Olympic Times – Sports Daily

London Underground workers' unions

Thousands of London Underground workers will be advised to reject a payment of £850 each for working during the London 2012 Olympic Games, their union has said.

The Rail Maritime and Transport union (RMT) had declared a dispute with LU almost two weeks ago because of a lack of progress over the Olympic payment which the union said would affect 18,000 workers.

A total of 150 union representatives unanimously agreed to advise their members to reject the offer because it does not include drivers.

They said they will write to London Underground demanding “an Olympic bonus for all staff without strings”.
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: “Our reps have made it clear that we want the Olympics to succeed and will work within the existing frameworks in a co-operative manner to ensure this happens.

“All we want is a deal that ensures that the extra work and efforts of our staff are fairly rewarded with a substantial Olympic bonus of the same value made to all grades without the array of strings currently attached.

“The matter will now be considered again by the executive.”

Last week Unite, which represents engineering, electrical, power control and management workers, rejected the same £850 offer.

Unite said the company is demanding “unlimited flexibility” for an indefinite period of time after the Games have finished.

source: http://news.sky.comОткъде да купя иконаидея за подарък

First lady Michelle Obama and Samantha Cameron, wife of British Primer Minister David Cameron, talk with United States Women's National Soccer Team midfielder Lori Ann Lindsey, left, and defender Becky Sauerbrunn as they join with students participating in a mini-Olympics competition in celebration of the 2012 London Summer Olympics and Mrs. Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative, Tuesday, March 13, 2012 in Washington. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

After-school sports got a new spin Tuesday as first lady Michelle Obama and Samantha Cameron led a group of fifth-graders through a mini-Olympics.

They were joined by former Olympians Dominique Dawes and Lisa Leslie, as well as Paralympian Kortney Clemons, who lost his leg while fighting in Iraq. At the event, they stressed the hard work and determination that got them to the games — but not before the 55 fifth-graders from three Washington-area schools cycled through stations where they played basketball, soccer and tennis. There were also machines to simulate swimming, and a section of the gym was dedicated to a relay race.
Obama and Cameron, the wife of British Prime Minister David Cameron, who’s in Washington this week for an official visit, billed the event at an American University gym as an advance celebration of this summer’s London games.

“I’m particularly excited that the Camerons are visiting our country this week,” the first lady said, “because as it turns out, I will be visiting their country this summer.”

The White House announced Tuesday that Obama will lead the U.S. delegation to the opening ceremonies of the Olympic games in London. First ladies often lead the U.S. delegation — Hillary Clinton led the American group at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, and Laura Bush led the U.S. delegation to the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.

Obama dovetailed into her “Let’s Move” initiative, which promotes exercise and healthful eating for children.

“In the months ahead, I’ll be talking to Americans all across the country to encourage even more young people to tap into that Olympic spirit and turn their inspiration into action,” the first lady said.

Obama has in recent months taken on a higher-profile role in promoting the two-year-old initiative. She went on a multistate tour to mark the anniversary last month and has appeared on television with celebrities, including Jay Leno, Jimmy Fallon and Ellen DeGeneres. Next week, she will appear on “The Late Show With David Letterman.”

At the event Tuesday, the first lady urged the students to find things they’re passionate about, whether sports or other activities.

“You are all champions in our minds,” Leslie, a Women’s National Basketball Association player who won four gold medals as part of the U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team, told the kids before a ceremony in which they were all given medals. “You do not have to be an Olympian or a Paralympian to be active and to be healthy. Whether you play sports or not, we’re really encouraging you to do that with ‘Let’s Move’”

Other Olympians at the event included tennis player MaliVai Washington, soccer players Lori Lindsey and Becky Sauerbrunn, runner Benita Fitzgerald Mosley and decathlete Dan O’Brien. Paralympians April Holmes and John Register and tennis player David Wagner, who plays in a wheelchair, were also on hand.

At one point, Dawes, who competed in three games, asked the kids to list the sports included in the summer games. Kids shouted basketball, swimming and track; one suggested yoga.

“That’s not an Olympic sport — yet,” she said. “That would be awesome.”

Read the full story and more at: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0312/73970.html

The International Figure Skating Union’s Grand Prix Series enters its 15th season this weekend with its first event: The Trophee Eric Bompard Cachemire, in Paris. Competition starts Friday in competition, the first of six that will lead up to the Grand Prix Final in Tokyo in December and the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. It will feature some interesting storylines.

Ladies’ Singles

Carolina Kostner

This event has perhaps the most stacked ladies’ field of the Grand Prix season. Two of figure skating’s greatest rivals will meet in this event as Korean World Champion Kim Yu-Na and 2008 World Champion and faces Grand Prix Final champ Mao Asada of Japan.

Kim, who has been training with Brian Orser in Toronto, blew away the field at the worlds in Los Angeles with a record score. She will show off new programs choreographed by David Wilson – George Gershwin’s “Piano Concerto in F Major” in the long program and a short program to a medley of music from “James Bond 007″, considered unusual music for figure skating.

