ON THE FRINGE by Stephen Hobbs

Euro 2012

July 2– Spain dominated Italy 4-0 in the final of the Euro 2012 tournament and won an unprecedented second-straight Euro tournament and also a third-straight major tournament. The Spanish won the 2008 European Championship, the 2010 World Cup and now the 2012 European Championship. Finally the attention can turn to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup. Will Spain be able to repeat as the World Cup champion? Will FIFA learn from UEFA’s handling of the racist actions of fans at the Euro 2012 tournament?

More News From the Pitch

UEFA has done it again. The body that oversees European soccer has asked for a delay on a decision to approve goal-line technology. FIFA’s president Sepp Blatter said that the technology was “no longer an alternative but a necessity” at the World Cup in Brazil. However, UEFA’s president and secretary general are not convinced. UEFA’s president Michel Platini said in response to a reporter’s question on the technology, “Are you sure that it works? … No one today has seen the trials. I’m against technology itself because then it’s just going to invade every single area of football.” Platini’s argument is valid but once again is an example of the organization’s urge to stay rooted in the past. Besides, UEFA has many more pressing issues on its plate: reports coming out of the Euro 2012 tournament suggest that UEFA “manipulated” live coverage of the semi-final match between Germany and Italy. Also, UEFA’s handling of the racism at the tournament was questionable. As Kris Voakes concludes in his article for goal.com titled Disproportionate punishments undermine UEFA’s new hard-line disciplinary stance, “UEFA clearly still has a lot to learn.”

U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials

Natalie Coughlin

For Natalie Coughlin, the road to the 2012 London Olympics was anything but easy. After failing to qualify for the team after the 100-meter backstroke and butterfly, Coughlin had one final race make the roster. She needed to finish in the top-six of the 100-meter freestyle race to make the 4×100 relay team. Coughlin finished in sixth and punched her ticket to London. The 29-year-old, who will be competing in her third Olympics, has 11 career Olympic medals.

Anthony Ervin

What a comeback for Anthony Ervin. The co-Olympic Gold medalist in the 50-meter freestyle in the 2000 Sydney Olympics will be in the pool for an Olympic Games once again. Ervin capped off an incredible comeback to the sport after he stopped swimming at the age of 22. The U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials will wrap up tonight from Omaha.