Federations Roundup: Basketball Test, Fencing Venue, and Rowing without Oars

FIBA Boss Likes Beijing Venue

International Basketball Federation president Bob Elphinston says he is impressed with the venue for his sport at the Beijing Games.

"From a FIBA point of view, we think this is a magnificent venue for a number of reasons," the Australian tells Around the Rings.

Elphinston is in Beijing for a ‘Good Luck Beijing' Women's Basketball test event.

He says the fact the Beijing Olympic Basketball Gymnasium is purpose-built for his sport "makes a big difference."

Elphinston is more qualified than most sports administrators when it comes to analyzing the finer points of a venue.

As general manager of the successful Sydney for the 2000 Olympics, Elphinston understands the crucial planning and design process for venues.

"There's been good collaboration from the early design period, with FIBA," he says.

"And we have our studies center which provides building standards and related information. Then of course in the more recent completion of the building, the NBA has been involved. That's why you see very high quality technology and particularly the entertainment opportunities in the building."

Elphinston so far considers the venue an outstanding building with a beautiful arena and first class score boards and video screens.

"The experience for the public will be very good," he says.

The venues everywhere around Beijing were impressive, he says, and the critical factor will now be how the people in these facilities and the venue teams work together.

"There's many volunteers, perhaps one would consider too many volunteers, being used," Elphinston says.

"The volunteers are a real plus to the Games but then also they tend to sometimes overcrowd areas.

"And the other factor, along with that, is that there certainly is a lack of English-speaking skills at almost every level and I think that will be difficult at Games time."

He says "it's not something that you can change in a hurry" and that many of volunteers, even with the sports, are coming from the universities and are bright young people.

Asked whether it is possible to change this situation between now and August 8, when the Games begin, Elphinston says: "probably not."

But he believes any communications or skills difficulties will ease when the international federation brings their key people, technical officials and staff in to events.

"They then basically take over and run the sport, that's what happens at all Olympic Games," he says.

"The Chinese are very strong on sport, they realize this is a sports event and they're very happy to work with the international federations to achieve a good outcome."

The FIBA President says in mid-June in Madrid, Spain, 12 women's teams representing five continents will play for the remaining five of a total of 12 qualification slots.

For the men's tournament, the remaining three of 12 qualification slots will be filled at a tournament in Athens from July 14 to 17.

The test event wraps April 26, when the draw for both the men's and women's Olympic Basketball tournament will be conducted in Beijing.

Fencing Chief Happy With Venue

International Fencing Federation president Rene Roch says he is happy with the fencing venue for the Beijing Olympics.

And he says the facility is the best ever to be used in a test event in the lead-up to the Olympics.

"I think this venue is a world class fencing hall and it provides almost perfect facilities, although there are some minor problems," said Roch, speaking during the FIE Team World Championships in Beijing.

"But I think in the two to three months before the Olympics we can talk and negotiate with BOCOG and solve them," Roch says.

"We have cooperated very well with BOCOG and the Chinese Fencing Federation. Every time that we raise problems or questions related to the venue, BOCOG gives us full support and tries to solve it as soon as possible."

He says there had only been minor problems with the venue for the Worlds in men's foil and women's epee test events.

While confident they would have received prompt attention from BOCOG, Roch said these problems – which he did not detail – will be rectified before the Games and "didn't want to bother" BOCOG with them for now.

However, it is understood that heat inside the fencing hall is one of the complaints being made by athletes competing at the venue.

Covering a total of 56,000 square meters, the 5,900-capacity Fencing Hall of the National Convention Center is located in the Olympic Green complex.

During the Olympics, it will host the fencing preliminaries and finals as well as the modern pentathlon.

The venue is also being used during the Paralympics for boccia and wheelchair fencing.

The Team Worlds wound up on April 20 with gold for the Italian men and French women.

Up the Creek without an Oar

The Indian rowing team is in Shanghai, China for the Olympic qualification, but they have not been able to practice because their oars have gone missing.

"Thai Airways has misplaced (our oars) and till now they have no clue where it has gone," President of the Indian Rowing Federation K P Singh Deo tells the media.

"The oars are very expensive, and it is not easy to get suitable replacements in Shanghai at such a short notice. This has certainly affected our preparations for the crucial event."

The rowers have personal oars, but Deo said it would take time to adjust. The International Rowing Federation Asian qualifier will take place from April 25 to 27, and Deo hopes Fedex can deliver another set of oars for the team before the competition starts.

Briefs…

More than 1200 shooters from 92 countries competed in the ISSF World Cup that took place in Beijing from April 10 to 21. This was the only chance for shooters to test out the Olympic Beijing Shooting Range Hall before the Summer Games. China led the medals table with nine total, six of them gold. Russia was the runner-up with eight medals and the United States took seven.

The International Triathlon Union announces deals with broadcasters on three continents. ESPN Star Sports, World Championship Sport Network, and Canal Plus will help the ITU extend its global reach in Asia, America and Europe.

Qatar joined the bidding for the 2014 FIBA World Championship, joining competitors France, Spain, Denmark, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. The final day to declare intent is May 1.

Australian swimmer Nick D'Arcy, 20, will appeal his suspension from the national Olympic team to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Australian Olympic Committee booted him from the team after he was charged with causing grievous bodily harm to another swimmer in a bar fight.

The British Olympic Association will celebrate the 100th anniversary of London hosting the Games with a rugby match between Australia and Britain. It is a rematch of the 1908 Rugby Union final, and it is also a chance for fans to see Wembley Stadium that will host the 2012 Olympic football tournament. The match will take place on December 3, and up to 90,000 people are expected to turn out.

The Indian Hockey Federation fired their Olympic selection committee and appointed three Olympians to take over. MM Somayya, Iqbaljit Singh, Edward Alousis will work with technical director Ric Charlesworth to turn around the sputtering program. Federation secretary general Kandaswamy Jothikumaran resigned amid allegations he accepted a bribe to include a player on the team. He denied the charges despite purported video evidence filmed secretly by reporters from Aaj Tak TV.

The Hungarian Canoe Federation donated 14 kayaks to the Malta Canoe Federation. The kayaks will be used for MCF's development program as well as international and national competition.

Wiritten by Eric Connelly and with reporting by Anthony Stavrinos in BeijingFor general comments or questions, click here