No hope without dope (and some Dolphin DNA)

No Hope without Dope (how about whale DNA Mr Phelps?)

Hi, I would like to address two hot-potato's from the 2012 games so far, the doping acusation made by an American swim coach about a young Chinese record breaker, and the 'twitter' drama following a journalist twitting a 'semi-public' email address:

I would point out that the 'comment' from the swim coach did not require twitter to spread an 'unchecked' and 'subjective' message around the world, via the world press (FOX, NBC, CNN, BBC) that not only labels a 16year old girl as a 'drug user' but kicks up the whole Olympic doping debate. As far as i know the swim coach has not been banned from speaking to the world press, yet the twitter journalist is banned due to communicating somebodies email address who did not like that.

And my next point has already been put out there, nobody raised the alarm when Michael Phelps won 8 Gold medals in Beijing.

"I think it is not proper to single Chinese swimmers out once they produce good results. Some people are just biased," Jiang Zhixue, who leads anti-doping work at China's General Administration of Sport, told the state news agency Xinhua.

"We never questioned Michael Phelps when he bagged eight gold medals in Beijing."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jul/31/china-ye-shiwen-critics-olympics?newsfeed=true 

Ye Shiwen's world record Olympic swim: brilliant, or too good to be true?

For the wider public, and perhaps many people in the sport as well, it is a matter of debate and personal opinion as to whether Ye deserves the benefit of the doubt or not. There is no evidence to condemn her other than her own brilliance, and it is hard to judge a 16-year-old girl on the basis of that alone. Instinctively, many fans will want to believe in her talent. Others, scarred by years of doping revelations across a range of sports, would say that view is naive. Ye could simply be the shining light of the first products of the heavy investment the Chinese made in the sport before the Beijing Olympics. -- http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jul/30/ye-shiwen-record-olympic-swim?intcmp=239

#NBCFail: Backlash as Twitter locks out reporter Guy Adams

The Independent’s Los Angeles correspondent Guy Adams has account frozen after criticising US TV network.-- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/nbcfail-backlash-as-twitter-locks-out-reporter-guy-adams-7987906.html

Council accused of gagging members

My experiences with Dudley Council and the closure of Brierley Hill and Coseley Baths also reflect this 'back handed' 'law cost infected' 'cheating' and 'double crossing' on behalf of the M.P's, and the council reps.

If there's this level of foul play in swimming pool politics imagine what it must be like with the rest of what they get up too!

--Steve fly

 

 

Council accused of gagging members

Monday, January 30, 2012

The Sentinel

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LEGAL officials at Stoke-on-Trent City Council have been accused of gagging politicians – after they banned a public question on the Dimensions fiasco.
Independent councillor Lee Wanger formally submitted a question on the long-running pool closure controversy ahead of Thursday's full council meeting.

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   Question: Independent councillor Lee Wanger

But council officer Paul Hackney told him the question had been refused because it contravened the authority's constitution.
The row comes months after WaterWorld owner Mo Chaudry was paid £21,850 by the council after he threatened legal action over the issue. The council spent a further £22,500 on its own legal bills.
Mr Chaudry has claimed the authority broke a secret deal to shut the Burslem splash pool and pay him £100,000-per-year to offer discounted swimming at WaterWorld.
Mr Wanger had hoped to draw a line under the controversy by persuading somebody within the council to admit a mistake was made, only for his question to be refused.
He said: "I wanted to ask a simple yes or no question to Mark Meredith, who was the elected mayor at the time, on whether he made the offer to Mo Chaudry.
"But Mr Hackney told me it might prejudice the arbitration.
"The deal has never added up. You don't close down a business to save £60,000 and offer a competitor £100,000 to give a discount. If somebody would finally put their hands up and admit to a mistake it could all be resolved but nobody has been willing to do that."
The latest row comes months after Mr Hackney warned councillors against discussing a motion on the aborted Dimensions closure at a full council meeting in October.
He told members the council must keep all further details confidential to avoid breaching the legal agreement with Mr Chaudry.
But fellow independent councillor Dave Conway, leader of the opposition, accused the council of acting like the "Gestapo".
He said: "This shows a complete lack of openness and transparency.
"The council has taken away an elected member's right to ask questions in a democratic chamber."
Mr Hackney today defended his decision to refuse to accept the question.
The assistant director of legal services said: "A question was asked by a councillor which was in breach of the rules councillors must follow when asking a question.
"Questions can only be asked of the council leader, relevant portfolio holder or committee chairman.
"In this case the question was directed to a separate individual and the reason for not allowing the question was given to the councillor.
"To allow the question to go forward would also go against the clear statement on the council's legal position made at the October meeting regarding a confidential mediation settlement and the consequences of any breach of confidentiality."

