Patrick Johnston

Around the world referees are forever criticised by fans, players, managers and the media but an Uzbekistan official has managed to buck the trend, receiving an unusually warm welcome after being named Asian Football Confederation (AFC) referee of the year.

Fans at Tashkent airport blew horns and trumpets to celebrate the return of Ravshan Irmatov, a candidate to referee at next year's World Cup, after he won the award for a second successive year.

"I am overwhelmed by this reception. I am thankful to all those who came to greet me," Irmatov said. “I have seen this kind of reception only for the players and this is unprecedented in Uzbekistan. I hope I will fulfill their expectations."

In bizarre scenes, fans were jostling through crowds to try to shake hands with Irmatov, who was returning from Kuala Lumpur where he collected his award on Tuesday.

"He made Uzbekistan proud for the second consecutive year and I hope he will continue to fly our flag in the years to come,” excited fan Ulugbek Salimov said

Whatever next? Manchester United boss and frequent referee critic Alex Ferguson treating match officials to fine glasses of wine after games or Serena Williams praising line judges for good calls?

It is an interesting change and maybe Irish and Egyptian supporters should forget their gripes about missing out on South Africa and get behind their officials at the World Cup. Oh wait, they didn’t make that cut either!

PHOTO: Referee Ravshan Irmatov from Uzbekistan gestures during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games qualifying round soccer match between Qatar and Japan in Doha October 17, 2007. REUTERS/Fadi Al-Assaad

Manny Pacquiao produced another sublime performance in his destruction of Miguel Cotto on Saturday but it was not his fast hands and flashy combinations that grabbed me about his victory, instead it was the Filipino’s granite chin.

We all knew about the attacking ability that Pacquiao had but his ability to walk through the punches of Cotto, a natural welterweight who thought he would have too much power for the man who began at flyweight, was impressive.

Cotto couldn’t keep the 30-year-old southpaw away.

The Puerto Rican looked like a holiday maker desperately, and unsuccessfully, swatting at a fly. The combinations didn’t stop coming from Pacquiao and in truth the fight should have been stopped before the 12th such was the one-sided nature of this lopsided contest.

The poor state of Cotto’s face at the end of the fight said it all.

Pacquiao’s seventh title at an unprecedented seventh weight now leaves him as the sports pound-for-pound king. The Filipino’s promoter Bob Arum, who worked with Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvin Hagler, described him as the best fighter he had ever seen, however there is one more fight out there for him.

A bout with American Floyd Mayweather Jr is the fight the world wants to see before the Pac Man hangs up his gloves and takes up his career in politics, singing or whatever avenue he chooses. But how will that fight turn out?

I always believed Mayweather’s defensive skills would see him overcome Pacquiao if the two ever fought but after watching the Pac Man on Saturday I am not convinced.

Cotto is a fighter renowned for slowing down opponents and fighting them at his pace but Pacquiao was relentless for 12 rounds, didn't let him dictate and just kept pressuring him.

Mayweather is of course a better fighter than Cotto but can he stop the Filipino? I’m not so sure.

Miguel Cotto may be loved by his loyal fans in Puerto Rico but the rest of the boxing world will be hoping Manny Pacquiao knocks him out in Saturday’s welterweight title bout to keep the Filipino on course for next year's super-fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr.

American Mayweather did his bit by coming out of retirement and oozing class against Juan Manuel Marquez in September and now, as he rests up and has so far avoided the temptation to fight Shane Mosley, we can expect Mayweather-Pacquiao negotiations to begin soon – providing the Pac Man wins on Saturday.

Pacquiao’s legion of fans are confident he will beat Cotto, the bookmakers are confident and his revered trainer Freddy Roach approved the fight meaning he must be confident, but there is a nagging doubt that all won't go to plan and that is because Cotto is a classy fighter.

His only defeat came at the hands of disgraced Mexican Antonio Margarito, who was subsequently banned for fighting with illegal padding in his gloves, and he is a strong, fast and a natural welterweight.

However, since that fight he has had two mediocre contests.

Firstly he knocked out the hopelessly mis-matched Britain Michael Jennings in five rounds before claiming a hard fought split-decision against Ghanaian Josh Clottey in June.

But Pacquiao is a different beast. His ability to waltz through divisions and claiming world titles is borderline genius and, as with nearly all sports, there is no defence against speed, which he has in abundance.

Boxing needs a mega clash like Pacquiao v Mayweather and I think they will get it once Pacquiao knocks out Cotto in 10 rounds on Saturday.

PHOTO: Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines stretches before a workout in Las Vegas, Nevada November 11, 2009. Pacquiao will challenge WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 14. REUTERS/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus

Floyd Mayweather Jr. was just too big and too quick in Las Vegas on Saturday that not even a man who is tough enough to drink his own urine could leave a mark on the returning showman.

Having been in retirement for 21 months we should have witnessed some ring rustiness, it didn’t happen. Mayweather used all of his defensive prowess to stay out of trouble and fought expertly behind his potent jab to make Juan Manuel Marquez look amateur.

