India, Nov. 5 -- A few hours before the Asia Cup's finale farce played out with India refusing to accept a trophy which was carried off by the head of the Asian Cricket Council/chairman of PCB/Pakistan interior minister, on the same continent a men's World Championship trophy was handed out minus politicians, bureaucrats or federation officials.

Well, there was a Brazilian senator involved but she, Leila Barros, was in Manila as a double Olympic and World Cup medallist plus local fave. At the FIVB men's Volleyball World Championship, player medals were handed out by fellow Olympic and world championship medallists. Winners Italy received theirs from Barros, darling of the Filipino crowd as the star from the World Grand Prix events at the...