| Racing United launches to demand Levy cash is boosted • Industry leaders call on government to act• Bookies label figures used in case as disingenuousRacing's sectional interests presented themselves as shoulder-to-shoulder in the fight for more money from the betting Levy today, as the British Horseracing Authority supervised the launch of a new campaign ahead of a possible government determination of the next Levy scheme.Racing United has the support of organisations representing owners, racecourses, trainers, jockeys, breeders and stable staff. Its charter calls on the government to "close loopholes in the Levy system" that "permit offshore bookmakers to avoid Levy obligations", to ensure that "betting exchanges and their bookmaker (business) users pay a fair commercial return to racing," and ultimately to "ensure that racing's return from the Levy in 2011 is between £130m and £150m".The return to racing from the betting Levy hit an all-time high two years ago, when the spectacular losses of a single "high roller" Ladbrokes client pushed the yield to £115m. Last year that dropped to £93m, and this year's return is expected to drop again, to about £75m.However, the break-up of the monopoly on the broadcast of live racing coverage to betting shops has seen a significant rise in the bookmakers' media rights payments, which they argue should be taken into account when assessing how much they contribute to racing."If you look internationally at where racing is and where it is currently going, we are getting the equivalent of less than 1% of [bookmakers'] turnover," Paul Struthers, the BHA's director of communications, said today. "In Hong Kong, it's 2%, in France it is 8%, and there are others that are higher than that."The launch of the Racing United campaign was accompanied by a set of figures from the BHA, entitled "Bookmakers' false claims on increased contributions to racing", which appeared to suggest that, in percentage terms, bookmakers' combined payments have actually increased as a percentage of their gross win on British racing over the last four years, from 12.53% to 14.5%.However, Struthers said that the figures did not account for the recent decisions of Ladbrokes and William Hill to move their significant internet and telephone businesses offshore."We have no way of knowing how much business they are doing through their offshore operations," Struthers said."We can either accept that we get what we get and there is absolutely nothing that racing can do about it, and die a slow death, or say no, we don't accept it. There have to be legitimate, viable, legal mechanisms the government can introduce to make sure racing gets a fair return."Patrick Nixon, the chief executive of the Association of British Bookmakers, said that the BHA was being "disingenuous" in its use of figures, and in particular its comparison of current Levy yield to the freak, high-roller year of 2008."They are focusing on the Levy because it is Levy season," Nixon said. "Yes it has gone down, and there are many reasons for that, but we were paying £30m for pictures in 2007."Now it is nearly £75m, and SIS has already announced an increase next year. They have lost on the Levy swings, but certainly gained on the media rights roundabout."Horse racingGreg Woodguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Commonwealth Games countdown: five days to go | Steve Busfield As the 2010 Delhi Games approach and the clean-up is almost complete, it is nearly time to focus on the sportAs this gallery shows, the 2010 Commonwealth Games appear to have reached the point where the anticipation is as much about the sport as the building work.After the stories about snakes yesterday, here's a selection of interesting stories about the Games today:• Monkeys called in to scare, er, monkeys at Commonwealth Games, according to the Herald Sun. The Telegraph adds that "trained langur monkeys are being deployed by organisers of the Commonwealth Games to prevent wild animals infesting sporting venues in Delhi".• "Loose wiring and leaky air-conditioning units could be seen at Team Scotland's living quarters, along with unfinished kitchens and missing railings," according to BBC Scotland.• The Australian team say they are happy with the athletes' village but are still cautious over security issues, reports DNA. Australian chef de mission Steve Moneghetti, a marathon gold medallist at the 1994 Games at Victoria, Canada, said: "We are pleased and happy with facilities at the Village." However, the team's athletes have been advised not to wear team jerseys outside of the venues for fear of becoming terror targets.• Moneghetti is ratcheting up the old Aussie v Pom rivalry, claiming the Delhi Games are an opportunity for the British to assess whether the $310m they are spending on athletes in the lead-up to the Olympics is hitting the mark, according to the Herald-Sun."It often does not matter how much you spend – it is how effective you spend it. I am sure England are very conscious of that. They are pushing up [the rivalry with Australia] more than us because they have a home Games coming up and the pressure is more on them."• The child labour debate keeps on going. Kapil Komireddi argues on guardian.co.uk's Cif site: "It's right to boycott the Commonwealth Games: From child labour to forced evictions, the cruelty of India's Commonwealth Games means spectators should stay away."Please share your thoughts, comments, links below or via email or Twitter. We will update this blog occasionally, plus there will be more liveblogs in the run-up to and duration of the Games.Commonwealth Games 2010Steve Busfieldguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Laxman shines brightest as India prevail The batsman played through a bad back to inspire India to a dramatic first Test win over the men in baggy greenIn the Indian dressing room, VVS Laxman is Very, Very Special. In Australia's they probably think of him in very different terms – Very, Very Sickening. In crisis situations that paralyse others, Laxman manages to bat with a composure