Marius Vizer is set to stay at the helm of SportAccord as he remains unchallenged for the Presidential position he currently occupies ahead of the elections next month.

The deadline for candidate nominations passed on Saturday (March 21) with no-one coming forward.

As a result, Vizer, who is also the President of the International Judo Federation, will be re-elected for a four-year term in office at the SportAccord General Assembly in Sochi on April 20 during the SportAccord Convention.

"I would like to thank the member international federations for their confidence and trust in me," he said.

"Come the General Assembly, I am looking forward to presenting the current status of projects that have been developed in the last two years and the plan for the next period.

"At the same time, all members of SportAccord can be sure that I will be dedicating time and energy to further uniting and empowering the international federation family as a top priority."

Vizer was elected as the new President of SportAccord for a two-year term during the SportAccord Convention in May 2013 St Petersburg.

He polled 52 votes to his only rival Bernard Lapasset's 37 to replace Hein Verbruggen, the controversial Dutchman who had served as SportAccord President since 2004.

Vizer's election marked a new era for the umbrella organisation for all Olympic and non-Olympic international sports federations, as well as organisers of multi-sports games and sport-related international associations.

Among the items on his agenda was a new united World Championships for all SportAccord's members to be held in the same country every four years - a concept he had hoped to launch as early as 2017.

He insisted, however, that he did not want his Championships to be a rival to the Olympics.

Vizer again highlighted the potential for "joint cross-sport projects" in a statement released today.

"The work and the power of the international sports federations must be recognised," he explained.

"Being united under the umbrella of SportAccord not only protects the world of sport from monopolies, but also empowers it with the possibility to share and add value, in terms of exposure and finance, with joint cross-sport projects."

Source

Marius Vizer is set to stay at the helm of SportAccord as he remains unchallenged for the Presidential position he currently occupies ahead of the elections next month.

The deadline for candidate nominations passed on Saturday (March 21) with no-one coming forward.

As a result, Vizer, who is also the President of the International Judo Federation, will be re-elected for a four-year term in office at the SportAccord General Assembly in Sochi on April 20 during the SportAccord Convention.

"I would like to thank the member international federations for their confidence and trust in me," he said.

"Come the General Assembly, I am looking forward to presenting the current status of projects that have been developed in the last two years and the plan for the next period.

"At the same time, all members of SportAccord can be sure that I will be dedicating time and energy to further uniting and empowering the international federation family as a top priority."

Vizer was elected as the new President of SportAccord for a two-year term during the SportAccord Convention in May 2013 St Petersburg.

Marius Vizer replaced Hein Verbruggen as SportAccord President in 2013 ©Getty ImagesMarius Vizer replaced Hein Verbruggen as SportAccord President in 2013 ©Getty Images


He polled 52 votes to his only rival Bernard Lapasset's 37 to replace Hein Verbruggen, the controversial Dutchman who had served as SportAccord President since 2004.

Vizer's election marked a new era for the umbrella organisation for all Olympic and non-Olympic international sports federations, as well as organisers of multi-sports games and sport-related international associations.

Among the items on his agenda was a new united World Championships for all SportAccord's members to be held in the same country every four years - a concept he had hoped to launch as early as 2017.

He insisted, however, that he did not want his Championships to be a rival to the Olympics.

Vizer again highlighted the potential for "joint cross-sport projects" in a statement released today.

"The work and the power of the international sports federations must be recognised," he explained.

"Being united under the umbrella of SportAccord not only protects the world of sport from monopolies, but also empowers it with the possibility to share and add value, in terms of exposure and finance, with joint cross-sport projects."

Jarrin Solomon opened his 2015 outdoor campaign in fine style at the Willie Williams Classic, in Arizona, USA, on Saturday. The Trinidad and Tobago athlete captured the men’s 400 metres title with a 46.07 seconds clocking.

Central Arizona College freshman Hezekiel Romeo threw 17.30 metres to finish fifth in the men’s shot put.

At the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) Springtime meet, Ayanna Alexander produced a 13.57 metres effort in the women’s triple jump to strike gold. The impressive season opener earned Alexander fifth spot on the 2015 world outdoor performance list.

