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JUST recently, I read an interesting article about the pervasive acts of infidelity among married sporting stars across the globe.

The writer, supported by a prominent psychologist, argues that this phenomenon is inevitable in the present milieu based on a number of factors, including wealth and the rock star status that these individuals are accorded.

While polygamy is usually frowned upon by most countries in the western hemisphere predominantly underpinned by religious beliefs, the modern sporting star will be severely tested to remain circumspect in a fast-paced world where unfaithfulness is increasingly accepted as a symbol of machismo.

The writer suggests that the individuals involved in this practice are not restricted to a specific sport and, in, fact, are drawn from a wide cross-section of disciplines, including basketball, baseball, hockey, cricket, and football.

However, according to the report, recent sanctions brought by spouses against some of the prominent practitioners like Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant have triggered a wising-up among several of these superstars, to the extent that an increasing number are insisting on a prenuptial clause in their marriage contracts to protect them against marauding laws that universally favour women.

The common denominator in these prenuptial contracts is, of course, a clause that will ensure that these superstars are not left bankrupt as a consequence of their indiscretions, with an increasing number insisting they be allowed to keep their earnings made before they got married, in the case of a divorce.

Certainly, Woods may have been the most seriously affected as far as financial losses are concerned, with reports suggesting that the amorous swinger may have had to fork out between $750 million and $833 million to his former wife and the mother of his two children reportedly the biggest payout ever seen in a high-profile divorce case.

Lakers star Bryant is the latest in an alarmingly long list of sportsmen to have been hauled over the coals by enraged spouses who have said no mas after stumbling upon the philandering habits of their superstar husbands.

In fact, according to an LA Times report, Vanessa Bryant stands to pocket at least $75 million, in addition to spousal and child support, from the imminent divorce settlement with Kobe.

Sadly for the basketball star, it is understood that the couple did not have a prenuptial agreement, which makes the ex-wife entitled to half their community property.

With Kobes net worth estimated at $150 million, a prominent lawyer explained that Kobe could have saved half of his fortune had he insisted on a prenuptial agreement.

Interestingly, basketball legend Michael Jordan who, by the way, has managed to steer clear of this type of scandal and apart from a long-time gambling indiscretion in the 1990s, maintains a squeaky clean public image is said to have paid over an estimated $168 million to ex-wife Juanita Vanoy Jordan in 2007 when their divorce was finalised.

In addition to the $168 million, Juanita also got the couples seven-acre estate in Chicago, as well as custody of their three children. Interestingly, the couple did sign a prenuptial agreement, which made Juanita entitled to half of Michaels fortune, with the $168 million reportedly only a third of the megastars wealth, however.

Considering that even in retirement Michael Jordan remains among the top-earning sports figures in the world, his divorce payout should be a minor hiccup for debatably the greatest player that basketball has ever known.

Just a week ago, one of Jordans signature Nike Air sneakers, the Air Jordan 11 Concord which escalated in popularity back in 1996 was back on the market. It attracted record sales and drew hysteria in Atlanta as customers broke down the doors to sport goods stores to purchase the sneakers that is widely regarded as the most popular footwear of all time.

From a sporting viewpoint, what is most interesting in situations like these is how these sporting stars perform amid personal crises which, especially with the current upsurge in technology, will never escape the probing eyes of the media.

For Woods, it has been a miserable two years since the screen was unceremoniously removed from an outrageous and ultimately, much-publicised lifestyle that involved multiple extramarital affairs. During this torturous period, Woods, for the first time since becoming a pro, missed the cut on a few occasions and endured 749 days without a tournament victory.

Further, the former poster boy of the sport fell to a low of 58 in early November, from his customary No 1 ranking which he held for a record 281 weeks.

But all that was before December 4 when he rebounded to beat a field of 18 of golfs top players to land the Chevron World Challenge title his first on the PGA Tour in over two years, since September 2009.

Now vaulted to No 21 in the world with this long-awaited victory, Woods is obviously getting over his prolonged nightmare, no doubt healed by that crucial element known as time.

For the genuine lovers of sport and golf in particular and for those who understand the transience and unpredictability of life, this is a human triumph of the highest order.

