Triathlon Added to Arab Games
International Triathlon Union president Marisol Casado tells Around the Rings that Arab Games inclusion is a key development for her sport – and particularly for women.
"As an international federation, we really want to be as inclusive as possible," she told ATR hours before an ITU-hosted reception late Friday in Doha where she formally announced that the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees will welcome triathlon into the fold beginning in 2015.
"Being in the Arab Games is very very important for many reasons because our sport is not well-developed in this area," she added.
"Also, because I think we will be able to address some issues about women in the sport."
Casado cited the help of new ITU executive board member Ahmed Nasser, a member of Egypt’s first modern pentathlon Olympic team and the founding president of its triathlon NGB, as "opening doors" to the Arab world and making "quite easy" the acquisition of UANOC approval.
Earlier this week, the UANOC general assembly also confirmed Lebanon as host of the 2015 Arab Games.
"We are very happy that it’s going to be held in Beirut," Casado told ATR.
"It’s a very wonderful place for triathlon, and we have to put in place a special project to develop in the different Arabic countries. The timing is very good. Four years is good to prepare, and I think it was perfect timing for us."
The traditional men’s and women’s races weren’t the only takes on triathlon to get the nod from UANOC.
A mixed relay event will also come along for the ride after debuting at the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games and then gaining inclusion earlier this year to both the Asian and Commonwealth Games.
"It’s another step," she said of the ITU’s ambitions for mixed relay to join the Olympic program ahead of Rio 2016, adding that the event offers "very good development" for women.
Blatter Unveils Members of Governance Committee
President Sepp Blatter is set to unveil some of the members of his new Independent Governance Committee, including those from outside football, after a Saturday session of the FIFA Executive Committee.
A report on the anti-corruption committee's activities is listed only 15th on the agenda for this weekend’s meetings in Tokyo with Blatter's update to his colleagues on the ISL case getting even less discussion time.
Last week, the long-awaited publication of the dossier, believed to link members of world football's governing body to the infamous ISL marketing scandal, was postponed. Blatter is expected to inform when the information will go public.
Other key agenda items for the Ex-Co meetings include preparations for the Brazil 2014 World Cup and approval of the media and marketing regulations for the 2018 and 2022 finals.
Sailing Update
London 2012 is sure to feature a Star-studded field for sailing’s two-man keelboat.
Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland, USA and Sweden all guaranteed themselves spots in the Star class at next year’s Olympics thanks to races this week at the ongoing ISAF World Championships.
Still up for grabs in Perth, Australia are berths in women's 470 as well as men’s windsurfing, Laser and 49er.
Competition comes to a close Sunday.
Written by Matthew Grayson
20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.
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