Vancouver Olympic Chief Anticipates Toronto Bid -- On the Scene

(ATR) John Furlong, the ex-CEO of Vancouver 2010, is attending Toronto 2015 in his role as chair of Own the Podium.He told the Globe and Mail that he expects Toronto to make a third bid for the Olympics.

"I’d be very surprised, coming out of here, if there isn’t the kind of euphoria Monday morning that causes people to at least launch into a conversation about competing for a future Olympics as early as 2024," Furlong said.

"If you can line up the political forces and all the other things that need to come together under one voice and have a vision for the future, then an Olympic Games in a place like Toronto could be a game changer, not just for sport, but for the city and for the country."

Furlong awaits a verdict in a British Columbia Supreme Court defamation trial against him by journalist Laura Robinson.

Furlong originally sued Robinson for defamation over her September 2012 expose that revealed he came to Canada in 1969 from Ireland and taught physical education to aboriginal students — facts which he omitted from his post-Olympic memoir, Patriot Hearts. Several people who said they were students accused him of abuse. Furlong was not charged criminally and three civil lawsuits against him never made it to trial.

Pan Ams a Road to Olympics?

International Softball Federation executive director said in Toronto that the 2015 Pan American Games could be one more step to softball and baseball returning to the Games as soon as Tokyo 2020.

"I think the love of the game in Japan is our best selling point to Tokyo. It’s a national pastime in Japan. The pro league is very popular as well. It’s nothing for about 50,000 fans to come out to a baseball or softball game," Ron Radigonda said. "Some of the best players from around the world come to Japan to play, but aside from the pro leagues, I feel that the national programs bring a little more spirit to the game. National competition definitely plays a bigger role in helping the sport to develop."

Baseball and softball were phased out after Beijing 2008, but may return in light of IOC president Thomas Bach’s Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms.

Canada Soccer Challenges

It has been a great summer for soccer in Canada, but not necessarily a great summer for the Canadian Soccer Association.

Canada’s senior women’s team lost in the quarterfinals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup to England in Vancouver and the senior men’s team failed to emerge from the group stages of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Toronto. The men’s team at the Pan American Games finished seventh in the eight-team tournament.

The Pan Am women’s team will get a chance to play for bronze on July 24 against Mexico. Colombia ruined Canada’s chances to repeat as gold medalist with a 1-0 upset at the Hamilton Pan Am Soccer Stadium on July 22. Diana Ospina scored the only goal in the 27th minute.

Brazil doubled Mexico 4-2 to claim the other spot in the July 24 final. Cristiane Rozeira’s third-minute header goal, her tournament-leading seventh marker, set the pace for Brazil.

Watch for Geese

Chilean water skier Felipe Miranda was given a couple of extra jumping opportunities because of changing winds at the Ontario Place venue, but came close to landing on Canada geese, which didn’t move out of his way.

"Those geese you have here are not scared at all of us," Miranda said.

Written by Bob Mackinin Toronto

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