Olympics FanHouse

Oscar Pistorius Wants to Be the Amputee Usain Bolt, Goes for 3 Golds at Paralympics

Michael David Smith — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 21:26:00 EST

Filed under: Africa

A month after Jamaica's Usain Bolt won three sprint gold medals in the Beijing Olympics, South African double amputee Oscar Pistorius is looking to do the same at the Beijing Paralympics.

Early this year Pistorius successfully challenged the International Olympic Committee's ban on runners with prosthetic legs but failed to achieve a qualifying time for the Olympics. Today he ran an 11.16-second 100-meter dash, the fastest time in the 100-meter preliminary heats at the Paralympics.

Americans Jerome Singleton, Brian Frasure and Marlon Shirley had the next-best times, but all were well behind Pistorius.

Pistorius will also run the 200 and 400 meters. Bolt won the gold medals in the 100, 200 and 4x100-meter relay.

Oscar Pistorius Wants to Be the Amputee Usain Bolt, Goes for 3 Golds at Paralympics originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 08 Sep 2008 21:26:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe Hands Olympian Kirsty Coventry $100,000 in Cash

Michael David Smith — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:15:00 EST

Filed under: Africa

Inflation in Zimbabwe is so stunningly high -- more than 11 million percent so far this year -- that a box of cereal costs more than 1,000 Zimbabwe dollars, while a teacher's monthly salary is 800 Zimbabwe dollars.

So with an economy that out of kilter, it seems more than a little perverse that President Robert Mugabe handed swimmer Kristy Coventry a suitcase full of $100,000 as a bonus for her performance in Beijing, where she won a gold medal and three silver medals.

"You have done well, daughter of Zimbabwe," Mugabe told Coventry. "We wish you well in life. We should praise her. She is our golden girl. Take care of her."

Coventry lives in the United States. Fortunately for Coventry, the cash she got was in American greenbacks.

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe Hands Olympian Kirsty Coventry $100,000 in Cash originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tunisia's Ous Mellouli Wins 1,500 Freestyle

Michael David Smith — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 22:31:00 EST

Filed under: Africa

Ous Mellouli, representing the small African nation of Tunisia, pulled off a huge upset in the 1,500-meter freestyle, defeating Australia's two-time defending champ Grant Hackett to win his country's first swimming gold medal.

Mellouli finished in 14 minutes, 40.84 seconds to defeat Hackett, the world record holder, who took the silver in 14:41.53. Ryan Cochrane of Canada took the bronze in 14:42.69.

In a sign of the globalization of the sport of swimming, Mellouli is the second African to win a swimming gold at these Olympics, following Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry in the 200-meter backstroke.

Tunisia's Ous Mellouli Wins 1,500 Freestyle originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sat, 16 Aug 2008 22:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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U.S. Men's Soccer Team Falls to Nigeria

Michael David Smith — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:51:00 EST

Filed under: Africa, USA

The U.S. men's soccer team lost to to Nigeria 2-1 today at Workers' Stadium in Beijing, meaning Nigeria wins Group B and the United States misses what looked like a great chance of advancing to the knockout stage.

A red card from Michael Orozco in the third minute left the U.S. team shorthanded for the rest of the match, and Nigeria scored once late in the first half and once in the 79th minute. A U.S. goal in the 88th minute was too little, too late.

The Netherlands beating Japan today sealed the Americans' fate, and it will be the Netherlands and Nigeria advancing out of the round. For an American team that beat Japan in its first game and came within a minute of beating the Netherlands in its second, that's a disappointing ending.

U.S. Men's Soccer Team Falls to Nigeria originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:51:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lopez Lomong Recalls His Journey to America

Michael David Smith — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 17:55:00 EST

Filed under: Africa, China, USA

Eight years ago, Lopez Lomong had escaped the Sudan and was living in a refugee camp in Kenya when he heard about the Olympic Games. Wanting to see the Games, he walked five miles to the nearest television, where he saw American Michael Johnson win the 400-meter dash. He tells his story:

"I want to be as fast as that guy," Lomong recalled thinking upon seeing the Olympics. "And that's what inspired me from that point on. I want to run as fast as that guy and I want to run for that country."

Lomong later left the refugee camp, came to America, became an American citizen and began running for Team USA. He was chosen as the American flag bearer for yesterday's opening ceremony.

While host country China's support of the Sudanese government is shameful, Americans can be proud that our country has welcomed Lomong.

