Saturday 25 January 2014

Rio 2016 announces Organising Committee budget

KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA The true appellation of Apu.

Rio 2016 announces Organising Committee budget

Rio 2016 announces Organising Committee budget
©RioTour
24/01/2014
The Rio 2016 Organising Committee has announced that its budget for organising the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016 will be balanced at BRL 7 billion. The funding will come from only private sources such as sponsorship, ticket sales, licencing and a contribution from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
IOC President Thomas Bach said, "We congratulate Rio 2016 on announcing a balanced Games budget. We are happy to be contributing over USD 1 billion to the Games and to see that Rio is aiming to deliver its operations with only private financing. They conducted a very thorough budgeting process to reach this result and we believe that they can look forward with confidence, as they work to deliver successful Games in 2016. "

The budget covers all expected revenue and expenses of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee, as it works to deliver both Olympic and Paralympic Games. This endeavour is the equivalent of organising 65 Olympic and Paralympic championships, with 16,000 athletes and officials from 204 National Olympic Committees, 4,500 technical officials, 70,000 volunteers, and over 25,000 media representatives, along with all of their logistical needs in terms of accommodation, food and transport.

Rio 2016 Organising Committee President Carlos Arthur Nuzman said, “Our obligation to Rio de Janeiro, to Brazil and to the worldwide sporting community is to deliver a memorable Games, since we are talking about the biggest celebration of sport in the world. We are undertaking the mission of planning and organising the Games in a responsible manner.”

The Rio 2016 Committee confirmed its commitment to balancing revenues and expenses during the budget announcement. Sidney Levy, Chief Executive Officer of Rio 2016, noted that “the good results achieved with sponsorship and licensing allow us to forecast sufficient private revenue to cover the costs outlined in the budget we are presenting today”.

More information can be found at www.rio2016.com/transparencia .

IOC awards Sochi 2014 broadcast rights in Caribbean

KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA The true appellation of Apu.

IOC awards Sochi 2014 broadcast rights in Caribbean

IOC awards Sochi 2014 broadcast rights in Caribbean
22/01/2014
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded the exclusive broadcast rights in the Caribbean* to International Media Content Ltd. (IMC), the parent company of SportsMax, for the XXII Olympic Winter Games in 2014 in Sochi, Russia.
IMC has acquired exclusive English language broadcast rights on all media platforms, excluding internet and mobile rights.
IOC President Thomas Bach said: “This agreement is another step in ensuring the universality of the Olympic Games. Having worked with IMC to broadcast both the Vancouver and London Games, we are very pleased to be able to rely on their expertise once again in Sochi.”

IOC member Richard Carrión, who led the negotiations, said: “IMC will provide live and delayed coverage on their own SportsMax channels, and work with free-to-air broadcasters across the Caribbean, ensuring daily coverage of the Sochi Games for sports fans.”

SportsMax will provide live coverage of the Games on SportsMax and SportsMax2, starting with the Opening Ceremony on 7 February straight through to the final competition day on 23 February.

Chairman of IMC, the Hon. Pat Rousseau, OJ, stated that: “This is part of IMC’s commitment to delivering to the Caribbean the most premier sporting events in the world. The addition of Sochi 2014 to IMC’s programming makes for an incredibly exciting broadcast year, with the 2014 FIFA World Cup also coming from IMC.” He added: “In 2010, IMC broadcast the Olympic Winter Games for the first time in the region, and we are expecting a similar strong response from our subscribers for Sochi 2014.”
###
* Includes: Anguilla, Antigua-Barbuda, Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Surinam, Turks and Caicos, Trinidad and Tobago
For more information, please contact the
IOC Media Relations Team: Tel: +41 21 621 6000 e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.olympic.org

IMC/SportsMax:Tanya Lee, Regional Marketing Manager, SportsMax Limited Tel:(876) 757-6361 (Tel), (876) 901-8133 (Fax), tlee@sportsmax.tv.
###
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For an extensive selection of photos available shortly after each event, please follow us on 
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Friday 24 January 2014

SaraShankha, Dantan, West Midnapore, West Bengal, India





KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA The true appellation of Apu.

