- 資料來源：國際及兩岸運動組
- 更新日期：104/03/11
- 點閱：6270
<運動組織動態>
1. 國際鐵人三項總會啟動2015年運動發展計畫
2. 世界跆拳道聯盟推動帕拉跆拳道運動
3. 國際運動關係基金會與國家奧會聯合會簽署協議備忘錄
<賽事籌辦進度>
4. 世界馬拉松大賽系列賽將推出反禁藥辦法
<賽事申辦訊息>
5. 國際田徑總會啟用2018年賽事線上申辦平台
<賽事籌辦進度>
6. 主辦奧運可能為城市帶來大幅改變，但後續發展呢？
<運動政策參考>
7. 日本政府將成立新運動部門
8. 加州議會擬立法禁止球員於棒球場嚼食菸草
<賽事規則變革>
9. 美國職棒大聯盟公布加速比賽節奏新規定
<運動禁藥管制>
10. 荷蘭研究顯示頂尖運動選手禁藥使用率恐達14-39%
<2016里約奧運>
11. Daedo獲選為里約奧運跆拳道護具與計分系統供應商
<2020東京奧運>
12. 日本力推棒球重返2020東京奧運
13. 日本在東京奧運來臨前開設賭場式渡假村機會渺茫
<賽事成果與資產>
14. 2014格拉斯哥大英國協運動會選手村改建，首批住戶遷入
<其它>
15. 兒童在運動界之權益仍常被忽略
1. 國際鐵人三項總會啟動2015年運動發展計畫 <運動組織動態>
aroundtherings 網站2015/02/19報導。國際鐵人三項總會(ITU)最近宣布，將啟動2015年Team ITU計畫，此計畫專為來自新興國家鐵人三項協會中具有2016里約奧運競爭潛力之運動員，提供資助、資源與專業知識。該計畫提供至多8名運動員在國際鐵人三項總會之世界盃比賽中，接受世界知名鐵人三項教練指導。此培訓計畫將提供運動員參加上述比賽所需之住宿、膳食與旅行補助。
除了世界盃比賽，國際鐵人三項總會發展部門也將對爭取奧運積分之運動員，提供訓練營。第1一座訓練營，預計將於5月16至27日在紐西蘭新普萊茅斯開訓。入選參加訓練營之運動員，將有機會接觸訓練與體能復原設備，同時享有架構完整之訓練環境，並在團隊環境下接受專業教練之指導。國際鐵人三項總會歡迎所有新興及發展國家之鐵人三項協會，最多提名2位男性與2位女性運動員，參與角逐2015年Team ITU計畫。
2. 世界跆拳道聯盟推動帕拉跆拳道運動 <運動組織動態>
paralympic 網站2015/02/20新聞稿。繼1月31日2020東京帕運會宣布將納入帕拉跆拳道後，世界跆拳道聯盟（WTF）主席趙正源於2月7-8日在洛桑召開會議，討論帕拉跆拳道之未來發展，希望藉此機會提高全球參與率，讓更多人瞭解這項全球運動之潛力。
世界跆拳道聯盟理事會在2014年10月會議中，通過帕拉跆拳道之策略計畫，為帕拉跆拳道世界性之發展及擴張提供創新方案及改革架構。此計畫將自2015-2020年實施，並因應帕拉跆拳道納入帕運會而進行組織結構修改，以因應增長之參與人數。主席趙正源表示，能獲選入2020東京帕運會是一項殊榮，要感謝國際帕委會(IPC)給予表現之機會。世界跆拳道聯盟將持續盡全力推動帕拉跆拳道之發展。
3. 國際運動關係基金會與國家奧會聯合會簽署協議備忘錄 <運動組織動態>
aroundtherings 網站2015/02/24報導。國際運動關係基金會(iSR)與國家奧會聯合會(ANOC)於1月23日，在科威特之第2屆亞洲運動員論壇上，由雙方主席共同簽署協議備忘錄(MOA)，雙方將依此制訂為期3年之合作條款與規章，協助退役選手之進修與實習、贊助開發中國家學生、召開聯合研討會/論壇，並發表研究刊物等。該協議備忘錄要求更高程度之合作，遠較合作備忘錄(MOU)更具法律效力。
國際運動關係基金會提出之學院計畫以幫助頂尖運動菁英及退休運動選手之轉職為目標，提供1年語言訓練和實習，並將結合國際奧會所屬之「選手生涯計畫(ACP Program)」。招生期間為2月15日起至3月16日止，計畫於6月正式開始進行。詳情請見iSR網站www.i-sr.org。
4. 世界馬拉松大賽系列賽將推出反禁藥辦法 <賽事籌辦進度>
athleticsweekly 網站2015/02/20報導。亞培世界馬拉松大賽(AWMM)籌辦單位表示已發布新賽制細制，並將從週日之東京馬拉松賽開始實施。從東京馬拉松賽開始，亞培世界馬拉松大賽導入為期1年之系列馬拉松賽，以及「史無前例之反禁藥措施」。馬拉松系列賽將包括東京、波士頓、倫敦、柏林、芝加哥以及紐約，曾違反國際田徑總會、世界反禁藥總會、各國國家運動協會或個別亞培世界馬拉松大賽反禁藥規定之運動員，將喪失角逐系列賽之總冠軍資格。
2015年系列賽之反禁藥措施也將進一步提升。亞培世界馬拉松大賽將與國際田總合作，提出有資格爭奪總冠軍運動員於非比賽期間接受額外藥檢之名單。這些運動員名單與新措施準則細節，目前尚未宣布。系列賽獎金也將依運動員之長期生物資料進行調整，調整後每位男女總冠軍選手各可獲得50萬美元獎金，獎金將於5年內每年啟用10萬美元，而非一次全額發放。
5. 國際田徑總會啟用2018年賽事線上申辦平台 <賽事申辦訊息>
insidethegames 網站2015/02/23報導。國際田徑總會(IAAF)正式啟用線上申辦平台，自2015年起開放申辦2018年IAAF世界半程馬拉松與國際田徑總會世界青年錦標賽。透過新的申辦網站與新聞快報，有意申辦之城市可獲得國際田徑總會競賽申辦最新消息，包括活動描述、申辦期限與程序、主辦城市權利與義務，並可參考其他申辦城市之措施。
藉由新的線上平台，國際田徑總會希望與更多城市接觸，並提供各項大小規模賽事活動之相關消息，讓有意申辦城市皆有機會舉辦世界級之田徑賽事。曾參與舉辦多項國際田徑活動，包括2001世界田徑錦標賽在內之愛德蒙頓市史黛西耐克(Candice Stasynec)表示，國際田徑總會此舉可擴大接觸更多不同國家之潛在申辦城市，同時詳盡資訊可讓提案階段之討論更加清楚，有助於申辦城市進行決策。
6. 主辦奧運可能為城市帶來大幅改變，但後續發展呢？ <賽事籌辦進度>
wcvb 網站2015/02/20報導。2024年波士頓奧運籌委會瞭解主辦奧運可能帶來大幅改變，但奧運結束後之發展呢？上一座主辦過奧運之美國城市亞特蘭大，奧運落幕後之表現優於多數主辦城市。然而，亞特蘭大奧運落幕近20年後，我們仍能看到該市奧運過後之黑暗面，包括某些場館已變成蚊子館，如空蕩蕩之奧運大型賽馬場；阿格西當年拿下奧運金牌之7千人網球場，如今已雜草叢生。
不過，某些場館仍然順利找到第二春，例如奧林匹克運動場現已成為美國職棒大聯盟亞特蘭大勇士隊之主場，該場館當初興建時，部份結構設計成可拆卸式，以便於奧運落幕後轉型成棒球場。至於原本容納1.5萬名運動員之奧林匹克選手村，現在已成為喬治亞理工學院之學生宿舍。
交通可能是波士頓將面臨之另一大問題，特別是該市之大眾運輸系統最近頻繁出包。亞特蘭大奧運之交通運輸被認為是一大災難，因為巴士與火車常誤點，運動員差點趕不上比賽。波士頓奧運籌委會也坦承該市在運輸基礎建設方面，仍需進行大型投資。
7. 日本政府將成立新運動部門 <運動政策參考>
mainichi 網站2015/02/20報導。日本政府計劃成立新部門，處理2020東京奧運及帕運前之各種運動相關事務，而內閣也將另外新增一位閣員，負責東京帕運之籌備事宜。日本首相安倍晉三內閣日前已批准上述2項提案，如果國會通過，日本內閣閣員將從目前之18人增至19人。
