really.”
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Eriksson linked with Notts County
July 21st, 2009 |
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• New Middle East owners have targeted Swede, claim reports
• Lucrative financial package expected to be on offer
Notts County are believed to have approached Sven-Goran Eriksson to see whether the former England manager would be interested in taking a role at the club.
If Eriksson were to take on a role it could be as a consultant or in an advisory position that would mean the manager Ian McParland would keep his job. BBC Radio Nottingham have reported there is a possibility he could be named director of football.
A club spokesman said today: “We are neither confirming or denying speculation.”
The reports have centred on the club’s new Middle East owners, the Munto Finance consortium, who it is claimed have put together a proposal to get the Swede involved in Notts County.
They have also been linked with an approach to another former England manager, Glenn Hoddle.
Eriksson was sacked by Mexico earlier this year and has previously managed the England national side, Manchester City, Lazio, Sampdoria, Fiorentina, Roma and Benfica. He was linked with a managerial role at Portsmouth, although it appears that Paul Hart will continue in the role for next season.
However, the new financial clout of the club that finished last season 19th in the bottom division may now be used to entice him to Nottingham.
In 1996 Eriksson was lined up to take over at Blackburn but, instead, chose to move to Lazio at the eleventh hour. His first jobs in management were at Degerfors and Goteborg in his native Sweden.
Munto Finance have outlined a 10-year plan to return Notts County to the top-flight as the club aims to put bankruptcy, poor form and low crowds behind them. The club’s new chairman Peter Trembling hopes the new owners can herald a reversal in the club’s fortunes.
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Paul LeGendre: The Ilan Halimi Murder Trial: Moving Beyond Hatred?
July 15th, 2009 |
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On Friday, July 10, the leader of a Paris gang was sentenced to life in prison for torturing and murdering a young Jewish man, Ilan…
Tevez hits back at Ferguson claim
July 14th, 2009 |
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Manchester City’s new signing Carlos Tevez insists Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson did not contact him to try to keep him at Old Trafford.
Ferguson claims he offered the 25-year-old a deal in March to turn his two-year loan move, which expired this summer, into a permanent switch.
United’s boss also said he texted and phoned the Argentine without response.
"I was there for two years and Sir Alex never called or sent any text messages in that time," said the striker.
"The only time he talked to me was after a match against Roma to discuss a situation of playing for Argentina.
"It doesn’t seem that this is the way to treat a player in two years at the club. It doesn’t seem there is a line of communication."
PHIL MCNULTY’S BLOG"Is he better than what City currently have Can they afford him Yes, and most emphatically yes."
Tevez had moved to United on a two-year loan deal in the summer of 2007 after a stint at West Ham.
A £25.5m fee had been agreed at the time if United wanted to buy the player from his advisors, who owned his economic rights, and make the move permanent.
Tevez believed he was kept waiting too long for a deal to materialise and, in the meantime, was unhappy at his treatment by the Old Trafford outfit as well as his lack of first-team opportunities.
The two eventually parted company when Tevez rejected a five-year contract from United earlier this summer in favour of a move to local rivals Manchester City.
But Ferguson said on Monday: "I half expected Tevez would be going a long time back.
"I think he maybe did a deal around January because I spoke to him and gave him an offer on the night we played Inter Milan (in March) and he never came back to me.
"I phoned him on holiday and he never got back to me and I texted him twice and he never got back to me then either, so obviously he had made his mind up a long time ago.
"He was a good player and did well for us. But he obviously assessed the situation and wanted to go somewhere else."
Tevez denied any suggestion a deal had been agreed with City in January 2009 as he praised the United supporters for their backing of him.
The Argentine built up a good rapport with United’s fans as he helped the club to the 2008 and 2009 Premier League titles, the 2008 Champions League trophy as well as last season’s Carling Cup.
And Tevez added: "The fact I did not stay at United was not because of the fans.
