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in protest at the lack of women on the shortlist. It is understood that senior BOA officials are weighing up whether to snub the annual showcase, which takes place at the BBC's new studios in Salford on Thursday 22 December, after the furore over the all-male shortlist. The buildup to this year's awards, for which the world cycling road race champion Mark Cavendish is favourite, have been overshadowed by the row over the lack of recognition for female athletes. The BOA chief executive, Andy Hunt, was one of the most outspoken critics of the shortlist, compiled from the votes of 27 newspapers and magazines including lads' mags Zoo and Nuts, when it was announced. On Twitter, he said the list was "flawed" and said it was "nuts that SPOTY have none of our outstanding women's world champions of 2011 on the nominations list". He added: "How can you have got this so wrong in not recognising the extraordinary achievements of women in sport!" Aside from Cavendish, the other nominees for the 2011 award are: golfers Darren Clark, Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy, athletes Mo Farah and Dai Greene, boxer Amir Khan, tennis player Andy Murray and cricketers Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook. Hunt said he would have included the open water swimmer Keri-Anne Payne, rower Kath Grainger, swimmer Rebecca Adlington and England women's cricket captain, Charlotte Edwards, in his top 10. Prominent female broadcasters including Gabby Logan and Claire Balding also criticised the shortlist. "The Sports Personality of the Year is a prestigious honour and, typically, the BBC does a fantastic job recognising truly deserving sports men and women. This year, however, there were some glaring omissions from the list," said a BOA spokesman. "Whether we attend this year is less important than what happens with the award in the future. To that end, we are encouraged to see that the BBC will review the process by which the finalists and winners are chosen in subsequent years." The show's editor, Carl Doran, has said it was a "shame" that no women had made the list but reiterated that the BBC had been using the same system since 2006 and that women had always been represented every other year. Zara Phillips was the last female winner of the award, in 2006. Subsequently, the BBC said it would review the nomination procedure for the 2012 awards, which are expected to be dominated by medal winners at the London Olympics. "It is too early to say what, if any, changes will be made to the process but please rest assured that we will seek the opinions of people both within and outside of the BBC before deciding on the appropriate methodology for 2012," said the BBC. The BOA welcomed the review. "With next year being an Olympic year – and such an important year for British sport – this review is timely and will no doubt lead to an even better process going forward," said the BOA spokesman.cheap nba jerseys nfl jerseys cheap football jersey 2011

Paul Nicholls has confirmed that Kauto Star will bid for a fifth victory in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. The legendary chaser looked a spent force when pulled up on his final nfl jerseys cheap ugg boots outlet start of last season at Punchestown, but made a brilliant return to action in the Betfair Chase at Haydock, beating last season's King George and Gold Cup hero Long Run. Connections have been in no rush to commit the 11-year-old to the festive showpiece, but the champion trainer has now given him the green light to join stablemate Master Minded, like Kauto Star owned by Clive Vancouver Canucks Jerseys Boston Red Sox Jerseys Smith, at Kempton. Kauto Star will be ridden by Ruby Walsh, while Master Minded will be partnered by Daryl Jacob. Nicholls, the champion trainer, said: "I've had a chat with St.Louis Browns Jerseys Clive and we're going to run both Kauto and Master Minded. "Ruby's [Walsh] not going to get off Kauto, and Daryl [Jacob] rode Master Minded the other day and will ride him again."

