Sport
The politics of sport
Football dominates the newspapers this morning, with England due to begin their European Championship campaign tomorrow. But the issue of racism in Ukraine, and to a lesser extent Poland, is… Continue reading
32 CommentsThe Circus Must Go On
I’ve also written a piece for Foreign Policy on the great Bahrain Grand Prix controversy: The irony is that a race designed to flatter and showcase the Bahraini regime has… Continue reading
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Car crash in the desert?
In 2004, when the Formula One circus first travelled to the Middle East for the inaugural Bahrain Grand Prix, there was little sign of the storm to come. The first… Continue reading
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Let’s remember McDonald Bailey in 2012
McDonald Bailey was certainly among the most famous names in British sport when Britain last hosted the Olympics, in 1948. Yet today he has almost been forgotten. It’s not how… Continue reading
41 CommentsDoes the trouble at FIFA really matter?
The news that the votes which ended up with Russia and Qatar winning the rights to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups might not have been model, clean elections… Continue reading
45 CommentsDevelopments in the Middle East are beginning to affect Europe
After yesterday’s spontaneous clean-up operation on the streets of Cairo, protestors gathered at Freedom Square today to maintain the revolution’s momentum. There have been minor developments, with the army and… Continue reading
15 CommentsSexism is a red-herring; it’s family that matters
I’m afraid that women have been faking it, having us men on. You see they understand the offside rule and always have done. How could they not? It’s so simple… Continue reading
17 CommentsFrom the archives: Cricketing over Christmas
How do cricket players get on with touring abroad over Christmas? Mike Atherton, the former England captain, penned an article on the matter for our Christmas issue in 2004. With… Continue reading
0 CommentsFrom the Archives: 1966 and all that
Yesterday, Coffee House recommended that disappointed English football fans take solace, as always, in memories of 1966. To that end, here’s The Spectator’s review of England’s World Cup victory at… Continue reading
8 CommentsCameron can be proud of his World Cup fight
It’s not often that I disagree with James, but I don’t think that David Cameron returns from Zurich with egg on his face. Of course, we Scots learn to see… Continue reading
48 CommentsBREAKING: England lose their 2018 World Cup bid
Bad news, I’m afraid: Russia has won the contest to host the World Cup in 2018. According to some sources, England didn’t even make it beyond the first round of… Continue reading
49 CommentsA winning bid?
Football and Coffee House rarely mix, except of course when Manchester United win the European Cup. Yet I’m sure plenty of CoffeeHousers want to see England come out on top… Continue reading
11 CommentsLionel Messi’s Greatest Talent: Joy
Goals don’t come much better than this. Part of Lionel Messi’s charm – and his football really is charming – comes from the impish glee that runs through his performances.… Continue reading
4 Comments14.5 vs 13.5
A great effort from the Americans today but when it came to the final match you knew Europe could rely upon that tough little Ulsterman, Graeme McDowell. Not a chance… Continue reading
10 CommentsDelhi’s disaster indicts the Indian state
Spectacle counts in the emerging East. China confirmed its coming dominance with the spectacular Beijing Olympics. On the evidence of the Commonwealth Games village, India has the squalid air of… Continue reading
14 CommentsCricket’s dilemma
That the three Pakistani cricketers involved in the spot-fixing allegations have withdrawn from the rest of the tour means that the T20s and one day games will now definitely go… Continue reading
30 CommentsCameron, Villa and the succession
The Prime Minister is, as we know an Aston Villa fan. So we can expect him to be disappointed at Martin O’Neill’s departure. On his trip to Birmingham the other… Continue reading
21 CommentsNever again should so much be wasted by so few
If you tire quickly of the tediously lengthy build up to Christmas, which starts about now, then heaven help you in dealing with two years of hyperbole about the 2012… Continue reading
82 CommentsMorgan in Parliament? Surely not!
Is Piers Morgan going to be an MP? I suspect that this is one of those questions to which, as John Rentoul would tell you, the answer is no. (UPDATE:… Continue reading
3 CommentsThe changing face of English football
As Fraser said earlier, we’ve got a great piece by Mihir Bose in the latest issue of the mag on British football’s debt crisis. I would normally say that non-football… Continue reading
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