IOC Reacts to CAS Loss; Rio Supports Brazilian WC Team; NBC Olympics Changes

IOC Considers Action Against CAS Ruling

The IOC is "considering all possible options" following a Court of Arbitration for Sport decision that overturned the revocation of medals from two athletes who failed drug tests at Beijing Olympics.

IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau said in an email to Around the Rings "The IOC acknowledges the CAS judgment...and is disappointed by the decision."

"The IOC is studying the content of the decision and considering all possible options," she said.

The IOC has seldom lost a CAS appeal involving doping at the Olympics, just two in the past decade, according to the court.

Vadim Devyatovskiy and Ivan Tsikhan won silver and bronze while competing for Belarus at the 2008 Olympics in the hammer throw. They tested positive for exogenous testosterone and appealed the IOC’s decision citing irregularities with the testing procedures. CAS sided with the hammer throwers, but "emphasized that its decision should not be interpreted as an exoneration of the athletes and has not declared that the athletes did not, prior to the competition, administer exogenous testosterone."

Rio 2016 Supports Brazilian Football Team

Carlos Nuzman, president of Rio 2016 sent his support to the Brazilian football team ahead of their World Cup opener against North Korea Tuesday.

Nuzman, who is also president of the Brazilian Olympic Committee, sent the message to leaders of the Brazilian team including the coach, Dunga, and Ricardo Teixeira, president of the Brazilian Football Confederation.

"The commitment, the dedication and the professionalism shown by each athlete and member of the coaching staff during the qualifying campaign, as well as during Copa America 2007 and the 2009 Confederations Cup, provides us with the certainty that the Brazilian team will fight to bring home the sixth World Cup" Nuzman said.

"We are rooting for a win against North Korea to begin our participation in the tournament with brilliance and to move forward with confidence to face the next challenges."

Brazil is expected to have an easy match against North Korea. Brazil is ranked first overall in the FIFA world rankings, while North Korea comes in to the tournament 105th.

Leonardo Gryner, Rio 2016 director general, may head to South Africa for the World Cup later this month.

Neal Leaves NBC Sports, Flood New Executive Producer

David Neal is leaving NBC Sports as executive producer after nearly 30 years at the U.S. network. Neal will form his own production company.

TakingNeal’s post is Sam Flood, the announcement coming from Dick Ebersol, NBC Universal Sports chairman and executive producer for NBC’s Olympic and NFL coverage.

"Sam has been a very successful producer here for years, but in the last nine months he has demonstrated a remarkable ability to steward and improve numerous properties," Ebersol said in a statement.

"He led our ‘Football Night in America’ transformation; superbly produced our daytime Olympic coverage with Al Michaels from Vancouver; and supervised NBC Sports’ unbelievably successful NHL coverage, including the Winter Classic and Stanley Cup Final."

Flood joined NBC in 1986 working as an Olympic researcher.

Neal said he was leaving to return home to California.

"Following the successful Olympics in Beijing and Vancouver now is the perfect time to pass the Olympic torch."

NBC also announced the formation of the "NBC Olympics Production Group," which will oversee production of the 2012 Olympics for NBC. The group has collectively worked 54 Olympic Games and won 74 Emmys. Members of the group include Bucky Gunts, Molly Solomon, Peter Diamond, Mark Levy and Joe Gesue.

Written by Ed Hula III.