Olympic Briefs--Philippine NOC Dispute Continues; 2006 Olympic Speed Skating Venue Hosting Track Meet

Angping Claims Votes Aren’t There for His Removal

The dispute between the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission continued as PSC commissioner Harry Angping claimed there is not enough votes within the POC to go forward with a resolution calling for his removal from office.

The POC resolution, which was passed during a meeting on Monday, calls for Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to remove Angping from his post.

Angping is under fire from the POC for comments he made that the committee says discriminates against Filipino athletes who train overseas.

In an interview with a Filipino television network, Angping said only 14 POC members signed the resolution to remove him from office, which fall short of a majority in the committee. The organization consists of 39 voting members and a representative from the IOC.

“They don’t have the majority, so they have no right to call for (my ouster),” said Angping in the interview.

Angping further states that the POC have misrepresented his remarks, saying that he simply wants national sports associations in the Philippines to focus on athletes who are based in the country.

2006 Olympic Speed Skating Venue Hosts European Athletics Meet

The site of the speed skating competition at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy will be turned into a track and field venue as the Oval Lingotto hosts the 30th European Athletics Indoor Championships this weekend.

The Oval is now a multi-purpose facility after three years of reconfiguration work. The arena will seat 6,600 spectators for the track meet.

“It’s been a great challenge and the transformation (of the Oval) has been quite complex, with the design stage beginning back in 2006,” meet local organizing committee director general Anna Ricardi said.

More than 600 athletes from 45 countries are competing in the meet, which began on Friday and concludes on Sunday.

“I am very satisfied that the preparations have gone so well and we can use this great facility left by the Olympic Games for the benefit of athletics in thisgreat city,” LOC president Franco Arese said.

Radcliffe Withdraws from London Marathon

British world-record marathoner Paula Radcliffe has withdrawn next month’s Flora London Marathon after breaking her toe during a training session on Tuesday.

It is the third year in a row that the 35-year old Radcliffe, who was the women’s champion in 2002, 03’ and 05’, has been forced to withdraw from the race due to injury, having dropped out due to a groin injury in 2006 and a stress fracture in her back in 07’.

“I am desperately disappointed that I have to pull out of this year’s race, especially as I was looking forward to running in front of the amazing crowds of spectators in London that always offer such great support.”

Briefs…Dara Torres won the 50-meter freestyle at the Austin Grand Prix on Thursday, her first race since winning three silver medals at the Beijing Olympics. (Getty Images)

…U.S. swimmer Dara Torres made a successful return to competition in her first race since winning three silver medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing as the 41-year old won the 50-meter freestyle at the Austin Grand Prix in Austin, Texas on Thursday. Torres, who turns 42 next month, had surgeries to repair her left thumb, right shoulder and left knee since the Beijing Games. Torres says she is aiming for a spot in the FINA World Championships in Rome in July.

…The Libyan Olympic Committee has named a new 11,000-seat sports stadium in Tripoli after Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, stating that it was “an expression of appreciation to Chavez’ revolutionary program.” Libyan leader Moammer Gadhafi has strong ties with Chavez, who has visited Libya a number of times.

…Nigerian minister of sports and national sports commission chairman Sani Ndanusa has approved the disbanding of all sports federations, with the exception of tennis, in the west African country. Originally, the federations were to have been dissolved 28 days after the Summer Olympics in Beijing last year, but the action was postponed until the end of Nigeria’s National Sports Festival, which concluded last week.

Written by Greg Oshust.