Source: Daily_Mail
Nick Harris: Bosses 'broke own rules' over Tottenham's Olympic bid
West Ham have accused the Premier League of ignoring their own rulebook by saying they will not oppose a move by Tottenham from north to east London if Spurs' bid for the 2012 Olympic Stadium is successful.[LNB]West Ham will seek a judicial review if Spurs get the ground instead of them, according to secret legal papers seen by Inside Sport.[LNB]A series of explosive letters, all sent in the past fortnight, lift the lid on the acrimonious row over the venue, which West Ham and Spurs both want.[LNB] Ground for dissent: Spurs' fans arefurious over the bid for the Olympic Stadium[LNB]In the letters, from West Ham's lawyers, the Premier League are effectively accused of failing to undertake any assessment of the impact of a move by Tottenham away from their historic White Hart Lane home, either on the clubless area left behind in the borough of Haringey or on the various clubs whose 'patches' would be impinged on by Spurs.[LNB]West Ham are most opposed to Spurs moving nearer to them, but Leyton Orient, Millwall, Dagenham and Redbridge and Charlton could all suffer from a big-name rival being parachuted closer. Premier League rules say club relocations must not damage others.[LNB]Tottenham also face vociferous opposition from the leader of Haringey Council, Claire Kober, and their own MP, David Lammy, both of whom have separately written to the League to ask why they would not oppose a Tottenham move.[LNB]A Spurs anti-move group, We Are N17 slogan 'No to Stratford Hotspur' argue that any Spurs move to the Olympic site would be akin to the hugely controversial 'Franchise FC' move of Wimbledon in 2003 to become MK Dons in Milton Keynes.[LNB]'The vast majority of Spurs fans are against moving,' says spokesman Tim Framp. 'This is about history, tradition, territory and the identity of Tottenham, both the place and the football club.'[LNB]The Olympic Park Legacy Company will choose between West Ham and Spurs this spring. The Premier League declined to comment.[LNB] [LNB]Whistleblower in drug ban let-offInformation: Wayne Odesnik[LNB]American Wayne Odesnik has become the first tennis player to become a top-level whistleblower in exchange for a reduced drugs ban.[LNB]And he could be asked to spill the beans about irregular betting as well.[LNB]The authorities hope his information will lead to convictions.[LNB]Odesnik, 25, first gained major attention at Wimbledon in 2009 for being at the centre of anunusual betting episode.[LNB]Bookies suspended markets on his low-key first-round match with Jurgen Melzer after 'suspicious' sums were wagered on Odesnik losing 3-0, which he did. Nobody has been charged with impropriety.[LNB]And Odesnik told me immediately after that match: 'I would never do anything (improper) to jeopardise my future.'[LNB]Six months later he was caught in possession of illegal human growth hormone in Australia, for which the International Tennis Federation banned him for two years.[LNB]The ITF have in effect halved his punishment for 'assistance provided in relation to the enforcement of professional rules of conduct' and he is now free to resume playing.[LNB] [LNB]Ljungberg's pay shockFreddie Ljungberg's deal with Celtic shows how dramatically Scottish football finances have deteriorated in the past year.[LNB]The 33-year-old former Arsenal midfielder earned £16,000 a week in the United States, most recently with Chicago Fire, and Celtic matched that to sign the Swede until the end of the season, making him the best-paid player in Scotland.[LNB] New surroundings: Freddie Ljungberg at Celtic Park last Wednesday night[LNB]A year ago that honour went to Robbie Keane, who was on £65,000 a week at the same club.[LNB]Ljungberg makes his Old Firm derby debut on Sunday at Ibrox and another curious fact adds to theeconomic gloom over the Scottish game.[LNB]Eleven of the players involved in last year's New Year Old Firm derby (eight from Celtic alone) have since left Scotland, most of them for better money.[LNB] [LNB]Sam Allardyce's recent sacking could end up costing lives.[LNB]This column has learned that the former Blackburn manager was to front a PR blitz for a £1.63million men's well-being scheme, Premier League Health, but Rovers dumped him on the day of the proposed publicity, forcing his withdrawal.[LNB]The venture, launched in 2010, offers fitness programmes via 16 clubs to 'hard to reach' men in 'lower socio-economic environments' in danger of early deaths related to obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, smoking, excessive alcohol intake and low physical activity.[LNB]Some 3,000 men were helped in 2010, and a survey of 520 of them show they needed it: 70 per cent have three or more risk factors for serious heart problems.[LNB]'A new front-man will be appointed when we find a manager in a job long enough,' said a source.[LNB] [LNB] [LNB] Explore more:People: Wayne Odesnik, Robbie Keane, Jurgen Melzer, Sam Allardyce, David Lammy Places: London, Scotland, Australia, Olympic Stadium Organisations: Haringey Council, International Tennis Federation
