Olympic Briefs -- IAAF Reaches Broadcast Deal; 6 Countries Earn Luge Medals

IAAF Reaches Broadcasting Deal with Latin America

The IAAF has reached a broadcasting rights agreement for Latin America that will bring coverage of the World Athletics Championships in Berlin to the region.

The federation made the deal with the Latin American Telecommunication Organization (OTI) to provide guaranteed coverage of the Aug. 15-23 event on free-to-air channels in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Panama and Peru.

The IAAF has also come to an agreement with ESPN International in Latin America for all of the federation’s World Athletic Series competitions through 2011.

“This is a significant breakthrough for the premier event of our sport,” IAAF President Lamine Diack said. “The World Championships in Berlin is now receiving unprecedented coverage on free terrestrial television, which is the best way to build up a new generation of athletics fans for the future in every part of the world.”

Record Number of Countries Win Medals at Luge Worlds

A total of six countries won at least one medal at last weekend's FIL World Luge Championships in Lake Placid, N.Y., the most in the history of the event.

The U.S., Germany, Italy, Austria, Latvia and the Ukraine each won a minimum of one medal.

“This mix of medals is a pleasure from an international point of view,” FIL President Josef Fendt said. “It clearly shows that the sport of luge is widespread.”

British Women’s Basketball Coach Resigns

Mark Clark, the coach of the British national women’s basketball team, has resigned.

“Following discussions with British Basketball, I am resigning from the position of head coach of the women’s team,” said Clark in a statement released by British Basketball.

“I am stepping aside to give the program as much time as possible to establish the new direction it seeks.”

Clark led the British women’s team promotion to Division A of the EuroBasket league, but the team dropped back to Division B in the league’s regulation round in January.

British Basketball says they will search for a new coach for the team’s training camp in June.

…Briefs

… Men’s 400-meter gold medalist LaShawn Merritt formed a foundation in his name to help high school athletes attend major invitational track meets.

“It’s a way for me to give back to the community that supported me,” Merritt said in an article on the IAAF’s Web site. “When I was in high school, I was one of the best athletes in the country, but I didn’t have the funds to travel to some of the different major invitationals. So we’ll help with that as well. I’m heavily involved and doing a lot hands-on, but I can’t do everything. I have my job to do.”

...An online petition has been launched to boycott Kellogg for its treatment of Michael Phelps. The petition, which was launched by multimedia artist Lee Stranahan, says that Kellogg’s decision “while legal, is totally bogus.” It adds Kellogg “has profited for decades on the food tastes of marijuana-using Americans with the munchies.” At the time of writing, 4,504 people had signed the petition.

...China Central Television issued a mea culpa on Tuesday, saying an illegal fireworks display caused at the network’s compound was caused by an illegal fireworks display. The fire destroyed the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, which was supposed to house a theatre and studios, and was scheduled to open later this year. The building became a signature building of the Beijing Olympics.

...The Australian Olympic Committee has donated around $65,000 to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal to assist victims of the fires that have swept through the southeastern part of Australia. “The AOC has a responsiblity to the Australian community to which we belong,” AOC President John Coates said.

...The organizing committee for the 2009 AIBA World Boxing Championships in Milan, Italy and the Italian Boxing Federation will hold a dual match between Italy and China at Palalid Stadium in Milan on Friday. The match is part of the preparations for the worlds, which will be held Aug. 29-Sept. 13.

Written by Greg Oshust.