Olympic Bid Ahead for Sepak Takraw?
Sepak takraw leaders are busy spreading their sport ahead of a possible bid for Olympic inclusion.
Also known as "kick volleyball" or "Thai soccer" because players use primarily their feet – and never their hands – to get a small rattan ball back and forth across the net, sepak takraw is native to Malaysia and Thailand but popular throughout Southeast Asia.
According to the IOC, however, a sport must be played by at least 75 countries in order to feature at the Summer Games.
"We will introduce sepak takraw in African and Arabian countries in order to meet the IOC requirement," International Sepak Takraw Federation secretary general Datuk Abdul Halim bin Kader told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
The sport is already part of the Asian Games and will debut at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Indonesia come 2013.
According to Halim, the ISTAF is also considering tweaks to the ball’s hardness and the game’s format – three versus three is the current standard - to make sepak takraw more accessible in the next eight to 12 years, the time frame during which the sport hopes to pitch the IOC for Olympic inclusion.
The ISTAF would first have to earn recognition from the IOC before its Executive Board would even consider sepak takraw in the Summer Games, though.
Mixed Weekend for Indian Hockey
There’s good news and bad news for Indian field hockey as the men qualify for London 2012 while the women fall short.
The men beat France 8-1 in Sunday’s final of an Olympic qualification tournament in New Delhi to return to the Games after failing to book a berth for the first time in 80 years ahead of Beijing 2008.
The win follows controversial comments by national player Shivendra Singh that "hockey will almost die in our country" should India fail to qualify.
India has won eight Olympic golds in men’s hockey, more than any other team, but hasn’t captured any major titlessince the 2007 Asian Cup, a tournament for the Asian Hockey Federation.
India’s women, meanwhile, lost to South Africa 3-1 on Saturday and will have to wait four years for another chance at the Games.
New Sponsor for World Archery
World Archery has a new development fund partner in Japanese manufacturer SHIBUYA Archery.
The company produces equipment for the sport including target sights, stabilizers, plunger buttons and bow cases. In this new role, SHIBUYA will enable the development of archery through donations and programs.
"We are excited about this opportunity to help grow our sport of archery, and we are sure we will be able to ensure a mutuallyrewarding relationship with World Archery," said Philipp Knall of SHIBUYA's international sales division.
The company was founded in Tokyo, the location of the Archery World Cup Final from Sept. 22-23.
Ronaldinho Eyes London 2012
Brazilian football great Ronaldinho, 31, says he wants to reprise his role as an over-age player at Beijing 2008 come London 2012.
''It's a great competition. Of course we are motivated to get there. I'll do my part to make sure I play in the competition again,'' the two-time FIFA World Player of the Year told Brazil’s Globoesporte on Monday.
Brazil, the reigning bronze medalists, already qualified directly for the men's Olympic football tournament by reaching the finals of last year’s CONMEBOL U-20 tournament.
Oceania Canoe Qualifiers
Aussie paddlers Warwick Draper and Jessica Fox are the big winners from the Oceania Canoe Slalom Championships in Sydney.
Both booked berths at the London Olympics over the weekend with Draper claiming Australia’s sole men’s K1 spot. Fox, who also won her third consecutive women’s C1 title, will head to the Games in the K1 class.
The champs were the final opportunity for canoe slalom paddlers from Oceania to qualify for 2012.
Media Watch
The International Judo Federation says it’s not too early to start event-by-event previews of the athletes "who will probably take part and have a good winning potential" for Olympic medals at the five-months-to-go mark until London 2012.
Written by Matthew Grayson.
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