IAAF Disagree with Rogge's Comments

The president of the IAAF disagreed with IOC head Jacques Rogge's comments about the behaviour of Usain Bolt after the Jamaican's world record races at the Olympics, saying such occasions merit extraordinary celebrations.

"No, no, I did not mind,'' Lamine Diack said Saturday.

Rogge criticized Bolt for showing a lack of respect to other competitors after his record-breaking gold medal performances in the 100 and 200 metres.

"It is normal actually for him not to come back'' once he crossed the line, Diack said, considering the enormity of the achievements.

And Bolt himself was unrepentant - International Olympic Committee president or not.

"I won't change that. And I don't see any problem with it, because people enjoy watching me. I'll stay the way I am - that's my personality,'' Bolt said Saturday.

Even the Jamaican government came to the defence of its star athlete.

"It is an unfortunate comment at this time, especially when we are driving young people to become more involved,'' government minister Edmund Bartlett said of Rogge's comments.

"We have to see it in the glory of their moment and give it to them,'' Bartlett said of the 22-year-old Bolt. "We have to allow the personality of youth to express itself.''

UFC Confirms European Shows

Marshall Zaleznik, the company's UK division president, is working with co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta in the company's expansion plans as they look to build on the scheduled 19 UFC shows this year.

There will likely be between 23 and 25 UFC events in 2009, including a number of breakthrough events held in countries new to big-time MMA.

"In the spring of 2009, we plan to have two (international) events outside of the United Kingdom," said Zaleznik.

"We're looking at Italy, Sweden, Australia and the Philippines. We want to go to Germany (in 2009) but we haven't launched television there."

President Dana White also said recently that the UFC plan to turn their attention to Canada after they resolve sanctioning problems in the US states of Massachusetts and New York.

Montreal recently hosted a hugely successful UFC event in April, drawing a crowd of over 21,000 to see home star Georges St Pierre reclaim his welterweight title from Matt Serra.

Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, South Korea and Malaysia are also among UFC's long-term targets for expansion.

Over the past four years, UFC has reached deals to broadcast fights in 170 countries and territories, reaching a potential 300 million homes.

Cuban Taekwondo Athlete Disqualified for Kicking Ref

A Cuban taekwondo athlete and his coach were banned for life after Angel Matos kicked the referee in the face following his bronze-medal match disqualification.

Cuban coach Leudis Gonzalez offered no apology for Matos' actions during the men's over-80 kg (176 pounds) match.

Matos was winning 3-2, with 1:02 in the second round, when he fell to the mat after being hit by his opponent, Kazakhstan's Arman Chilmanov. He was sitting there, awaiting medical attention, when he was disqualified for taking too much injury time. Fighters get one minute, and Matos was disqualified when his time ran out.

Matos angrily questioned the call, pushed a judge, then pushed and kicked referee Chakir Chelbat of Sweden. Matos then spat on the floor and was escorted out.

"He was too strict," Gonzalez said, referring to the decision to disqualify Matos. Afterward, he charged the match was fixed, accusing the Kazakhs of offering him money.

"This is a strong violation of the spirit of taekwondo and the Olympic Games. The sanctions are the following and are effective immediately: Lifetime ban of the coach and athlete in all championships sanctioned by the (World Taekwondo Federation) and at the same time, all records of this athlete at the Beijing Games will immediately be erased," said the announcer, reading a WTF release.

In his first match, Matos defeated Italy's Leonardo Basile, then beat China's Liu Xiaobo 2-1 in the quarterfinals. But he lost to South Korean Cha Dong-min in the semis to land in the bronze-medal match.

"To me it was obvious he was unable to continue," Chilmanov said. "His toe on his left foot was broken."

Matos won the gold medal in this division at the 2000 Sydney Games, dedicating the victory to his mother, who died on the day of the opening ceremony. At the 2004 Athens Games, he finished 11th.

Phelps Signs New Book Deal

American swimmer and Olympic star Michael Phelps will write a book telling the story behind his record-setting run at the Beijing Olympics, a U.S. publisher announced on Friday.

Free Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, said that the upcoming title — to be called Built to Succeed — is scheduled for release in December, in time for the holiday season.

In addition to giving the 23-year-old swimmer the opportunity to discuss his amazing eight-gold medal performance in Beijing, the book will explore his philosophies on training and competitions as well as his childhood.

Phelps grew up in a single-parent family and struggles with attention deficit disorder, Free Press said.

Phelps, who hails from Baltimore, became the winningest Olympian in history in Beijing, adding eight gold medals to the six he won in Athens in 2004.

His performance in Beijing bested the seven gold medals haul U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz took at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Nicknamed the Baltimore Bullet, Phelps has also scored endorsement deals with a raft of major firms, including Speedo, Visa, Omega, Hilton, AT&T, PureSport and Kellogg Co.

Source: CBC, Associated Press

'Medical Passports' for 2010 Olympics?

Chief VANOC (Vancouver Olympic Committee)
medical officer Jack Taunton, who is in Beijing to help supervise medical care and anti-doping measures at the Olympics, said technology now exists for the medical history of every Olympic athlete to be available on an individual computer chip that can be accessed by the doctors treating them.

Having such information would end situations that occurred at past Olympics, where athletes have sometimes received improper care because attending physicians did not know their medical history, Dr. Taunton said.

"It would be like having a medical passport ... with your most recent blood tests, allergies, checkups and other health information able to be pulled up on computer. It's really exciting."

