Amidst the furore surrounding Thierry Henry’s admission regarding his handling of the ball in the recent France and Eire World Cup play-off and the light reprimand given to both Diego Maradona and Sir Alex Ferguson regarding their public outbursts, it is warming to read about Monty Panesar’s generous farewell gift to his former employees Northamptonshire County Cricket Club.

In donating £10,000 he has shown his gratitude to the county that helped him to develop into international class bowler whilst also acknowledging that his former employer can no longer afford to retain his services with his EWCB Central Contract having been withdrawn. Panesar's gesture represents a code of conduct that both administrators of and players in sport may wish to reflect on and encourage.

This softer and more humane face of sport was also evident at the Second Nehru Lecture organised by the Wales India Centre which I recently attended at the National Museum of Wales. As part of the growing commercial and cultural links between Wales and India the event also witnessed the handing of the Queen's Batton to Rhodri Morgan, First Minister in Wales. The Batton, the Commonwealth equivalent of the Olympic Torch was presented by 400 metre hurdler Rhys Williams and concluded a four day tour of Wales prior to is departure for Ireland.

It is surely these two events that deserve some of the media space devoted to Henry, as this one incident alone did not deprive Ireland of its chance of World Cup glory.

Amidst the furore surrounding Thierry Henry’s admission regarding his handling of the ball in the recent France and Eire World Cup play-off and the light reprimand given to both Diego Maradona and Sir Alex Ferguson regarding their public outbursts, it is warming to read about Monty Panesar’s generous farewell gift to his former employees Northamptonshire County Cricket Club.

In donating £10,000 he has shown his gratitude to the county that helped him to develop into international class bowler whilst also acknowledging that his former employer can no longer afford to retain his services with his EWCB Central Contract having been withdrawn. Panesar's gesture represents a code of conduct that both administrators of and players in sport may wish to reflect on and encourage.

This softer and more humane face of sport was also evident at the Second Nehru Lecture organised by the Wales India Centre which I recently attended at the National Museum of Wales. As part of the growing commercial and cultural links between Wales and India the event also witnessed the handing of the Queen's Batton to Rhodri Morgan, First Minister in Wales. The Batton, the Commonwealth equivalent of the Olympic Torch was presented by 400 metre hurdler Rhys Williams and concluded a four day tour of Wales prior to is departure for Ireland.

It is surely these two events that deserve some of the media space devoted to Henry, as this one incident alone did not deprive Ireland of its chance of World Cup glory.