Usain Bolt's coach defends Jamaican sprinters from 'unfair' criticism

Asafa Powell is one of six Jamaican athletes to have tested positive for doping in 2013. Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images

Usain Bolt's coach, Glen Mills, says that Jamaican sprinters are being "unfairly targeted" because of their dominance at world level and that criticism of the country's anti-doping programme is unjustified.

On Monday the World Anti-Doping Agency announced it would be launching an "extraordinary" audit into allegations that there was only one random drugs test in Jamaica between March and July 2012 in the run-up to the Olympics.

But Mills, who also coaches Yohan Blake and Warren Weir, says that the international media is guilty of "sensationalising" the issue of doping in the country.

"They target Jamaica because of its success," said Mills. "There is no doubt about it. Nobody wants to see Jamaica continue its dominance of sprinting at the world level. One has to question the balance of their reporting. I have read some terrible articles written about Jamaica. I have read some terrible articles trying to insinuate that Usain Bolt's success is false because of all of this."

This year six Jamaican athletes – including the former world 100m record holder Asafa Powell and Veronica Campbell-Brown, who has won 16 medals at Olympics and world championships – have tested positive for banned substances. However, Mills insisted that Jamaica's success was hard-earned.

"We have had some adverse analytical findings for stimulants and those other things, but there are so many cases of steroid use in other countries in the past couple of months, yet there is no sensationalising around those countries or athletes," he told The Gleaner.

"Yet everyone is banging on the Jamaicans because of our success, and the truth of the matter is that our success has come through hard work, excellent coaches and making the best use of our facilities that are below world-class standards," said Mills, who also stuck up for the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (Jadco), despite recent criticisms from its former executive director Renee Anne Shirley, pointing out that it was performing well given that it was only established in 2008.

"The Jamaican anti-doping programme is fairly new," he said . "Most countries performing at our level have been well advanced in their anti-doping programmes in terms of years of experience and expertise."

But Mills did admit that both the Jamaican government and the JamaicaAthletics Administrative Association (JAAA) needed to do more to help the island's athletes.

"The government is lagging behind; whether it is a financial reason or whatever, but they need to do a lot more," he said. "They could even set up a helpline where an athlete can call in and ask about a medication and receive advice if there is any danger or get it tested. It doesn't have to be a Jadco thing; this can come under the Ministry of Health, for instance.

"I also feel that the JAAA has not done a good job. Too often they have been silent and dormant, as if they are afraid to come out and defend Jamaica's image."

Novak Djokovic beats Juan Martín del Potro to retain Shanghai Masters

Novak Djokovic celebrates with the winner's trophy after defeating Juan Martín del Potro at the Shanghai Masters. Photograph: Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images

The top seed Novak Djokovic retained the Shanghai Masters title on Sunday by edging the sixth seed Juan Martín Del Potro in an entertaining three-set final which lasted more than two and a half hours.

The Serb toppled his Argentinian opponent 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 for his seventh ATP crown of the year, giving his hopes of overhauling Rafael Nadal for the end-of-year world No1 spot a slight boost.

Djokovic dominated the 34-minute first set, breaking the Del Potro serve in games two and four, and at that point looked firmly in control.

However, Del Potro responded well in the second set and stormed into a 3-0 lead thanks to a string of stunning winners. He then overcame a 0-40 deficit in game seven by winning five straight points and went on to close out the set by holding to love.

Del Potro saved two match points at 5-4 in the decider to force the tie-break, but world No2 Djokovic held his nerve and clinched his 12th consecutive match win with a backhand winner down the line.

Del Potro, who booked his place at next month's ATP World Tour Finals in London by beating Nadal in the semi-final on Saturday, was disappointed to see his eight-match winning streak come to an end but found kind words for his opponent.

"The match was really close and I think Nole (Djokovic) played some unbelievable points in the tie-break," he told atpworldtour.com. "The match was so exciting. At Wimbledon we played another fantastic match against each other. It's a really bad loss for me now. I was really close to beating him after beating Nadal."

Djokovic was equally gracious in victory after securing his 15th Masters 1000 title. "I have to start by congratulating Del Potro and his team for the fantastic week," the 26-year-old said on court after receiving the trophy. "You're a great person and even a better player, I'm sorry that you lost today. You deserve this trophy equally

Rory McIlroy says Nike not to blame for form loss but keeps mum on Wozniacki

Rory McIlroy has plenty to ponder at a press conference before the Korea Open. Photograph: Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Images

The golfer Rory McIlroy said his winless 2013 had nothing to do with his switch to Nike but he refused to discuss reports of a split with the tennisplayer Caroline Wozniacki.

