Olympic Newsdesk - BOA Officially Scraps Doping Rule; Szewinska Joins IAAF Hall

BOA Officially Scraps Doping Rule

The British Olympic Association formally scraps its controversial anti-doping rule that imposed lifetime Olympics bans on convicted drug cheats.

On Thursday, the BOA removed the by-law, following a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling that determined the rule violated the World Anti-Doping Agency Code.

"Following a discussion period, during which members of the National Olympic Committee reiterated their support for the decision taken by the BOA board to defend the Eligibility Bye Law before CAS, it was agreed that the bye law would immediately be rescinded in order for the BOA to comply with the CAS ruling," the BOA said in a statement.

"The BOA will now notify WADA of this decision in writing.

"Additionally, the NOC encouraged the BOA to remain actively and constructively involved in the ongoing consultation process to amend the World Anti-Doping Code.

"NOC members expressed a desire to see the Code amended in a manner that would provide stronger penalties for serious doping offences, and for the autonomy of National Olympic Committees in determining selection criteria for their Olympic Teams to not be undermined or subjugated as a result of the Code."

Szewinska Joins IAAF Hall of Fame

Olympic champion sprinter Irena Szewinska is the latest addition to the IAAF Hall of Fame’s inaugural class.

The IOC and IAAF Council member from Poland competed in five straight Summer Games from 1964 to 1980 and won seven medals in five different events – the 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m and long jump.

"I am delighted to welcome Irena Szewinska into membership of the IAAF Hall of Fame," athletics president Lamine Diack said in a statement ahead of Saturday’s Samsung Irena Run, a 5km in Warsaw patronized by Szewinska.

"Her seven Olympic medals across the sprints and the long jump, including three golds and 10 ratified world records in the individual and relay sprint distances, are testimony to the greatness of her career."

Szewinska joins the first dozen members of the Hall of Fame class, who were unveiled in March on the sidelines of the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul.

Eleven more names will be announced ahead of the IAAF Centenary Gala on Nov. 24 in Barcelona, where Szewinska and her 23 classmates will be officially inducted.

WSB Adds Argentine Franchise

World Series of Boxing will expand to South America for its 2012-2013 season.

"We are delighted to explore this new market and are very grateful to the Argentinean Boxing Federation for its support to our programs," AIBA president C.K. Wu said Monday after signing a WSB franchise agreement for Argentina.

During the press conference at Argentine Boxing Federation headquarters in Buenos Aires, the country also announced its support of AIBA Professional Boxing, a program allowing athletes to retain their right to compete in the Olympics beginning with Rio 2016 so long as they remain registered with their national federations.

"Only the very best boxers should go to the Olympic Games and the WSB and APB will prepare the world's top boxers for that," added Argentine IOC member and NOC president Gerardo Werthein.

WSB’s second season wraps up June 9 with its Individual Championships inside ExCeL, boxing’s Olympic venue for London 2012.

IOC Not Currently Investigating Moon

The IOC tells Around the Rings it's not currently investigating the plagiarism case of IOC member Dae Sung Moon.

In an email, Emmanuelle Moureau, IOC spokesperson, says: "the IOC is following the case and will study any relevant document if and when it becomes available, then consider whether any action needs to be taken."

The IOC Ethics Commission handles disciplinary cases against IOC members and met on May 4. News of Moon plagiarizing his doctoral thesis broke in April. He was the second IOC member to come under fire for plagiarizing academic work this year.

Uganda Warns of Olympic Ban

Uganda’s sports council warns the country could be banned from the Olympics if the Uganda Olympic Committee doesn’t solve its leadership dispute.

The news follows Monday’s request from president Roger Ddungu for an injunction against the UOC Executive Board. The EB voted to suspend Ddungu as president, and he asked the country’s courts to stop all EB actions without his authority.

A letter from the USC secretary general Jasper Aligaweesa to the High Court said: "If it is true court action has been commenced against UOC, Uganda is certain to attract a ban from IOC as disputes within the Olympic family are supposed to be resolved within IOC statutes which specially prohibits court action."

It was unclear whether the courts granted his injunction on Thursday.

While a court case may impact a country’s Olympic participation, it's not the sure bet that Aligaweesa implied. The IOC moves to suspend National Olympic Committees in extreme circumstances.

Media Watch

Vanity Fair explores the history of the London 2012 Olympics and whether the city can afford the multi-billion dollar tab associated with the Games.

Hollywood icon Will Smith joins Team GB athletes for hurdling, basketball and boxing training exercises in this BBC report.

Written by Ed Hula III.

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