EWCB Rules Cause Confusion on Overseas
Players by Irvin Morris
The England & Wales Cricket Board have caused
confusion by introducing new Rules for young overseas players who are entering the UK to
experience different playing conditions and a new culture.
At the same time the board are incentivising clubs to play
with an overseas player, giving a mixed message to grassroots cricketers across the UK.
The new rules are somewhat ambiguous and generally refer
to professional players, but amateur Cricket has always picked up what professional clubs
do, and the new rules are proving difficult to work with for amateur clubs.
Over the years professional County cricket clubs have
enjoyed the benefits of overseas professional staff, for example Viv Richards and Joel
Garner at Somerset and Shane Warne at Hampshire.
Amateur clubs invite overseas players who enter the
country by right if they are a Commonwealth citizen on a Working Holidaymaker Visa, which
allows a stay of up to two years with the option of temporary or part-time work to finance
their stay.
The overseas amateur is primarily a holidaymaker who
wishes to play cricket. In order to obtain a Visa the Home Office must be satisfied that
any cricket played is in an amateur capacity and that the game is not the overriding
purpose of their visit.
If the applicant is not a European Union national, and not
a professional cricketer seeking a work permit, then they may be able to apply for a
six-months Visitors' Visa. In this case they will not be allowed to work while in the UK,
and must show that you have sufficient funds or sponsorship for their stay.
Providing these guidelines are strictly adhered to when
applying for the necessary documentation entry into the UK should cause no problem for
overseas cricketers.
Therefore it should still be possible for Host Clubs to
have their Amateur Overseas Player and long may it be for the benefit of International
Relations and Understanding through Cricket.
Irvin Morris is the Overseas Development
Officer for the Sunil Gavaskar Cricket Foundation in Bengal and the International
Development Officer of the Toronto Cricket Academy.
JONATHAN EDWARDS JOINS
UKA COUNCIL
Olympic and World triple jump Champion Jonathan
EDWARDS has been appointed to the UK Athletics Council, where he joins UK Athletics
President Lynn DAVIES (Chair), UK Athletics Vice President Sir Eddie KULUKUNDIS, Michael
SQUIRES and Blondel THOMPSON.
In line with UK Athletics Memorandum and Articles, the
four existing members of the Council appoint the fifth.
Lynn Davies explains: "When considering who to
appoint as the fifth member of the UK Athletics Council, we felt that the appointment of a
current athlete would best ensure the mix of skills required to fulfil our role.
"We are delighted to welcome an athlete of Jonathan's
calibre to the Council and look forward to the contribution that he will make to our
work."
On accepting the appointment, Jonathan said: "I think
that it is foresighted of UK Athletics to include a current athlete at the top level of
decision making within the sport and it demonstrates the spirit of cooperation within UKA.
It is a significant move forward and it is one that the athletes appreciate.
"I am honoured to be chosen to represent the athletes
on the Council and I hope that I will be able to make a positive contribution towards the
development of the sport."
The role of the Council is to act as the conscience of the
sport and as a sounding board for those involved in athletics. The Council is responsible
for the appointment of the UK Athletics Board and reviewing the annual business plan and
budget.
Next Generation Meet at European Youth
Olympics Festival Story from UK Sport
The next generation of Winter Olympians came together
in Slovenia last week to compete at the European Youth Olympics Festival. As with any
Olympic competition, the competitors were all eligible for drug testing within the
anti-doping programme operating at the event.
The Festival, which has been taking place every two years
since 1993, is designed to act a taste of what may be to come for some of the exceptional
athletes competing. Involvement in major competitions will involve getting used to the
anti-doping processes and procedures, so exposure to this at an early age is seen as an
importing part of an aspiring champion’s education.
The emphasis at the Festival was on raising awareness and
understanding the importance of competing drug-free. Allison Connell, UK Sport’s
Education Programme Co-ordinator for Drug-Free Sport, joined the World Anti-Doping Agency
(WADA) outreach programme to discuss the issue of doping in sport with the athletes,
coaches, doctors and team officials.