The archrivals will also be joined by Italy’s Carolina Kostner, but the hotly-anticipated comeback of American Sasha Cohen has been iced as the 2006 Olympic silver medallist who is making a comeback, has pulled out of the competition after suffering an injured calf in practice. Japan’s Yukari Nakano and Caroline Zhang of the U.S. may also challenge. There are no Canadian women in this event.

Entries: Mao Asada (Japan), Candice Didier (France), Sasha Cohen, United States, Gwendoline Didier (France), Elene Gedevanishvili, (Georgia), Alexe Gilles (USA), Yu-Na Kim (South Korea), Kiira Korpi (Finland), Carolina Kostner (Italy), Yukari Nakano (Japan), Caroline Zhang (USA), Anna Jurkiewicz (Poland)

Men’s Singles

Brian Joubert, the 2007 world champion from France, launches his season in front of his home fans and will no doubt be trying to vindicate himself after finishing with what he considered a disappointing bronze medal at the 2009 Worlds.

A five-time world medallist known for his big jumps, Joubert is likely to be challenged in Paris by Nobunari Oda. The Japanese skater is in top form, winning last year’s NHK Trophy, after being banned for three months by his national federation in 2007 for drunk driving. Russia’s Sergei Voronov and Tomáš Verner of Czech Republic will also be in the running for spots on the podium. Vaughn Chipeur is the only Canadian man in the event as he begins his quest for the nation’s second spot at the Olympics.

Entries: Vaughn Chipeur (Canada), Chao Yang (China), Tomas Verner (Czech Republic), Brian Joubert (France), Yannick Ponsero (France), Alban Preaubert (France), Peter Liebers (Germany), Nobunari Oda (Japan), Sergei Voronov (Russia), Javier Fernandez (Spain), Ryan Bradley (USA), Adam Rippon (USA)

Pairs

Canadians Bryce Davison and Jessica Dubé will face the world’s finest pairs competition right off the bat in Paris when they return to the romantic style of skating that so suited them before their experimental season last year. They will meet world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany, the reigning world champs. It’s the first of two meetings between the two teams during this Grand Prix season. The second will be at Skate Canada in Kitchener, Ont., in late November.

Russians Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov, coached by Olympic champ Oleg Vassiliev, may also figure into the podium.

Entries: Adeline Canac and Maximin Coia (France), Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir (USA), Huibo Dong and Yiming Wu (China), Jessica Dubé and Bryce Davison (Canada), Vanessa James and Yannick Bonheur (France), Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov (Russia), Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy, Germany

Ice Dance

Canadians Tessa Virtue, of London, Ont. and Scott Moir, of Ilderton, Ont. are making their return to the Grand Prix circuit after missing the series last season when Virtue had to have surgery on both of her shins. They returned late in the season to earn bronze at the world championships, and they feel confident now that they are the best ice dance team in the world. They will debut their highly-anticipated new programs: a flamenco original dance and a free dance to Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5.

Virtue and Moir enter the competition as the clear favourite but can expect some good competition from the French team of Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat, Sinead and John Kerr of Great Britain, and Americans Emily Samuelson and Evan.

Entries: Zoé Blanc and Pierre-Loup Bouquet (France), Kristina Gorshkova and Vitali Butikov, (Russia), Madison Hubbell and Keiffer Hubbell (USA), Sinead Kerr and John Kerr (Great Britain), Kimberly Navarro and Brent Bommentre (USA), Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat (France), Ekaterina Rubleva and Ivan Shefer (Russia), Emily Samuelson and Evan Bates (USA), Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir (Canada)

England thrash Andorra 6-0 to record a seventh successive win in their World Cup qualifying group.
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Pakistan chase a target of 186 against England at the World Twenty20 after South Africa defeat Scotland.
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Chelsea and Everton – two of England’s in-form sides – prepare to meet at Wembley in the 128th FA Cup final.
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Michael Hussey says this summer’s Ashes will be a “huge challenge” as he lands in England with the rest of the Australia squad.
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Matt Prior hits 87 as England beat West Indies by 58 runs to secure the final one-day international and take the series 2-0.
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West Indies struggle in their chase of 329 to beat England in the last one-dayer at Edgbaston.
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VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) – U.S. Masters winner Angel Cabrera and world number four Henrik Stenson led a procession of high-profile players to miss the cut at the PGA Championship on Friday.

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All-rounder Andrew Symonds fails to earn a recall as Australia name their 16-man squad for the Ashes series in England.
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James Anderson provides a swing-bowling masterclass as England beat West Indies by an innings and 83 runs to wrap up the Test series 2-0.
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Newcastle and England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson agrees a two-year deal with French side Toulon.
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West Indies close day four of the final Test at the Riverside on 115-3 in their follow-on, still 144 behind England.
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Stuart Broad ousts Chanderpaul and Sarwan as West Indies reach lunch 381 behind at 188-5 on the fourth morning in the second Test.
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England claim an early wicket after declaring at 569-6, before bad light stops play on day three of the second Test.
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Heavy rain raises the fear of a complete washout on day two of the second Test between England and West Indies at the Riverside.
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Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara compile centuries as England close day one of the second Test against West Indies on 302-2.
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