Shot Put "Justice"; Rugby Revamp; 500 Days to Sochi

"Justice" for Adams

Now that she has her gold medal in shot put from London 2012, Valerie Adams says she’s also received "justice."

The New Zealand Olympian was awarded gold on Wednesday at a ceremony in Auckland after the original gold medalist Nadezhda Ostapchuk of Belarus failed a drug test.

"This is more than I expected," Adams said at the ceremony.

"Tonight's just been absolutely amazing, very overwhelming.

"It was actually fantastic, nothing out of my imagination, this is all perfect."

Rugby Revamps Sevens World Series

A new qualification system for the HSBC Sevens World Series will open up the competition to a record 28 countries ahead of rugby’s Olympic re-inclusion in 2016.

A total of 15 "core" teams – up from the usual 12 – will kick off the 2012/13 season next month in Australia following the qualification of Canada, Portugal and Spain at the Hong Kong Sevens last March.

Next year’s Hong Kong Sevens will again double as a qualification tournament, this time with the 15 current core countries plus the winner of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series contesting one event while another 12 compete for places at the core team qualifying final in London.

The ninth and final round of the World Series, the Marriott London Sevens, will then feature the top 12 teams in the standings vying for one title while the last three teams will meet the five pre-qualified regional teams from Hong Kong with three core teams places available for the 2013/204 season.

"As we enter our first four-year Olympic cycle for Rugby Sevens and build towards Rio 2016, it is important that the opportunity exists for all nations to progress to Series core team status if they are good enough," International Rugby Board chair Bernard Lapasset said in a statement.

"This change to the Series structure underscores our commitment to ensuring a transparent opportunity-for-all pathway to the Games."

Sochi Plans 500 Days to Go

Sochi 2014 plans a Russia-wide celebration to mark 500 days until the next Winter Olympics.

A statement from the organizing committee says the September 25 event will be "a large-scale celebration program for this important day that will be widely supported across the country, from East to West."

The highlight of the day is a "national flashmob" comprised of Sochi 2014 volunteers. Sport and music festivals in 17 cities are also planned for the day.

Multi-Sport Games Director for SportAccord

SportAccord is hiring David Nivelle to oversee its expanding portfolio of multi-sport games.

"As the Director of the Multi-Sports Games Unit, Mr. Nivelle will be working on developing and managing the portfolio of innovative global SportAccord Multi-Sports Games. He will coordinate the development of these events together with the members of SportAccord," the umbrella body for international sports federations said Wednesday in a statement.

"In addition, Mr Nivelle will oversee discussions with key commercial partners of SportAccord Multi-Sports Games and support local organizing committees with regard to the execution of the events."

Nivelle previously worked on the launch of ESPN Winter X Games Europe, managed sponsorship sales for the Tour de France and led business development efforts in Europe for Helios Partners.

Now he takes over development of SportAccord’s annual World Mind Games in Beijing as well as the second World Combat Games bound for St. Petersburg in 2013, the first World Beach Games bound for Brazil in 2013 and the first World Artistic Games scheduled for 2014.

Written by Matthew Grayson and Ed Hula III.

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