Rio Denies Reports of 2nd Maracana Renovation; Gold Medalists Among Hoops HOF Inductees

Rio Denies Reports of 2nd Maracana Renovation

Rio de Janeiro denies the Maracana will need a second renovation ahead of the 2016 Olympics.

The stadium is scheduled to reopen June 2 after a $500 million modernization for the 2013 Confederations Cup and 2014 World Cup.

According to some reports, however, the work will meet FIFA standards but not those of the IOC.

"The government of the state of Rio de Janeiro declares that the Maracana stadium will not be closed for new work after the conclusion of that which is currently being performed," authorities said Monday in a statement.

"The state government maintains constant contact with Rio 2016 and we are working together to ensure the preparations are adequate for the Olympic Games.

"It must be made clear that the requirements and standards are being observed at every stage of work, although there are requests that are negotiated between the parties in a harmonious fashion."

Built for the 1950 World Cup and renovated for the 2007 Panamerican Games, the Maracana will host the opening and closing ceremonies of Rio 2016 as well as some football matches, including the final.

Gold Medalists Among Hoops HOF Inductees

Olympians a plenty are among the latest inductees to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Point guard Gary Payton won gold medals with Team USA in 1996 and 2000 before winning an NBA Championship with the Miami Heat in 2006.

In addition to her standout WNBA career, Dawn Staley won gold in 1996, 2000 and 2004 when she was elected to carry the U.S. flag at the opening ceremony in Athens.

Sylvia Hatchell served as an assistant coach at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, where the U.S. women also won gold.

Though he never medaled, Brazilian great Oscar Schmidt played in five Olympics from 1980 to 1996 and holds the scoring record with 1,094 total points, 28.8 per game.

And then there’s former NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik, who never played in the Games but helped lobby FIBA to change its eligibility rules so that professional players could beginning in 1992.

Other inductees include Rick Pitino, Jerry Tarkanian, Guy Lewis, Bernard King, Roger Brown, E.B. Henderson and Richard Guerin.

"The Class of 2013 is one of the most distinguished groups that the Hall of Fame has ever inducted at one time," Jerry Colangelo, Chairman of USA Basketball and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Board, said Monday in a statement.

"These individuals span decades of the game and have impacted the sport on every level."

The inductees will be enshrined Sept. 8 during a ceremony in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Canada PM Talks NHL, Sochi

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is the latest to weigh in on whether NHL players will participate at the 2014 Olympics.

According to an Associated Press report, Harper is urging NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to let the league’s stars suit up for Sochi, saying he speaks for all Canadians on the matter.

The next step in negotiations among the NHL, NHL Players’ Association, International Ice Hockey Federation and IOC is for the NHL to make a recommendation to its owners.

Stakeholders in Sochi 2014 are trying to ensure NHL participation for the fifth straight Winter Games dating back to Nagano 1998.

Written by Matthew Grayson.

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