Sebastian Coe: Wrestling With William Hague

After he lost his seat in 1997, he was scooped up by the new Tory leader, William Hague, still a great personal friend. While George Osborne and The Times’ Daniel Finkelstein provided political strategy, Coe’s job was to ensure both the party (with its devastated finances and denuded staff) and Hague himself shaped up. He had him eat pasta salad and take up judo. The rumours of semi-naked wrestling in the gym under Jeffrey Archer’s apartment building played into speculation that Hague was gay. “It was absolutely risible, but that’s life,” says Coe.
“Someone had to work the night shift,” Hague said of his inglorious leadership. But Coe’s position as faithful lieutenant led to Hague nominating him for a peerage, which undoubtedly added to his gravitas as head of the Olympic bid... 

The Times. 
Probably best if I say nothing.
But doesn't the younger Seb Coe look like William's other "friend" Christopher Myers?

Olympics: My Lovely Horse

...But, turning to the Daily Mail's coverage of the dressage team, is something of much more concern. In a sidebar to its report are the profiles of the two female members of the team - Laura Bechtolsheimer and Charlotte Dujardin.
Their male teammate, Carl Hester, is rightly described as a four-time Olympian. It goes on to tell how he encouraged Charlotte, who lives in a cottage on his equestrian estate, to ride, adding:

"Hester, who is gay, allowed her to ride his young horse, Valegro, as a novice, planning to ride the animal himself when he reached international standard."

What? Who is gay? What was the point of that? How did it creep in, and why?

Roy Greenslade writing on his Guardian Media blog. 
Seeing as Carl Hester is one of only two out gay men in the Olympics it is of note, though of no relevance to this story.
But I'm sure the Mail had their reasons.

Sunday Papers: News Round-Up

"Olympics, Olympics, Olympics. Can we make Danny Boyle a lord or something? Women's Beach Volleyball photo special, pages 19-27"
- All papers.

PS Tom Daley makes his Olympics debut at 3pm tomorrow in the Men's Synchronised Diving Platform.
His diving partner is someone else.

PPS Think I'll just turn up and ask to sit in one of the empty seats. 

Olympics: Those Out Gay Athletes In Full

1. Carl Hester, British equestrian.
2. Matthew Mitcham, Australian diver.
3. Err, that's it.

According to OutSports.

OutSports say they also know of 19 female athetes who are out:
Marilyn Agliotti (Netherlands, field hockey); Judith Arndt (Germany, cycling); Seimone Augustus (U.S., basketball); Natalie Cook (Australia, beach volleyball); Lisa Dahlkvist (Sweden, soccer); Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel (Netherlands, field hockey); Imke Duplitzer (Germany, fencing); Edward Gal (Netherlands, equestrian); Jessica Harrison (France, triathlon); Alexandra Lacrabère (France, handball); Jessica Landström (Sweden, soccer); Hedvig Lindahl (Sweden, soccer); Maartje Paumen (Netherlands, field hockey); Carole Péon (France, triathlon); Mayssa Pessoa (Brazil, handball); Megan Rapinoe (U.S. soccer); Lisa Raymond (U.S., doubles tennis); Rikke Skov (Denmark, handball); Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Germany, cycling).

11,000 athletes are competing in the London Olympics.
This suggests only 1 in 520 is out.
Or 1 in 3,000 men.

• Carl Hester is interviewed in the current issue of Attitude.

Olympics 2012: Some Gymnast Bloke

Something to do with some charity, apparently.

Tom Daley: Fabulous

Tom Daley graces the cover of The Sun's Fabulous magazine tomorrow - shirtless and wet for a change.
"The young heart-throb is in the best shape ever ahead of competing in London 2012. So we drenched him in gallons of water and made him rip his top off for our sexy shoot, natch.
"Tom opens up about his Olympic fears, growing up in the limelight and learning how to deal with a LOT of female attention."
I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's something about that last sentence I find amusing.

