Skid marks, swear jars and an early night: welcome to sport’s nanny state | Simon Burnton

The big names are getting younger at the same time the infantilisation of sport grows apaceA 14-year-old has been taking the Indian Premier League by storm. A 17-year-old may win this year’s Ballon d’Or. Last month another 17-year-old became the youngest winner of a Formula Two race. In darts the last world champion was 17, a 14-year-old just became the youngest winner of a World Darts Federation event and this week the promoter Barry Hearn described watching a prodigy who “had