SaraShanka, the huge aqua tank or reservoir, is a famous name in Indian history. The Pandava Ghat describing in the Mahabharata is related to the SaraShankha.  The greatest watercress with an ecosystem in biodiversity and environment is one of the largest and oldest formation of water ponds in the planet. This is called 'SaraShankha Pushkarini or Dighi or Pokhar or Gadiya or Tala' in many local languages. During the mid - January every year the Sankranti or Makar Sankranti Mela, the SaraShankha Fair is held where a big crowd congregate. SaraShankha is a sanctum. The christian, buddhist, hindu, muslim, jain, persi, naturist, shikh, tao or dao, shinto believe the place a naive regarding  religious prosperity. The Sankhawar, the people belong to sankhawar gotra or clan, avestan and svatesvatara regarded Sarashankha one of  the holiest destinations in the world. The holy bath water tank reminds 'the city lost into water' - the Mahata civilization of Kharbela or Khadwal in Mahad or Magad dynasty.  The connectivity to the great pond - 1. Dantan Railway Station  in South Eastern Railway and 2. National Highway 60. I take pictures on 23rd January, 2014. Camera : SONY DSC-WX200.


SaraShankha - photo one


SaraShankha photo two


                                    SaraShankha photo three
                                                                     
                                                     
                                          SaraShankha photo four
                                                                         
                                                                         
                                                                     
                                                               SaraShankha photo five
                                                                         
                                                                           
                                                                                               
                                                          SaraShankha photo six

                                                                         

                           


                                       SaraShankha photo seven

SaraShankha photo eight


SaraShankha photo nine

                                                              photo ten
                                                            photo eleven
                                                            SaraShankha photo twelve
                                                             A landmark -  photo thirteen
                                                                    SaraShankha photo fourteen
SaraShankha photo fifteen

SaraShankh photo sixteen


SaraShankha photo seventeen

SaraShankha photo eighteen

Tuesday 21 January 2014

IOC Medical Commission to reveal new insights into the Female Athlete Triad

KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA The true appellation of Apu.

