In London, Michael Hann cited NME that reported Ed Sheeran "is to perform with some combination of the surviving members of Pink Floyd at the London Games Closing Ceremony" on Aug. 12. The Brit award-winning singer-songwriter said that he is to perform just one song. Sheeran: "I'm doing a song with Pink Floyd. I'm doing Wish You Were Here" (GUARDIAN, 8/2).
OFFENSIVE GESTURE: Also in London, Duncan Campbell noted that a Lithuanian man who gave a Nazi salute during the Lithuania-Nigeria match at the London Games has become the "first person to be convicted of a racially aggravated offence at the Games." Peter Lescinskas was fined £2,500 ($3,900) (GUARDIAN, 8/1).
A HELPING HAND: Life insurance company Manulife Vietnam has contributed VND 200M ($9,500) in additional funding as part of its sponsorship of Vietnam's Olympic team for the London Games. The deal includes VND 10M ($480) directly for each of the 18 Vietnamese Olympic athletes "to cover personal expenses" (ASIASPONSORSHIPNEWS.com, 8/2).
COUNTRY SUPPORT: Former Tanzanian athletics middle-distance runner Filbert Bayi said that Africa "must invest in more sports if it is to compete at future Olympics." The former 1500m world record holder said that African firms "only seemed interested in sponsoring crowd-friendly football." Bayi: "These companies are interested in funding football, but what about all the other sports? We are not used to investing in sports in Africa like other countries in the world. You can't compare China with Tanzania or Kenya or Uganda or Nigeria" (BBC, 8/2).
