Stories about Sport from September, 2008
Palestine: Why Arabs Performed Badly at the Olympics
Palestinian Rantings of an Arab Chick links to an op-ed on why Arabs performed badly at the Olympics – and at other things.
Cameroon: The president's time
Time flies and things stay the same in Cameroon, writes Cameroonian blogger, George.
Romania, Hungary: Hockey and Football Update
Csíkszereda Musings posts “a short Transylvanian sporting update.”
Uzbekistan: Investing in Soccer
Tolkun tells about the first goals of world-renowned football player Rivaldo in Uzbekistan's Bunyodkor FC and embeds a video of the game.
Paraguay: Trans-Chaco Rally Postponed
Every year, drivers from across the globe descend on Paraguay's Chaco Region to participate in the Trans-Chaco Rally, which has been running since 1971. This year, the region of the Grand Chaco has been especially hit hard by drought. A State of Emergency had been declared for the area. As a result, the government announced that it would be postponing the race citing the need to allow for aid workers to provide assistance to the region's 18,000 families.
Poland-Ukraine: Saving the 2012 UEFA Soccer Championship
The 8th Circle discusses how Poland and Ukraine – despite domestic political turmoil – cope with preparations of the 2012 UEFA soccer championship.
Armenia: Turkish Visitors
Unzipped quotes news reports saying that 300 Turkish citizens visited the Genocide Memorial and Museum in Yerevan on the sidelines of this month's World Cup qualifying football match between Armenia and Turkey. However, as one comment says, it is unclear how many were ethnic Armenians or ethnic Turks. Nevertheless, the...
China: 2008 Beijing Paralympics Ends
Allen blogs about the closing ceremony of 2008 Beijing Paralympics at the Fool's Mountain.
Eastern Europe: Victory at the Paralympics
The 8th Circle posts a list of results by the East European national teams and sportsmen at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics.
Mongolia: First Paralympic Gold
Bilguun reports that Baatarjav Dambadondog brought the first Paralympic Gold medal for Mongolia in Men's Individual Recurve.
Kazakhstan: National Football Team's Coach Sacked
Adam reports that Kazakhstan football federation decided to fire Dutch coach Arno Pijpers and replace him with a German one.
Jamaica, U.S.A.: Poor Sportsmanship
“I think he forgot (that in) 2003 he failed several drug tests that questioned the validity of his achievements. Sometimes folks think what you are doing is what they are doing”: A Fe Me Page Dis Iyah is not impressed by former US sprinter Carl Lewis’ insinuations about Jamaican Olympic...
Bangladesh: Money vs. Country
“11 national cricketers prefer more money than the honor of playing national cricket for Bangladesh.” Unheard Voices echoes the outrage of many Bangladeshis after these national players decided to quit to join the lucrative Indian Cricket League (ICL).
Egypt at the Paralympics
Egypt's special athletes are making waves in Beijing, China, where this year's Paralympic Games are being held from September 6 to 17. While Egypt clinched one bronze medal in this year's Beijing Summer Olympics, athletes in the Paralympics are achieving a success like no other. So far the team has won four gold, three silver and four bronze medals.
Peru: A Tie is Not a Triumph
Luis Aguirre from Bloodyhell [es] and Isabel Guerra from Las Burbujas Recargadas [es] think that the media are overestimating the 1-1 tie against Argentina achieved by the Peruvian national football team, which is an unexpected change of attitude since the same media had been saying that the team should “just go away.”
Japan: Nike buys out name of public park
Nike Japan, the Japanese subsidiary of sportswear multinational Nike, will turn a public park in central Tokyo, Miyashita Park, into what they call “Nike Park”. The naming rights have already been acquired from the Ward for about 150 million Yen, which will be paid over the next 5 years, and the go-ahead for the work was given last August. Bloggers give their thoughts about the move.
Bolivia: Unlikely Tie on the Road Against Brazil
Hugo Miranda celebrates the unlikely 0-0 tie achieved by the Bolivian National football team against Brazil [es] in Rio de Janeiro for World Cup qualifiers.
Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana: Cricketer of the Year
Caribbean Beat Blog reports that “Guyanese batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul has received the International Cricket Council ‘Cricketer of the Year’ award…the first West Indian to claim such a major prize from the ICC.”
Jamaica: Too Much Free Time?
“Too much human resource seems to be wasting away, which is quite evident not only from Usain's reception crowd, but by the parties and dances that are kept every single night of the week”: Stunner's Afflictions has mixed feelings about Olympic Gold Medalist Usain Bolt's homecoming.
Turkey: Ads Honoring the Turkish National Soccer Team
Fathers playing fooseball, mothers at tea, and more can be seen in this collection of ads in honor of the Turkish National Soccer Team as complied by Erkan's Field Diary.
Jamaica, Guyana: Bolt Welcomed Home
“The rain didn't stop Usain Bolt's return ‘back a yawd’. People lined the road from Norman Manley Airport all the way to the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston”: A Fe Me Page Dis Iyah reports on the Olympic Gold Medalist's triumphant return home, as do YardFlex.com and Guyana 360.