McIlroy, speaking in Seoul before this week's Korea Open, deflected questions about his relationship with the Danish tennis player amid reports that the high-profile pair had broken up.

"My private life is private and I would like to keep it that way," the Northern Irishman said.

Wozniacki, meanwhile, dismissed the reports as speculation. "I'm so tired of the rumours. They occur every time Rory and I are apart a few days or do not write on Twitter," she told the Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet.

"There is nothing in it, and from now on I just think that I will keep my private life private.

"It is so annoying that the media and the so-called sources constantly spread the rumours. They write just what they want."

Wozniacki, who has slipped to ninth in the world rankings, said "all is well" with the relationship.

"I just want to be allowed to live my life off the court without all the speculation," she added.

McIlroy, who claimed the order of merit on both sides of the Atlantic last year and won two major titles by the age of 23, has endured a difficult year.

After switching his club brand at the start of the season to Nike in a lucrative deal reported to be worth £78m, the 24-year-old slipped from world No1 to sixth in the rankings.

Asked if his problems on the course were caused by mechanical or mental issues, McIlroy said: "I think it was a little bit of both.

"Mechanically my golf swing ... I fell into a couple of bad habits and I was trying to work myself out of it. It affects mental issues as well.

"Golf is a game of confidence and if you are confident it allows you to play better and freer ... with a free mind. Definitely nothing to do with equipment."

McIlroy said there was plenty of golf left in the year and ample opportunities for him to get that first win.

"I learned a lot this year," he added. "I was undergolfed for the first three to four months. It's the first year I struggled and I didn't live up to the expectation.

"This year is a little bit of a disappointment, But I have six tournaments left and will finish the season strongly."

In another off-course distraction, McIlroy recently terminated his contract with Horizon Sports Management and set up his own company to run his business interests.

That messy break-up reached a Dublin court on Monday with McIlroy unhappy with the commission the Dublin firm was charging for its services.

Horizon has said it was disappointed McIlroy had ended a contract that had a number of years left to run.

"Since October 2011 Horizon has achieved exceptional results for Rory in realising his commercial objectives," the company said in a statement.

"Under Horizon's management Rory has signed some of the most lucrative endorsements in sports history."

Roy Hodgson can teach our politicians so much

Roy Hodgson: 'He doesn’t play up to the media, chase celebrity or try to show off – unlike too many ­politicians of the modern era. He is a moderate. And he takes the long view. Good for him. But good for us too.' Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images

It was glumly predictable that David Cameron and Ed Miliband would both begin yesterday's session of prime minister's questions by trying to claim a little piece of the England football team's World Cup stardust. At the start of PMQs the leaders too often have to intone their "thoughts and prayers" – ghastly phrase – for the latest dead soldier in Afghanistan before getting down to business. Yesterday, before it became clear that they will now have to mark another Helmand sacrifice, the two politicians felt able to preface their exchanges with prattling plaudits for the England team and, with Alex Salmond being in London on Wednesday, carefully phrased commiserations for Scotland.

What a pathetic reflection on our politics and culture such moments are. Modern politicians may or may not actually like football. Yet they seem to believe, or the men do anyway, that by talking about football they somehow acquire blokeish authenticity and demonstrate a common touch with the voters. Labour started this nonsense – Harold Wilson was one of the earliest offenders – but the Tories are now almost as bad. It is a fruitless delusion. It would be absolutely astonishing if there exists a single piece of even flimsy polling evidence to justify the politicians' populist conceit.

Nevertheless, if they are smart about it, politicians – and the country – could actually learn something useful from England's success in qualifying for next summer's World Cup. That lesson has almost nothing directly to do with football – and this column, let me assure you, will not be about football and will be as unblokeish as I can manage – and nothing at all to do with triumphalism. But the lesson has everything to do with the man who did most of the right things to get England through the qualifying stages this week – the manager, Roy Hodgson.

I have never met Roy Hodgson, and I have no idea what his political views, if he has any, may be. In a naughty world, and since human beings are flawed, I dare say that he is no more perfect than any of us. That said, however, I think Hodgson is great. Not because his teams win football matches, though that's fine by me too, but because of the way that he behaves, and because of the values that he conveys. He's my kind of boss and my kind of Englishman. And he's the kind of person we need more of in public life.

