“Nickelodeon Magazine, PLEASE.”
Via pinterest.com
Have you ever, ever felt like this? How strange things happened on TV when we were kids.
Seriously, this little critter is straight out of a Disney movie!
The adorable outfits were made by Mark and Zaidee Bullis, a couple who adopted Tommy after he was orphaned as a baby.
Nina Leen / Pix Inc. / Time Life Pictures / Getty Images
Nina Leen / Pix Inc. / Time Life Pictures / Getty Images
Nina Leen / Pix Inc. / Time Life Pictures / Getty Images
After a 0-0 draw in the first leg, former Atletico striker Fernando Torres put Chelsea ahead in the 36th minute at Stamford Bridge, but the London club were to lead the tie for only eight minutes.
Adrian Lopez scrambled home an equaliser shortly before half-time and second-half goals by Diego Costa, from the penalty spot, and Arda Turan sealed Atletico’s place in their first European Cup final since 1974.
Diego Simeone’s team are also two wins from claiming a first La Liga title in 18 years, meaning that they could be looking to complete an improbable double when they meet their old foes Real in Lisbon on May 24.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, was denied a reunion with his former employers Real, with whom he had also experienced semi-final disappointment in each of the previous three seasons.
The pre-match build-up had been dominated by talk about Chelsea’s ultra-defensive display in their 2-0 win at Liverpool on Sunday and Mourinho seemed determined to continue in the same vein by selecting three full-backs.
Fears of a new-fangled defensive configuration proved unfounded, as Cesar Azpilicueta was deployed as a fairly orthodox right-sided midfielder, but the early stages proved every bit as cagey as last week’s first leg.
Koke almost gave Atletico a fourth-minute lead with a mishit left-wing cross that deceived Mark Schwarzer and hit the crossbar, but the teams were generally content to hold each other at arm’s length.
The tie was on a knife-edge, but nine minutes from half-time Chelsea seized the initiative.
After Willian ran into a blind alley on the right flank, Azpilicueta followed up with a low cross that Torres steered past Thibaut Courtois via a deflection off Mario Suarez.
- Eto’o introduction backfires -
The former darling of the Vicente Calderon made a point of not celebrating, holding his hands in the air in apology, but Stamford Bridge celebrated with abandon.
It was the first goal that Atletico had conceded in seven games, but within the blink of an eye they were in control of the tie.
Former Chelsea midfielder Tiago Mendes picked out right-back Juanfran with a floated pass to the back post and his volleyed cross bobbled between a phalanx of defenders to Adrian, who swept home.
Despite Chelsea’s need for goals, it was Atletico who began the second half on top, with Schwarzer brilliantly tipping over a Turan half-volley and then comfortably fielding a low effort from Tiago.
In response, John Terry saw a header sharply blocked by Courtois, who is on loan at Atletico from Chelsea, before Mourinho sent on Samuel Eto’o in place of Ashley Cole.
The Cameroon striker’s introduction was intended to give the hosts greater punch in attack, but it was his contribution at the other end that was to prove telling.
Referee Nicola Rizzoli had already ignored an Atletico penalty claim when Turan was bundled over by Azpilicueta, but when Costa went down after skilfully nicking the ball past Eto’o, the Italian awarded a spot-kick.
Despite initially struggling to place the ball on the spot to his satisfaction, for which he was booked, Costa made no mistake with his shot, placing the ball into the top-left corner.
David Luiz planted a header against the post from a Willian free-kick as Chelsea pressed for an equaliser, but Turan killed the tie in the 72nd minute by tucking home after his own header came back off the bar.
Remember in the late ’90s/early 2000’s when people would walk around saying “Whazzzuuppppp!?” to each other all the time? This is whassup with that.
It was a cold December night in 1999. It was a time of transition and general cultural confusion. We were struggling to find our aesthetic as we rapidly approached the new millennium. It was the perfect environment for "Whassup" to emerge.
This Budweiser spot first aired during Monday Night Football on December 20, 1999 and took America by storm, almost instantly turning "whassup" into a catchphrase you had to endure being yelled at you by some tongue-wagging co-worker (or obnoxious classmate) on a daily basis. It didn't make sense, but it was memorable. And it was 1999 so there wasn't a lot else going on besides Y2K.
