IIHF, NHL Talks Begin
Negotiations for Sochi 2014 are underway among the NHL, International Ice Hockey Federation and IOC.
Talks are scheduled for Thursday and Friday in New York following the omission of any guarantee for Olympics participation in the NHL’s new collective bargaining agreement between players and owners.
Around the Rings is told Richard Carrion of Puerto Rico is the IOC representative in the meetings due to his finance and TV rights expertise.
Others in the room are NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, NHL Players Association executive director Donald Fehr and International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel.
"We know the players want to be there," Fasel told ATR in an interview last month.
"Many others, not just [top Russian and confirmed torchbearer] Alex Ovechkin, have expressed their determination to go to Sochi."
Efforts made by ATR to get additional comment from the Swiss IOC member during this week's Executive Board meetings were unsuccessful.
New Rowing Event for Rio?
Rowing will consider adding women's lightweight single sculls to the Olympics regatta at Rio 2016.
Over the weekend in Copenhagen, Denmark, delegates to the quadrennial FISA Extraordinary Congress will decide on that and other proposals such as the reintroduction of the women’s four event at the World Rowing Championships.
"FISA is a leading federation in terms of women in positions of leadership. However, work is needed in terms of the participation of women in competitions from club level up to senior elite level," said a Wednesday statement from FISA.
"The FISA Council has identified strategies to encourage national federations to create programs and to hold federations accountable in their work towards this important principle," added FISA, citing the pair of proposals as examples.
The regatta at London 2012 featured six events for women and eight for men.
Under the Olympic Charter, any new events require the approval of the IOC three years in advance of the Games, so 2013 for Rio 2016.
Rogge Looks Forward to YOG Rugby
President Jacques Rogge says the IOC is "positive" rugby will prove popular at Nanjing 2014.
"We are delighted to welcome Rugby back into the Olympic fold," he said Thursday in a statement distributed by the International Rugby Board.
"The Rugby Sevens format, as we will see at the Youth Olympic Games, attracts a huge number of spectators and I’m positive it will prove very popular with Youth Olympic and Olympic fans alike."
IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset added: "We are committed to ensuring that our Youth Olympic Games debut is a success on and off the field and are delivering a program of initiatives to grow the sport ahead of Nanjing and our Olympic Games debut in Rio, including an unprecedented development program and a round of the IRB Women's Sevens World Series, which will be hosted in Guangzhou on March 30-31, 2013."
Chinese Watch More Table Tennis than Ever
Almost a billion Chinese tuned into CCTV-5 to watch table tennis in 2012, according to a new report by CSM Media Research.
The sport tallied 967 million cumulative viewers in the Olympic year, making table tennis the most-watched sport in China in relation to number of hours televised.
"Despite the fact that China is in a period of domination on the international scene, the Chinese TV viewers are increasing dramatically," International Table Tennis Federation President Adham Sharara said Thursday in a statement.
"This of course is very good news for our sport in China and also for our sponsors that target the Chinese market."
ITU Touts Record TV Ratings
President Marisol Casado says the International Triathlon Union’s record TV ratings for 2012 suggest the sport is growing worldwide.
"Triathlon is a dynamic sport, with constant lead changes and surprise finishes," the IOC member from Spain said Thursday in a statement.
"Its unpredictable nature provides exciting entertainment for viewers watching from home."
According to an independent broadcast analysis by IFM Sports, coverage of the ITU World Triathlon Series achieved its widest distribution to date in 2012, up 18 percent from the previous year and 168 percent from its launch after Beijing 2008.
The fifth season kicks off April 6 in Auckland, New Zealand with live TV coverage in more than 160 countries throughout the eight-race series, which climaxes with the Grand Final at Hyde Park.
Written by Matthew Grayson
20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.
Últimas Noticias
Utah’s Olympic venues an integral part of the equation as Salt Lake City seeks a Winter Games encore
IOC president tells Olympic Movement “we will again have safe and secure Olympic Games” in Beijing
Boxing’s place in the Olympics remains in peril as IOC still unhappy with the state of AIBA’s reform efforts
IOC president details Olympic community efforts to get Afghans out of danger after Taliban return to power
North Korea suspended by IOC for failing to participate in Tokyo though its athletes could still take part in Beijing 2022
