Friday 5 February 2010

Razor-Sharp Rodge Outshines Gillette Chums

Roger Federer, the clean-cut king of the court, is still world number one in tennis, and has recently bagged his 16th Grand Slam after winning the Australian Open.

He is happily married to his wife Mirka and has baby twin daughters, who got a mention in his winner's speech at the Rod Laver Arena last month.

Federer is unquestionably a fine ambassador and role model for sport, not only tennis. Yet around him, tales of scandal, infidelity and cheating are surfacing.

Just a matter of a few hours ago, John Terry was stripped of his England football captaincy by manager Fabio Capello, following allegations of an affair with Wayne Bridge's ex-girlfriend.

I have also been informed of the latest football terrace chant: " Carefree wherever you may be, don't leave your wife with John Terry, his dad deals coke and his mum steals tea, he cried when he missed a penalty."

The image of Federer's fellow frontmen in the popular Gillette adverts, Tiger Woods and Thierry Henry, has taken a battering also.

This time last year, Woods was that fine role model for golf. But since the news of his infidelity last Novemeber, he has lost numerous sponsorship deals and the respect of many more.

Rumours of Tiger's return to golf have only just started to appear now, suggesting we may see him play at the WGC Match Play Championship in Arizona later this month.

There is no 'Fed' in infidelity.

Henry has been accused of cheating too, but this time, on the pitch. I don't mean he got stuck in with some lady during a match however. He was busy ball handling. Oh dear, this isn't sounding any better is it. Try again. Henry's handball against Ireland in the World Cup Qualifiers has got him into all sorts of trouble, which hasn't helped the way the sporting world looks at him either.

Although Federer is made out to look like the stupid one in some of the Gillette adverts, he is the only one of the three in the headlines for all the right reasons.

I for one am hoping that his wife Mirka doesn't soon become a Fed ex.



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