Ghana Meets IOC; Commonwealth Games Chief Resigns; Women's World Cup

Resolving Ghana NOC Impasse

A path to restoring Ghana’s place in the Olympic Movement is being charted.

The IOC met with Ghanaian sport and Olympic officials on Friday to discuss the Ghana Olympic Committee’s suspension.

In January, the IOC Executive Board suspended the GOC due to a law that infringed on the GOC’s autonomy. All NOCs must be free from government interference.

Two issues were agreed upon during the meeting, which the IOC called "productive",.

First, that "considerable progress has been made" to put the sports legislation inline with the Olympic Charter, and if the legislative changes are approved, the IOC EB would consider lifting the suspension.

Once that happens, "the GOC shall immediately take all necessary steps to convene its elective General Assembly as soon as possible".

"All parties agreed to work together in a constructive manner in a spirit of mutual understanding and respect for each other’s responsibilities and prerogatives in order to benefit sport and the athletes of Ghana" the IOC said in a statement.

Commonwealth Games Chief Resigns

Citing an "error of judgment", Glasgow 2014 CEO John Scott resigned from his post effective immediately.

The Oganizing Committee said in a statement, its Board accepted Scott’s resignation Monday "for an error of judgement he made in accepting, and not declaring, an offer from one of Glasgow 2014’s potential Suppliers, in breach of the Organising Committee’s strict Gifts and Gratuities policy."

Scott joined Glasgow in 2008. David Grevemberg, the Chief Operating Officer, will take charge of the Organizing Committee until a permanent CEO appointment is made.

"I know he deeply regrets this mistake and this was a job that he loved" said OC chair Lord Smith.

"It is a measure of the man that he has put the values and reputation of the OC ahead of his own at this time. John was largely responsible for setting the OC’s high standards of governance and he felt he could not continue in his role as Chief Executive under the circumstances."

Hosts Start Strong at Women’s World Cup

Japan, France and host Germany are the early winners at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The sixth edition of the competition kicked off Sunday in Berlin's Olympic Stadium with the two-time reigning champs from Germany topping Canada 2-1 in front of a capacity crowd of 70,000.

The stadium was host to the 2006 FIFA World Cup men’s final, but this was its first time staging women’s football as well as its last for these finals.

Elsewhere, France edged Nigeria 1-0 on Sunday and Japan beat New Zealand 2-1 in Monday’s early match. Mexico and England are scheduled to take the field later Monday in Wolfsburg.

Group play runs through July 6, after which eight countries advance to the quarter-finals with a winner to be crowned July 17 in Frankfurt.

Athens Revisits Olympic Past

Venues from both Athens Olympics are in use again this week as the Special Olympics Summer Games get underway.

Saturday’s opening ceremony was staged in Panathinaiko Stadium, site of athletics, gymnastics, wrestling and weightlifting during the 1896 Games as well as archery and the end of the marathon in 2004.

The Olympic Stadium leftover from seven years ago will host the bulk of this week’s athletic events save the end of the half-marathon, reserved for the white marble majesty of Panathinaiko Stadium. Venues from the 2004 swimming, basketball, cycling, tennis, softball, gymnastics, rowing, fencing, volleyball and equestrian competitions are also in use.

More than 7,500 Special Olympians from 185 countries will compete across 21 Olympic-type sports during the Games.

IOC members Princess Nora and Anita DeFrantz are among the more than 100 celebrities, dignitaries and sports stars expected to make an appearance in Athens, as are IOC honorary member Walter Troeger and IOC president Jacques Rogge.

Competition opened Sunday and runs through July 3.

GenerationsFor Peace Joins Academic Researchers and Practitioners

With this weekend’s meeting in Amman, Jordan Generations For Peace brought together academics and peace practitioners to solved global conflicts.

Meeghan Zahorksy, who works at Georgetown University’s Conflict Resolution Program, met with Jordanian and Lebanese delegates who are implementing GFP programs in their countries.

GFP said the purpose of the weekend’s work is "to apply cutting-edge theoretical aspects to practical experiences in order to take the work of Generations For Peace to the next level."

"This week’s meetings are an excellent opportunity to analyze and evaluate our programs and help us to understand where our work can have even greater impact," Feisal Al Hussein, Founder and Chairman of Generations For Peace, said in a press release.

"It will be an invaluable learning experience for our delegates, who will be able to see their impressive work to date in a new light."

Zahorksy will use the information gathered from the meetings to write a book that will become a resource for the sport for peace and development community.

Panama Broadcast Rights for London Olympics

The IOC awarded Corporación Medcom Panama with the T.V. and radio broadcasting rights to the 2012 Olympics.

Medcom’s relationship with the IOC dates to 1968, when it first broadcast the Olympics.

IOC President Jacques Rogge welcomed the continuing partnership.

"Panama has a long Olympic tradition, with a Panamanian athlete first appearing at the Amsterdam 1928 Olympic Games. We look forward to continuing our partnership to make the upcoming London 2012 Olympic Games available on free television and radio to sports fans in Panama."

Media Watch

The ice hockey blog of Toronto’s The Globe & Mail speculates that a decision regarding the participation of NHL Player in the 2014 Winter Olympics could be years away.

British ambassador to the Philippines Stephen Lillie uses the Olympics as a metaphor for academic life in a speech given last week to students at the British School Manila.

Written by Ann Cantrell.