Olympics 2012: Touch Sensitive

1. Sexual Orientation: A spectator complains to you that there are two men holding hands sitting next to them - they feel very uncomfortable and would like you to tell the couple to stop. What do you do?

a) You tell the person to stop being a homophobic idiot and walk away.

b) You want everybody to feel comfortable and welcome at the Games, so you politely ask the couple to stop holding hands.

c) You explain that there is a huge diversity of people at the London 2012 Games, which includes gay, lesbian and bisexual couples.

Sensitivity Quiz for volunteers at the 2012 Olympic Games. 

Pride House: Bringing Communities Together

“The Pride House event, taking place in the same month as Gay Pride, is highly likely to become a magnet for undesirable elements of that [LGBT] community."

Friends of Clapham Common - in an objection made to Lambeth Council.

'Chairwoman Melanie Oxley told this newspaper: “We have absolutely nothing to hide and are emphatically not homophobes.
'“Our objections are based on the scale and length of the event.
'“There are undesirable elements in any community...."'

South London Press.

'BRING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER IN THE SPIRIT OF CELEBRATION'

Mission statement, Pride House website.

So what have they got planned for this cavalcade of FILTH?

"Some highlights visitors can expect to find include live music and entertainment, an art exhibition featuring LGBT artists, sports tournaments and demonstrations with special appearances by professional athletes and big screens stationed around the venue showing televised broadcasts of Olympic events and highlights of Pride House."

Save our children from these perverts!!!

Tom Daley: Can't Get You Out Of My Head

London 2012: Bookies suspend betting on who will light Olympic Flame after huge bets on Tom Daley

Ever wanted to find out more about the music tastes of Tom Daley?
So did we, so we caught up with our super star diver to find out what rocks his world!

What track can you just not get out of your head at the moment?At the moment that would have to be Little Bad Girl by David Guetta, it's on the radio all the time and I really just can't get it out of my head!

What was the last album that you bought?
That would be Adele 21, it's brilliant.

Have you been watching X-factor this year?
Of course I have been watching the X-factor!! I don't have a particular favourite yet but I am sure I will when the live shows start!

Do you have a favourite training song?
Nothing in particular but just general upbeat and feel good songs :)

If you could choose the music for the London2012 opening ceremony, what would it be?
I think the bongo song is an amazing song for parading into an event...catchy and fun :)

When you appeared on the X-factor last year someone pointed at you and said “boy band”, if you could choose any other band members who would they be?
It was Louis Walsh that said that, haha! I think it would be easier to just join a group that was already doing well...JLS or One Direction or The Wanted?

Thanks Tom, good luck in training!

Oh Tommy...
Hold me in your manly but boyish loving arms and say you love me.
Please.

Daley Thompson: Why Sportsmen Don't Come Out

Carefree as the wind itself, he whistled the national anthem as the Union Jack was raised over Hollywood in 1984.
With delicious audacity, Daley Thompson wore a speculative T-shirt for the attention of American superstar Carl Lewis, a four-time gold medallist in Los Angeles, bearing the legend: “Is the world’s second greatest athlete gay?”

The Daily Mirror.

You may call it "delicious audacity", I call it being a homophobic cunt.
If "Olympic legend Daley Thompson" does "get the call to light the London flame" might I suggest he apologises first?

Richard Littlejohn: I Say I Say I Say - A Load Of Bollocks Mainly...

"What do you do if you are approached by a man in a dress, asking the way to the toilets? Apart from burst out laughing, that is.
"If you are a volunteer at next year’s Olympics, you are told: ‘Do not make an assumption about their gender unless directed by their name.
‘If you are asked, provide instructions to the male/female and accessible toilets.’
"That last bit covers all eventualities, just in case the bloke in a frock with the five o’clock shadow also happens to be in a wheelchair. This top tip comes from a guidebook issued to everyone volunteering to help visitors to the Games..."

Richard Littlejohn on smoking form in The Daily Mail.
Loving that illustration.
Good to see the Mail mocking the disabled, too.
Well done.

Olympics 2012

Tickets go on sale today - exciting!