Brazil Minister Confident; Paralympic Village Mayor; South Africa Studies Bid

South Africa Studies Bid

SASCOC, the South African Olympic Committee, launched a feasibility study of a 2024 Olympic bid.

The study will determine which city is best prepared to bid for the Games and will be completed in 2013, according to South African media.

SASCOC is reportedly working in conjunction with the Sports and Events Tourism Exchange to determine sport events the country should bid for.

A report in the Durban-based newspaper The Post says Durban is the leading city to bid for the Games.

Durban hosted the 2011 IOC Session and was selected for a 2020 bid before South Africa's federal government decided to focus on social issues before trying for an Olympics.

Brazilian Sports Minister Confident in Rio Preps

Despite IOC concerns over the pace of preparations, Brazilian sports minister Aldo Rebelo says Rio 2016 is on the right course.

"Both urban and sports-related infrastructure works are on schedule," he said in an interview with TIME magazine published Monday.

"We’ve planned this well ahead of time and funds were designated for these purposes. I’m confident that things will materialize in due course and in good time."

The IOC and other Olympic observers have suggested that Rio must work quickly to address the city’s notorious traffic congestion and improve its public transport system.

Rebelo emphasized that the city will overcome these obstacles.

"Rio de Janeiro is a city that has overcome many challenges historically. It managed to deal with two French occupations. When France invaded Portugal, the royal family and thousands of Portuguese aristocrats moved to Rio, and Rio was able to adapt and accommodate these people," he said.

"We adapt. Also, Rio hosts a major international event – the Carnival – every year, during which Rio receives a much larger number of tourists than it’s going to have to deal with for the World Cup. We’ve just had the U.N. Conference on Sustainable Development [Rio+20]. It was a big international conference, and no problems compromised the event."

Paralympic Village Mayor

Eva Loeffler, whose father founded the Paralympic Games, will be mayor of the London 2012 Paralympic Village.

LOCOG made the announcement on Monday, the first day of Loeffler’s duties.

"Eva has a longstanding association with the Paralympic Games having been involved since its inception," LOCOG chair Sebastian Coe said.

A volunteer at the first wheelchair Games in 1948, Loeffler was also one of the first directors of the British Paralympic Association and chair of the British Wheelchair Sports Foundation.

"The development of Paralympic sport and the Paralympic Games has played a significant role in my life and I’m thrilled to be appointed Paralympic Village Mayor as the Games return to the UK," Loefflersaid.

As mayor, Loeffler will welcome athletes and dignitaries to the Village as well as speak at Village events.

Paralympians will begin arriving at the Village on Wednesday.

Olympic Ratings Bounce Over?

NBC’s "Today" show returned to second place in television ratings behind rival "Good Morning America" on CBS.

Figures released by The Nielsen Co., which calculates U.S. television ratings, found "G.M.A." had on average 162,000 more viewers than "Today" for the week of August 13.

"Today" was in the number one spot for a day following the Games. "Today" had long been the dominant figure in morning television in the United States but had lost its ratings edge over the past two years.

Somali Olympian Drowned

Somali Olympian Samia Yusuf Omar reportedly drowned in April, the BBC reports.

The head of the Somali Olympic Committee told the BBC Samia died but would not elaborate.

Reports in April said she died while attempting to immigrate to Europe from Ethiopia.

She competed in the 200m in Beijing, finishing last.

Peace and Sport Awards

The Peace and Sport Awards Ceremony is accepting applications for the Image of the Year Award.

The deadline for submitting applications for the award is August 24, and entries for all other award categories must be submitted by August 31.

The Awards Ceremony will be held on November 1 during the Peace and Sport International Forum in Sochi.

Written by Ed Hula III, Mark Bisson and Hannah Reid.

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