Olympics Occupy Wall Street; IOC Doping Recommendation; 2020 Bid Problems?

Olympic Movement Joins Occupy Wall Street

Track star John Carlos and a group opposed to the Sochi Olympics are among the latest additions to add their voice to the Occupy Wall Street protests.

"Everyone is in a quandary. And I’m just so happy to see so many people who are standing up to say, ‘We’re not asking for change. We demand change,’" Carlos said in an interview with Democracy Now.

He told the crowd: "I am here for you. Why? Because I am you. We are here 43 years later because the fight is still to be won. We must never stop, for this day is not for us, but it's for our children."

Carlos gained notoriety at the 1968 Olympics when he raised a black-gloved fist in the Black Power salute with fellow U.S. athlete Tommie Smith during the 200m medal ceremony.

The organization "No Sochi 2014" also stood in solidarity with the protestors. The group wants the IOC to move the Games from Sochi "based on it being the location of the Cirassian [sic] Genocide," the group says.

A few people from the group made a last-minute decision to take their cause to Wall Street and stand with the thousands of other protestors there.

"We heard drums playing, hundreds of people with their own signs, & petition station to our left and right... We were totally unprepared. No flyers, no video cameras, none of our usual demo gear," said a statement on the group’s Facebook page.

"But we thought No Sochi 2014 deserved a voice too. The cardboard was picked off the street. A kind stranger gave us a black marker."

IOC Makes Strong Stand Against Doping

The Fifth International Athletes' Forum comes to a close in Colorado Springs with delegates suggesting tougher doping penalties for athletes and their entourage.

Among the series of recommendations put forth during Monday's closing plenary session, two stand out:

1) "Athletesconvicted of deliberate and aggravated doping offences should receive a lifetime Olympic ban"

2) "Coaches, doctors and any other members of an athletes’ entourage found to be taking part in illegal doping practices must be convicted and sanctioned"

These follow on the heels of last week's landmark ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport and echo comments made Monday to Around the Ringsby IOC member Anita DeFrantz on the sidelines of the Athletes' Forum.

The recommendations now go to the IOC Executive Board for final approval.

"It is important to take note of the strong and growing voice that athletes have in the Olympic Movement," said Athletes' Commission chair Frank Fredericks, also an EB member.

"We are right to put the athletes at the centre of our activities and we should take action when they speak so clearly and powerfully on topics that crucially affect them."

Also Monday, athletes called for the size of entourages to be limited at the Games and other key events.

Pound: Economics a Problem for 2020 Bids

IOC member Richard Pound says Madrid’s and Rome’s bid committees should be concerned about financial instability in their countries.

In an interview with German news agency DPA, Pound said the two cities "have got economic difficulties in their countries, both of them. You read news every day in the newspapers about (their) financial stability.

"The evaluation commission will go there, and obviously the economic question will be critical."

He added that the Olympics could help the two countries – which are both dealing with massive amounts of debt – but only if a lot of infrastructure is already built.

Madrid, Rome, Tokyo, Istanbul, Doha and Baku, Azerbaijan are all trying to host the Olympicsin 2020.

U.K. to Promote Olympic Truce

The United Kingdom says it's committedto promoting the Olympic Truce.

A policy statement delivered at the United Nations First Committee debate on Disarmament and International Security says "as the hosts of the 2012 Olympic Games, the UK has tabled the Olympic Truce Resolution which encourages Member States to undertake actions at local, national, regional and international levels to promote and strengthen a culture of peace based on the spirit of the Olympic Truce."

The statement continues: "The UK will be working with partners internationally to identify opportunities to promote the Olympic Truce ideals, prevent conflict and build peace and we call on all UN member States to join with us and co-sponsor this resolution."

Olympic Movement Donates to Somalia

The IOCand Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa both donated $400,000 to famine relief efforts in Somalia.

A press release posted to the IOC’s website says both organizations gave $100,000 to both the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Food Programme.

"The IOC chose the two arms of the UN specifically because they are on the front line of the relief effort in Somalia, where an estimated 9.6 million people are in desperate need of food assistance" the statement said.

A massive famine struck the Horn of Africa this summer following one of the worst droughts in 60 years. The UNHCR says tens of thousands have fled their homes and walked for weeks in search of food as a result of the famine.

2017 Mediterranean Games Vote Coming

The host city of the 2017 Mediterranean Games will be announced Saturday.

The International Committee of the Mediterranean Games will choose between Alexandria, Egypt and Tarragona, Spain in a vote at the organization's general assembly in Mersin, Turkey.

Mersin is hosting the 2013 Games.

Celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the Mediterranean Games and 50th ICMG anniversary will also form part of this weekend's activities.

Dick Thornett, Australian Olympian, 71

Dick Thornett, an Australian who competed in water polo at the 1960 Olympics, died. He was 71.

Thornett later went on to represent Australia in two sports: Rugby Union and Rugby League, earning his fame in the latter.

He switched to rugby to play with his brother John for the Wallabies and later switched codes to join his other brother, Ken, on the Parramatta Eels.

According to an Associated Press report, the three brothers were to be honored in Sydney next week.

Media Watch

The Scotsman newspaper argues that Glasgow lacks a "strong public face" for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Written by Ann Cantrell.

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