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SPORTS Saturday 13 OctOber 2018

Olympics

Continued from Page 17 a few billion dollars so the
Greeks could fix up all the
Here are a few suggestions: decaying, abandoned fa-
ROTATING HOSTS cilities left over from the fi-
This idea has been thrown nancial debacle that was
around for years but never the 2004 Games.
taken seriously by the IOC. “There was more resis-
At the very least, the Win- tance to this when every-
ter Games should move to- one wanted to host,” said
ward this concept as soon Matthew Robinson, a pro-
as possible given its more fessor of business adminis-
limited appeal and hav- tration at the University of
ing fewer cities capable of Delaware who has worked
even hosting the snow and with the IOC. “Now, I think
ice events (maybe even you’re going to see more
fewer in the years to come, of an open mind to the ro-
given the potentially dev- tating idea.” This Aug. 25, 2018, file photo, shows a general aerial view of the dismantled stadium for the
astating impact of climate FEWER SPORTS opening and closing ceremonies of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics with the Olympic
change ). This is an area where the cauldron, right, in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Previous hosts such as Salt IOC has shown a complete Associated Press
Lake City, Calgary, Japan unwillingness to make sig- those that have limited more ludicrous: there was passed over as a venue.
(with Sapporo and Naga- nificant reforms, despite global and spectator ap- an existing 22,000-seat soc- “On paper, Tokyo looked
no sharing the load) and repeated calls to limit peal (we’re looking at you, cer stadium in the Gang- like a very solid bid,” Con-
Norway (a similar arrange- the enormous size of the team handball, water polo neung Olympic Park that rad said. “I cannot believe
ment between Oslo and games. and modern pentathlon). wasn’t even used during the costs.”
Lillehammer) would be ob- Instead of scaling back In addition, there needs to the games! The IOC needs to follow
vious candidates to serve for the Tokyo Games, the a serious culling in the num- The madness continues in through on what it preach-
on a rotating basis, since IOC approved not one, ber of events, even in more Tokyo. es, which means nixing
they have all the necessary not two, but SIX new sports popular sports such as track A new aquatics center potential white elephants
facilities in place. Winter : baseball, softball, sport and field (seriously, do we costing some $250 million and saying no to individual
sports-loving countries such climbing, karate, skate- need race walking?) and is under construction, even sports federation that insist
as Germany, Switzerland boarding and surfing. Not swimming (a staggering 37 though the city already on the most elaborate ven-
and Austria might be will- to mention, new disciplines gold medals will be doled has a modern natatorium ues for their athletes.
ing to get on board, too, were added for sports such out in Tokyo). that will be used only for SHARING THE BURDEN
if they could be assured as basketball (a three-on- IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WON’T water polo. While an argu- Why does a single city es-
costs wouldn’t spiral out of three competition) and COME ment can be made that sentially have to host an
control. swimming (which will have Another area where the the existing facility (seat- entire Olympics?
On the Summer Olympics a mixed relay for the first IOC talks a good game but ing around 3,600) wasn’t For that matter, there’s
side, Sydney (perhaps co- time). There’s even talk rarely follows through. big enough for Olympic no reason why the games
hosting with Melbourne), of video gaming being While insisting that cities swimming, there’s no ex- couldn’t be spread around
Seoul, Los Angeles, Lon- added for the 2024 Paris should only build facili- planation for why the or- the world every four years.
don and Beijing all have Games, to appeal to a ties they can use after the ganizers didn’t just install a It happened in 1956, when
the potential to become more youthful audience. games, Pyeongchang was temporary pool in one of strict quarantine laws pre-
permanent rotating sites. Stop the madness. allowed to spend more the numerous indoor areas vented the equestrian
It also would be a fitting The IOC should dump any than $100 million on a tem- around the Tokyo metro- competition from being
gesture to include Athens, sport that can’t guaran- porary 35,000-seat stadium politan area. For instance, held in Australia, so it was
the birthplace of the mod- tee the participation of solely for the opening and the 17,000-seat Yokohama shifted to Sweden (five
ern Olympics, but the IOC its best athletes (farewell, closing ceremonies. Mak- Arena (less than 20 miles months before the Mel-
would need to cough up baseball), along with all ing that decision even from downtown Tokyo) was bourne Games, in fact).q

Former lawmaker Mary Bono named USA Gymnastics interim CEO

By WILL GRAVES Bono spent 15 years as a man Karen Golz said in who was named to the the botched hiring and fir-
AP Sports Writer U.S. Representative from a statement. USA Gym- 2018 world championship ing of its elite development
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — USA Southern California from nastics is still struggling to team on Friday shortly be- coordinator.
Gymnastics has hired for- 1998-2013. She won her first emerge from the fallout of fore Bono’s hiring was an- The coach, Mary Lee Tra-
mer Congresswoman term in a special election the sexual abuse scandal nounced. Nassar is now cy, was an early supporter
Mary Bono as interim presi- running as a Republican to surrounding former team serving decades in prison of Nassar when allegations
dent and chief executive fill the vacancy left by the doctor Larry Nassar. More for child pornography and against him began to sur-
officer. death of her husband, for- than 200 women have sexual assault. USA Gym- face two years ago. After
The organization an- mer pop star and lawmak- come forward over the last nastics is in mediation in an the announcement of her
nounced the move Friday. er Sonny Bono. Mary Bono two years claiming they attempt to settle dozens of promotion, Tracy made
Bono will hold the posi- most recently worked at a were sexually abused by civil lawsuits filed against it an attempt to reach out
tion while USA Gymnastics consulting firm in Washing- Nassar under the guise of in the wake of the revela- to six-time Olympic med-
searches for a permanent ton, D.C. treatment, including cur- tions against Nassar. alist Aly Raisman — herself
successor to Kerry Perry, “Mary is passionate about rent or former members Perry took over as USA a Nassar victim — after
who resigned under pres- the sport, and having her of the organization’s elite Gymnastics president Raisman called Tracy’s hir-
sure from the United States as our interim president program. on Dec. 1, 2017 but was ing “a slap in the face for
Olympic Committee in and CEO will move the or- The group of survivors in- pushed out in September survivors” and proof that
September after spending ganization forward,” USA cludes reigning Olympic by the USOC following a the organization had not
nine months on the job. Gymnastics board chair- champion Simone Biles, series of missteps, including changed.q