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Kaieteur News
Wednesday February 13, 2013
Wrestling dropped from 2020 Olympic Games Wrestling has been dropped from the 2020 Games to make way for a new sport. The International Olympic Committee’s executive board made its decision after assessing the performance of all 26 sports at the London Games. “The news from the IOC is extremely disappointing,” said British Wrestling chief executive Colin Nicholson. There is a slim chance wrestling may win a reprieve when the IOC meets in Buenos Aires in September to ratify its choice. But it will be vying with seven other sports, among them squash, roller sports and sport climbing, that are hoping for inclusion in the Olympic programme. Modern pentathlon and taekwondo were thought to be the sports most at risk when the IOC committee met in Lausanne, Switzerland on Tuesday, but wrestling was the surprise choice for the axe. It will now compete with baseball/softball, squash, karate, sport climbing, wakeboarding, wushu and roller sports for a place in the
2020 Games. “This is not the end of the process, this is purely a recommendation,” said IOC spokesman Mark Adams. “This is not about what’s wrong with wrestling but what is good for the Games.” It is extremely unlikely that wrestling will be voted back in so soon after being removed by the executive board, but Adams stressed: “Today’s decision is not final. Wrestling, which combines freestyle and Greco-Roman events, was included in the inaugural modern Olympics in Athens in 1896. It has been in every Games since then, apart from Paris in 1900. At last year’s Olympics, it featured 344 athletes competing in 11 medal events. Despite Tuesday’s news, Nicholson said Great Britain would not lose focus in the next Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. “We will be looking to deliver success in 2016,” he said. “We have two athletes who we believe are genuine medal contenders.” Nicholson also pointed out that wrestling remains part of the Commonwealth
Games. “We are fortunate that we are a Commonwealth sport so our athletes will continue aspiring towards 2014 and 2018,” he said. “In the meantime, we will remain hopeful that the IOC may give wrestling another chance to remain part of the Games.” Before making its decision, the IOC’s programme commission assessed each sport by looking at such factors as TV ratings, ticket sales, antidoping and global popularity. Klaus Schormann, president of modern pentathlon’s governing body, said he had lobbied hard to protect his sport’s Olympic status. “We have promised things and we have delivered,” he said. “That gives me a great feeling. It also gives me new energy to develop our sport further and never give up.” GB Modern Pentathlon chief executive, Jon Archer, expressed relief at the news that his sport had been spared. “Olympic inclusion is absolutely essential to our sport,” he said. “It is at the
centre of everything we do. We can relax now and work to continually modernise the sport and raise awareness.” Samatha Murray, who won silver for GB in the Modern Pentathlon at
London 2012, said on Twitter: “This is a very sad day for wrestling. However I want to thank the IOC’s decision to keep #ModPen in the OG for 2020. I’m elated. Thank you.” Golf and rugby sevens will
be part of the programme for the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro after winning inclusion in 2010. The IOC will also decide in September whether Istanbul, Madrid or Tokyo will host the 2020 Games.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – In Summarised results on the final day of the first round of matches in the Regional FourDay Championship on Tuesday, Guyana and the Leeward Islands played to a draw after rain interrupted the Guyana run chase with them 173 for 6 chasing 226 for victory at Vivian Richards Cricket Ground. Scores: At Vivian Richards Cricket Ground: Match drawn. LEEWARD ISLANDS 182 all out (Tonito Willett 58, Jahmar Hamilton 32, Montcin Hodge 22; Veerasammy Permaul 4-42, Ronsford Beaton 3-43) and 322 (Jahmar Hamilton 106, Montcin
Hodge 52, Sylvester Joseph 39, Tonito Willett 33; Veerasammy Permaul 5-67). GUYANA 279 all out (Steven Jacobs 75, Assa Fudadin 49, Rajindra Chandrika 35, Derwin Christian 26, Veerasammy Permaul 21; Lionel Baker 4-57, Tonito Willett 3-31, Gavin Tonge 2-82) and 173 for six (Leon Johnson 60, Rajindra Chandrika 38, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 32, Steven Jacobs 24; Anthony Martin 337, Gavin Tonge 2-32). At the Beausejour Cricket Ground: Windwards beat CCC by three wickets. Scores: COMBINED CAMPUSES & CAMPUS
309 (Anthony Alleyne 84, Kevin McClean 28, Jason Dawes 27 not out, Chadwick Walton 27; Shane Shillingford 3-76, Nelon Pascal 3-92, Garey Mathurin 2-44, Delorn Johnson 2-50) and 284 (Chadwick Walton 88, Akeem Dewar 52, Nekoli Parris 37, Kyle Corbin 31; Nelon Pascal 5-81, Shane Shillingford 278). WINDWARD ISLANDS 409 all out (Devon Smith 139, Tyrone Theophile 54, Andre Fletcher 41, Dalton Polius 77, Lyndon James 26; Akeem Dewar 4-127, Raymon Reifer 3-38) and 187 for three (Devon Smith 106 not out, Andre Fletcher 25, Tyrone Theophile 25).
Guyana, Leewards play to a draw as Windwards beat CCC
Inaugural Robert Williams Memorial... From page 35 According to him, the company only recently completed the senior league which was a success, “Because most of these teams were able to transfer their skills onto the field which will enable them to go on to major tournaments. Stag will always be there to sponsor these tournaments especially teaming up with Slingerz.” Event and Sponsorship Manager for Digicel, Gavin Hope said while the company is happy to be on board with the tournament, he is more pleased with the players’ involvement in assisting at the school level. This he said will better prepare the schools for the upcoming football championship. “With their help we will
definitely see a higher level of football coming from schools on the West Side. The players he said will take the place of coaches in some schools that are without coaches.” He said too that getting involved in this tournament was in important step, “We know that football or the residents on the Westside are passionate about football and I have seen that over the years. We have seen the growth of football teams from a school level in our national school competition. We thought it fit because of the growth and passion for football on the Westside that we should be a part of this project.” Lyndon Boston, representing Hopkinson Mining said the company
was happy to be a part of the tournament. According to him, it is the company’s believe that sport brings people together despite their background. The eight clubs participating in the tournament are: host Slingerz, Eagles, Utivlugt, Beavers, Seawall, Stewartville, Den Amstel and Young Achievers football clubs. The first two matches will be played on Sunday at the Den Amstel Ground. In the first match Eagles tackles Uitvlugt followed by Slingerzvs Beavers. Kick off time is 18 hours. The first place team walks away with $500,000, while Second to fourth place will cart off $300, 000, $150,000 and $50,000 respectively.