"They must understand a part of my heart will always be with them. They were always extremely supportive, even when I wasn’t playing."</p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Canada toughens its visa demands
July 14th, 2009 |
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Canada has imposed visa requirements on travellers from Mexico and the Czech Republic after a big jump in refugee claims from these two countries.
Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said a significant number of such claims were rejected or abandoned, raising doubts about their legitimacy.
Since 2007, some 3,000 Czech nationals have requested asylum, while 9,400 Mexicans applied last year.
The Czech government says the move is wrong and is recalling its ambassador.
Announcing the new visa requirements, Mr Kenney said they were aimed at reducing the burden on Canada’s refugee system.
More than half the claims by Czech nationals were abandoned or withdrawn before a final decision was made, Mr Kenney said, indicating that many claimants may not be genuine refugees. Only 11% of claims by Mexicans were accepted in 2008.
"In addition to creating significant delays and spiralling new costs in our refugee programme, the sheer volume of these claims is undermining our ability to help people fleeing real persecution," Mr Kenney said.
"All too often people who really need Canada’s protection find themselves in a long line, waiting for months and sometimes years to have their claims heard."
Persecution
The number of Mexicans applying has almost tripled since 2005 to 9,400 in 2008, accounting for a quarter of all claims received.
The Czech Republic is the second main source of refugee claims. Since Canada lifted visa requirements on Czech nationals in 2007, nearly 3,000 claims have been lodged, compared with just five in 2006.
Almost all the claimants are members of the Roma or gypsy minority, fleeing what they say is persecution in the Czech Republic where there has been a sharp rise in far-right extremism.
Canadian officials acknowledge that about 85% of claims by Czech nationals which are heard are accepted.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout said Canada’s action was unprecedented against a European Union member, while the Prime Minister, Jan Fischer, said it was one-sided and wrong.
The Czech government has indicated it will reciprocate by imposing visas on Canadian diplomats and business travellers.
The Mexican government said it regretted Canada’s decision and that it would be closely monitoring the implementation of the requirements to ensure the rights of Mexicans are respected.
Officials said they had been working with Canadian authorities to try to tackle fraudulent claims.
The visa requirement came into effect on 14 July but people already travelling to Canada will be able to apply for a visa on arrival until 2359 on 15 July.</p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Sporting dilemma
July 13th, 2009 |
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By Jo-Anne Rowney
BBC News Magazine
The Australians have criticised the England cricket team for unsporting delaying tactics on the last day of the first Ashes test. But what’s the difference between cunning gamesmanship and cheating
In the closing minutes of the test, England sent "12th man" Bilal Shafayat on to the pitch to give batsman James Anderson new gloves, with the team physio also sauntering on.
Australian Captain Ricky Ponting and a number of pundits have been critical, but sport has always been rife with time-wasting techniques and attempts to unsettle the opponent.
TIME WASTING
There are occasions, when competitors are ahead and they just need the whistle to go. Footballers have regularly kept the ball in an opposition corner to delay the game. It’s within the rules, but it often angers opposition and fans.
Time wasting is also common in the ring. Sometimes fighters are hurt and just need to eat up the time left in the round so they can get back to their corner and recuperate. The shouts of "box, box" are often heard as boxers cling to each other – drawing out a round and minimising opportunities to hit.
As well as genuine efforts to use up time, sometimes delaying tactics are a psychological weapon.
TIME WASTING AS PSYCHOLOGICAL ATTACK
You’ve had a ball called out – you know it was definitely in. You’re a set down and just dropped a service game. You’re in trouble, big trouble. But how can you turn this around
It’s time for a toilet break.
"Skill in winning games, esp. by means that barely qualify as legitimate"
OED definition of ‘gamesmanship’
It’s a thought that’s run through many tennis players minds. Not only does it allow you time to think in the comfort of the toilet, but also puts your opponent off the boil. It leaves the adversary stiffening up, their temper fraying.
