Source: Daily_Mail
Charles Sale: London Olympic bid didn't need Prince William power
SPORTS AGENDAEnlarge Prince William: Backs the 2018 bid[LNB]Prince William, named yesterday in the 30-strong England 2018 World Cup delegation, could have been a member of the winning London 2012 Olympic bid team.[LNB]FA president William, who has a pivotal role in the last-minute lobbying of the FIFA ExCo members in Zurich next week, was wanted by London to be part of their entourage for the Singapore vote five years ago.[LNB]But the Prince had a conflicting engagement in New Zealand, where he was due to spend time with the British and Irish Lions side managed by Sir Clive Woodward.[LNB]And William's advisors felt the New Zealand plans could not be altered to accommodate the Singapore trip, especially as the Prince also had commitments with the All Blacks camp.[LNB]Suggestions that Woodward's flawed spin doctor Alastair Campbell was influential in William sticking with the rugby were denied by royal sources.[LNB] But it's now history that the Lions were thrashed and London triumphed. [LNB] .....................................................................................................................[LNB]The bizarre Champions League final launch at Wembley included a logo with two lions rather than the three associated with England plus the highly unoriginal idea of an actor dressed up in a suit, bowler hat and umbrella to stress the England angle. [LNB]Worryingly, the bowler hat theme will continue throughout the build-up. Also, UEFA competitions director Giorgio Marchetti is rather optimistically hoping to attract a 28,000 crowd to the women's Champions League final at Craven Cottage, where the capacity is 25,700. ....................................................................................................................[LNB]The legal tension between Chelsea and Ray Wilkins is such that the ruthlessly sacked coach (right) received an email from chief executive Ron Gourlay ordering him not to go on Sky Sportsas a Champions League pundit this week because he is still under contract at Stamford Bridge. [LNB]A Chelsea spokesman said: 'We cannot comment as discussions are ongoing.' ....................................................................................................................London Mayor Boris Johnson, who led complaints about the 'crime and alcohol-riddled' slurs on London made by Russia 2018, is an unlikely advisor on the grand design for Russia's Marble Arch base for the London Olympics. [LNB]That site includes an ice rink to promote Sochi's 2014 Winter Games and Boris is advocating St Basil Cathedral-style onion domes as opposed to more contemporary building plans. [LNB]Sponsors Heineken are planning to entertain some of the expected 40,000 Olympic visitors from Holland in 2012 by booking Alexandra Palace, and the Germans will be based at the Museum of London Docklands. ....................................................................................................................[LNB]Gary Lineker's Champions League role riles Sky Champions League broadcasters Sky are known to be unhappy at the choice of Gary Lineker as UEFA's official ambassador for the Wembley final next May.[LNB]Their upset is due to Lineker's role as lead football presenter for the BBC, who do not have rights to the tournament. [LNB]And Sky made a point of not giving any prominence to Lineker in their coverage of the Wembley final launch event, which included the former England striker being interviewed by Sky Sports football anchor man Richard Keys.[LNB] Sky's the limit: BBC anchor Gary Lineker will not get any prominence on Sky TV[LNB]Lineker, who has the Champions League link of hosting Al Jazeera's English broadcasts in the Middle East, said: 'This had nothing to do with the BBC. I was chosen in my capacity as a former footballer who played a lot of times at the old Wembley.' [LNB]Lineker is part of the 2018 delegation in Zurich next week and it seems a waste of his BBC experience that he is not due to be one of the five giving the all-important final presentation next Thursday. ....................................................................................................................[LNB]It was after defeat in the first Ashes Test in Brisbane four years ago that leading pundit Geoff Boycott attacked the ECB over the number of non-essential personnel they had in Australia. [LNB]And there are already murmurings among cash-strapped counties about the cost of sending so many ECB staff Down Under, before Boycs goes into bat again on the issue.[LNB] Explore more:People: Boris Johnson, Alastair Campbell, Gary Lineker, Geoff Boycott, Clive Woodward Places: London, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Russia, Middle East
