Sports digest
A round-up of today's other stories in brief
RTÉ to provide 13 hours a day of coverage from London 2012
RTÉ television’s will broadcast the London Olympics for an average of 13 hours per day. Coverage begins with the opening ceremony on Friday, July 27th. Across the platforms of television, radio and the internet, the broadcaster has promised 2,300 hours, or 96 days, of coverage from the 28th Olympiad up to the closing ceremony on Sunday, August 12th.
Coverage on RTÉ Two will begin at 9.30am every morning, with Peter Collins hosting until 1pm before Michael Lyster (weekdays) and Tracy Piggott (weekends) take over until 4pm.
Darragh Maloney will then take the baton until 7pm, before Bill O’Herlihy runs the anchor leg late into the evening.
Jimmy Magee, a veteran broadcaster of 11 Games, will lead a 12-man commentary team.
Ireland will be represented in 14 disciplines and expert analysis will be provided by the likes of boxer Kenneth Egan, runner David Gillick, former Olympic shot-putter and Ireland rugby international Victor Costello and swimmer Andrew Bree.
Online, at www.rte.ie/olympics, RTÉ “plans to offer users up to 12 high-definition video streams each day”, while users will also be able to stream the “television and radio output”.
Those outside the country will still be able to follow domestic television coverage “via the EBU’s (European Broadcasting Union) Olympic Portal at www.eurovisionsports.tv/london2012.”
– CARL O’MALLEY
OCI confirm appeals process to decide women's relay team
The Olympic Council of Ireland have confirmed that an appeal process will decide the final selection of the women’s 4x400 metres relay team for London, although the exact details of this won’t be known until later today.
Athletics Ireland had been asked for why they first named Catriona Cuddihy among the six-woman team, only then to replace her with Joanna Mills, who successfully appealed this original selection last weekend.
It is understood that all six members of the relay team will be asked to submit information which may decide the outcome of the appeal, and whether or not the OCI will accept Athletics Ireland’s nomination of Mills, or decide that Cuddihy is entitled to her position on the team.
Saudi Arabian women to compete
Saudi Arabia is to send female athletes to the Olympics for the first time, with a judoka and an 800m runner representing the kingdom in London, the International Olympic Committee said yesterday.
Wodjan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani, who will compete in the 78-kg category in judo, and teenager Sarah Attar will be the first Saudi women ever to take part after talks between the IOC and the country.
