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Lead Stories: Sunday, September 7, 2008

IAAF Annuls Men’s 4×400m World Record

Posted August 12th, 2008 at 9:23 AM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics, Drugs In Sports

The IAAF — track & field’s international governing body — announced today that it has annulled the men’s 4×400m world record following Antonio Pettigrew’s recent admission of doping.

Pettigrew, along with Jerome Young, Tyree Washington and Michael Johnson clocked 2:54.20 at the 1998 Goodwill Games, breaking the previous mark by 0.09 seconds.

The record will now revert to 2:54.29 set by another U.S. squad –Andrew Valmon, Quincy Watts, Harry Reynolds and Johnson– at the 1993 World championships in Stuttgart.
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Pistorius Wins Appeal,
Debate Ensues

Posted May 20th, 2008 at 11:30 AM by Stephanie Lowe

Section: News & Results, Motivation, Success Stories, Track & Field, Olympics

After the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned a ban Friday by the International Association of Athletics Federations, double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius can compete in the Beijing Olympic Games. What does this mean for the future of track and field?

Pistorius, 21, is a South African athlete who has excelled in Paralympic competition. He holds Paralympic world records in the 100, 200 and 400-meter events. His strongest event is the 400, in which he has a personal-best time of 46.56 seconds.

The Olympic “A” standard in the 400 is 45.55 seconds. After the debate over allowing Pistorius to compete against able-bodied athletes, will he even make the team? If not, he still has a shot at the South African 4×400-meter relay team, which does not require a qualifying time. He also plans to compete at the 2008 Paralympic Games, in Beijing, Sept. 6-17.
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IOC Says Beijing Air Quality Mostly Acceptable

Posted March 17th, 2008 at 9:53 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics

The International Olympic Committee today released the results of a study done by its medical commission on the air quality in Beijing and how it might impact the health and performances of athletes at this summer’s Olympic Games. The report’s results were mixed.

“The findings indicate that, at Games time one year out, the health of athletes was largely not impaired,” read a statement from the IOC. “This finding is upheld by the fact that no health issues related to air quality were reported to the IOC by any of the team physicians who looked after athletes competing during the August 2007 test events.”
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Gebrselassie Could Make Beijing U-turn

Posted March 13th, 2008 at 2:00 PM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Track & Field, Olympics

Ethiopian distance running star Haile Gebrselassie says he may compete over the marathon at the 29th Beijing Olympics if the International Olympic Committee (IOC) makes changes to the event’s venue and starting time.

On Monday, the world marathon record holder and former double Olympic 10000m champion announced that he will not take part in this year’s Olympic marathon citing Beijing’s pollution and fearing the aggravation of his own exercise-induced asthma.

But speaking on Wednesday, the 34-year old said, “I do not want to rule anything out at this point. This decision is not about Haile. It is about all athletes who will be competing. Our safety has to be protected.”
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USATF Statement Regarding IAAF Recommendation about 2000 Olympic Relay Medals

Posted November 24th, 2007 at 8:30 AM by J. R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics, Drugs In Sports

An interesting statement was made yesterday by the USATF, the governing body of Track & Field for the United States, in response to the IAAF’s decision to annul all of Marion Jones marks from September 2000 and beyond:

USA Track & Field supports the fight against doping and efforts made to right the wrongs of the past. We understand that the fate of the relay results at the 2000 Olympic Games is a very complex matter, and we appreciate the care and consideration the IAAF has given it. We await the IOC’s decision in the matter.

Written by: Jill Geer
Via: USATF.org

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IOC President Asserts Zero Tolerance Against Doping as Top Priority of His Mandate

Posted November 12th, 2007 at 11:04 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: News & Results, Olympics, Drugs In Sports

Speaking ahead of the World Conference on Doping in Sport that will open in Madrid next week, IOC President Jacques Rogge said that the fight against doping remained at the top of the agenda of the Olympic Movement.

“I would like to reiterate the IOC’s total commitment to the fight against doping,” he said to reporters during a teleconference.

