BOA Heads to CAS; More Government Support for Tokyo; Dagestan YOG Bid

BOA Appeals to CAS Over Anti-doping Bylaw

The British Olympic Association has filed a formal appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, challenging last month's ruling by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) that its Olympic lifetime ban for drugs cheats was non-compliant with its Code.

The BOA and WADA are seeking a decision by CAS before the end of April.

The BOA said Tuesday it's the unanimous agreement of its Board of Directors to defend its selection policy before CAS. In so doing, the BOA claimed to be "fulfilling a commitment to the overwhelming majority of British Olympic athletes, present and past, who continue to express their unwavering support for the selection policy and have encouraged the BOA to vigorously defend it".

"The BOA selection policy is a direct expression of the commitment British athletes have made to uphold the values of fair play, integrity and clean competition – values that are at the heart of Olympic sport," BOA chairman Lord Colin Moynihan said.

"It is a policy that reflects the culture and character of Team GB. The BOA and British Olympic athletes do not consider that those who have deliberately cheated should represent Great Britain at the Olympic Games."

Moynihan added: "We are appreciative of the expressions of support and encouragement we have received during the past few weeks, not the least of which have come from groups such as the BOA Athletes’ Commission, the International Olympic Committee Athletes’ Commission and the European Olympic Committee Athletes’ Commission, whose members have added their voices to this important issue.

"We appreciate the opportunity to appear before CAS and explain why our selection policy is entirely consistent with the Olympic Charter, and why it is essential for National Olympic Committees to have the autonomy and independence to determine their own selection policies."

Cabinet Support for Tokyo2020

Tokyo's 2020 Olympic bid now has Cabinet backing for the campaign.

The government's Tuesday statement of approval is in line with the policies set out in sports legislation rubberstamped earlier this year that views the Olympic bid as a means of promoting the development of sport across the country.

"Today’s declaration of support from the Cabinet constitutes another major piece in the jigsaw and ensures that we will receive widespread support from both the public and private sectors as we strive to bring the Games to Tokyo in 2020," said Tokyo 2020 president and Japanese Olympic Committee chief Tsunekazu Takeda.

Dagestan Begins YOG Bid

Dagestan, a city in the North Caucus region of southwest Russia, will bid for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.

According to reports in Russian media, the city filed paperwork with the Russian Olympic Committee to bid for the Games.

Ahmed Bialov, ROC vice president, reportedly said that if Dagestan fails to win the 2018 Games, the city should bid again for 2022.

The YOG host will be selected in 2013.

In April, Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov pledged $1.45 billion for sports in Dagestan, if the region wins the 2018 YOG.

Golf at Arab Games

While golf returns to the Olympic for the 2016 Games in Rio, at the Arab Games in Doha this week golf is part of the program for the third time – and for the first time women will take part.

A field of 56 teed off Tuesday at the Doha Golf Club, 40 men and 16 women.

In addition to a 72-hole individual event in each gender, gold medals will also be awarded for team play.

Golf was first held at the 1985 Arab Games in Rabat. The second tournament was staged in Beirut at the 1987 games.

As in all sports at the Doha Arab Games, gold medalists win a $5,000 cash prize, while their NOC collects the same amount.

Media Watch

Singapore news outlet Today examines the potential of Singaporean IOC member Ser Miang Ng to become IOC president.

A Catholic sports organization named after the late Pope John Paul II is using the Olympics to revive sport participation in London.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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