THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017 SPORTS Los Angeles, await Olympic inspectors

GENEVA: Los Angeles and Paris, both already seen as winning options for the 2024 Games, await their Olympic inspec- tors this week. The cities will host three- day visits by an International Olympic Committee panel, whose chairman has no doubt about their hosting credentials. “I think today at least you can already say, either way, we will have fantastic ,” IOC evaluation commission chair- man Patrick Baumann told AP. IOC President Thomas Bach seems so sure of the candidates’ qualities that he asked his four vice presidents for advice on also bringing the 2028 Olympics into play, rewarding both cities with hosting duties. That guidance is due in July, so Baumann’s 13-member group will press on with scheduled work in Los Angeles starting yesterday, then in Paris from Sunday. Each visit ends with Baumann taking questions at a news conference. “There is no change in the scope and the role and the mandate,” Baumann said of the possible dual award affecting his eventual report to IOC members. In the typically secretive world of Olympics elec- tions, it is unclear how many voting mem- bers are swayed by the type of report they will get from Baumann’s team on July 5. IOC inspections typically do not rank can- didate cities, and a more flexible evalua- tion process introduced for the 2024 con- test will look to stress the positives. The IOC says it will also publish the report on its website. “It is not about finding the black spot,” LOS ANGELES: More than a dozen landmark buildings and tourist sites which includes the Disney Concert Hall illuminated in the colors of Los Angeles sunsets and the LA2024 logo to support the Baumann, an IOC member from bid to host the 2024 Olympic games as the International Olympic Committee’s Evaluation Commission arrived for three days of meetings and a tour of potential venues in Hollywood. — AFP Switzerland, said in a recent interview. “It is, of course, to highlight challenges if there are, but also and mainly to highlight the opportunities.” Baumann acknowl- Tokyo urged to stop using cheap timber in stadium edged that the “differences are going to be extremely small” between two obviously : A village leader from Borneo urged Oyoi told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by charities in April that twice found plywood es in Sarawak. The Olympic organizers agreed world-class cities. Still, the Olympic host- yesterday to stop building its Olympic he hoped Japanese officials would understand from a Borneo sawmill at the construction site sourcing rules prior to the construction to ing model has been burned by recent stadium with cheap timber that he says is oblit- that by using cheap timber, they were con- of the wooden stadium. At that time, the JSC ensure a sustainable games in 2020. But high-spending and budget-busting hosts. erating traditional life for his indigenous peo- tributing to the death of traditional life for said tropical timber was being used but that it Rainforest Action Network said a provision in Baumann cautioned that “realistic financ- ple. Bilong Oyoi, whose Penan people live in indigenous groups in Sarawak state, on the met certification standards agreed by Japan’s the code exempted certain types of cheap ply- ing” is a key factor to avoid an unwanted Borneo’s Malaysian rainforests, handed a peti- Malaysian part of Borneo island. “We lost our Olympic organizers. wood used to shape concrete, like the timber legacy of tax hikes and white elephant tion of 140,000 signatures to Tokyo’s embassy in livelihoods because the water is polluted by the On April 27, Olympic authorities told a found in the stadium site. venues. A privately funded Los Angeles Bern, Switzerland, demanding it halt use of logging. The situation is becoming worse and group of seven environmental and rights Rights groups have demanded an overhaul project also differs from a more European deforestation-linked tropical timber in its worse. Because of the logging it is now very dif- organizations, including Global Witness and of procurement and an investigation into the model in Paris that looks to some taxpayer Olympic venues. ficult to hunt and fish and to survive,” Oyoi said Rainforest Action Network, that timber came legality and sustainability of tropical wood. money toward projected spending of 3 Japan is hosting the games in 2020 with a by telephone. “Our wish is that this petition be from a plywood mill in Bintulu, Sarawak. The Tokyo’s Olympic stadium will be constructed billion euros ($3.2 billion) on new venues wooden latticed stadium, now under construc- accepted by Japan and that they stop import- mill sources timber from areas that are subject around an unusual set of wooden lattices - a and buildings. ’s President-elect, tion, as the dramatic centerpiece. But last ing timber from Sarawak that encroaches the to an ongoing lawsuit by indigenous communi- design conceived by architect Kengo Kuma to Emmanuel Macron, will be inaugurated month, a group of charities said some timber land of the Penan and indigenous people,” he ties over violations to their