Hodgson's virtues take several forms. Let's start with the most obvious one. Hodgson is a grey-haired man of 66 who is at the top of his game. This makes him older than every cabinet minister bar Vince Cable and Kenneth Clarke (who both seem to be rather more popular than most of their colleagues, as it happens). He is older than every member of the shadow cabinet, and significantly older than most of the Labourites who may be running the country in a couple of years. And yet Hodgson, at the height of his powers, is of an age at which politicians of his generation are mostly on the shelf. Meanwhile the reputation of politics has seldom been lower. Football's reputation is not exactly spotless either. But Hodgson, unlike most ministers, has the precious asset of experience.

Hodgson is also deeply and almost studiously unglamorous. There isn't a single thing about his appearance or demeanour that could be mistaken for trendy. It's simply not part of what he is trying to do. Instead he does what it says on his job description – he coaches the England team, pretty successfully too. I think there's a connection, as there was with Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. This is a man who seems comfortable in his own skin and is totally grounded. He doesn't play up to the media, chase celebrity or try to show off – unlike too many politicians of the modern era. He is a moderate. And he takes the long view. Good for him. But good for us too.

The England manager is also good at what he does. When he was appointed less than two years ago, Hodgson's job was to bring order into chaos. The England football team was full of overpaid, overhyped, over-rated and under-performing players. Hodgson appears to have gone back to basic skills, good organisation and intelligent planning. Instead of pretending that he could come up with a completely new way of winning football matches, he went back to proven ways. As Henry James once said – of Bach – he has the equanimity of a result. Quite a lot of results, as a matter of fact.

And, speaking of Henry James, Hodgson is also a man with a hinterland. He doesn't just speak English (which is more than can be said for some of his predecessors). He is said to speak five other European languages. He has plied his trade across borders and in many countries in Europe. He knows the world beyond England and, more important, the world beyond the football pitch, the airport lounge and the gated community too. He reads novels – and has been quoted as saying he likes the work of Milan Kundera, Martin Amis, John Updike and Stefan Zweig. (That's the Zweig who says, in his autobiography, that he always possessed a boundless indifference to sport.)

Hodgson proves that it is straightforward to be both an Englishman and a European. I love it when Hodgson says he is a proud Englishman, which he often does, because he manages to say it as it should be said, with unaffected pride yet without a single note of bombast, insularity or arrogance.

Perhaps – or so I like to think – this is partly because of the kind of Englishman that Hodgson seems to be. A working-class south Londoner, he is more or less the same age as the NHS; he was brought up in one of those famous hard-working families of which politicians speak so glibly; he went to a school named after John Ruskin (a writer who was thegreatest influence on a generation of Labour politicians), did an apprenticeship, and became a bit of an autodidact in the Ruskinian manner; he is a man who has bettered himself, a man who seems at one and the same time a bit old-fashioned and yet open to the rest of the world at a time when so many are closed to it.

And, above all, he is a realist not a fantasist. On Wednesday night, when he could have been basking, Hodgson played down the England team's chances next summer. This is a man who gets things in proportion, keeps some perspective, and knows his – and our – limitations. English football is very fortunate as it contemplates the task in hand. Politics could do with a dose of whatever he's on.

US economy had solid momentum before government shutdown, Fed says

Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke leaves after a bilateral meeting with the financial delegation from India at the IMF on Sunday. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP

The US economy was sailing smoothly, if not swiftly, before parts of the government shut down this month, according to a snapshot from the Federal Reserve that provided the fullest view of the recovery since federal data dried up.

The picture painted by the Fed's Beige Book report, released on Wednesday, showed that underlying momentum remained solid, although confidence had been tempered somewhat by uncertainty caused by budget battles in Washington.

"Reports from the twelve Federal Reserve districts suggest that national economic activity continued to expand at a modest to moderate pace during the reporting period of September through early October," the Fed said.

Financial markets have been flying almost blind since data publication was halted on 1 October, leaving investors to rely largely on private sector surveys to gauge the impact of the government shutdown and bitter debate between lawmakers on raising the US debt limit.

The report was put together by the Chicago Fed, based on information collected on or before 7 October.

"Contacts across districts generally remained cautiously optimistic in their outlook for future economic activity, although many also noted an increase in uncertainty due largely to the federal government shutdown and debt ceiling debate," the Fed noted.

