Adam in Golwg

The p*** taking column in Golwg (which depends heavily on the Welsh blogosphere but never acknowledges any blog as it's source) says that the Western Mail has had so many scoops from the magazine's Adam Price column, that they are now asking for pre release copy!

However the WM doesn't seem very interested in Adam's latest rant, which in my humble opinion is his best. So here is an attempt at a translation:

Welsh athletes need a chance

An independent Wales would be insular and lose its place on the international stage, says the prospective parliamentary candidate Glyn Davies

Watch the international games in Osaka this week and you will see this argument smashed under the shadow of the Union Jack.

Just four Welsh athletes were allowed to travel with the British team to the International Athletics Tournament

Just two of them, Tim Benjamin in the 400m hurdles and Tracy Morris in the marathon are able to compete as individuals. The former junior world champion Christian Malcolm from Cardiff, and David Green from Llanelli, who won the U 23 European championship last month are only part of a relay team, a disappointment for them as individuals and the supporters of Welsh athletics.

There is no room at all for Steven Davies in the 1500 meter or Tim Abeyie in the 200 meters.

The biggest shock was the decision to leave Phillipa Ross, the discus thrower from Neath, out of the team - despite the fact that she is the best thrower in the nations of Britain and despite the fact that she threw the discus a meter further than was needed to secure a place in Osaka

Compare our experience and that of the Republic of Ireland, a nation with more-or-less the same population. Ireland has 17 athletes in Japan this week!

The United Kingdom doesn't give us the opportunity to shine on the world stage, it stifles us.

And this lack of ambition as a nation leads to a lack of ambition for individuals. The success of our national heroes, as we saw last week with our national football team in Bulgaria, breeds the desire to copy them amongst our youth.

Without role models with a Welsh focus there is no way that athletics can compete with football and rugby. There is no wonder, therefore that Welsh Athletics is in a bit of a crisis, with Cardiff Athletic team being relegated to the second division recently.

For athletics - and Wales - to succeed, we need to represent ourselves on the World stage in championships such as those being held in Osaka.

For once we don't have to await Independence to achieve this goal! The IAAF's constitution allows "territories" that rule themselves, without being totally independent, to compete.

The Minister for Sport in our self ruling "territory" is himself a runner - and "One Wales" promises "more support for the development of National Teams in wales"

I wonder who put that clause into the agreement? In forming a government - as in sport - who comes first is not always the be all and end all - just as important is who is taking part!