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Inside Lines: Concern surfaces over Campbell's two hats

Alan Hubbard
Sunday 06 April 2003 00:00 BST
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The name Campbell is influential when it comes to Government policy. We are not talking Alastair here, but a girl named Sue. Or rather, a woman who wields more power in sport than any other, and more than many men too. But the extent of it seems to be worrying some sports leaders. Sue Campbell was not among the top 10 most influential women in sport named in a national newspaper last week, but she should have been – way ahead of the usual suspects Karren Brady, Kate Hoey and Gabby Logan. A former PE teacher, international athlete and netball player, she is chief executive of the Youth Sports Trust, but more importantly, a senior non-political adviser to the Government on sport, health and education. She has the ear of several ministers and is a key voice in the distribution of Exchequer funds to sport. This Campbell is not a spinner but a sporting guru, upon whom the Government relies heavily. She has been involved in a number of major policy documents, and has been on the interviewing panel for senior appointments such as the chair of Sport England, the restructuring of which she has also advised on. Yet there are those who believe her Government role and her day job could be a conflict of interests. "She has a huge say in the way Government money is spent in sport and some of this, quite properly, goes to the Youth Sports Trust,'' said one administrator. "She has the good of sport at heart and has honest intentions, but clearly she is in an advantageous position, even if she does not take advantage of it.'' While the YST has received substantial subsidies, the Manchester-based Youth Charter for Sport, which does similar work, has not, and this disparity does seem a matter of some concern.

How I silenced The Greatest, by Norton

Ken Norton, the only man who managed to stop Muhammad Ali talking, is coming to Britain to do some talking of his own. In 1973 the muscled ex-Marine not only beat Ali on a split decision, but broke his jaw. He will be telling fight fans all about it at the Britannia International Hotel in London's Docklands on 22 April, and also about his other two bouts with The Greatest. Although never a world champion himself, the 59-year-old Norton is a fascinating figure. He starred as a slave in Mandingo, and has a son, Ken Junior, who played in the Super Bowl. He also ended up with brain damage – the result of a 1988 car smash. His vocal chords were also shattered and he spent two years in a wheelchair. Norton's trip has been arranged by the former world welterweight champion John Stracey, also an after-dinner speaker. The import of fight personalities for speaking engagements has become a burgeoning business. Roberto Duran is due here shortly, and there will be a double-header featuring Earnie Shavers and Marvin Hagler in Leicester on 28 April – or in this case, a double bald-header.

Leipzig can win German battle of two cities

The Iraq war may have claimed its first Olympic bid casualty. No, not London, but Hamburg, which was front-runner to be the German candidate for 2012. The German Olympic Committee meet next weekend to nominate a host city, but Hamburg, which topped their evaluation list, now looks a non-runner because of concerns at possible disruption by Muslim extremists and neo-Nazi elements. One of the ringleaders ofSeptember 11 was Hamburg-based and the city, something of a political hotbed, is reluctant to become the focus of world attention. So it seems Leipzig will get the nod, and because it was formerly an East German city the novelty value could make it a potential winner when push comes to vote in 2005.

Cautiously counting their pennies following the extravagant era of departed chief executive Adam Crozier, the Football Association are being urged to make a substantial saving on his £600,000-a-year salary by giving the job to his current stand-in, David Davies.

Although Davies has never applied for the post he has now twice held in a caretaker capacity, he is being prevailed upon to do so by FA councillors concerned at the escalating cash-flow crisis. Sport England's cost-effective decision to upgrade deputy Roger Draper when David Moffett legged it to the Welsh RFU has been noted at Soho Square. Commercial director Paul Barber and financial chief Nic Coward, who is doing Crozier's job in tandem with Davies, are also being considered, but Davies is the more obvious choice because of his experience in running the FA's Public Relations and International Affairs Department. He is also well connected in Westminster and Whitehall following his days as a BBC political correspondent.

The former Sports Minister Kate Hoey, these days one of the prickliest thorns in the Government's side, is to raise in Parliament the cost to the taxpayer of the recent "sports summit" hosted by the BBC and UK Sport. It ran into thousands, money she feels could have been better spent at grass-roots level.

One such deserving cause is the panathlon, the multi-sports event for inner-city schools whose finals last week featured 500 kids at Crystal Palace. Eltham Green School were the winners. With its sponsorship under review because of the financial climate, the event could face a huge shortfall which may mean depleted finals in future, though we doubt this was debated among the winers and diners at Television Centre. insidelines@independent.co.uk

Exit Lines

There was a bit of pushing and a lot of banter. "Wait until you come to Turkey" was the shout with fingers being passed across throats. And that was just the kit-man. England footballer Gareth Southgate reflects on the aftermath of the Turkey game at the Stadium of Light... We don't have one because we don't live in a dictatorship. Richard Caborn's reasoning for the lack of a dedicated sports minister in the Cabinet... I am slowly putting some meat on the bones and it shows I have the talent to back up the talk. Audley Harrison sticks to fight gameplan.

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