Olympic Shorts: Don't worry about injuries, the doctor has got it taped

What the devil is Kinesio tape? Those strips of Elastoplast-like stuff that could be seen on the backs of not a few of the Olympic divers yesterday, and at the moment it's all the rage with sportsmen of many disciplines. But what actually is it?

Its Japanese inventor, Dr Kenzo Kase, says that it is better than standard strapping for injuries, because "it lifts the skin to assist the lymphatic flow, which in turn reduces pain and swelling".

He does accept that at the moment, there is no real expert scientific evidence to prove these claims – but fashion in this matter is clearly superior to science.

Macca's backing Rita

Sir Paul McCartney has sent a message of support to Team GB's 49er sailors. Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes received the backing as their boat, Lovely Rita, is also the name of a Beatles track. Sir Paul wrote: "Wishing you the very best of luck on the Lovely Rita in the games. Happy sailing to you both. "From someone who loves to potter about on his little Sunfish. All the best, Paul McCartney." A Sunfish is a small sailing dinghy.

Plucky but medal-less

San Marino is 24 miles square, surrounded entirely by Italy, and has only 31,000 inhabitants, yet it has competed in 12 summer Olympics since 1960, without ever winning a medal. This surely qualifies it for the adjective we British apply to such tiny nations, plucky. This year it has sent three women (Martina Pretelli, a 100m sprinter, Alessandra Perilli, a shooter, and Clelia Tini, a 100m freestyle swimmer), plus one man, Emanuele Guidi, who can be seen in action this morning in the men's individual archerys. Sgr Guidi's chances of bringing back that first medal may not be high, as he is seeded 64th out of 64 and is shooting against the No 1 seed, Dong Hyun Im, of South Korea. Plucky, indeed. But let us do the decent thing and say, Coraggio, Emanuele!

Cashing in on fans

There was no podium place for Visa in the public relations games last night as its credit card payment system failed at Wembley and the company first apologised – and then decided not to.

Thousands of football fans watching Team GB play against the United Arab Emirates were told that they could only pay by cash at Wembley as the Visa machines had failed.

A statement from major Olympics sponsor Visa’s public relations consultants at first said sorry for "any inconvenience caused". Thirty eight minutes later a second statement said Visa was "working with the Wembley team" to fix the problem as soon as possible – and omitted the apology.

Irate fans then took to Twitter to vent their fury.

Quote of the day

"To be an Olympic medallist at your home Games, and the first one, is something I cannot get my head around" - Women's cycling road race silver medallist Lizzie Armitstead