In this raucous stadium Manchester United made a quiet exit from the Champions League group stage at the hands of Basel despite a flurry at the close. A hush fell over the Premier League. Sir Alex Ferguson's team has been joined by Manchester City in elimination from the tournament and the profile of the English scene is diminished a little, even if Chelsea and Arsenal are still determined to make their mark on this front. United have to reconcile themselves to a campaign in the Europa League. 传奇私服 传世私服 They might have made more of some attacks, but the team could not impose its will. Ferguson's side were certainly hindered by the loss to a knee injury of the centre-half Nemanja Vidic just before the interval, but adversity has often been a backdrop for memorable demonstrations of spirit and resourcefulness. While United were not retiring, Basel avoided panic and even if they did not mount onslaughts they manoeuvred well enough to guarantee that United could not achieve full command until the late stages. Wayne Rooney, who is set to learn the outcome of the appeal against suspension for England, was so quiet that he might as well been trying to convince the men who will hear the case of his meekness. A feverish atmosphere was delayed until the situation was desperate. In the 84th minute Xherdan Shaqiri's inswinging and bouncing cross from the right was headed home by Alexander Frei for a 2-0 lead. The draw United needed was out of reach. An onslaught in which the substitute Federico Macheda shot against the bar saw Phil Jones head the ball fractionally over the line in the 89th minute, but that goal did not suffice. While Basel cannot be described as buccaneering it took a long time before they were pinned down and United were indifferent in midfield. This was the sort of occasion when the illusion collapses and the onlooker realises that all Ferguson's feats are being achieved with a group that is not awash with excellence. There is now a rare test for United since this is the first occasion since the 传奇sf nfl jerseys cheap 2005-06 campaign that they have taken their leave so early of this competition. Morale will have to be sustained and while Ferguson is disinclined to thirst after footballers who can command record transfer fees United should, in view of the means, have personnel with more imagination than those at work here. United's confidence suffered early damage. The goal made a mockery of the idea that the visitors would be resolute. Shaqiri crossed low from the left but it was the visitors themselves who heightened the danger. The goalkeeper David de Gea did no more than brush the ball out and Marco Streller converted with a good half-volley. United's expertise lingers to a degree and that was a precious attribute when they strove to respond. Territorial occupation was achieved by the middle of the first half but it was also likely that the Basel manager, Heiko Vogel, was ready to concede territory. The resulting congestion is familiar to United from many of their matches and they were not noticeably flustered then. Even so, the visitors did not quite complete their plans. Rooney was glaringly guilty when he was set up by Nani in the 30th minute and simply miskicked while in prime position. There was an even worse setback when ugg boots outlet Chicago Cubs Jerseys Vidic had to be carried off on a stretcher after being injured by a challenge from Streller. Jonny Evans took over in the back four. The pause of the interval should at least have let United gather their thoughts. There was purpose after 49 minutes when Rooney drove into the left of the penalty area and put his finish a little beyond the far post. To United's frustration, however, Basel were unwilling to be pushed back entirely until the game was in its final phase. It took an outstanding effort by De Gea to stop the lead being extended when he tipped Shaqiri's free-kick over the bar in the 53rd minute. Basel had come very close to victory in the 3-3 draw at Old Trafford in September. It must have made them all the more resolved to deny the opposition encouragement in this match. United could respond with intent here since there was no longer any sense in restraining themselves and a leveller was almost taken in a curious manner. Nani flighted a delivery and the Basel left-back Marcus Steinhofer crashed it against his own crossbar. Ferguson's men had an increasing degree of control, yet there was not quite Chicago White Sox Jerseys a barrage as the match approached its last 15 minutes. In the circumstances, an intervention by someone like Rooney looked essential but he seemed little more than a fairly ordinary striker in this match. United, it is understood, are not the devil-may-care side of times gone by, but it still came as a little surprise that there was no vehemence until the cause was all but lost. Ferguson would have realised once more that there is much yet to be done at the club.

