Russia Expects $20 Billion World Cup Bill; USOC Not Hurt by Wildfires

Russia Expects $20 Billion World Cup Bill

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev says Russia will spend more than $20 billion staging the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

According to an Associated Press report, he told his Cabinet on Thursday about $13 billion would be federal funds but did not indicate from where the rest would come.

President Vladimir Putin originally pegged costs at about $10 billion when Russia first won the World Cup back in 2010.

Cost overruns with the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, meanwhile, are causing estimates to skyrocket upwards of $50 billion, more than four times original figures.

USOC Not Hurt by Wildfires

Massive wildfires have hit Colorado Springs, Colo., headquarters of the U.S. Olympic Committee, which has been spared damage from the fires.

A spokesman for the USOC says the fires are burning about 15-20 miles outside of the city’s downtown, and the headquarters and Olympic Training Center have not been impacted.

However, he did say that 10 staff members were forced out of their homes, but the USOC is unaware if any staff members have lost homes due to the fires. Reports say 379 homes have burned in the flames.

Wildfires struck the region last year, prompting the USOC to provide temporary shelter for staff.

"Unlike last year when the whole town was covered in smoke, this year the winds have been pushing north so smoke has not been an issue here or at the OTC," the spokesman added.

It is believed the first two people who died as a result of the fires died last night.

IRB Announces Record Investment

The International Rugby Board will invest approximately $73 million in 2013 to develop the sport. The new four-year investment cycle will total approximately $288 million, surpassing the previous cycle by 23 percent, the federation said in a statement on Thursday.

A key part of the investment would by Rugby Sevens as the sport prepares to make its Olympic debut in 2016.

"Rugby continues to grow across every continent despite the challenging global economic climate and the IRB is committed to ensuring that the sport, through its two disciplines of Fifteens and Sevens, has the foundations from which to further prosper and reach out to major new markets, while keeping our base strong," said IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset.

New WADA Spokesman

Ben Nichols is the new Senior Manager, Media Relations and Communications for the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Nichols is a veteran of sports communications and reporting.

He replaces Terrence O’Rourke.

…NOC Briefs

…The Prime Minister of Cambodia opened the Cambodian NOC's new headquarters on Thursday. "The new building reflects the progress in the development of sports sector," Hun Sen said, according to the Xinhua News Agency. "I'd like to urge all athletes to increase their training in order to gain victory when the country hosts the Southeast Asian Games in 2023."

…Indians competing at the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games to be held from June 29 to July 6 in Incheon, South Korea, will do so under the Olympic Council of Asia banner. Indian IOC member Randhir Sing told India’s PTI outlet the athletes will do so as the Indian Olympic Association is suspended by the IOC.

…Pakistan’s unrecognized "interim" Pakistan Olympic Association suspended federations for attending a meeting of the legitimate Pakistan Olympic Association. The Hasan Arif-led POA held a meeting June 8 to decide how to deal with the breakaway federation. Media reports say the nearly 20 suspended federations were never even members of the "interim committee."

Written by Ed Hula III.

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