"I am so happy," Lomong said. "I'm so proud to be an American."

Lopez Lomong Recalls His Journey to America originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sat, 09 Aug 2008 17:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sudanese-Born Lopez Lomong Will Carry U.S. Flag at Olympic Opening Ceremonies

Michael David Smith — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:40:00 EST

Filed under: Africa, USA

Team USA has chosen its flag bearer for Friday's Olympic opening ceremonies, and it's an athlete who's only been an American for 13 months.

Lopez Lomong, a 1,500-meter runner who was born in Sudan but became an American citizen last year, will carry the stars and stripes into the Bird's Nest Stadium in Beijing. He was chosen after a vote of American team captains.

"It's more than a dream," Lomong said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I keep saying, I'm not sure if this is true or not true. I'm making the team and now I'm the first guy coming to the stadium and the whole world will be watching me carry the flag. There are no words to describe it."

Lomong was separated from his family in Sudan at age 6, lived in a refugee camp in Kenya, and came to America in 2001. His selection as the flag bearer is a powerful statement that, no matter how hard China may try to cover up the atrocities in Darfur, the people of Sudan must not be forgotten.

Sudanese-Born Lopez Lomong Will Carry U.S. Flag at Olympic Opening Ceremonies originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amputee Sprinter Fails to Qualify for Beijing

Enrico Campitelli — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:41:00 EST

Filed under: Africa, Beijing

The Olympic dreams of double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius were put on hold after he failed to make the South African roster for the 1600 meter relay. While Pistorius will not be competing against the world's best in Beijing in August, he does plan on competing in the Paralympic Games held there in September.

Oscar admits that a long legal battle which he was fighting for the right to compete against able-bodied athletes took much of his focus away from training for the games. But failing to make the South African team for Beijing hasn't crushed Pistorius' Olympic dreams completely as he hopes to try again to make the team for the 2012 Games in London.

Pistorius is featured in the end of this Nike Courage ad that will be seen during Olympic telecasts next month.There was much debate in the sports world as to whether Oscar should have been allowed to compete due many people's belief that his artificial legs gave him an advantage. He ended up winning the right to compete but couldn't make the team.

Pistorius, who recently won the right to compete against able-bodied athletes in an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, failed to meet the qualifying standard in the 400 meters. He had hoped to be chosen as an alternate for the 1,600 relay, but his name was not on the roster announced Friday.

Surely we haven't heard the last of the speedy South African.

Previously at FanHouse:
Pistorius Fails To Qualify In 400 meters.

Amputee Sprinter Fails to Qualify for Beijing originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oscar Pistorius Fails to Qualify for 400 Meters at Olympics

Josh Alper — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:55:00 EST

Filed under: Africa

Oscar Pistorius's hopes of going to Beijing as a member for the South African Olympic team are getting dimmer. He ran the 400 meters in 46.25 at a meet in Switzerland today, 0.70 seconds slower than the qualifying time he needed to gain entry to the event during the Games.

The South African Olympic Committee gave him until July 17th to make the qualifying time. They can still choose him as a member of the 400 meter relay team but that's his last chance at running in Beijing.

"It's up to the (South African) federation but I know there are one or two guys hoping to make the squad who have not done as good as 46.25 this year so I'll just have to see when I get home."

If Pistorius is selected, it would be over the objections of the International Association of Athletics Federations. The organization said Tuesday that they would prefer Pistorius not be picked for the team. They couched their complaint as one of safety for Pistorius and other runners but it's more likely that this all goes back to their initial ruling about Pistorius's eligibility for the Olympics. They think that he's gained some kind of mechanical advantage thanks to his prosthetics and they want to close the door to him and other runners in his position.

Oscar Pistorius Fails to Qualify for 400 Meters at Olympics originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cape Verde No Match For Herr Kaman

Tom Ziller — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe

Far from a baptism of fire, New German Chris Kaman easily swept through his first international contest, against Cape Verde today in the Olympic qualifiers in Athens. Caveman had 10 and 10 in 20 minutes, and the Germans won by 36.

Sadly, with that, Cape Verde has been eliminated from both this tournament and Olympic contention. Joining them among the ranks of the cast aside are Lebanon and Cameroon. The loser of Canada vs. Republic of Korea on Wednesday will also meet its Olympic doom.