Saturday’s fight has been called a mismatch by some experts, but that is unfair on Mayweather whose swaggering performance was that of a man hell-bent on convincing the few remaining doubters that he is the sports classiest performer.

There is only one fight left out there for him before he retires again, but money, promoters and a Puerto Rican could prevent the super-clash against Manny Pacquiao happening.

Pacquiao fights Miguel Cotto in Vegas in November, a skilful, powerful Puerto Rican opponent who has only been defeated once and will provide a far sterner test than Ricky Hatton or Oscar de la Hoya did.

Defeat for Pacquiao would end any immediate hope of a showdown with Mayweather and would probably bring Marquez back into the fold for a third battle between the pair which, after their first two fights, would not be a bad thing.

The second stumbling block ahead of a Mayweather-Pacquiao match-up is money. Both fighters are renowned negotiators. Could they reach a resolution?

The third issue is Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum who Mayweather once sued after buying out his contract with the Top Rank boss.

When asked about a possible fight with Pacquiao last week, Mayweather ominously said: “He (Pacquiao) has a boss (Arum) and I'm my own boss. So, in order to make that happen, he has to go through his boss.”

But if these issues could be overcome it would be a fascinating contest to watch, despite the fact I can only see one winner.

For now Mayweather is back to his dazzling best and set to reclaim the pound-for–pound crown.

PHOTO: Floyd Mayweather Jr of the U.S. celebrates his victory over Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico after their welterweight fight at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada September 19, 2009. REUTERS/Steve Marcus

I have had enough of the unfair abuse she is getting so I'm starting the "lay-off Dinara Safina" campaign.

The woman has had enough mocking for being world number one despite her failure to win a grand slam title. If she was 31 I may have some sympathy but she is only 23! Her ranking shouldn't be a noose to be used to hang her with, instead she should be praised for her successful year.

If she was world number two and yet to be number one, she would be championed as a future slam winner, much like Andy Murray on the men's tour. Labelling her as the worst number one in the sports history, as she has been by some media and fans, is ridiculous.

Being number one at a sport takes a scary amount of talent and an even greater amount of dedication. World number two Serena Williams, who has been vocal about her belief that she should be number one, certainly has the skills, 11 majors qualifies that argument, but if she wants to play fewer tournaments than most on the WTA tour then she will always struggle to become top dog.

I do not have a problem with the way Serena spends her time. I wish I could be as talented as her and win that many slams whilst producing, I'm told, a rather fetching line of jewellery and handbags, modelling, acting, charity work and her latest project as part-owner of the NFL's Miami Dolphins.

Serena used her post-Wimbledon press conference to talk about the issue of her not being number one and had the worlds media it fits of laughter when she mockingly suggested that she hoped for another grand slam title to keep her at world number two.

Serena's contemptuous words may earn a few laughs but is not respectful of Safina and her achievements.

Safina has won more matches and titles this year than Serena. She has battled through contests that she should really have lost thanks to a gritty determined attitude despite a woeful serve. Her U.S. Open second round three-set victory over Germany's Kristina Barrois on Thursday was a prime example of this.

So can we all just lay-off Safina. Two grand slam finals this year and a semi-finalist at Wimbledon is not something to be mocked, rather applauded.   

PICTURE: Dinara Safina of Russia reacts to a missed point during her match against Kristina Barrois of Germany at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, September 3, 2009. REUTERS/Shaun Best

After giving the players a gentle start, Mother Nature appeared to wake up on the second day of the British Open as the wind strengthened, claiming a number of high-profile casualties including Tiger Woods.

Overnight leader Miguel Angel Jimenez battled hard for a three over 73 which cost him his lead but there were worse cases.

One-time leader and former champion Ben Curtis was a notable victim. The 2003 champion birdied the first to reach six-under-par and claim a share of the lead before finishing the day with a ten-over 80 to end up with a five-over-par 36-hole total.

Last year’s runner-up Ian Poulter also had a day to forget slumping to a nine-over 79. His total of 154, 14-over, means he can go home and watch some Ashes cricket action this weekend.

And U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover will be heading straight to the airport after a 77 left him at nine-over for the championships.

But there were a few success stories. Little known American Steve Marino can sit back and enjoy seeing his name at the top of the leaderboard with Tom Watson.

He went out in the fourth group of the day at 0603 (GMT) and fired a fantastic two-under-par 68 in the worst conditions to leave him at five-under for the tournament.

But the back pages will all be about struggling Woods on Saturday.

PHOTO: Steve Marino of the U.S. waits to putt during the second round of the British Open Golf Championship at the Turnberry REUTERS/Phil Noble

It is fair to say we all expected an American with a surname beginning with W to be soaring up the British Open leaderboard but everyone has been shocked that it is 59-year-old senior Tom Watson topping the strong field and not a certain Tiger Woods.

Whilst the world number one toiled in calm conditions at Turnberry's Ailsa course on Thursday, five-times Open champion Watson was recording a bogey-free five-under-par 65 to take the early clubhouse lead.

