FIFA Picks Ethics Prosecutor; IAAF Turns 100; IJF on Libyan NOC Chief's Abduction

FIFA Selects Ethics Prosecutor

FIFA president Sepp Blatter says U.S. lawyer Michael J. Garcia, appointed Tuesday as lead prosecutor for FIFA's two-chamber ethics body, will be free to examine the ISL scandal and investigate allegations of bribery that tarnished the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding contests.

Garcia and Germany's Hans-Joachim Eckert were named as the chairmen of investigatory and adjudicatory chambers of the revamped FIFA ethics body tasked with helping to clean-up FIFA's battered image. Their mandate runs until the 63rd FIFA Congress in Mauritius next year when elections for the positions will be held.

The decision came at a FIFA Executive Committee meeting in Zurich.

Members of the two ethics courts were also appointed - all six football confederations are represented - while the football governing body's new Code of Ethics was unanimously adopted; it will come into force on July 25.

Blatter confirmed that Swiss court documents released last week, which confirmed that former FIFA chief Joao Havelange and Brazilian FA boss Ricardo Teixeira had received millions of dollars in kickbacks in the ISL scandal, would be handed over to Garcia's panel for review.

The 76-year-old Swiss told a press conference that Garcia's duty was to have this case "analyzed on ethic, moral matters and then to report back to the executive committee".

After last week admitting he knew of the backhanders paid to Havelange and Teixeira, which he labelled as "commission" because they were legal at the time in Swiss law, he was pressed again about payments in the ISL scandal.

"I knew nothing about any other people getting payments," he stressed.

For complete coverage of Tuesday's press conference, including whether the 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes will be investigated, as well as a full member list of the new-look Ethics Committee, visit World Football INSIDER.

IJF on Libyan NOC Chief’s Kidnapping

International Judo Federation president Marius Vizer says he hopes "a favorable outcome will be found" for Libya’s kidnapped NOC chief.

Nabil al Alam, also head of the Libyan Judo Federation and the IJF’s sports director for Africa, was reportedly captured by gunmen Sunday outside of Tripoli.

"We hope that a few days prior to the opening of the London Olympics, a favorable outcome will be found for this leader, who has been dedicating his life to serving sports and judo in particular, in respect of the Olympic spirit," Vizer said Tuesday in a statement posted to the IJF’s website.

"We will ask the IOC president, Jacques Rogge, to officially act in order to have news of Nabil al Alam and to make every possible effort to ensure that he will be released."

Al Alam became NOC president in 2011, succeeding Moammar Gadahfi, son of the late Libyan dictator of the same name.

According to an Associated Press report, al Alam has ties to Gadafhi’s son, and this may have been an act of revenge.

IAAF Turns 100

Tuesday marks the official 100th anniversary of the founding of the International Association of Athletics Federations.

Representatives of the 17 founding member federations met in Monte Carlo on Monday for a commemorative dinner hosted by IAAF president Lamine Diack.

International Athletic Foundation honorary president Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene then hosted a garden party Tuesday night where a commemorative Monegasque postage stamp was unveiled as the centerpiece of the Principality's celebrations.

"The commemoration by Monaco of the IAAF’s birth, which took place one hundred years ago today, is the latest of those kind gestures of friendship," Diack said in a statement.

"The IAAF was born in Stockholm a matter of a few days after the close of the 1912 Olympics in Sweden and the very fact that both your Serene Highnesses are former Olympians, though in sports other than our own, makes us understand and appreciate evermore that our headquarters are situated in the most understanding of locations."

More events celebrating the IAAF's 100th birthday will continue throughout the year and include the World Athletics Gala to be held in Barcelona this November.

Lantern Festival Lights Up Tokyo

More than 30,000 lanterns lit up Tokyo Bay on Monday night in support of the city’s bid to host the 2020 Olympics.

This year’s Lantern by the Bay Festival included a special lantern display designed to replicate the bid city logo.

The festival took place at the Odaiba Marine Park, the proposed venue for triathlon and marathon swimming events, and was led by Olympic champion swimmer Ai Shibata.

New HQ, Managers for Gold Coast 2018

Three additional managers join CEO Mark Peters on the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games organizing committee as the team prepares to move into new headquarters.

The team will be relocated to a permanent office in Bundall at the end of July in order to be closer to the Gold Coast City Council, a partner for the event.

Ian Whitehead was appointed general manager of venues and operations, Helen Moore was named as general manager of finance and business services, and Andrew Woodward was selected to be general manager of marketing and communications.

While the new headquarters will accommodate only 50 staff over the next 18 months, the Games Corporation is expected to employ close to 1,000 staff by 2018.

An additional 15,000 volunteers will also be needed to help run the Games.

ISA, Nicaragua Presidents Meet

Just one day before the start of the World Masters Surfing Championship in Nicaragua, International Surfing Association President Fernando Aguerre met with the country’s president Daniel Ortega.

The meeting was held Monday at the presidential residence in Managua.

"I was very impressed by President Ortega and his love for Nicaragua and a better world. He was very engaged in learning about surfing and our culture," Aguerre said in a statement. "I believe that this ISA World Masters Surfing Championship is planting a surfing seed in Nicaragua that will grow into a beautiful tree in the years to come."

Nicaragua is currently in negotiations to host the ISA World Surfing Championship next year.

Além Welcomes Anna Hellmann

Além International Management chairman and CEO Steve McCarthy tells Around the Rings he's pleased to welcome former SportAccord director Anna Hellman to his global sports and event management team.

With its headquarters in Louisville, Colo., and an office in Lausanne, the U.S. firm is noted for its work helping with torch relay operations and international meetings.

After eight years at SportAccord, Hellman left her post following the May meeting in Quebec City.

Liu Xiang Interview

Chinese star hurdler Liu Xiang arrived in London last Wednesday starting his third Olympic journey.

The 29-year-old recovered from an achilles injury after the 2008 Games and is now the favorite in the men's 110m hurdles in London after equalling the world record in a wind-aided 12.87 seconds in June.

Liu shares his thought with Around the Rings in this exclusive Facebook interview.

Written by Mark Bisson, Matthew Grayson and Hannah Reid.

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