Media Attention

In a sport which only receives widespread media attention during the three big competitions (Olympics, Commonwealth and World Championships) athletics has been thrusted on to the front pages this week. The story getting the attention centres around Caster Semenya but its not the news of her Gold Medal in the 800 meters but the allegations surrounding he gender which is getting the attention.

Now a month ago on the street if you had asked the average person on the street who was Caster Semenya? A good 99.9% of people would not know but now she is the name on everyone’s lips. The only thing she has done is win a race and now she is the subject of debate and at times ridicule.

I think Caster the runner from South Africa has been put in a terrible situation which could have and should have been avoided. Her local governing body should have known something like this may happen and should have done something about it. Then failing that the athletics body at the games should have stepped in when she arrived.

To have people talking about you around the world because of you talent is pressure enough but to have people debating your gender is much more personal and damaging especially if you have never been in the spotlight before. We should be talking about her talent the same as if anybody else had won and then wait for the results of the tests without jumping to any conclusions.

This situation may also form a new debate on whether or not other criteria as well as gender should come in to play when deciding on who is eligible to enter which race which is a whole new can of worms altogether.

Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"
”Shaking up the Youth of Today”

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com

Making a Splash

Tom Daley the young cheeky chap from Plymouth has made headlines this week by winning Gold at the World Diving Championship. Tom was tipped for great things before the Olympics last year and when he failed to deliver a medal many people saw this as a let down. Don’t get me wrong there was still a strong contingent backing Daley but some people started to questions his ability after all the hype that had surrounded him but hopefully now he had put some of those criticisms to rest.

Now To may not have a cult like following like some young pop stars or have the paparazzi chasing him wherever he goes but he is a poster child for UK sporting stars. If it had been someone say in there twenties that had won the gold at The World Diving Championships I don’t think they would have got the coverage that Tom has this week and if Tom hadn’t competed in it I don’ think many of us in the UK would have known that it was taking place.

Earlier this year Tom was making headlines for non-sporting reasons when a story of the bullying he was receiving at school made the national press. He was subsequently moved schools because of it but this brought up a whole range of opinions from the general public. Some saying he shouldn’t get special treatment and that it was part of life from some asking why in today’s society do we have to pick on someone just because they are successful. If this had been any Olympic star accept Tom Daley this wouldn’t have made press or if it had been any child on your own street that this was happening to it wouldn’t have made press.

If the pressure that was on him to bring home the Gold in 2012 before wasn’t enough now after winning Gold at the World Diving Championship people will now be expecting him to do it at the Olympics. The fact that the Olympics are three years away and people are already bigging him up shows the pressure that is on. Anything could happen in those three years, Tom could get injured, a new face may come on the seen, Tom may stop diving, who knows. All I know is that I don’t think we have seen the last of the press interest in his life which I think is only going to get worse the closer we get to the Olympics.

Adam Sibley
Founder of the Talented Young People organisation
www.talentedyoungpeople.com
"Envisage it, Believe it, Achieve it!"
”Shaking up the Youth of Today”

http://www.talentedyoungpeople.blogspot.com