Yep, that's right, a team I called a 'wild card' -- based solely on Samuel Dalembert and an affinity for Shareef Abdur-Rahim Grizzlies throwbacks -- could be gone by this time tomorrow. Slovenia destroyed the Canucks this morning. Dalembert was woeful -- 4 points on 1-of-8 shooting, 2 rebounds in 22 minutes of work. Korea might actually be the favorite.

Brazil and Greece match up Wednesday as well, in the best game on paper of the opening round. The winner avoids Herr Kaman and his friend Dirk in Friday's quarterfinals. Croatia and Puerto Rico will also be battling to avoid Slovenia (and, by extension, draw the winner of Canada-Korea).

Cape Verde No Match For Herr Kaman originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here Comes the Olympic Hoops Qualifier

Tom Ziller — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe

Most of the Olympic men's basketball field has been set, with Argentina, Australia, Iran, Lithuania, Russia, Angola, China, Spain and the United States preparing for the August Games. The top three teams in the Olympic qualifying tournament -- which begins today in Athens -- will also compete in Beijing. Here's a quick look at the tourney.

The Favorite: Greece. The Greek team famously beat Team USA in the 2006 World Championships, setting off the maelstrom of righteous indignation which promised to (but didn't) revolutionize the way USA Basketball chose its teams. Greece boasts no current NBA players, but could beat a half-dozen NBA teams. Guard play makes the Greeks the favorites. Theo Papaloukas should be well-known in America, and Dimitris Diamantidis is one of the best perimeter defenders in Europe. Add good size up front and home court advantage, and it'd be a surprise if the Greeks didn't win this outright.

The Contenders: Germany, Brazil, Puerto Rico. At least one of these teams won't make it (unless Greece crumbles). Germany famously boasts both Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Kaman now, though little else. Brazil will be without Leandro Barbosa, but has Tiago Splitter and some good guards. Also, Brazilian two-guard Alex Garcia shattered a backboard in the pre-game lay-up line in an exhibition last week. Awesome. But never count out Puerto Rico, with an assortment of former and current NBA players like Carlos Arroyo, J.J. Barea, and Peter John Ramos, as well SACRAMENTO STATE! product Joel (pronounced "Joe .... El") Jones.

The Wild Cards: Croatia, Canada, Slovenia. Croatia has a nice roster, with former Net Zoran Planinic and future Raptor Roko Ukic and one-time Tulsa 66er Damir Markota. But the team's had a tough spell in the exhibition season. Canada has Samuel Dalembert, who can control a game from his role as defensive anchor against the right opponent. Slovenia competes without Beno Udrih, but still have FC Barcelona point guard Jaka Lakovic and youngster Goran Dragic to man the position, along with Rasho Nesterovic up front.

The Happy-To-Be-Heres: Cameroon, New Zealand, Cape Verde, Korea, Lebanon. When Ruben Boumtje Boumtje is your star, you're in trouble; sorry, Cameroon. New Zealand lacks star power (even of the Boumtje Boumtje variety!), but isn't terrible, and is probably the best of this set. Cape Verde is ranked below even Bulgaria and Uzbekistan. Korea and Lebanon figure to matter seriously in international competition by the year 202Never.

Here Comes the Olympic Hoops Qualifier originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 14 Jul 2008 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With Chance at 2 Golds, Will Bernard Lagat Become America's Top Olympic Track Star?

Michael David Smith — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:36:00 EST

Filed under: Track and Field, USA, Africa

Bernard Lagat already has a solid track and field resume, having won the bronze medal in the 1,500 meters at the 2000 Olympics, and the silver in 2004.

Lagat won those medals for Kenya, but he's now an American, and at the U.S. Olympic trials he won both the 1,500 and the 5,000. (As Jere Longman of the New York Times notes, all three U.S. Olympians in the men's 1,500 meters are immigrants: Lagat from Kenya, Leonel Manzano from Mexico and Lopez Lomong from Sudan.)

Winning the 1,500 and the 5,000 made Lagat the only double winner at the track trials, and he has a good chance at winning gold in both in Beijing. Tyson Gay was expected to emerge from the trials as the biggest star in American track, but his fall in the 200 meters prevented him from matching Lagat's double win. In six weeks, Lagat may be America's top track star.

With Chance at 2 Golds, Will Bernard Lagat Become America's Top Olympic Track Star? originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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South African Government Wants a Field Hockey Team That's Exactly 50% White

Michael David Smith — Mon, 26 May 2008 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Africa

The South African government has created a controversy by demanding that its 16-member Olympic field hockey team be made up of exactly eight white players and eight players of color.