Jimmy Connors stands accused of beginning the leak legacy. In his match against Ivan Lendl in the 1983 US Open final, Connors suddenly sprinted off the court – leaving Lendl in the 100 degree heat for several minutes. Lendl protested, but Connors went on to win the match.
"Our attention wanders all of the time, taking our focus off a task," says Dr Richard Cox, consultant to the British Institute of Sports. "Any delaying technique is used to deflect attention. This is even easier to do in a sporting event. It may be a temporary break, but that’s enough."
Also in the tennis arena, some of Greg Rusedski’s mannerisms raised an occasional eyebrow. One quirk was the wrapping of the grip. Carefully wrapping the handle’s grip back into place he could easily waste a few seconds. Then he might retie his shoelaces.
Rusedski was also noticeable for the frequency with which he towelled off between points.
"He is getting the opponent’s attention," says Dr Cox. "Their mind can be shifted at any one moment, as we only ever focus on one thing, he’s making sure that’s not the game.
"If you were to freeze your brain you’d see we have one focus at any given moment, whether an image or sound, or a comment."
And of course, whatever the actions until there’s a way to read a sportsman’s mind no-one can prove that Connors’s toilet visit and Rusedski’s towelling weren’t entirely innocent.
DIRECT DISTRACTION
There are the direct attempts to put the opposition off. Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar is infamous for his wobbly knees during the 1984 European cup final penalty shoot-out against Roma. As Francesco Graziani prepared to take the kick, Grobbelaar wobbled his knees in mocking terror. The unnerved Italian missed, and the cup was packed off to Anfield.
For optimum focus the player needs to be emotionally balanced, keenly centred on the game. In cricket this may prove hard when handing over the bat. Steve Waugh, the former Australian Captain, used to talk openly about planning the "mental disintegration" of his opponents, a practice known as sledging.
Sledging – low abuse – is a well known attempt to unsettle the rival team. On one occasion fiery fast bowler Merv Hughes decided to give advice after England’s Graham Thorpe had played and missed several deliveries in a row. "Read the back of your bat mate, it’s got instructions on it," he said.
Effective sledging seeks to undermine confidence, says Dr Cox.
"Sledging is designed to deflect concentration and attention. Morality and ethics seldom come into play with psychological warfare. It’s childishness.
"The player’s powers of analysis, which are so important to the game, are impaired – emotional balance changes with anger, the adrenaline rushes into your system, and your focus changes. It doesn’t pay to become emotional."
OUTRIGHT UNDERHANDEDNESS
Underhand tactics are an everyday occurrence in football. Many players fall to the ground, feigning injury, after a the gentlest of touches.
But cricket also has its sneaky tactics. In February 1981 New Zealand needed six runs to tie the match from the final ball. The Australian captain, Greg Chappell, ordered the bowler, his brother Trevor Chappell, to bowl underarm. He rolled the ball along the ground to avoid the chance of a six.
It was described as "the most disgusting incident I can recall in the history of cricket" by the then prime minister of New Zealand, Rob Muldoon. He said: "It was an act of cowardice and I consider it appropriate that the Australian team were wearing yellow."
But however much outrage follows any act of gamesmanship, there are always a host of sportsmen who would have done the same thing.
Send us your comments using the form below.
<p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Lost innocence
July 12th, 2009 |
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As part of a series on Roma Gypsies in Europe, Yuri Maloveriyan of BBC Russian examines how their reputation has changed in modern-day Russia.
Russians have traditionally tended to think of Roma (Gypsies) in two ways: as horse-dealers and rustlers, or as rolling stones, wandering around the world in colourful costumes and singing romantic songs.
But in the new Russia this old image has been replaced by a different one – one generated by media reports from villages where Roma drug dealers sell heroin.
And although pro-Roma organisations try to argue that this picture does not apply to all Roma, their voice is drowned out by the media.
