Hockey Congress; Rowing World Champs; Pentathlon Changes for London; Gymnast Suspended

Hockey’s 2014 World Cup Up for Grabs

International Hockey Federation CEO Kelly Fairweather tells Around the Rings legacy will weigh one way or the other in the sport’s choice of a host for its 2014 World Cup.

FIH will decide at next week’s biennial congress in the Swiss town of Montreux whether to award the tournament to England or the Netherlands, both of which are joint-bids for the men’s and women’s editions.

England hosted the men’s competition in 1986 but has never hosted the women’s. London provides for both sexes to occupy the same venue this time, a convenience the Cups enjoyed only once before – when the Netherlands last hosted in 1998.

"They both have a proven track record in events management," Fairweather told ATR.

Where the bids differ is in their relationships to Olympic Games.

The 2014 World Cup would be a London 2012 legacy facility’s first major event.

Authorities in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, meanwhile, are aiming to bring the Summer Games back to the Netherlands 100 years after they were last staged there.

"While the one is looking at legacy," Fairweather said, "the other is probably looking at trying to pave the way for a possible [2028 Olympic] bid."

England v. Netherlands isn’t the only race up for grabs in Montreux. FIH will hold elections for a new executive board and hand out its players of the year awards too.

The Nov. 6-14 gathering will also feature a look back at the Youth Olympic Games as well as a peek ahead to the London Olympics.

"We’re certainly going to be looking at the format of the game post-Singapore," Fairweather said. "The IOC was quite keen on federations looking at formats that are more appealing to the youth, and that’s on our agenda for next week."

Also front-of-mind for the FIH CEO are preparations for 2012. He met with competition managers in London late last month and will again visit the capital early next year. Construction of the temporary venue is slated to begin in spring 2011.

"We’re tremendously excited about hockey in London 2012," he said. "We have a venue in the Olympic Park, which is always good."

Fairweather also noted with pride that hockey has the third most tickets available for the Games behind athletics and football.

"For us", he said, "that’s quite something."

Final Races Underway at Rowing Champs

France and Great Britain sit atop the medal count after a day of finals at the World Rowing Championships.

Athletes battled choppy waters and a bit of a head wind Friday on New Zealand’s Lake Karapiro, where action is back on schedule after fiercer conditions forced the International Rowing Federation (FISA) to cancel Sunday’s prelims.

Rowers from 49 countries pulled double-duty throughout the week to catch up in time for the finals.

France took both the lightweight men’s pair and men’s four, while Great Britain won lightweight men’s double skulls and women’s quadruple skulls.

The Netherlands, Canada and Croatia also grabbed gold Friday.

Finals in the remainder of the traditional 14 Olympic events are slated for the weekend. A few non-Olympic events round out the program.

FISA’sannual congress will follow next week, also in Karapiro.

Pentathlon Deciding on Laser Pistol

Whether laser pistol will enter the London Olympics is the key topic for this weekend’s congress of the modern pentathlon federation, UIPM.

Originally approved for use at the 2009 Congress in Copenhagen and introduced at the Youth Olympic Games this summer, laser pistol needs the congress’ approval to be used during Olympic qualification, which starts next year.

Laser pistol replaces the traditional pellet gun used in competition. Pentathlon officials claim the change cuts costs, makes the sport more environmentally friendly and helps promote pentathlon.

"Over the past few years we have made some historical decisions to modernize our sport," said Klaus Schormann, president of the UIPM.

"Now it is time for us to take the next step and complete the revolution and approve the environmental friendly laser shooting which is essential for our us to develop our sport throughoutschools, media and socially. I am confident that the nations will vote positively for thislatest step to modernize our great sport which is being supported by the IOC President, IOC Sports Department and LOCOG."

With laser shooting, nothing is fired from the gun, making the sport safer. The guns are calibrated to recoil and make a sound, however, just like a traditional pistol.

Competitors also will no longer have to reload guns during the shooting competition, which Pentahtlon officials claim ensures the emphasis remains on the shooting speed of a pentathlete, not his or her reloading speed.

UIPM secretary general Joel Bouzou told the 2009 Congress, pentathlon "is not a loading time competition, it is a shooting competition."

The congress takes place Saturday and Sunday in Riga, Latvia.

Other topics of discussion include the qualification system for London 2012 and anti-doping measures in the sport.

Gymnast Suspended Over Questionable Age

North Korean gymnast Su Jong Hong was suspended by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) for two years on Friday after it was determined she falsified her age.

Hong, 24, submitted applications to several events, including the Olympics and world championships, using three different birth dates; March 9 of 1985, 1986 and 1989, to meet age requirements for the events.

She told the FIG disciplinary committee that as far as she knew, her passport, the document submitted to verify her age, had her correct birthday listed. Her agent, however, filled out all her applications as English was "too above her comprehension".

She is ineligible to participate in any way at any gymnastics competition at any level.

"The FIG’s decision is a clear signal to those who would wilfully disregard the current rules surrounding gymnast age," the federation said in a statement. "The health of its athletes and respect for the law are among the International Gymnastics Federation’s highest priorities."

Additionally, the North Korean gymnastics federation was ordered to pay a $20,000 fine.

The national federation may appeal the decision within 21 days of the ruling.

Written by Matthew Grayson and Ed Hula III.