http://www.thepunch.com.au/tags/olympics/ Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. en Copyright 2013 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/its-not-ok-to-blame-the-victim-leigh-nugent/ Australian swimming coach Leigh Nugent clearly has bushfires to put out, but one of the nastier outbreaks he must fast address is the allegation that when harassment of female swimmers was brought to his attention his reaction was to blame the female swimmers. News.com.au reports that the head swim coach’s immediate response to allegations of misbehaviour by the men’s relay team, accused to of harassing female swimmers with prank calls at the team’s Manchester camp, was “your girls are flirting with the dream team”. Rather than take seriously a report of the incident by another coach and a senior swimmer, Nugent chose the old chestnut tactic of brushing off the interference with the young women as just “childish behaviour”. A bit of high-spirited nonsense from the lads? feedback@thepunch.com.au (The Punch Team) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/its-not-ok-to-blame-the-victim-leigh-nugent/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/its-not-ok-to-blame-the-victim-leigh-nugent/#item10653 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 For a country obsessed with home improvement, we are remarkably apathetic about any attempts to renovate our national emblem. From overhauling the kitchen to playing amateur interior designer, there’s no limit on our collective desire to spruce up our residences. But turn the conversation to the topic of a little long-overdue remodeling of the national flag and suddenly it all gets far too difficult. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/flagging-this-change-is-not-unaustralian/ For a country obsessed with home improvement, we are remarkably apathetic about any attempts to renovate our national emblem. From overhauling the kitchen to playing amateur interior designer, there’s no limit on our collective desire to spruce up our residences. But turn the conversation to the topic of a little long-overdue remodeling of the national flag and suddenly it all gets far too difficult. feedback@thepunch.com.au (The Punch Team) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/flagging-this-change-is-not-unaustralian/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/flagging-this-change-is-not-unaustralian/#item10508 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 For a country obsessed with home improvement, we are remarkably apathetic about any attempts to renovate our national emblem. From overhauling the kitchen to playing amateur interior designer, there’s no limit on our collective desire to spruce up our residences. But turn the conversation to the topic of a little long-overdue remodeling of the national flag and suddenly it all gets far too difficult. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Treat-swimmers-like-adults-and-they-might-just-grow-up/ When it came out that some of the swimmers had been acting up at the Olympics, playing pranks on each other and allegedly experimenting with Stilnox at the most inappropriate of times, and that there was a hostile rift between some members of the swim team, it became obvious that things need to change. The report that some swimmers may have been acting like children was no shock. Especially for the young members of the team, swimming is a sport that does not give you much of a chance to grow up like most people do. It starts with the wake up calls from Mum or Dad. It’s too early in the morning to respond to an alarm, a gentle nudge and some softly spoken words are uttered to get you out of bed for your morning swimming session. feedback@thepunch.com.au (The Punch Team) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Treat-swimmers-like-adults-and-they-might-just-grow-up/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Treat-swimmers-like-adults-and-they-might-just-grow-up/#item9486 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 For a country obsessed with home improvement, we are remarkably apathetic about any attempts to renovate our national emblem. From overhauling the kitchen to playing amateur interior designer, there’s no limit on our collective desire to spruce up our residences. But turn the conversation to the topic of a little long-overdue remodeling of the national flag and suddenly it all gets far too difficult. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/others-should-aspire-to-this-stars-ability-and-humility/ The difference between the winning times in the men’s 50m freestyle swimming finals at the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics was just 3.79 seconds. At the London Games in July, Frenchman Frances Manaudou won gold in the 50m with a time of 21.34 seconds. At the Paralympics last week, Australian Matt Cowdrey won gold in 25.13 seconds. Cowdrey’s time was a new Paralympics world record. It was just a touch over four seconds slower than the Olympic world record of 20.91, set by Brazil’s Cesar Cielo in 2009. feedback@thepunch.com.au (The Punch Team) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/others-should-aspire-to-this-stars-ability-and-humility/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/others-should-aspire-to-this-stars-ability-and-humility/#item9441 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 For a country obsessed with home improvement, we are remarkably apathetic about any attempts to renovate our national emblem. From overhauling the kitchen to playing amateur interior designer, there’s no limit on our collective desire to spruce up our residences. But turn the conversation to the topic of a little long-overdue remodeling of the national flag and suddenly it all gets far too difficult. