Paralympics for Channel 4; Pope Benedict on Olympics; Y.S. Park on Resignation

Pope Benedict on Olympics

Pope Benedict XVI was an Olympics fan, viewing the Games as a tool for peace.

The 85-year-old pontiff, who announced his resignation on Monday, blessed the 2006-2012 Olympics, viewing each as a means to promote brotherhood.

"The Olympics are the greatest sporting event in the world, at which athletes from a great many nations will participate, and as such they have a strong symbolic value," he said before London 2012. "For this reason the Catholic Church watches them with particular warmth and attention.

"May sport always be a valued building block of peace and friendship between peoples and nations," he prayed in his blessing of the Vancouver Olympics.

"I follow with deep friendship this great sporting event" was his pronouncement leading to Beijing 2008. "I wish that it offer the international community a valid example of coexistence among people of different background in the respect of common dignity."

The start of the 2006 Turin Torch Relay also received a blessing from Benedict, who said: "May this flame remind everybody of the values of peace and brotherhood that are at the basis of the Olympics."

Park Explains Resignation

Korean Olympic Committee president Y.S. Park says the accomplishments of the South Korean Olympic Team and his age were the reasons he decided to resign.

Park, 72, sent a letter to colleagues over the weekend addressing his resignation. He confirmed reports of his hospitalization, saying "minor surgery went well" and adding he is "not experiencing any health problems."

"I have decided not to run for a second term at the upcoming elections on different grounds," he wrote.

"I have served the Olympic and sport movement in Korea for many years now, through which I have been honored taking part in great accomplishments; the success of the long-dreamed bid for the Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang 2018, as well as the record-breaking histories made by Team Korea at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, and the 2012 London Olympic Games, are a few to name. I have truly been blessed with the years that were nothing but rewarding.

"My age was another reason I have decided so. Not that I am not well, but after the years I have lived driven in my career, I thought it may now be time that I served my beloved family a bit more," he added.

Two candidates are running to replace Park: Jung Haeng Kim, KOC vice president and President of Yong-in University, and Elisa Lee, chair of the KOC Athletes' Commission,

Park wrote of Kim: "he has been my companion in the Olympic Movement in Korea for over 30 years now, and is also believed as a strong candidate," but made no further mention of Lee.

The election is scheduled for the Feb. 22 KOC General Assembly.

Sochi, Rio Paralympics Bound for Channel 4

Channel 4 will build upon its record-setting coverage of London 2012 by broadcasting both Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016 in the U.K.

"This is the first time the International Paralympic Committee has agreed to a two-Games deal with a TV station," IPC President Sir Philip Craven said Friday.

"To sign up such a high quality broadcaster so soon after the conclusion of the Games underlines the growth of the Paralympic Movement and the significant impact London 2012 had."

As part of the multi-platform agreement, Channel 4 commits to air more than 45 hours from Sochi 2014, a record by a British broadcaster.

Channel 4 will also show coverage of international para-sport events including July's IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France and August's IPC Swimming World Championships in Montreal, Canada as build-up for "round-the-clock" broadcasts from the Rio 2016 Olympics.

Channel 4 CEO David Abraham said: "The London 2012 Paralympic Games was a landmark moment in the history of broadcasting Paralympic sport. Not only did Channel 4's coverage reach record audiences but, more importantly, it had a meaningful and positive impact on UK attitudes to disability and disability sport in general. I'm delighted that we have the opportunity to build on this achievement over the next four years and to work alongside the IPC to deliver both the Winter Games from Sochi in 2014 and the Summer Games from Rio in 2016."

Greek NOC Chief Reelected

Spyros Capralos will serve as president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee through 2016.

He was elected to a second term on Monday at the HOC's Plenary Session.

An HOC statement says he was reelected "triumphantly" adding he earned "the confidence of Sports Federations and will therefore lead once again the Olympic Movement in our country."

Written by Ed Hula III.

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