倘若這2項議案在6月24日國會休會前通過，新部門預計10月掛牌運作。據悉，其主管將由無政治背景者擔任，如退休運動員，相關業務將整合自其他部會，預計有120名人員，附屬於文部省下。
8. 加州議會擬立法禁止球員於棒球場嚼食菸草 <運動政策參考>
路透社2015/02/24報導。加州議員塞爾蒙(Tony Thurmond)提出法案，擬在加州地區之大聯盟賽事中禁止球員嚼食菸草，希望藉由選手之明星影響力，避免相關疾病發生在年青人身上。此案是鑒於聖地牙哥教士隊外野手葛溫(Tony Gwynn)在不到1年前因唾液腺癌病逝，被認為與棒球界常見之嚼食或在唇齒間含菸草之習慣有關。
大聯盟雖早已禁菸，對嚼食菸草卻未設令禁止，而小聯盟雖禁止嚼食菸草，但外界指出小聯盟並未嚴格執行。此法案擬禁止在加州所有棒球體育館內使用任何菸草類製品，包括口含、嚼食、吸菸或使用電子香菸。同時也要求在棒球場內包括選手休息區、牛棚、置物間、浴室和所有出入口設立禁止標語。
9. 美國職棒大聯盟公布加速比賽節奏新規定 <賽事規則變革>
路透社2015/02/20報導。由於各界對於棒球過長之比賽時間愈來愈感到憂心，美國職棒大聯盟近日宣布幾項加速比賽節奏之新規定，包括打者在打席過程中必須至少有一隻腳留在打擊區，除非出現喊出暫停或投手暴投等例外情況。此外，比賽也將導入倒數計時器，以便更有效掌控時間並引導球員。該倒數計時器會計算非比賽進行之時間、上、下半局轉換時間與更換投手之時間。只在當地進行轉播之比賽倒數時間為2分25秒，而全國轉播之比賽倒數時間為2分45秒。
當倒數進入最後20秒時，工作人員會「提醒」打擊者站上打擊區。投手在倒數計時器剩下最後30秒前，可以儘量進行熱身投球，但投手若於時限內無法完成8次慣例試投，剩下未完成之試投將被取消。上述新規定將透過警告與罰款系統落實，大聯盟並表示將懲處惡性違規者。
10.荷蘭研究顯示頂尖運動選手禁藥使用率恐達14-39% <運動禁藥管制>
insidethegames 網站2015/02/24報導。論文作者之一且為荷蘭反禁藥組織(NADO)科學管理執行長迪洪(Olivier de Hon)表示，頂尖運動選手使用禁藥之比例恐達14-39%，遠高於其他反禁藥測試報告。儘管現有之檢測方式應可測出更為精確之違禁結果，但相關主題之研究報告仍非常不足。他同時呼籲各管理當局，應設法整理並公開相關資訊，才能研究出整體情況。如無更精確的資訊，幾乎無法評估當前政策、經費使用與檢測方法是否確實有效。
迪洪表示該研究是依據2份截然不同之研究方法綜合得出。第1份以2001-2010年間逾2700名頂尖田徑選手之血液檢測，得出約14%受測選手有血紅素提高之情形。第2份則是於2007年對至少400名德籍奧運選手利用隨機化回答技術(RRT)所獲得之研究。該技術藉由將敏感性及可利用數學方式推論之無關性之問題組合成問卷，受測者甚至可利用擲銅板輔以回答。例如告知受測者若擲出之銅板為正面，或該受測者有使用禁藥時，則需回答「是」。根據此項測試，有20-39%受測者承認用藥。詳情請見運動醫療2015年1月份內容。
11.Daedo獲選為里約奧運跆拳道護具與計分系統供應商 <2016里約奧運>
insidethegames 網站2015/02/24報導。經過多次檢測與會議協商，世界跆拳道聯盟(WTF)宣布，來自英國之跆拳道護具廠商Daedo，將供應2016里約奧運及5大洲際資格賽使用之護具與計分系統(PSS)，以及供應5月12-18日俄羅斯世界跆拳道錦標賽、9月18-20日土耳其跆拳道大獎賽，及12月4-5日墨西哥大獎賽決賽之相關設備。
而落選之KP&P品牌，也將分別供應8月14-16莫斯科大獎賽、8月23-26南韓世界青少年錦標賽、10月15-17曼徹斯特大獎賽，以及日期未定之世界青年錦標賽。PSS為內含電子感應器之身體與頭部護具，在一定力道觸擊下，可計算攻擊是否為有效得分。該系統自2012倫敦奧運起採用，將裁決改進為客觀綜合之方式，不再依賴少數裁判之主觀判定，為該項運動持續現代化之關鍵。
12.日本力推棒球重返2020東京奧運 <2020東京奧運>
baseball america網站2015/02/21報導。國際奧會去年12月核准新之奧運主辦城市申辦程序後，為棒球與壘球在2020東京奧運重返奧運殿堂敞開了大門。之前棒球比賽只有男性運動員，成為其進軍奧運面臨的問題之一，但棒球與壘球合組世界棒壘球聯合會(WBSC)後，問題已經解套。世界棒壘球聯合會執委會唯一之棒球球員代表霍伯(Justin Huber)表示「整個重返奧運之努力圍繞於日本政府，日本真的想要讓棒球與壘球成為奧運比賽之一部份，他們擁有足夠的基礎架構、龐大的球迷，更有完善的電視轉播網路。」
值得一提的是，日本首相安倍晉三特別組成一個焦點評論小組，全力推動棒壘球重返奧運。不過霍伯也坦承棒壘球雖然已經解決國際奧會指出之問題，但並不保證2020年奧運會一定會有棒壘球比賽。國際奧會將於今年7月開會時做決定。
13.日本在東京奧運來臨前開設賭場式渡假村機會渺茫 <2020東京奧運>
aroundtherings網站2015/02/19報導。儘管日本國會於最近會期重新推出賭場式博奕合法化法案，但東京在2020夏季奧運開幕前，達成賭場落成運作之機會卻相當渺茫。據《日本時報》報導，大阪與橫濱爭取設立日本首座整合型博奕渡假中心之企圖心最強。
大阪府知事松井一朗(Ichiro Matsu)表示，儘管各界對於已提送國會審理之議案仍有疑慮，但他仍希望在2020年前於大阪市郊之夢洲人工島開設博奕渡假中心。然而，位於東京之國際賭場機構執行長木曾隆(Takashi Kiso)表示，任何取得開設賭場特許執照之地方政府，幾乎不可能短短5年內開設整合型博奕渡假中心。
14.2014格拉斯哥大英國協運動會選手村改建，首批住戶遷入 <賽事成果與資產>
insidethegames網站2015/02/23報導。占地38.5公頃、可容納7000人之2014大英國協運動會選手村已進行改建，可提供300戶私人住宅、400戶國宅租屋和1所可容納120個床位之老人安養中心。目前已有100戶遷入，私人住宅也已售出逾250戶。這些建物是依照英國最高環境標準所設計，它結合屋頂之太陽能發電與室內供熱與電力系統，且可減少40%碳排放量。
此改建計畫為大英國協運動會資產之重點項目，也是身為蘇格蘭第2大城之格拉斯哥之擴張發展要項。蘇格蘭首席部長史特強(Nicola Sturgeon)與市議會主席等皆到場迎接住戶遷入。另外此區也將成立一所小學、醫師診療護理中心等。在未來幾個月也將設立種植15000棵樹木之公園，並以橫越克萊德河之新橋連接此區。
15.兒童在運動界之權益仍常被忽略 <其它>
aroundtherings 網站2015/02/12報導。聯合國兒童權利公約去年慶祝通過25週年，但專家表示仍必須正視兒童之權益問題。運動界日益龐大之營收以及無止盡之追求名利，在許多層面都對年輕運動員與其人權帶來負面影響；與兒童有關之虐待、忽視、暴力與剝削利用，在運動界也屢見不鮮。聯合國估計1成之運動兒童人權遭受侵犯，而另有2成之兒童因各種原因，容易成為人權侵犯之潛在受害者。
