Tennis

[The Hitch]

Re:

Professional tennis could teach the mafia about omerta

Great piece by Kimmage

http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/tennis/paul-kimmage-professional-tennis-could-teach-the-mafia-about-omerta-34535092.html

Fantastic. Thanks for bringing that up.

I was worried for a while there that PK actually believed Aggassi.

Fantastic last sentence to reveal that he does not.

 

[thrawn]

https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/709250503213867008

Excellent, time for everyone to get sued by Nadal.

 

[The Hitch]

Re:

https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/709250503213867008

Excellent, time for everyone to get sued by Nadal.

Lol. Those who think he doped are just Federer fans. Where have I heard this before?

 

[Tienus]

Re:

https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/709250503213867008

Excellent, time for everyone to get sued by Nadal.

Here's a video of the press conference:
http://nos.nl/artikel/2092702-nadal-klaagt-loslippige-franse-ex-minister-aan.html

Both his tactics and his demeanor reminds me of Lance.

 

[London Hibs]

Re: Re:

[quote="roots)

She isn't really swedish at all. Lives and trains in Ethiopia, and can't speak a word swedish.[/quote]

Funny. They are Swedish when they win and represent their adopted country well, but when something like this happens, they are 'hardly Swedish.'[/quote]
It's not 'funny'. This has been talked about for a while now. It was already known long before she was caught that she most likely lied to get a swedish citizenship.[/quote]

Of course it's not 'funny.' It's just a saying. Kind of how it's funny that when Andy Murray wins a match or tournament, he is British, when he loses, he's Scottish, according to the English. That's the point I was trying to make. Sweden has been so open and friendly to immigrants from all over the world. Sometimes it doesn't always work out that well though.[/quote]

I've heart that line a million times but I've never actually seen Murray referred to as Scottish after a loss, nor his Scottish roots denied when he wins.

No idea where it came from nor why people keep repeating it.[/quote]

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Hitch - as a Scotsman exiled in London for nigh-on 30 years, I can assure you that the trait of referring to Scots at Brits and vice versa is still alive and kicking. So much so that I'm fairly certain that some commentators take pleasure in celebrating the fact and it plays out in all sports.

I've kinda gotten used to it but it did grate a number of years ago. Of course, once our fine nation finally gets independence we can finally right the wrongs and once again stand alone as the finest nation in the union.

Please don't get me started on Thatcher!

 

[SeriousSam]

Speaking in the wake of Maria Sharapova’s revelation that she had failed a drugs test, Bachelot said: “We know that Nadal’s famous seven-month injury was without a doubt due to a positive [drug test]. When you see a tennis player who stops playing for long months, it is because he has tested positive and because they are covering it up. It is not something that always happens, but yes it happens more than you think.”

Does she any have evidence, though?

 

[BullsFan22]

Re:

https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/709250503213867008

Excellent, time for everyone to get sued by Nadal.

Look at the comments below. Funny, sad, annoying, nauseating, cringe-worthy, typical, thought-provoking....Basically anything you can conjure up. I wonder how of those Nadal fans are trashing Sharapova. If he is critical of her, they would be critical of her. If he is supportive of her, they would be supportive. I don't want to generalize, but modern tennis has the most gullible and least knowledgeable fans in professional sports, I think.

 

[blackcat]

Re: Re:

[quote="roots)

She isn't really swedish at all. Lives and trains in Ethiopia, and can't speak a word swedish.

Funny. They are Swedish when they win and represent their adopted country well, but when something like this happens, they are 'hardly Swedish.'

It's not 'funny'. This has been talked about for a while now. It was already known long before she was caught that she most likely lied to get a swedish citizenship.

Of course it's not 'funny.' It's just a saying. Kind of how it's funny that when Andy Murray wins a match or tournament, he is British, when he loses, he's Scottish, according to the English. That's the point I was trying to make. Sweden has been so open and friendly to immigrants from all over the world. Sometimes it doesn't always work out that well though.