Kayelle Clarke was also in winners’ row, the New Mexico Junior College sprinter topping the women’s 200m field in 24.16 seconds. Another T&T athlete, South Plains College student Domonique Williams, clocked 24.50 to secure fourth spot. UTEP’s Aeisha McDavid finished seventh in the women’s javelin with a 36.41m throw and tenth overall in the 100m hurdles in 14.72 seconds.

At the Baldy Castillo Invitational, in Arizona, Jamol James won the men’s 100m dash in 10.47 seconds. The Arizona State University student also competed in the long jump, finishin­g third with a 7.44m leap—a new personal best.

At the McMurry War Hawk Classic, in Texas, Western Texas College athlete Marissa Gale emerged victorious in the women’s 400m in 56.66 seconds. Another T&T runner, Jessica James, clocked 56.91 to finish second.

In California, Theon Lewis was the class of the Hornet Invitational men’s 400m field, the College of the Sequoias freshman winning in 47.83 seconds. Another T&T/Sequoias athlete, Ohdel James finished sixth overall in 48.47. Academy of Art University freshman Asa Guevara was seventh fastest in 48.67. And in the men’s 100m dash, Sequoias sprinter Ashron Sobers was 19th overall in 10.94 seconds.

At the Wake Forest Open, in North Carolina, Emmanuel Stewart snatched silver in the men’s discus with a 53.41m throw. In the hammer throw, he produced a 47.52m effort to finish 10th.

At the Texas Christian University (TCU) Invitational, Baylor University senior Dannielle Davis was second in the women’s long jump with a 5.37m leap. She finished fifth in the 100m hurdles in a wind-assisted 14.40 second­s.

Abilene Christian University (ACU) sophomore Sterlen Paul returned a time of four minutes, 09.66 seconds for 15th spot overall in the men’s 1,500m. Aaron Leung Woo-Gabriel was 19th in the men’s 100m, the University of Texas at Arlington senior clocking 11.16. And Paul’s ACU teammate, Osei Alleyne-Forte was 24th in the men’s 200m in 23.38.

In Pennsylvania, Kiersten LaRoche bagged Philadelphia Classic women’s 200m bronze with a 25.81 seconds run. In the javelin, the Temple University student threw 32.65m to finish 16th.

At the Texas Southern University (TSU) Relays, Wiley College athletes, Quinn-Lee Ralph and Dan-Neil Telesford finished fifth and seventh, respectively, in the men’s 200m finals, clocking 21.70 seconds and 21.72.

Ralph was fourth fastest in the 100m preliminaries, getting to the line in 10.99. However, the meet was halted prematurely on Saturday due to inclement weather, and the championship race was not contested. In the men’s 400m, Wiley College’s Justin Maloney finished 10th overall in 49.40 seconds, while Telesford was 11th in 49.60.

At the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Ram Invite, University of Delaware junior Chelsi Campbell finished second in heat two and seventh overall in the women’s 400m in 58.04 seconds.

In Florida, Trishelle Leacock clocked a wind-aided 25.23 seconds for eighth spot overall in the Hurricane Invitational women’s 200m event. The University of Miami freshman was ninth in the 100m in 12.18.

Source

Football clubs which supply squad members for teams qualifying for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups can look forward to a share of a massively increased pot of $209 million (£140 million/€193 million) per tournament, FIFA disclosed in Zurich today.

The sum represents three times the $70 million (£47 million/€65 million) that was made available to employers of players at last summer's World Cup in Brazil and five times the $40 million (£27 million/€37 million) paid out for those involved in the 2010 competition in South Africa.

If the basic structure of the programme remains otherwise unchanged from prior years, the announcement suggests that clubs could obtain in the region of $8,400 a day for each of their players involved.

In 2014, 396 clubs affiliated to 57 national associations were allocated a share of the benefits - very similar to the 400 clubs from 55 national associations who got money in 2010.

Last year, Bayern Munich, the leading club in world champions Germany, ran out as much the biggest recipient, earning $1,734,367 (£1,160,013/€1,603,029), well over $400,000 (£268,000/€370,000) clear of Spanish giant Real Madrid in second place.

In 2018, the top earning club or clubs can now expect to receive in the region of $5 million (£3.5 million/€4.5 million) in total.

The big increase in club distributions was agreed as part of an extension of a collaboration agreement between FIFA and the European Club Association (ECA) which has been signed by FIFA President Sepp Blatter, secretary general Jérôme Valcke and ECA chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

European clubs, as employers of most of the world's leading players, will assuredly once again receive the biggest payouts.

