The Int'l Cricket Council has been "exposed for double standards in the way it has treated men and women at the World T20 in India." While all the male players flew to the country business class, the ICC "would only send the women's teams in economy seating to their tournament, which is taking place at the same time." Cricket Australia "decided to fork out the extra money" to send its women's team first class, but the England & Wales Cricket Board "baulked" at the NZ$65,000 ($43,655) cost of upgrading its players. However, the ICC decided to "treat male and female cricketers equally on their travels for future tournaments, although this hasn't been signed off yet" (STUFF, 3/16).
PUT IN WORK: Russian President Vladimir Putin "wants government officials to step up the country's efforts against doping in sports." Putin's comments in a cabinet meeting on Wednesday came as Russia "reels from revelations that athletes including Maria Sharapova tested positive for the substance meldonium." Putin believes Russia needs "serious improvement" and to raise the "effectiveness" of the anti-doping fight. Putin: "I am asking the government to work on the question of raising the effectiveness of the national fight against doping" (AP, 3/16).
LEAGUE BRIEFS ...
The Union Sports Ministry has revised the guidelines relating to the appointments of the Indian Government observers "for various sports disciplines and their responsibilities." A Sports Ministry statement said that from now on, the government observers will keep the Ministry informed about "fairness in the selection of teams, performance of teams at the international level, training of sub-junior- and junior-level athletes and the performance of Indian and foreign coaches" (THE HINDU, 3/16).
A day after Nippon Professional Baseball club Yomiuri Giants admitted to a "customary exchange of cash to players giving pre-game speeches after victories, the Hanshin Tigers and Seibu Lions revealed Tuesday that their clubs had similar practices." Since '12, a Giants player giving the pre-game pep talk to his teammates would receive 5,000 yen ($44.37) "from each of the other players following a win, while paying his teammates" 1,000 yen ($8.89) each "after a loss." Hanshin Tigers President Keiichiro Yotsufuji said, "I can't deny our having had a similar practice. We decided not to do it (anymore) as it might lead to a lack of ethics" (KYODO, 3/15).
Former Athletics Kenya board member Noah Ngeny has questioned "spending priorities at the crisis-hit federation days after stepping down in protest over a lack of action against doping." Ngeny, who quit last weekend as AK athletes' representative, said that "too much money was going toward funding the travel and expenses of officials instead of developing athletics" (REUTERS, 3/16).
