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Archives for April 2010

IPL's integrity is at stake

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David Bond | 10:50 UK time, Tuesday, 27 April 2010

It may seem like a distant and unseemly squabble but the scandal engulfing Indian cricket and , the suspended chairman of the Indian Premier League, matters.

Why? Well, two reasons.

The first goes to the very heart of cricket. India is the powerhouse of the world game, generating more money than the rest of the planet's cricket boards put together, and the extraordinary growth of the since its inception in 2008 has only strengthened the country's commercial and financial grip on the sport.

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Bullish Blatter must focus on legacy

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David Bond | 15:32 UK time, Friday, 23 April 2010

Forget all the scare stories about crime and security. Don't worry about half-empty, half-finished stadiums. South Africa is ready.

That was the message here in Zurich on Friday from Fifa's top two, Sepp Blatter and Jerome Valcke, the Swiss-Franco partnership driving the vision of Africa's first World Cup.

With 49 days to go to the opening match between South Africa and Mexico at Johannesburg's , both Blatter and Valcke were in bullish form at Friday's news conference - the last before the football world heads south - which was held at the opulent monument to football's TV boom, Fifa House.

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Why a hung Parliament may be bad for 2018 bid

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David Bond | 12:00 UK time, Thursday, 22 April 2010

It's not just .

The leaders of England's have also been watching anxiously as Nick Clegg has surged in the polls.

It's not that our bid leaders have anything against Mr Clegg or the Liberal Democrats. They are at pains to point out that they carry no torch for any party and, in fact, each of the three largest parties are supportive of the campaign in their manifestos.

It's just that a government based on no party having an overall majority after the General Election could make life difficult for England's chances in the other election - the battle to stage the World Cup in 2018.

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The true extent of Pompey horror show

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David Bond | 16:53 UK time, Wednesday, 21 April 2010

Buried in the midst of the thousands of numbers that lay bare the true horror of Portsmouth Football Club, one stands out above all others.

108.79%

This is the percentage of revenue the club spent on wages and overheads in the financial year ended 31 May, 2009.

What it tells you, quite simply, is that Portsmouth were spending so far beyond their means that their financial collapse was inevitable.

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Chelsea fan comes to Liverpool's rescue

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David Bond | 11:33 UK time, Friday, 16 April 2010

Before Friday's announcement, 's interest in football was restricted to watching Chelsea.

He says he first fell in love with the Stamford Bridge club when, led by , the Blues won the old First Division in 1955. Despite being chairman of plc, he still manages to get to half of Chelsea's games.

Now he has been given the job of sorting out the mess at one of Chelsea's main rivals, Liverpool.

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Sport facing the squeeze

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David Bond | 16:27 UK time, Thursday, 15 April 2010

The last 10 years have witnessed a golden age of funding for sport in the United Kingdom. From to , more than £2bn has been pumped into all levels of sporting activity.

Since 2000, £750m has been received by alone, principally to fund our top athletes. That investment has been paid back in golds - 39 of them, in fact, , and .

But as the draws closer, sport is anticipating possible cutbacks.

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Revealed: How Goldman Sachs drew up financial rescue for Liverpool

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David Bond | 06:59 UK time, Wednesday, 14 April 2010

One of the world's greatest football clubs owned by a group of investors put together by the world's most powerful .

It sounds far fetched doesn't it? Except, until six weeks ago, it was one of the options being looked at by Liverpool's .

According to senior sources I have spoken to over the last day or so, held detailed discussions about fronting a refinancing of the club back at the end of February.

A spokeswoman for the American banking giant denied they were ever considering a takeover bid and insisted the project never got to a "serious level", but banking sources have confirmed that Goldman Sachs held "exploratory discussions with a view to a possible investment" in Liverpool.

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Platini placated as English sides bow out?

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David Bond | 11:42 UK time, Thursday, 8 April 2010

will no doubt be feeling a bit happier today.

Ever since he was elected to the presidency three years ago, the Frenchman has been growing .

Not any more. The worry lines will be disappearing from Platini's brow quicker than it takes .

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Red Knights continue to plot

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David Bond | 17:10 UK time, Friday, 2 April 2010

For Sir Alex Ferguson, it is the most critical week of the season so far.

followed by the return leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich. And all to be negotiated without .

Away from events on the pitch, the even more important battle for the future ownership of the club is also reaching a critical point.

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