Olympic Notes: Seven Sponsors Pledge $3.2M To Istanbul 2020 Summer Olympics Bid

Seven of Turkey's leading conglomerates "have pledged to contribute to the bid" to bring the 2020 Summer Olympics to Istanbul, with sponsorship deals worth $3.2M. The list of sponsors includes Turkish Airlines, Koç Holding, Ülker, Doğuş Group, Digiturk, Sabancı Holding and Turkcell (TODAY'S ZAMAN, 3/10). ... Belarus shot putter Nazdeya Ostapchuk, who was stripped of her gold medal from the London Olympics after failing a drug test, "is facing a life ban after she was revealed as one of six athletes who tested positive for a banned substance during a mass re-test of urine samples from the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki" (TELEGRAPH, 3/8) ... The IOC has pledged to support the planned development of the World Olympian Association (INSIDE THE GAMES, 3/9).