world atlas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frLZeeU9760&list=PL-292yfpAFGbMU-tBh60QMsgDn3odLTie&index=10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJW4DnM1pHg&list=PL-292yfpAFGbMU-tBh60QMsgDn3odLTie&index=11

I was coming to post this weird video here .. seems nobody like it at least here in the forums ..! anyway this could be the last video from the Tokyo 2020 bid committee before the vote https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuuV5hYbmSE&feature=c4-overview&list=UUZmWevG1egw-4bfptJWDz6Q

Tokyo 2020 emphasises its global vision for the benefit of sport and the Olympic Movement Prime Minister Abe confirms he will lead bid delegation to IOC Host City 23 Aug. 2013 Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has confirmed he will lead the Tokyo 2020 delegation to the IOC Host City election in Buenos Aires next month, announced today at the official departure ceremony with more than 800 Tokyo 2020 supporters. The Bid marked the occasion by guaranteeing to deliver superb Games that will be a worldwide showcase of the importance and inspiration of sport. With Japan having witnessed the significant role athletes and sport can play in society over the past two years, Tokyo 2020 has underlined its strong plans to share that inspiration and promote the Olympic values in this challenging era for sport. Prime Minister of Japan and Tokyo 2020 Supreme Advisor Shinzo Abe, said: “By each and every one of the 800 passionate Tokyo 2020 supporters in this room carrying out their responsibilities, I am hopeful that when the IOC makes their decision on September 7 in Buenos Aires we will witness Tokyo 2020’s victory. I will go to Buenos Aires as well.” Tsunekazu Takeda Takeda, IOC Member and President of Tokyo 2020 and the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC), said: “We are honoured that Prime Minister Abe will lead our delegation to the IOC Session in Buenos Aires, which is a strong sign of how the whole of Japan is united behind and hugely passionate about our bid. The country is tremendously excited about our plans and we feel a great momentum continuing to build for our bid. “Tokyo 2020 is the safe pair of hands that can be trusted to deliver superb Games in these uncertain times. Our global vision for the benefit of sport and the Olympic Movement is to use Tokyo 2020 to demonstrate the power of sport, capture the imagination of the world’s youngest continent and further spread this inspiration worldwide founded on the Olympic Values. “Our Bid has strong and passionate public support and is united across all levels of government, sport and business, and is ready to deliver outstanding Games that will showcase the importance and inspirational power of sport.” Along with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s declaration, the following Tokyo 2020 presentation delegation for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina, have been confirmed: •Tsunekazu Takeda, IOC Member and President of both Tokyo 2020 and the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) •Naoki Inose, Tokyo 2020 Chairman and Governor of Tokyo •Masato Mizuno, Tokyo 2020 CEO •Mami Sato, Three-time Long-Jump Paralympian •Chiharu Igaya, IOC Honorary Member •Yuki Ota, Fencing double silver medallist •Yuko Arakida, Montreal 1976 Volleyball Gold medallist and Tokyo 2020 Sport Director •Christel Takigawa, ‘Cool Tokyo’ Ambassador •Yukiko Arai, Tokyo 2020 International Relations Director Reflecting the promise of hosting a Games of celebration, delivery and innovation to benefit athletes and sport worldwide, the wider Tokyo 2020 delegation includes a large number of leading athletes. They include: •Mikako Kotani, Seoul 1988 Games Synchronised Swimming double bronze medallist •Yuko Arimori, Barcelona 1992 Games Women’s Marathon silver medallist and Atlanta 1996 Games bronze medallist •Ryosuke Irie, London 2012 Games both Men’s 200m Backstroke and 4x100 Medley Relay silver medallist and 100m Backstroke bronze medallist •Hitomi Obara, London 2012 Games Women’s 48kg Freestyle Wrestling gold medallist •Rie Tanaka, London 2012 Games Women’s Gymnast During the two year bid campaign, many athletes have shown their support by serving as Tokyo 2020 Bid Ambassadors and have helped to create a truly athlete-focused Games plan, where 85 % of their venues will be within 8km of the Olympic Village that will be located in the heart of Tokyo’s vibrant city. They have also inspired millions of young people in Japan through their participation in many Tokyo 2020 public events. Following the introduction of the Tokyo 2020 delegation, Bid leaders attended a gala send-off prior to their departure for Buenos Aires, joined by an enthusiastic group of Tokyo 2020 supporters, athletes, sport leaders and representatives from business, government and entertainment. Tokyo 2020

