A high total of 21 Indian Olympians have told the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) not to accept Dow Chemical’s sponsorship for London 2012 Olympics.

At a press conference organized by five Bhopal disaster survivors’ organizations on Monday, Olympians Inam – Ur – Rehman, B P Govinda, Syed Ali and Jalaluddin Rizvi demanded that the organizers of the London Olympics 2012 cancel the sponsorship of Dow Chemical Company, current owner of Union Carbide, the American multinational responsible for the continuing disaster in Bhopal.

The Olympians said that in view of the current plight of the victims and the environment in Bhopal, Dow’s sponsorship is offensive to the spirit of the Olympic Games.

They said that national and international Olympians should oppose the unholy alliance with the poisoner of Bhopal. They presented a list of 21 Indian Olympians who have so far signed on to an ongoing petition addressed to the organizers of the London Olympics 2012 – LOCOG.

The Bhopal survivors’ organizations condemned the Indian government and the Indian Olympic Committee for their deliberate inaction regarding sponsorship of the Olympic Games by a corporation responsible for poisoning and maiming thousands of Bhopal citizens.

Rashida Bee of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh, said: “It is three months since we requested the Prime Minister and the Acting Chairman of the Indian Olympic Committee to register the country’s opposition to Dow Chemical sponsoring the Olympic Games in London next year but neither of them has moved on this.”

The organizations said that as 100 % owner, Dow Chemical is sheltering Union Carbide that is absconding from charges of culpable homicide in Indian courts for the last 19 years. 

They pointed out that Dow Chemical is also violating Indian laws by refusing to clean up the toxic contamination of soil and ground water caused by reckless dumping of hazardous waste by Union Carbide, USA.

Rachna Dhingra of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action pointed out that the Indian government has blacklisted Dow Agrosciences for bribing government officials. 

She said that recently the government has also cancelled the registration of three pesticides of this wholly owned subsidiary of Dow Chemicals for the same criminal offence.

“We are certainly not against the London Olympic Games, said Balkrishna Namdeo of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha, “in fact we are opposing the besmirching of the reputation of the Olympic Games through its association with a criminal corporation.”

Nawab Khan of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha said that the survivors of the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal would observe its 27th anniversary as a day of action against Dow Chemical’s sponsorship of the London Olympics.

Safreen Khan of the Children against Dow / Carbide, said: “Because of Dow Chemical’s refusal to clean up Bhopal’s poisons, hundreds of children are being born disabled. It is indeed shocking that the organizers of the London Olympics have not cared to find out about their sponsor’s misdeeds.”

Russia have started a ambitious bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup, having just made their debut at the tournament at this year’s edition.

The sport is in line for major investment in the country following its addition to the Olympic programme, and has been added to the curriculum in a number of schools around Moscow, with more to follow across the country.

A statement on the Russian Rugby Union (RRU) website, read: ‘During our board meeting RRU president Vyacheslav Kopyev stated that Russia would lodge a formal bid to host the World Cup in 2023. The Russian team had a respectable showing in New Zealand, scoring eight tries – a great achievement for the World Cup debutants.’

The country will host the rugby sevens World Cup in 2013 – the last edition of the competition before it is added to the Olympic roster from 2016 – and the RRU noted that it has set an objective of winning the competition.

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Related discussion: Russia to bid for 2023 Rugby World Cup

USA Gymnastics today announced that Luan Peszek has been named vice president of women’s program, effective immediately.

She will be responsible for the overall direction and management of the women’s program, which includes elite, the athlete development pipeline, the Junior Olympic program, and women’s program administrative responsibilities.

“Luan has the perfect combination of experience for this position – familiarity with the breadth of women’s program, extensive working knowledge of women’s gymnastics and our organization, and demonstrated leadership skills,” said Steve Penny, president of USAGymnastics.  “I am confident she will be an excellent leader and her administrative skills will be an important asset in her new role.  Her passion for gymnastics and commitment to excellence are hallmarks of her character and will be invaluable to the women’s program.”

“I’m honored to become the vice president of women’s program for USA Gymnastics,” said Peszek, who has been with USA Gymnastics for 25 years.  “I look forward to working with the incredibly talented group of athletes, coaches, judges and administrators who comprise the women’s program, and I am excited to be a part of the team that will continue the legacy of excellence associated with our collective efforts.”

