BOCOG Bigwig Joins Central Committee of Communist Party; Toronto Breaks Ground on Stadium

Olympics Mayor Joins Chinese Communist Party Leadership

The new Central Committee of the Communist Party of China will have a leader of the 2008 Beijing Olympics among its membership.

Guo Jinlong became a member of the Committee at the 18th CPC National Congress last week that elected Xi Jinping as the new head of state.

Guo was mayor of Beijing during the Games and also served as Executive Vice President of BOCOG, the 2008 organizing committee.

The Central Committee is the main decision-making body for the communist party in China.

A review of the election results by Around the Rings finds him to be the only BOCOG member in the upper echelons of the Chinese political leadership.

Toronto 2015 Stadium Groundbreaking

Officials with the 2015 Pan American Games held a groundbreaking ceremony for the CIBC Pan Am and Parapan Am Athletics Stadium on Monday.

The venue, which will be the main stadium for the Games, is located at Toronto’s York University.

"In 2015, York University’s new stadium will be abuzz with excitement as spectators cheer on some of the world’s top athletes to achieve spectacular triumphs," said Ian Troop, CEO of TO2015.

"This stadium is a great way to ensure York students, the community and high-performance athletes have access to much needed recreation, training and competition facilities."

According to IAAF standards, the venue is capable of hosting Olympic-caliber events.

During the Games, the stadium will seat 12,500 spectators. The total cost to build the stadium is expected to be slightly more than $45 million.

Journalists Visit Rio Operations Center

Journalists in Rio de Janeiro toured the Operations Centre for TransOeste, the city’s bus rapid transit system.

A post from the Rio Olympic Press Office says journalists received a briefing from TransOeste operations manager Alexander Castro and municipal traffic secretary Carlos Robert Osorio.

Osorio served as secretary general of the Rio 2016 bid committee.

RIOU Launches Scholarship Applications

Registration is open for the first round of scholarships to attend the Russian International Olympic University.

As unveiled on the sidelines of the London 2012 Olympics, the Vladimir Potanin Foundation will fund 20 of the RIOU’s candidates for the English-language Master of Sport Administration degree.

"At the University, our main priority is to have the most talented and deserving students learning with us," said RIOU CEO Professor Lev Belousov.

"It is not always the case that these students have the best financial support – so these Foundation scholarships will help to ensure that the very best students are able to join for our first intake in 2013."

The cost of one year’s tuition, including fees and on-campus accommodation in Sochi, is $30,000.

Lectures begin in September 2013 with the first diplomas awarded in July 2014.

For more information on the scholarships, click here.

Case Continues Over Korean’s Controversial Celebration

FIFA will hear the case of Jongwoo Park again Tuesday after failing to reach a verdict last time around.

According to a Reuters report, it’s up to the Disciplinary Committee of world football’s governing body to decide whether Park will face suspension after brandishing a sign saying "Dokdo Is Our Territory" following South Korea’s win over Japan in the bronze medal match at the London 2012 Olympics.

Dokdo is the Korean name for the Liancourt Rocks, a tiny cluster of islets in the Sea of Japan to which both countries lay claim.

After the match, Park’s bronze medal was withheld by the IOC, who is waiting for FIFA to complete its disciplinary case before taking a final decision.

Korean football officials are so far backing Park, insisting he did not plan the gesture but was passed the sign by a supporter in the stand.

Both the IOC and FIFA prohibit political statements on the pitch.

CITYevents Photos

Photos from last week’s CITYevents 2012 are online here.

Written by Ed Hula III and Matthew Grayson.

20 Years at #1: