Olympic Newsdesk -- Report: Two Finalists for USOC CEO; 2010 Budget Could Hurt 2016 Games

Report: Two Finalists for USOC CEO

There is no immediate confirmation from the U.S. Olympic Committee that two finalists have been selected for the post of CEO.

Philip Hersh of the Chicago Tribune reports USA Swimming executive director Chuck Wielgus and Scott Blackmun, once an interim CEO for the USOC, are the two finalists.

A search committee has been at work for a few months sifting through a list of names that was said to number upwards of 150 at the start.

Wielgus and Blackmun were also mentioned as members of a six-name short list earlier this month, unconfirmed by the USOC.

The CEO search was launched earlier this year when Jim Scherr left the post under pressure from the Board of Directors. Board member Stephanie Streeter stepped up to take the job on an acting basis, but she withdrew her name from consideration for the permanent position in October.

USOC chair Larry Probst had first hoped to fill the opening by the end of the year. USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky says an announcement early in January is now more likely.

Brazilian Sports Minister Claims 2010 Budget Hurts 2016 Games

Brazilian sports minister Orlando Silva said the 2010 Brazilian federal budget could hurt the 2016 Olympics.

Silva was quoted by Brazilian media saying the cuts to the sports ministry would hamper infrastructure and athlete development for the 2016 Olympics.

"I was frustrated with the vote on 2010 budget because…Congress removed about $ 200 million that would be invested in sports infrastructure and the preparation of athletes for Olympic Games in 2012 and 2016," said Silva.

Media reports now say the ministry’s budget is a mere $8 million.

Silva also said an Olympic delivery authority, similar to the one London has in place for the 2012 Olympics, will be formed in March of 2010. Representatives of the federal and city and state governments of Rio will comprise the authority.

PyeongChang Going Green for Games

PyeongChang is going green in its bid to host the 2018 Olympics.

City officials and the 2018 bid launched a campaign Wednesday called “Making PyeongChang Green for the Games”.

As part of the green overhaul, the city will adopt energy efficient technologies and environmentally-friendly practices to make the city green.

The city itself will also turn literally green. Ivy is being planted to grow up buildings to help with the green transformation.

Perhaps the most visible sign of the chance is city hall, which is draped with a banner reading “It is necessary for us to join in ‘Making PyeongChang Green for the Games’ so that the 2018 Winter Games will truly become a cultural festival surrounded by the nature and it will be recognized both at home and abroad as the best location to host the Games in 2018.”

ISU President Pushes for Top Skater

International Skating Union president Ottavio Cinquanta is asking the world’s top figure skater to compete in the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships next month, just 12 days prior to the Winter Olympics.

Cinquanta sent an e-mail to the Korea Skating Union to inquire if the 2009 World Champion Kim Yu-Na would compete at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Jeonju, South Korea, according to a report in the Korea Times.

The competition takes place from Jan. 25 to 31, but with the Vancouver Games starting Feb. 12 it is unlikely she would compete in the championships. Kim, a native of South Korean, said a year ago that she would skip the competition.

A source close to Kim said it is unlikely that she will compete in the tournament.

"Kim doesn't know anything about this, whether it really came to the KSC, whether it even existed or what the contents were," the source was quoted by the Korea Times.

An official for the championship told the newspaper that organizers do not expect top skaters to sign up for the event. The registration deadline is Jan. 5.

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Written by Ed Hula III.