Woods, an acutely sensitive individual who was stunned by the sudden turn of events two years ago, has obviously learned to forgive himself, first of all. And, like anybody who has had to deal with a personal tragedy, he has picked himself up, since the show must go on and life continues.

As for Bryant and a slew of NBA and other sporting stars, the public eye is never far away. As we enter the new year, their words for the moment is that Discretion is the better part of valour.

Junior Dos Santos has promised a fight for the fans when he defends his UFC heavyweight title against Alistair Overeem.

Former Strikeforce champion Overeem secured his title shot with a first round knockout of Brock Lesnar at UFC 141 in Las Vegas, prompting Lesnar to announce his retirement from the sport.

And Dos Santos, who beat Cain Velasquez to get his hands on the heavyweight belt in November, believes his next fight will be an entertaining one, if both fighters play to their strengths.

Its going to be really, really good for the fans, Dos Santos told USA Today. Because hes a striker (and) Im a striker, its going to be a stand-up battle.

Hes pretty good at using his kicks, his knees, his punches. But I believe so much in my boxing.

Dos Santos is currently recovering from knee surgery, and a summer date has been touted for the match-up between the two striking specialists.

copy; ESPN EMEA Ltd

FOR as long as I can remember, respective governments have talked a lot about a sports policy and the development of sports in Jamaica.

It is said there has been numerous consultations about the sports policy; unfortunately, I have never been able to contribute to any such process. I therefore, humbly submit these suggestions, through this medium, as my contributions to the way forward.

Much of what constitutes governmental support and contribution to sporting development occurs at the top, when our sportsmen and women have become professionals or are national representatives.

This is profoundly contradictory to sustainable development in any sphere — sport being no different.

Sustainable development is best achieved by establishing a sure and firm base that will support any upward additions. It, therefore, behoves us to enable our grass-root programmes to reach the levels required for them to consistently churn out the world-class athletes we so earnestly desire and adore.

In Jamaica, only the foolish would deny that our school system, and in particular at the high school level, is the foundation on which most, if not all, our modern sporting successes are built.

In the past, these said schools were able to use governments money to fund sports in our schools. This is no longer permissible.

Despite this, schools have become extremely dynamic in order to stay relevant in sports; effectively administer to the specific needs of sport; and to benefit from the contributions that come when a school manages success in sports.

As sport is a pivotal part of our education system, I would love to see this policy reversed and schools allowed to use portions of their allocations for sport development within the school.

Whilst our schools must be commended for job they have done, and continue to do, one cant help but wonder how much better would be the rewards for Jamaica locally and internationally were we able to more strategically enable schools to produce the raw materials for the likes of Theodore Tappa Whitmore, Glen Mills or Stephen Francis, to name a few.

It is my position that our government must, in partnerships with the various sporting associations, embrace the responsibility of developing and maintaining sports infrastructure islandwide.

For what it is worth, sport infrastructure is used here to include playing fields, courts, tracks, stadia, coaching, medical and health care, gymnasiums and other physical structures. In this space, however, emphasis will be on the physical structures.

The development of playing fields and courts has been attempted through the CHASE Fund, the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) and other agencies with very little or effective success.

I believe that our schools have shown very effective management, in the majority of instances, over a long period of time. Additionally, almost all schools are fully embraced and engaged by their communities.

As such, I posit that the government, along with respective sport associations, embark on a programme of systematically developing infrastructure within the schools which will rebound to and their communities. Schools such as Holmhood, Jamaica College, Manchester High, STETHS, Kingston College, and others have shown the appetite for the development and maintenance of sport infrastructure and should be trusted to do so in a more structured way.

For example, the Jamaica Cricket Association, and the government of course, should seek to build four sets of practice wickets and nets in selected schools over a period of time so that in say 10 years, each parish would have at least one such facility (STETHS currently has such a facility second to none, including Sabina Park).

A second example could see the expansion and development of school auditoriums into multi-purpose gymnasiums. Another example is for government to engage the private sector and respective international sporting bodies to establish at least six stadia akin to the one at Catherine Hall, St James.

