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Girls die on biscuit tube ride
In early April this year a tragic boating
accident left the families of three sisters
and an American exchange student in
shock, mourning on two sides of the
globe.
Paris Wilson, 16, her sister Dodie, 12,
and a 16-year-old American exchange
student Cameron O’Neill-Mullin were
riding an inflatable “biscuit” tube at
Goondiwindi Natural Heritage and Water
Park in Queensland, Australia when the
tube swung out on a turn, flinging the girls
up the bank, where they slammed into a
tree.
Paris and Cameron were killed on impact.
Dodie was severely injured but is reported
to have made a remarkable recovery
since the horrific accident.
The boat was being driven by Bianca
Wilson, 17 - Paris and Dodie’s older
sister. Bianca was treated for shock at
the Goondiwindi Hospital.
Cameron was on a five-week exchange
program from St Paul’s School for Girls
in Baltimore, Maryland. Paris was due
to visit the US as part of the programme
later that month.
The accident has rocked the rural
community of Goondiwindi, on the
Queensland border with New South
Wales.
Boy dies at Massachusetts
football camp
A 12-year-old US boy died in hospital after
earlier collapsing at a Massachusetts
soccer camp following a “low-speed drill”.
Joshua Thibodeau of Holden, about 80km
west of Boston, was attending the Zalgiris
Soccer Camp at Wachusett Regional
High School in July when he collapsed
and stopped breathing in front of horrified
players and coaches.
He was rushed to the University of
Massachusetts Medical Centre in
Worcester, where doctors pronounced
him dead.
In a news conference at Holden Police
Headquarters, Worcester County District
Attorney Joe Early Jr. said a preliminary
investigation showed Thibodeau did not
have a pre-existing medical condition.
However, final autopsy reports were still
to be released.
A statement released by Joshua’s parents
described him as a “kind-hearted, caring,
loving son and brother”.
Facebook to show FA Cup opener
Facebook is set to broadcast the opening
match of this season’s FA Cup with
Budweiser between Ascot United and
Wembley FC live on the social networking
site.
The two non-league sides meet on Friday
19 August in an extra preliminary-round of
the competition.
The stream will be funded by the FACup’s
new sponsors Budweiser, and is the first
broadcast of its kind anywhere in sport.
The tie could normally expect to attract
a crowd of around 90 fans - according
to media reports - but will now have the
possibility of reaching a potential global
audience of 700m people.
Budweiser marketing director Ian Newell
said: ‘Budweiser is committed to bringing
the world’s most prestigious knockout
competition closer to the fans. What
better way to demonstrate this than by
broadcasting the very first kick to a global
audience via Facebook?’
‘This is the first time an FACup tournament
fixture has been broadcast live on the
social network, which is great news for
football fans and clubs alike’.
Ascot, who play their football in the
Hellenic League, take on Combined
Counties sideWembley at theRacecourse
Ground in one of 204 extra preliminary-
round fixtures.
763 clubs will compete in this year’s FA
Cup, with an extra-preliminary round, a
preliminary round, and four qualifying
rounds for some teams before the first
round proper takes place the weekend of
12th November.
Premier League sides will join the
competition in the third round at the
beginning of January 2012.
The final will take place on 5th May 2012
at Wembley Stadium.
spinal cord injuries and two broken and
dislocated vertebrae.
The lawsuit also claims Sang has suffered
under the care of two Chinese-Americans
who were appointed as her legal
guardians after the accident by Chinese
gymnastics officials, a move made over
her parents’ objections.
The filing says her guardians have
controlled her medical treatments and
contacts with US physicians.
“Living in China for the past 13 years, Ms.
[Sang] Lan was literally unable to sue in
an American court or Chinese court,” the
lawsuit said.
“Ms. [Sang] Lan has been struggling for
the past 13 years in China, without proper
medical insurance coverage, without a
penny compensatory damage for her
... permanent injury, without freedom or
recourse to seek justice.”
Sang Lan, a Chinese gymnast who
broke her neck during a vaulting accident
at the 1998 Goodwill Games, filed a
$US1.8 billion ($A1.65 billion) lawsuit on
Thursday against Time Warner and the
US gymnastics federation.
Sang was paralysed after being injured
during a warm-up vault at the Nassau
Coliseum in suburban New York at the
global multisport event which is no longer
contested but was at the time owned by
AOL Time Warner.
In a federal lawsuit, Sang, now 29,
claims promises for care after her injury
were broken and her condition has
worsened because Time Warner and
USA Gymnastics failed to make sure her
medical bills were paid and other needs
were met.
Sang, paralysed from below the middle
of her chest, says she has been unable
to obtain vital treatments after suffering
Chinese gymnast sues in USA