Sonia To Manage Irish Olympians

15th Dec 2009

Sonia to Manage Irish Olympians

With rugby, GAA and road bowling all glowing from the leadership of inspirational Corkonians another Irish sporting organisation long guilty of crimes of inefficiency, mickey-mouse-ism and bottling it has finally taken the righteous path.

No, Roy Keane has not been appointed quartermaster-general of the FAI and Denis Irwin is still not in command at FIFA. Instead another Cork legend Sonia O'Sullivan has been awarded the prestigious position of Chef de Mission of Ireland's 2012 Olympic Team by the Olympic Council of Ireland.

Here's Sonia's medal Delaney. Where's yours?

By far, the island's most loved Irish athlete since the Bauld Thady Quill went courtin' in Duhallow, the Cobh girl's intelligence, calmness and vast experience at the highest level has finally been recognised.

Sonia is another example of Corkonians walking the walk with her opinions and thinking backed up by bags of medals from cross-country and indoor events, to the World Championship and Olympics. She's done it all and will now manage Ireland's team on and during their sporting journey to London in two and half years time.

Unlike disgraced Dublin athletes Michelle Smith and Cian O'Connor, both linked to embarrassing drug scandals, Sonia has never lowered herself to the murky underworld of cheaters and chancers. The Olympic Silver medallist is honest and passionate like all good Corkonians and after all that she's just down right likeable.

The only thing Sonia knows about cheating is how it feels to be a victim of it. In 1993 the then 24 year old came fourth behind three suspiciously unknown Chinese women in the 1500m at the World Championships. Soon after it turned out the Chinese were up to their skulls in drugs. Substances that clearly allowed them to cheat their way past Cobh's finest. Who remembers the government calling for a "rematch" back then?

She will no doubt instil that hard working, clean-cut reputation in those up-and-coming Irish athletes she now looks after and maybe Ireland can claw back some of the appalling shame brought to the island's reputation at previous Olympics by bringing home a few track and field medals that aren't later returned-to-sender after the doping boys have paid a visit.

Sadly, the Football Association of Ireland is still the last major Irish sporting organisation to be bereft of Corkonians at the highest level and until that changes we can continue to expect the usual tomfoolery and high jinks to continue at the highest levels.

The sporting equivalent of Fianna Fáil have bungled their way through the naughties - first telling the world that the Genesis Report would be implemented in full after Roy Keane's revelations in 2002 and then quietly tossing much of it into the office shredder whilst concocting a PR job to trivialise Roy Keane's genuine concerns for the country.

Let's rejoice for Sonia though - yet another sporting body has turned a corner and recognised the bubbling fountain of talent on Leeside. We'll raise a Christmas drink to that!