Olympic Newsdesk - FINA Confirms Swimsuit Ban Date; USOC Approves Revised Deal with Colorado Springs

FINA Sets Jan. 1 as Firm Date for Swimsuit Ban

FINA has set Jan. 1, 2010 as a firm date for its ban of high-tech swimsuits amidst negative reaction to the swimming governing body’s statement earlier in the week that it might delay the ban three or four months.

The swimsuit ban was originally set for Jan. 1, 2010, but FINA considered delaying the ban until March or April to give swimsuit manufacturers more time to produce new suits.

However, the proposed delay prompted criticism from Bob Bowman, the coach for Michael Phelps, who threatened to pull the 14-time Olympic gold medalist from further international competition until the suits were banned.

FINA also plans to establish a rule that requires suits to be approved one year before an Olympics or world championships and make the suits commercially available six months in advance, according to an Associated Press source.

USOC Approves Revised Deal with Colorado Springs

The U.S. Olympic Committee’s board of directors approved a revised deal with the city of Colorado Springs, Colo. that would improve the prospects of keeping the organization’s headquarters in the city.

The USOC board agreed to give the organization’s management team permission to lengthen its commitment to remain in Colorado Springs from 25 to 30 years in return for the city assuming responsibility for $16 million to finance the upgrading of the Olympic Training Center.

The $16 million is part of a $53 million deal that includes the building of a new USOC headquarters as well as new offices for a number of national governing bodies.

“We believe this new arrangement, in the form that it is written, is very positive for the USOC, the national governing bodies housed in Colorado Springs and the city of Colorado Springs as a whole,” USOC acting CEO Stephanie Streeter is quoted as saying. “We look forward to the city council’s deliberations and hope they will approve these agreements.”

British shooting chair has quit amid venue row for 2012

British shooting chairman Phil Boakes has resigned in the wake of the controversial campaign to move the shooting venue for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London from Woolwich to Bisley.

Boakes was at odds with the board members of British Shooting over the proposed move, with Boakes opposing the move and the board in favor of it.

Boakes proposed moving the shooting venue to an alternate site in Dartford. The switch to Dartford was also favored by former British sports minister Kate Hoey, who resigned as president of the Clay Pigeon Shooting Association in protest over Boakes’ forced departure.

The campaign to move the shooting venue to Bisley has received support from a number of members of the House of Lords.

Filliau Departs Lausanne for Qatar

One of the key players behind the first IOC department of NOC Relations is leaving Lausanne for Doha.

Michel Filliau’s last day was Friday, July 31. He had been with the IOC since 1998. Filliau headed the Operations and Relations Service, part of the NOC Relations department at IOC headquarters.

Filliau says he will join the national Olympic committee of Qatar as legal advisor to the secretary-general in October.

In an email to friends, he referred to the “exhilarating mission” that put him at pivotal moments for the Olympic Movement, “from its evolution in 2000 to the reorganisation of our local associations operating in the countries in or out of crisis.”

Written by Greg Oshust.