FIFA statement on Russia (FIFA.com) Wednesday 14 August 2013 In the context of the adoption of the federal law 'on prohibition of propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations' in Russia, FIFA has asked the Russian authorities for clarification and more details on this new law. The FIFA Statutes (Article 3) as well as the FIFA Code of Conduct, which defines the most important values and principles for behavior and conduct in the world of football, foresee zero tolerance against discrimination based, among other, on sexual orientation. FIFA expects that all guests in a FIFA World Cup™ host country, whether they are fans, players, officials or media, experience a great FIFA World Cup irrespective of their sexual orientation. FIFA is firmly convinced that the staging of the FIFA World Cup can contribute to uniting people and having a positive social impact. Russia has committed to provide all visitors and fans with a warm welcome and ensure their safety. FIFA trusts that the 2018 FIFA World Cup hosts will deliver on this promise. FIFA

FIFA wants clarification, details from 2018 World Cup host Russia on anti-gay law Graham Dunbar, Associated Press | 13/08/13 | Last Updated: 13/08/13 3:06 PM ET GENEVA — FIFA has asked authorities in 2018 World Cup host Russia for “clarification and more details” about a new anti-gay law, joining the International Olympic Committee in seeking answers from Moscow. Legislation prohibiting “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations among minors” has provoked an international furor since President Vladimir Putin signed it off in June and sparked growing concern at the IOC ahead of the Sochi Winter Games next February. The two most influential organizations in world sports are both now asking Russia how the law would be enforced during their marquee events. “FIFA has asked the Russian authorities for clarification and more details on this new law,” football’s governing body said in a statement Tuesday. “Russia has committed to provide all visitors and fans with a warm welcome and ensure their safety” during the monthlong tournament, FIFA said, adding that “FIFA trusts that the 2018 FIFA World Cup hosts will deliver on this promise.” FIFA has a direct link to the Russian government, as Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko serves under FIFA President Sepp Blatter on the football body’s 27-member executive board. Mutko has said that Olympic athletes would have to respect the country’s laws during the Feb. 7-23 Winter Games, and that international reaction needed to “calm down.” FIFA noted that its statutes “foresee zero tolerance against discrimination.” Article 3 states: “Discrimination of any kind against a country, private person or group of people on account of ethnic origin, gender, language, religion, politics or any other reason is strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion.” Russia was awarded World Cup hosting rights in December 2010, when FIFA’s board chose it ahead of England and joint bids from Spain-Portugal and the Netherlands-Belgium. That same day in Zurich, FIFA awarded hosting of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, where homosexual acts are illegal. Blatter drew criticism soon after the World Cup votes when he suggested that gay football fans could “refrain from any sexual activities” while attending the World Cup in the Gulf nation. In May, after FIFA member countries approved tougher sanctions for discrimination, Blatter was asked by reporters what gay fans and players could expect in Qatar, and said that he could not offer “a definite answer” at this stage. The potential effect on the Sochi Olympics of Russia’s attitude toward gay rights is playing out during campaigning for the six-man race to be elected IOC president on Sept. 10. On Monday, candidate C. K. Wu of Taiwan said that “we are not joking” with Russia, and suggested that future bidders should be judged more strictly on their human rights record and follow the Olympic charter. “This should become a basic qualification if you want to apply to host the games,” Wu said. National Post