Budweiser really milked the hell out of the "whassup" buzz and immediately released a series of spinoff commercials, simplifying the idea more until it was literally just a slew off different people shouting the titular catchphrase.
We didn't even care that this first spinoff, "Wasabi", was a little bit racist. We loved it so much. We demanded more and the Budweiser creative team worked their asses off to deliver...
youtube.com / Via Youtube
"Whassup" really took off in 2000. Already, it had become integrated into every facet of pop culture. It became a joke on major sitcoms and news programs, and was even featured in the above scene from the hit 2000 film, "Scary Movie." There was no avoiding it.
youtube.com / Via Youtube
Exactly what it sounds like. Same thing as usual, but with grandmas. Always a safe direction to take things. Shockingly, this spot doesn't feature Betty White.
youtube.com / Via Youtube
“I don’t want to repeat my innocence. I want the pleasure of losing it again.”
Kevin Tang
At the same the country will send 121 to the second Africa Youth Championships set for May 22-31 in Gaborone, Botswana with athletics, the sport that won 11 gold medals from the last edition in Delhi, India 2010 commanding the lion share of the Glasgow slots.
Commonwealth Games chef-de mission, Stephen Arap Soi, added they will include 20 Paralympians the Scotland party.
“Federations are currently conducting their trials and the only team that has automatically qualified is the Rugby 7s team.
“The major Trials will be for athletics that will be held from June 5 to 7 this will give us an allowance of four days to do final entry by name,” Soi who is also National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Noc-k) assistant treasurer declared.
“We have a challenge in the number of elite athletes with disability since we had slotted 20 but since the International Paralympics Committee has informed us only 11 have qualified, we will have to finalize the details when the team enters residential training,” he added.
Kenya will be looking to better her record performance at the Club Games in Delhi where they finished ninth overall with 32 medals; 12 gold, 11 silver and nine bronze, with swimmer Jason Dunford and boxer Joshua Makanjio the only competitors to bag honours outside athletics.
Badminton, Cycling, Judo, Table Tennis, Lawn Tennis, Weight Lifting, Wrestling, Squash, Shooting, Elite athletes with disabilities and Triathlon are the other disciplines that will sent their talent to Scotland in national colours.
The team will report to camp on June 16 and depart for Glasgow in three batches with the first leaving on July 13.
Speaking at the same function, leader of delegation for the continental Youth Championships, Fridah Shiroya, said they will be sending a big team to Gaborone to better their 2010 returns in an event where Nigeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria and South Africa dominated the inaugural edition in Rabat, Morocco.
“The teams have already been selected by various federations and will enter to camp from Monday next week at Nairobi’s YMCA. The teams are in very high spirit since they are young and we expect them to perform well.
“We have got release letters for some of them and we are hoping those who will not be able to come to camp will be able to train wherever they will be according to their requirements, so we are set for Gaborone,” the Noc-k treasurer announced.
Stars expected to make a statement at the games include World junior 3000m champion; Mercy Chebwogen and Africa Youth 800m champion Robert Biwott.
The Africa Youth Games that will serve as a qualifier for Nanjing Youth Olympics, which will be held in China in August.
Gaborone will cater for 2,500 young athletes participating in 20 sport disciplines for athletes aged between 14-18 years.
Already the International Sport Federations of athletics, basketball and swimming have agreed to use the event as a qualifying tournament for the Summer Games.
Kenya will be fielding 45 athletes and nine officials for the Youth Olympics as they are set to depart August 30.
The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return.
20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
There was an alternate ending? Also, HAPPY 10TH ANNIVERSARY, MEAN GIRLS !
Paramount Pictures
Mark Waters told Vulture , "Sherry Lansing, who was heading Paramount at the time, told us, 'We have to have Lindsay play the lead in Mean Girls. It's just not going to work having her play the villain, because she now has an audience that won't accept that.'"
Paramount Pictures / bb-shine.tumblr.com
After McAdams won out, Lorne Michaels suggested Seyfried for "the dumb girl."
Paramount Pictures / survivingcollege.com
Paramount Pictures / iwishitwouldrain.tumblr.com
Mayweather, who is a regular at Clippers and Lakers games, was speaking with a group of reporters in a VIP lounge at the MGM Grand, where he will face fellow welterweight titleholder Marcos Maidana in a unification fight in a Showtime PPV main event on Saturday night.
