Swiss IOC official reprimanded in ethics case (AP)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)—Rene Fasel, the senior Olympic central whoheads the International Ice Hockey Federation, was reprimanded by the IOC onWednesday for ethics violations which “tarnish the reputation” of the Olympicmovement.

Fasel, the member of the International Olympic Committee executive board, wascensured for breaking conflict-of-interest manners though escaped without anysuspension.

The Swiss central was treated with colour less cruelly than some lower-ranking IOCmembers who have been barred from portion upon IOC commissions as good asreprimanded in alternative ethics cases.

The case is still the critical embarrassment for Fasel, who sits upon the IOC’shighest body, leads the vital general federation as well as headed the IOC’scoordination elect for the Vancouver Games.

Following an review by the IOC ethics commission, the house saidFasel breached manners by assisting the crony secure “substantial financialadvantages” in tie with the radio as well as selling rights deal.

The house pronounced Fasel’s control was “likely to tarnish the repute of theOlympic movement.”

Fasel has been president of the IIHF since 1994 as well as an IOC member since1995.

The review followed allegations in the Swiss newspaper final year thatFasel profited from deals struck by the hockey body’s selling partner, InfrontSport Media, as well as Proc AG, the company run by the childhood friend.

Fasel denied reception money, though acknowledged which he showed bad judgmentin assisting his friend’s business.

The IOC pronounced it limited Fasel to the open reprimand out of “the principleof proportionality as well as taking into care the apologies.”

Under the IOC ethics code, members “must not act in ! the deme anour expected totarnish the repute of the Olympic Movement or place themselves in anyconflict of seductiveness situation.”

“The notice of control by the open as well as inside of the Olympic Movementmay alone constitute tarnishing of the reputation,” the IOC said.

The IOC pronounced the repairs to the IOC’s picture was greater because of Fasel’shigh-profile purposes in the Olympic world.

Fasel was cleared of indiscretion by the IIHF’s statute council in Septemberafter it received the report from the audit organisation Deloitte.

The case was referred to the IOC ethics commission, which listened evidencefrom Fasel.

The IOC remarkable which the IIHF’s inquisitive row had experienced the“greatest difficulty” in obtaining the required information as well as papers forthe probe.

The IOC pronounced Fasel maintained he had no consulting agreement with Infrontbut helped the crony get entrance to the sports marketplace in Asia.

“Today, we realize which this expected was the case of bad judgment. For this Iapologize,” he was quoted as saying.

The IOC tightened the ethics manners after the Salt Lake City bidding scandal,which led to the exclusion or abdication of 10 members in 1999 as well as 2000 foraccepting cash, scholarships, healing treatment, lavish gifts as well as alternative improperinducements.

In several ethics cases in recent years, IOC members have not usually beenreprimanded though also barred from portion upon any IOC commissions for five years.They embody South Korea’s Lee Kun-hee as well as Park Yong-sung as well as Guy Drut as well as thelate Henri Serandour of France.

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China stripped of Sydney gymnastics bronze (Reuters)

* China nude of acrobatic exercises team bronze from Sydney Games

* Athlete falsified her age

* U.S. to be awarded China’s bronze award (adds U.S. reaction)

By Karolos Grohmann

DUBAI, April 28 (Reuters) - China have been nude oftheir women’s acrobatic exercises team bronze award from a Sydney 2000Olympics after a single of a athletes falsified her age, theInternational Olympic Committee pronounced upon Wednesday.

An International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) examine had foundin February which Dong Fangxiao was younger than a minimum agerequirement of 16 after induction opposite ages during Sydney andthe Beijing Games 8 years later.

“The award as well as diplomas of Dong Fangxiao are withdrawn andreallocated accordingly,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams toldreporters after an IOC Executive Board meeting.

The United States, fourth-place finishers in Sydney, are nowupgraded to third place as well as will be awarded a bronze medal.

“USA Gymnastics is beholden which a FIG as well as IOC took thetime to thoroughly examination as well as address this emanate which was firstraised during a Beijing Olympics,” pronounced Steve Penny, president ofUSA Gymnastics.

“Every contestant dreams about winning an Olympic medal. In2000, a athletes as well as coaches worked tirelessly leading up tothe Olympics as well as this recognition will positively have greatmeaning.”

Dong additionally accomplished sixth in a individual building exercisesand seventh in a individual vault.

The IOC ordered a Chinese Olympic Committee to return themedal as well as her diplomas so they can be re-awarded as well as told thecommittee it contingency ensure rules regarding age-limits are strictlykept.

