Panama Hopes to Host 2022 Central American and Caribbean Games

The General Assembly of the Olympic Committee of Panama(COP) unanimously approved the request to host the 24th Central American and Caribbean Games in 2022.

During the meeting, representatives of 25 federations and eight non-Olympic sports approved the request presented by the capital's mayor, Jose Blandon, so this city is one of the candidates to hold the great sporting event in the region.

"(...) Panama city has resources and will adapt facilities to comply with the necessary dimensions. We will work with the central government that is already informed of the event," Blandon said in his speech on Saturday at the COP session.

COP Chairman Camilo Amado said, "We will work along with the mayor's office of this capital, and we will prepare well to get the venue that will be beneficial to the national sports and the country's economy."

Following this approval, the Panamanian governing body will submit the application to the Central American and Caribbean Sports Organization (Odecabe), which should visit the country next year, as part of the requirements established.

Switzerland Investigates Suspects Linked to Football World Cups

Swiss authorities are investigating 133 reports of suspicious financial activity linked to the awarding of the World Cup of 2018 and 2022 to Russia and Qatar respectively, said today the Office of the Swiss Attorney General.

It is about an increase of 30 cases compared to those reported last August about the investigation of alleged corrupt practices of the International Football Federation (FIFA), with its headquarters in Zurich.

A spokesman for the Office said reports of suspicious activity came from Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland, a financial intelligence unit in the European country.

US federal prosecutors are also investigating on FIFA 's financial behavior and accused 27 football officials for multi million-dollar bribery schemes by marketing and broadcasting rights.

FIFA's president Joseph Blatter; General Secretary of the organization, Jérome Valcke and the head of European football, Michel Platini, have been temporarily suspended by the ethics committee of FIFA.

None of them has yet been formally charged with any crime, and all three deny having committed irregularities.

Cuba holds Martial Arts Gala

The Sports City Coliseum, in Havana, hosted on Saturday a Martial Arts Gala, with the exhibition of more than 20 modalities originating in Japan, China, Korea and Brazil, mainly.

The presentations started with a Chinese cultural event, followed by a parade of martial arts, with the participation of some of the best Cuban practitioners, some internationally renowned , said Eric Gutierrez, National Director of physical recreation.
Fans had the opportunity to witness displays of whusu, sanda san chou and Choy Lee Fut, among other Chinese disciplines, as well as others coming from Japan such as aikido, jujitsu, Daito ryu , kendo, laido, sumo, naginata, Tajitsu and shorinjkenpo.
The event included new martial arts such as Brazilian capoeira and Korean ITF taekwondo, as well as the kajukembo, shinkaido, wingtzun, kempo, arnis, cali eskrima and hapkido.
Attendees witnessed modalities of defense, as the Kaisendo, ke hsiao-Limalama, saido, ju kai kam, machete and kaizen ryu, prior to the dragon dance, which closed the event.

Colosseum in Colors of Italian Flag in Logo of Rome 2024 Olympics

A design of the Colosseum in the colors of the Italian flag has been chosen as the logo of Rome's bid for the 2024 Olympics.

The logo was presented on Monday at a ceremony in Rome in front of 2,500 schoolchildren, as well as current and former Italian Olympic champions.

The logo features the Colosseum fading into a running track, colored in red, white and green.

Rome bid chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo says "today were sending a strong message to the IOC and our competitors."

He adds: "We will work night and day all together to get the games."

Rome is competing against Paris, Los Angeles and Budapest, Hungary. The IOC will select the host city in September 2017 in Lima, Peru.