| Canadian Olympic athletes to be paid for medal wins
Canadian athletes that reach the podium at any future Olympic Games will be financially compensated up to $20,000 per medal, officials said Monday. The new Athlete Excellence Fund was announced in Ottawa by the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC). Canadian athletes will receive $20,000 per gold medal won at any Olympic Games, said the COC. Silver winners will be compensated $15,000 per medal and bronze winners will earn $10,000. "We've had a program of subsidizing athletes in the past but we've never recognized the medal wins with specific dollars," COC president Michael Chambers told CTV Newsnet on Monday. He said countries like the U.S., Australia, England, France and Spain already give their athletes money if they win at the Olympics.
Prince Albert goes green with a difference
From the department of obvious statements comes this declaration: Saskatchewan football fans are cut from a different cloth. The entire province - Prince Albert included - has caught Rider fever. In the gas stations, stores and shopping malls, the fate of Canada's favourite football team is the first topic on everyone's tongue. It's been an emotional, communal and - to some degree - commercial experience. On Friday, just about everybody in Saskatchewan still capable of summoning a measurable pulse wore green clothes of some nature. Rider hoodies, Rider jackets, Rider T-shirts and Rider jerseys dominated the clothing choices amongst Prince Albert citizens Friday. Our intrepid staff didn't bother to investigate beyond the visible, but chances are that a few folks donned green-hued undergarments.
Evans achieves Olympic qualification
Badminton Ireland has announced that Scott Evans, has reached the qualification standard for next year's Olympic Games in Beijing. Evans is currently ranked 45 in the world and his qualification will be confirmed next May by the Olympic Council of Ireland. .
Just what is wrong with English football?
England has the wealthiest soccer league in the world, with matches screened across the globe and business tycoons from the United States, Russia and Asia lining up to own the clubs. So why can't England put 11 Englishmen on the field to succeed on the international level? Steve McClaren became the latest coach to pay the price Thursday, getting fired after England's 3-2 loss at home to Croatia meant the team failed to qualify for the 2008 European Championship. While the likes of World Cup champion Italy, Germany, Spain, France the Netherlands and Portugal will be out to try to take the title away from Greece, England's stars - including David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen - will have to watch the games on TV. The Football Association now has plenty of time to search for a coach who can lift the nation credited with establishing the modern game to the same level.
Gogoi now rushes into award for cricketers
Two days ago, as Team India defeated Pakistan in the first one-day international cricket match at the Nehru Stadium here, the first thing that Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi did was to declare a cash award of Rs 1 lakh to each of the Indian team members. What is surprising is that the Assam Government is yet to disburse cash awards that Gogoi had announced for each of the 148 players from Assam who had won medals in the 33rd National Games held here in February. Assam had won 38 gold, 53 silver and 27 bronze medals in the National Games and became the overall third best team, Gogoi had announced Rs 3 lakh, Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1 lakh each for the gold, silver and bronze medallists, respectively, in individual events. For team events, the awards announced were Rs 5 lakh, Rs 3 lakh and Rs 2 lakh.
Sports flash
PHILADELPHIA � Kelenna Azubuike made a 3-pointer from the left corner with 6.1 seconds left in overtime, giving the Golden State Warriors a 100-98 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night. The 76ers had one last chance after Azubuike�s basket, but Louis Williams lost his footing in the lane and turned the ball over. Azubuike�s basket came after Lanphier High School graduate Andre Iguodala gave Philadelphia a 98-97 lead on a runner in heavy traffic with 13.4 seconds left. Iguodala led the 76ers with 26 points, 11 rebounds and five steals. Golden State�s Monta Ellis equaled his career high with 31 points. It was the second tough loss in two nights for the 76ers, who lost Friday at Detroit. �We just have to get a win; we have to do more than just compete,� Iguodala said.
Sam Donnellon | Bold standard works, Andy
A.J. FEELEY'S passer rating suffered greatly from his three interceptions Sunday. Which is why the passer rating is one of the silliest statistics in all of sport. Because Feeley could just as easily have thrown six picks the way he was slinging it out there against the Patriots. That touchdown throw to Reggie Brown in a crowd just inside the goal line, the one Greg Lewis practically picked from the hands of two defenders in the back of the end zone, and about a half-dozen others he completed could easily have gone the other way, and led to the final score oddsmakers had in mind. Which leads us to Andy Reid - doesn't it always? The Eagles' play-calling was so wonderfully bold and unpredictable that by the end of the third quarter you felt someone had dropped a big, unexpected holiday package at your doorstep.
Swiss players arrested for suspected sex with minor
Twelve current or former players of Swiss soccer club FC Thun were arrested Tuesday on suspicion of having sex with a minor. Nine other men were also taken into custody by police in the Swiss canton (state) of Bern. The men are accused of having sexual relations with a 15-year-old girl. .
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