Sports world also feels effect of conflict

As the United States and its allies find themselves in the middle of international uncertainty, the threat of war with Iraq is also impacting the staging of international sporting events.

First, at home, where concern is mounting over who enters the country and for what purpose, U.S. sports officials may have to wrestle with a problem that will affect events contested on U.S. soil: visas. Cuba recently became the fourth team to withdraw from the 2003 Concord Cup wrestling tournament in Concord, Calif., after its athletes were denied visas to enter the United States. Egypt, Russia and Turkey also withdrew. "I was looking at this as a key event for us," said Steve Fraser, the head coach of the U.S. Greco-Roman team. This is another hit for the folks at USA Wrestling, who have been trying diligently to grow the sport at home. The 2001 world championships were to be held in New York's Madison Square Garden, but they were moved after the events of Sept. 11. Instead, the 2003 championships will be divided into freestyle and Greco-Roman events, with only freestyle matches being held in New York.

This is not the first time the State Department has kept athletes out of the country. In 1987 two members of the Chilean shooting team were denied entry to compete at the Pan-Am Games in Indianapolis because of criminal actions committed in their home country. This created a thorny problem for U.S. officials, because every time an international sports governing body (often the IOC, but in this case the Pan-American Sports Organization) awards an event to a certain country, it requires a declaration of admittance from government officials who agree to accept qualified athletes into the country in order to participate. When the U.S. reneged on the agreement that former President George H.W. Bush had accepted, at least two IOC members later cited that refusal as a primary reason they refused to vote for Anchorage when the city bid to host the 1994 Winter Olympic Games.

If international sports governing bodies believe athletes will be denied entry into the U.S., it could have a devastating impact on the country's attempts to host not only future Olympic Games, but also Pan-Am Games and world championships in individual sports.

Granted, there are bigger concerns for State Department officials to worry about than the staging of sporting events, but U.S. sports officials are hopeful there won't be fewer events to stage as a result.

Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, a spokesman for British prime minister Tony Blair said this week that London is postponing a decision on whether to bid for the 2012 Olympic Games, a competition that includes New York (the USOC's nominee), among a dozen possible contenders. "A formal intention to bid has to be announced by July, and the cabinet will have further discussions in two weeks' time," Blair's spokesman told reporters. "There are complex issues that arise for a number of departments and the government as a whole."

No bidding city has as many ups and downs as London, which hosted Games in 1908 and 1948. The 2012 bid has been on shaky ground ever since the city was awarded the 2005 world championships in track and field, only to withdraw after residents refused to approve funding for a new stadium at Pickets Lock. Helsinki jumped in and agreed to host those championships.

After Manchester last summer hosted a successful Commonwealth Games -- a mini-Olympics for nations and territories that either are or were under the Union Jack at one time -- British Olympic officials made it clear that those associated with the track championships would not be involved in a prospective 2012 bid, but those who ran the Manchester Games would be.

For those who feel the IOC wants to bring the Games to Europe, London has emerged as a co-favorite with Paris. However, the one thing that has undone other European bids, including past efforts by Berlin and Stockholm, has been a lack of enthusiasm from either the public at large or government officials. With potential costs -- including enhanced security, new sports venues and updated transportation systems -- rising to an estimated £4.5 billion ($7.5 billion), London's bid could take another hit in the coming weeks.

Sports Illustrated staff writer Brian Cazeneuve covers Olympic sports for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.

 

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