World Briefs-- U.S. Track and Field Trials, Bulgarian Dopers, and Williams Sisters in Beijing

U.S. Track and Field Trials in Oregon

The U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials open in Eugene, Oregon this weekend. Across the globe the U.S. trials may be the most anticipated national trials for the Games. A maximum of 114 spots for Beijing are available.

U.S. women’s coach Jeanette Bolden said this year’s team will be the best ever.

"You have athletes that are veterans that will make the team that may have made the team before but may not have medaled. They're veterans now. They know what to expect. They know what to focus on," she said.

Sprinters Tyson Gay, Allyson Felix and Jeremy Wariner are some of the big names in Oregon. Other notables are 5000m Kenyan-born runner Bernard Lagat, and 400m hurdler Lashinda Demus, who ran this year’s fastest time.

With doping admissions this year from Marion Jones and Anthony Pettigrew, drug suspicion looms over the trials, but this new crop of runners have said it won’t affect them.

"Some people probably are going to say, 'Tyson Gay is on drugs,' and some will say, 'I know he is clean.' I try not to focus on drug accusations and who is doing what. I just love to compete," Gay told the Chicago Tribune.

NBC will air live coverage on June 28 to 29 and July 5 to 6.

Justin Gatlin Ends Appeal

Disgraced 100m Olympic champion Justin Gatlin will not compete in Eugene.

Gatlin sought an injunction from the U.S. Court of Appeals that would have allowed him to run at the trials in Eugene. But the court said Gatlin failed to show "applicable standard for such an injunction." While Gatlin does have the option of taking his case to the Supreme Court, Gatlin said he would not pursue the appeal.

Gatlin is under a four years ban following a second failed drug test. Gatlin claims that his first failed drug test should not be counted, as it resulted from a prescribed medication. A U.S. judge last week agreed with Gatlin and allowed him to compete. Later, the same judge said there was no legal justification to allow Gatlin to race and dropped his order.

The failure to win the appeal could mean the end of Gatlin’s Olympic career. He will be 30 when the next Olympics after Beijing open in 2012 in London.

Bulgarians Weightlifters Test Positive

Bulgaria won’t have a weightlifting team in Beijing after eight men and three women tested positive for anabolic steroid methandienon.

The Bulgarian Weightlifting Federation withdrew the entire team after the positive test, which occurred at June 8 to 9 training camp to prepare for the Summer Games.

Greece had 11 weightlifters test positive in March, all of whom received a two-year suspension from the International Weightlifting Federation. However, because of the swift and severe actions by the Hellenic Olympic Committee, Greece will still be represented in Beijing.

Turin Conference

A major conference in Turin next weekend focuses on using sports facilities for major events to enhance urban environments. Presenters at the forum include Torino Olympic Park general manager Paolo Bellino and Vancouver 2010 sustainability officer Ann Duffy. Topics on the three day agenda include sustainability, post-event venue management and incorporating existing heritage into new venue design. This conference is TOP's second major international forum.

Briefs…

The South African Athletics Federation extended the Olympic qualification deadline for double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius. He will have until July 17, giving him four extra races to meet the standard of 45.55. "I am ecstatic. When I found out, I was crying. It is a battle that has been going on for far too long. It's a great day for sport. I think this day is going to go down in history for the equality of disabled people,” he said.

Gold medalists Lyndsey Davenport and Serena and Venus Williams headline the U.S. tennis team headed to Beijing. On the men’s side, James Blake, Robby Ginepri, and Mike and Bob Bryan are the notable players.

Speed skating gold medalist Joey Cheek, co-founder of Team Darfur, testified before the U.S. Senate on the human rights crisis in Sudan. He proposed an Olympic Truce, which would use the Olympics to promote peace through dialogue.

Two-time Olympic medalist Lee Evans is leaving his post as track and field coach for the University of South Alabama to work for the United Nations in Africa. "I love West Africa. We African-Americans are West Africans, that's our ancestry. It's a coach’s paradise because there are so many great athletes, but I probably won't be doing much coaching," said Evans

Russian officials don’t want Maria Sharapova to carry the Russian flag at the Opening Ceremonies in Beijing because she needs her rest. "She wanted to be a flag-bearer but I advised against it. I don't want her to spend three or four hours in hot weather waiting to march in the opening ceremony. We want her to be fresh, not tired, during her matches," Russian tennis chief Shamil Tarpishchev.

Viktor Kuzkin, 67, died while scuba diving on June 24. The Russian won three gold medals with the USSR in ice hockey.

Media Watch…

The NBA marketing machine contradicts Olympic values, according to the USA Today.

Written by Eric Connelly. Click here to see the latest Around the Rings Olympic Bid Power Index -- the only authoritative ranking of the 2016 bid cities.