News from the NOCs - BOA Seeking Funds for Medals amid Financial Crisis...Solomon Islands NOC Deemed Incompetent

BOA Seeks Funding for 2012 Medals Success

British Olympic Association (BOA) chair Colin Moynihan says he is confident the government will honor its commitment to the British Olympic team amid the NOC's funding crisis.

Speaking after the BOA Congress Tuesday, Moynihan confirmed that LOCOG will not be extending its funding to bridge a gap in the association’s budget. If additional funding could not be secured from a London 2012 sponsor, the BOA would have to pursue “non-commercial sponsors."

Last year, Moynihan was forced to loan his own money to the BOA following losses of $2.6 million.

Moynihan spoke amid uncertainty as to whether Clive Woodward, the BOA's director of elite performance, can go ahead with his planned Olympic coaching academy. Woodward, who in 2003 coached England to rugby World Cup success, has laid out a $25million plan that would see up to 15 coaches being given intensive support and finance in an attempt to ensure more gold medals in 2012.

“Clive's program is an exciting program to support coaches and I will work hard with Clive to seek the necessary funding,” Moynihan said.

But the BOA has set a deadline of the end of the year to secure such funding.

Denying suggestions that the BOA was being forced to get out its begging bowl, Moynihan joked that if a “London billionaire” was to phone him with an offer of financial assistance they would be made very welcome.

But Moynihan said that he was also “confident” that Prime Minister Gordon Brown would “see through his commitment," made when chancellor, to the British Olympic team in the run up to the 2012 Games.

Moynihan said the top priorities for the BOA in the years up to 2012 will be to support the governing bodies and athletes to try to “build from a position of strength from Beijing” to help the athletes towards medals in London.

He also spoke of the need for the BOA to be a “significant and effective” organization working with LOCOG, the Olympic Delivery Authority and the London mayor's office to deliver a successful Games.

The BOA’s third priority, he said, was to ensure that it was a strong voice for Olympic sport in Britain. Moynihan spoke of the need to ensure a strong Olympic legacy for future generations.

And he also sounded a warning note to London 2012 organizers amid rumors that the Olympic Village could be further downsized. He stressed the importance of “the best athletes' village in history” as integral to making Beijing such a success, also highlighting “outstanding Olympic Villages” in bids by Madrid and Chicago for the 2016 Games.

Any possible changes will be looked at “very carefully," he said. “We have a contractual obligation [with the IOC] to make sure that the interests of the athletes as presented in the bid document are satisfied properly. There is always concern when we hear of new plans and prospects for change - but nothing has been realized.”

Earlier in the day Moynihan was re-elected unopposed as chairman at the BOA Congress. The incumbent vice-chairmen, David Hemery (athletics) and Albert Wood (canoeing), saw off new candidate Mark Armstrong (luge) to retain their positions. Hemery will chair the organization’s legacy commission while Woods will chair its business commission.

The BOA's new chief executive will be unveiled next week, Moynihan said, with a new head of communications to be announced in November.

IOC Member Ram Ruhee, 1927-2008

IOC Member and founder of the Mauriitus Olympic Committee Ram Ruhee died Wednesday after a long illness. He was 81.

Ruhee had served as the Mauritius Olympic Committee secretary general since he founded the committee in 1971. He was a member of the IOC executive committee from 1988-2007 before later being names an honorary member. In 2000, FIFA also appointed him as an honorary member in recognition of his contributions to the organization. Ruhee also received the Olympic Order of Merit in Beijing.

"A man who dedicated his life to sport and to football has left us all too soon," wrote FIFA President Joseph Blatter in a letter to the Mauritius Football Association and Ruhee's family. ""I hope that these few well meaning thoughts will go some way to easing the pain of his loss at this time."

A former teacher, Ruhee, along with dozens of IOC members, was investigated for alleged corruption as part of the Salt Lake City's 2002 bid for the Winter Games, but was later exonerated.

The IOC described Ruhee in a statement Wednesday as having "played a key role in promoting the values of sport to the youth in his country."

Solomon Islands NOC Deemed Unqualified to Manage Funds

An audit from the Solomon Islands government found the NOC unqualified to manage its funds.

According to the Solomon Star, the Auditor-General’s Office found the $6 million allocated to the NOC for the South Pacific Games should have been managed by the National Sports Council.

The report found that more than $1.7 million of NOC spending was unaccounted for. The auditor said the NOC had not disclosed to the finance minister where the money went.

Additionally, the report found the NOC acted without following standard procedures, circumventing the authority of the Central Tender Board and finance ministry.

“Allowing bodies that are not recognized by law to administer public funds increases the risk of mismanagement, misappropriation and fraud as these bodies are not governed by legislation or regulation to control the use of public funds,” the report said.

For their part, the SINOC dismisses the government’s findings.

Acting President and Senior Vice President Fujiyama Nagoyaki, said they were never given the unaccounted money.

Nagoyaki claimed the account of the NOC totaled $584,518, and displayed bank documents to back himself up. The funds all came from sponsorships and donations Nagoyaki said.

Ugandan NOC Chief Running for Re-election

Ugandan NOC President and IOC Member Francis Nyangweso said he is running for re-election, despite suffering an illness that sent him home early from the Beijing Games.

“It will only be the voters to end my leadership at UOC. If they see that I have served well and they grant me another term, I will continue as president,” said Nyangweso. He has served as UOC president since 1981.

“I will remain UOC executive member till death whether those who don’t want me here like it or not because I am a member of IOC, and the charter says so,” he proclaimed.

Despite announcing his bid for re-election, he did not say when voting would take place.

“The elections will either be there this year or next year once we are ready. There is no need for panic.” Elections are quadrennial and must be held by the end of 2009.

…Briefs

…Demchigjav Zagdsuren, president of the Mongolian National Olympic Committee bestowed the MNOC’s highest honor to the country’s first Paralympic gold medalist on Thursday. Dambadondogiin Baatarjav won gold in Indoor Recurve Archery and was given the Golden Star award by the NOC for his accomplishment.

…Former Turkish Olympic Committee chief Sinan Erdem will be inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame on Thursday. Erdem played for the Turkish national team and also served as the national federation’s secretary general, before serving in the same position in the NOC from 1982-89. He was then appointed to the position of President of the TMOK and held the position until his death in 2003. He was instrumental in launching Istanbul’s Olympic bids.

…Amman, Jordan has been approved as the site of the 37th World Cross Country Championships to be held March 28, 2009. The country had been given conditional approval for the event in 2007 with the understanding that some requirements would be met. Athletes from 70 countries will compete for nearly $300,000 in prize money. “We are delighted that the IAAF has selected us to host this prestigious event and, just like previous international federations have found out, we will not let the athletics world down,” said HRH Prince Feisal, president of the Jordan Olympic Committee.

Media Watch

Two stories about the USOC’s revenue sharing agreement with the IOC are making the rounds.

The Associated Press says thelong term agreement with the IOC means the USOC is, at the very least, recession resistant.

Meanwhile, the strength of the USOC’s contract is raising the ire of several IOC Members, according to Amy Shipley in the Washington Post.

Written by Ed Hula III.