U.S. VP Joe Biden apologized to Olympic officials on Friday for an "oversight" after no senior administration official greeted a Washington meeting of worldwide sports officials, according to Simon Evans of REUTERS. The Association of National Olympic Committees, representing 206 national bodies, "has been in the U.S. capital since Tuesday." The U.S. "has not hosted an ANOC meeting for 21 years." The general protocol at these events is for a senior government official of the host country to address the opening session. It "is usual practice for such gatherings to be greeted by a senior government official," and with L.A. bidding for the 2024 Games, the efforts made by prospective host cities are "closely scrutinized by officials." Biden said, "My very good friend Mayor [Eric] Garcetti of Los Angeles was having breakfast with me the other morning and he said, 'You know, I think there has been an oversight, no one from the administration has been here to welcome this distinguished delegation of leaders from around the world." In an apparent reference to President Barack Obama, Biden added, "[Garcetti] is right, it was an oversight and for that I apologize and I am poor substitute, but I am delighted to be here" (REUTERS, 10/30).
QATAR TO HOST: In a separate piece, Evans wrote ANOC Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg said the association "will hold its 2016 general assembly in Doha, Qatar rather than as originally planned in Rio de Janeiro." The meeting "has also been moved from an April date to November." The hosting of the gathering of 207 national Olympic committees "is another coup for Qatar" (REUTERS, 10/30).
NAMING RIGHTS: Para-swimming fans are being given the chance to vote for the name of the mascot for the 2016 Int'l Paralympic Committee Swimming European Open Championships, to celebrate six months to go until competition gets underway on April 30 in Funchal, Portugal. The mascot, a monk seal, was unveiled on Friday (IPC).
