SWANNY'S WORLD OF SPORT: Cycling is in the gutter, Greedy Sanchez, United are doomed, lovely Laura
The rush of politicians to jump on the populist bandwagon and bestow knighthoods on successful sportsmen has been made to look rather foolish in recent weeks.
Sir Dave Brailsford and Sir Bradley Wiggins have so far been found guilty of nothing more than incompetence and ill-timed asthma attacks respectively, but cycling is being dragged through the mud by suspicious revelations and they are doing nothing to help.
Medical records logged on a lap-top that gets stolen, lies and ignorance about the contents of a jiffy bag and a team doctor who has remained aloof and unaccountable are bizarre occurrences in an organisation that loves to brag about its professionalism and supreme organisation.
WHAT A GREEDY SO-AND-SO
Arsenal midfielder Alexis Sanchez is a terrific talent, but he’s a greedy so-and-so. He’s been refusing to sign another contract at Arsenal until they offer him £250,000 per week. Even if Sanchez had been good enough to deliver a title to the Emirates in his Gunners’ career he wouldn’t be worth that much.
UNITED ARE NOW DOOMED
The inevitable ban for an outrageous assault by Zlatan Ibrahimovic on Tyrone Mings at the weekend will end Manchester United’s push for a top four place. To my surprise, Ibrahimovic has been a huge success in the Premier League. He’s carried United who can’t replace him. I was wrong about Ibra, but right about Wayne Rooney who remains useless.
HEROINE OF THE WEEK
Double gold at the European Indoor Athletics Championships for the likeabe Scot Laura Muir and it’s just the start of a career that promises to take off rapidly. Laura is a fine runner, boasts a most pleasant, unassuming personality and she is studying to treat sick and injured animals. What’s not to like?