Suspicions of age faking have dogged Chinese sport foryears.

Duri ng a 2008 Beijing Olympics, a FIG was ordered by theIOC to investigate a age of China’s He Kexin, women’s team anduneven bars bullion medallist as well as multiform team mates, who were alldeclared eligible.

As a outcome of which controversy, however, a FIG introduceda system where all gymnasts taking part in any vital event mustapply for a licence.

Dong registered a Jan. 20, 1983 birth date in Sydney, butwhen accredited to act as an official in a safe during a 2008Beijing Games, she spoken her birth date as Jan. 23, 1986.

That would have done her 14 as well as incompetent to contest inSydney.

Dong will additionally have her formula during a 1999 artisticgymnastics universe championships in Tianjin cancelled, along withthose performed during a FIG World Cup Series from 1999 to 2000 andat a 2000 artistic acrobatic exercises universe cup final in Glasgow.

(Additional stating by Pritha Sarkar; Editing by EdOsmond, To question or criticism upon this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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IOC strips 2000 Games bronze medal from China (AP)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)—China was nude of a bronze award from the2000 Sydney Olympics upon Wednesday for fielding an underage gymnast. The medalwas since to a United States instead.

The International Olympic Committee acted after investigations by thesport’s ruling body dynamic which Dong Fangxiao was usually fourteen during a 2000Games. Gymnasts contingency spin sixteen during a Olympic year to be eligible.

“I’m unequivocally usually proud to know which probity prevailed,” pronounced DominiqueDawes, a member of a U.S. squad in 2000. “My teammates have been verywell-deserving of a bronze medal, as well as I’m certain each as well as each a singular of us willbe thrilled. We will delight it.”

Dong’s results from Sydney were nullified in Feb by a InternationalGymnastics Federation. Because her scores contributed to China winning a teambronze, a FIG recommended which a IOC take a award back.

As expected, a IOC executive board inspected a request as well as formallystripped a award upon a first day of a two-day assembly in Dubai.

The U.S. women, who had been fourth, pierce up to a bronze.

The IOC pronounced Dong additionally was nude of her sixth-place result in theindividual floor exercises as well as seventh place in a vault.

Calls to a Chinese Gymnastics Association as well as a media officers for theChinese gymnastics group went unanswered Wednesday. Dong right away lives in New Zealandwith her husband.

The IOC ordered China’s inhabitant Olympic committee to return a group medals“as soon as possible” so they can be reallocated to a U.S. team.

It additionally told a Chinese to “ensure, by all means, which a athletes andofficials of a commission imitate with all rules as well as regulations (of t! heintern ational federation) quite with regard to age limits.”

“I never imagined in all my years of gymnastics which a decade following oneof my Olympic Games I’d actually get a award possibly shipped to me in themail,” pronounced Dawes, who will right away have a singular gold as well as three bronzes from a 1992,1996 as well as 2000 games.

The bronze award salvages what had been a disappointing Olympics for theU.S. women. The squad—Dawes, Amy Chow, Jamie Dantzscher, Kristin Maloney,Elise Ray as well as Tasha Schwikert—left Sydney empty-handed, a usually time since1976 a American women had failed to win a singular Olympic medal. The U.S.boycotted a 1980 Moscow Games.

“Sydney was a pleasing Olympics, they did a great job. But it was hardwhen people would ask, `What award did we guys get?”’ Schwikert said. “It’sgoing to be good to say, `We did get a medal. We got a bronze in Sydney.”’

Questions about Dong’s eligibility arose during a FIG’s investigation intothe ages of a Chinese group which won a gold award during a 2008 Beijing Games.Media reports as well as Internet annals referred to a little of a girls could have beenas immature as 14.

The FIG privileged a Beijing Games gymnasts in Oct 2008 after Chineseofficials supposing strange passports, ID cards as well as family registers showing allof a gymnasts were old enough to compete. But a FIG pronounced it wasn’t satisfiedwith “the explanations as well as justification supposing to date” for Dong as well as a secondgymnast, Yang Yun.

Dong’s accreditation information for a Beijing Olympics, where she workedas a inhabitant technical official, listed her birthday as Jan. 23, 1986. Thatwould have done her fourteen in Sydney—too immature to compete. Her birth date in theFIG database is listed as Jan. 20, 1983.

Dong’s blog additionally pronounced she was born in a Year of a Ox in a Chinesezodiac, which d! ates fro m Feb. 20, 1985, to Feb. 8, 1986.

FIG investigators didn’t find enough justification to infer Yang, who alsowon a bronze award upon uneven bars in 2000, was underage. She received a warningfrom a FIG.

“We have been extremely grateful which a IOC as well as a FIG have taken such athorough demeanour during a issues which were lifted in Beijing,” pronounced Steve Penny,president of USA Gymnastics. “It serves a most appropriate interests of sports to makesure there’s always a satisfactory field of play.”

AP National Writer Nancy Armour in Chicago contributed to this report.

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Baseball fights to return to Olympics (AP)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)—Baseball needs to strew its image as a mainlyAmerican sport in sequence to win back a mark at a Olympics, according thepresident of a sport’s international federation.

Riccardo Fraccari says ball must rebrand itself as an internationalgame, as well as that he sees potential to expand in tools of Europe as well as Africaand a Middle East, where Iraq as well as Iran have approached him about investing inthe sport.

“The summary we have to give to people is that ball is a global sport,not American,” Fraccari told The Associated Press upon Tuesday at a SportAccordconvention. “This was a inapplicable designation made in a past.”

Fraccari pronounced he will work with softball upon a corner bid in 2013 to get backinto a Olympics. Baseball as well as softball were dropped after a 2008 BeijingGames.

An Italian who became boss of a International Baseball Federation inDecember, Fraccari pronounced his top priority is returning ball to a Olympics.He concurred that ball is far more grown in a United States thanelsewhere, but forked to thriving leagues in Latin America, Japan as well as otherparts of Asia as a sign that it is “a very global sport.”

“Many times when people approach me, they speak as if it’s an Americansport,” he said. “It’s not true.”

In 2005, softball as well as ball became a first sports in 69 years to bevoted out of a Olympics. Both lost appeals for reinstatement in 2006 as well as thenset their sights upon this year’s opinion to get back upon a module for 2016.

Instead, International Olympic leaders voted to supplement golf as well as rugby to the2016 Games, whilst softball, ball as well as three alternative sports were left out.

At a time, then International ! Baseball Federation boss HarveySchiller expressed beating that softball had distanced itself frombaseball following a 2005 vote, rejecting an suggest of a corner Olympic bid.Instead, softball mounted a campaign to expand in a Middle East as well as Africa,and it touted a clean doping record.

But that could be changing. With only a single sport approaching to be added in2013, a International Softball Federation President Don Porter pronounced hisorganization was “exploring a possibility” of a corner bid with baseball,though he pronounced no preference has been taken.

The emanate is approaching to be upon a agenda when officials from a twofederations meet this week at a SportAccord.

After being dropped from a Olympics, ball has focused upon increasinginterest in a World Baseball Classic, that is mutually owned by Major LeagueBaseball as well as a Major League Baseball Players Association, as well as a baseballWorld Cup. Many of a games in a 22-team World Cup were played in Europe,which Fraccari sees as a next large marketplace for a sport.

“If we look at Europe, it is a large potential market,” he said. “There ismoney. There have been great organizations as well as a clever genius of sport.”

Fraccari pronounced Iran as well as Iraq have approached him about starting baseballprograms, as well as he pronounced most alternative Middle Eastern countries also suggest potentialbecause they have great weather, American change as well as accessible land.

“I think we have a event to rise ball there,” he said.

Among a obstacles to returning ball to a Olympics is a warding off ofMLB as well as a players’ association to make vital leaguers accessible to Olympicteams. The season can’t be extended because of continue issues in March andNovember, as well as government as well as a union haven’t been peaceful to cutregular-season games, that would reduce revenue.

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IOC and USOC look to resolve financial issue (AP)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)—Adding a brand brand new tellurian unite could be a keyto settling a single of a monetary disputes which has strained family for yearsbetween U.S. as well as general Olympic leaders.

U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun as well as International OlympicCommittee senior manager board part of Denis Oswald told The Associated Press onTuesday which a monetary agreement could hinge upon a signing of a brand brand new sponsorfor a 2012 London Games.

The dual sides have been perplexing to strech a understanding upon how much a USOC should paytoward a executive costs of putting upon a Olympics, a initial steptoward a rider of a revenue-sharing agreement which general officialscomplain gives a Americans an unfair share.

The IOC has nine companies in its top-tier TOP sponsorship module forLondon, dual reduced of a number from a prior four-year period.

Oswald pronounced a IOC is in discussions with during slightest dual probable newsponsors, with indications which it is “likely” during slightest a single will sign up.

