Skaters Praise Sochi Venue; AIBA Suspends Indian Boxing Federation

Skaters Like Sochi

The early reviews of the Iceberg Skating Palace in Sochi are positive.

Skaters are using the venue for a training session ahead of the ISU Grand Prix Final, the first test event for the Sochi site.

"So far we are quite happy with everything," said Vancouver ice dancing gold medalist Tessa Virtue, the first to use the ice. "The arena is great, the ice is fantastic."

"The venue definitely has an Olympic feeling to it," added her partner Scott Moir."It reminds me a lot of the arena in Vancouver. So we will certainly keep Olympics in our mind during our time here."

Competition started Thursday and runs through Sunday.

"It is an honor for the Iceberg Skating Palace to be hosting a tournament of the status of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final," said Dmitry Chernyshenko, Sochi 2014 President and CEO. "The world’s best figure skaters have come to Sochi to take part in the final stage of the Grand Prix series. Our ultra-modern ice palace, located right in the heart of the Olympic Park, will be the perfect backdrop for inspirational performances and brilliant victories."

AIBA Suspends Indian Federation

AIBA is provisionally suspending the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation, following the lead of the IOC Executive Board.

EB members voted Tuesday to suspend the Indian Olympic Association "due to its failure to comply with the Olympic Charter" and declared Wednesday's elections of the IOA to be "null and void".

Former IABF chiefAbhay Singh Chautala was the only candidate standing for IOA president.

"This provisional suspension is also due to the fact that AIBA had learned about possible manipulation of the recent IABF's election," AIBA said Thursday in a statement.

"AIBA will now investigate this election and especially a potential political link between IOA President, as former Chairman of the IABF, and the IABF election."

Russian Coach Critical of "Dubious" IOC Decision

Russia’s top track and field coach says he’s "dubious" of the IOC’s decision to strip countrywoman Svetlana Krivelyova of her shot put bronze medal from Athens 2004.

"Frankly speaking, I don’t like this situation: I think it is just a settling of scores with the athlete," Valentin Maslakov was quoted Thursday by RIA Novosti.

"It is wrong to do it eight years later."

Krivelyova was among the four Olympians whose results were revoked Wednesday by the IOC Executive Board after their stored samples from the Games tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

Maslakov called the EB’s ruling "a very dubious case" but confirmed the Russian Athletics Federation would not be appealing on Krivelyova’s behalf.

That makes two out of three shot put medalists from Athens to be convicted of doping. Russian champion Irina Korzhanenko tested positive for steroids after the Games and was dealt a life ban by the IAAF in 2005.

Rugby Targets Olympic Participation Boost

Rugby wants six million players in its ranks by Rio 2016.

A new "Get Into Rugby" scheme was announced on Thursday, with Brazil, China, and Mexico being the three first countries where the program will be introduced.

Currently, the International Rugby Board says 5.5 million people play rugby worldwide.

The program was created to maximize "the enormous appetite in new and emerging Rugby nations, stimulated by Rugby Sevens' inclusion in the Olympic Games program," an IRB statement said.

"We want to ensure that men, women and children in every nation have as much opportunity as possible to get involved in Rugby, and Get Into Rugby will help do exactly that," added IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset.

Curling Meeting Sites Selected

Copenhagen and Reno-Tahoe, Nevada will host the 2013 and 2014 World Curling Federation Annual Congresses.

The WCF made the announcement Thursday.

Copenhagen will host the event between Aug. 26 and Sept. 2 in 2013, and Reno-Tahoe will have the honors between Aug. 25 and Sept. 1 of 2014.

Canada Boosts Federations

The Canadian Olympic Committee says each of its Pan American Games competitors will have adequate funding for the 2015 Pan Ams in Toronto.

On Wednesday, the COC announced it was injecting more than $2.6 million into its national sports federations, specifically to train athletes for the Games.

"As the host nation, Toronto Pan Am Games is a priority for the Canadian Olympic Committee," said COC President Marcel Aubut. "A successful Games also means a strong and successful Canadian Team on the field of play. Therefore the COC is proud to double its investment in support of Canada’s Team. This will result in the largest Team Canada has sent to the Pan Am Games. This funding will ensure, every athlete who can compete, will compete at Toronto 2015."

The funds will be distributed to the NGBs represented at the Games and is in addition to a four-year $100 million sport investment scheme from the COC.

"In the past, there have been financial constraints around who is able to go and it’s wonderful to hear that it won’t be the case this time," said Pan Am silver medalist Jason Burnett. "Not only is it a great chance to be part of a home Games, but it’s also crucial experience for any athlete hoping to reach the next Olympic Games in Rio in 2016."

Famed Brazilian Architect Homage

Oscar Niemeyer, the famed Brazilian architect who designed Rio 2016's venues for archery, shooting and the finish and start of the marathon course, died on Wednesday. He was 104.

His funeral was Thursday.

He is known for having designed much of the United Nations headquarters in New York, and the Sambadromo in Rio, a 2016 venue.

"Rio 2016 would like to honor Oscar Niemeyer, the great Brazilian genius, master of curves and wide spaces," Rio 2016 said in a statement.

"Today, Brazil is mourning. There is no doubt that the beauty of his lines helped us enchant the world and win the right to host the Rio 2016 Games. This beauty will continue inspiring artists and architects around the world as we prepare the first edition of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brazil."

Craig Dismisses IndyCar Rumors

Olympic marketing expert Andrew Craig tells Around the Rings he’s not planning a return to motorsports. A business newspaper has mentioned Craig’s name in connection with the search for a new CEO for the IndyCar Series.

Craig was chairman and CEO of IndyCar from 1994 to 2000.

"It is always nice to be considered but I would not be interested in going back," he says.

His consulting business, The Craig Company, is based near Detroit.

Save the Date!

ATR's 17th annual Golden 25 countdown begins Dec. 17, 2012 – our ranking of the most influential personalities in the Olympic Movement for the year ahead, revealed every day until Jan. 1, 2013.

Click here for previous nominees and winners.

Written by Ed Hula III

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.