Any prospect of a return to the Rugby Football Union for Sir Clive Woodward appeared to end on Wednesday when the ruling body announced plans for a major overhaul of its structure. On a day when the union apologised for the England players' 传奇私服 传世私服 performances and behaviour at the World Cup and for the turmoil that has engulfed Twickenham, it was revealed that the next head coach will not have to report to a performance director, a role seemingly created for England's 2003 World Cup-winning coach last January that sparked a year of virtual civil war at HQ. Woodward's supporters had further cause for frustration when the RFU announced that Rob Andrew would be staying in a new role of professional rugby director, despite widespread calls for his removal or resignation. However, Andrew will not be responsible for the senior England team, even though he will chair the panel searching for the next coach. He will oversee virtually everything else in the professional game. At an all-day meeting of the governing body's board of directors, which reviewed England's chaotic World Cup campaign, it was agreed that a permanent head coach to succeed Martin Johnson, who resigned as team manager two weeks ago, will be made after the end of the Six Nations. England will have an interim head coach in the championship. He will be 传奇sf nfl jerseys cheap named within the next two weeks after a five-man panel makes a recommendation to the board of directors. The permanent position is more than likely to be filled by someone overseas, with the RFU saying it was looking for someone with the appropriate experience and track record. Nick Mallett, the former South Africa and Italy coach, was named more than once by the Union's acting chief executive, Stephen Brown, and Ian Metcalfe, the chairman of the professional game board, at a media conference at Twickenham to announce their plans for the future. Mallett has said he would be interested in the job from next summer but would not be prepared to report to a performance director, something he no longer has to worry about. The board agreed that in future: • Agents will have access to their clients restricted when England are ugg boots outlet Chicago Cubs Jerseys in camp. • Security resources on tour will be looked at. • A leadership group involving players young and experienced would be set up. • The players' code of conduct would be rewritten, with a curb on excessive drinking. • The squad's duties for sponsors will be controlled more tightly. From Brown and Metcalfe there was none of the bluster that has become so familiar at Twickenham over the years. That was replaced by humility, contrition and a desire to waste no time in repairing the considerable damage caused by the politicking and infighting of the past 11 months, as well as addressing the issues on and off the field that blighted England's World Cup campaign. "I want to make an apology to fans, clubs and everyone involved in the game for the performance in the World Cup and the surrounding events," Brown said. "We let ourselves down as a team and as a team. We have let the sport of rugby down and it is important that we acknowledge that as a union as improve. The standards of our performance and behaviour were Chicago White Sox Jerseys below what we expect." Talking about the RFU's annus horribilis, Metcalfe said: "As a board member this year, it has been a difficult time with things spiralling out of control. We have to draw a line under that, dig ourselves out of the pit and make a commitment to do better. I have made mistakes and participated in decisions which with the benefit of hindsight I regret. I have looked into my own role and wondered whether I should resign. Every bit of what has happened in the last 11 months has hurt me just as much as anyone else. We have let ourselves down, but it is not all broken: there are lots of good things out there." The board agreed a number of changes in the way England will be run from next year. It was a sign of how far the side have slumped since the 2003 World Cup success that Metcalfe cited the example of how other countries, such as Wales and New Zealand, ran their national sides. The permanent head coach will be supported by a manager, who will be responsible for what happens off the field when the elite squad is together, while an independent review of the RFU's elite department will be set up in the new year, with the England cricket coach, Andy Flower, and the captain, Andrew Strauss, cited by Metcalfe as ideal members of a panel. "We want a manager, like Wales's Alan Phillips or New Zealand's Daren Shand, who works hand in glove with the head coach," Metcalfe said. When Andrew proposed that arrangement in April 2008, bolstering the then head coach Brian Ashton with a manager in the former national captain Phil de Glanville, he was told to hire Martin Johnson. "What came out of the reviews was a lack of clarity about the roles of the various people involved in the England management." Metcalfe admitted that putting Andrew in charge of the panels that will recommend both the interim and permanent head coach to the board of directors would not be popular with the media or the average supporter. "We have a perception problem when it comes to Rob," Metcalfe said. "We have failed him in the way we have treated him this year as a union. Under our heads of agreement, the elite rugby director has to manage the process of appointing a head coach. We do not have such a director. "The nearest equivalent is Rob's department and he will head a board that includes two representatives from both the RFU and Premiership Rugby. Clearly the need for an interim head coach is urgent, but we are giving ourselves all the time we need to make the permanent appointment. He hope to appoint the chief executive by the end of the year and we would like him to be part of that process." Metcalfe apologised to England's players and management at the World Cup for the leak of the reviews into the World Cup campaign, with Brown saying the former Scotland Yard detectives hired to find the source of the leaks were making progress. Acting on the reviews, they agreed, was the priority.