I've heart that line a million times but I've never actually seen Murray referred to as Scottish after a loss, nor his Scottish roots denied when he wins.

No idea where it came from nor why people keep repeating it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hitch - as a Scotsman exiled in London for nigh-on 30 years, I can assure you that the trait of referring to Scots at Brits and vice versa is still alive and kicking. So much so that I'm fairly certain that some commentators take pleasure in celebrating the fact and it plays out in all sports.

I've kinda gotten used to it but it did grate a number of years ago. Of course, once our fine nation finally gets independence we can finally right the wrongs and once again stand alone as the finest nation in the union.

Please don't get me started on Thatcher!

Robin Söderling

or Robin Bo Carl Söderling ? <questionmark>

 

[The Hitch]

Re: Re:

https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/709250503213867008

Excellent, time for everyone to get sued by Nadal.

Here's a video of the press conference:
http://nos.nl/artikel/2092702-nadal-klaagt-loslippige-franse-ex-minister-aan.html

Both his tactics and his demeanor reminds me of Lance.

B-b-b-but, did you not read the Twitter comments? Lance was dishonest. Rafa is not lance he is honest. The fans know it.

 

[sniper]

Re: Re:

Professional tennis could teach the mafia about omerta

Great piece by Kimmage

http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/tennis/paul-kimmage-professional-tennis-could-teach-the-mafia-about-omerta-34535092.html

Fantastic. Thanks for bringing that up.

I was worried for a while there that PK actually believed Aggassi.

Fantastic last sentence to reveal that he does not.

all the way.

said this a thousand times, but in sports journalism there is kimmage...and then there's a biiiiiig friggin void.

 

[arcus]

Spanish blood bags one of WADAs top 7 current issues.... Tennis players allegedly among them

 

[arcus]

I am convinced Sharapova made an honest mistake

Steve Simon, WTA CEO. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/tennis/article4712774.ece

Does he really believe she had a valid medical reason to take that medication for over 10 years???????

Not sure Steve is in-tune with current public mood/awareness about this issue. Those involved in Tennis' governance have understand that in a post-Armstrong/IAAF/RUSADA/FIFA/Tennis match-fixing world, this kind of spin is not going to fly. It might have been fine 5 years ago, but not now.

He should have stayed on message saying that 'He was saddened by the situation, and that the regulatory process would run its course'.. That's what the WTA are telling their players to say, after-all.

 

[sniper]

"Spanish blood bags"
That nicely fits the "anglophones dont dope" narrative, doesn't it.
If WADA need another fall guy they'll pop another Russian, Turkish, or Spanish athlete and nobody will blink an eye.

 

[arcus]

Worth a read.. Insights into the process whereby Meldonium got on the banned list.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/14/sports/wave-of-positive-tests-for-meldonium-adds-to-doping-crisis.html?_r=1

 

[Maxiton]

Rafael Nadal says he will sue ex-French minister over doping allegations

Speaking in the wake of Maria Sharapova’s revelation that she had failed a drugs test, (former French government minister Roselyne) Bachelot said: “We know that Nadal’s famous seven-month injury was without a doubt due to a positive [drug test]. When you see a tennis player who stops playing for long months, it is because he has tested positive and because they are covering it up. It is not something that always happens, but yes it happens more than you think.”

In reply, Nadal said, ‘There is a couple of times I heard comments like this. I let it go a few times in the past. No more. This gonna be the last one, because I gonna sue her. And I gonna sue everyone who going to comment something similar in the future."

 

[the delgados]

Apologies for asking a question that may have been asked--I'm too lazy to read multiple pages. Maybe I need whatever Sharapova was on to keep up.
Why Sharapova and why now?

 

[gooner]

More evidence on the match-fixing case.

More than two dozen high-ranking international tennis players are named in evidence seized from a confessed match fixer’s gambling ring, BuzzFeed News and the BBC can reveal.

