Pelé became one of the sport’s greatest personalities Pelé. It’s a name that’s instantly recognizable. A name that evokes a multitude of emotions and memories. And a name that truly doesn’t require a great deal of explanation. The Brazilian football legend, whose full name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, passed away on Dec. 29, 2022.…
After the 1958 World Cup, international football suddenly had a new superstar Albeit in a sad way, it’s perhaps appropriate that news of Pelé’s declining health coincides with the World Cup. The tournament was, after all, the stage where he first came to international attention back in 1958. He was 17 at the time. Being…
We need to courageously start to address the injustices in our own countries It is said that when you point the finger at someone, three fingers are pointing back at you. The 2022 Men’s Football (Soccer) World Cup has been characterized by a lot of finger-pointing. Statements made by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)…
Canada had a good performance in this year's World Cup, but there is still plenty of work to be done When Canada qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, many hoped it would result in a better performance for the men’s soccer team than it had in Mexico in 1986. Fortunately, it did. Canada…
Politicians shouldn’t be wasting tax dollars on their political vanity project
Consider this: for every minute that Toronto and Vancouver host World Cup games, taxpayers will be on the hook for $644,000. Last week, Canadians learned that Toronto and Vancouver had been tapped to host five World Cup games each as part of North America’s bid for the 2026 World Cup. Politicians in both cities have…
Being a true football fan in Canada has been a pretty lonely existence
Thirty-six years ago last week, the Calgary Flames scored one of their most famous triumphs – a 3-2 Game 7 playoff victory over the defending Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers. Back then I was sports editor of the Calgary Sun, and that playoff run to the finals (Calgary lost to Montreal in five games) consumed…
From penalty kicks to the Academic All-Canadians, Kiera Fujimoto was a clutch player on the soccer pitch and in the classroom
The second-last time former University of Alberta Pandas midfielder Kiera Fujimoto took a penalty kick to decide a meaningful soccer game, she was a member of an under-15 Team Alberta playing in the final of the All-Star National Championship in Ontario. Unfortunately, her miss as the seventh shooter resulted in a loss in the final.…
Social support in rec leagues builds confidence and offers a reprieve from negative emotions, researcher finds
Besides the physical fitness and social benefits of sport, recreational athletes use their sport participation as a way to cope with adverse life events, according to a University of Alberta study. The study could help adult sport associations better market and reshape their leagues to combat shrinking participation rates. “It’s not surprising that these recreational…
You’ll forgive me if we take a slight detour from politics this week. An important event in sports just occurred that requires some personal attention. On June 25, Liverpool Football Club broke a 30-year drought and clinched the English Premier League title. Yes, this winless streak pales in comparison to the Chicago Cubs (108-year drought)…
So when will sports be resumed and how can they play a role in transitioning to normalcy again?
Canada hasn’t been a trailblazer in much of the response to COVID-19. The federal government has been a day late and a quarantine short on some crucial issues. But in becoming the first major Western nation to completely withdraw from the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Canada has made a bold step. Now, an avalanche…