One of the most important and symbolic parts of the Olympic Opening Ceremony looks set to change in Tokyo, and for that matter, the look of the Games might also need a late makeover if International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach gets his wish.

So yesterday's revelation that the Mayor of one of the world’s great cities - London - still regards the Games as enough of an electoral asset to talk publicly about exploring a bid just two days before polling day must be accounted a considerable public relations bonus.

Having taken the knee - actually it was both knees - in a rather nasty fall and ended up flat on my back in hospital these past couple of weeks, I have had time to reflect on and reassess certain aspects of this sporting life.

A little under three weeks from now the Gateshead International Stadium will live up to its name as of old when it hosts the opening Wanda Diamond League meeting of the season.

On the advice of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Athletes' Commission, the IOC Executive Board last week resolved to continue to censor athletes who participate in peaceful protest at the Olympic Games, especially in the most powerful spaces of the podium and the arena. Patronisingly, the censorship is now coupled with scripting, with the IOC endorsing the use of the words, "peace, respect, solidarity, inclusion and equality."

I have unexpectedly become invested in the fortunes of Germany’s curling team this week, as the World Women's Curling Championships began in Calgary.

By the time this is published, football clubs across England will already have started their social media blackout in a joint effort to confront discrimination and abuse in sport.

There is no doubt these are testing times in more ways than one as organisers aim to stage a safe and clean Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

The announcement that an excerpt of Piano Concerto No. 1 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky has been accepted for use at medal ceremonies for Russian athletes in Tokyo will cause eyebrows to be raised for a number of reasons.

Last week’s football fiasco meant that the latest Rule 50 news did not quite get the attention it deserved; so let’s try to make up for that now.

So John Carlos says to Tommie Smith - "Hey Tommie, I left my gloves in the Village. Sorry, man. But listen - Pete Norman’s just said let's wear one each. Why not? Get him one of our badges and let’s go!"

In the final months of 2018, two contrasting views were put forward outlining the battle between the established order of sport governance and commercial entities.

When UEFA announced its intentions to hold the 2020 European Championship across the continent rather than in one or two nations, hosting traditionalists like myself were scratching their heads and calling it a public relations stunt.

The International Olympic Committee's (IOC) relationship with esports has been the subject of near-constant discussion since it became apparent the organisation would have to work with the multi-billion-dollar industry in one way or another.