customary right to harmonize with a forest of oak and camphor Sunday in Paris when the IOC team starts came from a Malaysian logging giant that is added. Japan’s Sport Council (JSC), the govern- land, said the charities in their statement on trees surrounding the nearby Meiji shrine in the work. Olympic bidders need federal sup- accused of deforestation and human rights vio- ment body in charge of building Olympic ven- Wednesday. Japanese capital. Japan’s government has said port for security operations. Macron will lations, in breach of Japan’s pledge to hold a ues, and the International Olympic Committee Penan leaders were invited to Switzerland the wooden design was chosen over compet- take over from Francois Hollande, whose sustainable Olympics and design a truly green did not immediately respond to questions. by a Basel-based rainforest charity, Bruno ing proposals due to its fast construction time strong backing for the Paris bid included stadium. Yesterday’s petition followed an investigation Manser Fund, to raise awareness of rights abus- and sensitivity to the environment. —Reuters traveling to meet Bach in Lausanne, Switzerland. Macron’s election has spared Paris offi- cials from questions about how a far-right presidency of Marine Le Pen might play 3 Russian Olympic medalists with the IOC. Its global pool of members includes one from Syria, which is targeted get doping case appeal dates for a travel ban from Muslim-majority countries by President Donald Trump. Still, LAUSANNE, Switzerland: Three Russian Olympic Olympic champion and a five-time world champi- bid cities rely more on city mayors than medalists have appeal hearings in doping cases at onship medalist, including the 2011 champion. state presidents, and Paris has put civic the Court of Arbitration for Sport this month. High On May 15, five Russian cross-country skiers will leader Anne Hidalgo at the heart of its jumper Anna Chicherova’s appeal is set for May 30- appeal at CAS against provisional suspensions by campaign. 31 to challenge the IOC stripping her of a bronze the International Ski Federation. The suspensions medal from the 2008 Olympics, the court were imposed after a World Anti-Doping Agency Differences said yesterday. Chicherova tested positive for the investigator detailed a state-backed conspiracy at In political terms, Baumann noted that anabolic steroid turinabol in reanalysis of her urine the 2014 Sochi Olympics. The five athletes include the two bids come from countries that are sample eight years later. She remains the 2012 , 50-km freestyle champion at “organized differently in sports terms”. He Sochi, and , a three-time silver pointed to his experience staging events medalist including in the distance event. in the United States and France as secre- Legkov and Vylegzhanin won their medals in a tary general of basketball’s governing Russian podium sweep on the last day of competi- body, FIBA. “That doesn’t diminish in any tion and received them in the main stadium during way one bid versus the other, it’s just dif- the closing ceremony. FIS took all five cross-coun- ferent,” the Swiss official said. “That differ- try skiers out of competition in December when ence is something that also the IOC mem- they were identified in a report by WADA investiga- bership needs to understand.” tor Richard McLaren. The others are Alexey About 88 of the current 95 IOC mem- Petukhov, Evgenia Shapovalova and . bers are entitled to choose the 2024 host The skiers already had one defeat at CAS in in a vote scheduled for Sept. 13 in Lima, February when their urgent request for an interim Peru. American and French members will ruling letting them compete at the world champi- be barred from voting, and others have onships was rejected. recused themselves while under investiga- Their hearings at CAS next week deal just with tion. Plans could change during politicking their current eligibility to compete and do not pros- from July 9-12 in Lausanne. First, a two-day ecute the doping allegations. A separate meeting of the IOC executive board will International Olympic Committee panel, chaired by Blessen George Volleyball hear the vice presidents’ advice. Bid leaders Swiss lawyer Denis Oswald, is judging the doping from LA and Paris will then make separate cases along with other Russian athletes in Sochi Tournament begins today presentations to IOC members. By the implicated by McLaren. Verdicts in those cases are evening of July 12 it could be clear if both not expected before August. Legkov was among Los Angeles and Paris will win in a dou- Russian Olympians accused last year of doping by By Abdellatif Al-Sharaa the second includes King of Volleyball, bled-up 2024-2028 contest - though in the former head of the and Sochi drug- Boubyan and Boudham fighters. which order may be unresolved. Neither testing laboratories. ’s inter- KUWAIT: Four matches will be held A draw took place in the presence of city has offered to take the later option. For view with the New York Times prompted WADA to today in the Blessen George Volleyball three organizers as well as Kuwait Baumann, the two cities’ aims should stay appoint McLaren to