A BRITISH newspaper has reignited the age-old Australia-UK rivalry by saying Australia is an unsuitable host for international sports events because it is too hot.
In a tongue-in-cheek editorial published today, The Times newspaper said the blistering conditions at the Australian tennis Open this month showed the country was a poor venue for major sports contests and that Britain was a better choice.
"Sooner or later you have to face up to the only sensible conclusion: Australia is no place to host big international sporting tournaments; except maybe the world kangaroo long-jump," the Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper said.
"There is a reason why so many of the world's greatest sports - cricket, rugby, football, tennis, golf - flourished in Britain first.
"Britain has the right weather for sport.
"Nobody pulled out of Wimbledon because of heat rash, or fainted at Headingley under the midday sun.
"Apart from when you're on holiday, heat makes life worse."
The newspaper even suggested that Australia's success in the international sports arena had slid in recent years because of the heat.
"Their cricketers have lost their bite, their rugby players no longer rule the world," it said.
"They had a poor Olympics.
"Even Australians, it seems, don't like it hot."
"Sooner or later you have to face up to the only sensible conclusion: Australia is no place to host big international sporting tournaments; except maybe the world kangaroo long-jump," the Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper said.
"There is a reason why so many of the world's greatest sports - cricket, rugby, football, tennis, golf - flourished in Britain first.
"Britain has the right weather for sport.
"Nobody pulled out of Wimbledon because of heat rash, or fainted at Headingley under the midday sun.
"Apart from when you're on holiday, heat makes life worse."
The newspaper even suggested that Australia's success in the international sports arena had slid in recent years because of the heat.
"Their cricketers have lost their bite, their rugby players no longer rule the world," it said.
"They had a poor Olympics.
"Even Australians, it seems, don't like it hot."
