'Tis the season of the pantomime, so what betterway to celebrate it than to name the top five "villains" of the yearin the world of sport.
1.Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad- the French steeplechaser who was socomfortable in winning the Euro Champs' race in Zurich that he took off hisvest before the final barrier and twirled it around. Unfortunately theofficials decided that constituted an infringement of the rules and he wasdisqualified. Clearly a very emotionally charged man, he returned to the tracklater in the week and produced a sensational final lap to take the 1500m crown,but even then drew the wroth of the Swiss crowd with his antics towards them.His history of incidents in the past has included pushing over championshipmascots and brawling with fellow countrymen after Diamond League races.
2.Luis Suarez.
The Uruguayan with a chequered history was a major factor inpropelling Liverpool FC to almost winning their first League title since 1990,only to be edged out by Manchester City near the end of the season. Suarez wasrewarded with the PFA Players' Player of the Year award and the FWA Footballerof the Year. A topsy turvy World Cup saw him put paid to England's chancesafter coming back from injury, but then put paid to his own by allegedly bitingthe Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini's arm during the final group game. Amida lengthy ban and calls for the Reds to sell him, he moved to Barcelona in thesummer and is beginning to find his feet in the star studded squad alongsideLionel Messi and Neymar.
3.
BenFlower - the Welsh international prop was sensationally sent off for Wigan inonly the second minute of their Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford. Theofficials could see no other option after he had twice punched opponent LanceHohaia in the face (once while he was laying prone on the ground).Ultimately,it probably cost his side the match to St Helens (14-6) and afterwidespread condemnation of his actions, cost Flower a six month ban from thesport.
4.PatrickReed - the golfer from America played against Europe in this year's RyderCup,during which he attempted to "shush" the Scottish crowd byputting a finger to his lips in true "baddie" fashion after holing aputt for par in his match with Henrik Stenson in the singles. He was lesscontrolled during an event in Shanghai where a three-putt led to anexpletive-laden outburst, including homophobic references.
Maybe he'd have beenbetter advised to "shush" himself on that occasion.
5.Justin Gatlin - the American sprinter has been banned from the sport ofAthletics twice for doping offences, served his periods of expulsion and stillcomes back for more on the track. Many would prefer him to be excluded from thesport permanently, but the rules allow him to compete, yet he continues totaunt the "sceptics" with his current tutelage under a trainer whoalso suffered a drugs' ban. This season his times for the 100m and 200m eventswere the quickest ever by a man in his thirties and time wise he produced thebest ever one-day sprint double .
