Future Unclear for Netherlands Antilles NOC; Princely Wedding; Archery Champs

IOC Meeting to Resolve NOC Impasse

Around the Rings understands that representatives from the IOC met to resolve the future of the Netherlands Antilles Olympic Committee in Lausanne on Thursday.

While no information is available to the outcome, if any, of the meeting, ATR understands the Olympic Committees of the Netherlands Antilles, Aruba and the Netherlands were all present.

Earlier this year, the Netherlands Antilles ceased to exist as a political entity, meaning it will cease to be an Olympic Committee as well. The IOC is firm that no new National Olympic Committee will be created posing a problem for the NAOC. Aruba formed its own NOC because the Antilles dominated sports for the Dutch outposts, but if forced to join the Dutch NOC, the island-country would be unable to compete with Dutch athletes.

William Millersen, president of the NAOC, told ATRthey were hoping to, at the very least, be able to compete as the Antilles in regional sporting competitions.

"If at least we can achieve to maintain our participation in the regional games, we will be more than happy" he said.

The IOC is set to vote on the future of the NAOC at the Session in Durban next week.

IOC President, Members, Royal Families on Guest List

IOC president Jacques Rogge leads a delegation of 40 IOC members to the wedding of their colleague, HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco.

Some of the members in attendance include Sergey Bubka of the Ukraine and Athletes Commission chair Frank Fredericks.

Albert is marrying Charlene Wittstock, herself an Olympian. Dozens of Olympians and Olympic team members are on the guest list from both the bride and groom’s Olympic days.

As is typical for a royal wedding, royal family members from around the world will also be in Monaco on July 2 when Albert and Charlene say "I do" in their religious ceremony.

Wedding felicities will continue in Durban, South Africa during the IOC Session. The Prince scheduled a soiree for the IOC members who were unable to attend his nuptials, ensuring Olympic hearts remain filled with romance for a few more days.

"Sporting Treat" for a Test Event

A unique test event is scheduled for London this weekend.

The "Live Sites" where fans who missed out on tickets can watch events on big-screen televisions will have their practice run this weekend.

Final matches from the Wimbledon championships will be shown throughout the U.K., which LOCOG calls "a sporting treat".

Live Sites are organized by LOCOG, the BBC and the cities where the sites are located.

This weekend’s festival of tennis will give the public just a taste of how the London 2012 Live Sites will come alive during the Olympic and Paralympic Games," said LOCOG chief Sebastian Coe. "The sites are not just about watching great sport though, they will provide a great opportunity for people to have a go at a sport they might not have considered trying, possibly opening the way to a new interest and a more active lifestyle."

Archery Congress, World Champs

The international archery federation, FITA, pulls double duty this weekend in Turin.

FITA wraps up its congress Saturday in the 2006 Winter Olympic host city and opens its outdoor target championships hours later.

Delegates to the two-day congress will discuss upcoming elections as well as archery's world plan through 2016. Elections will be held for vice presidents and other officers.

Six hundred archers from nearly 90 countries will then take to the field Saturday night for an opening ceremony and return Sunday to begin shooting.

With 35 of the 64 spots per gender at the 2012 Olympics up for grabs, this is the best chance for archers to book a ticket to London.

A pair of venues dating back to the Renaissance will host the bulk of competition. Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi will stage the qualification and elimination rounds. Piazza Castello is the site for finals.

Thanks to a new partnership with multimedia platform Perform, FITA will stream the final round live on a special web channel.

Events run through July 10, at which point the para-archery world champs begin.

Olympic Champion Rower Retires

Team USA must find another rower to round out its reigning world and Olympic champion women’s eight crew ahead of London 2012.

Anna Goodale, part of the gold-medal winning octet in Beijing, revealed Friday to media in her native Maine that she actually retired back in November after helping the U.S. capture a fifth straight world championship.

"I decided that I had a great run and that I am ready for whatever is next in my life," she told the Portland Press Herald.

That, in fact, is an intercontinental move to Ecuador to join her father and his family. Goodale, 28, will work there as a trainer at a gym.

Written by Ed Hula III.