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Reasons to be down: Russian racism, Test cricket dying. Reasons to be cheerful: NFL’s first female coach, Chris Froome, Reasons to laugh: Fifa, angry caddy.  Sport Geek’s take on the week is below. Please feel free to share and spread the word.

OLYMPICS
Everyone knows hosting the Olympics is an expensive nightmare. Case in point: Tokyo’s stadium. So a sigh of relief for the taxpayers of Boston, then. Although LA may step in. (A reminder: the 1984 Olympics only turned a profit because the city was allowed to use existing facilities.)

Sexism, of sorts? Why can’t men be Olympic synchronised swimmers?

CYCLING
TdF / Froome time: where does he rank among British cycling greats? Is all the acrimony all just Gallic Froome-envy? Pity there weren’t more sprints, says a sprinter.

Not Froome: who is the fastest man in the peloton: Cavendish, Kittel or Greipel?

GOLF
Tiger Woods’ decline is reminiscent of Willie Mays. Does golf need a black champion? It’s official, the Woods era is over. There’s a new youth movement, headed by Spieth.

The inside track on Jordan Spieth at the Open. Talking of which, it was a beautiful mess. Who won? Oh yes, Zach Johnson. Fair play to the guy.

Golfer vs caddie bust up: he started it, no he started it.

FOOTBALL
Football needs more than one referee. Other sports do, so why not?

Scottish football needs Rangers back in the top flight.

Remember the “Galacticos“? It started 15 years ago when Luis Figo signed for Real Madrid.

Spurs are just not the same when they are not buying inadequate but expensive players.

The US should fire Jurgen Klinsmann.

Is Arsene Wenger a socialist?

CRICKET
After the second Test Ashes debacle, will Gary Ballance get the chop?

Remember Shane Warne? Pre-poker and Hurley, he bowled like a god.

Is Test cricket dying?

Book review: Who wants to be a batsman? The analyst unveils the secrets of batting, by Simon Hughes

RUSSIA WORLD CUP RACISM ROW
What the World Cup really needs: Russian racism on top of all the other scandals (see Fifa).

From the you-couldn’t-make-it-up file, “Miss Charming”, the Russian Premier League annual beauty contest winner, posts neo-Nazi messages on social media. Then a black player gets a ban for reacting to racist chanting, but the club gets away with it. Some clubs even have fans who call for all-white teams. Not good. Calling other countries out for the same problem isn’t exactly a useful answer. In fact, it’s clear Russia just doesn’t have any sort of plan to deal with this.

TENNIS
Can Nadal turn his season around at the US Open? Strangely, a European clay victory would be a good place to start.

Andy Murray is tough.

Once the slams weren’t so grand. Here’s how Australia turned it around. Talking of slams, the US Open is going to be all about Serena. Nothing else matters.

BASEBALL
The “steroid era” may be over, but Major League Baseball is still dealing with its consequences. Talking of which – should Barry Bonds be in Hall of Fame?

FIFA
It’s the sporting body that just keeps on giving.

Putin says Blatter should get the Nobel peace prize. Stop laughing, there’s more. When you need to post bail on corruption charges, perhaps ponying up a bunch of Rolex watches and a Ferrari might not be the best idea. Oh, and the Fifa Movie? It really was a complete bomb.

FORMULA 1
Lewis Hamilton just can’t get a start, and it’s going to get worse.

RUGBY
The Rugby World Cup will be a big cash earner, but the Pacific Islands won’t see much of it.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL
The NFL gets its first female coach. Yay progress.

ATHLETICS
Bolt vs Gatlin could be seriously quick. Bolt’s back, thank God.

BASKETBALL
The strange world of the Korean Basketball League draft. In Vegas.

MARKETING ETC
Roger Federer is the world’s most marketable sports star. Tiger Woods is still number two, ffs.

Forget Nike: Under Armour have the most exciting line up.

BOXING
Tyson Fury might not beat Wladimir Klitschko, but he’s clearly more amusing: “You have about as much charisma as my underpants”. Nice.

That’s it, thanks and see you next Tuesday. Any suggestions, shout: newsletter@minto.net.