Tokyo 2020 Inspired by IAAF Opening Ceremony 11 Aug 2013 The Tokyo 2020 team, following its attendance at the impressive opening ceremony of the 14th IAAF World Championships in Moscow today, is more determined than ever to inspire the world with Tokyo’s Bid to host an unprecedented ‘downtown’ 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. IOC Member and President of both Tokyo 2020 and the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) Tsunekazu Takeda said: “The Opening Ceremony here in Moscow was a grand event. I wish to congratulate the IAAF, under the strong leadership of President Lamine Diack and the local organising committee for their work. Should we receive the honour of hosting the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we will host an Opening Ceremony where spectators and athletes will be truly united as one.” “The Opening Ceremony is without a doubt one of the most memorable experiences, and we are working closely with the IOC to ensure the best possible environment for athletes. Specifically, athletes will be able to wait comfortably in the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, the venue just next to the Olympic Stadium and connected through a corridor, allowing easy and safe access.“ Takeda said. He added that the athletes will be able to get seated once they enter the Olympic Stadium, ensuring that they can enjoy the Ceremony first-hand. With a passion not only for athletics but for all sport, Japan is a long-term partner of the IAAF. In fact at the current World Championships, the official broadcaster and four of the seven official partners are Japanese companies. Japan’s close relationship with the IAAF was born when it hosted the 1991 IAAF World Championships in central Tokyo’s Kasumigaoka National Stadium. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will elect the 2020 host city at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 7 Sept. 2013. Tokyo 2020

Rio 2016™ unveils what is to come in the three-year mark for the Olympic Games Rio 2016 employees celebrate the 3 years to the Olympic Games countdown (Photo: Rio 2016/Alex Ferro) Three years before the Rio 2016™ opening ceremony, the Organising Committee gets prepared for the project’s great deliveries Reduce font sizeIncrease font sizeShare on facebookShare on twitterSend to a friend In 1,096 days, South America will host, for the first time, an edition of the greatest sporting event on the planet. From today, Brazil has 36 months to show the world the size of its will and the strength of its celebration. Rio de Janeiro has exactly 3 years up to the Opening Ceremony of the 31st edition of the Summer Olympic Games, scheduled for 5 August 2016. In the next three years, the pace will speed up even more while Rio 2016™ shapes what previously only existed on paper. Launching of pictograms, medals, torch, mascots, volunteers programme, license products and tickets sales, cultural and educational projects as well as sports venues. Until 2016, there are many surprises on our path and this transformation is only in the beginning. Today, in case you would like to know what we are preparing for the coming years, Rio 2016™ seizes the opportunity to update you on some of the news: 2013 2013 is not ending anytime soon and, starting in the second half of the year, a few great deliveries are expected. Representing an important stage of planning, Model Venue Exercise will end in the coming months, setting our mode venue operations as well as the base for the operational plans of more than 50 Rio 2016™ venues. The Sustainable Supply Chain programme is another important step this year, with the launch of the Procurement Portal which will inform all the Games purchase demands. Since 2013, the programme is aimed at promoting suppliers’ qualification as well as large scale economic development, counting on strategic partnerships with institutions such as Sebrae. In September, an important Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will take place in Buenos Aires, and it will present the scope of all the events related to Rio 2016™ Olympic Games’ 28 sports (besides, of course, unveiling the next host city of the Summer Olympic Games, to be celebrated in 2020). Unveiling the Games pictograms is one of the great surprises that we expect in the 1,000 days to go countdown, when everyone will get to know the Olympic sports with the characteristic features of the Rio 2016™ brand. The first Rio 2016™ licensed products will also be introduced in the end of 2013, marking sales start in our virtual shop as well as sales points all over town for the next year. Closing the year in the Committee, 600 professionals prepare to make this great project become reality in the next three years. 