The Vatican, center of Roman Catholicism , today was shocked as it heard news of alleged reports into a chorister procuring male prostitutes for a papal gentleman-in-waiting.

Angelo Balducci, a respected Gentleman of His Holiness, was caught by Italian police, the Carabinieri, engaging in dialogue with a 29 year old Vatican chorister over the specific details of men Balducci wanted brought to him. In one conversation, the chorister tells Balducci: “I saw your call when I was in the Vatican, because I was doing rehearsals … in the choir … in St Peter’s.” He then advises Balducci to contact a man ”two metres tall … 97 kilos … aged 33, completely active.”

In an interview with news magazine Panorama, to be published tomorrow, Balducci claims he met the chorister 10 years ago. He comments: “He asked me if I could procure other men for him. He told me he was married and that I had to do it in great secrecy.”  These other men include “two black Cuban lads”, a former male model from Naples, and a rugby player from Rome.

Clouds gather above St. Peter's

Balducci’s lawyer, Franco Coppi, said: “I have no comment. First, because we have more serious questions to tackle. Second, if these claims are correct, they regard his private life. It is disgraceful that these transcripts, which have nothing to do with the case, should have been spread about.”

In January this year, the Carabinieri recorded an exchange in which Balducci and Ehiem discuss a student for the priesthood. Balducci is said to have asked: “Listen, have you spoken with the seminarian by any chance?” Ehiem replies he is “probably at mass or something”. On 11 January, Ehiem calls again to recommend “a colleague, a friend” of the seminarian because the latter is unavailable. He says the colleague is “better, taller, a bit taller than you”. After deliberation, Ehiem asks: “Can I send [him] around straight away?”

Rugby pin-up Johnny Wilkinson kicked 16 points as Toulon became the first team to beat English Rich boys (on a rugby scale) Saracens, 31-23 in the challenge cup. No doubt new director of rugby Brendan Venter will be furious at the manner of the defeat , as am I: Once upon a time the same fly-half was promoting blighty in the Guniness Premiership. He has now switched allegiances along with a horde of highly sought after Englishmen to cross the channel.

Injury plagued Wilkinson says  ”Right now, I feel like I am making a big decision, and it is a big decision, which is getting easier and easier the more time I spend with these guys.” He feels the move has reignited his flagging career and now looks set to make his return to the national side alongside Shane Geraghty (strongly advocated by Northampton boss Jim Mallinder.) However in my opinion the move was money incentivised – how else can you explain it after England coach Martin Johnson said he was reluctant to pick these foreign based players?

Other players in the burgeoning league include Wasps pair James Haskell and Tom Palmer who have left behind their Wycombe roots for the more exotic shores of Paris and Stade Francais (pictured here in their questionable kit)…they claim to be rugby players?

To complete the set, Brive have captured the signing of Steve Thompson and Rickey Flutey to join Andy Goode. For what Thompson lacks in aesthetics he makes up in muscle while Flutey brings some New Zealand Flair to Europe.

All the while we miss out on this and have to settle for an ageing Steve Borthwick at an ageing Vicarage road on a sodden Wednesday night. Then again, maybe they’re on to something?

So, today is the day when golf and rugby sevens find out if they have won a place in the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016. Which, unlike baseball, softball and squash, which have already been eliminated, they probably have. But is this right?

The Olympics are about the pinnacle of sport – sports which do not get so much interest elsehwhere. It is an extravaganza of talent which cannot be beaten anywhere else on the planet. So surely it is wrong for more mainstream sports to be jumping on the bandwagon.

Barely anybody knows or cares who won the 2008 Olympic tennis tournament. Hardly anyone does not know who won the 2009, 2008 – and for that matter 2007 – Wimbledon tournament. The point is that rugby, tennis, golf, cricket and football do not deserve a place in the Olympics. Because all of them have thier own high-profile competitions, which are worth more than an Olympic win. The football world cup, and the Ashes, are for their respective sports the peak of their players’ careers. Including these sports in the Olympics just seems gimmicky and bloated.