"Yesterday and the day before, playing the practice rounds I felt very good about the way I was hitting the ball and the way I was putting the ball," Watson told reporters. "And it was not much of a surprise for me to go out there and get under par."

Many will expect the eight-times major winner to fall away and not remain in contention but may I remind you cynics of the performance of another past master, Greg Norman, at last year's championship at Birkdale. Norman finished third after leading going into the final round.

And it is not just Watson who is proving a torch bearer for the elder members of the golf circuit. Fifty-two year-old twice Open champion Mark O'Meara went out early and fired a solid three-under par 67 to sit alongside 1989 champion Mark Calcavecchia -- one year shy of his 50th birthday.

Much of the talk at Turnberry before the championship had been about the chances of young Briton Rory McIlroy and teenaged Japanese sensation Ryo Ishikawa lifting the Claret Jug but Watson and co have shown them they still have a lot to learn on the South Ayrshire links.

In light of the fact that veteran Kenny Perry, 48, came within a whisker of winning this year's Masters, only succumbing to eventual winner Angel Cabrera in a play-off, could this be the year the veterans fights back?

Let's see what the kids are made of.

Embarking on my first British Open, I was of the understanding the weather would be wet and windy and the scoring tough but my week thus far has been spent in shorts and t-shirts at a surprisingly benign Turnberry.

As nice as it is for a roving reporter to be out in the warm sunshine, fielding questions to the world’s best golfers on one of Britain’s finest courses, it would be interesting to see the usual wind and rain to see how good these guys really are.

When Irishman Padraig Harrington retained the Claret Jug at Birkdale last year he did so after enduring a fierce battle with the elements as well as a strong field.

His ability to shoot a four-under-par 32 on the back nine whilst battling wind that was gusting above 50mph was golf of the highest order and a joy to watch, albeit on a television in the Reuters office.

This year I was expecting the same conditions but as it stands, with sunny weather, the Ailsa course’s generous fairways and flat greens could become a birdie fest which we have grown accustomed to on the PGA Tour.

The uniqueness of the Open is that it is an event which is like no other, played on a seaside links with hard and fast fairways and blustery conditions which give spectators a chance to see how skilful the best players have to be.

Right now it will be simple for the players to take aim at the pins and shoot low scores and while pros may enjoy the easy ride, many fans would like to see them tested.

Let's see if mother nature does her stuff and we witness a typically brutal Open championship here in Scotland -- and I will dig out the waterproofs.

PHOTO: Greg Norman (R) of Australia walks with his son on the fairway of the sixth hole during a practice round ahead of the British Open Golf Championship at Turnberry, July 15, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake

Giorgi Megreladze - remember the name, it may well earn you some money in later life.

Why, I hear you ask. Well, the FC Olimpi forward has become the first man to score a goal in the newly revamped UEFA Europa League.

Yes UEFA's second tier competition is underway on the second day of July, with Wimbledon still being played, the British Open yet to tee-off and England and Australia still preparing for their Ashes series to start.

Formally known as the UEFA Cup, the competition has undergone a major overhaul in a bid to boost its appeal.

We'll see about that. Extending the amount of teams competing and the number of matches played may prove counter-productive as fans are likely to demand quality not quantity, especially in a global economic downturn.

Still, I'm sure Megreladze is not bothered by that!

Now, who was the first man to score in the revamped Champions League in 1992?

STARTER FOR 10, NO CONFERRING: UEFA President Michel Platini attends the UEFA Executive committee meeting in Bordeaux, in September 26, 2008, when the new Europa League format was announced. REUTERS/Olivier Pon

One of the most painful memories from my schooldays was the prolonged torture of being left in the playground on my lunch break, looking on as the cool kids picked all my friends ahead of me for the lunch break football match desperately wishing I could be selected.

A similar scenario, albeit with reversed emotions, would have occurred on Monday morning in a South African hotel as British and Irish Lions coach Ian McGeechan named his team to play against the Southern Kings just four days before the first test.

The whole squad knew that selection in the starting line-up would leave little hope of making the test XV. A place on the bench meant you're likely to be involved in the test 22 and being left out for Tuesday meant you're a test certainty.

Armed with that rule of thumb, we can now expect the Lions team to face South Africa in Durban to be the following:

15-Lee Byrne, 14-Tommy Bowe, 13-Brian O'Driscoll, 12-Jamie Roberts, 11-Ugo Monye, 10-Stephen Jones, 9-Mike Phillips; 8-Jamie Heaslip, 7-Martyn Williams, 6-Tom Croft, 5-Paul O'Connell, 4-Alun Wyn Jones, 3-Phil Vickery, 2-Lee Mears, 1-Gethin Jenkins.

Locks Simon Shaw and Nathan Hines and Irish winger Luke Fitzgerald are the only players who have any realistic hope of changing McGeechan's mind but it will take a very memorable performance against the Kings, unless there is an injury.

PHOTO: A rugby fan with the colours of the South African flag painted on his face looks on before the start of the opening match of the Lions tour, May 30, 2009. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko