Summer Federations Roundup -- Negre Meets with Rogge; Squash Ambassadors Campaign

International Hockey Federation President Leandro Negre met with IOC President Jacques Rogge in Lausanne, Switzerland on Monday. (IOC/Richard Juilliart)New FIG President Meets With Rogge

International Field Hockey Federation President Leandro Negre met with IOC President Jacques Rogge at the IOC headquarters in Lausaunne, Switzerland on Monday.

It was the first meeting between the two leaders since Negre’s election as FIH president last November.

During the meeting, Rogge congratulated Negre on his election as FIH president and discussed projects the FIH and IOC are working on together, including the Sports for Hope project in Zambia. Negre was also introduced to key members of the IOC staff.

“It was a very good meeting,” Negre said. “Hockey is an important sport in the Olympic Movement and the IOC president told me we can count on the full support of the IOC.”

Squash Athlete Ambassadors Rally for Olympic Inclusion in New York

Squash’s Olympic Athlete Ambassadors, in charge of promoting the sport’s bid to join the Olympic lineup in 2016, held their first meeting at Grand Central Terminal in New York.

The new World Squash Federation Olympic Athlete Ambassadors gathered together for a promotional event at New York’s Grand Central Terminal. (World Squash Federation)The six Ambassadors -- Natalie Grainger of the U.S., English squash standouts Lee Beachill and Peter Nicol, Thierry Lincou of France, Ramy Ashour of Egypt and Samantha Teran of Mexico – are meeting in conjunction with the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions at Grand Central Terminal.

The Olympic Athlete Ambassadors are a select group of the top squash players in the world nominated by the Professional Squash Association and the Women’s International Squash Players’ Association to represent the World Squash Federation in its quest for inclusion in the Games.

Squash is one of seven sports vying for a spot in the 2016 Olympics. A decision will be reached at the IOC Session in Copenhagen in October. The other sports are baseball, golf, softball, karate, rugby sevens and roller sports.

Volleyball Considers Changing to a More TV-Friendly Colored Court

The International Volleyball Federation is considering using a more television-friendly colored court to distinguish attack and defense zones. This is in response to a suggestion made at the recent FIVB Television & New Media Commission meeting.

The new court, which would help players, spectators and television viewers differentiate between the three-meter attack zone and the areas behind the three-meter line, is already in use by the Italian men’s league. The International Volleyball Federation is considering switching to a more TV-friendly court, like the one used by the Italian men’s league. (International Volleyball Federation)The colors would be white for the attack zones, powder blue for the defense zones and green in the area around the court.

“This will provide the best highlighting of each zone and all the colors are television friendly,” FIVB Television and New Media Commission President Peter Diamond said.

FIVB also received a presentation of a system called Sports Moles, which detects whether the ball has landed in or out during the match. The system transmits the information to the first referee and the judges’ table to assist in the referee’s decision making.

IOC Confirms Rowing Qualification System for Youth Olympic Games

The IOC has agreed to a qualification system for rowing for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010.

According to the system, countries will be limited to one male and one female crew and can qualify by either obtaining the necessary ranking at the 2009 World Rowing Junior Championships in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France Aug. 5-8 or allocation of a universality place. These may be offered to eligible countries that don’t qualify through performance and have submitted applications for an allocation.

The rowing quota will allow a total of 96 competitors – 68 qualifying through performance and 26 via universality places, with an additional two places available for the host country. The rowers must be either 17 or 18 years old at the time of the Games.

Rowing events that will be contested at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games are the junior men’s singles, junior women’s singles, junior men’s pair and junior women’s pair.

According to International Rowing Federation delegate Mike Tanner, the final allocation will be confirmed following consultation between the FISA, the IOC and the relevant National Olympic Committees. The quota places and names will be confirmed by July 2010.

Briefs…

… The Central Board of FIBA Africa held the fourth session of its 2006-10 term in Cairo on Sunday and Monday to discuss the progress made by the organization in 2008. The leaders of FIBA and FIBA Africa also met with Egyptian Sports Minister Hassan Sakr to discuss building a new and larger headquarters for FIBA Africa in Cairo.

… The International Rugby Board has appointed Dominic Rumbles its new head of communications. Rumbles, who succeeds Greg Thomas at the post, has been IRB communications manager since March 2006 and was media manager for English Premiership soccer team Bath Rugby for six years before that.

…A couple of exhibition boxing matches will be held in Italy later this week to mark the beginning of promotional activities for the 2009 AIBA World Championships in Milan. The fights will feature some of the best boxers from Italy and France in Rome on Thursday and Ivrea on Saturday. The event is organized by the sports division of the Italian army, in cooperation with the Italian Boxing Federation.

…Successful German rowing coach Jutta Lau will coach in China for the next few years, according to the German Rowing Federation. The 53-year-old Lau, who was the International Rowing Federation’s coach of the year in 2001, will coach a provisional team in China this year and will be in charge of the Chinese women’s sculling team in 2010. Lau has been the head of the German women’s sculling program for the last 24 years.

…Danish badminton legend Finn Kobbero died last Wednesday. He was 72. Kobbero dominated international men’s and mixed doubles during his career in the 1950s and '60s, winning 15 All England championships as well as numerous Danish and international titles. He received the Badminton World Federation distinguished service award in 1986 and was one of the first players selected to Badminton’s Hall of Fame in 1997.

Written by Greg Oshust.