“That would assistance to finalise a incident (with a USOC) if you have alittle bit some-more money to distribute,” Oswald said. “For them it equates to notcutting as well much in their budget.”

Blackmun, who began talks with a IOC upon a emanate during a VancouverGames in February, concurred.

“If a IOC were to secure an additional TOP sponsor, which would have it easierfor us to strech an accommodation upon a games-cost issue,” he said. “I thinkit would provide us with an additional option.”

The dual sides additionally concluded last year to proceed negotiations in 2013 upon a newrevenue-sharing regulation to go in to effect in 2020.

The USOC gets a 20 percent share of tellu! rian spo nsorship income as well as a 12.75percent share of U.S. promote rights deals. Many general officials thinkit’s as well large a portion.

Oswald as well as Blackmun declined to contend which companies or which categories werebeing deliberate as brand brand new sponsors.

Talks with potential brand brand new sponsors stalled last year since of a globaleconomic downturn. The IOC has already secured tighten to $900 million insponsorship income for a current four-year cycle, as well as selling directorGerhard Heiberg’s goal is to break a $1 billion mark.

The current sponsors for London have been Acer, Atos Origin, Coca-Cola, GE,McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Samsung as well as Visa.

The supposed “games costs” cover a operations of a World Anti-DopingAgency, a Court of Arbitration for Sport, IOC commissions as well as alternative expenses.

The dual sides done swell in Vancouver though unsuccessful to strike a deal.

“They should be prepared to pay what all alternative stakeholders pay to have thegames happen,” Oswald said. “It was not easy, though now they determine upon theprinciple, which is already a large step forward. There is a unequivocally positive spiritin a discussion. I have a feeling you will come to a positive conclusion.”

Blackmun pronounced reaching an agreement is critical to a USOC’s efforts ofrebuilding family with a general Olympic world. The income disputeswere a major factor in a unsuccessful bids by New York as well as Chicago for a 2012 and2016 Olympics, respectively.

“It doesn’t mean you necessarily have to determine upon everything, though there’s asense out there which there’s a little unresolved business,” Blackmun said. “Beforewe can be entirely re-engaged in a movement, you have to finalise which unresolvedbusiness.”

As part of which process, a USOC has sent a six-person delegation—including chairman Larry Probst as well as br! and bran d new IOC part of Angela Ruggiero—to Dubaifor a SportAccord convention, a major entertainment of a world’s sports andOlympic officials.

“The initial mission is just to reconnect with alternative people in a Olympicmovement,” Blackmun said.

In a meantime, a USOC is not planning upon pursuing any Olympic bids.

“It’s unequivocally starting to be formidable to mountain a bid whilst you have theseissues outstanding,” Blackmun said. “We have no present goal ofsubmitting a winter or summer bid. Our initial sequence of commercial operation is unequivocally toaddress a issues.”

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Sports agree to revenue formula for London Games (AP)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)—Despite calls for shift by swimming’sgoverning body, international sports bodies concluded Tuesday to maintain therevenue-sharing regulation which will provide track as well as margin with the greatest shareof television income from the 2012 London Olympics.

The Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, whichrepresents the 26 sports upon the London program, deserted the call Tuesday byswimming physique FINA to shift the criteria for distributing the projected $375million in TV revenues.

Under the formula, the International Association of Athletics Federationswill remain as the undisputed No. 1 competition in the income ranking as well as receive$35.77 million. That’s up from the $29 million the IAAF received from the 2008Beijing Games as well as nearly twice as much as FINA as well as the other second-tierfederations will get.

Swimming, basketball, cycling, football, gymnastics, tennis as well as volleyballwill any embrace $18.73 million, compared to $14.27 million from Beijing.

FINA believes it should get the bigger share because of the clever TV ratingsand packaged crowds in Beijing, where Michael Phelps won the record 8 goldmedals.

Swimming association boss Julio Maglione of Uruguay pronounced the currentranking “does not simulate the being of today” as well as which his competition deserves tobe in the top group. He due which an independent commission be allocated torevise the regulation prior to the London Games.

While Maglione received await from list tennis as well as handball, the ASOIFassembly voted to authorize the stream ranking as well as income split for London as well as toask the IOC to examination the regulation after 2012.

The third-tier sports—rowing, equestrian, handball as well as margin h! ockey 212;willeach get $13.17 million, compared to $9.61 million from Beijing. The fourth andlowest group—boxing, badminton, canoeing, fencing, judo, wrestling, modernpentathlon, list tennis, shooting, archery, weightlifting, sailing, taekwondoand triathlon—will any embrace $11.19 million.