The South African Hockey Association (in South Africa, like much of the world, when they say "hockey" they mean field hockey) says it is prepared to consider government's 50-50 representation request, which would change a previous agreement that the team would include 10 white players and six players of color.

Although using race as a factor to determine who makes the Olympic team may seem strange to Americans, in South Africa, the controversy is more over the numerical breakdown than whether race should play a part in selecting the team at all. The president of the Hockey Association, Dave Carr, says he will meet with the South African Olympic Committee to determine whether the 50-50 representation is possible.

Via Jeff Z. Klein at The New York Times' Olympics blog, Rings.

South African Government Wants a Field Hockey Team That's Exactly 50% White originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 26 May 2008 15:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Congratulations, 2000 Nigerian 4x400 Relay Team: You Just Won the Gold Medal

Michael David Smith — Thu, 22 May 2008 18:09:00 EST

Filed under: Track and Field, PEDs, USA, Africa

I might be getting a little bit ahead of myself with that headline, but only a little bit.

American sprinter Antonio Pettigrew, who was part of Team USA's gold-medal winning 1600-meter relay team at the 2000 Olympics, admitted under oath today that he used performance-enhancing drugs from 1997 to 2001. According to the rules governing international sports, that should result in Team USA being stripped of its gold medal, and the silver medal winners, Nigeria, being awarded the gold.

That 2000 relay has been controversial almost since Team USA crossed the finish line first in Sydney. There were always whispers about doping in American track, and in 2004, another member of the American relay team, Jerome Young, was found to have used performance-enhancing drugs, and Nigeria was awarded the gold.

But the rest of the American runners on that relay team -- including Pettigrew -- appealed the ruling and won, meaning they got to keep their gold and Nigeria had to settle for keeping the silver.

Now that Pettigrew has admitted that he was a cheater, it's hard to see how he can and his teammates can get to keep the gold that they won on that appeal. It's a strange thing about the Olympic Games that you never know if the results you're seeing are real, or if they'll be overturned years later. In the case of the 4x400 relay in 2000, it appears that Nigeria just won its gold medal, eight years after the starter's pistol sounded.

Congratulations, 2000 Nigerian 4x400 Relay Team: You Just Won the Gold Medal originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Thu, 22 May 2008 18:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oscar Pistorius Probably Won't Run in Beijing

Michael David Smith — Sun, 18 May 2008 10:36:00 EST

Filed under: Olympics, Track and Field, Africa

Double amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius will be allowed to represent South Africa in the Beijing Olympics while using his Cheetah prosthetic legs, the Court of Arbitration in Sport ruled last week.

But just because he's allowed to run doesn't mean he will. In fact, as the Times of South Africa reports, he's got a very, very difficult road to qualify for the Olympics. There is almost no chance that Pistorius will run a qualifying time in the 400 meters, as Pistorius himself seems to have accepted:

"At least the door is open for the future - I can run in able-bodied meets. There will be world champs next year, the 2012 Olympics. In all honesty, it will be extremely difficult to qualify for Beijing."

If the South African 4x400-meter relay team qualifies for Beijing (probably about a 50-50 proposition), Pistorius might be chosen as an alternate on that team. So he might get to Beijing. But he probably wouldn't actually run there.

The bottom line is that the ruling allowing Pistorius to run set an important precedent for the future, but it will probably have no impact on the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Oscar Pistorius Probably Won't Run in Beijing originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sun, 18 May 2008 10:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amputee Swimmer Natalie Du Toit Qualifies for 2008 Summer Olympics

Michael David Smith — Wed, 07 May 2008 15:51:00 EST

Filed under: Olympics, Women's Sports, Africa

This is Natalie Du Toit, a South African who as a 17-year-old was well on her way to becoming one of the best swimmers in the world when she was hit by a car and had to have her leg amputated.

Disabled Athletes

Natalie Du Toit Olympic dream became a reality Saturday when she qualified for the Olympics with a fourth place finish in a 10km race at the Open-Water World Championships.

Touchline Photo / Getty Images

Du Toit isn't the only prominent athlete to overcome physical disabilities. South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius, known as the "Blade Runner," is the double amputee world record holder in the 100, 200 and 400 meter events. He continues to run with the aid of carbon fiber limbs.

Stu Forster, Getty Images

Former New Orleans Saints kicker Tom Dempsey, who was born with no toes on his right foot, set an NFL record for the longest field goal when he kicked a 63-yarder in 1970.