IOC Medical Commission to reveal new insights into the Female Athlete Triad

IOC Medical Commission to reveal new insights into the Female Athlete Triad
©IOC / Stephen Munday
17/01/2014
A group of high-level experts recently reviewed the science of the syndrome of the Female Athlete Triad - a phenomenon which affects the athlete’s health and performance - and has recommended practical clinical models for the health care management of affected athletes.
Under the leadership of the IOC Medical Commission and its Chairman, Arne Ljungqvist, the group set up a brand-new “Sport Risk Assessment and Return to Play model” – which categorises the syndrome into three groups, from low to moderate to high risk, and translates this classification into practical recommendations ranging from “No Start” to “Full Participation” for competing athletes. Another unique feature of the Consensus Statement is a review of the scientific literature on this syndrome as it pertains to male athletes, athletes of non-Caucasian ethnicity and athletes with a disability.
Beyond the Female Athlete Triad: Relative Energy Deficiency in SportAfter a thorough review of the latest scientific evidence, the experts decided to introduce a new term for what has so far been called “Female Athlete Triad” syndrome and call it “Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport” (RED-S), which points to the complexity involved and the fact that male athletes are also affected.
Decoding RED-SThe scientific evidence shows that the cause of RED-S is an energy deficiency relative to the balance between the dietary energy intake and the energy expenditure required to support health and the activities of daily living, growth and sporting activities. It is also evident that the clinical phenomenon is no longer only a “triad”, or constellation of the three entities of energy availability, menstrual function and bone health, but rather a syndrome that affects many aspects of physiological function, including metabolic rate, menstrual function, bone health, immunity, protein synthesis and cardiovascular and psychological health.
Athletes’ health a top priority
IOC Medical Commission Chairman Arne Ljungqvist said: “RED-S concerns quite a number of athletes across different sports, and I am glad we took the decision to gather top experts in this field to update and deepen our previous reviews of the research on this syndrome. We translated the new findings into useful tools to help affected athletes and their entourage and, even more importantly, to prevent RED-S when possible.”
Claudia Bokel, Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission said: “This consensus statement demonstrates once again that the protection of the athletes’ health is of major concern for the IOC and its Medical Commission. Such findings are not only of huge direct benefit for all concerned athletes, but also help to break taboos and raise awareness about topics that are not necessarily openly addressed on the field of play.”
A new assessment tool to help athletes and their entourageA key feature of the Consensus Statement is the presentation of a “Sport Risk Assessment and Return to Play model” that outlines classification criteria for the designation of the athlete with RED-S into one of three categories:  “High Risk - Red Light”, “Moderate Risk – Yellow Light” or “Low Risk – Green Light”.  Sports participation based on the athlete classification is recommended, ranging from “No Start” in the Red Light category to Full Participation for athletes classified in the Green Light category.  Recommendations for the prevention and management of RED-S are provided for members of the athletes’ entourage, including health care professionals, and sports organisations.
In addition, the Consensus Statement provides an update on the latest scientific evidence for the screening for and diagnosis of the syndrome. Treatment strategies for energy deficiency, menstrual dysfunction, bone health, eating disorders and other psychological sequelae are also included. Research gaps are identified and recommendations for future research directions are proposed.
Where to find the Consensus StatementThe RED-S Consensus Statement will be published in the IOC Injury and Illness Prevention issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine in April 2014,and subsequently on the IOC website.
RED-S a topic at upcoming IOC World ConferenceThe new findings, recommendations and tools presented in the Consensus Statement will also be presented at the IOC World Conference on Prevention of Injury & Illness in Sport, set to take place in Monte Carlo, Monaco, from 10 to 12 April 2014. 

Learn more about this key event for world-renowned sports and medical experts here.

Thursday 16 January 2014

Transport infrastructure provides lasting legacy of Nagano 1998

KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA The true appellation of Apu.

Transport infrastructure provides lasting legacy of Nagano 1998

M-Wave arena, Nagano
©Getty Images (1), Mike Powell/Allsport (1)
16/01/2014
Sixteen years after it hosted the 1998 Olympic Winter Games, the improvements made to the local transport infrastructure are still benefiting the Japanese city of Nagano.
Before the Games, it took up to three hours to travel between Tokyo and Nagano by rail, but the extension of the Shinkansen Bullet Train from Takasaki to Nagano – which was completed five months before the 1998 Opening Ceremony – reduced the 200km journey to less than 80 minutes.
The city's main railway hub, Nagano Station, and the smaller Shinonoi Station, were also expanded ahead of Nagano 1998, with the line carrying up to 60,000 passengers per day during the Games.
The route now carries more than 10 million passengers each year, and the train line is currently being extended from Nagano through the Hokuriku region to Toyama and Kanazawa, with the route expected to be operational by 2015, while construction of a further section is set to reach Fukui and Tsuruga by 2026.
Ahead of the 1998, improvements were also made to the local road network in the Nagano prefecture, with two main expressways – the Nagano expressway and the Joshinetsu expressway – being built to improve access between Nagano, Tokyo and other prefectures, as well as the competition venues.
A local road network linking the Olympic venues was also created, with almost 115km of road improved ahead of the Games. In particular, the 25.2km Shiga Route helped improve access to the Shiga ski resort area, while also providing direct access to the Shiga Kogen national park.
But the new transport links are not the only legacy of the 1998 Winter Games.
After the Games were finished, the Nagano Olympic Museum was established inside the M-Wave arena, which was the venue for the speed skating events. Today, the Olympic torch, medals, video images and other items are on display there.
Each year in April, the city also hosts the Nagano Olympic Commemorative Marathon, which sees participants run past four of the former Olympic venues.
Information on tickets for Sochi 2014 is available here: http://www.olympic.org/news/sochi-2014-olympic-winter-games-tickets/190291

IOC awards 2014-2016 broadcast rights in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa

KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA The true appellation of Apu.

