Palenfo Seeks Final Term
Around the Rings has learned Lassana Palenfo will run this July for his final term as president of ANOCA, the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africay.
In an email, ANOCA executive Winslow Sone says no one has declared to run against the Ivorian at the July Elective General Assembly in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. But, he notes, "that can’t be ruled out."
Palenfo has led ANOCA since 2005. His final term would expire in 2017.
2019 Pan Am Bids
Four South American cities are in the running for the 2019 Pan American Games.
Bolivar, Venezuela; La Punta, Argentina; Lima, Peru and Santiago, Chile are the bids, according to media reports.
Bids were due to the Pan American Sports Organization on Feb. 1. A winner will be selected at the PASO General Assembly in Toronto this October.
IOA Leaders Charged with Corruption
Suresh Kalmadi and Lalit Bhanot were formally charged with corruption related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
Kalmadi led the organizing committee, while Bhanot was his secretary general. At the time, Kalmadi was Indian Olympic Association president, while Bhanot is now the IOA secretary general.
Charges posted by the court against a total of 10 organizing committee officials claim they violated Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act (PC).
At heart are allegations that Kalmadi manipulated the awarding of contracts that cost the exchequer millions of dollars.
Kalmadi pled not guilty. Trials considering evidence against Kalmadi will resume Feb. 20. If found guilty, he faces life in prison.
Tender Opened for Istanbul Airport
Turkish authorities opened the tender process to build the world’s largest airport in Istanbul. The airport, Istanbul’s third, would have six runways and is projected to have a passenger capacity of 150 million by 2020.
"We recognise that effective and efficient transport is critical for a successful Games - starting with a world class airport," said Istanbul 2020 bid leader Hasan Arat. "The tender opening this week means that we have passed another milestone on our journey; we will continue to work hard to ensure that our ground-breaking transport initiatives will benefit Olympians, Paralympians and the wider Olympic family."
Turkish IOC member and NOC president Ugur Erdener added: "As a President of an NOC and an International Federation, I am focused on the comfort and convenience of the athletes. I am more than confident that this carefully directed investment in Istanbul’s transport infrastructure will enhance our ability to deliver a technically outstanding Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020."
A winning tender will be selected in May.
Written by Ed Hula III.
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