London must honour its promise to maintain an athletics track at the 2012 Olympic Stadium, senior vice president of the IAAF and IOC member Sergei Bubka said on Saturday.
Go here to read the rest: Olympics-London must retain Games track, says Bubka
ACAPULCO (Mexico) – IT’S HARD to imagine an Olympic opening or closing ceremony without fireworks exploding in the night sky over a packed stadium. That tradition could be on the way out, though, under a proposal being considered by the International Olympic Committee. IOC President Jacques Rogge said on Sunday his organisation would study recommendations to eliminate firework displays in a bid …
Read more: Olympics with no fireworks?
It may be more nip and tuck than a complete facelift but the Olympics could have a new look in the future if a series of proposals are approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
See the original post here: Olympics-IOC ponder firework ban and adding women’s ski jumping
LaShawn Merritt’s eligibility for the 2012 London Olympics is still uncertain. On Tuesday, the International Olympic Committee said the defending Olympic champion in the 400 meters would be ineligible for the games because of an IOC rule that automatically disqualifies any athlete banned for more than six months.
Continue reading here: Arbitrators: Merritt may be eligible for Olympics
Africa is unlikely to host the Olympics for at least 20 years despite the success of the soccer World Cup in South Africa which gave rise to hopes the continent might bid to host the Games soon, an IOC official told Reuters.
Read more: Olympics-Africa must wait 20 years for Games: official
Future Winter Olympics could be set to benefit from a Team Skiing event – if the possibility is approved by the International Olympic Committee. IOC explore options The event will be put onto the IOC’s agenda following discussions at the 47th annual International Ski Congress about the feasibility of the event.
Read the original: Olympics Team Skiing event explored
The International Olympic Committee said Tuesday it will be promoting the U.N. goal of equality for women and will be pressing Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei to send female athletes to the Olympics for the first time when London hosts the games in 2012. Anita DeFrantz, who heads the IOC’s women and sports commission, said there are 205 national Olympic committees, but those three countries are…
See the original post here: Olympics promoting UN goal of equality for women
All three applicant cities for the 2018 Winter Olympics have made an International Olympic Committee shortlist, the IOC said on Tuesday.
Continued here: Olympics-All three 2018 Games bidders make IOC shortlist
At a summit held last week in Antalya, Turkey, the International Ski Federation (FIS) Congress voted unanimously to support Ski Halfpipe in its bid to become a medal event for men and women at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. The decision means that the FIS will now take Ski Halfpipe’s case to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the organization that has the final say on …
Read this article: FIS endorses Ski Halfpipe for Olympics
Softball will seek to rejoin the Olympics alone after its governing body on Friday rejected baseball‘s proposal to make a joint pitch for inclusion.
Softball and baseball were dropped from the Olympics after last year’s Beijing Games but are among seven sports targeting the 2016 event when two sports will be added to the lineup.
In lobbying efforts, the International Softball Federation (ISF) has attempted to distance itself from baseball, which has been criticised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for Major League Baseball’s failure to tackle doping issues and for not freeing top players to participate in the Games.
Golf, squash, rugby, karate and rollersports are the others sports hoping to join the Olympics.
“The ISF recently received a proposal from the International Baseball Federation for a combined approach for Olympic Games programme status,” ISF president Don Porter said in a statement.
“However, having looked at all the factors involved, the ISF has decided that softball will not combine with any other sport and stands by the current proposals to the International Olympic Committee submitted in our recent response to their questionnaire.
“We have offered the IOC a doping-free, universal team sport that reflects Olympic values all over the world.
“Softball is also a stand-alone sport with its own rules, values, and philosophy.”
Since softball was voted out of the Olympics in 2005, the ISF has launched a vigorous campaign for reinstatement.
Softball has attempted to address the IOC’s two biggest concerns that the sport is not played at the highest level in enough countries and is dominated by the U.S..
The ISF has introduced several new competitions around the world and pointed to Japan’s upset win over the U.S. in the gold medal final in Beijing as a sign the sport is growing.
The IOC will vote on the inclusion of up to two new sports during its congress in Copenhagen in October.
source: reuters.com
Tessa Jowell seems to think so. The Olympics minister has raised the spectre of “gender discrepancies” at the 2012 games in London, specifically the fact that men will compete in 164 events, compared with 124 for women. Perhaps predictably, the Daily Mail has already made a sneery reference to “the equality Olympics” and many have chosen to concentrate on the prospect of men adopting the only two all-female Olympic sports, synchronised swimming and rhythmic gymnastics (the one where you wear a leotard and throw hula-hoops in the air).