FIFA said this agreement "includes provisions governing adherence to the international match calendar until 2018, and to the effect that the international match calendar for the following period (2019-2022) will be based on the same principles as the one currently applicable".

The decision to hold the 2022 World Cup in November and December to avoid the searing summer heat in Qatar will necessitate a substantial rejig of the traditional European club season.

FIFA said a working group would meet "in due course" to finalise the international match calendar for the 2019-2022 cycle.

Rummenigge said last month that leagues and clubs could not be expected to bear the costs for such rescheduling and that the clubs "expect to be compensated for the damage" that a break with tradition would cause.

A later meeting between Blatter and Rummenigge was reported to have led to a softening of the clubs' stance.

Clubs would be advised to scrutinise the fine print of eventual 2018 and 2022 undertakings: the application form for the 2014 payments committed prospective recipients to a number of undertakings, besides respecting the international match calendar.

These included: not to be a party to legal proceedings against FIFA as regards the governing body's regulations on the status and transfer of players and the FIFA statutes; to recognise the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) as sole competent body to decide on disputes between the club and FIFA; not to be a member of any association or grouping involving clubs from more than one country (with the exception, for Europeans, of the ECA); and to use the payments "at least partly" for youth and development programmes.

According to Valcke, the $209 million figure is the same as the sum paid each four-year cycle to FIFA's 209 member associations under the governing body's basic Financial Assistance Programme.

Source

ANOC announces composition of 2015 ANOC Commissions and Working Groups

Lausanne; 20 March 2015: The Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) today announced the chairs and vice-chairs of the ANOC Commissions and Working Group members for 2015 as it continues to strive to find innovative ways to develop and improve the support it offers its 205 NOCs.

The members of the nine Commissions and Working Groups will be responsible this year for implementing the action plans which were presented to, and approved by, the ANOC General Assembly in Bangkok on 8-9 November 2014. The nine Commissions and Working Groups were launched in December 2013 as part of ANOC President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah’s commitment to implementing a process of reform and modernisation across the organisation.

The chairs and vice-chairs of the ANOC Commissions and Working Groups can be found below:

Finance and Audit Commission

Chair: Richard Peterkin (Saint Lucia)

Juridical Commission

Chair: Michael Chambers (Canada)

Marketing and New Sources of Finance

Chair: Larry Probst III (USA)

Youth Working Group

Chair: Lord Sebastian Coe (UK)

International Relations Commission

Chair: Julio Cesar Maglione (Uruguay)

Vice Chair: Thomas Sithole (Zimbabwe)

Athletes’ Commission

Chair: Barbara Kendall (New Zealand)

Medical Commission

Chair: Robin Mitchell (Fiji)

Modernisation Follow-up Commission

Chair: Kevan Gosper (Australia)

ANOC Events Working Group

Chair: Timothy Fok (Hong Kong)

 

ANOC President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah said:

“When I took over as President of ANOC in April 2012 one of my core objectives was to develop our organisation and the support we provide our 205 NOCs. By establishing nine ANOC Commissions and Working Groups we have been able to leverage the vast experience and expertise we have within our membership and create a platform for them to meet regularly, discuss the most pressing issues facing NOCs and identify and implement solutions.

“The Commissions and Working Groups did a fantastic job last year in presenting comprehensive action plans for 2015 to the ANOC General Assembly. Under the leadership of the IOC and Olympic Agenda 2020 we have seen the importance of ensuring that collaborative discussions lead to decisions and definite action. After a year of conception, 2015 will be the year of implementation for ANOC. We have shown over the last three years that we are an organisation which delivers on its promises and we are committed to continuing to do just that. The initiatives proposed by the Commissions and Working Groups will directly benefit the NOCs and their athletes and improve the support we offer them.”

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FEMALE BOXERS Lorissa Rivas and Swedish world champion Mikaela Lauren scored convincing knock out victories and exchanged fighting words ahead of their showdown next month for Lauren’s World Boxing Council (WBC) super-welterweight title.
In what served as warm-up bouts for both Lauren and Rivas, at the Jean Pierre Complex Saturday night, the pair stopped their respective opponents.
Rivas (seven wins, three defeats), a US-based fighter with Trinidad and Tobago roots, sent Guyanese Sharon “Iron Jaw” Warde (eight wins, six defeats) to the canvas for the first time in Warde’s career.
Warde had to be attended to by the ringside doctor before she rose from the mat roughly three minutes after the knockout punch in the fifth round.
Rivas then crossed paths with Lauren, who was making her entrance to the ring for her bout against Colombia’s Celia Road Sierra. Rivas and Lauren exchanged barbs. In the main co-feature bout, the 39-year-old Lauren (24 wins, 3 defeats) sent a feisty Sierra to the canvas at 1.13 into the third round.