為了對抗各種相關挑戰，聯合國專家建議以兒童為核心之運動系統，應採納下列10項原則：一、平等、非歧視與公平；二、兒童之最高利益-以兒童為優先；三、兒童持續進化之能力；四、權力擁有者及行使權力；五、諮詢-兒童意見、讓兒童在知情之情況下參與；六、妥善之指引與指導；七、互相尊重、支持與責任；八、最高可能之健康標準；九、透明性、責任歸屬與監控；十、卓越。而此十項原則應為最低標準，並與兒童權利公約共同成為提醒機制，以確保兒童在運動領域之人權受保護，並在全球推行。
附件1.
資料來源：
http://www.aroundtherings.com/site/A__50247/Title__ITU-renews-Sport-Development-Programme-for-2015/292/Articles
ITU renews Sport Development Programme for 2015
ITU recently announced that it is accepting applications for the 2015 Team ITU, which is dedicated to offering support, resources and expertise to athletes from emerging National Federations who show a potential to compete at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games.
The project will see a maximum of eight athletes given the opportunity to work with an internationally renowned triathlon coach at the Chengdu, Huatulco, Tiszaujvaros and Alanya ITU World Cup races. Accommodation, meals and a travel stipend will also be provided for the events.
In addition to a start at the World Cup races, ITU Development will offer training camps to athletes who are attempting to secure Olympic Qualification points. The first of these camps is slated to take place over 10 days in New Plymouth, New Zealand from March 16-27.
Athletes selected for the camp will have access to training and recovery facilities, as well as enjoy a structured training environment with coaching expertise in a team environment.
"Not only will athletes have access to invaluable coaching resources and training sites, they will get to enjoy a team atmosphere for both training and competing. Often athletes from emerging National Federations attend races with no support staff or teammates, which can be intimidating. The camp environment eliminates that factor, allowing athletes to focus solely on racing their best," said ITU President and IOC Member Marisol Casado.
Now in its 10th year, ITU's development programme has positively impacted more than 60 athletes, with 18 of them having gone on to compete in an Olympic Games and one having earned an Olympic medal.
"Over the last few years I've seen a real growth in the athletes that take advantage of the opportunities that Team ITU provide for developing athletes. I have witnessed many athletes turn the opportunity into success. That's a real credit to the athletes, their home coaches, and the entire Team ITU staff that have been part of this project over the last number of years. It's exciting to see the legacy of this project produce performers on the world stage, and I am looking forward to the opportunities presented to athletes in the future," said ITU Development Coach and Facilitator Mick Delamotte.
In addition to providing athletes with training and competing opportunities, the development program aims to increase the number of coaches from emerging/developing National Federations gaining experience in the preparation and support of athletes competing at a World Cup level.
All emerging/developing National Federations are invited to nominate a maximum of two male and two female athletes for the 2015 Team ITU. For more information on 2015 Team ITU,please click here.
附件2.
