Matthew Syed



Profile:
Full name: Matthew Philip Syed

Area of interest: Sport

Journals: The Times

Email: [mailto:matthew@msyed.freeserve.co.uk matthew@msyed.freeserve.co.uk]

Website: TimesOnline/Matthew Syed

Blog:

Representation:

Network:



Biography:
Education: Maiden Erleigh Comprehensive; Balliol College, Oxford: Politics, Philosophy and Economics MA

Career: Former table tennis champion, British no.1 1995/2004, three-times Commonwealth champion, twice Olympian (Barcelona 1992, Sydney 2000); Managing director of MPS Consulting Ltd (a sports marketing company) and trustee of sports charity TTK Greenhouse

Viewpoints/Insight:

Controversy:

TV/Radio: Sports commentator for the BBC and Eurosport

Awards/Honours: Sports Journalist of the Year, 2009 British Press Awards

Advisory posts:

Other: Stood as Labour candidate for Wokingham in the General Election of 2001 against John Redwood



Books & Debate:


Latest work: Bounce: how champions are made OCLC619226573, Fourth Estate, June 2010

Speaking/Appearances:

Current debate: 

The Times:
Column remit: Sport

Section: Sport

Role: Columnist

Pen-name:

Email:

Website: TimesOnline

Commissioning editor:

Day published: Varies

Regularity: Frequent

Column format:

Average length:



Articles:

 * trades Double talk for doublethink'' - Football, you could almost say, is an exercise in postmodernism in which words mean whatever you want them to mean - 2nd February 2011
 * sacking of Andy Gray by Sky reflects well on our times'' - 2nd February 2011
 * players are more equal than others'' - Sexism in sport is hardly surprising when women don’t compete against men - 26th January 2011
 * Nadal rises to challenge of Roger Federer’s genius'' - It has become something of a truism to say that progress emerges from conflict - 19th January 2011
 * you turn down a million-pound bonus?'' - Few of the filthy rich feel filthy or even very rich. They’re not so different from us after all - 14th January 2011
 * way of life that is Liverpool Football Club'' - Every club have their own messiah complex, a necessary myth of their own self-importance, but there is a sense in which Liverpool’s narcissism contains a grain of truth - 12th January 2011
 * guilty over Sir Alex Ferguson’s abuse of power'' - Is there any point in complaining about Sir Alex Ferguson’s serial abuse of power at Old Trafford? Is there any use in chronicling the episodes of personal spite that sully his status as a knight of the realm? Why bother when those with the responsibility to confront the Manchester United manager consistently flunk their duty? - 5th January 2011
 * away – it’s the whole point of winning'' - After England’s Ashes victory, should we revel in Australia’s defeat? Of course we should - 29th December 2010
 * bus trip often the road to ruin'' - England have all but retained the Ashes. They may already have done so by the time you read these words - 29th December 2010
 * defeat as a victory for Test cricket'' - It is a curious and rather disconcerting admission, but I am not entirely disappointed that England got walloped in the third Test in Perth - 22nd December 2010
 * behaving madly proving contagious'' - Historians offer slightly different accounts of the reign of Caligula, but they mostly agree that the third emperor of Rome was off his rocker... - 15th December 2010
 * stars are a load of old rubbish'' - Nostalgia: it ain’t what it used to be - 8th December 2010
 * was right to make its allegations now'' - If Andrew Jennings, the man who put together the Panorama programme, knew anything as he probed into the machinations of Fifa, it is that further allegations would go nowhere if they were not timed for maximum effect - 1st December 2010
 * Woods story is lesson in hype at its height before shameful fall'' - It was a year ago tomorrow that Tiger Woods wrapped his Chevy around a fire hydrant. In motoring terms, the crash was minor... - 1st December 2010
 * on strike? Now that is a bad decision'' - Scottish referees are threatening to strike. They feel they do not have enough respect. Everyone has it in for them. Fans sing nasty songs,… - 24th November 2010
 * Games brim with spice and variety that eludes Olympics'' - Only a person lacking soul, or with seriously limited cultural sensibilities, could fail to adore the Asian Games - 24th November 2010
 * just fall guy in boxing night of shame'' - There is something rather troubling, almost disturbing, about those calling for Audley Harrison to be stripped of his purse - 19th November 2010
 * on Allen Stanford leaves justice bleeding'' - The presumption of innocence is implied by the Fifth, Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments and is the moral imperative that underpins the American legal system - 10th November 2010
 * days of Prozone in the office beckon'' - Sport is pedantic. It is defined by the quest for very small things. You could call it a lifelong exercise in hair-splitting - 3rd November 2010
 * attitude to alcohol depresses the spirits'' - Scientists who argue that booze is more dangerous than heroin are foolish scaremongers - 2nd November 2010 (Comment)
 * game proves foul and a miss'' - The decision to nudge the sport towards the ‘lads’ mag’ market is a sad and grubby move - 1st November 2010
 * down and stop the world'' - going to pot - 29th October 2010 (Comment)
 * soap opera with a cast of millions'' - Social commentators say that football has become a national soap opera. They are wrong. Football has become the national soap opera - 27th October 2010
 * for Planet Football, this was a breathtaking exercise in cynicism'' - We heard talk of forgiveness, remorse, loyalty and reconciliation on a day of high farce on Planet Football yesterday - 23rd October 2010
 * could Rooney leave? Sadly it’s called greed, Sir Alex'' - It is the deception that gets me. The dishonesty, the pretence, the endlessly depressing charade that is invariably enacted when a player is angling for more money - 20th October 2010
 * play a bit part in sport’s real drama'' - Brilliant interview with Brendan Venter in a newspaper yesterday. The Saracens director of rugby is clearly something of a thinker - 13th October 2010
 * discovers the high price of failure'' - In effect, the Indian Government has staged the equivalent of one of the most expensive public relations events in history and watched helpless as its brand value around the world has plummeted - 11th October 2010
 * cannot puncture India’s boom'' - Stories of collapsing bridges here and unhygienic rooms in the athletes’ village have created apocalyptic headlines around the world. Incidents with no logical connection to the Commonwealth Games have lent weight to the narrative of a nation in crisis - 6th October 2010
 * in conceding? Gimme a break'' - Many within the grand old game still get dewy-eyed when talking about “The Concession”, that fabled moment when Jack Nicklaus released Tony Jacklin from the obligation of making a three-foot putt on the final green of the 1969 Ryder Cup - 29th September 2010