Roberto Mancini refused to discuss Carlos Tevez at a press briefing for Manchester City's Premier League match against Liverpool on Sunday. Tevez's adviser, Kia Joorabchian, is known to have met Milan officials 传奇私服 传世私服 in the hope of agreeing a permanent transfer for the Argentina striker, who is not training with City at present. If the Eastlands club receive an appropriate offer they will be willing to let Tevez leave, if the deal is permanent. On Friday morning, Mancini said: "I do not want to speak about Carlos 传奇sf nfl jerseys cheap Tevez. I will answer no questions about him." The City manager was more happy to discuss his side's hopes of reaching ugg boots outlet the Champions League knockout phase after their 2-1 defeat by Napoli on Tuesday. City must beat Bayern Munich in their final qualifying game and hope that Villarreal manage to avoid defeat at home to Napoli. Mancini said: "We hope we can stay in the Champions League. We hope we can beat Bayern Munich and Villarreal can get a draw with Napoli. But we should be realistic. I do not think we have a team to win the Chicago Cubs Jerseys Chicago White Sox Jerseys Champions League this season. Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Inter Milan all have more experience than us."

Sepp Blatter, the president of Fifa, has issued a public apology for suggesting that racism on the pitch could be settled with a handshake but refused calls to resign for a comment that has enraged English football. The 75-year-old head of football's world governing body said it 传奇私服 传世私服 would be "totally unfair" for him to quit, as has been demanded by politicians, players and managers since his comments this week. "I cannot resign. Why should I? When you are faced with a problem you have to solve the problem," he told the BBC. "To leave the organisation – this would be totally unfair and is not compatible with my fighting spirit, my character, my energy and my personal commitment to football." He said that despite the storm of protest, led by anti-racism campaigners and prominent players including Rio Ferdinand and David Beckham, the "majority of the football community" wanted him to carry on. In what appeared to be a co-ordinated move, Tokyo Sexwale, the South African minister and former Robben Island inmate with whom Blatter was pictured this week, had earlier said at a press conference in Johannesburg that Blatter made an "unfortunate mistake" but had done much to combat racism. Blatter admitted his comments were "serious" and, utilising one of his favourite phrases, said he would now pursue a "zero tolerance" strategy towards racism on the field of play. "When you have done something which was absolutely not totally correct, I can only say I am sorry for all those people affected by my declarations," he said. "I am sorry and I regret that my statements earlier this week have resulted in an unfortunate situation. I am committed to the fight against racism and I will not stop until I have stamped out racism in football." But Blatter, who clashed with Ferdinand on Twitter after the Manchester United defender accused him of "ignorance", could not resist a dig at his tormentors. "If you look at the activities Fifa have done in anti-racism and anti-discrimination, we should expect a little bit better understanding from star players," he said. Sexwale said: "It takes a big man to say 'I'm sorry'. In Fifa we kick 传奇sf nfl jerseys cheap the football and not the man … I think for him to bend his knee like this shows the way. I hope it will help us send the message of anti-racism and discrimination worldwide." The chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, Gordon Taylor, who earlier in the week joined the sports minister, Hugh Robertson, in calling for Blatter to resign, said he would now be judged by his actions. While there has been a huge outcry in the UK, reaction elsewhere has been muted – feeding a suspicion at Fifa's HQ in Zurich that this was another issue the British media was using to beat Blatter with. "He needs to show to the rest of the world that they should have been as outraged as we were. We've been at it [combating racism] here for some three decades now, it just shows it's not been erased," said Taylor. "It's important with the message we have in this country that we do our best to try to help Fifa. The depth of the outcry has caused him to realise he is not in tune with current feelings on this matter. He needs to truly understand the depth of feeling." David Bernstein, the Football Association chairman who led a failed effort to have the Fifa presidential election postponed in May and has criticised the pace of reform at the organisation, welcomed Blatter's apology. "Mr Blatter has made