Most recently, Peszek was managing director of communications for USA Gymnastics.  She managed content and advertising for both magazines, “Technique” and “USA Gymnastics,” event programs, Congress Guide, etc.; oversaw content for usagym.org and other organizational materials; managed photography, social media and graphic design; and was the liaison with NBC Sports for gymnastics broadcasts.  Peszek has coached at both the Junior Olympic and NCAA levels; authored “Gymnastics Almanac”; and is a writer for Encyclopedia Britannica.  Her experience in the sport also includes involvement in event management and volunteer efforts.  She joinedUSA Gymnastics in 1988 as director of publications.

Peszek earned a Bachelor of Arts in advertising at the University of Illinois, where she was a member of the gymnastics team.  She earned her Masters of Art in journalism from Northern Illinois University.  She is married and has two daughters, both of whom are gymnasts.

The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) has confirmed the dates of GB’s Olympic Football teams group games with their first fixture scheduled for Thursday 26 July at Old Trafford.

The men’s team, coached by Stuart Pearce will have their second game at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 29 July with their final group game being at the Millennium stadium on Wednesday 1 August.

Coached by Hope Powell, the women’s team will kick off the tournament on Wednesday 25 July at the Millennium Stadium, with their following match at the same venue on Saturday 28 July. Their final group stage match will take place on Tuesday 31 July at Wembley Stadium.

The official draw for the Olympic Football tournament will take place on 24 April 2012 at Wembley Stadium.

Team GB Chef de Mission Andy Hunt said: ‘We are delighted that the group fixtures for Team GB in both men’s and women’s Football will allow fans from throughout the United Kingdom to experience the spirit and energy of the Olympic Games while showing their support for Team GB.’

LOCOG also announced that tickets for the London 2012 Olympic Football tournaments will go back on sale from 11am on 29 November 2011. There are more than 1.5 million Football tickets still available across all sessions, with limited availability at matches taking place at Wembley.

LOCOG Director of Sport Debbie Jevans commented: ‘The prospect of Team GB taking part in the Games has captured the imagination of the public and we are pleased to be able to confirm their group stage fixtures ahead of tickets going back on sale.

‘With teams like Spain and Brazil already qualified and fantastic venues across the country, the Olympic Football tournaments promise to be a great family day out at the Olympic Games next summer.’

UK Airport, Heathrow, official host airport of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, have started their search for volunteers to greet international athletes, officials, media, spectators and VIPs when they arrive for the Games.

Heathrow, the third busiest airport in the world, will be the main point of entry for London 2012 with around 80 per cent of people travelling to the Games from outside the UK set to pass through its four terminals.

In order to help deal with the influx of people, Heathrow are looking 1,000 Team Heathrow volunteers and have invited local residents who want to be involved to sign up to attend the first selection day on November 12 at the Heathrow Academy in Hounslow.

Volunteers will have the chance to receive a range of London 2012 or Heathrow related rewards and also work at Heathrow on the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee which will take place in June next year, just over a month before the Olympic Opening Ceremony.

Colin Matthews, chief executive of British Airports Authority (BAA) who own Heathrow and six other British airports, said: “This is an exciting time for Great Britain and it is an honour for everyone at Heathrow to be amongst the first to welcome athletes and others to the London 2012 Games. The Olympics and Paralympics will be challenging for us and we are working hard to ensure everything works as smoothly as possible. We are inviting enthusiastic volunteers to join our team and provide the best possible reception to our country’s many visitors.”

Heathrow want volunteers welcoming people to England to give them a great first and last impression of London but they face a huge logistical challenge as August 13, the day after the 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony, which is set to be the busiest in the airport’s history.

On that day, the number of bags expected to leave the airport is more than 25 per cent higher than usual peak times with round 15 per cent of the bags likely to be large sporting equipment such as canoes, pole vaults or bikes which cannot be processed through normal baggage systems.

The NFL announced that Arizona will host Super Bowl XLIX in 2015 after NFL owners voted for Arizona ahead of Tampa Bay.

Arizona last hosted the Super Bowl in 2008 when the New York Giants upset the New England Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII. Tampa Bay last hosted Super Bowl XLIII in 2009 when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 27-23 on Feb. 1. South Florida has held the most Super Bowls at 10.