 * nations pay too high a price to sit, briefly, at the table of the rich'' - Ever since Delhi won the bid in 2003, the Commonwealth Games have been described as India’s “coming out party” - 25th September 2010
 * leaders trapped in moral vacuum'' - The problems for Pakistani cricket start at the top, and I do not mean Ijaz Butt, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman - 22nd September 2010
 * stupid generalisation bears little scrutiny'' - “All footballers are as thick as plaster” was a comment offered during a radio phone-in last week in the wake of the Wayne Rooney scandal - 15th September 2010
 * of honour who steal only the limelight'' - Who is the greatest sportsman in the world right now? It is a question bound to spark lively debate, even if there are only a few plausible candidates - 8th September 2010
 * are being cheated of their privacy'' - Great sportsmen are treated like common criminals by the sporting authorities - 6th September 2010
 * faith and a festering death for the game'' - The second Test between Australia and Pakistan in Sydney in January was one of the most rousing of recent times - 1st September 2010
 * not cricket. It’s a choreographed charade'' - A bet on a no-ball is not a minor matter. It’s a repudiation of sport and everything joyful in it - 30th August 2010
 * of the knight with Match of the Day'' - A grudge becomes, over time, a bit like an old friend - 27th August 2010
 * big spender ... do something original'' - We live in a world where it has become unfashionable — indeed, almost unethical — to criticise the way other people spend their money - 18th August 2010
 * pleasure exist if you know how it works?'' - Popular science books are fascinating, but be warned: becoming a guinea pig takes all the fun out of being human - 14th August 2010
 * very modern lesson from my Auntie Beryl'' - Aged 64? Marrying an American she met on the internet? Is she mad? She’ll take the chance - 9th August 2010
 * Anfield shows power-shift to East'' - It is a development of epic symbolism. The government of the world’s most populous nation is set to purchase one of Britain’s most treasured cultural assets from two American capitalists - 6th August 2010
 * coach takes fear factor too far'' - If you made an honest mistake at work, would it help if your boss came across and started shouting at you? - 3rd August 2010
 * give no guarantee of return'' - The world seems to have come full circle. Back in the day, the great Eastern European monoliths tended to punch above their weight on the Olympic stage, their athletes carrying their national flags like post-revolutionary heroes as they strode on to assorted podiums with quadrennial monotony- 28th July 2010
 * struggled with demons until the end'' - We often hear about the redemptive power of modern sport. It is the idea that the men and women who devote their professional lives to these invented worlds of bat, ball and the like find some deeper vindication, perhaps even some meaning, in their various successes and triumphs - 25th July 2010
 * need more than the addition of Joe Cole to fire again'' - 21st July 2010
 * England: when the split really hits fan'' - It promises to be a classic. But who will you be supporting? - 7th July 2010
 * critics rely on 20-20 hindsight'' - Lev Landau, the Russian scientist, said that “cosmologists are often in error but rarely in doubt”. It is an observation that has come to mind often over the past 72 hours or so as the world and his brother have offered opinions as to why England failed so dramatically - 30th June 2010
 * Cup failure? All in me head, son'' - We can blame refs, coaches – but in the end the players are acting out their nightmares - 28th June 2010
 * Terry shows why he is not a leader'' - If you ask me, we need more honesty, not less. More candour, openness, authenticity - 24th June 2010
 * Nation finding the pot of gold elusive'' - The World Cup has been held up as a symbol of hope and unity for South Africans but the reality is likely to remain different - 18th June 2010
 * players with God on their side'' - We have seen an astonishing prevalence of what might be termed religious body language at this World Cup - 16th June 2010
 * mesmerising change from clod to god'' - Sport offers its villains the splendour of redemption, unlike us mere mortals - 14th June 2010
 * fire could leave English fingers burnt'' - The idea that nastiness and aggression are a necessary adjunct to passion is not merely flawed, but deeply pernicious - 9th June 2010
 * euphoria of future as yet unwritten'' - A World Cup goal is perhaps the closest thing to a collective orgasm - 4th June 2010
 * of ‘Bloodgate’ mastermind raises questions'' - Appointment of Dean Richards as an independent advisor to Worcester Warriors threatens to heap further disgrace on the sport - 28th May 2010
 * egotism never likely to be sated'' - The narcissism is not a personality defect in an otherwise brilliant coaching repertoire, but the quintessence of his genius - 26th May 2010
 * duchess is just like any City broker'' - What is the difference between Sarah Ferguson and Tony Blair? - 26th May 2010
 * 2010 World Cup is us against the rest, so get those flags out'' - Little or nothing else that happens this year will have resonance to match the impact of the finals in South Africa - 19th May 2010
 * a travesty that Triesman has been forced out'' - Are public figures not allowed to have private conversations? - 17th May 2010
 * speaks uncomfortable truth'' - Tottenham full back makes no bones about the reasons why he plays in England: the money, not love of the football club - 5th May 2010
