Olympic Newsdesk -- Bach for IOC EB; Boycott Anniversary; South African Olympic Leader Dies

IOC vice president Thomas Bach confirms he will seek a further four-year term on the IOC Executive Board at the Session in Vancouver next month.

Bach, who heads the German National Olympic Committee (DOSB), told German press agency DPA that he “has been asked by many people to run for another term in Vancouver”.

His re-election to the IOC’s top table could provide a major boost for the Munich 2018 Winter Olympic bid as it steps up campaigning with just 18 months until the IOC votes on the host city. The French Alpine town of Annecy and PyeongChang, Korea, are the other 2018 bidders.

A fresh term on the EB would also enhance the 56-year-old’s chances of succeeding IOC president Jacques Rogge.

The chair of the IOC Juridical Commission is one of those tipped to lead the IOC when the Belgian steps down in 2013.

Bach, an Olympic fencing champion from 1976, joined the IOC in 1991 and served eight years on the executive board from 1996-2004. A vice president on the IOC’s ruling body from 2000-2004, he was re-elected to the position in 2006.

Dennis Brutus, 85

Dennis Brutus, the man who led the efforts to ban South Africa from the Olympic Movement, died of prostate cancer on Dec. 26. He was 85.

Brutus was born in what is now Zimbabwe and his family moved to South Africa when he was four. While never an Olympian, Brutus helped found the South African Non-Racial Olympic Committee, which ran counter to the racist and official, South African Olympic committee.

He persuaded other National Olympic Committees to bar South Africa from the 1964 and 1968 Olympics because of apartheid in South Africa. In 1970, South Africa was officially kicked out of the Olympic Movement and would not return to the Games for 22 years.

As punishment, the South African government forbade him from meeting with more than two non-family members at a time. He broke this rule and was sentenced to 16 months in prison. He was shot in the back while trying to escape. He eventually moved to England and then the United States where he was a professor.

Brutus is survived by his wife May, two sisters, eight children, nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Olympic Hopeful in Critical Condition

Snowboarder Kevin Pearce remains in critical condition at a hospital after suffering head injury while training in Park City, Utah last week for the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Pearce, who was wearing a helmet, landed on his head while trying to complete a twisting double back flip on Thursday.

The 22-year old was knocked unconscious and airlifted to the University of Utah hospital for surgery. Doctors said Pearce suffered traumatic brain injury.

Experts considered the native of Norwich, Vermont, a medal contender at the Vancouver Winter Games next month.

His parents, Simon and Pia, released a statement on Sunday night thanking supporters.

"We have been overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support from Kevin's friends, family, and fans from every corner of the world. We thank each and every one of you for your kind thoughts, messages and prayers. We would like to extend our most heartfelt thanks to Kevin's doctors and nurses for all they have done and all they continue to do. Kevin is the most extraordinary and determined son any two parents could hope for and it is wonderful to see how loved he is."

A Facebook Group "Get Well Pearce" has more than 1,200 members.

30 Year Anniversary of Boycott Announcement

This day 30 years ago, U.S. President Jimmy Carter first announced the U.S. would consider a boycott of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. Carter was reacting to the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union Dec. 23, 1979.

“Although the United States would prefer not to withdraw from the Olympic games scheduled in Moscow this summer, the Soviet Union must realize that its continued aggressive actions will endanger both the participation of athletes and the travel to Moscow by spectators who would normally wish to attend the Olympic games,” said Carter.

It was not until Jan. 23 that a final decision was made.

“I have notified the U.S. Olympic Committee that with Soviet invading forces in Afghanistan, neither the American people nor I will support sending an Olympic team to Moscow,” Carter said during a TV appearance.

Sixty other countries joined the boycott; the Soviets and some of their allies retaliated by boycotting the Los Angeles Olympics four years later.

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Written by Ed Hula III.