New WOA President; Government Support for Tokyo 2020; Rio Paralympic Logo

New President for World Olympians Association

Joel Bouzou is the new president of the World Olympians Association.

Bouzou defeated incumbent Dick Fosbury over the weekend at the WOA General Assembly in Lausanne.

Speaking to Around the Rings, Bouzou said he wants the WOA to become "a global player to serve society."

"Champions have a role to play," he said.

As WOA president, Bouzou says he will use the platform to help Olympians serve as role models for youth to bring them back to sport.

Stay tuned for the full, exclusive interview from ATR.

Tokyo 2020 Council Launched

Japan's government has formalized its backing of the country's Olympic bid with the establishment of the Tokyo 2020 Council.

The 64-member advisory board is headed by Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara and includes Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda alongside other key government figures as well as leaders from Japanese business and sport.

The council convened its first meeting Monday at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government headquarters.

Tsunekazu Takeda, Tokyo 2020 president and head of the Japanese Olympic Committee, addressed the Council and expressed his thanks for their support.

"I am certain that the establishment of the Council, which is comprised of so many prominent figures from Japan’s political, business and sporting communities, will send a clear message to the International Olympic Committee that the whole of Japan is united in its efforts to ensure that Tokyo’s bid for the 2020 Games is successful," he said in a statement.

"Staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020 would serve as a major motivating force for the Japanese sporting community and act as a catalyst for the regeneration and reinvigoration of Japan, and particularly in those areas so severely affected by the recent disaster."

Prior to the Council meeting, the executive board of Tokyo 2020 unanimously agreed with the appointment of key members of the Council such as Ishihara, who also played a key role in Tokyo's failed 2016 bid. (ATR)

The four vice-chair posts are taken by Takeda, former prime minister Yoshiro Mori, Japan Economic Federation chairman Hiromasa Yonakura and Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Tadashi Okamura.

Rio Paralympic Logo Launched

Rio 2016 will boast the first three-dimensional Paralympic logo to go along with its Olympic counterpart.

Brazilian organizers unveiled the Paralympic Games logo on Saturday at Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, the venue for rowing events in 2016.

"This is an emblem that conveys passion and transformation from the perspective of the Paralympic Movement and its values: courage, determination, inspiration and equality," Rio 2016 president Carlos Nuzman said at the unveiling.

"An emblem that not only can be seen, but also experienced through the various senses, reachingout to a larger number of people, in the same spirit of inclusion we want for the Games."

Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic Committee, added: "For me the emblem represents the heart of an athlete and as our athletes are the heart of the Paralympic Movement it is just perfect in highlighting what we are all about. Just like the great city of Rio, each time I look at the emblem I notice something new, no two views of it are the same. We talk a lot in the Paralympic Movement about spirit in motion and this pictures it perfectly."

Joining Craven and Nuzman for the presentation were Rio governor Sergio Cabral, Rio mayor Eduardo Paes and Olympic Public Authority president Marcio Fortes.

British Cyclist Won’t Challenge Doping Ban

Cyclist David Millar will not challenge his lifetime ban from the Olympics in court.

The British athlete completeda two-year suspension for taking performance-enhancing drugs but is permanently banned from the Gamesunder British Olympic Association bylaws.

The BOA is expected to defend this bylaw before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

According to media reports, Millar said he gave up on his Olympic dream.

"I wrote off London 2012 a long time ago," Millar said. "The lifetime ban wasn't something I wanted to challenge. I didn't want to be vilified any more. So I'm just going to leave it out there and see what happens."

Belarus President Congratulates Russian Olympic Committee

Belarus president and NOC head Alexander Lukashenko congratulates the Russian Olympic Committee on its 100th anniversary.

"You may be proud of your rich age-old traditions, a great contribution to the formation and strengthening of the Olympic movement," Lukashenko said to his ROC counterpart Alexander Zhukov regarding Friday's milestone.

Lukashenko added that good relations with the NOCs of Belarus and Russia will promote sport in the neighboring countries.

Laureus Awards in London

The 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards will be staged in London on February 6.

London 2012 chair Sebastian Coe, who is a Laureus World Sports Academy member, welcomed the news.

"We are all hoping 2012 will be one of the most memorable years for sport in this country and we hope everyone who comes to London for the awards will get a foretaste of the excitement to come," he said.\

Edwin Moses, double Olympic gold medalist and chairman of the academy, said Laureus was already part of International Inspiration, the official legacy program of London 2012, which is aiming to enrich the lives of 12 million children around the world by encouraging them to take part in physical education and sport.

"This will be yet another way we can show our support. The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation supports 10 community projects in the UK, including four in London itself."

Written by Mark Bisson and Ann Cantrell.

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