Darryl Norenberg, WireImage.com

Former major league pitcher Jim Abbott, who was born without a right hand, threw a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians in 1993. He compiled 87 wins and 888 strikeouts in his 10-year career.

Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images

Former San Jose State college football player Neil Parry (32) was able to return to the field after he was injured during a game and had his right leg amputated. Parry played on special teams for the Spartans in 2003.

Gary Reyes, San Jose Mercury News/MCT

Professional golfer Casey Martin, who has suffered from a leg ailment since birth, won a NIKE Tour event in 1998. He successfully sued the PGA Tour in 2001 for the right to use a golf cart during competition.

David Maxwell, AFP/Getty Images

Katie Walker, an NCAA golfer at Cal State Bakersfield, had her left leg amputated from just above the knee when she was less than a year old.

Jae C. Hong, AP

Former outfielder Pete Gray lost his right arm in a childhood accident, but still became a major leaguer for the St. Louis Browns in 1945. Gray gave hope to disabled servicemen returning from World War II.

Now she's 24 years old, and that injury didn't stop her from becoming one of the best swimmers in the world. She finished fourth in the 10 kilometer open water swim world championship, and that qualifies her to become the first amputee to compete in the Olympic Games.

One of the biggest controversies in international sports over the last year has been whether it's fair for the double amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius to run on his prosthetics, which some experts say are more efficient than human legs. But there are no such controversies surrounding Du Toit -- she wears nothing more than the same swim wear, cap and goggles as every able-bodied swimmer. It's just that she's better than almost all of them.

So how does she compensate for her missing leg? She answers:

"There's no real compensation. You just do the hours in the swimming pool, you do the hours of racing and you do the hours of mental preparation. You just go out and give it everything. I don't even think of one leg, two legs. When you're racing in an able-bodied competition you're all equal and you go out there and try your best, and that's what counts."

The 10-kilometer open water swim is a new sport for the 2008 Summer Games. Du Toit finished the world championship in 2:02:07.8, or 5.1 seconds behind the winner, meaning she has a real chance of winning the event's first gold medal.

Amputee Swimmer Natalie Du Toit Qualifies for 2008 Summer Olympics originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Wed, 07 May 2008 15:51:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jacques Rogge: Air in Beijing Poses No Health Risk for Athletes

Josh Alper — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 10:15:00 EST

Filed under: Olympics, Track and Field, Beijing, China, Africa

The violence in Tibet has pushed concerns about air pollution into a secondary position among complaints about having the Olympics in Beijing of late. The air will have a lot more to do with the athletic performances this summer and already cost the games one of its best performers.

Haile Gebrselassie announced he wouldn't run the marathon some time ago because he feared for his health in the polluted air and this week came word that he'd skip the 10,000 meters as well. He's a two-time gold medalist at that distance and holds the world record in the marathon which, even at this late stage in his career, makes his absence a glaring one.

Jacques Rogge, head of the IOC, in his typically double-dealing fashion discredited any health problems associated with the air.

"The health of the athletes is absolutely not in any danger. It might be that some will have to have a slightly reduced performance, but nothing will harm the health of the athletes. The IOC will take care of that."

Rogge, who backed up his assertion with nothing but bravado, previously said that events would be postponed if the air was too poor. That's odd if it doesn't effect athletes. He also sloughed off Gebrselassie's absence, saying that the Ethopian was "slightly asthmatic."

True as that might be, it hasn't affected him in Sydney, Atlanta, Berlin, Dubai or other places where he's won races. The IOC loves to crow about its mission of putting on the best Olympics possible and, simply stated, one without Gebrselassie can't be that.

Jacques Rogge: Air in Beijing Poses No Health Risk for Athletes originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Sat, 05 Apr 2008 10:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kenyan-American Bernard Lagat Aims for Olympic Glory in His New Country

Michael David Smith — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:47:00 EST

Filed under: Olympics, Track and Field, USA, Africa

Bernard Lagat won the bronze medal in the 1,500 meters at the 2000 Summer Olympics and the silver in 2004. He's going for the gold in 2008, but he's a rare athlete who has switched countries: In the past he ran for his native Kenya, but he became a U.S. citizen in 2004 and now runs under the American flag.

That makes him a controversial figure in his homeland -- some in Kenya want him stripped of his silver because he had already become an American before the Olympics -- but it could make him one of America's Olympic heroes this summer.