2014 The Games begin to materialise before the attentive eyes of people passionate about the Rio 2016™ brand during three involving events scheduled for 2014: time has come for people to get to know everyone’s favourite Games characters, the Rio 2016™ mascots; the presentation of the Rio 2016™ Look of the Games project will set the look of the whole city in 2016; finally the population’s involvement reaches its peak with the launch of the Volunteers Programme, beginning the selection of more than 70 thousand volunteers for Games-time. Sport, as a catalyst for education in Brazil, is also part of the Rio 2016™ project. The launch of the Education Programme is expected to take place in 2014, once a testing phase with more than 10 Carioca schools is concluded. Cultural diversity is also part of the agenda in 2014 and the Rio 2016™ Cultural Programme will promote Brazilian cultural features and values, culminating in a great Cultural Festival in 2016. In the end of the year, many competition venues will be ready, getting prepared for various test-events the following year. The first test event is already scheduled for 2014, with the celebration of Sailing Championships in Marina da Glória, an Olympic venue. By this time, the number of professionals in the Organising Committee will have doubled compared to the year before, totalling 1,200 transformation agents. 2015 Only a year prior to the Games, it is time to certify that everything is in place. Therefore, about 50 other test events are scheduled to take place between 2015 and 2016, checking the operations of all Games sports competitions. It will be a complex operation, involving, besides the sports area, various operational areas such as ticketing, press, transport, accommodations and spectator services, among others. And for those keen to watch this great event live, stay tuned as next year more than seven million Games tickets are also scheduled to start being sold. In the last year of preparation, the Rio 2016™ team will total more than 2,200 employees. 2016 With Rio de Janeiro ready, the mood for celebration is already in the air. About three months before the Games, the Olympic torch will be lit in Olympia and make its way before arriving at the Maracanã Olympic venue, the stage for the Rio 2016™ Opening Ceremony, on 5 August 2016. For the following two weeks, the equivalent of 41 world championships will take place, gathering around 10,500 athletes from more than 200 countries. People from all over the world set their sights on Rio de Janeiro. More than 100 thousand professionals will share this experience, including 8,000 Rio 2016™ employees, 35,000 outsourced professionals and more than 70,000 volunteers. The audience will be comprised of millions of spectators that will pack the venues of four competition zones and Games live sites. Besides, people from all over the world will follow the live broadcasting of rights-holding companies from the five continents. In London 2012, for instance, the Games global reach totalled 3.6 billion people, an impressive audience. Starting on 22 August 2016, the transition process for the Paralympic Games begins, followed by the delivery of permanent venues for their future use as well as the dismantling of temporary venues according to the Legacy projects and the Sustainable Supply Chain’s waste management policy, respectively. Three values that transform Almost seven years will have passed since that unforgettable 2 October 2009, the date when Rio de Janeiro was awarded the title of “host city” for the 2016 Olympic Games. Since then, the Organising Committee has been working hard for the preparations, and not only to ensure the structures needed for the celebration of this great event, but to promote true transformation in the city and country as well. Projects dealing with legacy for sport, urban mobility and accessibility, education, culture, environmental and community conscience as well as economic development are based on the three Olympic values – Excellence, Respect and Friendship. We have three years, 36 months or 1096 days to make all this happen. Today, 5 August 2013, Rio 2016™ invites everyone to be part of this transformation. Rio 2016