Canada and a few other countries already code their athletes' medical background, but nowhere has a comprehensive program been established at an international sporting competition.

"We're pushing very hard to have it in place for the Winter Olympics," Dr. Taunton said. "This is real cutting edge. Between now and 2010, we are really hoping other countries pick it up."

Source: Globe and Mail

Coke and Pepsi Battle in Beijing Over Olympic Athlete

Coke and Pepsi were slugging it out for supremacy outside the home of Thai Olympic boxing athlete Worapoj Phetkum, who fought in the Beijing Games this week.

PepsiCo's local distributor made the first move, erecting promotional tents at the police sergeant's home in the southern province of Surat Thani, where hundreds of people gathered for his bout against Italy's Vittorio Parrinello.

Coca-Cola's Thai agents quickly countered, offering the boxer's father, Thaweep, a deal -- on condition the Pepsi tents were removed.

In a compromise, both companies were allowed to stay, providing they behaved themselves.

"If they make problems, both will have to leave," Thaweep said.

Thai boxer Worapoj Phetkum was able to beat Parrinello, but missed out on his dream of winning an Olympic medal for his cancer-stricken father when he was beaten in the bantamweight quarter-finals by Cuba's Yankiel Leon.

Rebirth of the New Orleans Hornets: Team Unveils New Logos

To proudly showcase the images of New Orleans’ passion, heritage and future, the Hornets unveiled updated logo modifications and new team uniforms. The new designs were created in collaboration with the Hornets, the NBA and adidas, and are inspired by the emblems, colors and textures that New Orleanians and people around the world associate with the city of New Orleans.


“We are extremely proud to be the New Orleans Hornets, and our new logos and uniforms pay tribute to the past, present and future of this great city,” said Executive Officer of the Board Chad Shinn. “These exciting new designs represent our commitment to championship performance on and off the court as we look ahead to a successful future in New Orleans.”


The Hornets primary logo has been enhanced with the team’s new colors: Creole blue, a deeper, more passionate purple and Mardi Gras gold. In addition, the arms on the primary logo have been better proportioned, the ball channels have been made more accurate and “NOLA” now appears across the chest. The wordmark “New Orleans Hornets” includes more stylization linked to the wrought iron of New Orleans architecture.


The “Fleur-de-bee”, which was introduced as a patch on the team’s uniforms last season, will continue this season as the Hornets secondary logo but will be used as a major element of the Hornets brand identity. The “Fleur-de-bee” is based on the fleur-de-lis, or “flower of life”, which is an enduring image of the region’s cultural identity and is recognized worldwide as a symbol of New Orleans’ resiliency and rebirth.


A third logo has also been introduced and depicts the familiar NOLA abbreviation with a basketball and trumpet, capturing the essence of the city, its history of music and the team, and creates one cohesive mark.


The Hornets uniforms maintain consistency with the logo identity, using the same logos, fonts and colors. “New Orleans” will still be featured on the front of the home and away jerseys, making the Hornets one of only two NBA teams to wear their city’s name on the front of both jerseys. The “Fleur-de-bee” is featured on the side of the shorts and on the center back of the neck of the jersey. The NOLA horn is placed on the back of the shorts. The home (white) and road (Creole blue) uniforms also feature pinstripes, which provide a bit of jazz flair as well as pay tribute to the 20 years the Hornets franchise has been in existence. In addition, the team’s second road uniform has been retired.


The entire launch event was featured on Hornets.com in a live stream. New merchandise featuring the new colors and logos will be available immediately at the Hornets Nest team store as well as online at NBAStore.com.

Breaking News: IOC Decides to Investigate Chinese Gymnast

According to a report in the London Times, the International Olympic Committee has decided to investigate the age of Chinese gymnast He Kexin, who competed at the Olympics, to determine if she was old enough to compete.

According to the report, an IOC official said that because of "discrepancies" that have come to light, the organization will investigate He's age. The Chinese gymnast won gold in both the team competition and the uneven bars at the Games.

He used a government-issued passport to prove to the IOC that she was 16 years old — the minimum age to compete in gymnastics.

But a computer security expert told the Times he has uncovered evidence from the Chinese government that gives He's birth date as Jan. 1, 1994, making her only 14 years old.

If it is proven He is below the minimum age limit, she could be stripped of her medals.

He's age has been an issue of debate since the Games began with many questioning whether she was old enough to compete. Some critics of the Chinese gymnasts' program have also wondered whether the IOC was trying to avoid an investigation so as not to offend the Olympics' host country.

In addition to He, two other gymnasts — Jiang Yuyuan and Yang Yilin — may also be investigated for age violations as well.

NHL Stars will Tangle with Hollywood for Charity

A number of NHL stars and Hollywood celebrities will come together for the inaugural Festival Cup charity hockey game at the Air Canada Centre on Friday, Sept. 5.


Among those to take part in the game will be NHL stars Joe Thornton, Jason Spezza, Curtis Joseph, Matt Stajan, Robyn Regehr, Mike Cammalleri, Sean Avery and Andrew Ference. Celebrity players will include Tim Robbins, Alan Thicke, D.B. Sweeney, Cameron Bancroft and Jason Reitman.


Proceeds from the Festival Cup will go to Right To Play, an organization that promotes sport among children in disadvantaged areas of the world.