verify the claims. Tournament being held at Al-Shabab Volleyball Federation President Waleed the same for the next week, and next Rodchenkov said he switched tainted urine sam- Sports Club hall instead of Fahaheel club. Aman, Secretary General Abdullah Kayed decade. “How are you going deliver a great ples for clean ones at the doping lab in Sochi, with Six teams expressed their wish to partici- and Referees’ Committee Rapporteur experience for the athletes?” Baumann BEIJING: In this Aug 23, 2008 file photo ’s help from people he believed to be Russian security pate in the annual event that commemo- Nayef Al-Humaidan. The organizers said. “How are you going deliver a great Anna Chicherova reacts after making a clearance service officers. Legkov denied the allegation, say- rates ’s national team volleyball decided to hold the matches on two experience for the fans? And how are you in the final of the women’s during the ing at news conference last May in Moscow: “You’d player Blessen George. The teams were courts so matches can end at the sched- going to deliver on the legacy of the prom- athletics competitions in the National Stadium have to be a complete kamikaze to do that in Russia divided into two groups - the first uled time. Matches begin at 6 pm with ises and the ideas that the bid committee at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. —AP if you’re an athlete representing our nation.” —AP includes ACMA, APR and the Stars, while tomorrow being the closing day. has put on paper?” —AP Paris Olympic bid believes Macron win will be a boost

PARIS: Paris Olympic bid leaders believe they have porting the bid since he was Economy Minister from for each city - in Lima, in a so called “win-win” scenario. found a strong ally in France’s new president, 2014-16 under President Francois Hollande. IOC President Thomas Bach has previously said he Emmanuel Macron. As they get ready for an Macron might find a slot in his busy agenda on wants to avoid producing so many losers in the multi- International Olympic Committee inspection panel visit Sunday night at a gala dinner involving athletes and million-dollar Olympic-bidding game. Both Paris and later this week, Paris officials think Macron’s victory IOC members, but Paris officials said the president- Los Angeles have made clear they are only interested in over populist far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the pres- elect has yet to confirm the date. Macron will officially competing for 2024, although Paris CEO Etienne idential runoff is giving extra guarantees to the IOC take over from Hollande on Sunday. The pro-business Thobois said he remains open to the discussion. “We about their dossier’s sturdiness. “The head of state’s role Macron’s election could, however, have a negative think it’s a very good initiative from the IOC,” Thobois is important and Emmanuel Macron is the leader we impact on Paris’ image if he goes ahead with his said. “We want to be IOC partners.” Paris, which last needed to embody the state’s commitment,” Paris bid planned reform of the labor code this summer, a move staged the Olympics in 1924, is bidding on the com- leader Tony Estanguet said yesterday. “He is a young likely to trigger massive street protests ahead of the pactness of its plans to make the difference. According and dynamic leader open to the world, and he wants to IOC vote in Peru. “My role is to convince IOC members to the bid dossier, 84 percent of the athletes will be make France win abroad. Those are the values we’re not to get involved in a debate on labor law,” able to reach their competition venues in less than 25 defending. It’s easy for us to ride that wave.” Estanguet said. minutes because the Olympic Stadium and aquatics Currently in Los Angeles to assess the LA bid, mem- Los Angeles and Paris are the only two bidders left center would be within 2 km of the proposed bers of the IOC will land in Paris on Saturday to inspect for the 2024 Games, which will be awarded in village.More than 70 percent of the proposed venues the city’s planned venues and meet with French bid September at a meeting of Olympic leaders in Peru. The are existing facilities, with a further 25 percent being leaders. Estanguet said Macron is likely to meet with race began with five cities, but Rome, Hamburg, temporary structures. The main construction require- the IOC delegation at some point during the three-day , and , , all pulled out. With ments for the bid include an aquatics center close to visit. “The head of state told us he wanted to have a both cities boasting strong technical bids, the main dis- the Stade de France, a new indoor arena in the south- PARIS: In this Oct 2, 2016 file photo, French President Francois Hollande moment with the members of the evaluation commis- cussions in recent weeks have focused on the possibili- ern Bercy neighborhood, the Olympic village and (left) and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach hold a sion,” said Estanguet, adding that Macron has been sup- ty for the IOC to award the 2024 and 2028 Games - one media center. —AP 1924 Olympics games flag during a meeting at the Elysee Palace.—AP