Inside Lines: No treading on toes in the long run

Lord Moynihan's shock move to beef up the British Olympic Association by switching chief executive Simon Clegg to oversee the drive towards the targeted fourth place in the 2012 medals table would seem to have again put him in conflict with the Government agency UK Sport, who see this aspect of Olympic preparation as their province. Not so, insists the BOA chairman. "It is all sorted. We are working it out so there will be no conflict with either UK Sport or [2012 organising committee] Locog." He also says Clegg's new role will not clash with that of the BOA's performance director, Sir Clive Woodward, whose appointment initially caused a rift with UK Sport, who felt it duplicated their brief. Moynihan says: "Anything Simon does will be completely supportive of Clive's operation." The BOA shake-up will see a new chief executive appointed, and Moynihan wants a big hitter from the business world of similar stature to Locog's Paul Deighton. With 2012 in mind, Moynihan, who was angered by the BOA's gagging gaffe over Beijing, aims to make further "significant changes" to strengthen the organisation.

Sport England face trouble with Mills

Having failed to persuade the redoubtable Tanni Grey-Thompson to become their new chair, Sport England face a tug of war with the Football Association for Air Miles originator Sir Keith Mills, one of the principal architects of the London 2012 campaign. But he needs assurances that there will be none of the Government interference which caused the resignation of Derek Mapp. Meanwhile, recruiting company Odgers have been hired by the FA to create a management team for the 2018 World Cup bid. Football fan Mills, a Tottenham director, heads their list.

No medals given for gifts of Gabby

Gabby Logan is a key member of the cast of hundreds who will descend on Beijing next month to cover the Olympics for the BBC. Just as well, though, that the glamorous ex-gymnast is not in the British relay team, otherwise she would probably drop the baton, just as she did a rare 1908 Olympic gold medal when it was handed to her on stage by co-presenter Steve Cram at last week's British Olympic Association fundraising ball. More embarrassingly, Logan also dropped a clanger when interviewing the top British distance runner Mo Farah, asking: "How do you penetrate the Africans?" "In the usual way, I imagine," Cram intervened hastily, much to the amusement of Logan's Scottish rugby international husband Kenny, who led the laughter.

Put your shirt on Coe to reach Beijing

Bidding has become a buzzword in Olympic circles, and was a popular activity at the BOA ball during an auction to raise cash towards the £80,000 it apparently takes to send each athlete to the Games. Seb Coe seemed very keen to obtain a T-shirt signed by former swimming star Karen Pickering, while Kate Moynihan, wife of the BOA chair-man, fought for a sparring session with professional boxer Cathy "The Bitch" Brown. London 2012's admirable chief spinmistress Jackie Brock-Doyle was in the market for a free flight – in a hot-air balloon – and Kenny Logan sought to send his missus Gabby to a body-toning boot camp.

The Hitman enjoys his pie and bash

Money doesn't mean much to mega-rich boxer Ricky Hatton these days, so when he struck a winning bet with his comedian pal Patrick Kielty over his last fight he asked to be paid in pork pies. Two dozen duly arrived, and judging from Hatton's usual between-bouts gourmandising, there are no prizes for guessing who ate all the pies.

insidelines@independent.co.uk