The USATF bid did not designate a potential host city for the 2011 worlds, to be awarded by the international track federation next spring. It leaves open the possibility for the USATF to put forth the same city the USOC will pick as its 2016 bidder, provided, as expected, there is an Olympic bid.
That would involve a commitment to have a track stadium with about 50,000 seats ready by 2011. Such a stadium could use temporary seating to achieve that capacity.
The United States made unsuccessful bids to have the 1997, 1999 and 2001 track worlds at Stanford University but has not bid since. The financial demands imposed by the international federation, especially those related to television, have scared off potential U.S. bidders because they lack the governmental money provided in Europe and Asia.
Making friends
The subtext to this is the feeling expressed by Jacques Rogge when he became International Olympic Committee president in 2001 that the United States needs to be more willing to take on money-losing international events. That is easier said than done in a country where such events must be privately financed.
The USOC kicked in $30,000 to save a World Cup speedskating event last fall in Milwaukee after the Chicago Tribune revealed local organizers had decided they no longer would be hosts for the event for financial reasons.
Now the Tribune has learned USA Swimming is in a similar position. After six years as host of an event in swimming's short-course World Cup series, the U.S. federation has decided it cannot afford the $400,000 loss it took on this year's event and will not play host for one next season.
"We had a World Cup event to enhance relations with our international federation, which was offended the U.S. was not involved," USA Swimming Executive Director Chuck Wielgus said. "We are dropping out because we cannot afford it, given the financial conditions imposed by the international federation and a drop in our (non-athlete-related) funding from the USOC."
Told of USA Swimming's decision about the World Cup in a recent interview with the Tribune, USOC Chairman Peter Ueberroth said his organization could not provide direct funding to bail out international events in the U.S.
"What we need to do is get the (USOC) personnel to impact everything that happens or could happen in this country between Olympic Games to get it viable economically," Ueberroth said.
"Occasionally, and rarely, the USOC will need to put up some seed money. But the goal is to develop events sustainable on their own. If you prop up events, eventually they get weaker and weaker. In recent years we have not done a good job of marketing our brand between the Games."
Their pal Joey
While Olympic speedskating champion Joey Cheek of Greensboro, N.C., was making good on his promise to visit Africa as an ambassador for Right to Play, the organization dedicated to providing sports and fitness opportunities for children in developing countries, his mailbox filled with college acceptances. According to his agent, Patrick Quinn of Q Sports, Cheek has narrowed his choices to Princeton, Stanford and Yale.
Cheek and Olympic swimming gold medalist Jenny Thompson, who graduates from Columbia Medical School in May, traveled to Zambia the second week of April.
The donation stream to Right to Play that Cheek seeded by donating his $40,000 in USOC bonuses for his 2006 gold and silver medals now has reached nearly $500,000 through corporate and private donations.
In addition, Greensboro College has started the Joey Cheek International Scholarship Fund, begun with a $130,000 commitment from the school to give a four-year scholarship and personal expenses to a student from the Darfur region of the Sudan. That was part of $300,000 raised by the Greensboro community for Cheek's charitable efforts.
Globetrotting
Timothy Goebel, who grew up in Rolling Meadows and became 2002 Olympic bronze medalist and the greatest quadruple jumper in figure skating history, has decided to retire from competitive skating after struggling the past three seasons. ... Deena Kastor became not only the first U.S. woman to win the London Marathon in its 26-year history but the first U.S. woman in history to break 2 hours 20 minutes when she clocked 2:19.36 in Sunday's race. Talk now is of a matchup between Kastor and world record-holder Paula Radcliffe of England (2:15:25) this fall in either the Chicago or New York Marathons. ... DePaul women's basketball coach Doug Bruno has been named coach of the U.S. team at the Americas Under-18 Championship June 28-July 2 in Colorado Springs. The top four finishers in the eight-team tournament qualify for the 2007 Under-19 World Championships.
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