“I believe in the positive power of sport and play for children,” said Wayne Gretzky, Honorary Chair of Right To Play’s Canadian Advisory Board, in a statement. “In addition to keeping kids out of trouble and engaging them in a constructive activity, sports teach children many lessons and values including teamwork and determination. The Festival Cup is a great opportunity to help support the important initiatives of Right To Play.”

Kerri Walsh and the Tale of the Kinesio Tape

There has been a lot of interest in the tape used by American Kerri Walsh. She sported a web of tape on her right shoulder during her beach volleyball matches in Beijing. Walsh, who had shoulder surgery last fall to repair a torn rotator cuff, wears the thin strips primarily to relieve pain. They also correct muscle and joint function and improve circulation by applying compression to the skin. The tape itself, which goes for $15 a roll, contains no medicinal properties.

But Walsh is far from the first high-profile athlete to use the tape, says John Jarvis, director of Kinesio USA. Tiger Woods and Serena Williams have both worn Kinesio Tex Tape, says Jarvis, in addition to countless pro-baseball and football players. And in his 2003 book, Every Second Counts, Lance Armstrong raved about its effects.

While the product has been sold in the U.S. for only about nine years, it was developed more than 25 years ago by Japanese chiropractor Dr. Kenzo Kase and has a worldwide following too.

Source: Globe and Mail, Forbes

Sports Venues Serve Alcohol to Minors and Intoxicated Fans, Study Suggests

In a novel study looking at the propensity of illegal alcohol sales at sports stadiums, researchers reported that nearly one in five people posing as underage drinkers, and three out of four seemingly intoxicated "fans" were able to buy alcohol at professional sporting events. They also found that location mattered: sales were more likely if the attempt took place in the stadium stands rather than at a concession booth.

"We saw that sporting events can be fertile ground for illegal alcohol sales, and that the seats provide an especially high risk environment at events that every year attract an average of 130 million people," said lead author Traci Toomey, PhD, with the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. The study is published in the upcoming issue of the journal, Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research and was funded by the Substance Abuse Prevention and Research Program (SAPRP) of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

From September 2005 to November 2006, researchers conducted alcohol purchase attempts with pseudo-underage (i.e., persons age 21 or older who appear under 21) and pseudo-intoxicated (i.e., persons feigning intoxication) individuals to assess the likelihood of illegal sales of alcohol at stadiums that house professional hockey, basketball, baseball, and football teams. Purchase attempts were made at 16 sport stadiums in five different states.

For pseudo-underage purchase attempts, the researchers hired two men and five women who were 21 years or older, but were judged by a panel to look between 18 and 20 years old. For pseudo-intoxicated attempts, the researchers hired two male and two female actors (all over the age of 30) based on their ability to appear intoxicated. Their authenticity was assessed by a panel of eight to ten people who had worked in the hospitality industry. The actors – who had played similar roles for two prior studies – attempted to purchase alcohol while showing signs of obvious intoxication. In their interactions with sales staff, they dropped their money, repeated questions and slurred their words.

They found that the overall sales rates to the pseudo-underage and pseudo-intoxicated buyers were 18 percent and 74 percent, respectively. For both groups, the odds of being able to buy alcohol from the stands were three times as high as the odds of being able to purchase it from a concession booth. "We know already that there's a link between alcohol use and problem behaviors among fans," Toomey said. "But there's more that sports stadiums can do to prevent sales to people who are clearly drunk. If people are intoxicated, we don't need them to consume more alcohol."

Sales to "intoxicated" buyers were also more likely if the seller did not seem to notice the apparent intoxication, and servers in the stands were less likely to notice the intoxication level of the buyers than servers at the concession booths. In the "underage" group, buyers were almost three times more likely to purchase alcohol if in the stands than at the concession booths. When in the stands, sales increased along with the distance of buyer from seller. Toomey called the results significant. "Combining thousands of fans with significant alcohol sales could be construed as a recipe for some serious problems, like increased instances of violence and drunk driving," she said.

In the past few years, there have been several well-publicized alcohol-related problems at professional sporting events in the U.S. involving drunken behavior of fans and subsequent problems, either during or after stadium sporting events. Several of these incidents have resulted in lawsuits targeting the alcohol vendors for serving alcohol to fans who were obviously intoxicated, the authors write.

"Given the results of this study, stadium management and local and state elected officials may want to consider banning or restricting alcohol sales in the stands at sporting events, as some stadiums have already done," Toomey said. "However, if such a policy is not politically feasible in a particular stadium, vendors in the stands may need to receive additional training regarding responsible service of alcohol—training that could include how to check age identification and more clearly recognize signs of obvious intoxication." Toomey added, "In addition, law enforcement and community groups need to actively monitor and work with stadiums to promote responsible alcohol service at these events."

Source: ScienceDaily

Virgin Media Wants Usain Bolt

Virgin Media has approached Jamaican gold medal winner Usain Bolt to be the face of their 50Mbps broadband service.

According to The Guardian, Virgin Media’s marketing division confirmed they had approached the Olympic runner, who set new world records in both of the mens 100m and 200m finals in Beijing. If successful, the 50Mbps product may be called “Boltband”.

Virgin Media has been successfully trialling its 50Mbps “superfast” broadband service this year. It also increased headline speeds on its high end package from 10Mbps to 20Mbps during upgrades earlier this year.

IOC President Rips into Bolt

"I understand the joy," ... "He might have interpreted that in another way, but the way it was perceived was 'catch me if you can.' You don't do that. But he'll learn. He's still a young man"

- Jacques Rogge



IOC president Jacques Rogge ripped into 100 and 200 meter gold medal winner Usain Bolt for his lack of sportsmanship after the Olympian broke the world 200 meter record and saying "he has to mature."

