Comeback Brewing for Tornado; Netherlands Awarded 2014 Hockey World Cup

Tornado on Path for Rio 2016

Don’t call it a comeback just yet, but the tornado is looking strong.

The multihull sailing class mustered 84% approval Wednesday from the ISAF Events Committee, Sail World USA reported.

The vote came in the midst of a week-long debate about which 10 events will make the Rio 2016 program, a matter at the top of the agenda for the federation’s ongoing conference in Athens.

Tornado was contested from Montreal 1976 to Beijing 2008 but nixed from the 2012 Summer Games last August.

The Events Committee is among a handful of groups to tack on their input to Rio recommendations made earlier in the week by the Olympic Commission. The ISAF Council will convene Friday through Sunday to make the final decision, though the chosen events remain subject to confirmation at ISAF’s mid-year meeting in May.

The Events Committee also recommended men’s and women’s board or kite-board (equipment TBD), men’s Laser, women’s Laser Radial, men’s 49er, women’s two-person skiff, men’s Finn, mixed 470 and women’s Elliot 6m keelboat.

Men’s keelboat and a second one-person dinghy for women failed to get the nod, though these recommendations are that and nothing more.

Check back Monday to see which 10 make the ISAF Council’s final cut.

London’s Hockey Legacy Put on Hold

The Netherlands will stage the 2014 World Cup.

The International Hockey Federation awarded hosting rights Thursday at its biennial congress in the Swiss town of Montreux.

Both Netherlands and England presented joint bids for the men’s and women’s tournaments.

The 2014 World Cup would have been a London 2012 facility’s first major legacy event.

Authorities in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, meanwhile, are aiming to bring the Summer Games back to the Netherlands 100 years after they were last staged there.

"While the one is looking at legacy," FIH CEO Kelly Fairweather told Around the Rings last week, "the other is probably looking at trying to pave the way for a possible [2028 Olympic] bid."

The situation made for a tough choice, FIH president Leandro Negre said in a statement soon after Thursday’s announcement.

"It was a very close decision, but we offer our congratulations to The Netherlands, who we are sure will stage an unforgettable double World Cup event," he said. "England Hockey's bid has reinforced their importance as a partner for future FIH events, and we are keen to maximize the use of London 2012's legacy facility."

The bid provided for Lee Valley Hockey Center to expand from 3,000 to 10,000 seats should England have won the Cup.

Tickets for Troops

LOCOG announced that 10,000 tickets to the 2012 Olympics will be reserved for members of the British armed forces and their families.

The announcement came on Armistice Day, the day countries around the world commemorate fallen soldiers.

LOCOG chairman Sebastian Coe said: "At this time of year it is especially apt that we take time to think of our servicemen and women so I am delighted thatthe Ticketshare scheme will include them – and their families. The Games are rightly a source ofgreat nationalpride – as are those who serve in the forces and I look forward to seeing some of them at the Games in the summer of 2012."

Tickets will be distributed through the "Tickets for Troops" program, which distributes tickets to sporting and cultural events to service members.

UNEP "Greening" Sport Conference

The United Nations Environmental Program led the "Global Sport and the Environment Forum" that concluded Tuesday.

Held in Nairobi, the forum is an opportunity for sports and sports events to share experiences on how best to integrate environmental considerations into sport.

Several representatives from the Olympic movement attended, including Richard Tan, director of corporate planning for the Singapore YOG, representatives from Sochi 2014’s environmental department, and Francis Paul, secretary general of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya.

Representatives of environmental firms working with London 2012 and the 2010 World Cup were alsopresent.

The Forum was preceded by the Continental Seminar on Sport and the Environment, which brought together more than 40 National Olympic Committees from Africa. This concluded with a declaration from the NOCs to prioritize the environment and sustainability in their development work.

UNEP advises host countries and organizing committees on how to integrate environmental considerations into the staging of major events. It also conducts environmental impact assessments before and after events.

Russia, Italy Stay Sharp at Fencing Worlds

Italy sits atop the medal count at the 2010 Fencing World Championships in Paris.

After two days of prelims at Georges Carpentier Stadium, final round action kicked off over the weekend at the French capital’s Grand Palais.

In individual action, Woo Young Won of Korea and Mariel Zagunis of the U.S. took gold in men’s and women’s sabre; Peter Joppich of Germany and Elisa Di Francisca of Italy won foil; and Maureen Nisima of France and Nikolai Novosjolov of Estonia captured titles in epee.

Russia kept a stranglehold on team sabre Tuesday, winning both the women’s over defending champs Ukraine and the men’s over runner-up Italy.

Italy won its second gold medal of the week Wednesday in women’s team foil but then fell to China in the men's final held Thursday. Team epee rounds out the program on Friday and Saturday.

Italy has seven total medals on the week. Great Britain is second with five, and France rounds out the top three with four.

Japan Taps 2019 Rugby World Cup Leadership

Canon CEO Fujio Mitarai will head preparations for Asia’s first Rugby World Cup.

The Japan Rugby Football Union announced Thursday the camera tycoon would serve as president of the organizing committee for the 2019 tournament.

"Business in Japan is right behind RWC 2019," Mitarai said at a press conference. "We have seen Japan come together for FIFA 2002 World Cup, the Tokyo and Nagano Olympics and it is now necessary for our nation to again become 'One big team' and prepare to host Rugby World Cup.

Written by Matthew Grayson and Ed Hula III.