The first thing that caught my attention when the slim Irishman took the microphone at the working men’s club in Birmingham was his self-deprecatingly dry sense of humour.

Over half a century covering major international sport has been an exhilarating experience if not infrequently an exasperating one laced with more than a modicum of cynicism, particularly when the subject of drugs use rears its ugly head. 

A week on Wednesday (April 20) will mark the one year anniversary of one of the most memorable moments of 2015 in sport politics.

When International Judo Federation and SportAccord President Marius Vizer, worn down by a gradual erosion of power in the latter role due to the intrusions of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), launched a remarkable counter-attack attempt during the body’s General Assembly in Sochi.

For the athletes we work with day to day, the Olympic and Paralympic Games are the pinnacle of their careers. As such, it is imperative that they are best prepared to deliver their optimal performance on the day, when it matters the most. Having a thorough plan in place for each athlete leading up to the day of competition can be a major factor in the search for success. It also helps to combat some of the challenges that accompany the realities of some of the biggest sporting events in the world.

Before the world’s top players graced the glorious Augusta National and before a ball had been struck in earnest at the opening major of the year, attention and focus appeared to be elsewhere.

As efforts continue to bring sport into the lives of many young boys and girls throughout the world, including many in Muslim and African countries, where there is a dire need for sport equipment, a Sporting Goods to Go (SGTG) initiative launched in 2003 has raised more than $20 million (£14 million/€17.5 million) in value of sport equipment distributed to over 90 countries.

This week - April 6 to be precise - marked the 120th anniversary of the first modern Olympic Games in Athens. This Monday - April 11 - will mark the 120th anniversary of The Spectator’s conclusion that “It is impossible to get honestly interested in the revival of the Olympic Games.”

I have some sympathy for UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) in this week’s brouhaha over Dr Mark Bonar.

On April 6, people unite by one language and one belief: the language of sport and conviction of a possible peace. In 2014, the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) became an annual celebration for the world of sport that highlights a wide range of development and peace-building efforts.

Another week, another series of doping allegations. Athletics and swimming have come in for their fair share of scandals in recent times, but yesterday it was the turn of other sports to feel the wrath of a media investigation.

Gold in the Olympic football has never mattered quite as much to the host nation as it does in 2016 to the Brazilians. Although they have lifted the FIFA World Cup a record five times and have the unique distinction of taking part in every World Cup tournament, they have never been crowned Olympic football champions.

Buried deep in a letter from FIFA’s head of sustainability Federico Addiechi to human rights group Amnesty International is a paragraph that sums up world football’s governing body almost perfectly.

We have launched in Australia a real live example of how we want to make a difference. It’s the "Rainbow Round of Sport" to help highlight the issues around homophobia in sport by inviting athletes and teams to wear #RainbowLaces, from March 31 through to April 4 across all sport. We will be highlighting the campaign across six elite, professional sports in Australia.

Suddenly, the lights have gone out for British tennis followers. Andy Murray - back in action this month after his wife gave birth to a daughter, Sophia – has made an early exit at Indian Wells and, on Monday of this week (look away if you are of a nervous disposition) went out in the third round of the Miami Open after making 55 unforced errors against Grigor Dmitrov.