Saudi FM calls Indian, Pakistani counterparts to discuss developments    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia cracks down on fraudulent Hajj campaigns, urges pilgrims to use official channels    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    Literature Commission inaugurates Saudi Pavilion at Muscat Book Fair    Saudi Minister of Culture holds talks with his Costa Rican counterpart in Jeddah    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    MHRSD: 80% of recruitment offices are non-compliant with regulations    At least 50 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza    Teenage girl killed in French school stabbing attack    Trump claims meeting with China after Beijing denies any trade negotiations    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Jennifer Lopez dazzles in Jeddah with a Formula 1 performance    Saudi Arabia open to expanded 64-team World Cup in 2034, says sports minister    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Film Commission launches 'Cinema' initiative to enhance content    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



IAAF: Rogge shows ‘lack of respect' for athletics
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 09 - 11 - 2008

In a highly unusual show of discord between Olympic leaders, IAAF chief Lamine Diack sharply criticized IOC president Jacques Rogge on Friday for displaying “a lack of respect” for the sport of athletics.
Diack, president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, issued a strongly worded statement vowing to fight for the “rightful place of athletics at the summer Olympic Games.” He assailed the International Olympic Committee president for criticizing Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt's celebrations in Beijing and for suggesting that the Olympic track in London could be ripped up after the 2012 games.
Diack, who is scheduled to meet with Rogge in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Nov. 17, said he will “remind him of the contribution that athletics has made to the Olympic Games throughout its history and particularly to the success of the most recent Olympic Games in Beijing.”
The IOC said it had no immediate comment on Diack's letter.
Diack took issue with Rogge for accusing Bolt of excessive showboating and showing a lack of respect to other sprinters after his world record-breaking performances in the 100 meters and 200 meters at the Beijing Olympics.
“We live in a time when Olympic sports are struggling to remain attractive to young people, when we all need to make sport exciting and relevant to them,” Diack said. “Since we need to create heroes that young people identify with, why criticize the behavior of a young man who is instantly and completely appealing to young people?”
Diack said Bolt, who won a third gold medal and set a third world record in the 4x100 relay, was only showing “exuberance and uninhibited pleasure in victory.” The achievements helped Bolt “transcend sport and become ... a truly global icon and a genuine role model for youngsters who may not find Olympic sport that exciting,” Diack said.
Diack also attacked Rogge for his recent comments about the after-use of the Olympic stadium in London.
The 85,000-capacity venue, which will host athletics events and the opening and closing ceremonies, is to be converted after the 2012 games into a 25,000-seat arena.
London organizers have always said the stadium would be used after the Olympics for athletics. But, in the wake of the current financial crunch, Rogge suggested in a BBC interview that wouldn't necessarily have to be the case.
“We should avoid leaving white elephants and if the best solution is to transform the track into something else, then we would be in favor of that,” he was quoted as saying. “We had the same situation in Atlanta where the (1996) Olympic Stadium was changed into a baseball stadium, which kept an interest for sport.” Diack responded in blunt terms.
“As the leader of the world governing body for athletics, I think this shows a lack of respect for my sport,” he said. “
Diack said he had no objection to athletics sharing the London venue with other sports. Organizers are considering arrangements with a local football or rugby team as a tenant.
“Destroying the track would be totally unacceptable,” Diack said.
He also disagreed with Rogge's assessment of the Atlanta stadium, which he called a “source of great disappointment.”
“The fact that the site of magnificent athletics' performances such as Carl Lewis' last Olympic long jump gold or Michael Johnson's amazing double at 200m and 400m is no longer able to host athletics ... but is instead a bargain venue for professional baseball is nothing to be proud of at all,” he said.
“Today, believe it or not, the USA does not have a single venue capable of hosting an IAAF World Championships in athletics.” – AP __


Clic here to read the story from its source.