Brief Notes: Athletes' Commission Nominees, Gyula Zsivotzky

Britain, Denmark Announce Athletes' Commission Nominees

Two more Olympians have joined the list of candidates for four seats on the IOC Athletes Commission.

Chris Hoy of the UK and Wilson Kipketer of Denmark have been nominated by their NOCs to join the race.

Champion track cyclist Hoy will go to Beijing on the Team Pursuit squad after the 1 km time trial event was removed from the Games program.

"There are many issues facing Olympic athletes, in particular the difficulties surrounding the fight against doping and the transition when your competitive career comes to an end,” says Hoy.

Denmark's Kipketer, the 800 meter track champion in Athens, has worked as an ambassador for the International Association of Athletics Federations since 2005. He promotes athletics for the young and anti-doping education, both areas that he would pursue as an Athletes Commission member, he says.

The 12 elected members of the Athletes Commission also become IOC members for an eight year term. Athletes competing at the Beijing Olympics will be eligible to cast votes during the Games at a pollin place set up in the Olympic Village dining hall.

ST-EP Foundation Makes ANOCA Gift

The Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa secretariat has accepted a gift of sports equipment from a UN foundation. Eight hundred soccer balls and equipment worth more than $50,000 are en route to refugee camps, courtesy of the World Tourism Organization's ST-EP Foundation.

The IOC and the UNWTO began an official cooperation in 1999. The two bodies collaborate on sport tourism studies and have organized several editions of the World Conference on Sport and Tourism.

Much of the work of the Sustainable Tourism – Eliminating Poverty Foundation takes place in Africa, says ST-EP chairwoman Young-shim Dho.

"Therefore, the ST-EP Foundation wanted to donate the sports goods to be given to children of refugee camps in Africa," she continues.

"I strongly believe that the synergy created by combining sport and tourism to be a useful tool in fighting poverty and inspiring youth," she says.

Gyula Zsivotzky, Hungarian Hammer Champion, 70

Gyula Zsivotzky, gold medalist in the hammer throw at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, died last week at age 70. Zsivotzky also was a two-time silver medalist at the 1960 and 1964 Games.

His 1964 silver came after he had a stomach surgery that left

him in the hospital for 200 days and 17 kg lighter.

"Thanks to his amazing will-power he stepped into the throwing circle just six months later," said a spokesman from the Hungarian Olympic Committee.

Zsivotzky earned his country's highest honor for an athlete, being named among the Hungarian Nation's Sportsmen in 2000. He also served as vice president of the Hungarian Athletics Association and coach to his son decathelete Attila Zsivotzky.

Second Dorothy Hamill Book

Olympic gold medalist Dorothy Hamill released her second autobiography this week. Titled “A Skating Life: My Story”, the book details Hamill’s bouts of depression, and how she has recovered.

The 1976 figure skating champion was only diagnosed with depression fourteen years ago, she says.

"I have been so lucky, had so many amazing opportunities, a wonderful career, and the last thing I want is sympathy, but it wasn't all perfect," she says in an interview with U.S. media.

Amazing Awaits in Houston

Keynote speakers from Chicago and Colorado Springs will address the future of the U.S. Olympic movement at the upcoming U.S. Olympic Assembly.

Chicago 2016 CEO Pat Ryan will address the USOC for the first time since his city became the U.S. 2016 host candidate. Ryan will join USOC CEO Jim Scherr and USOC COO Norman Bellingham to discuss the topic "Amazing Awaits: Shaping the Future of America's Olympic Movement."

The main program of the Olympic Assembly takes place October 20. Other meetings of USOC groups begin Oct. 17. The Hilton Americas is the venue for the assembly.