Olympic Briefs - Sports Not Immune to Swine Flu; Table Tennis Worlds Begin

The outbreak of swine flu has caused the cancellation and postponement of sports competitions in Mexico. (Getty Images) The outbreak of swine flu has had a major effect on sports competitions in Mexico in the past week, causing the cancellation of some events and keeping fans out of venues in others.

The CONCACAF U-17 men’s football championship took the biggest hit from the epidemic among sporting events in Mexico, cancelling its semifinals and finals in Tijuana.

The U.S.-Costa Rica and Mexico-Honduras semifinal matches were scheduled to be played on Wednesday and the championship match was to take place on Saturday. The four teams have already qualified for the U-17 World Cup in Nigeria Oct. 24-Nov. 15.

Mexico’s National Olympiad in Tijuana and Mexicali is also a casualty of the swine flu epidemic. The Mexican government suspended competition through May 6.

The FINA Diving World Series competition in Mexico City and Mexican Football Federation games last weekend went on as scheduled, but kept spectators out of the venues to avoid the spread of the flu.

The swine flu could also affect the FIVB women’s volleyball junior world championships in Tijuana and Mexicali July 16-25. The federation is considering either changing the venue or either postponing or cancelling the event if the epidemic is still going on.

“We are carefully considering the situation in Mexico and are analyzing all relevant issues,” FIVB Second Executive Vice President Theofanis Tsiokris said.

Table Tennis Worlds Open in Yokohama

The ITTF World Table Tennis Championships returns to Japan for the first time in eight years as the event gets under way on Tuesday in Yokohama.

It is the first time the tournament, which will conclude on May 5, is being held in Japan since Osaka served as the host in 2001.

The ITTF will hold elections during its general meeting in Yokohama on Thursday, with incumbent President Adham Sharara facing a challenge from Alaor Gaspar Pinto Azevedo of Brazil. The elections also feature 10 executive vice president, 35 board of director and 159 committee member candidates.

A total of 667 players from 113 countries will compete in men’s and women’s singles and doubles and mixed doubles. The tournament is being played at the 15,570-seat Yokohama Arena.

The event opened on Tuesday with the opening ceremony at Yokohama Arena. A speech by ITTF President Adham Sharara and performances by a team of drummers and dancers highlighted the ceremony.

H.I.S. (Highest International Standards), a Tokyo-based travel agency, is serving as the title sponsor for the tournament.

TV Tokyo Corporation is the host broadcaster, while the ITTF will provide live coverage and video on demand of the event on the Internet on itTV.

Fiji NOC Celebrates 60 Years

The Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee will celebrate its 60th year by honoring 60 people who contribute to Fijian sport.

FASANOC President Vidhya Lakhan made the announcement at a press conference on Tuesday saying a maximum five athletes and five administrators from each decade would be honored. Nominations for the first decade end on June 5.

FASANOC’s birthday was March 29.

WTF Opens New Office

The World Taekwondo Federation will have a ceremony to open its new office in Lausanne, Switzerland on Saturday.

A number of officials from the IOC, international sports federations and World Anti-Doping Agency, as well as the WTF, will be in attendance for the ceremony at the new office at the Maison du Sport International in Lausanne.

“The Lausanne office will serve as the center of the WTF’s international relations, Olympic coordination and anti-doping activities, as well as international public relations and marketing,” WTF President Chungwon Choue said.

Choue will speak at the ceremony, discussingNBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 30th Annual Sports Emmy Awards. (Getty Images) new programs being launched by the federation.

…Briefs

…The USOC has contracted a technology consulting company to help build up a social media platform on its Web site. Blue State Digital will help develop the platform which will be targeted towards a younger audience.

….NBC won the most Emmys of any network at the 30th Annual Sports Emmy Awards with nine awards. Four of the awards were for NBC’s coverage of the Beijing Olympics. Its chairman, Dick Ebersol, also received the lifetime achievement award.

…The Zimbabwe Olympic Committee elected its executive board members Sunday. Seven veteran sports administrators were elected to the governing board with Titus Zvomuya, Lovemore Malianga, Farai Kanyangarara, Custom Kachambwa, Sekesai Nhokwara, Kathy Lobb and Anna Mguni winning the spots. Admire Masenda, ZOC president and his two vice presidents and treasurer were all unopposed. The ZOC formed a task force to ensure continued Olympic success after the IOC bolstered its efforts with a $100,000 grant.

…PyeongChang2018 has named figure skating champion Yu-na Kim as its honorary ambassador for its bid for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Kim also was involved with the PyeongChang 2014 Bid Committee.

Media Watch

John Powers of The Boston Globe says Obama will be the factor that gives Chicago the Olympics.

A 12-year-old wrote an op-ed saying softball needs to be in the Olympics.

Written by Greg Oshust and Isia Reaves.