 * ban is solution if allegations are true'' - If John Higgins is found guilty of conniving to pervert the game then a lifetime ban is the minimum punishment he should face - 3rd May 2010
 * aims to prevent crash landing'' - Pep Guardiola's genius may be confirmed by adversity - 28th April 2010
 * shows that honesty is the best policy'' - Brian Davis’s decision to impose a two-shot penalty on himself may have lost him a tournament but it won him many admirers - 21st April 2010
 * man who stole the Olympics’ innocence'' - Juan Antonio Samaranch presided over the transformation of the Games’ fortunes and the death of their ideals - 21st April 2010
 * masters the art of risk-taking'' - American cements place in hearts of those who love a gambler - 14th April 2010
 * the final putt, will Brown or Cameron choke?'' - It’s a myth that the best man wins. The victor is the one who can perform nervelessly when it counts - 10th April 2010
 * salesman who lost the power to seduce'' - Tiger Woods can plead his case, but he will never again command hearts and minds the way a magician commands his props - 7th April 2010
 * floored by pernicious combination'' - Like so many retired professionals, the former world champion could not cope without drugs of sacrifice and supremacy - 31st March 2010
 * for change becomes a sprint'' - Sports dare not stand still in the bid for TV exposure - 24th March 2010
 * of truth beckons for Tiger Woods'' - All eyes will be on world No 1 at Augusta - 24th March 2010
 * return just a form of madness'' - The stubborn refusal to countenance one’s limitations, such as comeback of seven-times world champion, is a taste of lunacy - 10th March 2010
 * is one thing. Morality is quite another'' - Capello’s comments mark a watershed in British sport - 6th March 2010
 * learn secret of success, meet the parents'' - on the sacrifices made to nurture children into stars - 3rd March 2010
 * Cole affair reeks of double standards'' - Ashley Cole may be a serial adulterer according to reports, but that still does not give the club the right to fine him £400,000 - 24th February 2010
 * in the Dark Ages over women referees'' - As Amy Fearn has proved, it should not matter what sex officials are, only whether they are good enough - 18th February 2010
 * Olympics are only ever about winning'' - The tragic death at Vancouver has exposed the truth that the Games are really all about individualism, not idealism - 17th February 2010
 * Olympics: you need brass to go for gold'' - What makes an Olympic medal-winner? Well, money and a private education will certainly help. It's posh at the top - 10th February 2010
 * the cardinal sin of captaincy'' - John Terry has broken golden rule of team sports - 3rd February 2010
 * undone by collective indecision'' - It is now difficult to dispute the proposition that another title has gone begging for Arsene Wenger’s side - 1st February 2010
 * of England have a right to know'' - At least John Terry helped the cause of free speech - 1st February 2010
 * staring down Kong, Murray can be king'' - Victory for the British No 1 in the Australian Open would get more than just a 70-year-old monkey off the nation's back - 27th January 2010
 * counters philosophy of winning ugly'' - Arsenal manager has been criticised for failing to win trophies, but he remains true to his belief in good football - 20th January 2010
 * Why sport is worth living, and dying, for'' - World’s playing fields are a target for terror, but we cannot spend our lives cowering, for that would be no life at all - 13th January 2010
 * desire for infinity is as irrational as pi'' - A life without end could turn out to be as frustrating as trying to pin down mathematics’ most enigmatic number - 9th January 2010
 * to rebel against invasive drug rules'' - Campaign to catch the cheats ahead of 2012 Olympic Games has taken on almost Orwellian proportions - 6th January 2010
 * sport’s soul was replaced by a logo'' - more than anything else in the last ten years, we have seen sport continuing a curious and unheralded metamorphosis - 30th December 2009
 * greedy to embrace hire purpose'' - Defender may be touted as Mr Chelsea, but his principal loyalty is reserved for one thing and one thing only: his wallet - 23rd December 2009
 * still in search of the impossible'' - Olympic legend says that he has put his mistakes behind him and has his sights set on more Olympic gold medals at London 2012 - 22nd December 2009
 * Woods has forfeited his right to privacy'' - The golfer's public image and his day job as a repository of corporate endorsement income are indistinguishable - 9th December 2009
 * and problem of sporting romances'' - If sportsmen are so intent on being No 1, is it any surprise that there is not always room for anyone else? - 2nd December 2009
 * bravery puts critics in a spin'' - England midfield player has shown great resilience during a career that has left him on the verge of four World Cup finals - 25th November 2009
 * v Mayweather a must-see'' - Seismic showdown would resonate far beyond boxing - 18th November 2009
 * has no place meddling with 'crown jewels''' - sports governing bodies are right to protest as a review confirms the proposed expansion of free-to-air sporting events - 13th November 2009
 * and despair go hand in hand'' - Professional sport demands neurosis. We shouldn't be surprised a brilliant goalkeeper killed himself - 12th November 2009
 * truths of Ferguson tirade against referee'' - The Manchester United manager’s criticism of Andre Marriner after the deafeat to Liverpool opens up more questions - 28th October 2009
