Best and worst: IOC procrastination, race to be England manager, Olympic golf

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  Russell Clyne / Reuters

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  Matt Dunham / AP Photo

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  Martin Meissner / AP Photo

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  Indranil Muhherjee / AFP

Osman Samiuddin looks back on the best and worst of the week in sport.

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Best procrastination: The IOC

Let’s face it, it would be difficult, in this day and age, to find a sports governing body that is doing its job well. This week the International Olympic Committee (IOC) responded to a report accusing Russia of state-sanctioned doping by ... waiting. Though the IOC has said all legal options are open, including a blanket ban on Russia, no decision will be made in a rush. Which is great for legal robustness but it is not like they have much time left.

Best race: England manager

Grab your popcorn, things are heating up. Today, the English FA will potentially finalise the appointment of the next receiver of the poisoned chalice of sport, known as the England job. Sam Allardyce is the favourite, though there is intriguing competition from Steve Bruce, Jurgen Klinsmann and Eddie Howe. Given the state of the national team, perhaps the FA should quit while it is ahead: unearthing multiple candidates in the first place is a minor miracle.

Worst start: Olympic golf

It has not even begun and already golf’s return to the Olympics has been hamstrung by a severe case of golfers-not-caring-it is. This summer is the first time in 112 years that golfers can aspire to an Olympic medal. But 20 of the world’s best, including the top four, will now not be at Rio. Some have claimed fear of the Zika virus. Others have suggested a lack of money. Rory McIlroy, more bluntly, thinks it has no place at the Olympics.

Best business: Paul Pogba

Manchester United went to Juventus yesterday with an offer of £100 million (Dh482.6m) – £13m of which would be add-ons – for Paul Pogba. They were rejected, the Turin giants holding out for a £100m base price, which would make Pogba the most expensive player in the world. You get the sense, though, that this will happen one way or another. It will be a smart piece of business for United, too (not), having had Pogba on their books until 2012.

Best judgment: Indian cricket

The Indian cricket board might never be the same again. India’s Supreme Court accepted a number of wide-ranging recommendations made by the Lodha committee which the board must now implement. It will change the board completely, getting rid of career administrators, civil servants and politicians, as well as reducing the power of bigger state associations. It might take some time but Indian cricket, and world cricket, is on the cusp of potentially tumultuous change. ​