Mayweather said he was serious about his interest and that he had spoken with his adviser, Al Haymon, about teaming with Mayweather Promotions chief executive Leonard Ellerbe, Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer and possibly others to make a bid for the Clippers.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced a lifetime ban and $2.5M fine for Clippers owner Donald Sterling, in the wake of Sterling’s racist comments. Full coverage
“I called Al today about that to see if me, Leonard and Al, and hopefully Richard and a couple of other guys, a couple other of my billionaire guys, we can come together and see what we can come up with,” Mayweather said. “Hopefully, we can do it, and it’s not just talk.
“With me, I can’t come in talking about Mayweather only gonna get 3 percent, 4 percent. I got to get a solid percentage. Do we want to buy the Clippers? Yes, we do. We are very, very interested in buying the Clippers.
“We’ll keep the Clippers right where they’re at. When I’m not boxing, I’m at the games all the time. We do want to buy the Clippers. Me and my team do want to buy the Clippers and we can afford the Clippers.”
Mayweather, an avid sports gambler in Las Vegas, where he lives, added, “Once I get ownership in the Clippers I can no longer bet, so I have to stop that completely.”
Mayweather, whose $73.5 million in minimum purses for his two fights in 2013 made him the world’s highest-paid athlete, did not weigh in on the comments that Sterling made, but said his interactions with the Clippers owner were positive.
“Donald Sterling, he’s been getting a lot of negative press and my thing is this — I don’t have nothing negative to say about this guy,” Mayweather said.
“He’s always treated me with the utmost respect. He has always invited me to games, always. Has always told me, ‘Floyd, I want you to sit right next to me and my wife.’ I don’t know about the [alleged] mistress. But I’m talking about him and the wife.”
Schaefer, who is close to Mayweather and has been promoting his fights since 2007, said Mayweather was indeed serious about his interest.
“When he tells you guys he’s interested in buying the Clippers, he’s not just saying that for an interview,” Schaefer said. “He’s really serious about it and I’m sure he could rally the necessary people around him to support him in a bid like that.”
Mayweather is not the only boxing celebrity to show interest in buying the team.
Retired six-division titleholder Oscar De La Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions, also said Tuesday that he was interested in owning a piece of the Clippers.
“The league has made it known that it wants more minorities involved and, as a proud Mexican-American, I will bring a different perspective to the NBA in general, and the Clippers in particular,” said De La Hoya, who has a statue in the Staples Center’s Star Plaza outside the venue’s front entrance.
“I was born and raised in Los Angeles, I know what it takes to run a successful sports entity and nothing would make me happier than to bring an NBA championship home to Southern California sports fans.
“I applaud NBA commissioner Adam Silver for his quick and decisive action regarding in the Donald Sterling situation, and his forward thinking will push the league toward a positive future. There is no room for racism and unfair treatment in any professional sport, or in life in general. I hope to be a part of positive change for the league.”
Billionaire and former music and film mogul David Geffen also could be a candidate, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“If the Clippers become available he would be interested in buying the franchise,” Geffen’s office said in an email to the newspaper.
The potential buyers could include several other of the world’s wealthiest men.
Magic Johnson, Mark Walter and their Guggenheim Partners group in the billion-dollar purchase of the Los Angeles Dodgers also are possible bidders, while real-estate tycoon Rick Caruso has indicated interest.
Patrick Soon-Shiong, the biotech billionaire often described as the richest man in Los Angeles, bought Johnson’s share of the Lakers in 2010 but could be interested in owning his own team. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison has attempted to purchase several sports teams in recent years but been rebuffed despite his vast fortune.
For Mayweather, his own past issues with making racist remarks could prove to be a hurdle, as could his history of legal troubles and his affinity for gambling — he has been known to often wager six-figure amounts on NBA games.
In 2010, he unleashed a profanity-filled rant in an Internet video against Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao, with whom he has not been able to make a deal to fight in what would be boxing’s biggest event.
In an approximately 10-minute Ustream video, in which Mayweather also repeated his assertion that Pacquiao used performance-enhancing drugs, he said, in part, “As soon as we come off vacation, we’re going to cook that little yellow chump.