"All of a sudden, their houses started to burn because of some electrical problems, and entire clans would leave," remembers Yevgenii Malenkin from Russian non-governmental organisation City Without Drugs, pointing to a burned house not far from Yekaterinburg, in central Russia.
Mr Malenkin says that about seven years ago Roma people living in the house were openly selling heroin.
"Right here on the crossroads crowds gathered, waiting for drugs to arrive. Those who had received their dose were lying in the bushes nearby. And police cars would be there too, providing security for the Gypsies," he says.
"There are no Roma engineers, no Roma doctors, they are all drug dealers"
Yevgenii Malenkin
City Without Drugs started fighting drug addiction and drug dealing in Yekaterinburg 10 years ago.
But it seems Mr Malenkin’s attitude towards Roma has been tainted by his experience.
"There are no Roma engineers, no Roma doctors, they are all drug dealers. There are five Roma villages in Yekaterinburg and all five trade drugs," he says.
Misrepresented
Nikolai Bessonov, one of the best known Russian specialists on Roma, believes that they are misrepresented in Russia.
"The real number of drug-dealers among Roma is exaggerated. The news only shows the drug-dealers. We never hear about Roma who study in universities, work on a farm, we don’t see Roma engineers or Roma doctors," says Mr Bessonov, whose daughter and son-in-law are actors in a famous Moscow Roma theatre, the Roman.
Mr Bessonov lives in a village near Moscow where, he says, there are many Roma of "respectable" professions: a lawyer, a jeweller and a number of legitimate traders.
But the media tends to ignore them and this leads to misunderstanding.
A recent poll by the independent Levada Centre found that 52% of Russians think negatively of Roma.
According to Russia’s 2002 census, there are 183,000 Roma in the country.
But Mr Bessonov estimates the number to be nearer 250,000.
Secret identity
Nikolai Bugai, foreign relations counsellor at the ministry of regional development, says that Roma are able to live in harmony with the rest of the community.
He recently visited a village in the Krasnodar region in the south of Russia, where out of a population of 13,000, at least 5,000 were Roma.
"There is a farm there of 220 hectares, which is headed by a Roma and the workers are also Roma," says Mr Bugai.
Nikolai Bessonov believes that Roma people themselves are partly responsible for their negative image, in that they prefer to keep their identities secret.
"When I try to write about Roma who work, I ask a Roma doctor if I can talk about him, but he refuses, saying that he doesn’t want his patients to find out who he really is because that might create work-related problems. I approach a teacher and she tells me the same thing," he says.
It has been said that those Roma who have assimilated into society have therefore partly lost their Roma identity.
But Mr Bessonov disagrees.
"When Russians stopped wearing beards and woven bast shoes, stopped farming and went to work at a factory or became, for instance, engineers, no one said that they ‘assimilated’. So why when a Roma goes to work in a mine or study at a university, do people say that he has assimilated" asks the historian.
"Our women want to work, but they can’t find anything because they are illiterate"
Elza Mihai
He says it is important that Roma continue to respect their traditions, no matter what they do in life.
Many Roma are afraid to assimilate and so they don’t send their children to school. And if they do, it’s only for a year or two, so that children learn to read and write.
But the lack of a complete education makes it difficult for these children to find a job later on in life.
"Our women want to work, but they can’t find anything because they are illiterate," says Elza Mihai, a teacher from a Roma village in the Leningrad region.
Myths and prejudices
Ms Mihai hopes that with such difficulty in finding employment, Roma people will eventually be convinced to send their children to school for longer than just a couple of years.
But better education alone will not improve the negative image of Roma in Russia.
After all, there are many myths and prejudices about other, well educated peoples.
Nikolai Bessonov hopes that revival of Roma folklore will help improve the image of Roma in Russia.
Together with his daughter and Roma son-in-law, Mr Bessonov has created a folklore group "Svenko", where artists in typical colourful Roma costumes dance and sing Roma romances.</p
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