it clear he will not resign but his Chicago Cubs Jerseys Chicago White Sox Jerseys apology today was necessary. His initial comments were wrong and irresponsible," said Bernstein. "As I have said many times in the past, with power comes responsibility and I – with others in prominent positions in the game – have to make sure we live up to the values of which we speak." Blatter also said that, had it been up to him, he would have defused the other storm surrounding Fifa that has obsessed the British media in the past fortnight and allowed the England team to wear poppies in their match with Spain last weekend. Even by the standards of a 13-year tenure as president that has been characterised by outspoken gaffes and repeated corruption allegations, the last 12 months have been extraordinary for Fifa and Blatter. The ill-conceived dual race to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups was dogged by corruption claims, amid revelations of bungs and bribes before the Fifa presidential election in June. Nevertheless, Blatter was returned unopposed for four more years. Questioned on the pace of Fifa reform and the lack of transparency over a range of issues from nepotism to bribery claims and his own salary, Blatter's defiance returned. Anyone who said that Fifa could not be reformed with him in charge was "not a good friend for football", he said, adding that the majority of the football community wished him to continue. Meanwhile European football's governing body, UEFA, fined the Bulgarian Football Union €40,000 (£34,000) over the Euro 2012 qualifier against England on 2 September. The punishment related to "discriminatory" chanting by Bulgarian fans and the lighting and throwing of fireworks during the clash in Sofia, which England won 3-0. Does football care about racism? October 2000 - Arsenal's Patrick Vieira accuses Lazio's Sinisa Mihajlovic of racially abusing him during a 1-1 draw in the Champions League at the Stadio Olimpico. "There were a lot of bad things said to me and it they all came from one player - Mihajlovic", Vieira said. "I was called a black bastard and a f***ing black monkey. You don't want to hear that on the pitch coming from a professional player. What happened - The Serbian defender is banned by Uefa for two matches. October 2004 - Spain's manager Luis Aragones causes outrage after calling a Thierry Henry a "black shit". Aragones was caught on camera during a training session saying to Jose Antonio Reyes, who was a team-mate of Henry's at Arsenal during the time: "Tell that negro de mierda [black shit] that you are much better than him. Tell him from me. You have to believe in yourself; you're better than that negro de mierda." What happened - It had been expected an unrepentant Aragones would lose his job, but instead the Spanish Football Federation fined him £2,060. Henry is put under pressure by Uefa the following year to embrace Aragones at an anti-racism conference. November 2004 - The Football Association reacts furiously after England players such as Ashley Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips are subjected to monkey chants from Spanish fans during a 1-0 defeat to Spain at the Bernabeu in Madrid. There is also a banner in the crowd reading "Aragones 1, Henry 0". What happened - Fifa fines Spain £44,750. June 2007 - England's game against Serbia at the Under-21 European Championships in Holland is marred by racial abuse from the Serbian fans to England's Nedum Onuoha. It is also alleged some Serbian players directed racial abuse at their opponents in the tunnel, and a row is caused when England's Matt Derbyshire scores England's second goal when a Serbian was down injured. Relations become further strained after the match by comments from Derbyshire. "Everyone knows around the nation what sort of country they are, the fans and what have you," he said. What happened - The Serbian Football Federation is fined £16,500 by Uefa for "the racist chanting of supporters and the improper conduct of their players". The FA is also fined £2,000 following the trouble in the tunnel. June 2008 - A section of Croatia fans are found guilty by Uefa of "displaying a racist banner and showing racist conduct" during their Euro 2008 quarter-final against Turkey. What happened - Uefa fine the Croatian Football Federation nearly £10,000. September 2008 - England's Emile Heskey is subjected to racial abuse by home fans during the 4-1 victory in a qualifier for the 2010 World Cup against Croatia in Zagreb. What happened - Fifa fines Croatia £15,000. "The most important thing is that Fifa have recognised there was racist chanting," said an FA spokesman. "All that we can do is continue to confront racist behaviour, no matter how small or large in scope it is." September 2010 - Bulgaria fans direct monkey chants at Ashley Young, Ashley Cole and Theo Walcott during England's 3-0 win in Sofia in qualifying for Euro 2012. What happened - Uefa on Friday fined the Bulgarian FA €40,000 (£34,000) Jacob Steinberg

