TOP 100 SPORT SITES
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| Slow feet, quick brain – an ideal mix for a manager It was January 18, 1997, and the young Liverpool debutant, attacking from midfield, headed the first of three goals at Anfield. Stan Collymore and Robbie Fowler got the others and Aston Villa had no reply. feeds.timesonline.co.uk |
Chelsea have Juventus striker Iaquinta in their sights Carlo Ancelotti is considering a move for Vincenzo Iaquinta, the Juventus and Italy forward. feeds.timesonline.co.uk |
Mesa still working to keep Cubs in Arizona Mesa Mayor Scott Smith stressed Saturday that Mesa plans on building state-of-the-art, top-notch spring training facilities and a new stadium in order to keep the Chicago Cubs from moving their practice base to Florida. feeds.bizjournals.com |
Venter given four-match suspended ban • One-month touchline ban suspended to end of year• Saracens director of rugby apologies for remarksBrendan Venter has issued a public apology to the referee David Rose and thereby escaped immediate punishment for criticising the official by implying he had been nobbled at half-time during Saracens' home match with Leicester on 2 January.Venter, the Saracens director of rugby, faced a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel after being charged with conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game for saying that Rose had been influenced during the interval of the Premiership game, which Leicester won 22‑15. He was found guilty and given a one-month touchline ban suspended until the end of the year on condition he issued a public apology to Rose and paid £250 costs."I apologise unreservedly for issuing a statement that caused offence to David Rose," said Venter. "I firmly believe that I did not question, or intend to question, David's integrity and any criticism that has been implied was not meant. When I said that he had been influenced at half-time I did not intend to mean that he was improperly influenced."As I said in the interview, I have no doubt that all the referees operating in the Guinness Premiership are honest and operate without intentionally favouring one side over another. I look forward to welcoming David Rose back to Vicarage Road in the near future."The three-man panel, which was chaired by the RFU's chief disciplinary officer, Jeff Blackett, expressed its concern at the Premiership system that allows coaches to have written communication with a referee at half-time through the fourth official. The reserve referee at Vicarage Road for the Leicester match, JP Doyle, told the hearing that he received communication cards from both coaching teams. He thought Leicester raised a point about "refereeing both sides" but could not remember the exact wording. He put the cards in his pocket but did not raise any of the points with Rose because the referee had either already identified them or, in the case of refereeing both sides, Doyle deemed it irrelevant."The [written card] system does allow coaches to influence the referee and there is potential for that influence to be improper," Blackett wrote in the panel's judgment. "We understand that this was established to diffuse [sic] any potential conflicts which might occur if there were direct contact. However, we believe that the system should either prevent any direct or indirect contact or, if there is to be written contact, be more formal and transparent. Ed Morrison [the RFU's director of elite referees] has agreed to review this process."Venter's suspended ban from match-day coaching will only be activated if he is found guilty of any other offence this year. The panel accepted that he did not intend to impugn the integrity of Rose, who said in evidence that he had found the remarks, which he read on Ceefax when he returned home after the game, extremely offensive and an attack on his integrity.Blackett said the case showed the need for directors of rugby to be careful about what they say to the media after matches. "Robust debate is healthy and they must be free to express general concerns about the game, but when doing so they must not offend the RFU's core values, which highlight the importance of teamwork and respect. Where specific concerns arise, which might include criticism of individuals, they should be dealt with in private through the recognised channels that have been agreed by the clubs."SaracensGuinness PremiershipRugby unionPaul Reesguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
It comes to pass: Colts, Saints offenses to meet in Super Bowl How you start is a footnote. How you finish is history. The best start in the NFL this season belonged to the Indianapolis Colts at 14-0. Now, ... rssfeeds.usatoday.com |