These stadia should be strategically located to allow maximal usage by schools and communities in all parishes. They should also be situated so as to allow professional (or those seeking to become professional) sporting clubs (athletics and football, in particular) to make optimal use of them. Additionally, such stadia should be a part of our global sport marketing strategy. I see no reason why Jamaica, like Trinidad has done, should not be hosting FIFA events and, of course, major IAAF events as well.

I will not pretend to have all the answers or the facts, but surely, I believe that the main reason for the failed SDF projects is an underestimation of the cost of ownership.

Those of us who own anything know that it costs a lot more to maintain it than it does to acquire it. This line of thinking suggests to me that when the SDF went around building all those beautiful fields and courts very little, if any, consideration was given to maintenance.

Yes the argument will be that they were given to the communities. This has been proven over and over to be quite egregious. With no clearly stated owner, with the embedded authority to keep and care, all and sundry become the owner.

The result, turf wars that end with the Goshen Sports Complex in St Elizabeth (just an example of several of similar disposition) becoming an overgrown pasture for stray cows and goats.

It may seem far-fetched to many, but sports has been, and will continue to be, at least two things much needed by Jamaica at this juncture in our development as a nation.

Sport, today, are major catalysts for direct and indirect employment and educational opportunities. Sport is also, as is now evident at football matches between Tivoli Gardens and say, Waterhouse or Boys Town, where former rival communities now embrace each other, a cure for many of the ills of our society, particularly violence.

As we look forward to the London 2012 Olympics, the Brazil 2014 Football World Cup and other such world spectacles, this is as good a time as any to take a serious look at these arguments.

Imagine how many more Odail Todds could be found if schools like Green Island High were able to access quality infrastructure on a regular basis. Imagine what it would be like if Jamaica could be exporting annually in the region of 10 professional footballers and netballers or basketball players.

Surely, the development of infrastructure is not the only need that exists to take us that many steps forward. Yet every professional player in the majority of sport, I am sure, will render testimony to the positive impact of good infrastructure on their development.

Just imagine the national cricket or football team coaches not having to spend the length of time they do now on technique development when players are called to the respective teams?

EDITORS NOTE: Andrew Edwards is a football coach at St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and an asistant National Under-20 coach.

He was focused on the hunt.

Sniffing the ground, Casey, a hyperactive golden retriever, poked his nose in the autumn leaves lying in the parking lot of the Puppy Patch doggy day care in Annandale.

He thinks theres a tip here somewhere, said his owner, Mary Meila, of Rockaway Township.

Meila was referring to the end of a cotton swab, called a tip, dabbed with an aromatic oil and hidden, maybe under a rock or inside a suitcase. She has trained Casey to sniff out these hides as part of a sport called K9 Nose Work.

Meila and her dog were at an advanced practice session to prepare for the two-day Canine Scent Work Trial this weekend at Centenary College. It is the first such event in New Jersey for a dog sport that has quickly spread since starting in California five years ago.

Its just really pretty phenomenal to watch these dogs find these scents that we could never find, she said.

Nose work was founded by three dog trainers in Southern California. The sport borrows elements of training for canines that help with bomb detection and search and rescue. They created the National Association of Canine Scent Work as the sports official sanctioning and organizing body that sets rules of the trials.

Dec 31, 2011 

Victoria Pendleton has given her firm backing to the British Olympic Association (BOA)’s lifetime ban for drug cheats, claiming the risk of reoffending is too great for the ruling to be changed.

The BOA is the only national committee in the world still imposing a lifetime Olympic ban on athletes who have served a doping suspension of six months or longer. Their stance has been deemed to be “non-compliant” with the World Anti-Doping Agency’s global code and the case is set to be decided by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Pendleton said: “Personally, I have always been of the opinion that if you were prepared to cheat once then you could perhaps be tempted again, so I agree with the lifetime ban”

Cycling superstar Mark Cavendish, the 2011 BBC Sports Personality of the Year, has expressed his hope David Millar – who admitted taking a performance-enhancing drug in 2004, served a two-year suspension from the sport and remains subject to the BOA ban – will be able to take part in London 2012 this summer.

As far as Olympic track cycling gold medallist Pendleton is concerned, though, the BOA have got it right.

She added: “I think if you have gone there in your sporting career, there is no guarantee – you might say that you would never do it again, but I don’t know. It’s kind of a personality trait thing for me.