Jowell is of course thinking more of boxing, the only totally female-free Olympic sport, not to mention canoeing, cycling, rowing, shooting and wrestling, which offer fewer medal events for women for no apparent reason other than that’s the way it’s always been. After the 2008 games the cyclist Victoria Pendleton pointed out that while Chris Hoy was able to compete for three gold medals on the track, as a woman she got just the one shot. This seems both unfair and pointless. Women’s cycling is as much an elite sport as the men’s event, and its under-representation seems to be based solely in genteel – and largely historical – reservations about ladies going fast on bikes.
There is another side to this. Current estimates suggest there are no more than 60 female wrestlers in the whole of Britain. It’s hard to make much of a case here for instant elevation, particularly with professional sports such as darts and the now-demoted baseball lobbying for their own inclusion.
In any case, the makeup of the 2012 programme is a matter solely for the International Olympic Committee, an organisation that pursues its own labyrinthine agenda largely unhindered by the opinions of UK cabinet ministers. Plus, the IOC would no doubt point to the recent inclusions of the women’s pole vault (2000) and steeplechase (2008) as evidence of its own creeping progressiveness. But the issue has at least been decisively raised. And perhaps, also, it wouldn’t really be the London Olympics without a little fevered talk of political correctness gone mad.
source: guardian.co.uk
On Saturday January 10th, about three months delayed, The Singapore Youth Olympics 2010 logo was unveiled, and the results of the public logo competition were announced.
A new emblem is born. On Saturday, Singapore 2010 launched its official emblem for the 1st Summer Youth Olympic Games. “The emblem embodies the spirit of the Youth Olympic Games and represents the blending of the IOC’s and Singapore Organising Committee’s vision to bring the youth of the world together,” said IOC President Jacques Rogge in his message.
Colourful and vibrant
The emblem illustrates in a colourful and vibrant way the passion of sport with the champions in its centre. It will be a strong ambassador for Singapore 2010.
An event in itself
The emblem launching ceremony was accompanied by sports demonstrations based on the new disciplines of the 2010 Games sports programme (like basketball 3 on 3) and a 2010m run with many Singaporean youngsters participating.
Singapore 2010 Logo
Sport, Culture and Education
Some 3,594 athletes from all 205 National Olympic Committees will compete in Singapore in 26 sports comprising 201 events. Besides the sports competitions programme, the YOG will feature an extensive Cultural and Educational Programme (CEP), which aims to introduce, in a fun and festive spirit, the young athletes to Olympism and the Olympic values, and to raise awareness of important issues such as the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, the fight against doping and their role as sports ambassadors in their communities.
source: olympic.org
Singapore Youth Olympics 2010 logo
A new emblem is born. On Saturday, Singapore 2010 launched its official emblem for the 1st Summer Youth Olympic Games. “The emblem embodies the spirit of the Youth Olympic Games and represents the blending of the IOC’s and Singapore Organising Committee’s vision to bring the youth of the world together,” said IOC President Jacques Rogge in his message.
Colourful and vibrant
The emblem illustrates in a colourful and vibrant way the passion of sport with the champions in its centre. It will be a strong ambassador for Singapore 2010.
An event in itself
The emblem launching ceremony was accompanied by sports demonstrations based on the new disciplines of the 2010 Games sports programme (like basketball 3 on 3) and a 2010m run with many Singaporean youngsters participating.
Singapore 2010 Logo
Sport, Culture and Education
Some 3,594 athletes from all 205 National Olympic Committees will compete in Singapore in 26 sports comprising 201 events. Besides the sports competitions programme, the YOG will feature an extensive Cultural and Educational Programme (CEP), which aims to introduce, in a fun and festive spirit, the young athletes to Olympism and the Olympic values, and to raise awareness of important issues such as the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, the fight against doping and their role as sports ambassadors in their communities.
source: olympic.org
Preparations for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) gained
further momentum at the end of the year with the launch of two new programmes: the Olympic Education Programme (OEP) and Friends@YOG. “Since Singapore won the bid to host the 2010 YOG, our schools have been actively organising various activities to intensify the YOG buzz. These two new initiatives will further lay the foundation for a successful and memorable YOG event in 2010”, said IOC member and Chairman of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC) Ser Miang Ng at the launch ceremony.
Friends@YOG
Under “Friends@YOG”, each of the 360 Singapore schools will be “twinned” with one of
the 205 National Olympic Committees.” It will be a fun and exciting learning journey for our students as they cultivate a global mindset through the forging of international friendships, learning about other countries’ cultures and developing respect for cultural diversity”, underlined Ser Miang Ng.
Friends@YOG aims to achieve the objectives of:
• building international friendship through collaboration and cultural exchanges among young people;
• promulgating the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect;
• cultivating among young people a global outlook, a passion for sport and good
habits that are part of a healthy lifestyle.