資料來源：
http://www.paralympic.org/news/wtf-president-discusses-future-development-para-taekwondo
WTF President discusses future development of para-taekwondo
World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) President Chungwon Choue visited the WTF office in Lausanne earlier this month (7-8 February) to discuss the future development of para-taekwondo following its historic inclusion in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games sports programme.
The WTF has already seen a significant increase in interest from its 206 national federations to develop para-taekwondo in their countries since the International Paralympic Committee's announcement on 31 January 2015. The WTF had long identified Paralympic inclusion as a way of increasing worldwide participation and helping to realise the huge potential of the global sport.
The WTF Council approved a Para-Taekwondo Strategic Plan during last year's meeting in October. The plan which will be implemented from 2015 to 2020 provides a framework for the WTF to instigate innovative programmes and reforms for the development and expansion of para-taekwondo worldwide. The plan will now be revised following para-taekwondo's inclusion in the Paralympic programme with the organisational structure set to be expanded to meet the increasing demand in participation.
WTF President Choue said: "It is a great honour for the WTF to be included in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. We now have a responsibility to ensure that we maximise the opportunities this presents us with and grow our sport to its full potential. We are very grateful to the IPC for granting us this privilege and we are committed to showing them that they made the right decision to put their faith in us."
附件3.
資料來源：
http://www.aroundtherings.com/site/A__50307/Title__International-Sports-Relations-Foundation-Signs-MOA-with-Association-of-National-Olympic-Committees/292/Articles
International Sports Relations Foundation Signs MOA with Association of National Olympic Committees
International Sports Relations Foundation (iSR) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Association of National Olympic Committee (ANOC) for the collaborative program, 'iSR Academy' International Sports Relations Foundation (iSR, President Daesung Moon) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Association of National Olympic Committee (ANOC, President H.E. Sheik Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah) for 'iSR Academy' at the 2nd Asian Athletes Forum in Kuwait, on January 23rd, 2015.
According to the MOA, the agreement is to establish the terms and conditions under which iSR and ANOC cooperate for a period of 3 years to support the study and internship of retired athletes, i.e. IOC Athletes Career Program, financial aid for students from developing countries, joint symposium/forum, and research/publications, etc. In thisrespect, this agreement is significant as it requires higher degree of cooperation thus, more legally binding force than a MOU (Memorandum of Understanding).
The iSR Academy initiated by the International Sports Relations Foundation (iSR) is designed to help career transition for the top sports elites and retiring athletes by offering one year of language and work training education combining the 'Athletes Career Program' (ACP Program) which is run by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The program is expected to begin in June this year followed by the recruitment of students from all around the world starting from February 15th, 2015 to March 16th. 2015. All the details about the academy and the admission can be found in the iSR website at: www.i-sr.org
附件4.
資料來源：
http://www.athleticsweekly.com/featured/world-marathon-majors-series-feature-unprecedented-anti-doping-protocols-17286/
World Marathon Majors series to feature "unprecedented anti-doping protocols"
Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMM) organisers have released details of a new race series format which will launch at Sunday's Tokyo Marathon.
This weekend's event marks the official start of Abbott's title sponsorship of the series and will see the introduction of a new one-year cycle of qualifying races featuring what AWMM describes as "unprecedented anti-doping protocols".
The series, which includes the Tokyo, Boston, Virgin Money London, BMW Berlin, Bank of America Chicago and TCS New York City Marathons, already had a policy which meant that no athlete who had been found guilty of any anti-doping rules enforced by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), national federations, or any of the individual AWMM races would be eligible to win the AWMM championship title.
The anti-doping efforts of the series have been stepped up for 2015 as, together with the IAAF, the AWMM is to create a pool of championship-eligible runners who will undergo additional out-of-competition drug testing. Details on the athlete pool and the new testing protocols are yet to be announced.
Prize money payments also will be adjusted to take advantage of long-term biological mapping of athletes, so the $500,000 prize awarded each to the male champion and female champion will no longer be made in one lump-sum payment but paid out over the course of five years, at $100,000 each year.
The new series format also features a rotating start and finish at each of the six annual series races, so the 2015/16 series begins at Sunday's Tokyo Marathon and ends upon completion of the February 2016 Tokyo Marathon. The next series will begin at the April 2016 Boston Marathon and end upon completion of the April 2017 Boston Marathon. Each subsequent series will begin and end at the next AWMM series race on the calendar, while the Olympic marathon and IAAF World Championships marathon will also serve as qualifying races and be included in the race schedule in the years they are held, but will not begin or end a series.
Athletes win the AWMM series by being the male or female runner to have scored the greatest number of points from qualifying races during the one-year scoring period. During each scoring period, points from a maximum of two qualifying races will be accepted, with 25 points scored for a race win, 16 points scored for a second place finish, nine points for third, four points for fourth and one point for fifth.
"With a new title sponsor, a new series format and an increase in our anti-doping efforts, the Abbott World Marathon Majors begins a new era in marathon history," said Carey Pinkowski, executive race director of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
"The integrity of the Abbott World Marathon Majors championship title is our top priority, as our champions represent the hundreds of thousands of runners from around the world who participate in our races annually."
This year's Tokyo Marathon field features the likes of London 2012 Olympic marathon champions Stephen Kiprotich of Uganda and Tiki Gelana of Ethiopia.
"I am truly honored to be able to run the Tokyo Marathon again," said Kiprotich. "I regret that I finished in third place in Tokyo in 2012, but later that year I could turn that defeat into a great victory at the London Olympic Games. This time, here in Tokyo, I'm determined to do my best, so that I could turn my bitter memory into a wonderful one."
Tags: Abbott World Marathon Majors, Bank of America Chicago Marathon, BMW Berlin Marathon, Boston Marathon, TCS New York City Marathon, Tokyo Marathon, Virgin Money London Marathon, World Marathon Majors, World Marathon Majors series
附件5.
資料來源：
http://www.insidethegames.biz/sports/summer/athletics/1025585-iaaf-online-bid-platform-launched-ahead-of-this-year-s-bids-for-2018-events
IAAF online bid platform launched ahead of this year's bids for 2018 events
An online platform for potential hosts of competitive events has been officially launched by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
Following the latest round of awards made in Monte Carlo last November, new bidding opportunities will start in 2015 for the 2018 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships and the 2018 IAAF World Junior Championships.
Through the new bidding website and newsletter, cities will not only be able to access the latest information about bidding for IAAF events, but also access best practice from previous and future host cities.
"We have been working with TSE Consulting Switzerland on the bidding process, and we've already done a soft launch of the site with the official launch coming next year," said an IAAF spokesman.
