LONDON —- The year 2014 brought sporting peaks of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi and then the World Cup finals in Brazil; occasions on which the reality of the drama of competition seized the headlines and served as a reminder that sport itself remains superior to all the administrative muddles and worse.

Hopefully the footballers, skiers, cricketers, rugby and tennis players, etc will continue to make that point in 2015.

More fireworks ahead for FIFA and the IOC . . .

Both FIFA and the IOC have major issues to resolve to prove their own competence.

The IOC, under the galvanising leadership of Thomas Bach, has at least gazed inward; a shame the Agenda 2020 debate was staged in Monaco and not in a ‘working city’ which would have suggested the IOC is serious about trying to ditch the elitist image.

As for FIFA, it somehow managed to tangle itself in ethics committee knots about events four or more years ago.

A presidential election is coming up in May. Even the world federation’s own staff sometimes feel like tearing out their hair over the antics in and around the exco. A plethora of urgent issues remain in play.

Even so, Happy New Year! 

Sport allows everyone the right to hope.

KEIR RADNEDGE

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