Olympic Notes: FIFA Won't Intervene In New Zealand Olympics Row

FIFA's disciplinary committee "will not intervene in the controversy which led to New Zealand being kicked out of the Olympic qualifiers for fielding an ineligible player." FIFA's Olympic regulations state that "protests regarding the eligibility of players shall be decided by the FIFA disciplinary committee in accordance with the FIFA disciplinary code." However, FIFA said that the rules "also state that where an existing tournament, in this case the Pacific Games, doubles as the Olympic qualifying competition, the respective continental federation would be responsible for all organization" (REUTERS, 7/14). ... The Rio 2016 organizing committee conducted the first of 44 test events, designed to evaluate the readiness of venues across the city for next year’s Summer Olympics on Monday. Up first was the Maracanãzinho arena, which hosted the FIVB Volleyball World League finals that run through Sunday. Six more test events follow in August (Ben Fischer, Staff Writer).