"That's not the way we perceive being a champion," Rogge said and then commented on the chest thumping the gold medalist did in the middle of winning the 100 meters. "I understand the joy. "He might have interpreted that in another way, but the way it was perceived was 'catch me if you can.' You don't do that. But he'll learn. He's still a young man."

Source: USA Today

Ron Maclean Leaves Beijing

Ron MacLean is leaving his post as the main anchor for CBC's coverage of the Beijing Olympics following the death of his mother from pancreatic cancer on Wednesday night.

After signing off from Wednesday's edition of the Olympic Prime broadcast, MacLean was to return to his home in Oakville, Ont., to be with his family.

MacLean, 48, will stay in Canada for the remainder of the Games, which conclude Sunday.

"I'm probably in that bubble of denial that you get in when you're involved in television, but the truth of the matter is I gave her all I had all my life so there's no harm in not having been there for the final moments," MacLean said near the end of Wednesday's broadcast.

Scott Russell will take over hosting duties for Olympic Prime (6 p.m. to midnight ET), while Diana Swain will go solo on Olympic Morning (6 a.m. to noon ET). Ian Hanomansing will continue to host Pacific Prime (midnight to 3 a.m. ET).

"The ship's on its way, it's got a comfortable lead, and nobody better to steer [than Russell]," said MacLean.

CBC Granted New Sports Channel

Approval has been granted for a new digital sports channel, tentatively known as CBC Sports Plus, CBC Sports announced Wednesday.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission approved CBC's application for an all-sports licence for the channel, which will focus in large part on Canadian sporting events, stories and accomplishments.

"We feel this is great news for both CBC and the Canadian sports system," said Scott Moore, executive director for CBC Sports.

"For over 50 years, CBC has been Canada's pre-eminent broadcaster of Canadian sport. We feel with the addition of another platform, we will continue to be a great contributor to Canada's success in sports at all levels.

"Following on the success of our Beijing Olympic coverage, we feel CBC will now be able to make an even more significant contribution to the success of our Canadian athletes."

CBC Sports Plus, a Category 2 digital specialty channel, is expected to feature a mix of professional and amateur sports.

The CBC received the approval of its board of directors in January to submit an application for a proposed all-sports channel.

CBC Sports coverage for the remainder of 2008 includes:

• The Beijing Olympics.
• Paralympic Summer Games.
• CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada.
• BMO Toronto FC.
• President’s Choice Raptors Basketball.
• Rogers Blue Jays Baseball.
• Comprehensive FIFA coverage.
• Pontiac Alpine Ski Series.
• Capital One Grand Slam of Curling.
• Canadian and International Championship Figure Skating.
• Golden League Track and Field.

Omega Swimming Ambassadors Collect Olympic Gold

OMEGA's five swimming ambassadors gathered at the Swiss watchmaker's Pavilion on Wednesday.


They have earned a staggering total of 48 Olympic medals. Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, has 16 medals.

Phelps was joined on the stage at the Pavilion by Natalie Coughlin, Katie Hoff, Alexander Popov and Ian Thorpe.

More than 200 members of the international press crowded the Pavilion's display area, enthusiastic about seeing some of the greatest swimmers in the history of the sport on the same stage.

MICHAEL PHELPS: "I NEVER STOP BELIEVING IN MYSELF."

During a question and answer period onstage, Phelps said, when asked how he reacted to people who had expressed doubts about his ability to win gold medals in all eight of his Olympic events, that he was motivated by their comments. "I never stop believing in myself," he replied. "I still believe in myself."

IAN THORPE: "I'VE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY TO BE WRONG!"

It was pointed out that Australian Ian Thorpe had been among those who had expressed reservations about Phelps's ability to win all eight gold medals. Thorpe quickly replied that he had not said that Phelps could not win all eight events but that he had thought, given the nature of the competition that it would be nearly impossible. Phelps nodded in agreement as Thorpe added, "I've never been so happy to be wrong about something."

ALEXANDER POPOV: NO PLANS TO RETURN TO COMPETITION

Alexander Popov, one of the greatest sprinters of all time, was asked if the Dara Torres's successful Olympic comeback at the age of 41 encouraged him to consider returning to competitive swimming. "Not at all," the Russian replied. No nagging voices in the back of his head? Popov answered, "The voices in the back of my head say, 'Don't do it' and I listen to those voices."

NATALIE HAS ELEVEN OLYMPIC MEDALS

Natalie Coughlin won medals in all six events she entered at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the highest total in any Olympic Games by an American woman; she now has a career total of eleven Olympic medals. Upon first arriving at the Olympic Green, Coughlin commented that she was smitten by the colour of the National Aquatics Centre of "Water Cube." "It's the most amazing shade of blue and I was excited about the fact that I'd get to swim there. I think all of us are taking away some great memories of that pool."

KATIE HOFF - THREE OLYMPIC MEDALS . . . SO FAR

Katie Hoff, who at 19 is the youngest of OMEGA's swimming ambassadors, won three medals in Beijing. "It's been a great experience and it's wonderful to be part of the American team -- we have a lot of contact with athletes from every sport and it's a really special atmosphere." Will she allow herself some time off? "Yes, I'll take a break and then I'll go back to work."