"The site gathers related news stories, but you can also access sections on key areas such as host city requirements and a summary of financial obligations." The new bidding website and newsletter will allow cities to access the latest information about bidding for IAAF events, including event descriptions, bidding timelines and procedures, host cities' rights and obligations as well as best practices from past and future host cities of IAAF events.
By creating this website, the IAAF aims to reach more cities and provide them with relevant information about its events.
All events are different in scope and size and offer cities of all sizes the opportunities to host world-class athletics competitions.
"The quality of the collaboration between an international federation and the hosts of its events is crucial for the sound growth of sport," said IAAF President Lamine Diack.
"Our new approach acknowledges this crucial connexion and aims to engage with cities from all over the world and get them involved in athletics and athletics events."
From the City of Edmonton, a past host of international athletics events in Canada, including the 2001 World Championships, Candice Stasynec commented: "The IAAF's initiative to reach out to potential hosts and provide information about bidding is a great development.
"It is very important for ambitious sport cities around the world to have all this information available in the initial stages of discussing any bid and we know it will be very useful to many potential bidders."
附件6.
資料來源：
http://www.wcvb.com/sports/hosting-olympics-can-be-game-changer-but-what-about-after/31390478
Hosting Olympics can be game changer, but what about after?
ATLANTA —Organizers of Boston 2024 know the Olympics can be a game-changer for a city, but what is life like after the games?
The last American city to host a Summer Games, Atlanta, ended up better than most.
However, the dark side of the Olympics can still be seen almost 20 years later.
There are a handful of venues, now so-called "white elephants," scattered in and around Atlanta.
One is a large horse racing facility that is mostly vacant.
The 7,000-seat tennis stadium where Andre Agassi won a gold medal is now empty, surrounded by fences and no trespassing signs and overgrown with weeds.
However, there are also venues that found a second life.
The old Olympic Stadium is now Turner Field, home to the Atlanta Braves. The stadium was specifically built so that a portion of it could be torn down after the games to make it into a baseball field.
The buildings at Olympic Village that hosted 15,000 athletes became on campus student housing for Georgia Tech.
But just across the street, you can see an example of the gentrification that took place.
A public housing development that was the oldest in the entire country was taken over by the state and torn down. Residents were sent outside of the city and given vouchers for the new mixed income housing that eventually replaced it. However, the poorest of the poor were still priced out of the complex and much of the city.
A.D. Frazier, chief operating officer of the 1996 Games, admitted that what took place with housing is a negative.
There are also two views of the result.
"From the standpoint of low income people and for public housing advocates, this was a very bad thing. From the standpoint of the city's overall economic health, perhaps not a bad thing," said Dr. Harvey Newton, of Georgia State University.
Good or bad, Boston 2024 said that it will not happen here.
"We start with a no displacement policy with residential housing in Boston," said Doug Arnot, USOC advisor to Boston.
Atlanta also saw overwhelming support of the Games through volunteers. There were 47,000 of them that summer, and the day after the bombing in Centennial Olympic Park, volunteer attendance reached 141 percent.
"(I did) whatever they needed, lunch or to move around, however they needed me," said Jennifer Maxey, a volunteer from the Games.
Maxey went on to become a police officer in Atlanta and believes the Olympic Games can bring a positive spirit to a city like Atlanta or Boston.
Even after the bombing and some people being priced out of the city, Atlanta has seen a $5 billion economic boom since the games.
Transportation is another big question for Boston, especially after recent failures on the MBTA and commuter rail.
In 1996, critics called Atlanta's transportation during the Olympics a disaster. Despite special transportation for athletes and spectators, buses and trains were often delayed, some to the point that athletes nearly missed events.
The organizers in Boston said that their goal is to make the venues and events largely walkable. They acknowledged that the city would also need a major investment in transit infrastructure.
附件7.
資料來源：
http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20150220p2g00m0dm059000c.html
Japan gov't to set up sports agency
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japanese government plans to set up an agency to tackle sports affairs ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, government officials said Friday.
A new post of Cabinet minister in charge of preparations for the Games will also be established, the officials said.
At Friday's meeting, the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe approved two bills to establish such an agency and to increase the number of Cabinet ministers to 19 from the current .
If the two bills pass the Diet during the ongoing regular session running through June 24, the government will establish the agency in October.
The first head of the agency, which is aimed at strengthening Japanese athletics and enhancing Japan's contributions to the world through sports, will be a non-politician such as a former athlete.
Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Hakubun Shimomura said at a news conference that the plan is aimed at unifying sports policies and that the government wants to pick a person familiar with sports and governance for the new post.
Toshiaki Endo, a House of Representatives member from the governing Liberal Democratic Party who once served as senior vice education minister, is expected to serve as the new minister, political sources said.
The sports agency with a staff of some 120 officials will be set up as an affiliated organization of the education ministry, integrating functions with other ministries, the officials said.
Abe's administration initially tried to establish the sports agency in April this year. But the plan hit a snag due to slow progress in talks among ministries concerned.
A bill to set up the new post of Cabinet minister in charge of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics passed the lower house last year but the bill was abandoned due to the chamber's dissolution for a general election in December 2014.
附件8.
資料來源：
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/24/us-usa-california-tobacco-idUSKBN0LS0K220150224
California lawmaker seeks to ban chewing tobacco in baseball
(Reuters) - Major League Baseball players would be banned from using chewing tobacco at games in California under a bill expected to be introduced in the state legislature on Tuesday, the first in a nationwide campaign planned by anti-tobacco activists.
The bill targets baseball's ubiquitous habit less than a year after retired San Diego Padres outfielder Tony Gwynn died of cancer of the salivary glands, believed related to chewing tobacco or "dipping" it by lodging it between the lip and the gum.
"Tony Gwynn was somebody I thought was a spokesman for baseball, a great role model as a person," said Assembly member Tony Thurmond, a Democrat who represents Richmond and other suburbs east of San Francisco and the bill's author.
"I'm hopeful that this bill will lend to his legacy, that it will help to prevent illness for young people and young athletes."
Smoking is already banned in Major League Baseball, and the minor leagues have prohibited dipping and chewing, although some say the minor league rules are not strictly enforced. Major League Baseball strongly discourages the use of smokeless tobacco, but has not banned it.
Thurmond's bill would ban use of all tobacco products at baseball stadiums in the state, including dipping, chewing, smoking or using electronic or e-cigarettes. It would also require baseball stadiums to post signs announcing the ban in all dugouts, bullpens, locker rooms, bathrooms and at all entrances.