“I’ve always struggled with people doing that. Within my sport there is always a huge amount of debate about performance-enhancing drugs and it is something that really frustrates the hell out of me. I am somebody who would like to keep it as it is – fair and square, a level playing field.”

Regarding her own participation in London, Pendleton is still aiming to compete in three events – the individual sprint, in which she was crowned champion at Beijing 2008, the Keirin and the team sprint.

“I am going to try to go for three events,” she said.

“The training is very similar for all three, so if my form is good and I’m going well, it would be crazy not to give them all a shot. I do them in a much shorter, compact programme at the World Championships and I have won all three in the past, so I know it is possible if you are going well to do that.”

Copyright © 2012 The Press Association. All rights reserved.

Today in our 2011 in Sport series, we look at some of the biggest stories outside the major North American sports. Here, Sean Fitz-Gerald writes on David Beckham’s influence on American soccer.

There, sweaty, spent and smiling, was David Beckham, distilled down to his essence.

His designer clothes were hanging in the dressing room and his celebrity lifestyle was waiting for him off the field.

But the 36-year-old was still standing on the grass as a soccer player, and as a sparkplug of interest for the sport in the United States.

Four years after landing in America — like The Beatles or Harry Potter before him — the aging English superstar had finally moved beyond the fanfare to win a championship.

Andy Murray, nevertheless, is well aware of Lendls remarkable achievements elsewhere and clearly believes that the 51-year-old naturalised American can teach him a thing or two. Murray revealed on Saturday that Lendl is to be his new coach and will start working with him in the build-up to the Australian Open, which begins in a fortnights time.

Lendl will not be with the Scot at this weeks Brisbane International – he plays his first match against Kazakhstans Mikhail Kukushkin tomorrow – but will travel with him to all the Grand Slam tournaments and most of the Masters Series events. For a man who said last year that he was not really that interested in travelling the tour with a player it shows how much Lendl believes they can make a successful team.

Murray, who has not had a permanent coach for 18 months, will be the first player Lendl has coached at senior level. After winning 94 singles titles, including eight at Grand Slam level, and topping the world rankings for 270 weeks, Lendl spent 15 years away from tennis, concentrating instead on his passion for golf and the sporting careers of his five daughters.

However, he returned to play on the senior tour two years ago, has opened a junior academy in South Carolina and is relishing the chance to work with Murray.

A key point Lendl will undoubtedly drive home is the need not to let disappointments get the better of you. Murray has lost his first three Grand Slam finals; Lendl lost his first four before going on to win the French Open three times, the US Open three times and the Australian Open twice.

The appointment is evidence of Murrays absolute determination to go as far as he can. Since parting with Brad Gilbert four years ago, the Scot has surrounded himself with an entourage dominated by friendly faces with easy-going natures. Lendl will bring not only the experience of someone who has succeeded at the highest level but also a calculating and steely-eyed approach.

Lendl was always meticulous in his preparations. No player worked harder on his fitness and on court he was the ultimate competitor. It was no surprise that he said in a recent interview that Rafael Nadal was a player he particularly liked watching.

Although a more relaxed and approachable character off the court, Lendl is likely to be a hard task-master. His appointment is a bold choice by Murray. It would be no surprise if their relationship went in one of two directions: rapid success, or ending in tears before long. Indeed, both scenarios could happen.

When he played he was a very hard worker, Murray told the Association of Tennis Professionals official website yesterday. He is also one of the most successful tennis players ever, so he obviously has a lot of knowledge and information that he can pass on to me. And he was just a very honest guy as well, which is very important because not everybody is like that.

A lot of people are maybe too nice sometimes. They just dont want to upset you or say the wrong thing. But he was very honest, very open.

Murray said he had talked to Lendl at length about how to beat the top players. He added: I liked what he said and how he felt about my game. He has obviously got a lot of experience. I also think he has been through a lot of the same things that I have been through, so I am sure he can help me mentally with certain things.

When asked about Lendls inexperience as a coach, Murray said: The best coaches dont always make the best players and the best players dont make the best coaches. So I think that is something that I am sure will be a challenge for Ivan and he seemed quite excited by that as well. He has never coached before and he was saying that he was willing to learn.