Economists had trimmed estimates for US growth as the budget impasse lengthened, dragging the country to the brink of default as lawmakers failed to agree a deal to raise its debt limit ahead of an 17 October deadline, when the US Treasury said it would have exhausted its borrowing authority.

The US Senate announced a last minute deal on Wednesday to avert default and end the two-week shutdown. 

Japan typhoon toll at 17, dozens still missing: Reports

Rescue workers work to remove an electric pole that was knocked down by boulders as Typhoon Wipha passed through Kamakura in Kanagawa prefecture in Japan. PHOTO: AFP

TOKYO: At least 17 people died as a powerful typhoon lashed Japan’s Pacific coast Wednesday, media reports said, with the death toll likely to rise.

Typhoon Wipha, dubbed the strongest in a decade, caused landslides that buried houses as it churned past an island just south of Tokyo.

Public broadcaster NHK and Jiji Press reported at least 16 people had died and 51 were unaccounted for on Oshima, after houses were destroyed or swept away by a series of landslides and floods on the island, 120 kilometres (75 miles) south of the Japanese capital.

“We’ve confirmed that 13 people have died, and the number is likely to increase later,” a police official in Oshima earlier told AFP.

A woman was confirmed as dead in western Tokyo after her body was recovered from a river.

Many of the bodies of those who died on Oshima were found in houses that had been splintered by huge volumes of earth sent crashing down mountainsides by torrential rains and strong winds.

Footage from the island showed ruined wooden houses half buried in mud. Mangled trees and other debris were piled up around them.

The storm dumped more than 12 centimetres (5 inches) of rain on Oshima in an hour, according to the meteorological agency.

Many local residents had sought shelter in evacuation centres, reporting dirty water had been gushing into their homes, according to local media.

Emergency workers had rescued two people who were trapped inside a destroyed house by around 8am (2300 GMT), NHK said, adding police and firefighters were having difficulty getting to some stricken areas.

The bodies of two of those who died were discovered in a swollen river, while one other was pulled from a crushed house, NHK said.

“City hall and fire station officials are doing rescue work in places accessible,” a local official told AFP.

The local authority has not been able to confirm the whereabouts of 51 of the island’s more than 8,300 residents, Jiji Press reported.

It was not known if they were simply unable to make contact or if their situation was more grave.

Tokyo Metropolitan Police said earlier it was dispatching about 50 special police officers to the island as reinforcements, Jiji Press said.

Japanese troops have also sent three helicopters and several servicemen to Oshima to help with the rescue effort at the request of the Tokyo Metropolitan government, a defence ministry spokesperson said.

In western Tokyo, a woman who appeared to be in her 40s was confirmed dead at a hospital after she was discovered in a river, making the total death toll to 17, police and reports said.

A further three people were missing in the greater Tokyo area, officials and reports said.

In Kanagawa prefecture, south of Tokyo, helicopters were used to look for two elementary school boys who were believed to have been near a beach during the storm, a police spokesman said.

And fears were growing for the safety of a man in his 50s in Chiba prefecture, who has been missing since telling police there had been a landslide behind his house.

Further north, the operator of the battered Fukushima nuclear plant said it had released some rain water that was trapped inside its barrages, but added that its radiation reading was within safety limits.

It reported no ill effects on the power station, where thousands of tonnes of radiation-polluted water are being stored in tanks after being used to cool reactors.

At a train station east of Tokyo, a landslide left a section of the track unsupported, a spokesperson for Keisei Electric Railway said.

The Keisei line is one of the major rail access ways to the busy Narita Airport, the main international gateway to Tokyo.

More than 400 flights to and from Tokyo have been cancelled, most of them domestic, according to major Japanese carriers All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines.

Two flights between Tokyo and Seoul and another two flights between Tokyo and Hong Kong were among the cancellations, ANA said.

Altogether, the cancellations affected plans of some 61,600 travellers, the airlines said.

Typhoon Wipha, which had not made landfall, brought heavy rains and strong winds to Tokyo’s metropolitan area, heavily disrupting the morning commute for hundreds of thousands of people.

At 0600 GMT, it was located in the Pacific, east of the northeastern region, and had become an extratropical cyclone, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Ten of animated movies' most likeable leads

Lots of movies have great characters that entertain and absorb us. But a select few go one step beyond, nudging their films to greatness through some combination of crazy antics, sassy one-liners, slapstick moves and towering spirit. You could argue for days about who is the best-ever character, but most would agree this roundup salutes some pretty amazing animated stars