Olympic Briefs - NHL and Gretzky Out, Olympian's Home Attacked, Pound on Beijing

NHL executive say the league won’t play in the Olympics after 2010…the home of the Olympic marathon champion is raided in Kenya…and Dick Pound says he’s glad the Olympics came to Beijing…Olympic Briefs inside

NHL Executive: No Olympics after 2010

Canada’s Globe and Mail reports this week that an unnamed NHL executive says the league will not send athletes to the Olympics after 2010.

The report went on to add that following 2010, the league will likely not participate in any world competition, including the world and junior world championships.

The rising cost of insurance is cited as the reason for the departure.

Although the NHL doesn’t directly pay for Olympics insurance coverage, the league is responsible for any portion of the injured player’s contract not covered in the event of injury.

Jim Rutherford, president and general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, has a simple solution for the problem.

“I think it's a pretty easy solution – just don't go to those tournaments,” he told the Globe and Mail.

“Where the contracts are and the risks are for these pros, we're coming to a time where they are not going to be able to go.”

The end of NHL involvement in the Olympic tournament has been expected after the Vancouver Olympics, but has not yet been made official.

Gretzky Declines Team Canada Job

Hockey great Wayne Gretzky will not lead Team Canada to another Olympics.

The 47 year old led the Canadian team to its first men’s hockey gold in 50 years at the Salt Lake City Games. However, the team failed to medal during its appearance in Turin.

Gretzky is currently in his fourth season as head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes.

IOC Member Pound Praises Beijing as Olympics Host

Senior IOC member from Canada Richard Pound told an audience at McGill University Tuesday that he is pleased that the Olympics came to Beijing.

Pound is also the chancellor of the Montreal University.

"I must say I was one of the... few Western members [of the IOC] that thought it would be a good idea for the Chinese to have the Games in 2000," he said. "It was high risk, no question about it, but the reward was even higher. Even the mental picture of the gates of the Forbidden City opening up, [saying] 'Here's China inviting the world,' was compelling for me."

Pound says he believes the Olympics can be a positive influence on the political situation of a host nation.

"I think the IOC expulsion of South Africa because of apartheid actually helped the resolution of that problem to occur much faster than all the political and economic sanctions," he said.

But Pound told the McGill audience that the IOC may have been able to bring about more changes on human rights issues in China.

"In terms of human rights, I personally ... think we could have been a little more assertive with the Chinese," he said.

Kenyan Olympian’s Home Invaded

More than 10 armed men entered the home of Olympic marathon champion Samuel Kamau Wanjiru in Nyahururu, Kenya, Friday. The men terrorized the runner’s family for approximately 30 minutes before police arrived.

Armed with AK-47 assault rifles, the perpetrators scaled an outside fence as well as cut an electric fence around the home in their attempt to find valuables.

The athlete’s wife was able to summon police by activating an alarm system.

The gold medalist was not home at the time of the invasion. He had left for Nairobi earlier in the day to attend the Ndakaini marathon.

Jamaican Sprinters Named UNESCO Champions for Sport

Usain Bolt and Veronica Campbell-Brown were recently chosen as Champions for Sport by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

UNESCO’s Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura made the announcement in Kingston, where he was attending the opening of the International Congress on Sport for Development and Peace.

A press release issued by UNESCO stated, "The two champions are being named in recognition of their commitment to the values of peace and tolerance, as well as equity and equality between men and women in sport."

Champions for Sport are expected to spread the message of UNESCO, especially the values of physical education and sports and how they can help build a better future for younger generations.

McCartney Takes Olympics to Fashion Week

Fashion designer Stella McCartney unveiled her new athletic line for adidas Tuesday in an Olympic-themed show.

Ditching the traditional catwalk format, the show instead focused on Olympic athletics including gymnasts tumbling on trampolines and a balance beam.

In addition to the usual group of models, McCartney also included British gymnasts and gold medalists Victoria Pendleton (cycling) and American track star Allyson Felix.

A designer for adidas since 2005, McCartney’s new line will focus on clothes for tennis, golf, yoga and swimming as well as an eco-friendly line that utilizes organic cotton. She will also provide footwear from sustainable materials.

Written by Trista McGlamery