GAMES

August 21 - Larry Probst, the chairman of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), has concluded a trip to South America during which he visited Rio de Janeiro for the first time and inspected preparations for the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics.

Probst, who was accompanied by USOC chief executive Scott Blackmun and director of international relations Carolina Bayon, spent two days in the Brazilian city and held talks with Carlos Nuzman, the President of Rio 2016.

The delegation also carried out a number of site visits, including to the Maracana Stadium and flying over the city in a helicopter, and were briefed on the progress of the Games.

"I am pleased that with five years to go to the Olympic Games we could show our friends from the USOC the progress we have already accomplishe," said Nuzman.

"We are looking forward to collaborating with them through our preparations and welcoming the United States athletes in 2016."

Rio were awarded the Olympics and Paralympics in October 2009, beating Chicago, whose first round defeat triggered a period of soul-searching within the USOC and led them to conclude that they have to engage more with the international community.

"This trip was a unique opportunity for us to see all that the Rio 2016 team has accomplished in the two short years since their selection," said Probst.

"I'd like to congratulate Carlos and his staff for the extraordinary job they've done and thank them for their gracious hospitality.

"The Games are in good hands."

During the trip, the USOC group also visited Lima, Buenos Aires and Santiago.

"Continuing our focus on engaging the Olympic Movement and creating meaningful friendships around the world, we have placed a high priority on being a trusted partner within the Western Hemisphere," said Probst.

"South America is crucially important to the Olympic Movement in the years ahead and it's amazing to see the impact that sport is having all over the continent."

In Lima, Blackmun met with leadership from Peru's National Olympic Committee, including President José Quiñones and secretary general Francisco Boza.

In addition, he gathered with officials from Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas and toured the university's campus.

"This trip was an opportunity for us to learn from some of the smartest people in the Olympic Movement and continue to build genuine relationships within our Pan American Olympic family." said Blackmun.

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

By Duncan Mackay

August 20 - Erica Kerner, Global Olympic Games director and head of London 2012 for Adidas, is quitting the German sports manufacturer to take up a new role in Hong Kong less than a year before the Games are due to open.

She is to join Polo Ralph Lauren in the newly created position of vice-president - marketing.

Kerner, who has been with Adidas since August 2004 and oversaw the company's sponsorship of the Beijing 2008 Olympics, is due to leave next month.

Before joining Adidas, Kerner spent 10 years with their great rivals, Nike, as director of international marketing for retail.

Her most high-profile position in that role was overseeing the team that designed and opened Niketown Store in London's Oxford Circus.

She was officially appointed to lead Adidas' Tier One sponsorship of London 2012 in January 2009.

Among her roles has been working closely with Stella McCartney as Adidas' creative director for Team GB.

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

By Duncan Mackay

Last week saw Chefs de Missions from around 200 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) meet in London to receive an update on preparations for next year's Olympic Games from the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG).

The Chefs de Mission – who lead their NOC’s delegation during the Games and are responsible for all their athletes and team officials – met during a three-day visit to London, where they attended meetings on a wide range of topics, including ticketing, accommodation, accreditation and ceremonies.

The Chefs de Mission also visited the Olympic Park and Olympic Village, as well as Horse Guards Parade, where the FIVB Beach Volleyball International was taking place, in preparation for hosting the beach volleyball tournament during next year's Games.

The seminar enabled the Chefs de Mission to familiarise themselves with the venues, city layout, and transport operations ahead of next year's Games and helped ensure that they have the latest information about London 2012 so that their teams are well prepared for the Games.

The meeting was the final Chef de Mission seminar before the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games and enabled LOCOG to demonstrate what will be provided for NOCs, its athletes and team officials during the Games.

Seb Coe, Chair of LOCOG, said: “The athletes sit at the heart of the London 2012 Games and this week’s meetings are critical in helping countries all over the world prepare their athletes to compete in London next year.”

Bernard Rajzman, Chef de Mission for Brazil, said: “The experience so far has been absolutely incredible and the venues here in London are fantastic. You can really tell that the focus in London is on the athletes and that everyone in LOCOG understands that. There is no doubt that these Games will be spectacular and I have no concerns at all.”

Samar Nassar, Chef de Mission for Jordan, said: “After the venue tours that took us to the Olympic Park, the Olympic Village and ExCel Centre, LOCOG has shown us some superb state-of-the-art facilities, meticulous organisation, the rich English heritage and a very warm welcome. This week has been very organised and it is inspiring to see and feel that London is going to leave a legacy after the Games.”

Source: www.olympic.org

August 17 - John Armitt (pictured), the chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), has claimed that a sensible decision has been made to let the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) transform the Olympic Park venues and infrastructure for legacy use immediately after the London 2012 Games are concluded.

The original plan meant that the ODA, which built the Olympic Park and the venues on it, would be responsible for transforming the East London location for almost a year before handing it to the OPLC.

But the transfer of responsibility follows discussions between the organisations over how best to deliver the post-Games transformation works in a way that ensures value for money and avoids duplication.