Jim Mallinder, the Northampton director of rugby, has emerged as the favourite to succeed Martin Johnson in charge of England but Saints will take some persuading to release the 45-year-old from his contract. The Professional Game Board met on Thursday to discuss the 传奇私服 传世私服 England position, weighing up both the potential candidates and whether Johnson's successor will be a team manager or head coach. It intends to make a recommendation to the Rugby Football Union's directors at the end of the month but time is short with the England elite squad having to be named by the beginning of January. A number of overseas coaches have been linked with the position. Eddie Jones, who was in charge of Australia in the 2003 World Cup when they lost the final to England, has expressed his interest and said he would not be put off by the political upheaval at Twickenham. Eddie O'Sullivan, the former Ireland coach who this week stood down from being in charge of the United States, has declared his availability while there is a lobby urging the RFU to approach Graham Henry, who last month led New Zealand to World Cup success having coached Wales between 1998 and 2002. Henry, who will be in Britain next week preparing the Barbarians for their match against Australia at Twickenham, is under contract to the New Zealand Rugby Union until 31 March and it is in talks with him about a mentoring role for its Super 15 and provincial coaches. Henry has said he would be interested in playing an advisory role with a club or a union in Europe but it would be only part-time. There has long been a preference in the RFU for England to be led by an Englishman and Mallinder has come through the system. He joined Northampton from the union in 2007, having coached England Saxons to 15 victories in 16 matches and leading the England Under-21s to the Six Nations title in 2006. "I would not look too far past Jim Mallinder," said the Saracens director of rugby, Mark McCall. "He has done a brilliant job for Northampton and, while there will always be a call for a big name and someone with international experience to take a job like England, I do not think that is necessary when someone like Jim is available." Mallinder, who has turned Northampton from a Championship club to 传奇sf nfl jerseys cheap Premiership and Heineken Cup contenders, is under contract to his club for another 18 months. He said last month it was an ambition of his to coach England and Saints are bracing themselves for an official approach from the RFU. "We can only speculate about who they are looking at but we have heard nothing officially," said the Northampton chairman, Leon Barwell. "Jim is a first-class coach and he is bound to be in the running for the England job. We will have to deal with it if and when it materialises but I would try to persuade him to stay and continue the excellent work he has done here. I do not want him to leave." The PGB met all day at Twickenham and invited Johnson to give a presentation. The board's chairman, Ian Metcalfe, said: "We were very grateful for Martin Johnson's contribution." With time so pressing, the board has to consider a contingency plan of a caretaker administration. While Johnson resigned this week, his management team are in limbo, waiting to be told whether they will be kept on by England, offered a job by the RFU or released. Even if the RFU finds a coach who is able to start work next month – and the union has a contractual obligation under its agreement with Premiership Rugby to name the elite squad at the beginning of January – he would struggle to appoint his own coaching team in time for England's pre-Six Nations warm-weather training camp in Portugal in January. Mallinder would not be able to take the job in a part-time capacity for the rest of the season before taking up the role full-time because of a Premiership Rugby rule which prevents club coaches from having an involvement with any England team. Then there is the vexed issue of who the team manager/head coach Chicago Cubs Jerseys Chicago White Sox Jerseys would report to. Leading overseas candidates, such as Jones and Henry, would not be willing to answer to a performance director, only the RFU's chief executive, who is expected to be appointed next month, but it is a question that the PGB cannot give an answer to because the rugby operation at Twickenham is due to be reviewed in the new year. It would not be something likely to concern Mallinder.