A spokesman for Major League Baseball did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
Matt Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said chewing tobacco is not only deadly for adults like Gwynn, but it is increasingly popular with teens and boys seeking to emulate their baseball heroes.
"The use of smokeless tobacco has actually increased among kids," Myers said, "because young fans idolize and imitate Major League Baseball players."
Myers's organization is backing Thurmond's bill, and hopes to carry the campaign to other states if it is successful in California.
Other baseball greats have also battled cancer believed linked to chewing tobacco. Last year, former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling said he was diagnosed with cancer, which he said he believed was related to his use of smokeless tobacco.
附件9.
資料來源：
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/20/us-baseball-rules-changes-idUSKBN0LO1RC20150220
Major League Baseball issues new rules to speed up games
(Reuters) - Major League Baseball instituted several rule changes on Friday designed to step up the pace of play amid growing concerns that its games are growing too long.
Among the changes is that batters must keep at least one foot in the batter's box unless one of several exceptions occurs, like time is called or the pitcher throws a wild pitch. Timers will also be added to better track time and guide players, the league said.
MLB began to look for ways to address the issue in September amid fears that fans of the national pastime will become bored with the escalating length of games and flee to other quicker-paced sports.
The average MLB game took 3 hours 2 minutes last season, nearly 30 minutes more than it did in 1981."These changes represent a step forward in our efforts to streamline the pace of play," Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. "The most fundamental starting point for improving the pace of the average game involves getting into and out of breaks seamlessly."
The new timers will measure non-game action and the time between innings and pitching changes, counting down from 2:25 for locally televised games and from 2:45 for nationally televised games. Batters will be "encouraged" to get into the batter's box with 20 seconds left on the timer, MLB said.
Pitchers can throw as many warm-up pitches as they want prior to 30 seconds remaining on the clock but will forfeit any of their traditional eight warm-up pitches that they cannot complete by that deadline.
Atlanta Braves President John Schuerholz, the chairman of MLB's Pace of Game and Instant Replay committees, said he wants to take "measured steps" to quicken baseball's pace.
"It is not an objective of ours to achieve a dramatic time reduction right away," he said. "It is more important to develop a culture of better habits and a structure with more exact timings for non-game action."
All of the new rules will be enforced through a warning and fine system, MLB said, with discipline resulting for flagrant violators.
MLB also announced several changes to its use of the instant replay system, including allowing managers to challenge a call from the dugout rather than by approaching an umpire.
"We're confident that today's announcements will have a positive impact on the pace of the game without jeopardizing the integrity of the competition," said MLB Players Association Executive Director Tony Clark.
The rule changes will be effective in spring training, the regular season and the postseason.
附件10.
資料來源：
http://www.insidethegames.biz/news/1025803-doping-in-elite-sport-likely-to-be-between-14-and-39-per-cent-claims-new-study
Doping in elite sport "likely" to be between 14 and 39 per cent, claims new study
New Dutch analysis has estimated that the prevalence of doping in elite sport is "likely" to be 18 between 14 and 39 per cent - far above the level of adverse analytical findings turned up by anti-doping tests.
But the analysis also concludes that, while the tools to obtain a far more accurate gauge of true doping levels exist, published studies on the subject are "scarce".
Interviewed by insidethegames, one of the authors, Olivier de Hon, appealed to governing bodies to take the necessary steps to compile and publish information that would permit a fuller picture to emerge.
"Our conclusion is that 14-39 per cent is the best available estimate at the moment," De Hon, scientific affairs manager at the Dopingautoriteit, the Dutch national anti-doping organisation (NADO), said.
"If governing bodies were more active and transparent in this area, we should be able to build a much better idea of the true prevalence of doping in elite sport."
It is now more than three years since David Howman, director general of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), told a clean competition conference in New York that while analytical findings suggested that the prevalence of doping was about one-two per cent, "recent studies suggest double digits".
Without a more accurate reading, however - and in particular an idea of whether prevalence is rising or falling - it is almost impossible to judge how effective the current policing apparatus really is, whether money is being well spent and if the inconvenience and indignity routinely visited upon competing athletes is worth the trouble.
De Hon and his colleagues, Harm Kuipers and Maarten van Bottenburg from the universities of Maastricht and Utrecht, believe that the impact on athletes imposes a degree of moral responsibility on authorities to act.
As explained by De Hon, the new analysis bases its estimate on two studies that used contrasting methods to reach their conclusions.
The first used blood readings from approximately 7,000 tests of more than 2,700 elite track and field athletes taken between 2001 and 2010, compared them with readings taken from groups of known dopers and known non-dopers, and estimated that some 14 per cent of tested athletes had an elevated haemoglobin level.
This means they were likely to have engaged in some sort of blood manipulation. De Hon emphasised that this exercise covered blood doping only and made no attempt to gauge steroid use.
A steroid passport has now been launched by anti-doping authorities, suggesting that a similar attempt to measure steroid abuse may be possible within a few years.
The second study drawn on by De Hon and his colleagues used the so-called Randomised Response Technique (RRT) of posing questions to a group of more than 400 German Olympic-level athletes in 2007.
The principle of RRT is that you endeavour to compensate for likely reluctance to answer a direct question candidly by coupling the sensitive query with another that is harmless and whose range of responses can be mathematically deduced.
In its simplest guise, you might ask your sample to toss a coin.
You then ask individuals to respond "Yes" if their coin turned up heads or if they have resorted to doping.
In a large sample, you know that the proportion throwing heads will approximate to 50 per cent and can accordingly work out how many individuals responded "Yes" because of the doping question.
According to De Hon, in this exercise, the proportion who admitted doping was estimated at 20-39 per cent.
While doping prevalence studies are rare, De Hon, who has worked in anti-doping for 15 years, said that others had been conducted without their results having been made public.
He appealed to those responsible to publish their findings.
He also disclosed that a RRT study is currently being conducted among Dutch national elite athletes.
He suggested it might one day also be possible to gauge athlete usage levels of certain drugs via chemical analysis of the sewage systems at training centres and the like.
A full account of the analysis - Prevalence of doping use in elite sports: a review of numbers and methods - was published in Sports Medicine, dated January 2015. 20
附件11.
資料來源：
http://www.insidethegames.biz/sports/summer/taekwondo/1025789-daedo-named-taekwondo-protector-and-scoring-system-supplier-for-rio-2016
Daedo named taekwondo protector and scoring system supplier for Rio 2016
Daedo UK will supply the protector and scoring system (PSS) at Rio 2016 after being chosen ahead of fellow approved brand KP&P, the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) has announced Swiss Timing, the umbrella firm for worldwide Olympic partner Omega, reached a decision after numerous tests and meetings, which will also see the British-based arm of Daedo act as the PSS provider for five continental qualification tournaments leading up to next year's Olympic Games.
