Bush Welcomes “Greatest Olympic and Paralympic Team Ever”
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic team from Beijing paid a visit to President George W. Bush today, which he hailed as the “greatest” team of all time.
“This is a special day for the White House” Bush said. “Laura and I are proud to welcome the greatest Olympic and Paralympic team ever assembled. And I bring greetings from the honorary captain of the Olympic teams -- President George H. W. Bush. We call him 41.”
More than 500 athletes who competed in Beijing were invited to the event on the South Lawn. This is Bush’s second event for the Beijing Olympics. The 43rd president of the United States hosted a send off for the squad before the opening ceremony.
The commander in chief said he met Michael Phelps, but that was not the highlight of his time in Beijing for the Olympics.
“Meeting his mother was more of a highlight. She reminded me of my mother -- plainspoken and full of love.”
President Bush congratulated several squads and members of the Olympic team, including the basketball champions, the women’s gymnastics and softball team, adding, “The Olympics would be smart to keep women's softball as a part of its program.”
However, all members of the team “amazed the world with your talent and grace and sportsmanship” and will be “champions forever."
“Now, one of the things that we really regret missing was the -- being in the Bird's Nest for the 13th Paralympic Games. And we congratulate the athletes who are here, as well. We recognize your hard work, and we're proud to call you Olympians.”
It is tradition for the U.S. Olympic Team to visit the White House, normally doing so within a few weeks of the end of the Games.
Uganda Proud of Beijing Accomplishments
After reviewing the performance of the Ugandan Olympic team, NOC chief Francis Nyangweso said the country should take pride in the team’s efforts.
“We might have won no medals but we had athletes in the finals,” Nyangweso said.
“We also had a bigger number qualifying for the event. They did it and we are proud of them.”
Nyangweso had harsh words for national federation leaders, laying blame for the lack of medals at their feet.
“Instead of developing athletes, you bicker and plot against each other. This should stop. You did not utilize the 2008 program and the money was returned.”
A committee was formed at the conclusion of the meeting to study the country’s lack of success and implement a plan to improve sporting performance.
Uganda last won a medal at the 1996 Olympics, when sprinter Davis Kamoga won bronze in the 400 meters.
New NOC Boss for Cyprus
For the first time in 24 years, the Cypriot Olympic Committee has a new president. Former education minister Ouranios Ioannides defeated Kikis Lazarides 21 votes to 20 in Thursday’s election. The election was part of the 28th COC General Assembly.
After his election Ioannides said he will do his utmost “to meet the expectations of the Olympic movement in Cyprus."
Elections for other Executive Board positions were also held. Demetris Lordos was re-elected as vice president, Charalambos Lottas was elected as secretary general, and Damianos Hadjidamianou was re-elected as treasurer.
Dutch Sack NOC President
Marcel Sturkenboom, the leader of sport in the Netherlands, was fired from his position as leader of the Dutch NOC on Friday.
Dutch news outlets said the cause for the firing was a row over management styles between Sturkenboomand NOC general manager Theo Fledderus.
Sturkenboom is the leading proponent of a Dutch bid for the 2028 Olympics.
Jamaica Urged to Fund Olympians
President of the Jamaica Olympic Association Michael Fennell called on the government to establish a fund to benefit Jamaican Olympians.
Fennell made the statement last Monday at a Lion’s Club meeting.
He said the lack of funding puts the Jamaican teams at a competitive disadvantage.
"We do not have a formal program in Jamaica where Olympic or world-class athletes are given assistance from the state. Many of the countries that we compete against have formal assistance program where once they are in a certain category and have been recognized by a proper process... they get a stipend from the state which helps them with their upkeep.”
NOC Briefs…
The NOC for France hosted some 60 athletes from 27 European countries to mark the capital's Nuit Blanche on Oct. 5. An autograph session with 100-meter freestyle swim champion Alain Bernard was among the most popular events at the CNOSF kiosks on the Champ de Mars during Paris' annual all-night festival. French Secretary of State for Sport Bernard Laporte attended the party as did Minister for Sports Roselyne Bachelot. Bachelot said she looks forward to "the day when all the citizens of Europe applaud the feats of a European champion, from a team marching behind the same starred flag," a reference to the EU flag.
The Brazilian Olympic Committee defends the scheduling of its Oct. 2 General Assembly, noting that 26 of 28 national federations attended the meeting. The meeting was announced in two Rio papers, plus timely invitations were sent to each of the federations, according to a COB statement. The president of the Brazilian Football Confederation, Ricardo Teixeira, alleged in a statement that the invitations were not sent early enough, so he sent no delegate. The Brazilian Ice Sports Federation also failed to send a delegate. At the meeting, Carlos Nuzman was elected to a fourth term as COB president. Teixeira says that election was not valid. Teixeira is also president of the 2014 World Cup organizing committee.
The Puerto Rico Olympic Committee has chosen David Bernier as its new president. "Today the share value of the Olympic Committee rose. Today, private companies want to be part of the Olympic Committee," he told Puerto Rico media a day after his Oct. 2 election. "That enthusiasm should be used as a driving force to set up our Olympic Committee to achieve our objective, which is to improve athletic performance of the country," he added. Puerto Rico last won a medal in 1996. Bernier says his administration will introduce an eight-year term limit on the presidency. The fencer and dentist is also head of the Mayaguez 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games.
The National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark reports a deficit of some $1.8 million in its draft budget for 2009 – red ink it attributes to lower revenues plus an obligation to Sport Event Denmark. The slack is expected to be made up by the government. Committee president Niels Nygaard is urging the government to increase sport funding from gaming.
The Solomon Islands NOC delayed executive elections until next year. Elections were originally scheduled for November but no reason for the delay was given.
The Zurich Group Germany has renewed its partnership with the NOC for Germany through the 2012 Games. The insurance company first signed with the DOSB in 2000.
Written by
Ed Hula III and Maggie Lee
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