204 NOCs for YOG; FIVB Final Round; Mayaguez Medals; Softball Great Retires

7/20/2010

204 NOCs for Singapore Youth Olympics

(ATR) The IOC says 204 of 205 National Olympic Committees are on the list to send teams to the inaugural Youth Olympic Games next month in Singapore.

A spokesman for the IOC confirms that just one of the world’s NOCs – Kuwait - will not be represented at the Youth Olympic Games.

Kuwait is suspended from the IOC while the country solves the issue of government interference in the affairs of the Kuwait NOC. In this instance, Kuwaiti law puts term limits and other controls on the NOC, a violation of the Olympic Charter.

But while the flag of Kuwait will not be seen in Singapore, athletes from the country will be allowed to attend the Games. The IOC says these young people will compete under the IOC flag with the Olympic Anthem played during medal ceremonies instead of the Kuwait anthem. It’s a protocol followed in Olympic Games when an NOC is disqualified from attending, so as not to penalize the country’s athletes.

Confirmation of 204 NOCs also means that Brunei Darussalam says it will be attending. The southeast Asia nation has had a spotty record of sending athletes to the Games since 1988. Two weeks ago the president of the Brunei Darussalam NOC expressed concern that the IOC might issue sanctions if the country failed to send a team to Singapore.

The IOC suspended Brunei Darussalam the day of opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics when it did not register any athletes for the Games. The suspension was lifted later when the NOC said that injury prevented the athlete from attending.

The YOG run from August 14 to 26 and will feature 3,500 athletes in the 26 sports on the program of the London Olympics.

Flame lighting for the Games takes place July 23 in a ceremony at Ancient Olympia, Greece similar to one for the Olympic Games. The flame will travel to five locations on its way to Singapore: Berlin, Dakar, Mexico City, Auckland and Seoul.

Brazil Favored In FIVB Final Round

Defending champs and world No. 1 Brazil will be the favorite when World League Final Round play begins Wednesday, the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) tells Around the Rings.

“Their skill set is incredible, and they will be particularly hard to beat,” says FIVB spokesman Richard Baker. “Even though there are a lot of new faces, they still seem to step up for the match.”

Argentina, Brazil and 2009 runner-up Serbia will square off in one pool while the other features Italy, Cuba and perennial powerhouse Russia.

All six teams have arrived in host city Cordoba, Argentina, ahead of Wednesday night’s opening matches.

Tickets are still available for group play, but Baker tells ATR he expects the Orfeo Superdomo to sell out later in the week.

“It’s a great venue with 10,000 capacity,” he says, “and it’s a great opportunity for Argentina to be hosting one of the most prestigious FIVB events.”

Play concludes Sunday with the bronze and gold medal matches.

Team GB In Best Shape Ever, Report Says

Team Great Britain will finish in the top four at the 2012 Olympics and second in the Paralympics, says the UK Sport Mission 2012 update released Tuesday.

The three-year-old initiative monitors the country’s progress on a sport-by-sport basis and publishes its findings in quarterly reports.

Progress since London won its bid means Team GB will be in its best position ever to succeed at the 2012 Games, the update says.

“As the host nation in 2012, we have an unrivaled opportunity to transform sport in this country,” Hugh Robertson, Minister for Sport and the Olympics, said in a statement about the findings.

“Every time our sportsmen and women step up onto the podium they can inspire people to get more active. I am encouraged by sports’ progress and am confident that our athletes will be at the top of their game in 2012,” said Robertson.

UK Sport is a government-funded agency responsible for developing elite-level sport.

Colombia Leads Mayaguez Medal Count

Colombia (53) edges out Mexico (49) and Venezuela (48) in total metals won after two days of action at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Mayaguez.

Host country Puerto Rico (28) and the Dominican Republic (27) are the only other nations in double digits.

Colombia also leads the gold medal count with 23.

Softball Legend Jennie Finch Hangs Up Cleats

U.S. softball legend Jennie Finch announces she will retire from USA Softball after this weekend’s World Cup and from the sport itself when the National Pro Fastpitch season concludes next month.

Finch, 29, won gold in Athens and silver in Beijing and was active in softball’s unsuccessful bid to get back into the Olympics after being dropped from the Games in 2005.

Written by Ed Hula and Matthew Grayson.

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