Stories about Sport from August, 2011
Colombia: Football Federation Accepts ‘Bolillo’ Gómez's Resignation as Head Coach
On Sunday, August 21, Hernán Darío Gómez ratified his resignation as head coach of the Colombian national soccer team after he hit a woman in Bogotá. This time the Colombian Football Federation accepted the resignation, but the issue continues to generate various online reactions.
Mexico: Outrage After Shooting During Football Match in Torreón
Mexican citizens use the blogosphere and social networks to speak out about the armed conflict that took in Torreón (outside the Territorio Santos Modelo stadium), which caused panic and uncertainty among fans, and the cancellation of the match.
Armenia: Artificial smiles and a beauty pageant
Unzipped comments on the closing ceremony of this year's Pan-Armenian Games, an irregular sporting competition intended to bring together young Armenians from all over the world. The blog criticizes what it says was “the most boring, pathetic and tasteless ceremonies I have ever seen in Yerevan.
Mexico: Football Match Interrupted by Gunfire
Realidadtorreon uploaded a citizen video recorded inside the stadium where a football match was cancelled after “gunmen opened fire on police outside the stadium in the northern city of Torreon”, as reported by The Associated Press. Eduardopolis [es] blogged about the incident and how it was covered by the media...
Colombia: Football Federation Rejects ‘Bolillo’ Gómez's Resignation as Head Coach
The Colombian Football Federation has rejected the resignation of Hernán Darío Gómez (‘Bolillo’) as head coach of the national football team which he presented after hitting a woman. On social networks Colombians have shared everything from comments on respecting women to speculations about who might replace him.
Uruguay: The State's Role in Financing the National Football Team
Cristian Pérez Muñoz of Razones y personas: repensando Uruguay [es] (Reasons and people: rethinking Uruguay) discusses the role that the Government should play in financing the national football team. He argues that “the Uruguayan State should not use its money to finance the national football team's activities”.
Ukraine: Politics, Economy, Euro 2012 and Relations With the West
At OpenDemocracy.net, Sergei Zhadan writes in depth on how Ukraine's political and economic situation affects the ongoing preparations for the Euro 2012 football championship, which is less than a year away. Earlier this month, Iryna Solonenko and Peter Rutland wrote about Western policy towards Ukraine.
Colombia Eliminated from FIFA U-20 World Cup
In EquinoXio [es] blogger Marsares [es] is covering [es] the U-20 Football World Cup taking place in Colombia from July 29 to August 20 with the participation of 24 countries. Colombia, the host, was eliminated [es] in a game against Mexico, generating all kinds of reactions online.
Malaysian Football Website Hacked
A Malaysian football website, Ultras Malaya, was hacked by an angry Singaporean fan after Singapore's football team lost to Malaysia in a World Cup qualifying round.
Cuba: Nyad's Failed Attempt
As athlete Diana Nyad gives up her attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida, Generation Y says: “Her laudable intention was to highlight the closeness between the Island and its neighbor to the north, to help reconcile both shores. But the Straits of Florida is also part of our national...
Colombia: Head Coach of National Football Team Resigns Over Scandal
Hernán Darío Gómez (‘Bolillo’), resigned as the head coach of the national football team after hitting a woman in a bar (‘El Bembé’) in Bogotá. Media [es], blogs [es], websites [es] and social networks spoke out about his actions and influenced his decision. On Twitter several hashtags (#Bavaria, DT de...
Senegal: 5-Year Ban For Football Star El Hadj Diouf
Bilal comments upon [fr] an article published on Mercatix.net, tackling the 5-year ban from international football slapped by the Senegalese Football Federation on one of the best players in the country, El Hadj Diouf, after he declared that “the whole system of African football is corrupt”: “I never thought” writes...
Sri Lanka: Should Poor Countries Play Games?
In reaction to Sri Lanka's bid for the next Commonwealth Games, which may cost billions of dollars and pose risk of corruption and controversy, Indi.ca asks should poor countries have the luxury of playing such costly games?
Jamaica: “Emancipendence”
Jamaican bloggers discuss the country's “Emancipendence”, here and here.
Dominica: Paradise Lost?
Caribbean Man calls Dominica “a beautiful Caribbean island [where] you can live naturally”…but there is a long list of challenges.