 * rules in vital fight against racism'' - Compulsory interviews for minority candidates will go a long way to confronting institutionalised prejudice in football - 14th October 2009
 * is no place for golf in the Olympics'' - The Games should be the pinnacle, but some sports will only be there for the money - 8th October 2009
 * we prefer sequins to muddy boots'' - the public is ultimately to blame for the television's failure to secure the rights to the England match - 7th October 2009
 * before sport? It’s after sport that matters'' - Winning an Olympic gold medal will boost your chances of scoring. Just make it in the 100 metres, not table tennis... - 30th September 2009
 * strikes a blow for greatness'' - Comparisons to Muhammad Ali are obligatory for a boxer who has now proved that his genius is beyond dispute - 23rd September 2009
 * Martín del Potro can extend golden age of tennis'' - The Argentinian’s US Open title may prove a pivotal moment for the sport as well as bad news for Britain’s Andy Murray - 16th September 2009
 * BNP on prime time TV? Bring it on'' - Give them the oxygen of publicity and British voters will choke on the party’s ignorant bigotry - 7th September 2009
 * behaviour the way to stop diving'' - Until partisanship is replaced by probity, the beautiful game will always be scarred by ugly allegations of cheating - 2nd September 2009
 * Ali: the unrivalled champion'' - His status as the greatest sportsman of all time is based on his grace in the ring and his battles against authority - 26th August 2009
 * of a teenage star let down by authorities'' - Caster Semenya should not have been subjected to such public scrutiny and intense embarrassment - 25th August 2009
 * of the faith have a bloody cheek'' - Fake blood injury is merely the latest scandal to imply that a once great sport is in danger of losing its credibility - 19th August 2009
 * boxing merits a place at the Olympics'' - Opposition to female boxing more about male unease than morality - 12th August 2009
 * increasingly face impossible decisions'' - Sportsmen and women risk being labelled craven if they withdraw from threatened events or reckless if they don't - 10th August 2009
 * red face in public small price to pay'' - British diver is mature enough already to know that a little embarrassment is a small price to pay for a parent’s tireless love - 5th August 2009
 * Chelsea’ takes supporters for suckers'' - John Terry brazenly insulted fans by insisting that he has always been fully committed to the club - 29th July 2009
 * of enemies remain the perfect match'' - The Ashes have once again shown us why the oldest rivalry in cricket retains its vitality, urgency and relevance - 22nd July 2009
 * putt almost beat the Grim Reaper'' - In his heroic bid Watson was battling our greatest fears. It was a moment that transcended sport - 21st July 2009
 * walking a thin line'' - Comments from the Australia captain that England failed to play within game's spirit in Cardiff reek of hypocrisy - 17th July 2009
 * Super League next step for Real Madrid'' - Perez did not buy galacticos to watch them play likes of Getafe - 8th July 2009
 * chasing ranking alongside heroes of 1966'' - victory for the Scot in Wimbledon final would transform a nation who perceive themselves as plucky losers - 1st July 2009
 * and Venus Williams set to steal the show again'' - Serena and Venus Williams are looking to continue a run that has seen them win seven of the past nine titles at SW19 - 22nd June 2009
 * pile-up in the world of fast cars'' - The Formula One clash is all about Mosley - 20th June 2009
 * Murray has grown up in public. Learn to love him'' - At the ripe old age of 22, the tennis star is charm itself - 15th June 2009
 * Ronaldo’s pay might anger God but mortals will accept it'' - The wrath of God may come but in the end we’ll be tuning in to watch him at Real Madrid — and marvel - 12th June 2009
 * Federer and Rafael Nadal — gentlemen and players'' - 10th June 2009
 * United: an ever-present fog of whimsy on the Tyne'' - I'm bidding to buy the club; Will a quid cover it? - 9th June 2009
 * League is obscene but we love it'' - The excesses of English football are there for all to see, but the national game's popularity cannot be denied - 5th June 2009
 * finds deep meaning in defeat'' - Spaniard's comments after shock exit from French Open show that he is beginning to appreciate the merit of his victories - 3rd June 2009
 * need tough love not another hero'' - Newcastle need to be stripped clean of all their sentimentality - and for that to happen, they need a new manager - 27th May 2009
 * Arsenal prefer Graham to Wenger?'' - If the fans succeed in driving out their manager, Matthew Syed writes, they will be doing a disservice to football - 20th May 2009
 * No3 is a false summit for Murray'' - Scot must keep climbing the rankings if he is to catch Rafael Nadal - 13th May 2009
 * and a punch felt around the world'' - The Briton's defeat by Manny Pacquiao again raises the question that haunts boxing: is it worth the human cost? - 6th May 2009
 * disease proves that sport does matter'' - There is nothing trivial about tonight's big game - 29th April 2009
 * Berbatov defies statistics for Manchester United'' - No matter what the numbers say, the Bulgaria forward is worth his weight in more than goals to Sir Alex Ferguson - 22nd April 2009
 * Goldman rules for mastering the universe'' - As banks report big profits, whatever happened to the end of business as usual? I went inside the mightiest financial institution - 17th April 2009
 * snooker's finances have gone to pot'' - A lack of sponsors has left snooker in a woeful state, but plenty of money is still being handed out to its bureaucrats - 15th April 2009