“We ain’t worried about that. So they ain’t gotta worry about me fighting the midget. Once I kick the midget ass, I don’t want you all to jump on my d—. So you all better get on the bandwagon now. … Once I stomp the midget, I’ll make that mother f—– make me a sushi roll and cook me some rice.”
Mayweather went to jail in 2012 for two months after pleading guilty to domestic violence and harassment toward the mother of his children. He was sentenced to 90 days but released a month early for good behavior.
-Story from ESPN with material from Associated Press used
The 29-year-old Real star netted twice in Tuesday’s historic 4-0 rout of Bayern Munich as the holders suffered their heaviest home defeat in European competition to crash out of the semi-finals 5-0 on aggregate.
Ronaldo picked up his 15th and 16th goals of the current European campaign to help put the Spanish side into the final in Lisbon on May 24 as Carlo Ancelotti’s side humiliated the defending champions.
The Portuguese forward’s two goals helped him eclipse the previous best of 14 in a season registered by Barcelona’s Lionel Messi in 2011-12 and Jose Altafini of AC Milan in 1962-63.
“The team really helped me, I am overjoyed, but not primarily because of the cup record, but mainly because we now have the chance to win the title, especially in my home country, in Lisbon,” said Ronaldo, who was born on the island of Madeira, but started his professional career at Sporting Lisbon.
Real will face either Mourinho’s Chelsea or neighbours Atletico Madrid in the Lisbon final as they look to claim ‘La Decima’ — their tenth European title having last reached the Champions League final in 2002.
“We’ll go there (to Lisbon) with our heads held high, but with our feet on the ground. It will be a difficult game,” said Ronaldo, with the final to be held at the Estadio da Luz, the home of Benfica, the local rivals of Sporting, who Ronaldo left in 2003 to join Manchester United as an 18-year-old.
Ronaldo put Real’s emphatic win down to their Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti as reigning European champions Bayern were humiliated in their own Allianz Arena stadium.
“It is solely the merit of Carlo Ancelotti,” Ronaldo said, as the Italian replaced Jose Mourinho, who now coaches Chelsea, at the start of the season.
“He changed everything, especially the mentality of the players.”
The World Player of the Year has reached the new record tally in just 10 appearances in the competition this season, his tally also including a hat-trick against Galatasaray in the group stage and braces against FC Copenhagen, Juventus and in both legs of the last-16 tie against Schalke 04.
Ronaldo has now scored 66 Champions League goals and is closing in on former Real Madrid striker Raul’s overall record for the most goals in the competition of 71.
“The person has been detained,” a police spokesman told AFP without giving further details.
A fan threw a banana onto the pitch near the 30-year-old Brazilian international as he was about to take a corner during Barcelona’s away match against Villareal on Sunday night.
Alves won praise for his reaction, picking up the banana to take a bite before getting on with the game and setting up a goal in Barcelona’s dramatic come-from-behind 3-2 victory.
The incident sparked worldwide indigation, with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and FIFA president Sepp Blatter joining the anti-racist condemnation.
Villarreal said they had identified the fan who threw the banana, withdrawn his club membership and permanently banned him from their ground.
To be honest, the “Parks and Rec” star can really rock the hell out of bikini.
Although I don't understand why he has a bone in his hair?
NBC / Via awesomegifs.com
Sure, you probably saw Forrest Gump and There’s Something About Mary , but what about What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and Kids ?
Christina Lu for BuzzFeed
Due to space limitations, not every '90s film could make the list. Let us know in the comments which ones you think should've been included.
Three days after a recording surfaced of Sterling urging his girlfriend not to publicly associate with blacks, NBA commissioner Adam Silver removed the 80-year-old billionaire from the league and urged owners to start the process of forcing him to sell the team.
The surprisingly tough sanctions earned quick praise from across the sport, with current and former stars lauding Silver’s decisive action.
“The views expressed by Mr. Sterling are deeply offensive and harmful,” Silver told a news conference in New York. “That they came from an NBA owner only heightens the damage and my personal outrage.”
The punishment following a lightning-fast probe into the controversy means Sterling cannot attend any NBA games or workouts, appear at any Clippers office or facility, or make any business or personnel decisions for the club.
