Luke Broadbent's Roar Profile

Yay, praise for our fans. We do tend to be very boisterous even in defeat, sometimes perhaps more so because of the loss. It was great to see the English singing on the final day of the first test, but it was equally disappointing to see a lack of Aussies in the crowd. The Ashes can only benefit from both sets of fans giving it their all and I hope that the Aussies do raise their game.

I was thinking about it why the Aussie fans don’t appear to be as into it and the only reason I can think of is that there may be an anxiety amongst them that isn’t normally there. The Ashes in Australia usually means a drubbing for England, but it doesn’t appear to be like that this time. England actually have a chance and that’s relatively new terroritory for the fans to be in. The English tend to be quite pessimistic about these things and whilst we will wish for victory, we rarely expect it. As a result, we are free to enjoy the experience.

Have Aussie cricket fans finally lost their voice?

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Cricket

2010

I admire the passion, but I don’t agree with you. Had Australia come second then you may have more of a case to cry about not getting the World Cup, but coming last with one vote leaves you with a poor argument. The same for England, since they only got two votes.

The reports on the bidding countries are never a clear indicator as to who will get these kind of events and it isn’t unprecendented for those that are not rated very well being granted the right to host. Rio wasn’t rated very highly when they were given the Olympics, but there’s a reason why the host is announced so many years before the event. It’s so they can prepare. The current trend is to give these events to developing economies. Furthermore, rating aren’t everything. Geopolitics has a lot to do with it. With Qatar being given the World Cup it is clear that they want to help ties between the Muslim and the western world.

The 2022 Qatar result should not be accepted

Football

Well said, Adrian. It is clear that the decision is a geopolitical one, but then it seems that’s how they are all decided these days. Beijing getting the Olympics and Rio as well. The trend appears to be towards giving events to emerging markets. The whole premise of staging a World Cup on the idea of uniting Islam and the world is wonderful, yet Qatar doesn’t seem like the best Arab country to fulfill the role. I would say that one of the best options for such a puurpose would be Turkey, but if Qatar are the only ones bidding then you have to go with them if that’s the message you want to convey.

Having said all of that, Mohamed Bin Hammam has clearly been hard at work behind the scenes.

FIFA disgraces game with farcical decision on Qatar

Nicely said, Geoff.
It is a sad case of affairs when terrorists target sport. As you say, sport brings people and nations together. When sport is attacked, much like the Munich Olympics, then you are stopping the process of reconciliation before it can even begin.
Sadly, I fear that these terrorists will win, at least for the forseeable future. Listening to the news they say that terrorists have long tried to isolate Pakistan from the rest of the world. This attack will do just that. The World Cup will probably be taken of them, while countries will not want to play there in the near future.
It’s ironic that I am writing this next to a link to another of your articles entitled, Playing Cricket in Pakistan is the Safest of Occupations. I haven’t read that article, yet, but the sentiment offered in the title seems to have, sadly, lost a lot of it’s credibility.
Hopefully Pakistan can bounce back from, but at the moment, I think hope may be all we can cling onto.

Terror against sport in an unravelling nation

2009

Jesse is correct, it is a disgrace. I was merely playing devil’s advocate and I was trying to offer an explanation as to why proceedings are like the way they are.

NRL shows courage while FFA runs for cover

“If its a principle thing & FIFA are behind that lack of principle then why does this article not read ” NRL shows courage whilst FIFA runs for cover”?”

Let’s give Jesse a break on that one, after all, he’s only one letter out.

Really it can be traced to the legal system of most countries, the double jeopardy clause. This means that a person cannot be tried for the same crime twice. In essence this is what we are talking about here, so if you think about it like that then it makes perfect sense.

You are absolutely right, Jesse. The system is a disgrace, however, my understanding is that this rule about not being able to take action if the referee reported it is a FIFA rule. A similar debacle occurred here in England recently when Bosingwa escaped any punishment for kicking a player in the back. So, I agree with the sentiment but it seems unfair to have a go at the FFA when I imagine that their hands are tied on this issue by FIFA.