Prosecutors in the Italian city of Cremona say they handed tennis authorities evidence of “worldwide” fixing – including voluminous internet chat logs in which the ringleader plotted to corrupt players – but claim it has been ignored.

The Cremona files, obtained by BuzzFeed News and the BBC in collaboration with the Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, indicate players were offered between €50,000 and €300,000 to throw matches.

Two Italian players, Daniele Bracciali and Potito Starace, have been accused of criminally conspiring to fix at least two matches for the gamblers. And the chief prosecutor on the case said in an interview that he suspects the gang of corrupting another 30 international matches at tournaments including Wimbledon and the French Open.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/heidiblake/heres-the-evidence-of-worldwide-match-fixing-prosecutors-say#.gnQ2Yqb8

 

[Zebadeedee]

Does she any have evidence, though?

Plenty of evidence from which she could infer, e.g.

Wimbledon/ITF colluding with Marin Cilic in lying to the public. Here we see an actual case of a tennis governing body itself, along with its "corporate partner" - Wimbledon - engaging in the practice of lying to the public to avoid scandal while a grand slam tournament is in progress. A casual deployment of deceit and lying as a tactic to fool the public denotes its more widespread use by tennis authorities.

Remarks of the Spanish federation president regarding his own personal knowledge that the ATP had engaged in cover-ups of doping offences. Many ATP players have also commented that cover-ups go on. Another blatant example was the doping cover-up to which Agassi himself admitted. Or players suddenly disappear or retire for no clear reason e.g. Henin. The historic absence of doping positives in tennis indicate an occultic practice throughout the system, from governing body through trainers and doctors all the way down to players.

As an aside, Kimmage allows Agassi to destroy himself with his own words. The last sentence is just the icing. I could point out half a dozen things where Agassi gives himself away. Particularly telling is how he dissociates and emotes to effect denial, using Reyes as his shield. His description of the ATP is the very antithesis of how that organisation operated. The facts of his own doping positive provide definitive evidence of that. Its conflicted attitude to doping got to the point of the nandrolone scandal where the ITF was obliged to take the anti-doping job over (supposedly) from the ATP. Agassi descends into mumbo jumbo to get round Kimmage's awkward questions; classic b.llsh.t from a leading suspect.

 

[TheSpud]

Re:

"Spanish blood bags"
That nicely fits the "anglophones dont dope" narrative, doesn't it.
If WADA need another fall guy they'll pop another Russian, Turkish, or Spanish athlete and nobody will blink an eye.

What happened to those bags - are we still waiting for a judgement on whether they can be kept?

 

[frenchfry]

It wouldn't be hard to convince me that Sharapova got popped for something else (steroids?) as well, then agreed to fess up to Meldonium because it is easier to justify and the consequences much less severe. Everybody walks away happy.

 

[Benotti69]

Remember the Italian player who won Wimbledon and in her winners press conference announced her immediate retirement from the game in a flood of unhappy tears.......

 

[Maxiton]

Re:

Apologies for asking a question that may have been asked--I'm too lazy to read multiple pages. Maybe I need whatever Sharapova was on to keep up.
Why Sharapova and why now?

 

[rick james]

Re:

"Spanish blood bags"
That nicely fits the "anglophones dont dope" narrative, doesn't it.
If WADA need another fall guy they'll pop another Russian, Turkish, or Spanish athlete and nobody will blink an eye.

So WADA should just forget about these blood bags because some would rather just nail the anglo saxons?

lets hope WADA don't share your view.

 

[TheSpud]

Re:

Remember the Italian player who won Wimbledon and in her winners press conference announced her immediate retirement from the game in a flood of unhappy tears.......

That was Bartoli the French lady wasnt it?

 

[iejeecee]

Re: Re:

Remember the Italian player who won Wimbledon and in her winners press conference announced her immediate retirement from the game in a flood of unhappy tears.......

That was Bartoli the French lady wasnt it?

There was a Italian lady who won the US Open last year and also immediately retired.