He was also fined $2.5 million and is banned from all league activity.
Silver said he will urge the NBA owners to exercise their authority to force Sterling to sell the team, which is valued by Forbes magazine at $575 million — much more than the $12 million Sterling paid for the franchise in 1981.
“I fully expect to get the support I need from fellow NBA owners to remove him,” Silver said, adding that he would do “everything” in his power to ensure that happens.
A three-quarters vote of NBA owners is needed to strip a team from an owner, but simply starting the process as Silver has done could be enough to prod Sterling to sell the club and avoid a lengthy court fight or the risk of not having the Clippers to sell for a huge profit.
“I spoke to several owners and I have their full support,” Silver said.
Silver, who described himself as distraught at the comments, apologized to NBA coaches, players, fans and business partners, adding, “This has been a painful moment for all members of the NBA family.”
- Quick praise for Sterling ban -
Reaction was swift and strongly in support of Silver.
“We wholeheartedly support and embrace the decision by the NBA and commissioner Adam Silver today. Now the healing process begins,” the Clippers said in a statement.
The front page of the Clippers was changed to a black screen with a team logo and white lettering saying, “WE ARE ONE.”
NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, whose photo with Sterling’s girlfriend prompted the tirade that led to the owner’s banishment, is among those thought to be interested in buying the Clippers.
“Former and current NBA players are very happy and satisfied with Commissioner Silver’s ruling,” Johnson tweeted.
“Current and former NBA players now know that in Commissioner Adam Silver we have a great leader leading our league.”
Kevin Johnson, who was acting for the players union in place of Clippers player and union president Chris Paul, said it was a defining moment in NBA history.
“I believe that today stands as one of those great moments where sports, once again, transcends, where sports provides a place for fundamental change on how our country should think and act,” Johnson said.
“This is also a statement about where we are as a country. It doesn’t matter if you’re a professional basketball player worth millions of dollars or a man or woman who works hard for their family — there will be zero tolerance for institutional racism, no matter how rich or powerful.”
Silver’s few critics wondered about how Sterling was tolerated so long as an owner, given past court cases against him over questions of race, but Silver noted that in each instance, Sterling won the legal fight against his detractors.
“When specific evidence was brought to the NBA, we acted,” Silver said. “Whether or not these views were shared in private, they are now public and they represent his views.
“We did not take into account his past behavior. When the board ultimately considers his overall fitness to be an owner in the NBA, they will take into account a lifetime of behavior.”
- Clippers due on court -
The announcement came only hours before the Clippers were set to play their first home game since the controversy erupted — Game 5 of their first-round playoff series with the Golden State Warrior, which is level at 2-2.
“My message to the Clippers’ fans is that the league is far bigger than any one owner,” Silver said. “The players deserve their support. They have just been through an incredibly difficult incident.”
Silver also asked the numerous sponsors who severed ties with the Clippers or suspended endorsement deals on Monday to “judge us by our response to this incident. I think we’ve responded appropriately.
“I’m hopeful there will be no long-term damage to the league or the Clippers. But I’m outraged so I certainly understand other people’s outrage. It will take some time and appropriate healing will be necessary.”
Having won last week’s first-leg 1-0 in Madrid, Real won the semi-final 5-0 on aggregate as Pep Guardiola’s Bayern suffered their heaviest home defeat in European competition.
Bayern had previously never lost at home by more than two goals in Europe as the Bavarian giants saw their dreams of reaching a fourth Champions League final in five years crushed.
Real are one game away from the ‘Decima’ – their tenth European title – and will face either neighbours Atletico Madrid or Chelsea in the May 24 final in Lisbon.
Real centre-back Sergio Ramos produced two early bullet headers to dismiss Bayern’s dreams of becoming the first team to defend the Champions League title.
World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo then made it 3-0 at the break before the Real superstar netted his 49th goal of the season with a free kick just before the final whistle.
The only downside to Real’s stunning win in Germany was the loss of Xabi Alonso for the Lisbon final after he picked up his third booking of the campaign.
But there was no denying an historic night for Real, especially for coach Carlo Ancelotti who has now never lost to Bayern in eight matches, six times with former club AC Milan and twice with Madrid.