OMEGA AND SWIMMERS

OMEGA President Stephen Urquhart was asked why the brand counts so many swimmers among its brand ambassadors. "If you look at the people on stage with me," he said, "the question almost answers itself. With Ian and Alexander, we have two swimming legends. Natalie in only two Olympic Games has won 11 medals. Katie is a great swimmer now who is well on her way to legendary status. And Michael has elevated the sport of swimming to an absolutely new level." Urquhart pointed out that OMEGA's active roles in the development of swimming timekeeping technology and in the timing of swimming events, the company's partnerships with swimmers were natural. "We understand each other very well -- time is of the utmost importance to all of us."

Breaking News: Upshaw Dead at 63

NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw has died at age 63, according to a report.

Clear Channel Online, citing anonymous sources, reports Upshaw, died of pancreatic cancer. NFL Network's Adam Schefter, speaking on Sirius XM's NFL Radio, confirmed the report.

Creating confusion, NFL Radio reported NFLPA director of communications Carl Francis could not confirm the report and was not aware Upshaw was suffering from pancreatic cancer.

Upshaw was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and an 11-time All-Pro. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987. He is survived by his wife, Terri, and sons, Justin, Daniel and Eugene Jr.

McDonald's Big in Beijing

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt has
stunned the world with another
record performance. This time around
he won the 200-metre race in Beijing.




Bolt has made it known that he is a big fan of fast food. In fact, his prerace meals have consisted of Chicken McNuggets.

It has emerged from the Beijing Games, that a growing number of athletes have been plugging McDonald's in interviews.

U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte told NBC he'd eaten McDonald's "almost every meal" in Beijing, while American discus thrower Stephanie Brown Trafton and track athlete Billy Nelson have also mentioned the Golden Arches. And upon winning her second gold medal, British swimmer Rebecca Adlington declared: "I'm going to have McDonald's."

McDonald's has sponsorship deals with two Canadian athletes - diver Alexandre Despatie and sprint kayaker Karen Furneaux - but they do not include bonuses for mentioning the brand in interviews. Other Canadian athletes, however, have become unofficial spokespeople. After gymnast Kyle Shewfelt was eliminated, he drowned his sorrows at the restaurant: "What did I eat? A better question might be: What didn't I eat? I had my usual Big Mac."

Advertising experts say it's no accident. In fact, what is playing out in Beijing is instead the result of a savvy marketing strategy that began when McDonald's paid upwards of $70-million (U.S.) to become the official restaurant of the Summer Olympics. With that, it secured rights to install restaurants on the grounds in Beijing - including a massive facility in the heart of the athletes village.

Source: Globe and Mail

ESPN to Bid for 2014 and 2016 Olympic Television Rights

The New York Times is reporting that ESPN is interested in acquiring the television rights to the 2014 and 2016 Olympics.


ESPN’s executive vice president for content, John Skipper, told the paper: “Our DNA is different than theirs, we serve sports fans. It’s hard in our culture to fathom tape-delaying in the same way they have. I’m not suggesting it wasn’t the smart thing for them to do, but it’s not our culture. We did Euro 2008 in the afternoon. We’ve done the World Cup in the middle of the morning. We have different audiences.

“If ESPN follows its Euro 2008/World Cup model, the live feeds would be carried to all time zones; when NBC shows events live in prime-time, they are seen in real-time in the Eastern and Central time zones, not in the Mountain and Pacific zones”.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has not yet set a date for selling the television rights to the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, and the 2016 Summer Games, whose host city will be chosen in October 2009 from Chicago, Rio de Janeiro, Madrid and Tokyo.

Edu Transfer Fee Might be Used for New Turf at BMO Field

Mo Johnston, director of football for Toronto FC, said Tuesday he may try to use his club's share of Edu's US$5-million transfer fee to replace the FieldTurf at BMO Field with natural grass.

The sale, widely reported on both sides of the Atlantic, was finally confirmed by Toronto FC on Tuesday, pending the 22-year-old California native securing a work permit to play in Scotland. The delay in confirming the deal was due to MLS red tape.

One-third of the transfer fee goes to the league, which as a single entity owns the rights to all its players, and two-thirds to Toronto's coffers. Of that, $500,000 will go towards player allocation money - which can be spent over 18 months starting next year, used on salary or to buy a player - with the rest earmarked towards the club's soccer operations such as facilities and youth programs.

"We'll make a proposal to the (MLS) board in terms of can we put it towards a practice facility. Maybe a grass field, which I think is vital and important in moving forward. Then obviously the academy," Johnston told reporters.

If the club was to replace the stadium turf, it would need to build a nearby practice facility with turf to meet commitments to the city of Toronto, which provided the stadium land in exchange in part for a year-round facility that could be used by local residents. In winter, a bubble is put over the field to allow that.

The FieldTurf at BMO Field was state of the art when installed. But many players don't like playing on turf and it has turned off some from coming to Toronto.

Source: Canadian Press, TSN

CBC Attracts Huge Audience with Triathlon

CBC drew its biggest television audience of the Beijing Games on Monday night with coverage of Canadian Simon Whitfield winning a silver medal in the men's triathlon.

A peak audience of 2.57 million viewers tuned in at 11:49 p.m. ET as Whitfield, of Kingston, Ont., took the lead in the final 100 metres of the 10-kilometre run before finishing second, five seconds behind hard-charging German Jan Frodeno.

An average of 1.59 million viewers watched CBC's Olympic Prime show (6 p.m. to midnight ET). Pacific Prime saw its largest average audience yet of the Games by attracting 746,000 viewers.