Michele Verroken, Director of Drug-Free Sport at UK Sport,
said: "WADA's outreach programme is a great way to get the drug-free message across
to athletes in a fun and informal environment.
You can learn an enormous amount from these events about
the educational needs of young athletes and their support staff. Having a member of the UK
Sport team there helped us develop our own education programme further.”
Twelve athletes from Great Britain's youth team were
present at the Festival and all of them took part in the outreach activity, demonstrating
they were well informed about the testing procedures, their rights and responsibilities as
athletes, and the prohibited substances.
"The most reassuring message to pass on after the
Youth Olympics Festival is to say confidently that the next generation of Winter Olympic
athletes feel very strongly about competing in drug-free sport”, added Verroken.
You can learn more about sport accross the UK at UK Sport
online.
Scots Legislate on Offroad Biking
Cyclists' leaders have appealed to cyclists throughout
Scotland for help in improving offroad route provision following legislation which could
result in hundreds of trails being opened, signposted and maintained.
The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill receives Royal Assent in
early March when local authorities will be forced to form Local Access Forums on which CTC
Scotland, the Scottish arm of national cyclists' organisation CTC, is determined that
cyclists be represented.
More than 100 cyclists will be needed for Forums set up by
Scotland's 31 local authorities. John Taylor, Access Officer for CTC Scotland said:
"We worked for three years to get this legislation through and it is obviously a huge
relief.
But now the hard work begins and we need the help of
cyclists throughout Scotland to ensure that cycling gets as much as it can out of this
legislation."
The Bill gives countryside visitors such as cyclists,
walkers, horse riders and climbers the right to use all land for recreation, bar areas
such as railway sidings and curtilage which pose safety or access concerns.
It will enshrine common law practices in statutory law and
clear up widespread confusion as to where countryside users may go. CTC Scotland will be
supporting the new Scottish Outdoor Access Code which will guide the behaviour of all
stakeholders. The Code will be finalised in December after a period of consultation.
Taylor said: "The greatest benefit to the majority of
people, especially cyclists, is not the supposed 'right to roam', but the new signposts
showing us the best routes and ensuring we do not get lost or turned away. "It is
still early days because the enforcement date has not been decided but we are really
looking forward to being able to cycle offroad in every suitable place with
assurance."
Passing through fields and through areas with livestock,
and the responsibilities on those in charge of groups will be amongst issues dealt with by
the Code. Signposts will mark new 'core path networks' - comprehensive routes around towns
and villages - and longer distance links between them, within three years.
It is unlikely that cyclists will be barred from footpaths
as they are in England and Wales but Taylor hopes signposts will steer riders away from
unsuitable tracks. Local authorities will be expected to erect the posts and will have a
duty to keep paths open and maintained.
Taylor said: "This is our chance to show the rest of
the UK how countryside access can be improved for cyclists without adversely affecting
other users and those who own the land."
To help CTC Scotland's bid for the most and best cycling
tracks and trails, call John Taylor on 01556 670395 or email johnwtaylor@care4free.net.
Second cash boost for Welsh Cycling
Festival
Cyclists in Wales have won a second cash boost for a
festival they are turning into one of the country's best known annual events.
The Welsh Festival of Cycling, run by CTC Cymru, the Welsh
arm of national cyclists' organisation CTC, now has an extra £4,000 to spend on marketing
and advertising to ensure that it is publicised worldwide.
Tourism Partnership-Mid Wales confirmed the award last
week, seven months after Adfywio cefn gwlad, which also promotes Welsh tourism, agreed a
rural recovery grant of £13,200 for the event.
The announcement comes as CTC begins its 125th birthday
year. The new cash will be used to run a Festival website, advertise the three-day
celebration and fund CTC Cymru's presence at the Ordnance Survey Outdoors Show in March.
