Monday Memo - Votes Ahead on 2017 Athletics Worlds, 2018 Commonwealth Games

2018 Commonwealth Games Decision

Delegates representing almost a third of the world’s population will convene this week in St. Kitts for the Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly.

Around the Rings will be on the scene in the Caribbean for Friday’s vote on hosting rights to the 2018 Games. Bidding is between Gold Coast, Australia and Hambantota, Sri Lanka.

Elections are also on the agenda in St. Kitts. Prince Tunku Imran will formally take over the reigns of the CGF from Jamaica’s Michael Fennell, who oversaw Games in Kuala Lumpur, Manchester, Melbourne and Delhi during his 17 years as president.

Stay tuned to ATRthroughout the week for interviews with Fennell and Imran as well as the leaders of both bids.

2017 IAAF Championships Decision

The International Association of Athletics Federations will decide Friday in Monaco whether to award its 2017 world championships to London or Doha.

Votes are cast among the 27 members of the IAAF Council.

Revisit last week’s coverage for in-depth interviews with the leaders of both London 2017 and 2017, and stay tuned for more as the race to secure the world’s largest single-sport championships enters its final leg.

Also in Monte Carlo, the 2011 World Athlete of the Year will be handed out at Saturday’s World Athletics Gala.

David Rudisha of Kenya is competing against Jamaican countrymen Yohan Blake and Usain Bolt for men’s honors. On the women’s side, the award will go to either Valerie Adams of New Zealand, Vivian Cheruiyot of Kenya or Sally Pearson of Australia.

Rio 2016 Project Review

IOC Coordination Commission leaders will meet new Brazilian sports minister Aldo Rebelo this week as part of a long-scheduled project review of Rio 2016 preparations.

Co-Comm chair Nawal El Moutawakel and Olympic Games executive director Gilbert Felli will hunker down from Monday to Wednesday withorganizing committee and government staff working on the Games. IOC sport director Christophe Dubi is also expected to make the trip.

Amid allegations he took more than $20 million in public money intended for social programs related to the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Orlando Silva resigned from the post late last month, the sixth minister of Dilma Rousseff’s to do so under a cloud of corruption since her January inauguration as president.

4th Lausanne Summit

Also this week in Rio, the link between sustainable urban development and international sport is the focus of the 4th Lausanne Summit.

Mayors of former, current andupcoming Olympic host cities will attend the two-day conference along with IOC leaders and international sports professionals.

Meetings run Thursday and Friday at Rio Othon Palace, including the World Union of Olympic Cities General Assembly.

Olympic Stadium Discussion

Olympic Park Legacy Company chiefs will be questioned Tuesday by the London Assembly with regard to the recent collapse of an Olympic Stadium deal.

Last month, the OPLC ended negotiations with West Ham United, preferred bidder for the 80,000-seat stadium post-Games, because of growing concerns over delays caused by the ongoing legal dispute with rival football club Tottenham Hotspur. The $760 million stadium will now remain in public ownership and will be leased out to an anchor tenant following a new tender process.

Weightlifting Worlds

The World Weightlifting Championships – the sport's primary Olympic qualifier – run through Sunday at Disneyland Paris.

Events kicked off Saturday with athletes from more than 100 countries competing across 15 weight categories, eight for men and seven for women.

Written by Matthew Grayson

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