The men's 100 metres drew 1.2 million viewers on Saturday morning.

The women's triathlon on Sunday night, an event that did not include Canadian medal hopes, had a peak audience of 2.3 million.

The biggest peak audience – 2.567 million – was for Ryan Cochrane's bronze-medal swim Saturday night, even though few expected him to win anything.

The medal-filled weekend boosted CBC's prime-time average to 1.3 million, 9 per cent ahead of the 2004 Athens Games and 1 per cent behind the 2000 Sydney Olympics, which were held in a similar time zone.

Source: Canadian Press, Toronto Star

No Wheaties for Phelps; Superstar to Appear on Frosted Flakes

Swimming superstar Michael Phelps will soon be appearing on a lot of cereal boxes.

Kellogg Co. announced Tuesday that the winner of eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics will be featured on upcoming boxes of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes and Kellogg's Corn Flakes.

The boxes are expected in stores by mid-September.

Battle Creek-based Kellogg says the images of Phelps that will be used on the cereal boxes will highlight some of the most memorable moments of the Games.

The 23-year-old athlete is a Baltimore native who has lived and trained in Ann Arbor in recent years as part of the University of Michigan-linked Club Wolverine.

LIVESTRONG.COM Launches 'Dare To Share Your Story' Video Contest On YouTube

LIVESTRONG.COM, the new online destination for health, fitness and lifestyle announced the LIVESTRONG.COM "Dare To Share Your Story" Contest on YouTube.


To enter, contestants must upload an original video describing how they dared to make a healthy or positive change in their life or the life of someone else and post it as a video response to Lance Armstrong's call out video on YouTube.


The Challenge will remain open for video submissions until 11:59 p.m. PT on Monday, September 8th, 2008. Additional rules can be found on the LIVESTRONG.COM channel on YouTube.


The purpose of the contest is to share stories of bravery in daring to overcome challenges to make a change in one's life -- to serve as inspiration to others who are looking to do the same.


Video submissions should reflect these stories and how they are produced is up to the entrants. Video submissions must not exceed two minutes in length. Each submission will be reviewed and the field will be narrowed to 12 finalists. The finalists will be featured on LIVESTRONG.COM on September 15th.


Community and visitors to LIVESTRONG.COM will be asked to view the 12 finalists and vote to determine the winner of the "Dare To Share Your Story" Contest. The winner will be announced on September 23rd, 2008 and will receive an autographed Trek bicycle from Lance's shop, Mellow Johnny's. The winning video will also be featured on the homepage of LIVESTRONG.COM

Beckham to Make Appearance at Olympic Closing Ceremony

David Beckham is to star in a spectacular handover ceremony when Beijing passes the Olympic flag to London on Sunday.

Beckham, 33, will be driven into the Bird's Nest stadium on a red double decker bus watched by millions around the world.

He will then kick footballs to children representing every Olympic nation. The former England captain was a crucial member of the London bid team who travelled to Singapore in 2005 to help the capital clinch the 2012 Games.

Beckham will appear with fellow Londoners, singer Leona Lewis and Led Zeppelin legend Jimmy Page and Mayor Boris Johnson in the ceremony at the end of the Games.

Shows in Trafalgar Square and street parties in 10 other cities including Cardiff, Glasgow and Manchester will be staged at the same time.

Beckham's appearance will be followed by a duet between Lewis, 23, and Page, 64, before hip hop dancers and ballerinas complete London's eight-minute contribution to the finale.

The LA Galaxy and former Manchester United player is hugely popular in China and the Far East and is sure of an ecstatic welcome from the 91,000-strong crowd in the stadium.

IceDogs Awarded 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge Game

The Niagara IceDogs announced today that the Ontario Hockey League has awarded them the right to be the Eastern Conference host site for the 2008 ADT Canada Russia challenge series. The game will take place at the Gatorade Garden City complex in St Catharines on Monday, November 24th and will be broadcasted nationally on Rogers Sportsnet.


Ticket pricing for the event will be $30 for premiums, $25 for ends and $20 for standing. All IceDogs season ticket holders will have first right of refusal on their seats for the game with any additional tickets opened up to the general public via a lottery system. Further details regarding ticket availability and lottery procedures to follow in September.

"We believe that this game is going to be another great event for the hockey fans of the Niagara Region" said IceDogs owner Bill Burke. "Being awarded this opportunity is a testament to our fans and the tremendous support we have received since arriving in St. Catharines. The history of Canada/Russia hockey goes back to the infamous Summit Series of 1972 and we are very proud and excited with the opportunity to provide our fans with such an incredible event."

"On behalf of the Canadian Hockey League, I'd like to thank our partners at ADT for their support of this event," said CHL President David Branch. "The Canadian Hockey League is very excited to host this series and without corporate support it wouldn't be possible. The participating CHL players recognize that the ADT Canada/Russia Challenge is the final step in the evaluation process for our National Junior Team and will be anxious for the opportunity to compete for a spot on the roster as Canada targets its fifth consecutive gold medal this winter in Ottawa ."

"The ADT Canada/Russia Challenge has become a highlight on the CHL schedule and we are very proud to be associated with it. These two nations have such a storied hockey history that fans from across the country tune in expecting to see a hard fought series. We expect nothing short of world class hockey this November that hockey fans from across the country won't want to miss," said Joe O'Connell, ADT Regional Vice-President - Canada.

