Olympic Briefs -- Porter Unfazed by Women's Baseball; D'Arcy Expected to Quit

ISF President Don Porter says inclusion of women’s baseball in baseball's Olympic bid won’t affect softball’s campaign for reinstatement into the Games. (Getty Images)International Softball Federation President Don Porter tells Around the Rings that baseball’s decision to include women’s baseball in its bid for reinstatement in the Olympics will not have any effect on softball’s campaign to be readmitted to the Games.

Porter says the ISF is also interested in adding men’s softball to its campaign to return to the Olympics in 2016.

With women’s softball’s having been a staple of the Olympic program from 1996 to 2008 and it’s continued growth worldwide, Porter says the sport’s bid is on solid ground.

“I don’t think it will affect what we’re doing at all,” Porter said. “I think we’re pretty well established. I think the IOC knows what women’s softball is from our previous participation in four Olympic Games and women’s softball is really well established worldwide, so I don’t think that’s a problem. It’s fine for any of the organizations to promote and develop women’s participation, so we have no problem from that side of it.”

Porter said the softball bid is interested in bringing in the men’s version of the sport if the IOC expresses a desire to do so.

“If the IOC is interested to have us include the men’s discipline, we’re certainly ready to do so,” Porter said. “Initially we did offer to have a men’s discipline, but at the time that came about when we entered the Olympics in 1996, they were only wanting to increase women’s participation and so consequently we weren’t able to bring the men in at the same time we brought the women in. But we always wanted to have the men’s competition and if the IOC is interested and would want to have the men’s discipline, we’re certainly ready to bring them in.”

Controversial Australian Swimmer Expected To Quit

Controversial butterflier Nick D'Arcy is expected to quit swimming after being kicked off the national team.

D'Arcy was handed a suspended sentence of 14 months and 12 days by a Sydney court for assaulting former swimmer Simon Cowley.

The Australian Nick D’Arcy is expected to quit swimming after being suspended for 14 months for assault. (Getty Images) Olympic Committee expelled him from the 2008 Beijing team last year and in a third and final blow Swimming Australia has derailed D'Arcy's bid for redemption in Italy.

D’Arcy, 21, has been kicked off the Dolphins world championship team bound for Rome in July after the SA board unanimously decided to terminate his contract for breaching a bylaw relating to criminality.

The decision has shocked members of the swim team and drawn criticism from swimming figures such as Olympian Grant Hackett, who says the sport is likely to lose the best butterflier he has “seen in years."

SA has also come under fire for its handling of the matter, having selected D’Arcy at the national titles, parading him on pool deck as a team member despite its awareness of the pending conviction.

D'Arcy's coach Brian Stehr says the decision exceeds what most decent people consider reasonable punishment and expects his athlete to quit the sport.

Rogge Pledges Olympic House in Papua New Guinea

IOC President Jacques Rogge pledged to help in the construction of an Olympic House in Papua New Guinea.

According to local media, Rogge committed $250,000 to build the house.

“For the past 25 years, the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee has been very active in developing innovative plans and programs for the benefit of the athletes and young people of its country,” Rogge was quoted as saying on Saturday.

The IOC could only help build the house if the NOC secured land for the site.

“Like the IOC, the PNG NOC is committed to demonstrating that sport is more than performance and achievement.

“Sport is a real educational tool for young people, universally understood and recognized.

“The PNG NOC perfectly understands and puts into action through its Sport for Development Initiative, especially by addressing the issue of HIV/AIDS,” Rogge said.

Rogge travelled to Papua New Guinea after leaving the ONOC meeting in New Zealand last week.

Powell Rejects Super Sprint Track Meet

JamaicanAsafa Powell says the idea of a U.S. and Jamaica super track meet is pointless. (Getty Images) sprinter Asafa Powell said he doesn’t support the idea of a track meet between Jamaica and the U.S. to determine the world’s best sprinters. USA Track and Field CEO Doug Logan had issued a challenge to his Jamaican counterpart for the idea last month.

"I don't really see the importance of it," Powell told Jamaican media. Powell held the world record in the 100-meters for nearly three years.

"There are many Grand Prix and Golden League meets out there that we are going to be competing in against each other, so it doesn't make any sense to me."

"The World Championships is coming up [in August] and they are going to be out there, the same athletes, so I don't really see the relevance of it."

USATF and the Jamaican athletics association agreed in principle to the idea of the event, and would stage it around May of 2010.

The challenge would have the 100, 200, and 400 meters, as well as 4x100m, 4x400m, and long jump for men and women, and the men’s 110-meter hurdles and women’s 100-meter hurdles.

Media Watch

A lack of diversity defines the USOC, according to a report in USA Today.

Korea’s Joong Ang Daily has a profile on Busan’s bid for the 2020 Olympics.

Toronto’s The Globe and Mail has an article about the creative team for Vancouver’s opening and closing ceremonies.

Fred Sturrup has an article about the impact of international sailing on Caribbean sport for The Nassau Guardian.

Written by Ed Hula III and Greg Oshust.