England cricket captain Alastair Cook
"went on record before Thursday’s first Test with New Zealand to deny
issuing a him-or-me ultimatum" to the England & Wales Cricket Board
over Kevin Pietersen’s continued int'l exile. Cook was heavily criticized in Pietersen's autobiography, and it was reported last week that he presented new ECB Dir Andrew Strauss with a "him or me" decision for the Ashes summer ahead. Cook "categorically denied any such conversation took place." Cook: "There was no ultimatum. I can deny that. ... It wasn't my decision. I trust those that made the decision. I have to let management manage" (London GUARDIAN, 5/20). ... The Australian Sports Commission "finds itself in the unfortunate position -- even if temporarily -- of failing to meet the same women-on-boards target it has mandated for national sports bodies." As part of a much-publicized gender equity plan, the ASC said that 40% of directors' positions on sports boards "should be filled by women." Yet on a soon-to-be transformed board that, as it stands, has seven voting directors and eight members in total, only one -- former Winter Olympic champion Alisa Camplin -- is female, "and her term to help steer the ASC is set to expire next month" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 5/20). ... Hong Kong's hopes of future medal success "will be given a boost on Thursday" when a new education program allowing students to become full-time athletes at the Hong Kong Sports Institute is rolled out. The HKSI will sign an agreement with the English Schools Foundation which will see three schools -- King George V School, Sha Tin College and Renaissance College -- come on board, allowing students aged 15 to 17 to become full-time athletes while still going to school on a "flexible and tailor-made" program to accommodate their studies. Lam Tai Fai College in Sha Tin "will join next month" (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 5/20).