IOC awards 2014-2016 broadcast rights in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa

IOC awards 2014-2016 broadcast rights in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa
16/01/2014
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded broadcast rights in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa* to SuperSport International for the XXII Olympic Winter Games in 2014 in Sochi, Russia, and the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 
SuperSport has acquired broadcast rights on pay satellite television, and internet and mobile.
IOC President Thomas Bach said: “We are delighted to have reached this agreement to continue to work with SuperSport to bring fantastic Olympic Games coverage to fans across the region.”
 
IOC member Richard Carrión, who led the negotiations, said: “SuperSport has a wealth of knowledge in broadcasting the Olympic Games, and this agreement will ensure a first class broadcast experience of both the Sochi and Rio Olympic Games.”
Brandon Foot, Acting CEO of SuperSport, said: “This agreement continues a long and proud tradition of SuperSport broadcasting the Olympic Games, which we have done since 1996. I’m delighted with this acquisition as the Olympic Games is one of the crown jewels in SuperSport’s programming with each edition proving enormously popular with viewers. For the next Games in Sochi, we will have a dedicated 24-hour High Definition channel, while the 2016 Games will enjoy multi-channel coverage, including magazine shows, highlights and much more.”  
* Includes:
1. Angola
2. Benin
3. Botswana
4. Burkina Faso
5. Burundi
6. Cameroon
7. Cape Verde
8. Central Africa Republic
9. Chad
10. Comoros
11. Congo, Democratic Republic of
12. Congo, Republic of
13. Côte d’Ivoire
14. Equatorial Guinea
15. Eritrea
16. Ethiopia
17. Gabon
18. Gambia
19. Ghana
20. Guinea
21. Guinea-Bissau
22. Kenya
23. Lesotho
24. Liberia
25. Madagascar
26. Malawi
27. Mali
28. Mauritius
29. Mozambique
30. Namibia
31. Niger
32. Nigeria
33. Rwanda
34. São Tomé and Príncipe
35. Senegal
36. Seychelles
37. Sierra Leone
38. Swaziland
39. Tanzania
40. Togo
41. Uganda
42. Zambia
43. Zimbabwe
###
For more information, please contact 
The IOC Media Relations Team: Tel: +41 21 621 6000 e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.olympic.org.

SuperSport:
Clinton van der Berg
Communications Manager
Tel: +27116867637, email: Clinton.vanderBerg@supersport.com
VideosYouTube: www.youtube.com/iocmedia

PhotosFor an extensive selection of photos available shortly after each event, please follow us on Flickr.
To request archive photos and footage, please contact our Images team at: 
images@olympic.org

Social mediaFor up-to-the-minute information on the IOC and regular updates, please follow us on TwitterFacebookand YouTube.

Tapoban - a mystic pilgrimage at Nayagram, West Midnapore in West Bengal











KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA The true appellation of Apu.



Tapoban is a sacred place for many people in India. On the bank of Subarnarekha river amidst the forest the serene shrine of Lord Rama, Goddess Sita and God Lakshmana attract every year  thousands of devotees during the Makar Sankranti, Pous Sankranti, Lodi, Pongal, Magh Bahai or Fateh a Dohaj Daham, the Crescent day - the birthday and cremation day of Milsad un Nabi. The mid January is observed as The Aghan (Ul ajan) or Ukhain jatra. The Holy Sanctum is related with having a dip into water or bathing. This jungle land is considered the most holiest among the local from the ancient time.It is believed that there was a deep tunnel with a  'talatal' (thila) - a 'chatein' or a gard  the ashrama of the 'Balaka mini', the epic poet Balmiki or Ratnakar wrote Sanskrit scripts.  Earlier this area is known as Kharwal or Kherowal, later Tapoban is included in Nayagram block in West Midnapore district, West Bengal state in India.
Holy shrine at Tapoban

