Olympic Newsdesk: Economy Drives Rowing World Champs Decision

The International Rowing Federation picked hosts for the 2013 and 2014 world championships. (Getty Images)Rowing Picks Two World Championship Hosts

With the global economic downturn cited as a factor, the International Rowing Federation has decided to name the host cities for its 2013 and 2014 world championships at the same time.

FISA is awarding its 2013 world championships to Chungju, South Korea and the 2014 edition of the event to Amsterdam.

Chungju was selected ahead of Amsterdam and Brandenburg, Germany for the rights to the 2013 worlds, while Amsterdam got the nod over Brandenburg for 2014.

“The 2009 bid process and the quality of the documentation received have raised the bar of World Rowing Championship bids. In particular, it has highlighted the increasing importance that cities and governments attach to the hosting of world rowing events and utilize the sport of rowing to achieve multiple objectives, such as the sport-tourism environmental campaigns and even Olympic bids,” said FISA executive director Matt Smith in a statement.

Both selections will be up for confirmation at the FISA congress in Poznan, Poland Aug. 31.

Caribbean Games Cancellation Causes Multi-Million Dollar Loss

The chairman of the organizing committee for the inaugural Caribbean Games says the cancellation of the event caused an "irrecoverable" loss of $2.7 million for the Trinidadian government.

The games, scheduled to start Saturday in Port au Prince, Trinidad and Tobago, were cancelled over concerns about the H1N1 virus.

OCOG chair Denise Demming made the announcement at a press conference on Saturday where she said there were many sunk costs that caused the loss, as did investments in security infrastructure and other fields relating to staging a major sporting event. Demming said the organizing committee would help recoup some of those losses.

Demming said many items were specifically branded for the event. "They were inscribed 'Caribbean Games '09'. We would have to throw them away," Demming said.

Leaders with the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees, the organization responsible for overseeing the event said they were “devastated” by the cancellation but praised the organizing committee’s work.

"As a board we were happy with what we had been seeing, everything was in place, and we were ready to celebrate the opening of the inaugural regional games," Steve Stoute, CANOC secretary general was quoted by local press. "From our perspective, we had no inkling (the Games would be cancelled)."

He added there was no room on the calendar to stage the games later in the year.

"Even if we could find a window in 2010...some countries would just be unable to cope" he said.

Paralympics Day in Berlin

A long jump contest at Brandenburg Gate with the world’s top Paralympians was part of events held in Berlin July 11 marking the fourth annual International Paralympic Day.

Other sports on display included: wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, sitting volleyball, 5-a-side football, biathlon, table tennis, and wheelchair dance sport.

Representatives from Sochi 2014 attended the celebration as did officials from the four cities bidding for the 2016 Olympics.

“It was a thrilling sight to be so close to such elite sport, and celebrating the spectacular events of the day with everyone here," said International Paralympic Committee presidentPhillip Craven in a press release.

The event in Berlin was held under the patronage of Horst Koehler, President of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Other sponsors included Allianz SE, Deutsche Telekom and IPC World Wide Partners Samsung and Otto Bock Health Care.

Iraq Wins First Home Football Match in Six Years

Iraq defeated the Palestinian football team in its first international home match since the war in Iraq began in 2003.

The score was 3-0 in the match played at Francois Hariri stadium in the northern city Dwain Chambers could not secure a spot on the British team to the Athletics world championships in August, likely ending any chance to compete at the event. (Getty Images)of Erbil.

Dust storms threatened the second scheduled match for the two teams, originally to be played on Monday. The Palestinian team was to fly to Baghdad on Monday, where the second match will be played, but poor visibility delayed the flight.

Chambers Unlikely to Run in World Champs

British sprinter Dwain Chambers is unlikely to run in this year’s athletics world championships, the latest setback in his attempt to return to the top echelon of athletics after serving a punishment for doping offenses.

Chambers, 31, pulled out of the 200m at the British national championships on Sunday after failing to win the 100m on Saturday. Chambers said he was “exhausted” and unable to compete.

Only the winner of the British championships is able to qualify for the world championships to be held in Berlin in August.

…Briefs

…Ghana announced its intention to bid for the All Africa Games at some point in the future. The Ghana News Agency said that the country’s vice president John Mahama made the pledge at the beginning of the African hockey tournament being held in Ghana. "After successful hosting the Ghana 2008 Africa Cup of Nations and now the Hockey Africa Cup for Nations...the focus should be the All Africa Games," he said. He did not offer a year to host the games.

…U.S. Paralympic swim coach Jimi Flowers died in a mountain climbing accident on Friday. He was 47. Flowers served as Olympic Training Center’s coach for Paralympic swimmers, and also served as USA Swimming’s team director. Flowers is survived by a wife and two children. “It’s a huge loss,” U.S. Paralympics chief Charlie Huebner said. “When you needed to be uplifted, you went to Jimi’s office. He promoted excellence in swimming and life. He put you in a great mood.”

Written by Ed Hula III and Greg Oshust.