- Devastating spell -
There was a minute’s silence before kick-off for former Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova, who died on Friday at the age of 45, and Vujadin Boskov, the former Real coach who passed away on Sunday aged 82.
The Munich crowd soon saw their dreams of a repeat of last season’s treble of European, Bundesliga and German Cup titles swept away as Real floored the Bavarians in a devastating first-half spell.
Real needed just 16 minutes to take the lead at the Allianz Arena as Ramos powered home his first header from Luka Modric’s corner to silence the home support.
It was the start of a miserable five minutes for Bayern as centre-back Dante was shown a yellow card for clumsily scything down Ronaldo just before Ramos struck again.
When Angel Di Maria swung in a free-kick, centre-back Pepe flicked it on for Ramos to head home his second goal in just four minutes to leave Bayern reeling.
Real then compounded Bayern’s misery as Di Maria played Karim Benzema into space and the Frenchman found Bale, who accelerated away.
His pass was drilled home by Ronaldo on 34 minutes, breaking the record for most Champions League goals in a campaign, to leave the hosts 3-0 down at the break and on the ropes.
A foul by Xabi Alonso on Bayern’s Bastian Schweinsteiger five minutes later earned the Spain star a yellow card, his third of the competition, to rule him out of the final.
Despite Bayern’s best efforts, Real’s defence held firm and then Ronaldo put the final nail in the holders’ coffin with his second of the game when his free-kick shot under the Munich wall on 90 minutes.
Read more here Capital Sports This is HEARTBREAKING.
Via betabeat.com
1. First off, they were born in 2000 or 2001 and they're graduating in 2018. They're the class of 2018.
2. They've never lived in a world with monthly texting limits.
3. The lyric "shake it like a Polaroid picture" has no meaning to them.
4. They never knew a Destiny's Child with four members. They probably don't know Destiny's Child at all.
5. The Motorola Razr is a museum artifact:
6. Star Wars has never been a trilogy.
7. Eminem could without a doubt be their dad.
8. Or, you know, one of the dudes from Hanson could be their dad.
9. If you say, "You sound like a broken record," chances are they won't understand you.
10. This sound has no meaning:
With a band ensemble straight out of a ’90s coffee shop, these guys are totally rad.
Disney / Via wifflegif.com
Via youtube.com
Scott Bradlee, the head of Postmodern Jukebox, posed the question, "What would life be like if our favorite cartoon theme songs were actually '90s R&B slow jams?" To solve this great mystery, he started the project Saturday Morning Slow Jams . They first funkified the Pokemon theme song and will be doing a new one every week. So stay tuned!
When Scott and Charlene got married. And other defining moments.
Via youtube.com
Celebration of a Nation 1988 / Via youtube.com
Umbrella Entertainment / Via youtube.com
Umbrella Entertainment
How many times can you watch Mean Girls before it’s considered unhealthy? THE LIMIT DOES NOT EXIST.
Paramount Pictures / Christina Lu / BuzzFeed
Just in case you were wondering.
Disney / Via lizziemcguirethings.tumblr.com
Disney
Disney
South Africa’s Mail and Guardian reported on their website Tuesday that Mbalula made the snide remarks during a meeting between editors and top ANC leaders to address various issues affecting the Rainbow Nation.
“You can’t transform sports without targets. But at the same time, South Africa wouldn’t be like Kenya and send athletes to the Olympics to drown in the pool,” the publication quoted Mbalula saying.
The minister was responding to a question on the theme of social cohesion, when a reporter questioned the issue of some national teams remaining stubbornly white.
“The comment was met with some titters in the room and an embarrassed grin from the rest of the assembled ANC leaders. The comment also drew some alarm on Twitter,” the Mail and Guardian wrote on their website, mg.co.za.
The country’s president and ANC leader, Jacob Zuma, made a similar gaffe in October last year when he said, “We are in Johannesburg, this is Johannesburg. It’s not some national road in Malawi,” in a slur interpreted to paint Malawi as backward.
That incident saw South Africa’s top diplomat in Lilongwe summoned to explain the remark by the aggrieved Malawi government and it remains to be seen whether Kenya will follow suit and demand an apology.
The process of putting together the necessary documents is now underway with AK set to unveil a 2017 World Youth Bid Committee next week.