In existence since 2003, the challenge consists of six exhibition games in which a team of Russian Junior all-stars will compete against CHL all-stars representing each of the three regional leagues. All-star squads from the OHL, Western Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League will each play and host two games against the Russians, with the OHL splitting their host sites between an Eastern and Western Conference team.

Despite pulling off wins in both games last season, the OHL all-stars faced a strong test against a much improved Russian team which finished with a 2-3-0-1 record overall. The first game was especially difficult as the Russian team walked out to 2-0 and 3-2 leads before the OHL squad battled back for a come-from-behind 5-3 victory. Game 2 in Ontario turned out to be an equally difficult match as team OHL held on to a one-goal lead through most of the game before picking up an insurance marker late in the third to put the game out of reach.

The OHL player representatives will be chosen in late October with all non-overage, Canadian-born players eligible to compete. Hockey Canada will play a role in the selection process and will evaluate players throughout the series in preparation of the final selection process for the 2009 World Junior championships. Last season, the IceDogs were represented at this event by Luca Caputi, Stefan Legein, Alex Pietrangelo, and Matt Corrente.

Bolt Gives Puma a Big Boost

As Usain Bolt held up one of his gold-decked running shoes for the cameras after his historic 100m victory, the Jamaican sprinter struck a blow in another battle for supremacy.

Bolt's domination of his rivals fulfilled his pre-race tag as favourite, but for Puma, the German sportswear manufacturer whose Theseus II spikes he was wearing, it was a triumph for an underdog.

Puma came to Beijing nowhere near rivals Nike and Adidas in terms of market value and sales, trailing in the number of Olympic athletes contracted to wear its apparel, and behind in the race for a share of the lucrative Chinese market.

But Puma does have Bolt, who goes for two more golds this week. The sight of the fastest man alive lapping up the crowd's adulation in what may have been the most watched sporting moment of the most watched sporting event of the year gives the company the kind of marketing kick that will have had its rivals quietly fuming.

The 100m final was billed as a showdown between Bolt, his fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay, the US world champion, who failed to qualify for the race. But with Bolt signed to Puma, Powell with Nike and Gay with Adidas, it was more than just a running race. "It was a great allusion to the footwear wars," says Larry Eder, who runs Running Network, an athletics website.

The reasoning goes that the company with the most athletes on its books gets the most medals and therefore the better marketing opportunities. Not necessarily so, says Joerg Sobel, Puma's general manager in the Asia Pacific region. "You don't have to have the biggest number of athletes, you have to have the right ones."

As a driver of sportswear sales, the Olympic 100m final is on a level above most other sporting events and, according to Mr Eder, there was "a huge battle" between Puma and Nike to sign up the current crop of talented Jamaican sprinters.

"Puma had the Jamaican federation [signed up], but most of the individual athletes signed up to Nike," he says. "The only athlete Puma kept was Bolt."

Bolt's victory is the second blow at these games for Adidas and Nike. They began with the thrilling sight of Li Ning, China's former Olympic champion gymnast, circling the roof of the Bird's Nest stadium and lighting the Olympic flame.

It was more chilling than thrilling for Adidas, official Olympic sponsor and linked to Yao Ming, China's 7ft 5in basketball star, and Nike, as they watched Li, the founder of the eponymous Chinese sportswear company, pulling off one of the more brazen acts in the history of ambush marketing.

Privately, Adidas executives sniff at Puma's good fortune. "This industry is a two-horse race, and in China it's a two-horse race for market leadership," said one executive. Still, Jan Runau of Adidas agrees it would love to have signed Bolt. They had Gay instead. "That's what you get with sport," he says.

Nike has deals with 22 Chinese Olympic teams, and promotes Liu Xiang, China's big hope in the 110m hurdles. It has been pouring resources into signing budding talent, but as Charlie Brooks of Nike says: "You have to hope that they can live up to their talent."

Powell was last week modelling his Nike Zoom Aerofly spikes. On Saturday, he finished fifth, a long, long way behind Bolt.

Source: Financial Times

Bestselling Sports and Recreation Books in Canada

This week’s bestseller listings cover the top 20 sports and recreation titles for the two weeks ending Aug. 10, 2008, as tracked by BookNet Canada’s BNC SalesData.

1. Becoming the Natural, Randy Couture
(Simon & Schuster, $29.99 cl, 9781416957805)

2. Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer
(Anchor/Random House, $16.95 pa, 9780385494786)

3. The Water Boy, Bobby Ackles
(John Wiley & Sons, $21.95 pa, 9780470155912)

4. Best Hikes and Walks of Southwestern British Columbia, Dawn Hanna
(Lone Pine Publishing, $21.95 pa, 9781551054551)

5. McCown’s Law: The 100 Greatest Hockey Arguments, Bob McCown
(Doubleday Canada, $19.95 pa, 9780385664653)

6. The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, Arnold Schwarzenegger
(Simon & Schuster, $32 pa, 9780684857213)

7. We Might As Well Win, Johan Bruyneel and Bill Strickland
(Houghton Mifflin/Thomas Allen & Son, $27.95 cl, 9780618879373)

8. Iceman: My Fighting Life, Chuck Liddell
(Dutton/Penguin, $28.50 cl, 9780525950561)

9. 2008 NFL Record and Fact Book
(Time/H.B. Fenn and Company, $19.95 pa, 9781603207706)