“The IOC has been a pioneer in establishing, back in 1967, the IOC Medical Commission and in rallying International Federations (IFs), National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and governments to the cause. We created WADA in 1999, after the Festina case during the Tour de France clearly indicated that more needed to be done. Since then, the IOC has been wholeheartedly supporting WADA and will continue to do so in the future”.

Read the rest of this entry at our partner site: SummerOlympian.com

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London 2012: New Era of Stadium Design Unveiled

Posted November 9th, 2007 at 9:28 PM by Jamal Walker

Section: News & Results, Olympics

The Olympic Stadium for the Games in 2012 has been unveiled at a ceremony in the London Olympic Park. The 80,000-seat stadium will be the centre-piece of the 2012 Games venues and will host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and athletics events. Once the Games are over, the arena will be converted into a 25,000-seat permanent stadium and will become a new home for athletics, combined with other sporting, community and educational uses.

Inspiring, Innovative and Sustainable

Commenting at the launch, the Chairman of the London 2012 Organizing Committee (LOCOG), Seb Coe, said:

“We talk a lot about milestones, but few will be more exciting than this, the unveiling of the Olympic Stadium, which will be the centre-piece of our Olympic Park. The stadium will stand for everything we talked about in the bid: it will be inspiring, innovative and sustainable – the theatre within which the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will be played out and will leave behind top class sporting and community facilities after the Games.”

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IOC, IAAF move forward on Marion Jones doping case

Posted November 6th, 2007 at 2:19 PM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics, Drugs In Sports

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge has confirmed that former Olympic champion, famous sprinter Marion Jones, would face further action by the IOC after IAAF’s treatment upon her.

After years of denying she had ever used performance-enhancing drugs, Jones admitted in court that she’d taken the designer steroid known as “the clear” from September 2000 to July 2001.

After her confession, the U.S. Olympic Committee stripped her of the five medals she earned at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.

President Rogge said these medals were delivered to the IOC on Tuesday and that the IOC would move on further measures based on the IAAF decision. Read the rest of this entry »

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TFS News Briefs: 10/10/07

Posted October 10th, 2007 at 7:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Cross Country, Track & Field, Olympics, Drugs In Sports, TFS News Briefs

USOC seeks medals from Jones’ relay-mates
Now that Marion Jones has returned her Olympic medals in the wake of her doping admission, the United States Olympic Committee has also asked Marion Jones’ relay teammates to return their medals and promised a “completely clean” U.S. squad in 2008. The USOC request, Jones’ admission and the IOC’s pending decision on how to redistribute the medals has caused a fury of editorials, objections and controversy.
Here is a sampling of related articles and opinion pieces:
Jones’ relay teammate wants to keep bronze medal — Canadian Press
Time to target coaches, doctors and agents — Guardian (Steve Cram)
Ottey to pick up extra medal — Yahoo! Sports
Jones could’ve broken open sports scam — Seattle Times

Culpepper aims to repeat at U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials
Alan Culpepper, a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Team, is looking to replicate his success at the Nov. 3 Trials in NYC. In regards to the new loop-course, Culpepper said, “I was fairly shocked when I saw the course; it (the hilly Central Park course) is going to be hard. I am doing more race-pace effort on hilly terrain this time.”
Read more at: [Daily Camera]
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Panasonic Renews Partnership With U.S. Olympic Committee Through 2016

Posted September 5th, 2007 at 7:30 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: News & Results, Gear & Apparel, Gadgets & Acces., Olympics

Panasonic, the leading brand of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (NYSE:MC) , and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) announced today that Panasonic will extend its partnership with the USOC an additional eight years through the 2016 Olympic Games. Under the terms of the agreement, Panasonic continues as the Official Audio-Video Equipment Sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Team.

Panasonic’s renewal includes a renewal with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as a Worldwide Olympic Partner through 2016. Panasonic has been a USOC partner and Official Worldwide Olympic Partner since The Olympic Partner (TOP) Program began in 1988.

“Panasonic’s decision to renew its partnership with the Olympic Movement is a reflection of the strength of the Olympic brand worldwide,” said USOC Chief Executive Officer Jim Scherr. “The USOC is fortunate and grateful to have a committed partner like Panasonic, and we appreciate all Panasonic does in support of athletes, not only in the United States, but worldwide.”
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