Rogge on Bin Laden; Figure Skating; RWC Cost Concerns

OC President Avoids Bin Laden Linkage

IOC President Jacques Rogge steers clear of linking the death of Osama bin Laden to a lower level of terrorist threat to the Olympic Games.

"The position of the international Olympic Committee is clear. Mr. Bin Laden is a political issue and I do not want to comment," said the IOC President at a press conference in Doha, Qatar when asked whether the assassination of the terrorist leader would lower the threat risk to the Olympics.

"The strategy of the International Olympic Committee remains the same. Since 1972 in Munich we have put security as the number-one priority for the Olympic Games. It is the task of the governments to provide security and with each Games we work closely with local governments.

"That is our policy and that will not change," said Rogge at the closing press conference for the World Conference on Sport and Environment held in Qatar across the past three days.

Rugby World Cup Costs on Track

New Zealand Rugby World Cup chief executive Martin Snedden has dismissed reports that the cost of staging the tournament has spiraled to $405 million.

Snedden hit out at reports that "ignored" almost $219 million in ticket sales revenue, which he claimed also incorrectly included the costs of stadium construction and other infrastructure upgrades.

Rugby New Zealand 2011 organizers estimated last year that they would record a loss of $32 million to deliver the Sept. 9 to Oct. 23 tournament. But this will be picked up by the government and New Zealand Rugby Union. But these figures have not been recalculated since the February earthquake that led to a re-allocation of matches from Christchurch.

Snedden remains confident the World Cup will provide a predicted $567 million economic boost following solid ticket sales to date. More than 85,000 foreign visitors are expected to attend matches.

"Then there is the potential for ongoing post-event economic benefits to New Zealand's tourism and business sectors if leveraging initiatives during the tournament bear fruit down the track," he was quoted by AFP.

"Studies on other major events, including the Sydney Olympics show these can be considerable."

Ando Edges Yu-Na for Gold

Japan has reason to be proud at the conclusion of the figure skating world championships, an event moved from Tokyo to Moscow after the March 11 earthquake.

2007 world champ Miki Ando overtook South Korean favorite and reigning Olympic gold medalist Kim Yu-Na during Saturday’s free-skate to claim her second ladies’ singles title.

Hours later, Meryl Davis and Charlie White became the first U.S. ice dancers to win a world championship.

Also in Moscow, Russian duo Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy won the pairs competition, and Patrick Chan of Canada won men’s singles.

Big Week in Battle for FIFA Presidency

Mohamed BinHammam's chances of beating FIFA president Sepp Blatter in the presidential run-off in four weeks time will not be helped by his non-appearance at the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football's Congress in Miami on Tuesday.

The Asian Football Confederation president revealed in a weekend blog post that he had hoped to be present "to share my plans for the future in Miami but, unfortunately, I will not be able to attend due to issues beyond my control".

The Qatari added: "However, I will do all I can to meet the member associations in that dear part of the world in the coming days and weeks, to let them know first hand of my plans for the future of football."

Blatter is set to exploit Bin Hammam's absence by seeking to close-out the support of the confederation led by his long-time ally Jack Warner. Warner has said CONCACAF's 35 member FAs could vote as a bloc at the FIFA presidential elections in Zurich on June 1.

But the confederation's influential secretary general Chuck Blazer has not seen eye toeye with Blatter recently. The USA's World Cup bidding defeat to Qatar and FIFA's snub of CONCACAF's request for an extra berth at the 2014 World Cup could lose the Swiss some votes.

Blatter's campaign received a boost Saturday when the South American football confederation (CONMEBOL) threw its support behind Blatter's bid to be re-elected for a fourth and final term as FIFA president.

At the 62nd CONMEBOL Congress in Asuncion, Paraguay on Sunday, confederation president Nicolas Leoz and the 10 member assocations were united in their backing for the 75-year-old. Bin Hammam also attended the congress along with other special guests such as UEFA president Michel Platini.

Henry Cooper, Olympian in Boxing, 76

British heavyweight boxing legend and Olympian Henry Cooper has died at the age of 76.

Cooper, who boxed as an 18-year-old at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, is most famous for flooring Muhammad Ali - then Cassius Clay - in a 1963 bout at Wembley in London. Cooper went on to lose the fight.

The former British, Commonwealth and European champion fought 55 times but failed to win a world title. He was knighted for his services to boxing in 2000.

Ali on Monday paid tribute to his friend and former opponent.

"I am at a loss for words over the death of my friend. Henry always had a smile for me; a warm and embracing smile. It was always a pleasure being in Henry's company," he was quoted by the BBC.

"He was a great fighter and a gentleman."

Written by Mark Bisson