Results

Lt. Heavyweight (4 rounds)
Sheldon Lawrence (T&T)  vs. Romeo Norville (Guy.)
Lawrence scored 1st round TKO victory over Norville

Super-middleweight (6 rounds)
Joel McRae (Guy) vs. Carlos Leal (Ven.)
McRae scored 1st round KO over Norville

Catch weight (6 rounds)
Prince-Lee Isidore (T&T) vs. Ian Blue (T&T)
Isidore scored third round TKO over Blue

(Women) Super-middleweight (6 rounds)
Lorissa Rivas (USA) vs. Sharon Warde (Guy)
Rivas scored fifth round TKO over Warde

(Women) Super-welter
weight (6 rounds)
Mikaela Lauren (Sweden) vs. Celia Road Sierra (Colombia)
Lauren scored third round TKO over Sierra

Heavyweight (4 rounds)
Dwayne Hinds (T&T) vs. Kenneth ‘Iron Man” Bishop (T&T)
Bishop won by a unanimous decision

Mixed Martial Arts

(Bout 1 - 150 lbs)
Ande Lackhan (Bio Mel Boxing Gym) vs. Randy Sooknarine (Rough House)
— Sooknarine won by submission

(Bout 2 - 170 lbs)
Brandon La Croix vs. Sion Elder — La Croix scored first round TKO over Elder

British middle-distance great Sebastian Coe has a vision to showcase track and field on non-traditional stages.

“I want the sport to start being delivered in more creative ways, not always in the stadium. I want it to take to the streets, to shopping centres. It’s got to attract people that wouldn’t normally go into a stadium.”

Coe was speaking at a press conference at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad, on Friday evening, shortly after arriving in the country. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) vice-president was on a short visit, to seek the support of the National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA) in his bid for the IAAF presidency.

Coe, a double Olympic 1,500 metres gold medallist, is running against another former Olympic champion, Ukraine’s Sergey Bubka for leadership of track and field’s world governing body. Bubka is also a vice-president of the IAAF. The election will be held in August in Beijing, China.

At Friday’s press conference, NAAA president Ephraim Serrette was non-committal on which of the candidates his organisation would back for the IAAF presidency.

“We welcome the visit of Seb to share with us his vision and how it could help Trinidad and Tobago as a federation,” said Serrette.

“I’ll keep my fingers crossed,” Coe quipped, in response.

Coe applauded enthusiastically when T&T’s first Olympic gold medallist, Hasely Crawford was introduced. Later, they shared a warm greeting.

“This is an extraordinary region of the world,” Coe told the local media. “You have delivered and developed and nurtured and coached some of the greatest athletes that have ever set foot on a track. And we need to make sure that the next generation of Haselys is there. And they won’t be, unless we deliver the sport in a different way.”

Coe declared that T&T would benefit if he succeeds Lamine Diack as IAAF president.

“I want to create a structure at headquarters that more closely reflects the demands of the federation. I know you’ve done some very interesting things here, particularly around throws, bringing in outside coaches to help you deliver the sport. We should be sitting alongside you doing that. I’m not always sure we are.

“Competition,” the former 800m world record holder continued, “is our shop window. Head-to-heads are what gets my kids up in the morning. They’ll get up at three or four o’clock in the morning to watch the final of the Australian Open if it’s Federer and Nadal. We need to get head-to-heads. We need to get the excitement that track and field can engender.”

T&T Olympic Committee (T&TOC) president Brian Lewis spoke highly of Coe during Friday’s press conference.

“He’s been credited with playing an influential role in the London 2012 Olympic Games, widely considered in the Olympic movement to be the best ever. And Lord Sebastian Coe, during the build-up to the London Games, always treated the small Olympic Committees, such as Trinidad and Tobago, fairly. His track record as someone who places the best interest of sport and the Olympic movement is well-established.”

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