The IOC has agreed to a request from ROCOG officials for the Brazilian flag "to be flown at half-staff today in Olympic venues" after the death early this morning of former FIFA President Joao Havelange (TWITTER.com, 8/16). Havelange served as FIFA President from '74-98 and also was an IOC member from '63-'11 before "resigning because of ill health." He was a part of the Brazilian swimming team at the '36 Berlin Games (BBC.com, 8/16). Havelange in '09 "led Rio's bid presentation to the IOC in Copenhagen by inviting the members to vote to 'join me in celebrating my 100th birthday'" (AP, 8/16).
TAKING A NEW CHALLENGE: U.S. swimmer Maya DiRado is retiring after Rio and is "eager to start the next phase of her life with her husband." DiRado graduated from Stanford with a degree in management science and engineering, and she will soon move to Atlanta for her new job as a business analyst with McKinsey & Company, a "high-powered management consulting firm that once employed Chelsea Clinton." DiRado "admits that spending the last two years as a professional swimmer hasn't exactly taxed her brain" (AP, 8/13).
THAT'S SO TIM: Former NBAer Bruce Bowen last week said that former teammate Tim Duncan "had a chance to make the trip" to Rio but passed despite the fact President Obama "offered a personal invitation." Bowen, who is in Rio as part of the NBA House, said, "He was offered an opportunity to fly here with the President of the United States, and he discussed it with me and I'm like, 'You're going, right?' He was like, 'You know I'm not about that stuff'" (SI.com, 8/12).
PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC: Beach volleyball has been a "crowd-pleaser" at the Rio Games, and part of its success can be credited to the "man behind the turntables," DJ Jeremey Rouech, who is also the official DJ for the Lakers. Roueche has been the official DJ for the AVP for eight years. Earlier this year, he "left the Clippers to become the house DJ for the Lakers." Roueche's "party rocking sets on the beach have also drawn accolades from" NBC's Mike Tirico, who called him the "MVP" of one match (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 8/16).
BLOWN AWAY: U.S. volleyball player Carli Lloyd's mother had her suitcase "blown up" last week after authorities "suspected it was a bomb." Cindy Lloyd later was "pulled into an interrogation room and shown the charred and unrecognizable remains of her suitcase." Lloyd was staying on a cruise ship owned by Norwegian Cruise Line, which has brought her "sparkling wine, provided free meals" and told her that they would "reimburse her for the cost of replacing all the ruined items." They also said that it would "get her a new suitcase for the way home" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/16).
