Australian Prime Minister JULIA GILLARD did not even attend her namesake Olympic dinner in Melbourne, but it drew a "who's who of sport and business" and generated a record $2M for the London-bound national team. The black-tie event at Melbourne's Convention and Exhibition Centre was hosted by Australian TV broadcaster and Australian Football League Collingwood club owner EDDIE MCGUIRE. On the "long list of VIPs" included: former swimmer DAWN FRASER, politician TONY ABBOTT, former swimmer KIEREN PERKINS, politician KEVIN RUDD, former Governor of South Australia MARJORIE JACKSON-NELSON, former Primer Minister PAUL KEATING, former swimmer SHANE GOULD and Deputy Prime Minister of Australia WAYNE SWAN (who represented Gillard) (THE AGE, 6/23).
MAJOR IMPACT: A Daily Sports Seoul survey revealed that Samsung Electronics Chair and IOC member LEE KUN-HEE is regarded as "the most influential figure in South Korean sports." South Korean figure skater KIM YU-NA placed second, followed by former FIFA VP CHUNG MONG-JOON, ManU midfielder PARK JI-SUNG and Korean Olympic Committee President PARK YONG-SUNG (YONHAP NEWS AGENCY, 6/21).
NAMES: Arsenal FC and NBA Denver Nuggets owner STAN KROENKE, who purchased Napa winery Screaming Eagle in '06, released six hundred bottles of its savignon blanc. Six of the bottles "have found their way to auction," where the lot closed with a winning bid of $13,000 (DRVINO.com, 6/23). ... SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM was crowned winner of the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, the feature race on the third day of the horse race meeting (DUBAI CHRONICLE, 6/21).
