Federations Roundup - IIHF Stands by Belarus; Biathlon World Champs Open

IIHF on Belarus 2014: "Nothing Has Changed"

The International Ice Hockey Federation tells Around the Rings it’s sticking by Belarus as host of its 2014 world championship despite ongoing allegations of human rights abuse against the country’s president.

"The IIHF does not comment on the Belarus situation at present," a federation spokesman tells ATR, adding that "nothing has changed" on the IIHF’s end since Alexander Lukashenko’s disputed reelection in December 2010 sparked widespread protests.

Seven of the nine challengers to Lukashenko, often referred to as Europe’s last dictator, were arrested by the KGB in the post-election crackdown, drawing the continued ire of Western countries as well as the European Union.

After falling short with two previous bids, Minsk, Belarus was awarded 2014 hosting rights in 2009, a decision the IIHF tells ATR is in line with federation bylaws.

"The IIHF observes strict political, racial and religious neutrality. No discrimination is permitted against a member national association or person on political, racial or religious grounds," the spokesman cites from the IIHF Statutes.

"Any of the 70 IIHF members, including the IIHF Council, will have an opportunity to raise the issue of whether it is appropriate to play in Belarus. And, if the issue of Belarus 2014 will be raised, it will be up to the congress to make a decision," he added.

"The IIHF would furthermore like to invite to a broader discussion whether it is recommended to generally use sports as a political tool and – if, yes – how to implement across-the-board consistency in such actions to avoid that certain sports and championships are arbitrarily singled out."

Lukashenko, known for promotion of sport and in particular ice hockey, first took office in 1994 and has doubled as president of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus since 1997.

Biathlon World Champs Open

Norway owns the opening gold medal of the biathlon world championships despite crossing the finish second.

According to an Associated Press report, Emil Hegel Svendsen trailed Jakov Fak of Slovenia by 8.2 seconds at the end of the mixed relay in Ruhpolding, Germany.

A jury, however, ruled that six-time Olympic champion biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen was wrongly forced into a penalty loop after a target malfunctioned and did not go down despite being hit.

The resulting 30-second credit vaulted Norway well ahead of Slovenia to claim mixed relay’s first world title since the event was added to the Olympic program last year ahead of Sochi 2014.

Germany won bronze after poor shooting plagued the home team.

Men’s and women’s sprints are scheduled for Saturday in Ruhpolding with pursuit events to follow Sunday.

Lausanne Out, Stockholm In for ITU Showcase

Stockholm will replace Lausanne as the sixth stop on the 2012 ITU World Triathlon Series because of "insufficient funding" in the Olympic Capital.

A statement Thursday from the International Triathlon Union announced the Swiss city’s withdrawal, paving the way for Sweden’s capital to host an ITU event for the first time since 1997.

Lausanne was also due to stage the 2012 mixed relay world championshipsalongside the main event, meaning Stockholm will pull double duty on Aug. 25 and 26 with a total prize purse of $170,000 up for grabs across the two races.

In the meantime, the World Triathlon Series will open April 14 in Sydney before hitting San Diego, USA; Madrid, Spain; Kitzbuehel, Austria and Hamburg, Germany before stopping in Stockholm.

Yokohama, Japan and Auckland, New Zealand round out the schedule with the ITU’s 25th Congress to be staged immediately following the Grand Final.

UCI Adds Danish NOC to Doping Case

The International Cycling Union wants the Court of Arbitration for Sport to name the Danish Olympic Committee (DIF) as a defendant in an ongoing doping case involving one of its top track cyclists.

Alex Rasmussen, a four-time world champion and reigning Olympic silver medalist in team pursuit, violated whereabouts requirements three times but had the charges dismissed in November by the DIF’s independent doping tribunal, who ruled UCI did not follow its own procedures the third time around.

The UCI then appealed that decision in December, according to a Cycling News report,with a CAS hearing expected soon.

"It seems strange that we are named as a defendant," DIF elite chief and Danish chef de mission Jesper Frigast was quoted by his country’s media. "In this case the doping board has issued an order, but why are we a party to the proceedings?"

Procedure is why, according to a UCI spokesman.

The UCI must name "the competent body which pronounced the contested decision," Enrico Carpani told Cycling News. "Under Danish law, it is the Olympic Committee (and not the national federation) who is competent to sanction its athletes."

Beal Confirms FIVB Presidential Candidacy

USA Volleyball CEO Doug Beal will officially stand for president of the International Volleyball Federation.

Two weeks after announcing his intentions, the North, Central American and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) confirmed his candidacy Thursday by submitting an endorsement letter at FIVB headquarters in Lausanne.

"I am overwhelmed with the amount of support I have been receiving from my fellow national federations from all over the world and, of course, from within NORCECA," says Beal, who played on the U.S. national team for seven years, coached in three Olympics, won a gold medal in 1984 and now serves on the FIVB board.

According to federation bylaws, it’s up to the confederations to nominate presidential candidates, meaning Beal wouldn’t actually appear on the ballot without NORCECA’s support.

South American volleyball head Ary Graca of Brazil is the other known candidate so far in the election to be held during the FIVB World Congress slated for Sept. 19-21 in Anaheim, California.

Jizhong Wei of China took over the FIVB in late 2008 following the retirement of longtime federation leader Ruben Acosta and has said ever since that he would not be standing for reelection.

"I think I have some interesting new ideas, and the opportunity to have a real election within FIVB coincides with a good time for me," Beal told ATR upon launching his candidacy last month in Los Angeles. "I think I can help to lead our sport in a nice growth period."

IRB Appoints New Rugby World Cup Board

The Rugby World Cup Limited Board sports two new members for the four-year term ahead.

John O’Neill of Australia and David Pickering of Wales were appointed Thursday by the International Rugby Board's decision-making Executive Committee to replace outgoing membersSyd Millar of Northern Ireland and Bill Beaumont of England, neither of whom sought re-appointment.

O'Neill and Pickering joinIRB chairman Bernard Lapasset, vice chairman Oregan Hoskins and acting CEO Robert Brophy on the five-member Boardoverseeing delivery of Rugby World Cup 2015 in England, Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 in Russia and Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014 in France as well as ongoing preparations to host Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan.

Written by Matthew Grayson.

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