Graham Mills, Chair of CTC Cymru, said: "This is
excellent news and will help us make the Festival bigger and better. Now we will be able
to stimulate much more interest and ensure that it becomes a regular high profile event in
Wales."
The first Welsh Festival of Cycling was held in 2000 but
the event was cancelled in 2001 because of the foot and mouth outbreak. Last year it was
moved to Rhayader, mid-Wales, where it will be staged again in 2003.
Amongst the highlights this year will be CTC's National
400km Audax event, a continuous ride which Mills has promised will be "scenic but not
too hilly," and a presentation by David Abrutat, paralysed from the chest down, who
last year hand-cycled 3,400 miles around the British coast on a recumbent bike.
HRH The Princess Royal becomes
President of The Pony Club
HRH The Princess Royal has succeeded her father HRH
The Duke of Edinburgh as President of The Pony Club. In this capacity Her Royal Highness
recently attended her first meeting of The Pony Club Council, held at the Army and Navy
Club, Pall Mall, London.
At the meeting Her Royal Highness was given short talks on
The Pony Club and the issues it is currently facing by the Chairman, Lt. Col. Gordon
Wesley (Retd.), Show Jumping Committee Chairman, Mrs. Judy Edwards and by the Chairman of
the Mounted Games Committee, Mrs Slinger who is also Area Representative for Area 4. Her
Royal Highness then met all the members of The Pony Club Council.
The Council recorded its grateful thanks to His Royal
Highness for his keen interest as their President for over five years and in particular
for his foresight in presenting The Prince Philip Cup which has provided inspiration,
enthusiasm and focus for generations of “ordinary children on ordinary ponies.”
SKY SPORTS TO BROADCAST REEBOK
INTER-COUNTIES LIVE
Sky Sports will be televising the Reebok UK Inter-Counties
Championships incorporating the World Trials and Reebok Cross Challenge Final live on
Saturday 8 February for the third successive year. Following the success of the coverage
over the last two years, there will this year again be four and a half hours of live
broadcast from the event in Wollaton Park, Nottingham, featuring all ten races.
Sky Sports coverage of the Reebok Cross Challenge Series
this year also includes, for the first time, a highlights package from the Belfast
International incorporating the Reebok Cross Challenge.
UK Athletics Chief Executive David MOORCROFT said:
"We are delighted that Sky Sports have again decided to showcase the Reebok
Inter-Counties Championships. The Championships traditionally produce a great day's racing
and it is fantastic that the all the races from Under 13 to Senior will be broadcast live.
It is great that Sky are also extending their coverage to
include a highlights programme from the Belfast race." Roger MOODY, Head of
Commercial Development at Sky Sports said: "Sky's coverage of the Reebok
Inter-Counties Championship year-on-year continues to be a great success. We are delighted
to be televising the event again this year.
The coverage of the Reebok Cross-Country, together with
our coverage of the IAAF Golden League, demonstrates Sky's commitment to the sport of
athletics. "
Event organiser Hugh WHITE of Nottingham City Council
said: "The event has been a major success for the past two years, helped enormously
by the Sky Sports coverage, and the city is looking forward to building on this success
again this year.
We are expecting more than 10,000 spectators to attend the
event in Wollaton Park, a historic deer park in the heart of the city of Nottingham. As a
result of the Sky Sports coverage, the excitement of the races will also be shared by
viewers throughout the UK and in parts of Europe and the Far East, including Singapore,
China and Australia."
Timetable:
11:05am Under 20 Men 8 km 11:35am Under 13 Boys 3 km 11:50am Senior Women 8 km 12:22pm Under 15 Boys 4 km 12:43pm Under 17 Women 5 km 1:09pm Under 20 Women 6 km 1:35pm Under 13 Girls 3 km 1:52pm Under 17 Men 6 km 2:16pm Under 15 Girls 4 km 2:36pm Senior Men 12 km
The event will be broadcast live on Sky Sports 2 from
11:00am - 3:30pm on Saturday 8 February.
