Suspension Struggles for Kuwait, Panama; New Look for Table Tennis

Kuwaiti Olympics Chief Hopes IOC Suspension to End Soon

The president of the Kuwait Olympic Committee tells Around the Rings he hopes that the Kuwaiti parliament will pass legislation in December or January that would lead to an end to the international suspension of the NOC.

"The new law has been approved in the first round, and I think it will be approved in the second round in December or January," Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah said this week in Guangzhou at the Asian Games. Sheikh Ahmad, in addition to heading the Kuwait NOC, is president of the Olympic Council of Asia.

"I think the Kuwaiti situation will be solved," he says.

The IOC suspended the KOC in January after two years of fruitless negotiations to change a law which gives the government the power to influence the leadership of sports federations. FIFA at one time suspended Kuwait over the conflict as well, but has since restored its status for football.

The IOC suspension means the 194 Kuwaiti athletes in Guangzhou are competing under the IOC flag and are known officially as "athletes from Kuwait". So far the team has one medal from the Games, a silver in bowling.

"I am very sad that we are participating under the flag of the IOC, as president of the Kuwaiti NOC, all these athletes at these big Games," says the Sheikh.

"But as I took my oath as an IOC member, we will always respect the law of sport, about the autonomy of sports," he said, acknowledging the power of the IOC to suspend the KOC.

Clock Ticking for Panamanian NOC(s)

Meetings are underway to resolve differences between the Olympic Committee of Panama and the IOC ahead of a January deadline.

Panamanian sports leaders met Wednesday in Mexico City with Mario Vazquez Rana, president of both the Pan American Sports Organization and the Association of National Olympic Committees.

Rana, also an IOC Executive Board member, was tasked by IOC president Jacques Rogge to initiate talks with two groups both claiming to be the Central American country’s legitimate NOC.

Panama faces certain suspension unless a solution is reached before the next EB meeting slated for Jan. 11-12.

In one corner Wednesday were Olympic Committee of Panama president Miguel Sanchiz, secretary general Franz Wever and general counsel Rolando Villalaz.

In the other sat sports minister Lucy Molinar, tourism minister Salo Shama and Panamanian Sports Institute director Ruben Cardenas.

Refereeing the nine-person gathering were PASO secretary general Jimena Saldaña, executive secretary Reynaldo González and, of course, Rana.

According to a statement from PASO, "the meeting took place in an atmosphere of cordiality and mutual respect. Both the representatives of the IOC and the Government presented their views and considerations on the current flowing through the Olympic sport of Panama and the possible alternative solutions."

Both parties agreed on the importance of cooperation and communication in advance of the January deadline, the statement confirmed. Participants promised to stay in touch, and PASO will organize follow-up meetings to ensure a solution is reached.

"The parties welcomed [Rana’s] contribution to the success of the meeting and will strongly support solutions to settle the conflict for the benefit of the Olympic Movement in Panama."

Panama was suspended before the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro because of a similar conflict, but was subsequently reinstated.

Table Tennis Sports New Look

The International Table Tennis Federation has a new logo ahead of its 2011 season.

ITTF’s branding shakeup comes hot on the heels of a global media distribution rights deal made last month with Total Sports Asia.

"The new logo is distinctive and makes a strong reference to table tennis as a sport," TSA CEO Marcus Luer said in a statement. "It’s a small but important piece to the puzzle to reposition the sport and attract new global partners."

The marketing agency will handle distribution rights for all ITTF events in the next six years as well as sponsorship rights of the Pro Tour.

The redesigned logo will feature heavily in all Tour advertising, promotion and media coverage, as will a variation that incorporates the brand of whichever company buys naming rights to the event series.

British Pentathlon Shakeup

A changing of the guard awaits Pentathlon Great Britain.

The NGB announced Thursday that former British cycling chief Peter King will succeed outgoing pentathlon CEO Peter Hart until a permanent appointment is made next year.

Written by Ed Hula and Matthew Grayson.