Golf Chief on Rio Course, McIlroy; 2014 3x3 Worlds Host Announced; Sochi Security Warning

Golf Chief Talks McIlroy, Course Work

International Golf Federation president Peter Dawson says Rory McIlroy may have to golf for Ireland at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

McIlroy, who was born in Northern Ireland and is eligible to compete for Team Ireland and Team GB has expressed about which country he would represent.

Dawson, however, says that might be out of his control.

"Because of Rory's history of playing for Ireland at amateur level and at World Cup level there may be a regulation within the Olympic rules which would determine who would have to play," Dawson was quoted by The Associated Press. "We are still looking at the matter but under that regulation he could play under Irish colors.

"It's quite ambiguous as there are regulations within the IOC that if you play previous world championships for a certain country, that has to carry with you."

He also said all permits for work on the Rio golf course were granted and construction can begin "at pace" with everything completed "in good time" for the Games.

Moscow to Host 2014 3x3 Worlds

Moscow will host the 2014 3x3 basketball world championships. No exact dates were set, but a statement from FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, said the event will take place over five days in June.

FIBA said the tournament will follow a "similar competition format" to the inaugural 3x3 worlds, with men’s and women’s competitions as well as individual contests.

"The tournament that Russia will host in 2014 will be very interesting," said Russia's Minister of Sport Vitaly Mutkoin a statement on the FIBA website. "This sport is getting more popular here. Every year we organise the final of Russian competitions, where thousands of teams gather. We support FIBA's efforts to make 3x3 an Olympic discipline."

An expert in Russia has warned that the Sochi Olympics could be dangerous for Americans following the Boston bombings. Two men alleged to have conducted the attacks have links to Chechnya, a region of Russia that has seen unrest and violence against Russia.

"If there are groups seeking to deal a blow on the United States," Maria Lipman of the Carnegie Center Moscow told Reuters television, "then of course its unsafe for Americans."

Sochi and Chechnya are both located in the Caucasus region, but are nearly 1000km apart.

Following the April 15 attack, Sochi 2014 CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko pledged that Sochi 2014 would be the safest Olympics ever.

"Those who will be at the Olympic Games in Sochi should know this: We will provide them with security," he said.

Olympic Champion Suspended for Doping

The Italian National Olympic Committee’s doping tribunal suspended Olympic champion Alex Schwazer for three years and six months after testing positive for EPO.

Schwazer won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 50m race walk. He says he was clean during those Games. Prior to the London Olympics, he failed a drug test and was barred from the Games.

His suspension expires Jan. 29, 2016.

Written by Ed Hula III.

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