FILE - China's Peng Shuai waves after losing to Canada Eugenie Bouchard in their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne. Photo / AP
FILE - China's Peng Shuai waves after losing to Canada Eugenie Bouchard in their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne. Photo / AP
Phil Gifford lists his five sport wishes for Christmas.
A guarantee people in charge at the International Olympic Committee will never back a smoke screen again
There was something truly repulsive about the video chat between IOC head Thomas Bach and vanished Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, which, according toBach and other IOC veterans like Canadian Dick Pound, proved Peng was absolutely fine. Nothing to see here, said Bach and Pound. No need at all for concern from World Tennis about Peng's safety when she disappeared after making an online accusation of sexual assault against a former high ranking Chinese politician.
Pound went so far as to say he was "puzzled" by worldwide reaction to IOC statements that Peng was obviously "safe and well." He even claimed that there was no, that's NO, connection between the IOC saying Peng was okay, and the fact the Winter Olympics are due to start in China in February.
And if you believe that I have deeds to the Auckland harbour bridge I'll happily sell to the highest bidder.
It became clear this year that the All Blacks could do with more tests against sides with forward packs a lot bigger and tougher than the Wallabies can offer.
The timing for a three test series against a touring Irish team in July is therefore about as perfect as it gets. A fully firing Ireland would mean not only a fascinating series, but also be a reality check on where the All Blacks stand looking to the World Cup in 2023.
But Irish players, of course, have to get through a Six Nations campaign, as well as heavyweight club games in the northern winter. So fingers crossed that the number of Irish stars rehabbing in July is minuscule.
Seeing lessons from the Tim Paine debacle actually taken on board
Own up and say sorry. It's a simple concept, but it's an effective one in all areas of life.
At the top end of the scale, in a courtroom, an early guilty plea usually results in a reduced sentence. At the bottom of the scale, there's a lot less strife for everyone when a primary school kid quickly admits he was the one who took the last biscuit when backs were turned.
If Tim Paine and Cricket Australia had been open and contrite over his sleazy stupidity four craters ago the man's career would not now be effectively over.
FILE - Australia's Tim Paine, left, talks with bowler Pat Cummins during play on day three of the fourth cricket test between India and Australia. Photo / AP
Of all people in society, sports stars probably receive as much forgiveness as any other group does, possibly even more. But the miscreant has to own up quickly, and make an apology that feels genuine, as Aaron Smith did after the Christchurch airport scandal in 2016. Quite rightly it became barely a blip in his career.
For Emma Raducanu to continue to thrive
The greatest joy for a sports fan is surely seeing competitors at the highest levels still getting joy from what they do.
For Kiwis this year a tonne of that heart warming feeling was provided by our Paralympians. Lisa Adams in the shot, Holly Robinson in the javelin, and what felt like every swimmer at the pool, didn't just do well, but conveyed a sense of pleasure and excitement that radiated off our television screens.
In the rest of the world, has there ever been a more likeable new star than 18-year-old Emma Raducanu?
Money is now raining down on her, grumpy old dorks like Piers Morgan have slagged her, and the commercial world will want to suck her fame dry. How wonderful it would be if she can somehow continue to be as sweet and humble as she was when, until persuaded by a US tennis official, she didn't want to raise the US Open trophy above her head in triumph for the battery of photographers.
Emma Raducanu, of Britain, is dejected after losing a point to Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk at the Transylvania Open WTA tournament in Cluj, Romania. Photo / AP
Finally, not a wish, but the quote of the week
Former All Black Malakai Fekitoa on the rule change that will allow rugby players to represent a second country: "I am very proud to have been a part of the best team in the world. But at the same time I want to contribute something great to Tonga, my country, my homeland, where my heart belongs."