Jere Longman of the New York Times profiles Lagat today, and Lagat explains that becoming an American was mostly about his life after his running career ends:

"I love Kenya," Lagat said. Yet, he said: "How many thousands of Kenyans get out of school and there are no jobs? Or one job for 50 people? I wanted to be able to support my family here."

Hard to argue with that. The 1,500 meters has been an unkind event to American runners: No American had won it in any major competition for nearly a century until Lagat won the world title last year. Now America may have the favorite to bring home the gold.

Kenyan-American Bernard Lagat Aims for Olympic Glory in His New Country originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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George Clooney Vocal About China Issues

Enrico Campitelli — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:48:00 EST

Filed under: Olympics, Beijing, USA, China, Africa

George Clooney, the star of such blockbuster hits as Michael Clayton and Big Gay Al's Big Gay Boat Ride, is the latest A-lister to speak out about China's human rights issues in the months leading up to the Beijing games. Clooney helps promote Omega Watches which is one of the worldwide Olympic partners for this summer's games.

Yesterday, Clooney was quoted on the BBC website and made it clear that Omega is aware of how he feels, "I have talked with Omega (about China) for over a year and will continue to talk to Omega. I have and will go to the places I and China do business and ask for help."

Omega, who has been the official Olympics timekeeper since 1932, isn't into mixing sports and politics. An executive representing Omega had this to say in response to Clooney:

"It is our policy not to get involved in politics," he was quoted as saying, because it would not serve the cause of sport, which he called one of the noblest human endeavors "for creating understanding and peace all over the world."

Earlier this month, Steven Spielberg dropped out as artistic advisor to the games due to his beliefs regarding China's human rights issues with Darfur.

Clooney is known to be one of Hollywood's more vocal activists for causes he believes in. A little known fact about the Hollywood superstar is that he once tried out for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team. Unlike most of the women in his life, the Reds rejected him.

George Clooney Vocal About China Issues originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Haile Gebrselassie Won't Run Olympic Marathon, Cites Beijing Pollution

Michael David Smith — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Olympics, Track and Field, Beijing, China, Africa

In the most serious blow yet to China's efforts to convince the world that air pollution won't affect the Summer Olympics, the world record holder in the marathon is skipping the event at this year's Games because he fears the Beijing air would damage his lungs.

Haile Gebrselassie said on Monday he would not compete in the Olympic marathon because of fears that Beijing's air pollution would damage his health. He does intend to run the 10,000 meters in Beijing, as the combination of a shorter distance and the 10,000 being confined to the Olympic Stadium will make it less damaging to his lungs.

"The pollution in China is a threat to my health and it would be difficult for me to run 42 [kilometers] in my current condition," Gebrselassie, who has suffered from asthma, told Reuters.

He added that pollution "would be a hazard to athletes, seriously affecting their performances."

The question now is whether the International Olympic Committee should step in and move the Olympic marathon to another, cleaner venue. That would enrage Chinese officials, but it may be the only way to ensure the health of Olympic marathoners.

Haile Gebrselassie Won't Run Olympic Marathon, Cites Beijing Pollution originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Violence in Kenya Claims Two Runners

Michael David Smith — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:49:00 EST

Filed under: Olympics, Track and Field, Africa

Two running stars have been killed this month in Kenya, a country that has been plagued by violence and civil unrest since a disputed presidential election on December 27.

Wesly Ngetich who won the Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minn., in 2005 and 2007, was killed when he was shot with an arrow on on Monday. He was 34. Former Olympic runner Lucas Sang was killed in western Kenya during the election violence on January 1. He was 46. There are conflicting reports as to whether Sang was hacked to death or stoned to death.

William Yiampoy, a neighbor of Ngetich's and one of Kenya's top 800-meter runners, said Ngetich was killed not because of election violence but because of tribal violence unrelated to the elections.

In Duluth, Ngetich is being remembered as a man who was quiet, intense, and having a great sense of humor. Ngetich did much of his running in the United States and wanted to run in a marathon in Arizona this month, but he was unable to leave Kenya because of the violence.

Photo caption: The coffin of Kenyan runner Lucas Sang is carried before being lowered into the ground, January 10, 2008 in Kuinet near Eldoret, western Kenya. Sang, who was a runner in the 1988 Olympics 4 by 400 relay was killed during recent troubles following a contested election result.

Via Can't Stop the Bleeding.

Violence in Kenya Claims Two Runners originally appeared on Olympics FanHouse on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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