The power games off the Championships’ tracks
The games don’t officially start for a few more days at the World Athletics Championships in South Korea, but Sports reporter Keme Nzerem writes on how the political games have already started.
Ok so the public’s eyes might be on the likes of Usain Bolt, Mo Farah and Jess Ennis. But global sporting jamborees such as the World Athletics Championships attract all manner of folk keen to gladhand, lobby and persuade.
Before the tournament has even started we’ve seen Lord Coe, lifelong athletics fan and the man behind London 2012, win re-election as vice president of athletics governing body the IAAF.
What will he do once his home Olympics are over? Don’t bet against him running for the IAAF Presidency when the current head steps down.
And today, Qatar is seeking to persuade the IOC to allow them to bid for the 2020 Olympics. Yes, the same Qatar that somehow managed to persuade FIFA that playing football during the 50 degree desert summer would be ok as long as they provided air conditioned stadia.
The same Qatar that FIFA treasurer Jerome Valcke mysteriously said had “bought” the World Cup.
The same Qatar who’s FIFA executive committee member, Mohammed Bin Hammam was banned for life for attempting to buy influence. Bin Hamman today launched his appeal against the ban, and said the decision was “hugely flawed”.
Qatar has told the IOC that it would like to hold the Olympics in the cooler Autumn months. When they mooted a similar pitch for 2016 the IOC said no thanks. But indications are that this time they’ve changed their minds.
The IOC President today told me the discussion would remain behind closed doors. But he travels the world encouraging new countries to bid to host the games. He wants to spread the Olympic gospel to new territories at every opportunity. Europe is already represented in the race for 2022 – with Madrid and Rome. The gateway to Asia – Istanbul – is bidding to host it too. And further east, Tokyo wants a chance. The United States and South Africa have already decided to opt out.
Smack in the middle of them all, the Arab state of Qatar, flexing it’s considerable oil fuelled financial clout.
But the guardians of the Olympic rings know their product will have to compete with the likes of Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney, who of course will by that time of year be in action week in week out. The football season starts in late summer, and big a draw an Olympic 100m final is, the less popular Olympic events would struggle to attract television viewers already wedded to the likes of Barcelona and Manchester United.
But Doha is clearly no slouch. It’s already challenging London for the rights to host the 2017 Athletics World Championships. One wouldn’t want to rule them out of that race either. If it goes the other way, Lord Coe’s long term career ambitions will surely be accelerated. The domestic headlines would certainly be kind if the 2012 Olympics hosts win another big athletics event. But it is of course more marathon than sprint.
The king of the longest track discipline – the 10,000 metres, arrived in Daegu last night. Kenenisa Bekele is the Usain Bolt of distance running. He’s been world champion since 2003, and Olympic champion since 2004. Perhaps Lord Coe will be seeking his guidance, for he has never, ever been beaten in his favoured event.
