IOC report bad news for Olympic contenders

ROWING: What may be very bad news for Irish rowing came in the form of International Olympic Committee report yesterday which suggested that lightweight rowing might be axed from the Olympic programme.

The IOC hinted at the deepest changes in its history by publishing proposals to delete baseball, modern pentathlon and softball from the Olympic Games line-up.

But more shockingly for rowing in Ireland, the report suggests the exclusion of some parts of some sports, and this would include lightweight rowing.

Canoe slalom and the equestrian three-day event should also be excluded, as well as race-walking events, one wrestling discipline, and team synchronised swimming.

All of Ireland's recent rowing successes have come in lightweight grades, and we have world champions in lightweight single sculling (Sam Lynch and Sinéad Jennings) and lightweight men's pair (Tony O'Connor and Gearóid Towey).

Efforts to develop heavyweight crews have not as yet been successful, and lightweight crews represented us in the Olympic Games in 1996 (when the men's lightweight four finished fourth) and 2000.

The IOC's executive board have put off action on the proposals until a full IOC Congress in Mexico in November, and rowing interests will surely be lobbying aggressively not to have its 14 events shorn in such a way.

IOC president Jacques Rogge attended last year's World Rowing Championships at Lucerne and made much of his father's own participation in the sport, although yesterday he seemed enthusiastic for the findings of the report.

"I believe the recommendations are very interesting and very strong," he said.

There was better news yesterday, however, from the Irish training camp for this year's World Championships in Seville next month. The camp has been "going very well", national coach Hamish Burrell reported from Varese in Italy.

The bulk of the team return to Ireland this weekend for a short break before travelling on to Banyoles in Spain, where Lynch has been based, for final preparation. The championships begin on Sunday, September 15th.

Possibly until she competes in the lightweight double scull with Heather Boyle, there will be some doubt over Sinéad Jennings, who has been struggling with a neck condition.

Both Burrell and international manager Mick O'Callaghan yesterday said the lightweight single sculling champion is on course to take part.

Lynch and the lightweight pair of O'Connor and Towey will be our main hopes of medals.