Luis Suárez faces a racism charge that threatens huge ramifications for the Liverpool striker and his club after the Football Association announced he had a case to answer over Patrice Evra's allegations he suffered sustained racist abuse during Manchester United's recent visit to Anfield. A month after the investigation began, the FA has ruled it has 传奇私服 传世私服 enough evidence to charge Suárez with an offence that, if proven, will lead to a substantial ban. A precedent was set in 2003 when John Mackie of Reading was banned for eight matches, five of which were suspended, after making racist remarks to the Sheffield United striker Carl Asaba. However, Mackie admitted that charge whereas Suárez is denying his, meaning he would almost certainly face tougher sanctions if he were found guilty. Liverpool responded immediately by announcing that Suárez would plead not guilty, adding that they "remain fully supportive of Luis" in a dispute that threatens to have serious repercussions for the club's relationship with United. Evra had complained after the match that he was abused "at least 10 times" and his statement to the FA accuses Suárez of using a Spanish variation of the N-word. Suárez has categorically denied the allegations, saying the words he allegedly used were not offensive or racist, but the FA investigators disagree, charging the Uruguay international with "abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour contrary to FA rules", including "a reference to the ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race of Patrice Evra". Within minutes Liverpool had released their own statement to make it clear that Suárez would continue to maintain his innocence. "The club this afternoon received notification from the Football Association of their decision to charge Luis Suárez and will take time to review properly the documentation which has been sent to us. "We will discuss the matter fully with him when he returns from international duty, but he will plead not guilty to the charge and we expect him to request a personal hearing. "Luis remains determined to clear his name of the allegation made 传奇sf nfl jerseys cheap against him by Patrice Evra. The club remain fully supportive of Luis in this matter." The crux of the case appears to depend on whether the FA can prove there was racial intent behind Suárez's words but it is a complex issue given that in Uruguay it is common practice for people to use derivatives of "negro" in a non-offensive way. "Negrito", for example, is a word that is often used without being deemed as racist. However, the fact Suárez and the France international Evra were arguing at the time counts against the Liverpool player and the FA is clearly not satisfied with his first public words on the matter, when he talked last week of it merely being a "way of expressing myself. I called him something his team-mates at Manchester call him, and even they were surprised by his reaction." What can be said with certainty is that it represents a major embarrassment for the FA and the Premier League that one of their high-profile players is charged with racism while John Terry, the England captain, is at the centre of a parallel investigation into allegations he racially abused Anton Ferdinand of Queens Park Rangers, eight days after the Suárez-Evra incident. Liverpool would be compelled to take their own action against Suárez if he were found guilty and their manager, Kenny Dalglish, faces personal embarrassment after steadfastly defending the player over recent weeks, insisting there was no case to answer. The Anfield club face the possibility that a long, drawn-out dispute could disrupt their season. Suárez has been their best player this season, underlying his ability by scoring all of Uruguay's goals in a 4-0 defeat of Chile on Saturday. Evra told French television directly after the match that Suárez had been trying "to wind me up" and that "there are cameras, you can see him say a certain word to me at least 10 times. There is no place for that in 2011." His manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, who accompanied Evra when he made his complaint to the referee Andre , has submitted a statement as part of the FA investigation. The FA is acutely aware of the sensitivities between the two clubs and asked them both at the outset not to risk inflaming the situation by discussing it in the media. Privately, United are angry that Suárez and Dalglish have ignored these instructions. The Old Trafford club say they will not make any comment "in accordance with guidance from the authorities". "We spoke to Patrice today and he's adamant that he wants to follow Chicago Cubs Jerseys Chicago White Sox Jerseys it on. It's not an easy one because everyone knows that United and Liverpool have great responsibilities in terms of what happens on the field. Obviously Patrice feels very aggrieved at what was said to him and it rests with the FA now" Sir Alex Ferguson 17 October "We would rather have it done and dusted, out in the open. Whoever is the guilty party – the person who said it or the accuser – [should] get their due punishment" Kenny Dalglish 28 October "The FA will have to clarify things. There is no evidence I said anything racist to him. I said nothing of the sort. There were two parts of the discussion, one in Spanish, one in English. I did not insult him. It was just a way of expressing myself. I called him something his team-mates at Manchester call him, and even they were surprised by his reaction"