Disused Shelton pool will be knocked down

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

The Sentinel

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A SWIMMING pool at the centre of a year-long campaign to save it from closure is set to be demolished.
Bulldozers will move in to clear the Shelton Pool site, although no time scale has been given for when the work will begin.

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   GOING: Shelton pool, and, above inset, our stories on the closure.

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Hundreds of people who relied on the pool signed petitions and helped launch a campaign to keep the facility open when it was earmarked for closure as part of Stoke-on-Trent City Council's £35.6m budget cuts.
But the complex shut at the end of March last year, along with Tunstall Pool, to save the council £160,000.
Once the building is demolished, the future of the site will be reviewed.
A report to councillors states: "The pool could form part of a larger redevelopment with adjacent council premises, which are the subject of a review."
Helen Burgess, pictured below, was among those who campaigned to save the pool, which was used by people suffering from medical conditions as part of their rehabilitation.
The retired hairdresser, of Millfield Crescent, Milton, who used the pool because of a long-term medical condition, said: "It's very annoying to hear that the pool will be demolished.
"We asked the council if they had any plans for the future of the pool, and they told us they hadn't. They never said anything about it being knocked down.
"I can see the building being demolished and the land being left with rubble on it for years."
Fellow campaigner Martin Hamp now uses the swimming pool at the Quality Hotel in Hanley.
The 57-year-old, of Blythe Bridge, who had used the Shelton facility for 18 years, said: "It suits our needs because of the temperature and it is not too deep. But I have had to pay for a private pool because the council decided to close Shelton. Not everyone can afford to do that. We did ask them if they could transfer some of the facilities to Fenton Manor and create a bolt-on facility, but the council wouldn't look into it.
"I don't feel the council have been honest with us over the closure.
"I don't see how much more the people of Stoke-on-Trent will be willing to put up with."
Julie Latham first started going to Shelton Pool in 2005 after being diagnosed with lupus after the joints in her hands, arms, legs and feet had completely locked.
Her situation deteriorated when she collapsed and found out she also suffered from the blood complaint thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).
But the 47-year-old from Endon says the trips to Shelton gave her a sense of independence.
She said: "I had spent seven weeks at the Haywood Hospital and I was then sent to Shelton.
"It was all geared up and was perfect for what I needed and I felt like I had my independence back. I think it's disgusting that it has closed."
The council also plans to mothball Tunstall Pool, a Grade-II listed building, which dates back to 1888, before deciding what to do with it.

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Disused-Shelton-pool-knocked/story-15156579-detail/story.html

Halifax Swimming pool closure!

Pride in Elland: Don’t close our pool, pupils plead

 Pupils from Brooksbank School, Elland, have their say on the future of the town

Published on Tuesday 1 November 2011 14:00

We’ve been asking pupils at Brooksbank School in Elland what they like most about the town they go to school in.

This week, pupils in year 10 discuss what they consider to be the best and worst of the town, and the memories they have of growing up in the area.

Rosana Greenwood of Norton Tower said the swimming pool was very important to her.

“I learned to swim at the pool in Elland,” she said.
“I think it will be a shame if it closes.”
“If it did, more clubs and things to do would be nice.”
Alice Smith, who now lives in Halifax, agrees that closure is not the answer.

http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/community/pride_in_elland_don_t_close_our_pool_pupils_plead_1_3925145