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Why-not-run-the-Olympics-and-Paralympics-together/ The Paralympic Games begin in London tomorrow night, without any of the fuss or media fanfare which accompanied the Olympics at the beginning of the month. Disabled athletes are being robbed of the spotlight. Olympic broadcasters Foxtel and Channel Nine are not even showing the Paralympics, leaving the ABC to run a few hours of daily highlights instead. Our Paralympians must be used to being ignored and undervalued. At the televised Olympic swimming trials earlier this year, disabled athletes were forced to compete during the ad breaks. How insulting is that? feedback@thepunch.com.au (The Punch Team) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Why-not-run-the-Olympics-and-Paralympics-together/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Why-not-run-the-Olympics-and-Paralympics-together/#item9330 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 For a country obsessed with home improvement, we are remarkably apathetic about any attempts to renovate our national emblem. From overhauling the kitchen to playing amateur interior designer, there’s no limit on our collective desire to spruce up our residences. But turn the conversation to the topic of a little long-overdue remodeling of the national flag and suddenly it all gets far too difficult. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/An-Australian-hero-only-Americans-have-honoured/ Last night the House of Representatives debated a motion to make a posthumous apology to arguably our greatest ever male sprinter Peter Norman, whose legacy is so much greater than just his feats on the track. This is an edited version of a speech to the parliament by the Member for Bennelong John Alexander. I rise to recognise the unique contribution made by Australian athlete Peter Norman to the worlds of both sport and politics. In sport Norman’s feet did the talking, becoming the highest achieving Australian male sprinter in our nation’s history. In politics, Norman’s statement was not through the delivery of a speech but simply through the wearing of a badge. The badge said: ‘Olympic Project for Human Rights’. The venue was the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games. The year 1968 is often referred to as the year the world changed - the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy; the raging of the Vietnam War; riots in Paris; industrial strikes across Europe; and uprisings in Czechoslovakia and Pakistan. feedback@thepunch.com.au (The Punch Team) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/An-Australian-hero-only-Americans-have-honoured/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/An-Australian-hero-only-Americans-have-honoured/#item9275 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 For a country obsessed with home improvement, we are remarkably apathetic about any attempts to renovate our national emblem. From overhauling the kitchen to playing amateur interior designer, there’s no limit on our collective desire to spruce up our residences. But turn the conversation to the topic of a little long-overdue remodeling of the national flag and suddenly it all gets far too difficult. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/london-olympics-recapped-in-a-414-word-sentence/ Pissing rain in England, Leisel’s pudgy, you’re a sexist sexist pig if you say Leisel’s pudgy, not enough condoms in the Olympic brothel, Harry Potter on par with Industrial revolution as major British cultural event, Queen has a sense of humour, Mr Bean still not funny, petal torch proves not all British youth are rioters, Shut up Eddie… ...Channel Nine loves swimming, Phelps still king, missile misfires, Seebohm not just abbreviation of swear word, D’Arcy lacks punch, Leisel slow and over the hill, Steph slow and over the hill, Ray Warren slow and over the hill, Australia sucks, oops don’t say Australia sucks, second in the world is still awesome even though athletes always say “we came here for gold”, Shut up Hacky… ...Cocks shuttled off for Badminton racket, Blade Runner not as fast as Harrison Ford, Andy Murray beats Federer in pretend Wimbledon final, New Zealand good at sports where you face backwards, London has a beach, Kazakhstan makes benefit glorious gold medals, Steph loves Kobe, oops, there’s Kobe’s wife, Bolt loves Swedish handballers, Bolt loves self, Bolt has every right to love self, Bolt a legend, how many times in my life did I feel like throwing vitamins at the telly… feedback@thepunch.com.au (The Punch Team) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/london-olympics-recapped-in-a-414-word-sentence/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/london-olympics-recapped-in-a-414-word-sentence/#item9212 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 For a country obsessed with home improvement, we are remarkably apathetic about any attempts to renovate our national emblem. From overhauling the kitchen to playing amateur interior designer, there’s no limit on our collective desire to spruce up our residences. But turn the conversation to the topic of a little long-overdue remodeling of the national flag and suddenly it all gets far too difficult. