In Formula One, Lewis Hamilton has been stripped of his victory at Spa Francorchamps after stewards adjudged him of gaining an advantage by cutting a chicane. Lewis will definitely think that he was unfairly punished as he let world championship rival Kimi Raikkonen back through after passing the Finn by cutting the chicane after the two banged wheels in tricky conditions. Hamilton re-passed Raikkonen again going into the La Source hairpin as the Briton showed more confidence on a slippery track. Raikkonen later lost it exiting Blanchimont slamming into the barrier ending his race and title hopes for this season. I can’t see how Hamilton gained an advantage as he slowed right down before crossing the line to start a new lap. It was Raikkonen’s cautiousness that cost him the lead, not Hamilton having an unfair advantage, the Briton probably would have taken the lead at La Source even if he had followed Raikkonen through the chicane given Raikkonen’s cautiousness in the conditions. The punishment is even more harsh when you consider 25 seconds was added to his finishing time, he didn’t gain 25 seconds by cutting the chicane. Hamilton dropped to third after being docked 25 seconds which allowed Felipe Massa to close the gap to Hamilton to two points instead of extending Hamilton’s lead to 8 points!
England started their world cup qualifying campaign against Andorra In Barcalona on Saturday. Although England won the match 2 – 0 they really didn’t cover themselves in glory against what is affectively a part time team. The Andorians played a very defensive game and never looked like attacking almost living inside their 18 yard box for the whole 90 minutes. But when you consider the world class players that feature in the England squad they really should have been able to break down the home defence. The travelling English fans made the displeasure evident at half time booing the English players off the field. Fabio Capello made two changes at half time bringing on Joe Cole and Emile Heskey and that change had an immediate impact. Joe Cole spectacularly volleying Frank Lampard’s free kick goal bound in the 49th minute. Cole found the target again six minutes later prodding Rooney’s pass past the Andorran keeper. But then the inevitable happened, England started to sit back which infuriated the new England boss and heated words were exchanged between Joe Cole, Wayne Rooney and Capello. I agree wholeheartedly with Capello’s stance, this has been a problem for many years under successive managers where England get a two goal cushion then step off the gas instead of going for the kill. England will need to step up their game considerably when they meet Croatia in Zagreb on Wednesday, the Croatians won’t be defensive and we know what happened last time the two teams met!
And finally: Archbishop Desmond Tutu has talked to the BBC about homophobia within the church. He said that he is ashamed of the church for being obsessed with homophobia when there are much bigger issues such as poverty and world hunger. He went on to say that being homosexual isn’t a choice, it’s something that you are, it’s something that you’re born feeling. Continuing no-one in their right mind would choose to be homosexual knowing the way that they will be treated in today’s world. Just for a change I agree with something that has been said by a man of God. Maybe if we had more free thinkers like this then we wouldn’t be in such a fucked up situation on the this planet. Because someone is different from the NORM (whatever that may be?) doesn’t mean that it’s wrong, each to their own, just leave them be and let them be happy, isn’t that what we all want at the end of the day?