The Broad-Walk Umpire

So it has been an eventful few weeks and months for British sport! With Justin Rose winning the US Open, the Lions coming out on top in their tour of Australia, Andy Murray becoming British for another year after winning Wimbledon, Chris Froome nearing winning the yellow jersey in the Tour De France, and England gaining a foothold towards another home Ashes success. But none of these have come and gone without a certain deal of fortune or inconsistency. The Lions tour of Australia was a battering and injury prone experience for all those involved on both sides. With Australia's side in disarray prior to the tour, the Lions took the impetus and won the test thanks to a slip up by Kurtley Beale taking a last minute penalty. But all this was cast over by a shadow of James Horwill's stamp on Alyn Wyn Jones - an incident that would be later cited and issued as an example of the negative side of a physical sport such as rugby. With Andy Murray winning Wimbledon for the first time in front of an excitable, nervous and sun drenched crowd, it further extended the optimism and positivity surrounding British sport in all its facets. It was arguably the most exciting and unpredictable Wimbledon in years after Nadal fell to Darcis in the 1st Round and Federer lost in the 2nd Round, along with a further 7 high hopefuls including Tsonga, Azarenka, and Sharapova withdrawing through injury on an eventful opening few sessions. The route to the final opened up for Murray. However it was not as easy as everybody predicted. Was it to be another year of disappointment? Was a nation's expectations on Murray's shoulders too much to deal with? Was Janowicz's mind games and complaining going to effect the outcome everybody on Henmann Hill / Murray Mound, in Centre Court, or at home wanted to happen? Thankfully not, and as a result, Britain had another milestone victory to celebrate. Milking the celebrations and accolades was understandable and well earned, however, the way the commentators and articles online dedicated Murray's victory to be the cure of over 70 years of hurt in not having a British winner of Wimbledon was near on a kick in the teeth for Virginia Wade, the British woman who won Wimbledon in 1977 - a mere 36 years ago, not 77 years ago. Admittedly, newspapers would later reference the 'forgotten woman' whereas BBC at the time of broadcasting would hark on about Murray being the first British winner, not specifically the first British male winner. A minor but significant point some may say.

With Chris Froome at the final hurdle in his search for a Tour De France win, his success has come at somewhat of a shock and surprise to a lot of people and with all that has come and gone with cycling recently with Lance Armstrong being uncovered as a dope user to enhance his sporting supremacy. With this resulting in Armstrong getting all his accolades stripped off him so as to represent the stance cycling and sport in general has on the use of sport enhancing drugs - this was further strengthened by the latest news of Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell's use of drugs in their sprinting careers and the reaction of everyone associated to athletics in general. Froome strongly denies using any drugs and I wholeheartedly believe him. Just because someone has worked hard for their success does not mean that the media and fellow sportsmen and sportswomen should jump on the bandwagon to criticise or be suspicious of them finding immediate success.

The first Ashes test match between England and Australia at Trent Bridge unfolded into a game which would be filled with a high level of tension and controversy. Stuart Broad, on 37 runs at the time, clipped the ball off his bat to first slip deflecting off the gloves of the wicket keeper. On any given day this would have been given out straight away - the clip was obvious, the catch was clearly legal, but Broad did not walk. By this point, Australia had run out of reviews on the hawk-eye system so had to accept the decision to give Broad 'not out' by Aleem Dar. Much debate was had on twitter, radio and in the newspapers, with some individuals, including Piers Morgan in his heated exchange of words with Gary Lineker, saying that for the good of the game and moral reasons Broad should have walked and not be seen as a cheat. Nonetheless, it is the umpire's decision at the end of the day to give the bowler the benefit of the doubt if they are uncertain. Admittedly, anyone with two eyes and a brain could work out that Broad should've been given out, but incidentally, he went on to add another 28 runs to his tally (a score that would prove vital in the outcome of the match that was won by England by a mere 14 runs). The fact remains that both Clarke and Haddin both refused to walk as well without going for a review before so the argument that certain individuals upheld with such furore that Broad should have walked was near on hypocritical. If the argument that sportsmen and women should leave the field of the play if their actions deserve a dismissal or a loss of a point, then sport would be one where referees and linesmen would become unnecessary. It is in our nature to be competitive (admittedly this does not mean cheating is right and nor do I encourage such an attitude towards sport) but it would be like Neuer picking the ball up after Frank Lampard's shot went a few feet over the goal line, going up to the referee and admitting it was a goal and putting the ball on the half way line. It just would not happen, and to think Broad would walk without any incentive after not being given out by the umpire is naiive. Human error, slyness, or competitiveness - whatever you want to tarnish these events with is a part of sport and will most likely always be part of sport. It is just a shame that with the technology that sport has these days you would think that such significant decisions would be mulled over more-so than a wide ball that would run away for a 4. Rugby has the TMO system which has been in place for the last 12 years, Tennis and Cricket have had hawk-eye and hot spot technology since 2008, and Football? Football is years behind other sports in the technology race and are only just introducing goal line technology into the 2013/14 season.

In turn, there are always going to be controversial moments in sport, however you play the game or analyse the game from the stands or at home on your sofa. Each person is going to have a different opinion on how or why an incident in a match happened, unfolded or went unnoticed. Human error is always going to have an effect on sport, whether it be in missing an offside call which is clear as day that would lead to a 1-0 victory in a key derby in the title or relegation battle, or a stamp, high tackle or forward pass in rugby. It is admittedly unthinkable that in this day and age that such issues have to be later cited or cautioned but it is unfortunately the world we live in and hopefully one day such issues will be resolved.

Jonathan Whitehead