The chances of a repeat were said to be doomed when Harvard's senior co-captains withdrew from school last fall in the wake of a plagiarism investigation.

NPR: Harvard's 1st NCAA Win Brings 'Unexpected Pride'

At West Point the origins of the cheating scandal were traced to a small group of football players, and at Harvard the most noteworthy early withdrawals from the school are those of the senior co-captains on the basketball team, which in recent years has been faced with troubling questions about its players and coach.

CNN: An easy out for athletes in Harvard scandal?

Mr Blair has always admired self-made men such as Sir Richard Branson and may, like many senior politicians, have looked wistfully at the seven figure salaries routinely commanded by Britain's captains of industry.

BBC: Blair 'retirement plan' is no surprise