Welsh Skaters Inline for £160,000
Park
Welsh Skateboarders are to benefit from two new
facilities in Rhyl after the local council, Denbighshire, announced a £160,000 project
after consultation with the young fanatics using car parks and other public places.
Ken Ewing of the council said: "We are aiming to have
a centre second to none in Wales for skate boarding, roller blading and BMX, featuring
designs from local young people."
The council has earmarked the money from the Welsh
Assembly to build the facilities in the west and south west wards of the town.
In response to an increase interest in the sport several
groups campaigning for facilities for skaters and BMX bikers have been set up in Rhyl,
Prestatyn, Denbigh, Llangollen and Corwen.
The concrete skateparks in Rhyl will be the first
specifically built sites in the county, and the west ward of Rhyl, classified as the most
deprived area of Wales in 2000, will be first to benefit from the initiative.
Local skater Oliver Hudson said: "We're always
getting kicked off spots where we go skating by security guards and the police.
"We usually go to car parks skating and we go around
Liverpool and Manchester where they have skateparks."
Young people involved with the sport discussed the plans
for the arena which would be built near the sky tower on Rhyl promenade.
NORWICH UNION SPONSORS THE WORLD INDOOR
CHAMPIONSHIPS
Norwich Union has today (Thursday 30 Jan) announced
that it is to become a sponsor of the 9th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics,
taking place from the 14-16 March at the Birmingham World Indoor Arena.
The deal sees Norwich Union become a National Partner to
the world's premier indoor athletics event. Norwich Union is already UK Athletics' premier
sponsor, investing £20 million over five years in to the sport and supporting all levels
of athletics from grassroots schemes to the high profile televised events.
In addition Norwich Union sponsors the GB Team at the
Championships, so Sponsoring the event itself is a natural extension of its' considerable
commitment to the sport, demonstrating that Norwich Union are committed to the future of
athletics and its support of the elite athletes in the UK.
David Czerwinski, Head of Sponsorship of Norwich Union
comments "We are proud to become a national partner to the World Indoor Championships
at a time when athletics in this country is in great shape.
The Commonwealth Games was a great example of how the UK
can successfully host a major sporting event, and I know that Birmingham will give us
another chance to show the sporting talent we have in Britain'.
Terry Colton, Championship Director, adds "It is
fantastic to welcome Norwich Union to the championships as a National Partner. Their
support for athletics and athletes in the UK has been invaluable over the last four years
and has helped to develop the sport to the level we see today.
Britain can truly compete with the best in the world and
the event promises to be an outstanding success."
The World Indoor championships is the focus of the indoor
athletics season and will see Colin Jackson, the most capped GB British athlete of all
time, out of competitive action.
Sport & Leisure Careers News
A selection of jobs from this weeks
Our Kids Sports Jobs Centre. The Job Centre is a free service to all advertisers - so if you have a
vacancy to fill or know of someone who wants to get into a sport, education or leisure
career, why not tell them to check it out?
Teacher of Physical Education (Girls)
- North Somerset
Broadoak Community School seek an enthusiastic teacher of
Physical Education to work at both Key Stage 3 and 4. Broadoak is a modern well-equipped
state of the art school with a strong commitment to school improvement and raising
achievement.
The post is appropriate for an experienced teacher or an NQT.
Please apply by letter enclosing a copy of your CV. Full contact details available at our
website:www.broadoak.nsomerset.sch.uk
School Sports Liaison Officer -
Wantage, Oxon
Supercamps Ltd. run multi-activity day camps for children
aged 4 - 13 years at sites in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.
We need a young and enthusiastic qualified PE teacher/sports coach to build relationships
with our feeder schools through our sports coaching programme.
Contact us for more information: 01235 772173
Salary £16,000 p.a., company vehicle, performance related bonus and good holiday
allowance. Please email your CV to: info@supercamps.co.uk
