Contrary to the IOC's plans for the Olympic Games in Sydney, FISU (Federation Internationale du Sport Universitaire) is planning a webcast of the Winter Universiade this month Zakopane, Poland, February 7-17. The games will be available at www.fisu.net.

If the webcast is successful (and the IOC is paying attention) perhaps the IOC will explore further the possibility of using the World Wide Web to broadcast the Olympic events that are rarely, if ever, seen on television, especially American Olympic television coverage.

Zakopane hosted the FISU version of the Winter World University Games or Winter Universiade in 1993 and an earlier version in 1956.

This years program includes alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, figure skating, short track, ice hockey, biathlon, and snowboarding. Zakopane will host 45 delegations, more then 1,000 athletes and 800 officials.

It will be the first time that FISU will have broadcast a University Games over the Internet. See the details and Schedule at www.fisu.net.

IPC bans intellectually disabled from Paralympics

In an historic move, the International Paralympic Committee has suspended all intellectually disabled athletes from the Paralympic Games after an inquiry revealed that most of the Spanish basketball team in Sydney was found to have no mental disability. Last month the Spaniards were ordered to return their basketball gold medals after the Spanish Paralympic Committee concluded only two of 12 players on the team had a mental handicap.

The International Paralympic Committee has concluded that there are "serious problems regarding the determination of eligibility of athletes" in the intellectually disabled class and has barred intellectually disabled athletes from IPC events.

The IPC has also suspended the International Sports Organization for Athletes with an Intellectual Disability. That organization's president, Fernando Martin Vicente, was suspended from the IPC's ruling executive committee. Martin Vicente resigned in November as vice president of the Spanish Paralympic Committee.

This past November, Carlos Ribagorda of the Spanish basketball team said he and other medal winners were not in any way mentally deficient. Ribagorda said up to 15 members of Spain's Paralympic team, in categories such as track, table tennis and swimming, were not handicapped.

Pan-Am Games

The Pan American Sports Organization met January 19-20 for an extraordinary General Assembly, hosted by the Olympic Committee of Panama. The first day of the meeting was entirely devoted to preparations for the Santo Domingo 2003 Pan American Games, with the presentation of several reports, including one by the PASO evaluation commission and that of the 2003 Organizing Committee. President Mario Vázquez Raña reported on his recent meeting with the State President Hipolito Mejia in the Dominican Republic. PASO delegates expressed concern about the delays in preparations for the Games and plans for the Pan American Village.

For now the games remain in Santo Domingo with the PASO Executive Board reserving the right to make a final decision and move the games if necessary.

IOC Sends aid to El Salvador

The IOC has sent humanitarian aid to El Salvador, where last month's earthquake killed more than 1,000 people. San Salvador is scheduled to host the next Central American and Caribbean Games in November 2002.

Doha Qatar to hold both West Asian Games and Asian Games.

Doha, Qatar, chosen late last year as host for the 2006 Asian Games has also been named host of the 2003 West Asian Games. The 2003 regional games will help Qatar prepare for the larger 2006 games.

"We are going to organize in 2003 the West Asian games, a sort of mini-games to allow us to avoid possible gaps or mistakes during the 2006 Games," said Sheikh Saud bin Khalid Al-Thani, chairman of Qatar's Olympic committee.

"We explained that we represent West Asia and not Qatar or the Gulf countries," said the nephew of the emirate's ruler. "Now, West Asia has not staged the games for 26 years."

ESPN to stage a second Great Outdoor Games

ESPN's Great Outdoor Games will return to Lake Placid, N.Y. July 12-15, 2001. The games include competitions in fishing, timber events, target sports and sporting dogs. The games will be taped and televised from July 26 to August 5 on ESPN and ESPN2.

Last years event held July 20-23, 2000, drew over 15,000 spectators and 200 competitors from around the world

Carol Anne Letheren Canadian IOC member taken suddenly.

Canadian IOC member and President of the Canadian Olympic Association Carol Anne Letheren collapsed while speaking at an awards dinner in Toronto January 31st. She was rushed to the hospital but never regained consciousness. The cause of death was a brain aneurysm. She was 58 years of age.

Letheren had announced at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg that she would step down as President of the COA after the 2002 Winter Olympics, 

Letheren was also a member of the board for Toronto's 2008 Olympic bid.  Tributes from her fellow board members, sports administrators from around the world, the mayor of Toronto and the Prime Minister of Canada spoke of her energy, generosity and commitment to 

David Crombie, the chairman of the Toronto Olympic committee's board of directors, recalled that Letheren was one of the originators of the bid. "Carol Anne's life work strengthened the Olympic movement in Canada and around the world," the former Toronto mayor said. "She constantly promoted the Olympic spirit and Olympic values."

Her husband, Michael Murnaghan and family were at her side when she died. Mr. Murnaghan said, "Carol Anne leaves this life as she lived it: with selfless generosity and kindness, surrounded by the people she loved and who loved her." 

Per her request, her organs were being donated.

Anniversaries

Nordic Games, Stockholm, Sweden, Feb. 9-17, 1901

Socialist Worker Sports International Winter Worker Olympiad ,Murzzuschlag, Austria, Feb. 5-8, 1931

World Student Championships Winter, Poiana, Romania, Jan 28 - Feb 7, 1951

Pan-American Games, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Feb. 26 - March 9, 1951

Winter World University Games Winter Jaca, Spain, Feb. 23 - March 4, 1981

Alps-Adriatic Winter Youth Games Carinthia, Austria, Feb. 25-27, 1991