FIFA Decision Spares Luzhniki Demolition 05 August 2013 FIFA has agreed to City Hall's request to reduce the stadium capacity requirements for the 2018 soccer World Cup opening ceremony and final to 81,000. The decision means that Moscow's Luzniki stadium — which is more than 10,000 seats short of the 89,000 usually required by FIFA — will not have to be demolished and rebuilt, Acting Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Monday. The stadium was renovated as recently in the 1990s and Sobyanin was keen to avoid knocking down an "Olympic symbol" of Russia. Luzhniki was one of the main venues at the 1980 Summer Olympics. However, the seating arrangements will be altered to satisfy FIFA requirements, because not all of the seats provide a good enough view of the pitch, Acting Deputy Mayor Marat Khusnullin said. "The foundations, the walls and the roof of the stadium will be kept; the stands will be demolished and new ones will be built at a different angle," Khusnullin said in a report carried by Vedomosti. City Hall will put 20 million rubles ($600 million) toward the reconstruction, the report said. Luzhniki will be the main arena for the World Cup in 2018. It will be the first time Russia has hosted the tournament. City authorities are planning to close the stadium after the IAAF World Championships in Athletics finish on Aug. 18. The Moscow Times

Wroclaw: We will be ready for sure! Delegates from Wroclaw, host city of the 10th edition of The World Games 2017 in Poland, presented their goals and challenges during the IWGA press conference on Saturday. Wroclaw will stage the multisport event from August 3rd until the 17th. August 2017. Wroclaw, a city with 700.000 residents, is located on the western part of Poland. Mayor Rafal Dutkiewicz and the President of the Local Organizing Committee, Piotr Przygonsky, as well as General Manager Hanna Domagala said they were very impressed with the organization and the enthusiasm of the people during The World Games in Cali. Mayor Dutkiewiecz announced that the marketing for the 2017 Games will start right after the curtain comes down in Cali and regarding the financial and infrastructure topics they said they have achieved 50% already. He stated: “We will be ready in four years for sure.” IWGA President Ron Froehlich said that, as a city of sports, Wroclaw will deliver great games and will meet the challenge of organizing a multisport event with more than 4000 participants. For the official, the most difficult thing will be to compete with the response people have had in Cali: “Our biggest challenge will be to achieve the same atmosphere. The spectators in Colombia have been beautiful and I want to congratulate you for this. It will be very hard for us to have a similar result considering what we have seen from the people here”, Mayor Dutkiewicz emphasized. For the Mayor of Wroclaw there are three main aspects about the relevance of being the host for 2017: “After being one of the hosts of the European Soccer Championship in 2012, we want to demonstrate that we can execute another event of the same magnitude or even bigger. Second of all, big events make cities grow and you have witnessed this yourselves. Finally, there is something about the freshness of this event, the way people embrace it and the way athletes compete in it. This is all very interesting for me”, he concluded. The World Games

website: http://www.auckland2017wmg.com/wmg2017/aucklands-wmg-2017

Fina World Championships Barcelona 2013 mascot in Tokyo 2020 booth

Arena-2018 presents stadium requirements handbook to Russia 2018 host cities (FIFA.com) Friday 26 July 2013 © LOC Arena-2018 in cooperation with the 2018 FIFA World Cup RussiaTM Local Organising Committee (LOC) have presented the Russia 2018 Host Cities with the Stadium Requirements Handbook – a document that will form the basis for the design and construction of the Russia 2018 arenas. The workshop that took place on 23-24 July was attended by more than 60 leading specialists and experts from companies involved in the design and construction of all 12 2018 World Cup stadiums, representatives of regional ministries and departments and international consultants specialising in stadium operations. The 2018 FIFA World Cup stadium handbook is drawn up by FIFA in conjunction with Arena-2018. The handbook combines all FIFA’s most up-to-date infrastructure requirements for Russia 2018 stadiums, based on the experience of previous FIFA World Cups. The first edition of the document was issued in the spring of 2013. The final expanded version will be published in 2014, earlier than ever before in the run-up to a FIFA World Cup. Attention of participants of the workshop was drawn to the need of a special focus on the legacy programmes for the tournament stadiums. The CEO of the Russia 2018 LOC, Alexey Sorokin noted: “As the organisations authorised to prepare for and stage the 2018 World Cup, it’s definitely the case that the LOC and Arena-2018 have an interest above all in ensuring that the stadiums built for the tournament comply with FIFA requirements. But the success of the World Cup in Russia will depend not just on how well it is organised, but also on how effectively the facilities are used after the tournament. And international experience shows that it’s right now, in the design stage, that we must make sure the stadiums are multipurpose.” At the presentation of the new handbook, the organisers also outlined the main principles that will apply to the design, construction and use of Russia 2018 stadiums to make sure they meet the requirements of sustainable development. These principles cover areas such as energy consumption, environmentally friendly transport, compliance with environmental requirements and standards and the need to make sure stadiums are properly integrated into the cities in which they are located. International experts from two famous European stadiums – England’s Wembley and Netherlands’ Amsterdam Arena – detailed their experience of designing, building and using stadiums effectively. The workshop was also addressed by the head of the Brazilian company Arena, Carlos de la Corte, who spoke about how similar issues have been resolved during the construction of stadiums for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Arena-2018 will develop its cooperation with the Russia 2018 stadium owners by organising more workshops on stadium design and construction – and several more will be held before the end of this year. Also in October, Arena-2018 in cooperation with FIFA experts, will make inspection visits to several Russia 2018 stadiums as a part of the monitoring process. Arena-2018 was founded by the Russia 2018 LOC in April 2012. The organisation’s main task is to monitor the design, construction and reconstruction of stadiums and check that all deadlines are achieved and ensure that FIFA requirements are met. Matches at Russia 2018 will take place in 11 Host Cities and 12 stadiums: Moscow (Luzhniki and Spartak Moscow’s stadium), Saint Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Saransk, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Sochi and Ekaterinburg. FIFA