Lord Coe has defended London 2012's decision to sign a sponsorship deal with the Dow Chemical Company, despite renewed protests from campaign groups and MPs who claim it has outstanding liabilities relating to the 1984 Bhopal gas leak disaster. Appearing before the culture, media and sport select committee, 传奇私服 传世私服 Coe said he had met concerned politicians including Keith Vaz and Tessa Jowell, the shadow Olympics minister who remains on the London 2012 board. Responding to suggestions that the Games could face a boycott from Indian athletes over the issue, Coe insisted he had not heard anything to that effect from the Indian Olympic Committee, with which he had been in dialogue. MPs, Indian athletes and other groups launched a campaign on Tuesday aimed at convincing Locog to change its mind. The campaign is being co-ordinated by the MP Barry Gardiner, chair of the Labour Friends of India group. Campaigners including Amnesty International and the Bhopal Medical Appeal claim that Dow Chemical continues to face outstanding lawsuits relating to the 1984 tragedy. Louise Mensch, the Conservative MP who is a member of the committee, said it was "very worrying" that London 2012 was associating itself with Dow Chemical and Coe said that the London organising committee had looked at the issue "very carefully". He said that the disaster had happened under the previous owners of the plant and that the Indian supreme court had upheld an earlier damages award in 1999 and 2009 to settle the liabilities from the explosion. According to campaigners, more than 120,000 people still suffer from ailments caused by the accident and subsequent pollution of the plant site. "They are a global partner of the IOC, they are within our 传奇sf nfl jerseys cheap territory able to associate with the London Games and they are sponsoring the [stadium] wrap. It is worth remembering that in the comprehensive spending review that funding for the wrap was withdrawn." Dow signed a deal with the IOC in 2010 to become a global Olympic sponsor and this summer agreed a deal with Locog to pay for the unbranded fabric wrap that will surround the stadium. Funding for the £7m wrap, which was to have been met from the Olympic Delivery Authority's budget, was removed in last year's CSR process as a concession to cost-cutting within the overall £9.3bn public funding package. "I am aware of the size and scale. I am the grandson of an Indian so I'm not completely unaware of this as an issue. But I am satisfied that at no time did Dow operate, own or were involved with the plant at the time of the disaster or the time of the full and final settlement," said Coe. Mensch said that selecting Dow as the sponsor of the 1km wrap appeared to be at odds with Locog's stated values. "On the three points that you raise – environmental, ethical and social – they met by some distance every one of those requirements in that process," said Coe. Asked by the MP Steve Rotheram whether Dow could be replaced if the company did the "honourable thing" and withdrew from sponsoring the wrap, the Locog chief executive, Paul Deighton, Chicago Cubs Jerseys Chicago White Sox Jerseys said it was "getting very late" to do so and had no indication that the company would pull out. Coe said he was "satisfied with the process and satisfied with the history". Dow said it was "proud" to sponsor the IOC, pointing out that its relationship with the Olympics dated back to 1980, and to support Locog's plans for the stadium wrap. "Regarding Bhopal, the 1984 Union Carbide Bhopal incident was a terrible tragedy that none of us in the industry will ever forget. However, it is disappointing that some people are trying to assign blame and responsibility to Dow," the company said. "Dow never owned or operated the facility in Bhopal. Dow acquired the shares of Union Carbide Corporation more than 16 years after the tragedy, and 10 years after the $470m settlement agreement – paid by Union Carbide Corporation and Union Carbide India, Limited – was approved by the Indian Supreme Court. The settlement agreement has been reviewed twice and again upheld by the Supreme Court of India in 1991 and 2007." It added: "Today, the state government of Madhya Pradesh owns and controls the site and is in the best position, and has the authority under the direction of the courts, to complete whatever remediation may be necessary and to make the right decisions for Bhopal."

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