The Tampa Super Bowl committee bought a billboard in Houston, asking owners to bring the Super Bowl back to Florida.

Arizona won by simple majority after the second ballot. To win on the first ballot, a region needed 75% of owners to sign off.

The Arizona Super Bowl committee found in a study presented to the owners that Super Bowl XLII generated $500 million in commerce for the region. University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., also hosted the last BCS national championship game on Jan. 10.

Arizona Cardinals president Michael Bidwell, said: “We’re delighted that the NFL has chosen Arizona, I think it’s going to be a great economic impact this time around in 2015 to give our community something to really rally around over the next couple of years as we go through these economic times.”

Super Bowl XLVI will be held in Indianapolis on Feb. 5, followed by New Orleans and East Rutherford, N.J., site of the first outdoor Super Bowl in a cold-weather city. The NFL announced Tuesday that Super Bowl XLVIII at the New Jersey Meadowlands will be held on Feb. 2, 2014, Groundhog’s Day.

Russia’s proposal to turn historic London monument Marble Arch into a party venue during next year’s Olympics to promote the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi has been rejected by London authorities.

Sochi organizers had unveiled plans to install an open-air ice rink in front of the location at the entrance to Hyde Park.

Police, transportation and local government officials have opposed the plans, citing concerns over safety and overcrowding.

Westminster Council director Rosemarie MacQueen said in a statement to The Associated Press that the council recommended that “this particular planning application should be refused.”

The decision is set to be ratified at a planning meeting next Thursday.

The Sochi organizing committee says “we understand the concerns that have been raised” and “are working to revise our plans.”

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) will not award the 2017 and 2019 World Championships simultaneously even though they consider the Doha and London bids among two of the strongest bids they have ever received.

There had been speculation that the IAAF ruling Council would give the 2017 event to one of the bidders and 2019 to the other.

This has been done before by the IAAF, ironically involving London. The Council decided in 2000 to award the 2003 World Championships and the 2005 event to London.

Paris staged one of the successful Championships in history but London was forced to withdraw after Britain failed to keep the promise made by then-Prime Minister Tony Blair to build a new stadium at Pickett’s Lock to host the event.

The Championships were moved to Helsinki and London’s current bid continues to be overshadowed by the fall-out from Blair’s failure to keep his promise.

Four years ago the IAAF also awarded the 2011 and 2013 World Championships simultaneously to Daegu and Moscow respectively.

But Bob Hersh, the senior vice-president of the IAAF and head of the Evaluation Commission, has ruled out the same thing happening when the Council meet to decide the 2017 hosts at its meeting in Monte Carlo on November 11.

Hersh said: “I don’t think we would do that in a case like this. “We have not opened 2019 for other bidders and there may be some very good cities that would have wanted to go for 19 and feel they didn’t have the opportunity to do that because we didn’t allow them too.”

But Hersh admitted that the Council face a difficult choice in choosing the winning city, with London promising record sold-out crowds in the Olympic Stadium and Doha offering the opportunity of the event being staged in the Middle East for the first time.

“We do have two very, very strong bids in very different ways,” he added.

“You’ve seen it in Doha, it’s completely different [to London] – but it has its own merits.”

Fenway Sports Management (FSM), denture the sports marketing agency of Fenway Sports Group, bronchi today announced that Jennifer Flynn has been named General Counsel.

She will continue to serve the Boston Red Sox as Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel.

Flynn will oversee FSM’s strategic legal initiatives, including FSM’s venture activities, and negotiate contracts relating to its exclusive property representation and sponsorship sales business: NBA MVP LeBron James; PGA TOUR Playoff event the Deutsche Bank Championship; Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM) and Boston College Athletics.

Flynn will continue to work closely with Fenway Sports Group Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy/General Counsel Ed Weiss on legal matters across the company’s portfolio of sports properties, including the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool Football Club, Roush Fenway Racing and New England Sports Network (NESN). Among other duties, Flynn leads negotiations for content rights deals, provides counsel in connection with original programming initiatives, and serves as Fenway Sports Group’s lead senior lawyer for all transactional matters.

“Jen’s keen ability to handle and advise on a broad range of complex matters has been key to our business growth and success,” said Weiss. “Her counsel is widely sought after within the company and respected throughout the industry. This promotion rightly recognizes her role as an important member of senior management at FSM, and her increasingly broader management abilities.”