Madrid 2020 not undermined by announcement of Barcelona Winter Olympic bid, Spanish officials claim Sunday, 28 July 2013 By Duncan Mackay July 27 - Barcelona has completed preparatory work on a bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics - even though Madrid is among three cities currently campaigning to host the 2020 Summer Games. The city's Mayor Xavier Trias has admitted that the timing of his announcement, made to a group of Spanish and French business leaders, may be "indecent" but is confident that the capital of Catalonia can be the first city in the history of the Olympics to host both the Summer and Winter Games. It had hosted the Summer Olympics in 1992, a Games still considered among the most successful in history. "We will do it, we will do it," he said Trias, who had initially been opposed to the idea which was first mooted more than three years ago by his predecessor, Jordi Hereu. If successful, the snow events would be hosted in the Pyrenees, which are located about two hours away by train from Barcelona. Barcelona's bid is supported by Jean-Paul Alduy, President of Perpignan Mediterranee, a network that brings together 36 Mayors from Perpignan communities in southern France. Trias has admitted that he would need the help of the French if the Games are to be held successfully. Whether Barcelona bids or not depends entirely on whether or not Madrid is awarded the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. Madrid 2020 denied that Trias' announcement undermined their campaign, which is currently in a close race with Istanbul and Tokyo, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) due to choose the host city at its Session in Buenos Aires on September 7. "Barcelona is one of the co-host cities of the Madrid 2020 Bid [it will stage football matches]," a spokeswoman for Madrid 2020 told insidethegames. "Both the Regional and City Governments have given all guarantees requested by the IOC in order to host some of the preliminary football matches. "Speaking last January 31 - during the first "Road to 2020" forum - the Mayor of Barcelona Xavier Trias declared his 'unconditional' support for the Madrid Bid and said that the staging of the Games would be a 'tremendous driving force for growth' for the Spanish capital and for the whole country'." Cities interested in bidding for 2022 have to let the IOC know by November 14 with a decision due to be announced at the IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur on July 31, 2015. Insidethegames

Tokyo 2020 bid at 2013 Fina World Championships in Barcelona

2018 FIFA World Cup Park attracts thousands of fans in Kazan (FIFA.com) Friday 19 July 2013 © LOC At the height of the summer, the 2018 FIFA World Cup RussiaTM Local Organising Committee (LOC) came up with a memorable gift for the residents of Kazan and it’s guests, giving them all the chance to get a feel for the colossal event that will be Russia 2018, a whole five years ahead of the tournament. From 4 to 17 July, as part of the 27th World University Games, one of the city’s main squares, on the embankment by the Farmers’ Palace, hosted the 2018 FIFA World Cup Park. There was something for every football fan who came to the Park, whatever their level of footballing experience and passion. The smallest fans could paint themselves in the colours of the Russian flag, draw enormous footballs or simply take their first steps in the game by kicking a ball. For more active visitors, there were several open-air attractions, such as a precision shooting contest and two different types of table football. As well as “classic” table football, visitors could also test themselves in a larger-scale version using an inflatable football pitch. All visitors to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Park had access to a marquee with interactive entertainment, where they could try on paraphernalia worn by football fans from around the world, test their knowledge in a quiz on the history of the FIFA World Cup™ and give it a go as a football commentator by describing some of the competition’s greatest goals. The visitors who produced the most skilful commentaries were awarded prizes by journalists from national television and radio. “I’ve always dreamt of becoming a football commentator,” said Ilnur, a five-year-old boy who came up with one of the best commentaries on a goal scored by Zinedine Zidane in the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final in France. “Now I’ll try even harder to make my dream come true. One day I’ll be a real World Cup commentator!” Over the two weeks the Park was open, there were more than 150,000 visitors, i.e. more than 10,000 visitors a day or, on average, one in every 10 people from Kazan. Among those who visited the Park were Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, Tatarstan leader Rustam Minnikhanov, players and coaches from Russia’s national student football team and other Russian sports stars. Another visitor to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Park was Russia’s sports minister and Russia 2018 LOC chairman, Vitaly Mutko, who highlighted the extra interest the people of Kazan and its guests were showing in Russia 2018. “I’m really pleased to see so much enthusiasm among Russians in anticipation of this massive festival of football,” Mutko said. “I’d like to thank you for your support. The 2018 World Cup Park has been a sort of prelude to the FIFA Fanfests that will be taking place in the Russia 2018 Host Cities at the same time as the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, and will give everyone the chance to sample the unique atmosphere of this tournament, which our country will be hosting for the first time, a whole four years early!” Kazan was the first of the Host Cities to declare its 2018 FIFA World Cup stadium open. The stadium hosted the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2013 World University Games. In 2017, the arena will host matches at the FIFA Confederations Cup, and then Russia 2018 matches the following year. FIFA

