Geoff Kidder, director of membership and events at the Institute of Ideas, follows his seven-part series on the Beijing Olympics with coverage of the 2010 Football World Cup in South Africa and other developments in sport.

Au revoir

Geoff Kidder's World Cup Blog 2010: 1-6

The hostile reaction to the Dutch game plan is an indicator of how football has changed in the past 20 years. More and more physical aspects of the game are now penalised, such as the tackle from behind and slightly mistimed tackles, and so the Dutch approach which would have been the norm in a previous age is considered beyond the pale today.

Jumpers for goalposts

Geoff Kidder's World Cup Blog 2010: 1-5

Admiring the quality of play in the semi-final between Spain and Germany, I realise that barring an act of god, it will be many years and require a complete change of footballing culture before England can hope to produce 11 players who look this comfortable in possession of a football.

I don’t speak French, but my football is OK

Geoff Kidder's World Cup Blog 2010: 1-4

The best ice-breaker in the World Cup traveller’s arsenal is the cycle of naming teams or players in a slightly foreign accent untill both you and the local you are talking to come to an agreement about who exactly you will base your conversation on, and then exchanging sponteneous, barely informed judgements upon them through a combination of grunting and thumb-led indicators.

The World Cup goes on

Geoff Kidder's World Cup Blog 2010: 0-4

Everyone from Boris Johnson to Richard Caborn to Jeremy Clarkson and Uncle Tom Cobbley has had their say. Every issue from highly-paid players to the selling off of playing fields and the decline of competition in schools has been held up as the cause of England’s demise. Once again the England team is held up as a cause and solution of any social problem which you care to name.

Grudges die hard

Geoff Kidder's World Cup Blog 2010: 0-3

Rather than blaming a myriad of extraneous factors, it would be better if the politicians kept out of it, and the relevant football authorities examined why these players play so well in the Premier League but not for France.

Introspection for England

Geoff Kidder's World Cup Blog 2010: 0-2

Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil (in flashes) have shown their quality, and the outstanding players so far have been the Argentine forward line and Diego Forlan of Uruguay. There is time for this pattern to change, and the Europeans can still get their act together, but the South Americans are definitely ahead at this stage.

On yer bike, hairshirts!

Geoff Kidder's World Cup Blog 2010: 0-1

In many ways, as one commentator said, this is a traditionally unconvincing England start to a tournament. The more astonishing thing was to hear ITV pundits agree that it was a good or very good England performance. True, some individual players played quite well, but it was never convincing as a whole, and a pale shadow of a team performance compared to Argentina earlier in the day.

2010 World Cups: One down, one to go

On England winning cricket's Twenty20 World Cup

The England players were confident and determined, their fielding inspired, the batting audacious and captain Paul Collingwood seems to have matured into a tactical genius. The spirit of this England side is so unlike the plucky losers for which this country is famous, and it is a joy to behold.

Geoff Kidder’s Olympic blog - part seven

The Institute of Ideas' Geoff Kidder on the Beijing Olympics

The Olymposceptics have been sheltering under a stone for the last ten days, but will now crawl back out into the light. In the coming months we will need to be vigilant to stand up for the sporting values we cherish and against those who would belittle the success of British or other athletes.

Geoff Kidder’s Olympic blog - part six

The Institute of Ideas' Geoff Kidder on the Beijing Olympics

While recognising that some Olympic disciplines have more prestige than others, I have no time for those who ridicule people from any social background who have devoted their life to mastering a sporting discipline.

Geoff Kidder’s Olympic blog - part five

The Institute of Ideas' Geoff Kidder on the Beijing Olympics

These days we seem to play down the creative side of humanity, and focus on the dark side of human relations. We see the child who may have been abused by his or her coach, or worry about what the person has been through to reach success, but in doing this we ignore the skill and creativity it takes to win a gold medal.

Geoff Kidder’s Olympic blog - part four

The Institute of Ideas' Geoff Kidder on the Beijing Olympics

Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger) is the motto of the Olympic Games. Usain Bolt’s ‘Citius moment’ has set a benchmark for others to follow, and is an achievement all humanists should celebrate.

Geoff Kidder’s Olympic blog - part three

The Institute of Ideas' Geoff Kidder on the Beijing Olympics

Why are these external technological aids acceptable and even celebrated, when a whole panoply of internal aids are proscribed by being labelled ‘drugs’, and hang as a constant threat over the athletes and the Olympic Games themselves? 

Geoff Kidder’s Olympic blog - part two

The Institute of Ideas' Geoff Kidder on the Beijing Olympics

The tennis tournament does not have the prestige of a Grand Slam and is not about to. Like the Olympic football tournament, which resembles a mini youth World Cup, it is a chance to showcase the sport but not much else. Golf now wants Olympic status and a piece of the action.

Geoff Kidder’s Olympic blog - part one

The Institute of Ideas' Geoff Kidder on the Beijing Olympics

The constant carping and criticism of China in the run up to the Beijing Games has made enjoyment of the sport something of a guilty pleasure. During this month we should be celebrating the high points of human physical achievement that are taking place in Beijing. It is time to knock the critics off their lofty perch.