ATR Newsmaker Breakfast: Software of Sport

(ATR) Winning the right to host the 2012 London Olympics has become a huge catalyst for change in Britain, ranging from competition on the playing field to competition to stage major events.

UK Sport is bidding for 90 World or European Championships through 2012, which includes test events for the London Games, said CEO John Steele, at the Around the Rings Newsmaker Breakfast titled "The Software of Sport: Developing Olympic Sports for the 21st Century."

"In terms of gifts, there's none bigger in sport," Steele said of the Olympics.

This function was the latest in the series of Around the Rings Newsmaker events -- this time on the off-day between the Olympic Congress and the resumption of the IOC Session -- sponsored by VisitBritain, UK Sport and Sport Event Denmark.

Also appearing on the panel hosted Oct. 6 in Copenhagen by ATR Editor and Founder Ed Hula were C.K. Wu, IOC member and AIBA president, Frank Fredericks, IOC member and Olympic silver medalist and Lars Lundov, CEO of Sport Event Denmark.

Steele said sports have enjoyed increased investment from the government lottery as well as from the private sector. UK Sport has implemented a high performance program aimed at not only winning more medals at the Olympics, but also continuing beyond. Up to 60 percent of the investment goes to developing young athletes and talent development, which Steele estimates takes eight years from identifying the athlete until he or she makes the podium.

"In addition, we're looking to develop skills around hosting major events," Steele said. "Our aspirations and ambitions around there have changed."

The UK has staged 120 events of World and European status since 1997, a four-fold increase from the previous 12 years. Those events include next week's world championships in gymnastics in London.

After the Olympics, Britain will have facilities and properly-trained officials to deliver future world-class events.

"We shouldn't shy away from the fact that the Olympics is a great bringer-together," Steele said, "and if you're a host nation, it should be the case that everyone is looking to help you develop and maximize the Olympics. It's not just about the UK."

Steele said Sebastian Coe, the London Olympics chief, has made a commitment to take sport around the world in an effort to influence young people with a program called International Inspiration.

The program hopes to reach 12 million children in 20 countries and has so far touched 2.5 million children in five countries.

"It will be the biggest program ever rolled out if we hit that number," Steele said.

"Year of Sports" in Denmark

In addition to hosting the IOC Session and Congress, Denmark has hosted more than 50 international sports events across the country this year. These include a world cup in archery, a world championships in wrestling and next week's world championships in taekwondo.

"We're a small country of 5.4 million. We believe that using international sports events we can put this small country on the world map," Lundov said. "We believe this can develop the Danish sports society in different ways; perhaps national federations will get new members or new athletes in clubs."

He said many of the events are strongly supported by public money or from Sport Event Denmark.

"The economic benefits are so big that the return on investment for all of Danish society is very positive."

Copenhagen lost to Guatemala City for the right to host the 2007 IOC Session, but then wound up with an even bigger event with more international guests and media coverage. "Today we can say to Guatemala City, thank you very much," Lundov said.

Boxing Reforms

Wu talked about restoringcredibility to boxing, a sport that relies on subjective judgment, through reforms he has instituted since taking over as federation president.

He said the World Series of Boxing, AIBA's own professional competition, keeps more athletes in the sport who otherwise might have dropped out after failing to meet expectations in the traditional pro ranks.

Wu also discussed the addition of women's boxing to the London Games.

Athletes Expect Top Conditions

Fredericks, chairman of the IOC Athletes Commission, said competitors "want a perfect situation" when they arrive at the Olympic Games or World Championships.

"Athletes don't want to worry that the water in the Village is not getting warm. You want to concentrate on what you want to accomplish," Fredericks said.

Some complain just because they want to complain, he said, but if there is a real problem, the IOC athletes commission gets involved. "We don't want situations where athletes are sitting for one hour when they're told it's going to be 20 minutes," he said.

"You have to understand: athletes are never satisfied. If they don't have chicken today, they want chicken. Athletes also need to understand it takes seven years to make these events a perfect thing, not for the organization, but for the athletes."

Fredericks said there are hurdles to his country of 2 million hosting a major event.

"The country has to make a decision: Do we want to get into an event like the Youth Olympic Games, or build houses for people who don't have a house," he said.

But home turf has its advantage.

"I lost my medals in 1996 to an American (Michael Johnson in the 200) and a Canadian (Donovan Bailey)," Fredericks said. "When you walk into a stadium, 80,000 scream as loud as they can for Michael Johnson, and 200 scream for you.

"You get that extra oomph."

Rio Resonates

Fredericks worked on the effort to bring the 2004 Olympics to Capetown. "We used the line, 'The Olympic Games had never been to the African continent,'" he said. "I'm happy it's going to South America. In Africa, people can start dreaming it is possible if we are good enough."

Support for Golf, Rugby, Process

The IOC Executive Board in August chose golf and rugby from among seven potential Olympic sports to be voted upon by the entire membership.

While some IOC members have grumbled that they didn't have more say in the process, Wu and Fredericks said they fully support the recommendation from the Executive Board.

"If we reject these two sports, it will be a devastating message we're sending to any other sport that wants to be part of the Olympic Movement," Fredericks said.

"We need to go out there and support the Executive Board to make sure two new sports are coming."

Fredericks added that guidance was needed from the Executive Board. "If you ask the entire population of the world which two (sports) should get in, you get two different answers," he said.

"If we don't support this situation, I can tell you that we will not increase sports."

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The Around the Rings Newsmaker series was launched during the Atlanta Olympics and has been held since at the 2000, 2002 and 2008 Games.

Written by Karen Rosen.

Your best source of news about the Olympics is www.AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.