AK boss Isaiah Kiplagat said the committee will involve all stakeholders to start bid documentation that has to be handed to the IAAF Council before September 22 with the final decision taking place in November during the World Athletics Gala in Monaco.
“We have received confirmation from the Government through the Ministry of Sports and from Nairobi Governor, Evans Kidero, that they will support the event since an approval is required from the city where the event will be held.
“We have done this before and we will not have a problem in preparing for such competitions since we have hosted two major events successfully. I’m happy President Uhuru Kenyatta has encouraged sports federations to apply for hosting rights in some of the international championships and I’m glad we are the first to do so,” Kiplagat declared at a press briefing at Riadha House on Tuesday.
This will be the third time AK will be looking to host a major championship after successfully staging the 2007 IAAF World Cross Championships in Mombasa and 2010 CAA Africa Senior Championships in Athletics in Nairobi.
IAAF announced on March 7 on its website the opening of a new bid processes for several events including the 2017 World Youth.
The biennial global showpiece is open to athletes who are 17 years or younger and has produced athletes who end up becoming stars such as double Olympics and Worlds sprint champion, Usain Bolt of Jamaica, 2011 double World champion, Vivian Cheruiyot and recently graduated two-time World Cross junior champion, Faith Chepng’etich among others.
The event first ran in 1999 in Bydgoszcz, Poland while the 2015 event will be staged in Cali, Colombia with Donetsk, Ukraine hosting the latest running last year.
Kenya will battle it out with USA and Argentina after IAAF confirmed to have received application bids from the three countries.
Politicians from Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff to players, including Alves’ compatriot and team-mate Neymar, scurried to their computers to condemn the incident on social media and praise Alves for his response — he simply picked up and ate the discarded fruit.
English Premier League stars including Sergio Aguero, David Luiz, Bacary Sagna, Yaya Toure, Luis Suarez, Phillipe Cotinho, Sergio Aguero, Fernandinho, Oscar, Willian, Nacer Chadli and Moussa Dembele following his reaction to a banana being thrown in his direction by a Villarreal supporter during a La Liga game on Sunday.
Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi and the national team coach Cesare Prandelli shared a banana in solidarity for Alves.
His father, Domingos Alves, 64, meanwhile came up with a cool response of his own.
“I plant mangos, coconuts, melons, watermelons, passion fruit — and now I’m going to plant bananas,” he told Globo’s G1 news portal from his home in the northern state of Bahia.
But he added a note of caution, saying he feared one day a racist fan might go as far as trying to poison a player.
And he added he would be telling his son “not to eat any more bananas on the pitch.”
Alves’ mother Lucia Ribeiro added she was proud of her son’s reaction, which she said was “a slap in the face for prejudice.”
Alves himself joked on Twitter that “my father always told me to eat bananas to avoid getting cramp.”
The player’s smart response to the latest in a series of racist incidents at Spanish matches rallied fellow athletes, with dozens posting pictures of themselves on social media chomping bananas.
Rousseff and FIFA president Sepp Blatter added supportive messages of their own while condemning racism.
Olympics bronze winner, Anthony Chemut and leading female metric miler, Hellen Obiri, who won the third medal at last year’s Worlds in Moscow, have also been handed wildcards after being sidelined following Saturday’s Bahamas Trials in Nairobi.
AK boss, Isaiah Kiplagat, named Stanley Kieti, Said Ruto, Stephen Baraza, Boniface Khagai and Walter Moenga in the men 4X200m squad whilst also announcing they would email world body IAAF to request the inclusion of the men 4X400m team.
This brings the squad selected so far for Bahamas to 30 after 23 were named after the Trials on Saturday.
In his address to the press, Kiplagat said the changes were made after going through IAAF rules where they established there were no entry standards in the 4X200m event with the 4X400m nearing the required mark for inclusion.
“We decided to give the sprinters a happy moment since they were really affected when we did not select them, we have therefore decided to take the 4x200m men only to show we appreciate and need them.
“We did not enter the women team because we are too far below in the standings so lets take the men first and see how they will perform and that why we have mixed the team with 100m and 200m athletes,” Kiplagat declared.