10. Golf for Dummies, Gary McCord
(John Wiley & Sons, $23.99 pa, 9780471768715)

11. Golf: Visual Quick Tips, Cheryl Anderson, Brian A. Crowell, and Tom Mackin
(John Wiley & Sons, $15.99 pa, 9780470182666)

12. A Champion’s Mind, Pete Sampras
(Crown/Random House, $27.95 cl, 9780307383297)

13. How Tiger Does It, Brad Kearns
(McGraw-Hill, $21.95 cl, 9780071545648)

14. SAS Survival Handbook, John Wiseman
(HarperCollins, $29.95 pa, 9780007158997)

15. The Complete Book of the Olympics, Jaime Loucky and David Wallechinsky
(Aurum Press/Fitzhenry & Whiteside, $29.95 pa, 9781845133306)

16. Golf: The Best Instruction Book Ever!
(Time/H.B. Fenn and Company, $32.95 cl, 9781603200011)

17. Hockey Tough, Saul L. Miller
(Human Kinetics, $21.95 pa, 9780736051231)

18. Bicycle Repair Manual, Chris Sidwells
(Dorling Kindersley, $17 pa, 9780756633943)

19. Tales from Q School, John Feinstein
(Little, Brown/H.B. Fenn and Company, $17.99 pa, 9780316014328)

20. The Boy Camper: 160 Outdoor Activities
(Hearst Books, $11.95 cl, 9781588167033)

Beijing Police Crackdown on Ticket Scalping

Beijing police arrested 110 people, including foreigners, in a crackdown on ticket scalping for Olympic events.

The police seized 340 tickets while making the arrests yesterday, Xinhua reported, citing Shi Weiping, an officer with the Beijing Public Security Bureau. A Chinese woman was caught selling two gymnastics tickets with a face value of 150 yuan ($22) each for 1,000 yuan apiece, Shi said. A Dutch national was also selling 24 tickets for 10 times their face value near the National Aquatic Center, he added.

Olympic organizers said on Aug. 11 that they were pressing for a clampdown on illegal ticket sales, as scalpers were operating just yards from police. A total of 7 million tickets were put on sale for the Aug. 8-24 games. Three-quarters of them were offered locally, all of which sold out.

The Beijing police are setting up bilingual placards near Olympic venues to warn against ticket scalping, state-run Xinhua said. Offenders could be detained for 10 to 15 days, it added.

Source: Bloomberg, Xinhua

Becancour, Quebec to Host First World Boxing Academy

The International Boxing Association on Monday chose Becancour, Que., to host the sport's first world academy.

The city of about 12,000 across the St. Lawrence river from Trois-Rivieres, Que., beat Podolsk, Russia, 18-10 in a secret ballot of members of the world governing body's executive committee in Beijing.

The academy will train the best young amateur boxers and coaches from the 195 national federations that make up AIBA. Referees, judges and boxing administrators will also study there.

Some will stay full-time, including 50 resident students on International Olympic Committee scholarships, while others will come in for shorter stays to attend training camps or workshops.

"We now have taken a significant step in a project which will lift the standards across all areas of boxing," AIBA president Ching-Kuo Wu said.

Podolsk, near Moscow, will host a second academy if the first is a success.

Around 750 fighters aged from 17 to 34 will be trained each year at Becancour and educated in fitness, nutrition and anti-doping classes.

The academy is expected to operate on an annual budget of more than $5 million managed by the world body and Canada's national Olympic committee.

The project was promoted by AIBA president Wu after he was elected in 2006. The Taiwanese promised to modernize and clean up amateur boxing.

New Sponsorship Deal for Manchester United

Saudi Telecom has agreed to a five year sponsorship deal with Manchester United.

Under the deal, Saudi Telecom will be known as the official mobile communications partner of Manchester United in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has exclusive access to unique mobile phone content, including video highlights of goals and match footage, ringtones, text and news alerts.

David Gill, chief executive of Manchester United, said: “Manchester United is delighted to announce a new five year partnership with Saudi Telecom, the largest telecommunications company in the Middle East. Our match earlier this year in Riyadh demonstrated the passion our Saudi fans have for Manchester United and we believe this ground breaking partnership will bring the action of Manchester United direct to our millions of fans across Saudi Arabia”.

The partnership will run through to the end of June 2013.

Former Canadian Sprinter Johnson Sues Ex-Lawyer

Former Olympic sprinter Ben Johnson has filed a C$37 million ($34.9 million) lawsuit in Canada against the estate of his former lawyer for allegedly stealing his wealth and failing to protect future earnings, the Toronto Star newspaper reported on Friday.

Johnson claims the late Ed Futerman made unauthorized payments from his trust account to pay bills and 20 per cent commissions to a hairdresser who was recruited by the lawyer to act as the sprinter's sports agent, the Star reported.

The suit also claims Futerman ought to have known that Johnson was incapable of understanding complex legal documents since psychiatric experts hired by the lawyer -- and paid for by Johnson -- concluded in February 1989 that "there is overwhelming evidence that Mr. Johnson is intellectually retarded," the newspaper reported. The allegations have not been proved in court.

Johnson enjoyed a high-profile career in the 1980s and made headlines for his world-record 100 metre win at the Seoul Olympic Games. However, days after the race, he tested positive for the banned steroid stanozolol and was stripped of his gold medal.

Lawyer Michael Kestenberg, whose client died this year, said Futerman's estate and insurers "will be fighting this vehemently. They do not believe there is any truth to any of the allegations."

The newspaper reported that when it contacted Johnson, he said he had been advised by his current lawyer not to comment.