Federations Roundup -- Two World Cup Votes a Mistake; Rowing World Champs

Joint Vote on 2018/2022 World Cups a Mistake, Blatter Says

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said the decision to hold a joint vote for the 2018 and 2022 was not "the right thing to do" but added that the process must now go on, despite recent corruption allegations against two Executive Committee members.

Blatter made his comments Friday at a press conference at FIFA’s Zurich headquarters, which followed a two-day meeting of the Executive Committee. The meeting came about a week after FIFA provisionally suspended Nigerian Amos Adamu and Reynold Temarii from Tahiti for allegedly offering votes for the 2018 and 2022 bids in exchange for money.

"If we question the decision to put the two bids together, I assume the responsibility. I don’t think it was the right thing to do, but now we must go on," Blatter told Friday's news conference.

He added that a decision on Adamu and Temarii would follow FIFA’s Ethics Committee meeting on Nov. 17.

"Inside of FIFA we have the necessary instruments to move forward. If something dramatically serious should happen in November, the results are also going to be dramatic and we’re ready for that," he said.

The executive committee was convened to select a voting procedure for the Dec. 2 secret ballot to pick the 2018 and 2022 hosts. FIFA said a bidder must obtain an absolute majority of the votes of present members, all of whom can vote in both ballots.

The 2018 vote will take place first, then the 2022 one, FIFA said. Should Adamu and Temarii not be reinstated, only 22 members will vote on the bids.

"There was never a question of changing anything in the procedure," Blatter said.

"On Dec. 2 the executive committee will decide in a secret ballot vote which national association will host the Cups."

Blatter ruled out the ballots would ever be made public.

FIFA rules preclude vote trading between candidates for the 2018 and 2022 races and alleged agreements between member associations are a violation of the Bid Registration document and the Code of Ethics.

Six European countries are vying for the 2018 tournament: England, Russia and joint bids by Belgium-Holland and Spain-Portugal.

Bidding for 2022 are the USA, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Qatar.

Distant Locale Shrinks Rowing WC Field, Not Competition

International rowing federation. FISA, president Denis Oswald tells Around the Rings only the best of the best will make the trip to New Zealand for the world championships that begin Sunday.

"Most of our participants are coming from Europe, and it’s a long trip and an expensive trip," the IOC member from Switzerland said. "So federations have been rather strict in selection and are sending their best boats."

Lake Karapiro last hosted the rowing championships in 1978. Next week’s WC will be its second.

"It’s a good venue," Oswald told ATR. "They’ve made a lot of improvementssincebecause conditions nowadays have to better than they were at that time."

Oswald said fewer boats from fewer countries doesn’t necessarily equate to a weaker field.

"We’ll have a tough competition," he said. "The best will be there. "

Rowers from 49 countries will run through the traditional 14 Olympic events throughout the next week. A few non-Olympic events will round out the program.

Finals begin Thursday and run through Nov. 7. FISA’s annual congress will follow, also in Karapiro.

Gymnastics Congress

The International Gymnastics Federation, FIG, holds their annual Congress and General Assembly Oct. 30-31 in Vysoké Tatry, Slovakia.

Around 290 delegates are expected to attend.

The biggest issue is allowing members of the athletes committee to participate and votein technical committee meetings and the FIG Executive Committee and Council.

In a statement, the federation said "FIG Authorities maintain that the athletes are the foundation for every activity, and that each andevery decision affects an athlete’s capacity to perform at the highest level. The opinions expressed by the elected gymnasts are important and have a direct impact on the advancement of gymnastics in general."

Seven Cities Bidding for 2014 Sailing Champs

Seven cities are bidding to stage the 2014 sailing world championships.

ISAF, the International Sailing Federation announced Friday that Aarhus, Denmark submitted their bid Friday.

Six other cities had previously been shortlisted for the bid, Buenos Aires; Busan, Korea; Kingston, Canada; Pomerania, Poland; Santander, Spain; and The Hague.

ISAF describes the championships as "a very wanted event" that attracts more than 1,000 boats, 1,500 yachtsmen, 600 international media representatives and more than 6,000 accredited sailors and officials.

On Dec. 1, the short listed cities submit their final bid and in January, the cities present their bids to an evaluation committee. At the end of February 2011 ISAF's executive committee will appoint the host city.

Change Dominates First Day of Canoe Congress

The International Canoe Federation adds nine countries to its membership, two events to its world championships and a VP to its executive committee.

The changes came Friday as more than 80 national federations gathered in Santiago de Compostela for the biennial canoe congress.

Joining the ICF’s ranks are Malawi, Palestine, Kiribati, Kuwait, Tahiti, Mali, Libya, Eritrea and Congo.

Women’s canoe double 500m will now be contested at the sprint WC, and women’s canoe single joins the slalom WC program.

Another 12 member federations voted by proxy for a pair of vice presidential elections.

Incumbent Istvan Vaskuti beat out German Canoe Federation president Thomas Konietzko 52-32 to earn another two years as 1st VP.

The other race was a bit closer, with Brazil's Joao Tomasini narrowly earning a majority over Jaroslav Pollert of the Czech Republic and Irina Siraeva of Russia. Tomasini will replace Asian Canoe Confederation president Narita-San as 3rd VP.

Delegates will hear reports Saturday from technical chairs on day two of the congress.

One Year to Go Until Judo’s Big Day

Oct. 28, 2011 will be World Judo Day.

The occasion will mark both the 150th birthday of the sport’s founder, Jigoro Kano, and the opening of the 2011 world championship in Tyumen, Russia.

The International Judo Federation will organize events all over the world to commemorate the special day.

Written by Ed Hula III and Matthew Grayson.