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Golf Wants Olympic Status

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The Associated Press

Published: July 20, 2008

SOUTHPORT, England - Tiger

Woods, Olympian?

Golf's major governing bodies stepped up its campaign to get the sport added to the Olympic program in 2016, naming former LPGA commissioner Ty Votaw to lead the effort. Votaw, now an executive vice president of the PGA Tour, will be loaned out from that post during the next 15 months to represent seven of the bigger hitters in the game: both the American and European tours, Royal & Ancient, LPGA, U.S. Golf Association, PGA of America and Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters.

"The time is right for the world of golf to come together for the common good of the sport," Votaw said.

The IOC will decide in October 2009 on possible changes in the Olympic program at the same meeting where it picks the next host city for the Summer Games. The 2016 finalists are Chicago, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro and Madrid.

Golf hasn't been an Olympic sport since 1904, but a news conference that also featured PGA commissioner Tim Finchem, European tour executive director George O'Grady, and R&A chief executive Peter Dawson showed those at the top are firmly committed to getting back in the Games.

Finchem acknowledged that some players have been cool to the idea of adding another major event to their already crowded schedules, floating the idea that it should be a competition for amateurs. But there's no way the IOC will consider golf unless it offers up the top professionals for both men and women.

The best of those is Woods, who would be 40 when the 2016 Games are held. He has expressed mixed feelings about playing in the Olympics, at times pointing to the potential benefits, others times looking at the possible drawbacks.

Hamm Nails Down Berth

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Paul Hamm is going to the Olympics again, thanks to a performance that ended any doubt about whether his broken hand has healed and made it easy for the gymnastics selection committee to say OK.

Eight weeks after breaking his hand, Hamm needed to show competitive readiness Saturday at the last intrasquad meet before the U.S. team leaves for China. He did that during a two-hour meet at the Olympic Training Center. After a short meeting, the men's selection committee confirmed the defending Olympic champion would be on the team.

Castro Blasts Dropping Of Baseball In 2012

HAVANA - Fidel Castro blasted the "rich and powerful masters" of the Olympics for dropping baseball from the games beginning in 2012, and said two recent defeats to the United States doesn't mean Cuba can't still win gold in Beijing.

In a brief but confusing essay, the ailing, 81-year-old former president noted the "thundering indignation of the fans because of Saturday's hard defeat."

He was apparently referring to Cuba's 4-1 loss to the U.S. last Sunday, during the championship game of the 24th Haarlem Baseball Week in Holland. That loss came after the Americans topped Cuba in the World Cup final in November. Cuba has nevertheless won three of the four Olympic gold medals since baseball became a medal sport in 1992 - settling for silver only in 2000, when the U.S. won.

Women's Gymnastics Team Finalized

NEW WAVERLY, Texas - U.S. gymnasts Chellsie Memmel, Alicia Sacramone and Samantha Peszek are officially going to Beijing. And they're bringing Bridget Sloan with them.

Considered all but locks after last month's nationals and Olympic trials, the trio earned spots at a selection camp Saturday, and Sloan upgraded herself with an impressive performance. Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin already had secured spots at the trials.

Tribune wires

U.S. Divers Lose Appeal

LOS ANGELES - Laura Wilkinson and diving partner Jessica Livingston have lost their appeal to compete in 10-meter synchronized platform diving at the Beijing Olympics.

An arbitrator ruled in a decision announced Saturday to keep 15-year-olds Haley Ishimatsu and Mary Beth Dunnichay as the synchro platform team for next month's games.

Wilkinson and Livingston had filed a complaint against USA Diving and the U.S. Olympic Committee asking to be placed on the team or have another competition to see if they or Ishimatsu and Dunnichay should compete in Beijing.

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