Stories about Sport from July, 2014
‘Boyfriend No, Only Volleyball': Kazakh Sportswoman Ignores Marriage Proposals After Going Viral
Sabina Altynbekova, a 17 year-old volleyball player representing Kazakhstan at youth level has been thrust into the global spotlight after playing for her country in a tournament in Taiwan.
Trinidad & Tobago Minister Passes the Buck with Failed LifeSport Programme
Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister has shut down the controversial Life Sport programme following the results of an audit, which uncovered the ministry's inability to account for millions of dollars in taxpayers’ money. The programme was originally intended to provide disenfranchised youth with options to a life a crime through...
The Hypocrisy of Outrage Against LGBT Rights in Jamaica
An off-colour comment by a Jamaican sports commentator who “dampened the moment of post World Cup celebrations with his shouts of ‘Heil Hitler’ on national television” leads author and blogger Kei Miller to pen a letter to the editor illustrating why his countrymen are living a double standard – outraged...
Spanish Football Club Presents Peculiar T-Shirt
Spanish football club Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa, presented its new T-shirt on July 22, 2014, with a peculiar design that simulates a tuxedo, with shoulder braids, and even a bow tie just below the neck. Twitter users were quick to express their opinion, not always favorable: No sé cuál es peor: Las...
Dozens of Activists in Brazil Were Arrested Not for Protesting the World Cup, but for Possibly Planning to Do So
Thirty-seven people were preemptively arrested ahead of the World Cup final in Rio de Janeiro because police believed they might protest violently in the future.
This Young Woman Footballer Is More Popular Than Messi in Her Remote Village in Nepal
Sunakali led her team to victory in the national women's football tournament. When they arrived home, locals met them at the airstrip chanting, "Sunakali, like Messi!"
Simply, Thank You!
2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil is over and Argentina didn't win this time. A week after the final match, there are still lots of reflections and comments about the performance of the Argentinian national team. This time, we find a hearfelt comment by Manuel de León, where he expresses his...
Football Analysis of 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil
International football fan Alberto Palmás analyzes the best teams that took part on the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. He remarks the general performance of the national teams, the best players and other topics. He starts with Germany: Ha ganado el Mundial. Es la mejor y ha sido la mejor...
Reflections After 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014
Mexican student Álvaro blogs about his sentiments and opinions about 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. He reflects on the poor performance of Mexico and Brazil national teams, but highlights what he considers a strategy failure of Brazilian president Dilma Rouseff. Días antes del comienzo del mundial, Dilma se imaginaba este...
“Muito Obrigado, Brazil”
Colombian student Juan Pablo Ramírez blogs his opinions, mainly about football and politics. He shared his farewell to 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, and called it “the best 21st century World Cup”, because of the many records broken and the many surprises this tournament brought. Like Colombia qualifying to quarter...
China's National Mahjong Team Loses To Japan
Mahjong, originated from China is considered a national game. The fact that China's national mahjony team lost the the fifth Open Mahjong Championship in France and finished in 37th place out of 51 teams came as a shock to the country. Worse, the individual title was claimed by a Japanese...
FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 Already Ancient History
Caligo, author of Spanish blog La ilógica (The ilogical) and Colombian fan, shares his final thoughts about 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. The mentions the highest points of the tournament: the German champions, the flaws on the Argentinian team, the outstanding Colombian James Rodríguez, Brazil humiliation by the German crew,...
German Offensive Beated Argentinian Defense
On El mago del balón (The magician of the ball), Spanish journalist José Eduardo Carratalá analyzes the national teams that played the final match on 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014, Germany and Argentina, where the European crew won, and compares how the German presented a mainly offensive team againt...
Argentina Relished Rival Brazil's Loss to Germany So Much That Even This Military Band Got In on the Gloating
The Alto Peru Mounted Fanfare Band played a song during Independence Day parades with remixed lyrics taunting Brazil for a loss against Argentina in the 1990 World Cup.
Argentina Beats the Netherlands, Heads to the World Cup Final Against Germany
Argentina last made it to the World Cup final in 1990 and lost to West Germany, making Sunday's final against Germany a rematch 24 years in the making.
His Country Has Never Made it to the World Cup, But Uzbekistan's Ravshan Irmatov is a FIFA Legend
Uzbek football referee Ravshan Irmatov may not be as well-known internationally as Cristiano Ronaldo, but his record at World Cups is decidedly better.
Chinese Women Protest Against the World Cup
Offbeat China explained why women are so angry and how the World Cup has destroyed relationships in China. They are primarily pissed about two things: 1) their partners neglecting family responsibilities due to late-night game watching; 2) reckless gambling on games.
A Brazilian Favela Is Challenging the World Cup Champion to a Match
The favela Anita Garibaldi, located 10 kilometers from Guarulhos International Airport in São Paulo, Brasil, is home to 4,000 families and its own football team. Latin American origin NGO TECHO (@untecho) is campaigning for a match between the Anita Fútbol Club and this year's World Cup champion to call attention to...
Beyond the World Cup Headlines: Tears in Brazil, Tear Gas in Bahrain and Tragedy in Qatar
You have to know more than just football to understand the World Cup. Deji Olukotun gives a play-by-play of the important free expression and human rights issues.
Empowering Girls Through Sports in Bolivia
The blog El clavo en el zapato (The nail in the shoe) visited District 4 in El Alto, where the project “Niñas con altura” (Girls with height) is fostering the participation of high school girls in sports. It's funded by the Inter-American Development Bank and the foundation Save The Children:...
Argentinian Footballer Ezequiel Lavezzi Has Quite the Following Among Women
The soccer star, also know as "Pocho," has won many female admirers at home in Argentina for his chiseled physique.
