Given the Irish name of this website it’s only fair to bring a little news from the emerald isle once in a while:
Iran ‘cycling team’ make a break for it
The FBD Insurance Rás cycling race will start tomorrow minus one team, following the disappearance of what was believed to be an Iranian national selection. Shane Stokes reports.
Following months of negotiations between the race organiser Dermot Dignam and what appeared to be a legitimate vice-president of the Iranian national cycling federation, visas were granted for five riders and four team officials to travel to the race, marking the first entry from the Middle Eastern country.
The first indication that something was amiss was when four of the group arrived a week earlier than scheduled. Mr Dignam arranged for them to check in early to the official pre-race accommodation venue but they did not show up.
There’s a new Michael Moore film in the pipeline. It seems that the American people either love or hate has been getting into the head lines for reasons other than the controversy surrounding his latest film. Michael has stumped up some cash to help pay the familiy medical costs of one of his biggest critics. Publicity is always a good thing to have, but I suspect that there is a bit more to this than just trying to get some positive media spin out of a situation.