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/The-whinger-games/ Great Britain has put on a magnificent Olympics with fantastic venues, surprisingly good weather, enthusiastic fans and, touch wood, no serious security breaches or major drug scandals involving big-name athletes. Immediately before the Games, as in the lead-up Sydney 2000, there was much moaning from locals lamenting the cost and inconvenience of it all. As in Sydney, all of that vanished the minute the flame was lit. The British tabloids have taken predictable swipes at Australia’s lowly standing on the medal table relative to team GB, which was predictable and no more or less than we would have done. But that’s nothing compared to the venom with which Australia has attacked itself during these Games. feedback@thepunch.com.au (The Punch Team) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/The-whinger-games/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/The-whinger-games/#item9189 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 For a country obsessed with home improvement, we are remarkably apathetic about any attempts to renovate our national emblem. From overhauling the kitchen to playing amateur interior designer, there’s no limit on our collective desire to spruce up our residences. But turn the conversation to the topic of a little long-overdue remodeling of the national flag and suddenly it all gets far too difficult. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/first-we-take-the-really-big-mattress-then-the-world/ In an Olympics which thus far have been disappointingly free of controversy, skulduggery and scandal, Australian pole vaulter Steve Hooker has led a pole vault revolt against the dastardly forces of pole vault officialdom. A dramatic situation unfolded in the London Olympic Stadium last night, as heavy-handed thugs disguised as meek, middle-aged athletics officials with Midlands accents insisted the vaulters compete in the event which they’d flown to London to compete in. Steve Hooker and his fellow vaulters were having none of that bullying. feedback@thepunch.com.au (The Punch Team) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/first-we-take-the-really-big-mattress-then-the-world/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/first-we-take-the-really-big-mattress-then-the-world/#item9186 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 For a country obsessed with home improvement, we are remarkably apathetic about any attempts to renovate our national emblem. From overhauling the kitchen to playing amateur interior designer, there’s no limit on our collective desire to spruce up our residences. But turn the conversation to the topic of a little long-overdue remodeling of the national flag and suddenly it all gets far too difficult. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Aussie-golden-girls-were-faster-smarter-stronger/ If this was a page, not a computer screen, it would be horribly smudged with tears today and you’d barely be able to read a word. Overnight, two wonderful Australian sporstwomen won Olympic gold medals, each as thrilling as the next. First Anna Meares destroyed England’s velodrome queen, Victoria Pendleton. Then in the faint light of an Australian dawn, as rain tumbled on the London track, Sally Pearson won the one we’d all been waiting for, the 100m hurdles. Afterwards, Sally said she felt like she’s walking on clouds. We all do this morning, Sally. After a stuttering first 10 days, Australia is finally making its presence felt at these Olympics, with victories we can all savour whether we’re once-every-four-years enthusiasts or diehard members of the Oi! Oi! Oi! brigade with Southern Cross tattoos on our necks. feedback@thepunch.com.au (The Punch Team) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Aussie-golden-girls-were-faster-smarter-stronger/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Aussie-golden-girls-were-faster-smarter-stronger/#item9176 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 For a country obsessed with home improvement, we are remarkably apathetic about any attempts to renovate our national emblem. From overhauling the kitchen to playing amateur interior designer, there’s no limit on our collective desire to spruce up our residences. But turn the conversation to the topic of a little long-overdue remodeling of the national flag and suddenly it all gets far too difficult.