In addition, it has been confirmed that Daedo will provide for this year's World Taekwondo Championships in Chelyabinsk, Russia from May 12 to 18, as well as the Grand Prix Series event in Samsun, Turkey from September 18 to 20, and the Grand Prix Series final in Mexico City from December 4 to 5.
Despite missing out on Rio 2016, KP&P has been named the provider for the Grand Prix Series events in Moscow from August 14 to 16 and Manchester from October 15 to 17, as well as the World Cadet Championships in Muju, South Korea from August 23 to 26 and the World Junior Championships on dates still to be announced.
The introduction of PSS at London 2012 signalled a move away from subjective decision making towards a more objective and inclusive system, not solely relying on the opinions of a select few officials.
It is thus a key step in the continuing modernisation of the sport.
The system, which consists of body armour fitted with electronic body protector sensors that register kicks and punches if applied with sufficient force, was further developed to incorporate the use of head-gear and was first used in its revised form at the Manchester leg of the WTF Grand Prix Series in October.
Prior to its introduction, taekwondo's place at the Olympics had been under threat following heavy criticism after Beijing 2008, when one incident in particular highlighted problems.
At the end of a women's under 67 kilograms quarter-final, home fighter Chen Zhong was declared winner against Great Britain's Sarah Stevenson before British officials protested, claiming referees missed a scoring kick by Stevenson, which was supported by video footage.
Chen's victory was rescinded and Stevenson advanced to the semi-final, marking the first time in Olympic taekwondo history that a result had been changed.
附件12.
資料來源：
http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/japans-push-baseball-makes-2020-olympics-return-likely/
Japan's Push For Baseball Makes 2020 Olympics Return Possible
When the International Olympic Committee approved a new bidding process in December—abolishing the limitation on sports and allowing host cities to propose the inclusion of one or more additional events—it opened the door for baseball and softball to return to the Games in Tokyo in 2020.
One issue with baseball's previous place in the Games was that it included only men. To solve that problem, the World Baseball Softball Confederation was formed, the two sports bidding together to return to the pinnacle of international competition.
"The bid is in conjunction with IOC direction," said Justin Huber, the sole baseball athlete representative on the WBSC Executive Board. "It's not a publicity stunt; it's legit. … They've got support from all of the professional leagues, including Major League Baseball, (which) wants baseball reinstated into the Olympic Games."
As the host country for the Games in question and a baseball nation, Japan is doing everything possible to see the bid come to fruition, setting a new standard for campaign management.
"It (revolves) around Japan's involvement," Huber said. "They really want baseball and softball in, and they've got the infrastructure, they've got the fan base, and they've got the TV networks ready to go.
"They've even gone so far as Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe put together a focus commentary group dedicated to trying to help the campaign—help the bid … it's quite unprecedented really. So there's an awful lot of support and it makes sense in a lot of ways, and it's not without foundation."
Everything about the initiative makes it seem as though baseball and softball are on the right track to return, but Huber is quick to caution people not to get too presumptuous. The general manager of the Melbourne Aces in the Australian Baseball League acknowledges that baseball has addressed the issues the IOC brought forward, but there is no guarantee that any sports will be added, though there should be a decision made in July at their next meeting.
"It's definitely not guaranteed, and baseball or softball are not saying, 'This is in the bag and we're going to be there,'" Huber said. "That would be really arrogant and shortsighted. It wouldn't be in line with the Olympic movement.
"They're very conscious of that and the whole focus is around the core values of the Olympic Games, because that's what it's all about. It's about life through sport, and this is a great opportunity for baseball and softball to be on the world's biggest stage again."
附件13.
資料來源：
http://www.aroundtherings.com/site/A__50254/Title__Slim-Odds-on-Casinos-in-Tokyo-for-2020-Olympics/292/Articles
Slim Odds on Casinos in Tokyo for 2020 Olympics
(ATR) Tokyo will most likely not have casinos in time for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.
Lawmakers reintroduced a bill to legalize casino-style gambling during Japan's recent Diet session.
According to The Japan Times, Osaka and Yokohama are the front runners to host the first integrated resorts (IRs) with casinos.
Osaka Governor Ichiro Matsui has said that despite concerns surrounding the bill put forth to the Diet, he hopes to open a gambling resort complex on the island of Yumeshima by 2020.
"The Tokyo Olympics will bring lots of people around the world to Japan, and, along with an integrated resort (IR), all of Osaka wants to have something for them," Matsui told reporters on Monday.
But Takashi Kiso, CEO of the Tokyo-based International Casino Institute, says it would be almost impossible for local governments who win casino licenses to open any planned integrated resorts in just five years.
"The only way an IR will open [by 2020] is if the government allows it to partially open before the Olympic Games," Kiso told The Japan Times.
Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dissolved the Lower House in November 2014. At that time, several bills were still in discussion including a bill that would have permitted casino-style gambling at designated integrated resorts.
Over 20 municipalities have expressed interest in such resorts, which would also incorporate hotels, theme parks, convention facilities, shopping malls, and entertainment venues.
附件14.
資料來源：
http://www.insidethegames.biz/commonwealth-games/2014/1025772-first-residents-move-into-glasgow-2014-athletes-village
First residents move into Glasgow 2014 Athletes' Village
A first wave of residents have moved into homes in what was the Athletes' Village during the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
The 38.5 hectare sits in Dalmarnock and was home to around 7,000 athletes and officials during last summer's Games.
It has since undergone renovation work enabling the development of 300 private home, 400 homes for social rent and a care home for the elderly containing 120 beds. Around 100 homes on the site are now occupied, while more than 250 of the 300 private homes have been sold.
The redevelopment is viewed as a major part of the legacy of the Games, and of wider development in Scotland's second city, with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and City Council Leader Gordon Matheson among those to have greeted the residents on their arrival.
The homes have the highest design and environmental standards in the country for a development of its size, it is claimed, as well as a combined heat and power system consisting of rooftop solar panels in order to reduce carbon emissions by 40 per cent.
A new primary school will be developed on the site, as well as a hub which will house a doctor's surgery, nursery, chemist and shop.
A Woodland Park, with 15,000 trees, forms another part of the project, along with a bridge across the Clyde to be connected to the Village, with it due to open in the next few months.
"This is a special day for Glasgow," said Matheson.