Olympic Education Programme
With the launch of the Olympic Education Programme (OEP), youngsters in Singapore will have more opportunities to experience and embrace the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect. They will also get to better understand the diverse cultures of the world. All schools will receive the specially designed “Living Olympism” Education Resource Package as part of the associated teaching materials. Teachers can draw on the various interesting ideas in the package to develop innovative learning activities for students to acquire knowledge about the Olympic Games and understand the Olympic spirit in a fun way.
source: olympic.org
Sailing scored a major coup as its television coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games was recognized as ‘The Best Sports Coverage by the Host Broadcaster’ at the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) “Olympic Golden Rings” ceremony, held last night (16 December) in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The IOC’s Olympic Golden Rings ceremony recognises the contribution made by the world of television to the success of the Olympic Games. Sailing won the gold award for The Best Sports Coverage by the Host Broadcasting Organisation, the Beijing Olympic Broadcasting (BOB). IOC President Jacques Rogge was amongst the leading figures from both the sporting and broadcasting world who attended the awards ceremony held at The Olympic Museum in Lausanne on Tuesday evening.
A major conference in Madrid promoting tourism through the Internet has provided a showcase for Madrid’s bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
Antonio Fernandez Arimany, Managing Director of the bid, told the TravelThink conference that the city would be the perfect Olympic host for the visitors from around the world.
He said, “for tourists Madrid provides a feast of culture with 133 museums and with the three most famous, the Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen, all within six minutes’ walk of each other. Three world word heritage sites are within an hour of Madrid and the city’s nightlife is also unparalleled with over 3,000 restaurants to complement many bars, theatres, nightclubs and shops”.
The International Olympic Committee is seeking to improve the ticketing system for upcoming Games in Vancouver and London to avoid the problem of empty seats that occurred in Beijing this year.
The IOC and London organizers, meanwhile, expressed confidence Thursday that the 2012 Olympics will be a success despite the global economic downturn. And London’s Olympic chief said the Games will be “secure” from terrorism.
Olympic officials concluded weeklong meetings aimed at passing on lessons learned from the Beijing Games, which the IOC described as “an indisputable success” that could lead to further social, economic and political progress in China.
The Beijing review was meant to transfer knowledge to upcoming host cities, particularly London for 2012. Organizers of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games and 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, also took part. So did officials from the four cities bidding for the 2016 Summer Games: Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.
“The 2008 Games set new standards for organization, venues and athletic performances, but we can always improve,” IOC Olympic Games executive director Gilbert Felli said. “I’m confident that the London organizers will host a first class event with a uniquely British atmosphere.”
Ticketing and empty seats were singled out as key issues. While tickets were sold out in Beijing, there were still vacant seats at some of the venues, Felli said.
He said this may have been because ticket-holders did not stay at the venues for long or back-to-back sessions. Also, some tickets were allocated to groups across China which may not have shown up, he said.
Some tickets also ended up on the black market, while fake tickets were sold to unsuspecting fans in online scams.
The Beijing Olympics were an “indisputable success” that brought change to China in areas as diverse as press freedom, the environment and public health, according to an assessment released by the International Olympic Committee this week that activists criticized as ignoring human-rights violations that occurred during the Games.
The review, released by the Olympic committee during meetings in London this week, credited the Beijing Games with attracting broader participation and larger audiences than any other Olympics in history.
“The Games expanded and strengthened the Olympic Movement by advancing the universality of sport,” according to the three-page fact sheet. “They also brought many tangible and intangible benefits to China, especially in terms of public infrastructure improvements. While some of the positive benefits were immediately apparent, others will emerge with time.”
The document praised the Beijing organizers’ nearly flawless execution of the Games, detailing the successful coordination of half a million volunteers and maintenance of a complex transportation and security system. It noted that the media facilities were “widely praised as the best ever,” and that the Chinese government has indefinitely reduced restrictions on foreign media who report in the country.
But it made no mention of several highly publicized crackdowns on would-be protestors, or of Internet censorship at the media center and harassment of foreign journalists during the Games.
“I think the I.O.C.’s fact sheet is missing a lot of salient facts,” said Minky Worden, media director for Human Rights Watch. “What is missing in this document is the extent to which the International Olympic Committee lowered its standards on human rights around the Beijing Olympic Games.”
Thousands of people were evicted from their homes to make way for construction of Olympic venues, and some activists were detained before the Games began. Although authorities set up “protest zones” during the Olympics, no demonstrations took place, and several people who applied for protest permits were detained, including two elderly women who were initially sentenced to up to a year of “re-education through labor.” The sentence was later rescinded.
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