The revenue-sharing regulation was first implemented ahead of the 1996 AtlantaOlympics formed upon the ranking of the sports by the International OlympicCommittee, with TV ratings, attendance as well as sheet sales between the leadingcriteria. The IAAF was classified as the No. 1-ranked competition as well as has remained so,but the little federations have been dissapoint which the IAAF receives most of the pie.

“The complaint is if we give some-more (money) to one, we have to take it fromother federations,” AFOIF boss Denis Oswald, who additionally heads the rowingfederation, told The Associated Press. “A lot of federations feel which which thegap between athletics as well as other sports is too big. It might be fair which theirshare is reduced the bit though of course it’s asking them to have which concession.It’s formidable for them to do it.”

IAAF boss Lamine Diack urged the federations to accept the regulation outof “solidarity.”

The federations will put the emanate to the IOC senior manager board upon Wednesday.

During its two-day meeting, the IOC board is approaching to frame China of anOlympic bronze award in acrobatic exercises from the 2000 Sydney Games because the single of itsathletes was usually fourteen at the time.

In February, the International Gymnastics Federation nullified all of DongFangxiao’s formula from Sydney as well as recommended which the IOC take the award fromthe Chinese. The United States finished fourth as well as would pierce up to the bronze.

Age falsification has been the complaint in acrobatic exercises given the 1980s, afterthe smallest age was raised from fourteen to fifteen in an e! ffort to protect immature athletes,whose bodies have been still developing, from serious injuries. The smallest age wasraised to its stream 16 in 1997.

The IOC additionally will listen to the swell inform from organizers of the LondonOlympics, including the sneak peek at plans for their mascot. Organizers goal tointroduce the mascot next month in London.

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USA Luge hires Grimmette to lead sport (AP)

Mark Grimmette’s retirement from luge lasted about a month.

Grimmette has taken over as a sports module director for USA Luge, givingthe five-time Olympian a pursuit of overseeing all aspects of a inhabitant teamand building for a 2014 Sochi Games.

His employing was announced Tuesday, 3 days after a federation’s boardunanimously authorized a move.

Grimmette hoped for a pursuit with a inhabitant team, but didn’t design to beimmediately put in charge. He will assume most of a duties hold by WolfgangSchadler, who outlayed 24 years with USA Luge.

“It’s a large leap. A very large leap,” Grimmette pronounced in a telephoneinterview Tuesday from USA Luge headquarters in Lake Placid, N.Y. “My view isto take it as we did when we was an athlete, a single step during a time. There’s a lot todo, as well as so I’m only tasking myself with different things.”

Grimmette won 65 international medals with longtime doubles teammate BrianMartin, together with a china during a 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics as well as bronze during the1998 Nagano Games. They additionally won six bronze medals together during a worldchampionships. They accomplished 13th during a Vancouver Olympics as well as raced presumablyfor a final time as a duo final month during USA Luge’s inhabitant championship.

USA Luge CEO Ron Rossi pronounced Grimmette’s employing is part of a Sochi 2014strategic plan.

The target is to improve “the skills as well as performance of all a currentpipeline athletes, culminating in a winning of medals in all disciplines atevery level, together with a Olympic Games,” Rossi pronounced in a memo announcing thehiring.

Schadler’s pursuit was multifaceted, from coaching to sled-building. He wasclose to multiform sliders, ! together with three-time Olympian Tony Benshoof.

“Obviously, I’m very happy for Mark,” Benshoof said. “He’ll be good atit.

“My primary greeting was finish shock. I’m really, unequivocally bummed out andupset which Wolfi’s no longer with a team. we privately consider he’s a single of thethree best coaches in a world. Mark’s got a little pretty critical shoes to fill.”

For his part, Grimmette seems to know that.

He grew up sliding upon a tiny mountain in Muskegon, Mich., as well as eventually made ahome in Lake Placid, spending his winters upon a track as well as summers upon a hikingtrails as well as lakes in a Adirondacks.

There competence be less time for all which now. Grimmette proposed a brand new pursuit onMonday.

“My initial goal for myself is to learn all a purposes of a coaches as well as getto know a classification a little bit some-more intimately,” he said.

Getting in to a management side of USA Luge isn’t a all brand new forGrimmette. He outlayed 14 years as an contestant representative upon a federation’sexecutive board.

“My heart is here with a luge team,” Grimmette said. “I adore a sportand I’m looking forward to be means to spread a believe which we have.”

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