Those who donate time and money to charity should walk taller. Although in the case of Kali Selei, that's pretty hard. Selei is a Fijian who has recently been based in Melbourne. At 230 centimetres, he's also the world's fifth tallest person. Growing up in Fiji he was a keen soccer player – not surprisingly a goalkeeper. But Selei was bullied as a child, and shaped by those experiences, he now travels the world with Team Extreme international, a Christian group run out of Kansas City who aim to provide mentoring while showcasing impressive physical feats. In addition to what he does with Team Extreme, Selei is involved with Rugby Plus Island Breeze, an organisation that seeks to link professionals to grassroots rugby while also focusing on their holistic growth. Selei will be involved in a group including Melbourne man Michael Gallus, Rugby Plus director Waqa Baraviala and former Wallaby Ilie Tabua in distributing rugby balls on the Fijian island of Ovalau later this month. The trip is being run by the Footys4all foundation, a volunteer organisation started four years ago which, in the words of founding director Gallus, aims to "distribute hope and a sporting opportunity for kids across Australia and around the world in the form of a new ball. "They're going to the villages to teach them about farming and also about finance, as well as sport," he said. The organisation has already handed out more than 10,000 balls to indigenous communities in Australia, while former Essendon champion and indigenous leader Michael Long and 2010 Australian of the Year Patrick McGorry are among the not-for-profit's ambassadors. Along with trying to help educate Fijian children, Gallus says Footys4all are also hoping to pluck the next Sefavaia Naivalu, a Melbourne Rebels back, who was discovered on a similar trip to Fiji two years ago. Gallus said that Selei is "revered across Fiji and seen as a natural leader." In almost all circles, Selei is the leader when it comes to height as well. That changed though in the middle of last year when he was invited to visit Paris as part of a meeting of the world's 10 tallest people. Kelei was dwarfed by 251cm Turk Sultan Kosen, who is officially the tallest man on Earth. "When I first looked at those guys, I was like, 'wow!," Selei told Pssst. "I'm used to looking down at people."
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Snap out of it
The WBBL is exceeding all expectations this summer thanks to surging interest in the Twenty20 game and strong TV ratings that have resulted in Network Ten expanding its broadcast schedule to include more finals later this month. But in a time when newspapers are regularly criticised for the amount of time and space they devote to women's sport, The Age has been forced to jump through extra hoops to cover women's matches. Due to a quirky commercial deal signed off by CA, sports editors and producers are being forced to leap several hurdles to access photos from WBBL matches.
Dicky knee
Essendon coach John Worsfold appeared reluctant to divulge details of the mystery lower body affliction which has had an impact on star midfielder Dyson Heppell's pre-season. However Pssst hears that the issue — which the Bombers claim is not serious — is a knee ailment exacerbated during November's International Rules tour.
BBL punt
It's no great surprise, but the increasing popularity of the BBL seems to have extended to betting markets. Online bookmaker Ladbrokes reported that overall turnover for the event is up 400 per cent.
Handy work
Melbourne Stars gloveman Peter Handscomb claimed perhaps the flukiest dismissal of the BBL when he stumped Hobart Hurricanes batsman Jono Wells during last Wednesday night's match at the MCG which the hosts won by eight wickets. Wells had to go despite Handscomb fumbling what should have been a simple stumping off the bowling of leg-spinner Adam Zampa, with the ball bouncing off Handscomb and onto the stumps. It turns out the bounce came off Handscomb's throat, the ball having flown straight under Handscomb's helmet and hit him in the jugular. Comedian Andy Lee, who is the Stars' celebrity drinks runner, went out to give Handscomb a drink following the wicket, and discovered the wicketkeeper was finding it harder than usual to breathe.
Testing time
That the Sydney Test made it to day five seemingly had a lot less to do with the fight of the West Indies than with the wretched weather in the Harbour City. Nevertheless, it seems like it was a surprise, particularly to those running the governing body's official smartphone app. As reader Leigh Gavin noted, "either CA has embraced four-day Tests already, or they're setting expectations for a West Indies Test realistically low".
Balls-up
This column is a big fan of the work of 3AW sports commentator Shane McInnes, but we did have a chuckle at his on-air gaffe last week. Talking about some of the controversial utterances made by Sam Newman, McInnes said the former Geelong ruckman and Footy Show stalwart had been "castrated" for several of his comments in the past. Listeners perhaps wondered if things had changed at all since Newman was infamously relieved of his pants on national television by Shane Crawford in 2001. But McInnes clarified things on Twitter. "Sincere apologies to Sam Newman - said he'd been castrated in the past as opposed to castigated. A slip of the tongue. Sorry #oops."
Gayle trail
There can't have been too many interviews in Australian sports history which have caused a greater stir than Chris Gayle's brief chat with Mel McLaughlin at Blundstone Arena last Monday night. The issue was highly divisive, with Adelaide captain Taylor Walker initially tweeting his support for Gayle, sentiments not shared by ex-teammate Patrick Dangerfield. "Well done @networkten and @MarkHoward03 following up on gayles pathetic interview with @Mel_Mclaughlin #notfunny #21stcentury #classactmel," the now Cats star tweeted, after Walker had written that it was "A bit of fun by @henrygayle everybody relax - no one hurt, injured or dead!" Pssst has also been told of another Australian sportsperson rapped on the knuckles by their employer after sending a pro-Gayle tweet.
THE WATCHMAN
5 minutes to midnight for... Australian motorcyclist Toby Price.
Now overall in second place at the Dakar Rally. Price, from the NSW Hunter Valley, may not be a household name, but racing in the most gruelling event in the world, he should be.
LOCAL HERO
Sacked as chairman of South Africa's selectors in 2009, former batsman Mike Procter has found a new project running a foundation project to help the 1100 children who attend Ottawa Primary School, in a settlement close to Durban. The 69-year-old estimates that 90 per cent are Aids orphans and face a daily struggle against hunger and crime. "This is for life. How can I walk away?" he said this week. "Our great leader (Nelson Mandela) said, 'Sport has the power to change the world'. But he also said, 'We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in any society, a life free from violence and fear'."
NUMBERS UP
17-20th March Albert Park is the first outing for the V8 Supercars in Victoria this year.
15 -17th April they'll be at Phillip Island, 20-22th May at Winton in north-east Victoria.
16 -18th September marks the V8s return to Melbourne for the Sandown 500.
1 place to get a whole year of sporting events – The Sunday Age sport 2016 calendar can be downloaded from Tuesday.
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