 * rider Romero ready for more'' - Cycle of pain and devotion led to success, but not contentment - 9th April 2009
 * Hamilton will live the lie for rest of his career'' - The McLaren Mercedes driver has shown once and for all that he lacks both morality and judgement - 8th April 2009
 * Shearer joins long list of Newcastle messiahs'' - Forget religious fanaticism - if you want to get a feel for the power of blind faith, get up to the North East, stick on a black-and-white shirt and mingle - 3rd April 2009
 * Pietersen: the No 4 who wants to look after No 1'' - When it comes to polarising opinion, there are few sportsmen in Kevin Pietersen’s league - 1st April 2009
 * at his best when defending liberty'' - FIA chief's greatest deed was his impassioned defence of individual liberty in the teeth of bigotry over the past 12 months - 1st April 2009
 * Hamilton and Jenson Button go head to head'' - Rule changes and contrasting fortunes with cars mean the two British drivers could be on a Formula One collision course - 25th March 2009
 * Alex Ferguson flouts his duties with boycott'' - Sir Alex Ferguson has carried out so many boycotts down the years we should stop calling him Alex and start calling him Geoffrey instead - 18th March 2009
 * winning hurts more than defeat'' - Victoria Pendleton's sadness is a part of victory - 11th March 2009
 * Chambers can run but he can never hide'' - Dwain Chambers’s autobiography is one of the most explosive and revelatory sporting books of recent times - 4th march 2009
 * Gerrard both inspiration and millstone'' - Talisman lifts the Kop but Liverpool's reliance on him is troublesome - 25th February 2009
 * Woods faces pitfalls on comeback trail'' - World No 1 is likely to return to action next week but could have several hurdles to overcome before getting back to winning ways - 18th February 2009
 * A-Rod blows in over the Atlantic'' - football, our national sport, has yet to fall under the shadow of doping allegations, but A-Rod sounds a warning from across the Atlantic - 11th February 2009
 * harmless? Step into my skin'' - Words don't hurt because they are offensive. They wound because they reinforce prejudices - 6th February 2009
 * Real, Milan: fools, the lot of them...'' - Who would have thought that Carlo Ancelotti, the revered godfather of Italian football, would fall prey to what might be called the Beckham Delusion? - 28th January 2009
 * Kaká has God on the substitutes' bench'' - The idea that the Creator is on your side must have a powerful impact on the efficacy of a sportsman, or, indeed, anyone else - 21st January 2009
 * future's brown'' - A report suggests that we'e moving towards a global skin colour - 20th January 2009
 * Obama owes debt to Muhammad Ali’s fighting spirit'' - 17th January 2009
 * next on Sir Alex Ferguson's fixture list'' - The so-called hairdryer has nothing to do with Sir Alex Ferguson's tendency to bawl out his players from close range and everything to do with the fact that the vast majority of what he spouts is hot air - 7th January 2009
 * it a game of two halves, lose and lose?'' - Football clubs think the recession applies to everyone except them. They're in for a cold shower - 27th December 2008
 * Alex Ferguson should retire into the shadows'' - The obsessions of the Manchester United manager and past and future Olympians are not necessarily healthy - 3rd December 2008
 * takes two to have a one-night stand (and they can both enjoy it)'' - Britain is top of the league when it comes to casual sex. Let's celebrate, we're finally casting off our prudish hypocrisy - 3rd December 2008
 * There but for the Hand of God go all of us'' - Diego Maradona is a filthy rotten cheat and anyone who disagrees is either in denial or in need of glasses. But then so is Pelé - 20th November 2008
 * stop here on our evolution?'' - We share our genetic make-up with animals. So why be squeamish about using animal genes? - 20th November 2008
 * and boos for Lewis Hamilton, Britain's new Formula One champion'' - He is on top of the world but "aloof" Hamilton is still struggling to win over large sections of the sporting public - 4th November 2008
 * triumphant example won't solve the chronic failure of blacks'' - Race in America is no longer a matter of bigotry and hatred but of ‘rational' discrimination against underachievement - 4th November 2008
 * why we all love the gloriously incompetent loser'' - 29th October 2008
 * cost of heroes' Olympic success'' - Elite Olympic sport was lavished with more than £235 million of public money in the four years to Beijing, which works out at more than £12 million per gold medal - 16th October 2008
 * push comes to shove, it’s spin that counts for Vladimir Putin'' - 8th October 2008
 * caused the crunch? Men and testosterone'' - 30th September 2008
 * all the fuss about? Night racing had to happen'' - 27th September 2008
 * United fans are the club's biggest problem'' - 16th September 2008
 * at risk from egotism of super-rich'' - 15th September 2008
 * or whiff-whaff: call it what you like, but call it Chinese'' - 2nd September 2008
 * and the Olympic city'' - Tomorrow night thousands of young men and women with the most fit, toned bodies in the world will mingle for the last time before they fly home. What might they get up to? - 22nd August 2008
 * faster, yes. Meritocratic? No'' - Talent doesn't always triumph at the Olympics. They are a bastion of elitism where money rules - 16th August 2008
 * pong, China's passion'' - Table tennis is more than just sport. Since Chairman Mao decreed it to be the national game it has defined the country - 7th August 2008

