Malcolm Speed has been placed on ‘gardening leave’ for his remaining two months as chief executive of the International Cricket Council. His position became untenable after infighting within the organisation over how to proceed following an independent ICC audit of Zimbabwe Cricket found “severe financial irregularities” within the organisation.

Sports journalists Muse Mohamed Osman and Shafici Mohyaddin Abokar, president and first vice president of the Somali Sports Press Association (SSPA) respectively, were detained by Mogadishu police officers last week and threatened with their lives.

The trafficking of football players from Africa is often wrongly regarded as a solely European phenomenon. As Pakistani journalist Shazad Ali of DAWN newspaper shows, trafficking is an issue in South Asia as well.

South African parliamentarian George Lekgetho of the ruling ANC party has proposed that South Africa legalises prostitution for the duration of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in order to prevent instances of rape, as well as bring in revenue for the government to help the unemployed. His suggestion is the latest development in an ongoing debate in South Africa about how to tackle prostitution and human trafficking before the World Cup kicks off in two years time.

Following the disputed outcome of the presidential election held on the 27 December 2007, Kenya has been beset by a rash of violence along political, tribal and ethnic lines. Sport too has been a victim, though once the violence recedes, it is hoped that sport will be able to play a major role in reunifying the nation.

Year in, year out, governments at all levels and corporate bodies spend billions of naira on Sports Development. But there is little, or nothing to show for their huge investment. Olukayode Thomas reports that, unless President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua declares a state of emergency in sports, Nigeria, a country teeming with talented athletes in all areas of sports, will continue to play second fiddle to other nations at global championships.

In April this year, Robert K. Cheruiyot from Kenya won the annual marathon in Boston and took home 100,000 US dollars in prize money. A week later another Kenyan, Martin Lel, won the marathon in London with a prize of 55,000 US dollars. Prize money from running has become a very important part of Kenya’s economy as many runners take the money home to invest them.

Each year many school-age African boys come to Europe because they believe they have a contract with a professional football club. Unfortunately, the majority have been set up by false agents and end up in the streets as illegal immigrants with no money. Now members of the European Parliament want to put an end to this illegal practice and propose a solidarity fund and prevention programmes.