ICF President to Step Down
International Canoe President Ulrich Feldhoff, 70, has decided not to seek re-election after 10 years in office. Feldhoff has cited personal reasons for stepping down, health issues may be a factor.
His successor will be chosen at the ICF Congress in Rome Nov. 28 to 29. First Vice President Jose Perurena López of Spain is the only candidate so far; filing ends later this month.
“Development of the ICF has been very good under President Feldhoff. We’ve reached the top echelon of international federations by increasing to 147 member nations,” ICF Secretary General Simon Toulson tells Around the Rings.
The ICF is preparing to extend its agreement with the European Broadcasting Union until 2011. Toulson credits Feldhoff’s strong relationship with EBU for ensuring the ICF has a broadcasting partner to help the federation gain exposure and continue to grow.
The only blot on his decade as president may be the acrimonious relationship that developed with the International Dragon Boat Federation.
Former ICF President Sergio Orsi failed to take an interest in dragon boating as a discipline of canoe, and by the time the ICF started organizing dragon boat races in 2002, the IDBF was already establishing itself as a separate sport.
Since the General Association of International Sport Federation recognized the IDBF in 2007, the ICF and the IDBF have been in negotiations about how to coexist.
Iran vs. NBA
Diplomatic tensions may be high between the U.S. and Iran, but that apparently won’t prevent the Olympic basketball team from Iran from coming the Salt Lake City this month in an NBA summer league tournament hosted by the Utah Jazz.
Iran which qualified for Beijing as the 2007 FIBA champion for Asia will arrive on July 15. NBA spokesman Brian McIntyre tells Around the Rings the Iranians will observe NBA team practices before taking part in the Rocky Mountain Review tournament.
Some media outlets have suggested the tournament is “ping pong diplomacy” to improve relations between the U.S. and Iran, but McIntyre said it was purely about sport.
“This tournament is people to people, sport to sport,” McIntyre tells ATR.
McIntyre declined to comment on how missile tests this week in Iran might affect the visit. He says all visa issues are being handled by the U.S. government.
The USOC has been trying to arrange a football friendly between the U.S. and Iran for months, but nothing has been set.
FIBA Pushes Ahead with Indian Expansion Plans
The International Basketball Federation announces that India will host the inaugural Commonwealth Basketball Championship in 2010. The development is part of FIBA's major expansion plans for the sport in the world's second most populous country.
India will stage the event for men in late July, months before the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
“Basketball was a part of the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games. But it is not there in the 2010 Games. So this is the next best possible thing from which young boys and girls in India can know about the game,” FIBA president Bob Elphinston told reporters in New Delhi Saturday.
“It is going to be a wonderful opportunity for Indian basketball to grow further,” he said.
Elphinston says FIBA and NBA technical advisors have shown great support for the sport's growth in the country on various visits to India.
“We share a great relationship with the Indian Olympic Association. We believe that India is a very good basketball nation... it just needs some good coaching to nurture the talent,’’ he was quoted in Indian media.
Eight teams will participate in the tournament, including Canada, New Zealand, Nigeria, England and host India.
Elphinston was in New Delhi with FIBA secretary general Patrick Baumann and NBA officials to launch their joint project “Basketball without Borders.”
Elphinston also met with the Indian Olympic Committee and held talks with its secretary general and IOC member Randir Singh about potential synergies between basketball and the program of the National Clubs Games.
Federations Briefs...
The International Rugby Board is accepting candidate cities for the 2015 and 2019 World Cup in an effort to bolster bids from smaller rugby nations. UK media reports Japan is a leading contender for the 2015 World Cup. An IRB official tells Around the Rings awarding the World Cups to smaller nations so far in advance is only for planning purposes, not to help rugby’s chances of making the 2016 Olympic program.
Adrenalin and the U.S. Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation have teamed up create a new logo for USBS. “The new logo pays tribute to the speed and energy of the sport with a dynamic image of a bobsled and skeleton rushing forward toward the viewer,” said an USBS statement.
Gold medalist Oscar de la Hoya’s company Golden Boy Promotions signed a marketing deal with USA Boxing. De la Hoya will spend time working with the boxers before Beijing while trying to promote USA Boxing.
The Japanese professional baseball team Yakult Swallows will not allow South Korean pitcher Lim Chang Yong to play for his national team. A Swallows official said another pitcher failed a drug test, making it difficult for the team to lose Lim to the Olympics. Lim will not challenge the decision.
The World Taekwondo Federation hopes to aid the cause of world peace by sending 27 Taekwondo Peace Corps members to Russia, Paraguay, India, Pakistan and China. “If the Taekwondo Peace Corps project is carried out successfully, then we will expand the program to involve all Olympic sports into a ‘Sport Peace Corps’ program, in cooperation with the United Nations and the IOC,” WTF President Dr. Chungwon Choue said at the July 5 launch.
Media Watch…
Softball bronze medalist from 2004 Hiroko Sakai writes about her disappointment on the sport being dropped from the Olympic program.
ESPN commemorates one month until the Olympics.
Phillip Hersh of the Chicago Tribune analyzes the highs and lows of the U.S. Olympic Trials.
Written by Eric Connelly and Mark Bisson.
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