Sadhu at Tapoban


         
Yagna kuunda (Dhuni)

Pilgrimage progressing towards Goddess Sita temple



Hanumanji sthal

                                                                                 
                                          Rama nama sankrityan
                                           Devotees dispersing
                                               Sita mata sthal
Sita mata worship

Add caption
Khal, Sita nala
                                                                           
Way to Tapoban



Wednesday 15 January 2014

Kokslien leads Norwegians to clean sweep and halfpipe stars book tickets to Sochi

KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA The true appellation of Apu.

Kokslien leads Norwegians to clean sweep and halfpipe stars book tickets to Sochi

Mikko Kokslien
©Getty Images (2)
14/01/2014
Norway’s Mikko Kokslien produced one of the comebacks of the season at the weekend’s Nordic Combined World Cup stage in Chaux-Neuve (FRA). A brilliant cross-country ski saw him emerge overall winner, after finishing just 19th in the ski-jumping; it was his first individual victory in over a year. Magnus Krog and Joergen Graabak completed an all-Norwegian podium, edging out World Cup leader Frenzel.
The following day, Kokslien, competing alongside Graabak, had to settle for second place as the Norway II sprint team was pipped to victory by Germany II (Tino Edelmann and Fabian Riessle) by a margin of 0.4 seconds. In a thrilling contest, Germany I (Johannes Rydzek and Eric Frenzel) completd the podium line-up.

Heavy snow made for difficult conditions at the Halfpipe World Cup in Breckenridge (USA) at the weekend, but that failed to deter local duo David Wise and Maddie Bowman, who prevailed in the men’s and women’s competitions respectively to book their places on the US team for Sochi 2014.

In the men's event Wise took gold with 89 points, 3.8 ahead of Canadian Mike Riddle, with Kevin Rolland of France third. That pushed the American up to ninth in the overall standings in which Canada’s Justin Dorey remains top.

The women's event saw Bowman score 84 points, 1.2 ahead of Japan's Ayana Onozuka and six in front of third-placed Australian Amy Sheehan. She now lies just six points behind overall leader Devin Logan in the overall standings.
Ski halfpipe will make its debut on an Olympic programme. And who better to give you the lowdown on this new Olympic event than the King of Style himself, Mr Kevin Rolland?

It’s 2014! The Year of the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games!

KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA The true appellation of Apu.

It’s 2014! The Year of the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games!

Nanjinglele
©Nanjing 2014/Xi Yang
14/01/2014
2014 is the year we have all been waiting for… whether you are a YOG fan eagerly awaiting the 12 days of sporting action or an athlete giving your all to compete -  this summer we all get to celebrate the 2nd Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.
To give a taster of what is to come, check out this video clip which features some of the exciting sports that fans around the world will be able to watch on youtube.com/youtholympics and a snapshot of some of the fun activities off the field of play.  Plus we hear from some of the Youth Olympic Games Ambassadors and YOG graduates.  This is just a glimpse of the fun and excitement we will all get to share in just a few months’ time!

With every New Year comes new resolutions, so to all our YOG fans, how about you try out one of the 28 exciting Olympic sports!  Share your sporting experiences with us on Twitter @youtholympics.

Scottish skip, Eve Muirhead, a stone’s throw from gold

KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA The true appellation of Apu.