The OPLC will now take the £300 million ($494 million/€341.81 million) of scope and budget from the ODA, which has also seconded its transformation team to the Legacy Company to oversee the process including the removal of temporary venues and structures on the Olympic Park, removal of Games-time elements of permanent venues and the reconfiguration of roads, bridges and other infrastructure for legacy use in a decision Armitt has called logical.

"It is clearly the most sensible thing," Armitt told insidethegames.

"The previous arrangement meant that we were going to have six to nine months and then hand the Olympic Park over to the OPLC.

"But getting the Olympic Park across to the OPLC is the logical decision because it then gives them time to do things at their pace.

"We would clearly have been focused on getting everything down and away as quickly as possible but when it comes to next year, it may not be what they decide to do from a legacy point of view.

"So they can control that programme and that is definitely what is best from a legacy point of view.

"Passing the baton for post-Games conversion works to the Olympic Park Legacy Company will also ensure value for money as there will now only be one public body responsible for the work on site after the summer of 2012, enabling the ODA to conclude its contracts and wind-up early if possible."

In addition to the transferring of responsibility, the OPLC has appointed international consultancy and construction company Mace as its project management partner to work alongside them to manage the delivery of post-Games transformation work.

Mace will initially manage two Tier One contractors to be appointed by Christmas for the North and South Park, plus existing conversion contracts such as the Aquatics Centre.

Colin Naish, the executive director of Infrastructure at the OPLC, said: "By taking on the transformation work, the Olympic Park Legacy Company can be more efficient and effective in our plans to reopen the Park after the Games and, by working closely with Mace, ensure the transformation works support our long-term vision of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park."

Mark Reynolds, the deputy chief executive of Mace, said: "We are thrilled to be one of the few companies to have been involved with the regeneration of the Olympic Park from inception, with the original master-planning and contributing to the Candidate City bid, through delivery of London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games with CLM Delivery Partner [the ODA's delivery partner] and now onto delivering the legacy.

"We look forward to developing a world-class legacy with the Olympic Park Legacy Company."

The procurement process for the transformation of the Olympic Park is already underway, with a split shortlist of seven companies bidding for contracts in either the north or south areas of the 500 acre site.

This process will not be affected following the changing of responsibilities.

A total of 145 firms registered their interest following the start of procurement by the ODA in late February - 68 of these were for work in the North Park and 77 for the South Park.

The shortlist for the South Park is: Balfour Beatty Group; BAM Nuttall; Lend Lease Construction; VolkerFitzpatrick and Skanska Construction UK; while the shortlist for the North Park is: Balfour Beatty Group; BAM Nuttall; Carillion Construction; Lend Lease Construction and Skanska Construction UK.

A tender process in underway with the winning bidders expected to be announced in December 2011.

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

By Tom Degun

Source: www.inisdethegames.biz

By Tom Degun

August 13 - Frank Warren, one of Britain's most successful professional boxing promoters, has claimed that the sport at the Olympic must remain amateur despite plans from the International Boxing Association (AIBA) to move it towards professionalism after London 2012.

Earlier this month, AIBA President C K Wu unveiled a new programme entitled AIBA Professional Boxing (APB), to be launched in 2013, which will allow competitors to retain their Olympic eligibility despite boxing professionally.

Wu, who is also an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, told insidethegames that hopeful the sport's top professional stars such as Floyd Mayweather Junior, Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan will compete in the completion saying "the door is open to them" but Warren believes Olympic boxing must remain amateur.

"News this week is that professional boxing could feature at the 2016 Olympics in Rio - but I can't see how it's a good idea," Warren wrote in his column in The Sun.

"The IOC confirmed it was discussing the move with the International Amateur Boxing Association.

"But where would it leave the amateur sport?

"Over the years, sports such as tennis have been introduced to the Olympics, even though Roger Federer and co would prefer to win Wimbledon than a gold medal.

"Pro boxers have world titles to aim for - and their side of the sport is completely different to the amateur set-up."

The new format will see amateur boxers compete without head guards while being scored by three judges but Warren said that this fact is irrelevant in comparing professional and amateur boxers.

"Even without the headguards, it's two different styles," he wrote.

"Will only 'novice' pros with a certain amount of fights be allowed to compete or can we expect to see Floyd Mayweather (pictured) and Manny Pacquiao pulling on a vest and headgears?

"There could be a few amateurs running for cover if that's the case.

"I know the proposals haven't gone down too well with members of the ABA (Amateur Boxing Association), even though plans are afoot to allow some professionals to fight in amateur competitions in the next few years.

"The IOC says that it encourages the participation of the best athletes - but boxing already works as an Olympic sport and it's supposed to be about the best amateur athletes.

"For London 2012, tickets were oversubscribed - boxing is always an event the public get behind.

"Audley Harrison, Amir Khan and James DeGale became household names after getting on the podium at Sydney [in 2000], Athens [in 2004] and Beijing [in 2008].

"In the past, Cubans and Eastern Europeans led the way in amateur boxing because their fighters had huge funding programmes and weren't allowed to turn pro.

"The gap has narrowed though with the collapse of the Soviet Union, and more funds available in Western Europe, especially in the UK.

"I'm all for innovation and trying to improve a product.

"But as far as amateur boxing goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it."