NOC News - Jungwirth Trial; Canadian Olympic Promotion; ANOC Meeting

Jungwirth Trial Underway

The three-day trial of Heinz Jungwirth, the former secretary general of the Austrian Olympic Committee (ÖOC) who is charged with corruption allegations, is underway in Vienna.

Jungwirth has pleaded "not guilty" to allegations that he siphoned off funds from a secret bank account of the ÖOC between 2003 and February 2009 for private use. He faces 10 years in prison if found guilty.

Jungwirth claims that he had used the NOC account for personal expenses and ÖOC-backed annual bonuses. "I have taken from there. What matters is that it fit in the audit. At the end it was always in order," Jungwirth was quoted by Austrian newspaper Wiener Zeitung.

Around $3.5 million was involved in the financial fraud, prosecutors heard. Jungwirth resigned in 2009 when news of the financial scandal first unfolded. It also implicated Leo Wallner, IOC member and former president of the ÖOC.

"Historic" Canada Promotion

The Canadian Olympic Committee says its athletes "give their everything" in a quest for Olympic glory.

The message comes in the COC’s new ad campaign, called "Tout Donner," launched on Monday.

"Tout Donner is the ultimate expression of the dedication our Canadian athletes show every minute, every hour of every day in their pursuit of their Olympic goals," Derek Kent, COC chief marketing officer, was quoted by CTV.

"We are pleased and proud that we are unveiling this unprecedented campaign in the city that hosted Canada's first Olympic Games."

A 60-second ad dubbed "Relentless" is the first unveiled part of the campaign. It shows a number of top Canadian Olympians training for the Games and ending with the tagline "give your everything."

ANOC Council Meeting

The ruling Association of National Olympic Committees Council met in Lausanne on Monday.

ANOC Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg told Around the Rings prior to the four-hour meeting it was "more like a follow-up" to the ANOC General Assembly that took place in Moscow in April.

The meeting last month elected a new president of ANOC and signaled a new era for the organization.

"We need to have a plan," Lindbergh said.

UOC Sets Extraordinary Assembly Date

May 17, the Uganda Olympic Committee will hold an Extraordinary Assembly to settle a leadership dispute.

UOC president Roger Ddungo is currently suspended by the UOC Executive Board and has threatened legal action against the EB members who voted for suspension.

The IOC has weighed in, calling for the UOC to solve its leadership issues internally, according to a Xinhua News Agency report claiming to have seen the IOC letter.

"We have been informed of an extremely regrettable situation that is currently arising between some members/officers of your NOC," Xinhua quotes the IOC.

"This conflict situation is essentially an internal matter that must be resolved shortly by and within your NOC."

Ddungu told local media the executives want power, saying "I know they are looking for a way how to get to the top as president, but this is not the proper way."

IOC Criticizes Falkand Islands Ad

The IOC says it does not approve of an Argentine advertisement that has increased tensions over the Falkand Islands ahead of the Olympics.

The ad in question features Argentinean hockey captain Fernando Zylberberg training on the islands, calling the Islands "Argentine." The archipelago is located off the coast of Argentina, but is a British territory, which Argentina rejects.

In a statement to The Associated Press, the IOC says "The Olympic Games should not be a forum to raise political issues and the IOC regrets any attempts to use the spotlight of the games for that end."

The statement added the IOC has been in contact with the Argentina Olympic Committee and received several reassurances the AOC "will not seek to use the games as a political platform and will fully respect the Olympic Charter."

Argentina’s defense secretary Héctor Timerman rejected a call from his British counterpart Phillip Hammond to apologize for the ad.

"Mr Hammond should know that the world is safer when we use our creativity, rather than bomb civilians in sovereign countries," Timerman was quoted by London's The Daily Telegraph, calling Hammond an "adversary of whom to be fearful."

Young & Rubicam, the agency that developed the ad, distanced themselves by saying: "We strongly condemn this work and have asked the Argentine government to pull the spot."

Qatar Rugby Support Pledge

The Qatar Olympic Committee pledged more support for rugby in Qatar, hoping the national team makes Rugby Sevens’ Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro.

"I think we could have a Qatari rugby team in Brazil – why not?" Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, QOC secretary general told The Gulf Times newspaper.

He made the comments at a ceremony for the national team following its performance in the Asian 5 Nations Division Four tournament last week.

"We are proud of the great job you have done and we will do our best to support you."

He added: "We need more playing fields as the current facility is being used by too many teams all the time. The most important thing for spreading the game among local players is providing them with facilities to use and opportunities to play."

Homepage photo from Getty Images.

Written by Ed Hula III.

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