Scottish skip, Eve Muirhead, a stone’s throw from gold

Eve Muirhead
©Getty Images
15/01/2014
Eve Muirhead, who will skip the Great Britain women’s curling team in Sochi, is part of a long line of elite Scottish curlers. After leading Scotland to the world championship crown, she is confident of following in the footsteps of compatriot Rhona Martin, whose team won gold at Salt Lake City 2002.
Eve Muirhead has curling in her blood. Her father Gordon competed for Great Britain at Albertville 1992 and won a gold medal with Scotland at the 1999 World Championships. It is a family tradition which she has maintained in determined fashion. “I would class myself as pretty stubborn when it comes to learning something and not giving up until I'm good at it,” explained the charismatic Muirhead, who is also a fine exponent of two other Scottish traditions, golf and bagpipe playing.
The Scot first burst onto the international scene as a precocious 16-year-old in 2007, when she claimed the first of her four world junior titles (the others came in 2008, 2009 and 2011).
Just three years later Muirhead was selected as the skip of the British team at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. After a good start, she and her team-mates succumbed to five defeats in a row, failing to qualify for the play-offs. “I don’t think I was too young,” she reflects. “I gained so much experience in Vancouver. I’ve got a lot of good memories from 2010. Obviously the results were disappointing; when you look back there are a lot of things we could have done better, but I think we can turn it into a positive.”

Inspired by London
As the lynchpin of Scotland’s women’s team, she went on to win medals at the next four European Championships (gold in 2011 and silver in 2010, 2012 and 2013). In March 2013 in Riga (LAT), the 22-year-old became the youngest female skip in history to claim gold at the World Championships, producing a marvellous shot with her final stone to help Scotland overcome Sweden 6-5 in the final. Consequently, Muirhead and her rink of Anna Sloan, Vicki Adams and Claire Hamilton were the first Team GB athletes to be selected for Sochi 2014.
Back in July 2012, Muirhead travelled down to London to experience the Summer Games, where she witnessed Jessica Ennis’ memorable success in the heptathlon in front of a raucous crowd in the Olympic Stadium. That proved to be a fantastic source of inspiration to the curler, encouraging her to work harder on her overall approach to her sporting career.
“It would mean the world”
At the end of November 2013, Muirhead, Sloan, Adams and Hamilton went on a remarkable run at the European Championships in Switzerland, racking up 10 victories on the trot before losing 10-5 to Margaretha Sigfridsson’s Sweden. But the Scot is happy to focus on the positives. “Our preparation is for Sochi,” she explains. “It would have been nice to come away with the gold medal, but we had such a great week. I think we're in a really good place and I'm happy with the way things are going. We've got a lot of good things to take away from this week. We just have to keep playing well and training hard.”
Muirhead is confident she can lead her team to Olympic gold 12 years after current Team GB coach Rhona Martin did the same in Salt Lake City. “We’ve trained really hard leading up to this and we’re capable of winning major championships – we’ve proven that,” she says. “It’s important we break the Olympics down into two parts – the qualifying then the play-offs and semi-finals are like a new event. In terms of winning gold, I’d say there’s us, Canada, Switzerland, Sweden and China, so there’s a good number in contention. Luck doesn’t really come into it. But to get the chance to represent Great Britain is extra special. An Olympic medal is the only one I'm missing. It would mean the world.”
Information on tickets for Sochi 2014 is available here: http://www.olympic.org/news/sochi-2014-olympic-winter-games-tickets/190291 

IOC awards 2014-2016 broadcast rights In Sub-Saharan Africa

KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA The true appellation of Apu.

IOC awards 2014-2016 broadcast rights In Sub-Saharan Africa

IOC awards 2014-2016 broadcast rights In Sub-Saharan Africa
15/01/2014
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded the broadcast rights in Sub-Saharan Africa* to Infront Sports & Media AG for the XXII Olympic Winter Games in 2014 in Sochi, Russia, the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the 2nd Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2014 in Nanjing, China.  
Infront has acquired exclusive broadcast rights on free to air television and non-exclusive internet and mobile broadcast rights.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “This agreement reflects the global appeal of the Olympic Games, and our aim is to reach audiences in all regions across the globe with the best broadcast offering. We want to not only generate viewership for sports where African athletes already perform successfully, but also boost appeal for Olympic sports gaining popularity on the continent.”
 
