ANOC Recommendations for Rio; U.S. Speedskating Scandal Drags On

ANOC Compiles Recommendations for Rio 2016

ANOC secretary general Gunilla Lindberg tells Around the Rings feedback on London 2012 received from more than 120 NOCs can improve Rio 2016’s preparations and staging of the Games.

A two-day meeting of the ANOC working group charged with collating data and comment from the 205 NOCs represented at the London Games concluded Thursday in Lausanne.

"As a whole everybody is very pleased with the London Games, both the preparations and how they went, the competition and Olympic Village," Lindberg said after scrutinizing the feedback from ANOC members with her colleagues.

"We have some proposals for the future regarding improvements for accreditation, qualification rules and maybe ceremonies," she added.

Among the attendees in Lausanne were ANOC president Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah and U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun, ATR is told.

All the recommendations will feature in ANOC’s report to the London 2012 debrief in Rio next month.

Also in Lausanne, Sheikh Ahmad will chair Friday a working commission responsible for revamping the Olympic body’s constitution.

Lindberg said another commission charged with the modernization of ANOC and bringing forward future proposals to revitalize the organization would meet in the Olympic capital on Oct. 18 and 19.

Delay in U.S. Speedskating Scandal

A delayed arbitration date is in danger of forcing U.S. speedskaters to begin their season in the midst of controversy.

USA Today reports that an Oct. 7 hearing into allegations that short-track coach Jae Su Chun abused his athletes is now scheduled for Nov. 1, two weeks after the first World Cup in Calgary.

Chun, who was placed on administrative leave last month, faces allegations of physical abuse – among them calling female skaters "fat" and "disgusting" – and other charges contained in a grievance filed Aug. 30 by 14 current and five former members of the U.S. squad.

New York law firm White & Case is due to finish early next week its own independent investigation into the case conducted on a pro-bono basis under an agreement with the U.S. Olympic Committee.

"Should the findings of the investigation warrant, U.S. Speedskating will take immediate action to rectify any issues that may be uncovered in advance of the scheduled arbitration," U.S. Speedskating said Wednesday in a statement.

The second World Cup of the season is scheduled for Oct. 26 to 28 in Montreal, also before the new arbitration date.

Because the case seeks the removal of the coaching staff, however, such action in the meantime would make the Nov. 1 hearing unnecessary.

Woodward Leaves BOA

Clive Woodward will stand down as director of sport for the British Olympic Association, he announced Thursday.

The former rugby player and coach spent six years with the BOA, helping to prepare Team GB for the Olympic Games in Beijing, Vancouver and London, for which he was also deputy chef de mission.

"The challenge of delivering a home Olympic Games to our largest ever Olympic Team has been exhilarating and I would like to congratulate everyone concerned on the best Olympic performance of a host Nation in the modern Games era," he said Thursday in a statement.

"Post London 2012 is the right time for me to leave the BOA, which is now taking a new direction following a Home Games and I wish them all well in the future."

The "new direction" to which Woodward refers is believed to be a restructuring undertaken by the BOA after its board of directors agreed last month to implement a new strategic plan from 2013 to 2016.

According to Christophe Dubi, the IOC’s director of sport, Woodward will remain a member of the Entourage Commission.

He will also accept a role as a Team GB Ambassador and continue to chair a British Judo review panel.

Weir, Plushenko Return to Ice

Two of the biggest names in figure skating will make their comebacks this weekend.

Johnny Weir, a three-time U.S. champion, returns to action at the Finlandia Trophy in Espoo, Finland after sitting ever since his six-place finish at Vancouver 2010. He says he wants to skate in two Grand Prix events this year, then the Sochi Olympics in 2014.

Evgeni Plushenko, meanwhile, starts his season at the Japan Open in Saitama after not skating competitively in nine months. The reigning European champion and Olympic silver medalist has said he wants to compete at the Winter Games in his native Russia.

"Inside Sochi" with Bruce Talley

With less than 500 days to go until Sochi 2014,Around the Rings is taking the opportunity to introduce our partner, Bruce Talley, a Sochi resident who publishes the newsletter "Inside Sochi" featuring the latest news from the Black Sea resort.

Here are some of the highlights from his most recent newsletter, which can be found here: Sochi would host World Cup matches in 2018 Test Events in all FIS Olympic disciplines In Russian, the summer-like days are called Babye Leto Sochi has been getting rave reviews from North American hockey officialsMedia Watch

ESPN The Magazine reports on the annual "Romney Olympics" hosted by former Salt Lake Olympics chief and U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Reported by Mark Bisson and Matthew Grayson

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