No second chances for rejected sports in Olympic program vote

LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge cleared up the confusion (see my Monday Blog) over what will happen if the IOC members vote down one or both of the two sports that the IOC executive board recommends to join the Summer Games sports program.

Rogge said today that such a rejection in the Oct. 9 vote will not create an opportunity for one of the five other sports trying to get on the program.

"There cannot be a proposal for a third or fourth or fifth sport,'' Rogge said.

-- Philip Hersh

IOC muddies waters on sports selection process

LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- Rarely are things perfectly clear where the International Olympic Committee is concerned.

So it is with the process to decide which new sports, if any, will be added to the program for the 2016 Summer Games.

As I discussed in an earlier blog posting today, seven sports have applied for admission. The IOC executive board is to decide Aug. 13 which two it will recommend to the IOC members, who are to vote on them Oct. 9. They can accept one, two or none.

Seems pretty simple, right?

Not exactly.

It remains to be decided whether the members will vote for the two recommended sports individually or as a combined entry.

MLB bolsters baseball Olympic bid with TV, schedule concessions [Updated]

LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- Baseball officials told the International Olympic Committee they will do almost anything to create a schedule to put an Olympic tournament in the spotlight should the sport be readmitted to the Games for 2016.

Baseball was among seven sports making its Olympic case Monday to the IOC executive board, which in August will recommend two to fill the vacancies on the Olympic program created when baseball and softball were dropped after the 2008 Beijing Games.

Karate, roller sports, golf, rugby sevens, softball and squash also are seeking spots on the program. The IOC membership will vote on the sports after picking the 2016 Olympic host in October. A simple majority of IOC votes is needed, and they can choose one, both or neither.

Golf brought in Annika Sorenstam and Colin Montgomerie for its presentation. Asked how it went, Sorenstam said, "We shot under par.''