"The Village will always have a special place in the hearts of Glaswegians when we think back to the fantastic Commonwealth Games but today we look to the future and an exciting new neighbourhood for the city. "The build quality of these homes is the highest in a housing development in Glasgow, raising the bar in what can be expected in the city and beyond."
附件15.
資料來源：
http://www.playthegame.org/news/news-articles/2015/0011_children-s-rights-are-still-widely-ignored-in-sport/
Children's rights are still widely ignored in sport
While the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child celebrated its 25th anniversary last year, children's rights still need to be addressed, experts say.
The growing revenues and the search for fame and fortune in sport have in many aspects had a negative impact on young athletes and their human rights. Issues like abuse, neglect, violence and exploitation of children are far from rare in sport.
Paulo David of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights estimates that 10 per cent of all children active in sport have their human rights violated and a further 20 percent of children in sport are for various reasons vulnerable and potential victims of human rights violations.
These statistics and concerns are in conflict with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) which states that "childhood is entitled to special care and assistance".
The ratification of the CRC took place in New York on 20 November 1989, and the following year, the Convention went into force. Today, all countries, with the exception of the USA, Somalia and South Sudan have ratified and/or acceded the CRC and are thus obligated to respect and ensure the rights of every child within their jurisdiction without discrimination of any kind.
Despite the fact that sport produces billion dollar revenues each year worldwide, the word 'sport' is not mentioned in any of the 54 articles of the CRC.
Nonetheless the Convention still carries importance, since many of the articles apply directly to sport such as article 31, which declares that "States Parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts".
Little impact on sport
However, according to Paulo David, the autonomy of sport has largely ensured that compliance of 25 human rights only happens if sports authorities and organisations fully respect international human rights standards in sport. And according to Celia Brackenridge, OBE, Professor Emerita at Brunel University, UK, the Convention in itself has not done anything, although it has created awareness.
Brackenridge explains that it was not until recently that the IOC and UNICEF started having joint conversations on the protection of children in sport in areas such as sexual abuse and doping. The two major organisations already began an official partnership in 1993, but critics suggest that this professed cooperation did not bring about any significant changes the first many years.
Paulo David draws a parallel to the discussions on sustainability and environment in sport pointing to the fact that throughout most of the twentieth century, national and organising Olympic committees did not grant the environment much effort.
"In the 1980s and 90s, when green profiled political parties emerged in many countries and when environmental issues became less marginalised in society and more mainstream, the IOC over time opted to change their policy."
He hopes that children's rights and human rights in general will experience a similar development, but so far, he argues that only a few countries have made actual progress, and in reality most countries run a slow and inadequate development.
Future challenges
It is no easy task to ensure compliance of children's rights in sport. One of the growing challenges in sport is the many actors who seem to be motivated solely by financial aims, which often precede children's rights. Trafficking of children in sport such as Pakistani boys sold to Arab countries to be jockeys in camel races or young African or South American footballers approached by real or fake agents are known examples of how profit-oriented kingpins exploit children in sport.
Another challenge is the lack of normative clarity. A UNICEF review from 2010 maintains that "no standardized scales exist for measuring violence against children in sport", which only makes it more difficult for sports organisations to agree on the direction to follow. As a solution, Celia Brackenridge suggests the use of health economics, which have formerly been used to measure the health effects of domestic violence vis-à-vis a society's overall costs of domestic violence.
A third challenge is the volume of research on children's rights in sport, an area, which to this day remains largely under-researched.
"One topic - sexual abuse of children and young athletes – does get some attention, but analysts and researchers very rarely examine other areas such as excessive, early training, systematic insufficient rest, physical and psychological violence, use of doping, access to education or enforced food diets," UN's Paulo David explains.
Further, a medical research perspective dominates human rights in sport altogether, where the use of performance enhancing drugs or health threats are the main centre of focus.
The fourth challenge is the difficulty in giving children a voice, an important task in sport. Brackenridge explains that when exploring children's role in sport, investigators often find it problematic to obtain genuine and true answers from children due to a fear of physical or psychological consequences from parents or trainers. Therefore, it is of high importance to make sure that the anonymity of children is never violated when conducting surveys.
Fifth, there is the issue of safeguarding. Some of the child protection systems set up are, mainly in western countries, criticised for being overprotective . Particularly in the UK this has been the case with initiatives such as the broader 'Children and Young People (Scotland) Act' and, in sport, the 'Children First' and 'Child Protection in Sport Unit'.
One critical voice is Frank Furedi, who advocates less control. He states that the "transformation of child protection into an ideology has the perverse consequence of undermining the security of the very people it seeks to protect" and that "it is through experiences gained from engaging with the world that children gain the resources to manage risks and develop strategies for dealing with threats to their personhood".
To this, Brackenridge replies, "if protection of children is done properly, it should be like a referee in a football match whom you should not notice – he or she is just there. The same should go for children's rights".
Last but not least, the fact that the implementation of children's rights in sports is often motivated by political spin remains an important challenge.
Brackenridge calls this practise "an ethical fig leaf". According to her, it is always popular to proclaim that children in sport need protection. However, to carry it out demands more than fancy political spin. Unfortunately, it happens regularly that politics and financial aspects influence leaders in sport to a degree that clouds their judgement. This of course leads back to the first mentioned challenge: Financial ambitions often do, but never should precede children's fundamental rights.
10 principles behind child-protection 27
To fight the above-mentioned challenges Paulo David has listed ten principles, which he recommends a child-centred sport system should contain:
1. Equity, non-discrimination, fairness
2. Best interests of the child – children first
3. Evolving capacities of the child
4. Rights-holders; exercise of rights
5. Consultation; the child's opinion, informed participation
6. Appropriate direction and guidance
7. Mutual respect, support and responsibility
8. Highest attainable standard of health
9. Transparency, accountability, monitoring
10. Excellence
These ten points encompass what he suggests should be minimum standards and along with the Convention on the Rights of the Child they could work as a recurring reminder to make sure that protection and the implementation of children's rights in sport are encouraged throughout the globe.
"So far these 10 principles for a child-centred sport system have not yet globally been turned into action. Nevertheless, there are some western countries where the principle of informed participation has certainly advanced, but internationally and more generally speaking there is still little recognition of these principles," David says, expressing hope that the IOC, under the leadership of Thomas Bach, will focus more on human rights.
"The IOC is currently attempting to include respect for human rights in its contractual agreement with future host countries of the Olympic Games. This will be a significant leap forward," David continues.
For Celia Brackenridge the securing of better of conditions for children in sport starts with giving children a voice. "Children are often treated as athletes first and children second – it should be vice versa."