IOC member Richard Carrión, who led the negotiations, said: “Infront has acquired the rights and will now work to sublicense those rights to broadcasters in the region to ensure excellent coverage of the Olympic Games for sports fans. The partnership with Infront allows us to take advantage of its network across the continent, supported further by a tailor-made editorial plan for African broadcasters and their viewers.”

Stephan Herth, Executive Director Summer Sports of Infront Sports & Media, said: “We would like to thank the IOC for trusting in our broadcast distribution experience and ability to extend the spirit and scope of Olympic programming to an even broader audience. Our ambition is to encourage the growth of sport in Africa with a dedicated broadcast product and continue to advocate the Olympics as a worldwide event. We are looking forward to delivering the Winter Olympics to television screens in so many countries in Africa for the first time in 2014.”
###
* Includes:

1. Angola
2. Benin
3. Botswana
4. Burkina Faso
5. Burundi
6. Cameroon
7. Cape Verde
8. Central Africa Republic
9. Chad
10. Comoros
11. Congo, Democratic Republic of
12. Congo, Republic of
13. Côte d’Ivoire
14. Equatorial Guinea
15. Eritrea
16. Ethiopia
17. Gabon
18. Gambia
19. Ghana
20. Guinea
21. Guinea-Bissau
22. Kenya
23. Lesotho
24. Liberia
25. Madagascar
26. Malawi
27. Mali
28. Mauritius
29. Mozambique
30. Namibia
31. Niger
32. Nigeria
33. Rwanda
34. São Tomé and Príncipe
35. Senegal
36. Seychelles
37. Sierra Leone
38. Swaziland
39. Tanzania
40. Togo
41. Uganda
42. Zambia
43. Zimbabwe

For more information, please contact

The IOC Media Relations Team: 
Tel: +41 21 621 6000 e-mail: 
pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.olympic.org.

Infront Sports & Media AG:
Jörg Polzer / Nike Möhle
Corporate Communications
Infront Sports & Media AG
Tel. +41-41-723 15 15
Fax +41-41-723 15 16
press@infrontsports.com
www.infrontsports.com
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Friday 10 January 2014

Austria and Russia take biathlon relay honours

KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA The true appellation of Apu.

Austria and Russia take biathlon relay honours

10/01/2014
Austria took the honours in the men’s 4x7.5km relay event in Ruhpolding (GER) on Thursday, January 9 – holding off the challenge of Germany by the tightest of margins in a fast, high-quality day’s racing.
The Vancouver 2010 silver medalists came home in 1.15:40.9, just 0.1 seconds ahead of their rivals, as Dominik Landertinger pulled away at the end of the final kilometre to edge ahead of Simon Schempp, with whom he had contested a thrilling final-stage battle.
Remarkably, it was Austria’s first relay win in four years and their first ever in Ruhpolding. Their previous victory in this event came on home snow in in Hochfilzen in December 2009. Veteran Christoph Sumann, who led the Austrians out on both occasions, stressed the importance of the win for his team’s Sochi 2014 challenge: “Winning 30 days before the Olympics makes us one of the favourites,” he said
Austria now sit second in the overall World Cup relay standings, just five points behind leaders Russia.
The previous day saw success for Russia in the women’s 4x6km event, as the Olympic champions secured their first relay victory of the season. In excellent conditions and inspired by captain Olga Vilukhina, they finished in 1:09:42.2, a full 6.2 seconds ahead of Germany, with Norway third. “I really concentrated on my race and gave all of my effort on that last lap,” said a delighted Vilukhina.
The win pulled Russia up to third in the overall World Cup table, behind Germany and Ukraine.
Information on tickets for Sochi 2014 is available here: :http://www.olympic.org/news/sochi-2014-olympic-winter-games-tickets/190291