and elegance that must be soul-destroying for the opposition. Others cramp up with nervous excitement. He strokes the ball into the gaps. As Zaheer Khan, an odd choice as man of the match following India's single-wicket win over Australia, said afterwards Laxman brings calm to the dressing room.He and Australia have history. In January 2000, Laxman was a makeshift opener when he scored his first century, a galloping 167 in a losing cause at the SCG. None of his team-mates made more than 25. A year later, now batting in the middle order, his 281, which gets a mention each time you discuss the greatest innings ever played, thwarted Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz at Eden Gardens. In the next Test, with the series on the line, he eased the tension from a final-day run chase with a stroke-filled 66.He's seldom look back since when confronted by those in baggy green. Six of his 16 centuries have come against them and he averages nearly 60. "Even with a bad back, he showed what sort of class player he is," said a rueful Ricky Ponting after this game. "He played very well, got the tailenders to stick in there with him, and he had a knack of finding the boundary late in the innings. He has been a bit of a thorn in our side, there's no doubt about that."The chances are that this unbeaten 73 from 79 balls, having come in at No7 after back spasms kept him off the field for most of the match, will be cherished as much as any of those feted hundreds. Make no mistake, Australia had this game won. That they lost with India on the mat and gasping for breath will rankle for a long time. "I think I was a bit delirious by the end of the Kolkata game, so I can't remember too much about that," said Ponting when asked to compare this defeat to that of 2001. "This one probably hurts more. I'm captain of the side. I wasn't then. Eight down today with 80 to get, it was a game we should've won."India's overnight position (55 for four) was precarious enough, but when Sachin Tendulkar fell, trying to bunt the ball over gully a first defeat at Mohali since 1994 appeared a near certainty. MS Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh could do nothing to halt the slide and when the beanpole figure of Ishant Sharma marked his guard, the scoreboard showed a forlorn 124 for eight.Fate, though, had more twists in store. Doug Bollinger, who had dismissed both Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, went off with an abdominal strain and Ponting's frustration was palpable. He had been unhappy about the fast bowler's late arrival from South Africa, where he had been part of the Chennai Super Kings' Champions League-winning side, and when he didn't emerge after lunch, the burden was squarely on the shoulders of Ben Hilfenhaus and Mitchell Johnson. Hilfenhaus got Australia back into the game on the fourth evening, but his strength is beautifully controlled outswing with the new ball. Johnson, despite a five-wicket haul in the first innings, has an action so erratic that he's prone to inconsistency. Nathan Hauritz, anointed as Australia's frontline spinner in the build-up to the Ashes, was so ineffectual that Ponting couldn't trust him, and it was left to Marcus North, after another wretched game with the bat, to give the ball a tweak.Sharma may have bowled poorly of late, and will miss the Bangalore Test, starting on Saturday, with a knee injury, but he showed diligence with the bat, making an important 31 runs from 92 balls. By the time he was out the ninth-wicket partnership was worth 81. His back may have been stiff and his footwork severely restricted, but Laxman kept giving the fielders the runaround.Inevitably in a series being played without the Umpiring Decision Review System, the pivotal moment came with a decision that would had been referred had the technology been made available.From where I sat, right behind the umpire, Pragyan Ojha appeared to be struck in front by Johnson. But Billy Bowden, who had earlier given Gautam Gambhir leg-before despite a thick inside edge, ruled that the batsman hit it. As Ojha and Suresh Raina, running for Laxman, scampered the single, Steven Smith picked up and had a shy at the stumps. He was close, but with no one backing up, the ball went for four overthrows. Two balls and two leg byes later, the game was over. The Indians embraced Laxman, Ojha and Raina, while the Australians looked shattered, like kids who had seen Father Christmas turn into the Wicked Witch.Ponting put on a brave face afterwards, stressing the positives, but admitted that the defeat was one of the most painful of his 147-Test career. At Edgbaston in 2005, it was Australia that nearly pulled off a stunning come-from-behind win. Here, with roles reversed, they again fell just short."This is a tough loss for us", said Ponting, who answered a slew of questions with great dignity. "It's no good hiding from it, this hurts all of us. I'm sure it's hurt a lot of people at home who've been watching as well."There's no doubt we're bitterly disappointed with the result going the way it did. The dressing room is very, very quiet at the moment, but we have to bounce back from this." How they do or don't could well decide Australian cricket's immediate future.India Cricket TeamAustralia cricket teamCricketDileep Premachandranguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Bonds trial witness list includes former players By PAUL ELIAS 2010-10-16T00:50:35ZSAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Federal prosecutors on Friday submitted the lineup of witnesses they intend to call during the much-delayed Barry Bonds perjury trial and it includes Rockies first baseman Jason Giambi and the home run king's former personal trainer at the center of the case.... hosted.ap.org |
Wizards' Arenas will miss at least first 2 games By ANTONIO GONZALEZ 2010-10-27T17:48:18ZORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Gilbert Arenas will miss at least the first two regular-season games for the Washington Wizards with a strained tendon in his right ankle.... hosted.ap.org |