Humid heat is more common in the gulf coastal cities such as Doha and other cities hosting the world cup Al-Wakra, Al-Shamal and Al-Khor humidity with temperature between 30-40 degrees at night feels much worse than dry heat at noon .. you can't breath ..average human can't stay outside conditioned buildings for a long time in such circumstances.

Official website: http://www.baku2015.com/default.aspx Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/baku2015 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/baku2015official Twitter: https://twitter.com/BakuGames2015 700 Days to go..

Tokyo 2020 Departs for ANOCA to Build on Further Momentum in Africa Tokyo, 10 July 2013 - Senior members of the Tokyo 2020 delegation departed for Abidjan, Ivory Coast today, to attend the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) General Assembly. The attendees are: - Tsunekazu Takeda, IOC Member and President of both Tokyo 2020 and the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) - Masato Mizuno, Tokyo 2020 CEO - Yuko Arakida, Tokyo 2020 Sports Director Tsunekazu Takeda said: "We look forward to attending the ANOCA General Assembly in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Japan values its strong relationships with African nations and is proud to be a key partner of Africa, providing support across a range of economic, educational and sports initiatives. We embrace our cooperative friendship with Africa. "Under a long-term commitment to international sport’s development and increased access worldwide, Japan has sent more than 520 Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) sports volunteers across the length and breadth of Africa. Also, the Japan Foundation has initiated 160 sports-related projects over the last 20 years, including the provision of approximately 10,000 judo uniforms across the continent. "I enthusiastically welcomed the announcement made by Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso, a Skeet Shooting Olympian at the Montreal 1976 Games, at the 2020 Candidate City Briefing in Lausanne regarding ‘Sport for Tomorrow’, a far-reaching initiative that demonstrates once again Japan’s deep commitment to promoting the Olympic Movement worldwide. "I look forward to meeting with my friends from Africa at the ANOCA meeting to exchange fruitful ideas and contribute to long-term friendship and mutual prosperity." SportsFeatures

Harness racing row goes to Prince Imran Matthew Killoran | 03:34pm July 8, 2013 THE Gold Coast Harness Racing Club has written to Commonwealth Games Federation boss Prince Tunku Imran asking him to delay construction of the athletes village, because the organisation will be homeless once the bulldozers roll in. Harness racing boss Barry Grimsey called on Prince Imran to intervene and threatened that the club would use whatever legal means it had at its disposal to delay work on the village, which will be built at Parklands. The club is based at Parklands and argues it will be left with nowhere to go when construction starts in October on the village, which will house participants in the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018. After the Games the 29.4ha site -- next to the new $1.7 billion Gold Coast University Hospital -- will become a commercial health and knowledge precinct. The club is demanding new land or compensation and is expected to lodge a legal claim with the courts this month. The fiery letter has also been sent to the heads of other Commonwealth Games organisations around the world. Mr Grimsey said he sent the letter because he felt the State Government had been ignoring the club. "If they can't come to the party I will do my damnedest to put a spanner in the works for the Games," he said. In the letter, Mr Grimsey said he was bitterly disappointed with the way the club had been treated by the Queensland Government. "As a sporting organisation at a very high level you should be appalled that a local sport is being destroyed to make way for an international event, your Commonwealth Games," he wrote. Commonwealth Games Minister Jann Stuckey would not comment on whether the letter would have an impact on the city's reputation with the Commonwealth Games Federation or if any legal action could delay construction of the village. She said it was a matter for Racing Queensland. A Racing Queensland spokeswoman said the organisation was still working through a solution for the club. A spokeswoman for Racing Minister Steve Dickson said they could not comment as it had become a legal matter. A Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation spokeswoman said the federation had responded to a previous letter from Mr Grimsey, saying the dispute was between the club and government. Gold Coast