Tony Roche, who coached Lendl for eight years, believes Murray has made an excellent choice. Anyone who knows Ivan will tell you how much hes going to bring to the table for Andy, the veteran Australian player said yesterday. Few people in our sport have ever trained as hard as Ivan or been as professional.

Roche added: Ivan was always looking for the edge, even in the smallest ways, and now hell be doing it on Andys behalf. Whether it was the way he trained, tinkering with his equipment or getting his diet right. Ivan and Martina Navratilova were the two players in the 1980s who took the game to another level in terms of professionalism. Hes always been one of the great students of the game.

Coach list: Andys men

Pato Alvarez (2005): Veteran Colombian who was based at Sanchez-Casal academy in Barcelona

Mark Petchey (2005-2006): Helped Murray climb more than 300 places into worlds top 50

Brad Gilbert (2006-07): Former coach of Andy Roddick and Andre Agassi was recruited with help of Lawn Tennis Association

Miles Maclagan (2007-10): Former British Davis Cup player took Murray to first Grand Slam final

Alex Corretja (2008-2011): Worked on part-time basis, initially alongside Maclagan as consultant on clay-court tennis

Dani Vallverdu (since 2008): Murrays best friend from days at Sanchez Casal academy and has played increasingly important role

Darren Cahill (2011): Worked with Murray on occasional basis last year as part of Adidas team of coaches

Today in our 2011 in Sport series, we look at some of the biggest stories outside the major North American sports. Here, Rory Barrs writes on the death of IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon.

Dan Wheldon was chasing a US$5-million bonus. The pursuit ended on the 11th lap of the IndyCar Series season finale.

Just minutes into the race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the 33-year-old Englishman was caught in the middle of a 15-car wreck.

Cars burst into flames, desbris was scattered everywhere and Wheldon’s car was sent airborne into the catch fence. He died from his injuries in the crash.

Wheldon was a 16-time IndyCar winner, and had won the Indianapolis 500 for the second time in May. But the October finale was just his third IndyCar race of 2011. He was the only one chasing a bonus the series had offered if any part-time driver beat the field in the final race.

By Alistair Magowan
BBC Sport

Sam Ricketts scores to give Bolton their first draw at home this season

Bolton slipped to the bottom of the Premier League on the last day of 2011 despite picking up a first home draw of the season against Wolves.

In an encouraging display, Sam Ricketts scored a superb curling effort on his return to the side after 10 months out.

Having already hit the bar, Wolves equalised after the break when Steven Fletcher headed in a Matt Jarvis cross.

A Fabrice Muamba shot and a Gretar Steinsson header were both saved by Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey.

The Welsh keeper kept his team in the game as Boltons second-half pressure grew.

However, it was the hosts who were hanging on at the end as Jussi Jaaskelainen stopped Kevin Doyles near-post header and substitute Tuncay headed against his own post from a Jarvis corner.

Hugh Robertson, has admitted that the aim of the London 2012 Games to inspire a million more people to get involved in sport has no chance of being realised.

The target was believed to be the brainchild of the Labour government rather than the Olympic organisers and was widely quoted during Londons successful bidding process.

But less than seven months before the London Games are due to begin, only 110,000 extra people have taken up a new sport and Robertson, the minister for sport and the Olympics, said: It is disappointing – a million sounds like a target that was plucked off the wall and it was.

However, he was quick to defend a new initiative in schools and a £100m investment in sports facilities across the country and also the £81m that is being spent on the opening and closing ceremonies for the Games.

Do I think its money well spent? Yes I do, Robertson told the Sunday Times. The opening is a spectacular. Get it wrong and we will spend three or four days batting back why was the opening ceremony such a failure. It will kick the thing off in the worst possible way.

Given the importance we are putting as a country and using 2012 to drive economic growth and tourism, it would be foolish not to spend what is necessary to lay on a good opening ceremony. Danny Boyle [artistic director for the opening ceremony] is a top professional and has produced an extraordinarily good ceremony.

Robertson also underlined that he feels the Great Britain team are on target for fourth place in the overall medals table at this years Games.

If you look at where we are across the Olympic sports at this stage in the cycle compared to Beijing, the number of medals achieved in world championships and equivalent competitions, we are better off.