Olympic President, Jacques Rogge, has fired a warning shot across the bows of the five cities bidding for the 2012 Olympic Games.
He issued a statement at the Berlin Intercontinental Hotel, where the final presentations for the 2012 Games are being made, saying:
"We do not want a kind of bidding war in the final few days. This would not be good for the Olympic movement,".
Adding:
"But remember where we (IOC) come from and where we never want to go back. I want a fair system for candidate cities and I want a fair system for the IOC".
Friday, April 22, 2005
Thursday, April 21, 2005
USA Win Gold
The Team USA have won a gold medal in the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie, the international artisan bread and pastry competition known as the olympics of baking.
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
A Question Of Ethics
As ever with the Olympics, ethical questions are never far beneath the surface; sport, and "gentlemanly" behaviour, long ago capitulated to the dominant force of money.
It is reported that the IOC ethics commission has summoned leaders of the five cities, bidding for the 2012 Olympics, to see if any of them broke bidding rules by offering incentives.
It seems that both New York and London promised subsidies, free marketing and other benefits to international sports federations and national Olympic committees.
The IOC are trying to determine if these proposals go beyond what the cities listed in their official bid documents in November. Needles to say, both New York and London bid officials claim that their proposals were included.
The rules have been tightened since the Salt Lake City bid scandal, which led to the removal of 10 IOC members for accepting bribes.
London is offering a package of more than $20M in assistance to athletes and Olympic committees, including $50K "credits" to each national Olympic body toward the cost of using pre-games training facilities in Britain.
London is also budgeting an extra $10M to cover flexible, round-trip economy air fares for all the athletes and their team officials.
New York promises to market each of the 28 Olympic sports for free in the period leading up to the games. Federations would get free office space, with computers, phones and staff.
As said, it's all about money; sport no longer enters into the equation.
It is reported that the IOC ethics commission has summoned leaders of the five cities, bidding for the 2012 Olympics, to see if any of them broke bidding rules by offering incentives.
It seems that both New York and London promised subsidies, free marketing and other benefits to international sports federations and national Olympic committees.
The IOC are trying to determine if these proposals go beyond what the cities listed in their official bid documents in November. Needles to say, both New York and London bid officials claim that their proposals were included.
The rules have been tightened since the Salt Lake City bid scandal, which led to the removal of 10 IOC members for accepting bribes.
London is offering a package of more than $20M in assistance to athletes and Olympic committees, including $50K "credits" to each national Olympic body toward the cost of using pre-games training facilities in Britain.
London is also budgeting an extra $10M to cover flexible, round-trip economy air fares for all the athletes and their team officials.
New York promises to market each of the 28 Olympic sports for free in the period leading up to the games. Federations would get free office space, with computers, phones and staff.
As said, it's all about money; sport no longer enters into the equation.
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Sports Won't Be Dropped
The International Olympic Committee President, Jacques Rogge, said on Monday that it is unlikely that any sports will be dropped from the Summer Olympics.
This means that new sports will not be admitted to the Olympics programme.
Rogge, in referring to review of the 2012 Games programme, said:
"There should be no anxiety...The process will be a totally fair process. Reading the report, I have only one conclusion. We have very strong federations, and strong federations should have nothing to fear."
Rogge also ruled out raising the number of Olympic sports above the limit of 28. He said the cap was approved by the IOC in 2002, and is enshrined in the Olympic charter and host city contracts.
As he said:
"We do not want the Games to become too big...If you go above the number of 28, you increase the demands on the organising committee and cause saturation among the public. The rules are set. There is no way we can change that."
To my view the Games are too big, too difficult to organise and too costly; the best idea would be to cut them back significantly.
This means that new sports will not be admitted to the Olympics programme.
Rogge, in referring to review of the 2012 Games programme, said:
"There should be no anxiety...The process will be a totally fair process. Reading the report, I have only one conclusion. We have very strong federations, and strong federations should have nothing to fear."
Rogge also ruled out raising the number of Olympic sports above the limit of 28. He said the cap was approved by the IOC in 2002, and is enshrined in the Olympic charter and host city contracts.
As he said:
"We do not want the Games to become too big...If you go above the number of 28, you increase the demands on the organising committee and cause saturation among the public. The rules are set. There is no way we can change that."
To my view the Games are too big, too difficult to organise and too costly; the best idea would be to cut them back significantly.
Monday, April 18, 2005
London's Passion
Lord Coe, Chairman of London's Olympic bid committee, has told the Olympic sports federations in Berlin that London's passion and enthusiasm to host the 2012 Olympics is matched only by its commitment.
Quote:
"We have made great progress with our plans. We have listened and we have learned. We believe we have chosen the best venues. Each one will present every sport at its best. We want to help you grow...We want to bring a new generation of participants and spectators to the Games and to all its sports".
He said that the London organisers had reached an agreement with the BBC to broadcast an extra 1,000 hours of sport, if London wins the Games.
He said:
"This will bring all sports to the widest possible audience...It will take your sport and the Olympic experience to a new generation of young people...I well remember returning from the 1984 Olympics and witnessing the unique enthusiasm that the Games can foster".
Lord Coe confirmed that funding had been agreed for a hockey stadium, the third new facility in London.
Quote:
"Work will start, regardless of whether our bid is successful..What this means is simple there would only be two permanent venues left to build for London to host the Games (after the hockey stadium)".
The vote for the host nation will take place on 6 July, in Singapore.
Quote:
"We have made great progress with our plans. We have listened and we have learned. We believe we have chosen the best venues. Each one will present every sport at its best. We want to help you grow...We want to bring a new generation of participants and spectators to the Games and to all its sports".
He said that the London organisers had reached an agreement with the BBC to broadcast an extra 1,000 hours of sport, if London wins the Games.
He said:
"This will bring all sports to the widest possible audience...It will take your sport and the Olympic experience to a new generation of young people...I well remember returning from the 1984 Olympics and witnessing the unique enthusiasm that the Games can foster".
Lord Coe confirmed that funding had been agreed for a hockey stadium, the third new facility in London.
Quote:
"Work will start, regardless of whether our bid is successful..What this means is simple there would only be two permanent venues left to build for London to host the Games (after the hockey stadium)".
The vote for the host nation will take place on 6 July, in Singapore.
Sunday, April 17, 2005
One In, One Out
IOC officials have reviewed the 28 sports in the Summer Olympic Games, and the 5 new sports hoping to get into the Olympics.
However, any changes in the program are still far off.
The 5 new sports are; golf, rugby, squash, karate and roller sports.
A panel will submit its report next week to the IOC executive board, which is holding a three day meeting in Berlin.
The report has not been made public, and commission members are under orders to keep it secret. However, it is not expected that any sports will be dropped or added.
No sport can be added, unless one is dropped.
However, any changes in the program are still far off.
The 5 new sports are; golf, rugby, squash, karate and roller sports.
A panel will submit its report next week to the IOC executive board, which is holding a three day meeting in Berlin.
The report has not been made public, and commission members are under orders to keep it secret. However, it is not expected that any sports will be dropped or added.
No sport can be added, unless one is dropped.
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