At the same time the federation has appealed to IAAF to consider the 4x400m men who missed the qualifying mark by 1.26 seconds after recording 3:05.36 during the Trials.
“We did not meet the qualifying standards for the 4x400m relays however, according to the information, we have found out only 19 teams that have qualified and the rule states that there must be 24 teams and the IAAF says to fill that gap they will consider the teams who are so close to the qualifying mark but subject to the request to those countries to be considered for the position.
“We therefore sent an email to IAAF to consider of men’s team and we hope to receive the results by today (Tuesday),” he explained.
Commonwealth 400m champion, Mark Mutai, who among the short-distance athletes dismayed for the initial Bahamas snub welcomed the turnaround.
“I’m very happy to hear AK have finally considered the 4x200m team, it was very sad for the sprinters to be left out for the world championship since this is where they can build their careers.
“I hope they will consider us too the 4x400m team since we usually run good time outside the country. Competing against best athletes in the world will encourage us reach the world qualifying standards and it will enable us prepare effectively for international events like Commonwealth Games,” the athlete who anchored the 4X400m team to glory during the 2010 African Championships told Capital Sport.
“We are ready to represent the country in Bahamas since we have a strong team that only missed the qualifying mark by an inch,” he added.
During the 2010 continental showpiece Mutai, led Boniface Mucheru, Solomon Bwoga and Alex Sampao to victory in 3:05.36 in the 4X400m during the Trials.
UPDATED BAHAMAS SQUAD
Men
4x200m: Stanley Kieti, Said Ruto, Stephen Baraza, Boniface Khagai, Walter Moenga.
4x800m: Alfred Kipketer, Job Kinyor, Ferguson Rotich, Sammy Kirongo, Nicholas Kiplagat, Anthony Chemut.
4x1500m: Asbel Kiprop, Silas Kiplagat, Collins Cheboi, Joseph Magut, Hillary Maiyo, Nixon Chepseba.
Women
4x800m: Eunice Sum, Janeth Jepkosgei, Sylvia Chesebe, Cherono Koech, Agatha Jeruto, Miriam Chepkemoi.
4x1500m: Mercy Cherono, Irene Jelagat, Anne Karindi, Peris Nenkampi, Sheila Chepng’etich, Faith Kipyegon, Hellen Obiri.
Concerns have been raised why organisers and race marshals who are alongside him let him continue before falling thrice in the barriers as he was urged on to the finish before finally being put in an ambulance.
Magut, the winner of Cannes Marathon in France in 2012 where he ran 2:10:31 in November, months after finishing second in 2:16:30 at the Kigali Peace Marathon in Rwanda is 28 and was running in his third attempt over the ultimate distance.
He was gunning to finish third behind winner Fatna Maraoui and compatriot Pharis Kimani who was second.
Reports from Italy on the video posted on the Internet questions why action to aid the clearly suffering Magut was taken too late.
“We understand regulations athletes should not be touched and everything but it is not possible that this man could not be rescued when he gave evident signs of not being in himself?
“And if he died as a result of a collapse? What would have happened? The ambulance was not far away, and it seems to pick it up without, however, manage to get to the end. It is possible that a doctor could not take responsibility for a decision that could even be life-saving?” Italian website atleticalive.it wrote.
Contacted, Athletics Kenya (AK) officials said they were not aware of the incident but would look into it and establish the welfare of Magut.
On November 30, 2008 another Kenyan athlete, Barnabas Kipkoech, died on in Goiania, after collapsing competing at a half-marathon in the central-western city of the South American nation.
The deceased is survived by a widow and two sons was brought home for burial following the intervention of AK and Government.
Reaction on the Magut video posted below on social media was swift.
“Seriously, should organisers of the Padova Marathon have allowed this to happen? Isn’t this an insult to Kenyan athletes?
“Magut would have died as the medics watched, urging him on like a prize horse! Athletics Kenya really must act on this sort of modern slavery, in my opinion. Absolutely disgusting! The health of the athlete must come first,” veteran Nation Media Group and 2012 IAAF Journalist of the Year, Elias Makori, posted on his Facebook wall alongside the link of the said video.
His colleagues took the cue to lay on organisers and slate race officials, AK and the Government for compromising the welfare of the runners in allowing unscrupulous managers to exploit their talent with little regard to life.
