Football’s poor relation simply misunderstood

The runnin’ and hoppin’ and leppin’ — and, if you’re Irish, the punchin’ too — will doubtless hog the headlines in London for the next couple of weeks (with the old dopin’ likely to get a bit of a showing too) but, with 26 sports on offer at the Olympic Games, the unfamiliar, the esoteric and the borderline weird will also get their place in the sun and rain.

Football’s poor relation simply misunderstood

So bring on the Greco-Roman grapplers! Let’s all dress up for the dressage! What do we want? Synchronised swimming! When do we want it? Now! And that’s before we make space in our packed TV-watching schedule for the archery, the shooting, the mountain biking and, er, the football.

Yes, the old footie certainly knows its place at the Olympics, kicking off even before the torch has been lit and the Games proper commence. Not so much an after-thought as a pre-thought, it sees the world’s most popular sport cast in the role of Status Quo at Live Aid.

Already a subscriber? Sign in

You have reached your article limit.

Unlimited access. Half the price.

Annual €130 €65

Best value

Monthly €12€6 / month

More in this section

Sport

Newsletter

Latest news from the world of sport, along with the best in opinion from our outstanding team of sports writers. and reporters

Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited