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Published: Mon Oct 15, 2007 2:00 AM MDT

Editor's Note: The Austrian Ski Federation's disciplinary commission found the four appealing athletes innocent of any involvement with doping in Turin. We will now see if the CAS agrees…

On November 1st and 2nd, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne will rule on the appeal of four Austrian cross-country skiers. At the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, police found suspicious materials such as syringes, blood bags, medicines and other equipment at the Austrians (Cross-Country and Biathlon) accommodations outside the Olympic Village.

As a result of the police raid, four members of the Austrian Cross-Country Ski Team (Martin Tauber, Juergen Pinter, Roland Diethart and Johannes Eder) were banned for life by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Even though no positive drug tests were confirmed, the IOC banned the athletes based on their possession of drug related materials and equipments. All four skiers maintained their innocence and have filed an appeal of their Olympic ban to the CAS.

As a result of the incidents in Turin, the Austrian Ski Federation (SV) has been levied a $1 million fine. In order to pay this amount, the SV came up with a simple three-year plan. Part of that plan is a reduction in the budgets of the Cross-Country and Biathlon divisions of the SV. Each season, both divisions will have to get by with approximately 200,000 Euros less.

Unfortunately, athletes such as Olympic Champion Christian Hoffman and top-sprinter Martin Stockinger are directly affected by these changes. Hoffmans comment on the situation: It is not easy. The training is going as planned. However, we all have to deal with cutbacks. The SV shortened training camps and decreased the number of people on the support team. Also, only a small group of athletes will be able to attend the on-snow training camp in Finland this November.

In July 2007, the SV confirmed that the two biathletes, Wolfgang Perner and Wolfgang Rottman, had been involved in blood doping. Both participated at the Olympic Games in Turin and lived at the accommodation where police found the suspicious material. They are now retired from the sport of biathlon.

Related Articles on FasterSkier.com:
IOC bans 6 Austrian athletes for life
IOC: $1 Milllion Fine for Austria in Turin Blood Doping Scandal
Austrian Ski Federation gives lifetime ban to two biathletes and two coaches

Contributing Sources: www.nachrichten.at, www.news.ch Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to Geezerville

The sign at the edge of town says Ashland, but it more appropriately should read Welcome to Geezerville or You Are Now Entering Varicose VillageChildren Not Welcome.

Originaly from Source

Maybe it’s past time to re-visit the issue of drive thru windows in Ashland. The artificial shortage we have created is starting to have unintended consequences. With the windows being bought up by banks (McDonalds and now DQ), we are losing both meal tax revenue and, I believe, it is becoming a quality of life issue. Especially, with the loss of DQ, our kids are losing a great place to hang-out after games, little league, etc. In addition, it has traditionally provided a good entry level work place for our teenagers. Ashland already has an unfriendly image for families and children, and the lack of drive thru windows seems to be exacerbating this trend. We need to re-think this issue?
Originaly from Source

Just finished reading letter after letter in the Tidings telling everyone what a great guy Bianca is.

You’ll get no argument from me on that account.

But, unfortunately, that is not the issue.

He’s a great guy but a lousy leader. Over one-half of the PD has gone on record to that effect.

The morale is at all-time lows. Overtime is off the charts. Officers with very questionable qualifications are being hired and promoted. The department is coming apart.

And what does Mike do?

He takes off.

Instead of being a leader and being above the fray, he shows up at a street demonstration in his favor…rubbing salt in the open wounds of those critical of his lack of leadership.

The city can waste another $30k on a consultant and mediator but the result will inevitably be the same.

He will be gone. Taking his nice PERS pension and riding off into the sunset.
Originaly from Source

The continuing barrage of letters to the Tidings extolling the virtues of Chief of Police, Mike Bianca, has reached absurdity.

Ad nauseum we hear what a great guy Mike is. Mike saved my hamster. Mike bought me an ice cream cone when I was four. Mike remembered my name in Lithia Park.

The issue is not what a nice guy Mike is. Mike is a nice guy.

Unfortunately, Mike is lousy administrator. He has alienated over half of the police force who have gone on record with their concerns.

At the rate this force is being depleted, I’d like to know whom all the letter writers are going to call when they need a policeman?

I guess they’ll call Mike. Because that’s about the only one that’s going to be left at the department, the way things are going.

The really sad part is that we are seeing absolutely no leadership from anyone in the city government. They’ve all washed their hands and turned it over to City Administrator Grimaldi.

Since when did we elect him for anything?

The Mayor and Council’s inaction borders on negligence. They need to lead. Because, if they are not careful, they will have stood by while their entire police department is dismantled under Mikes lack of leadership.




Originaly from Source

Even before the newly constituted AFN study committee meets, the city, in it’s inexorable push to save this “white elephant”, has opened the recruiting for a new AFN Director.

The Tidings reports that 71 people have applied for the job that is akin to re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

Guess the lure of $90+k/year and some of that good PERS retirement is more than enough to overcome their common sense.

So before the, supposedly, unbiased committee even makes it’s recommendations, the city is committed to hiring a new director.

Does it seem like, just maybe, the “fix” is in?

For more on the AFN fiasco, read on:

As an admitted long-time skeptic concerning the viability of AFN, it is with great dismay that I have witnessed the continuing inept debate by our so called leaders over what is to be done with this white elephant that is bleeding the resources of our community.

While it is too painful to recount all the self-serving hype and miscalculations made by our political and high-tech business leaders, most of whom are long-gone from the scene or who have financially benefited from the publics subsidy, suffice it to say that they have left us a toxic legacy that is now incumbent on someone to clean-up.

Unfortunately, this current group of leaders is no more willing or able to make the hard decisions that need to be made than were their predecessors. All we get are the same limp excuses for this financial debacle.

In the real world, where a product or service must stand or fall on its own merits, where leaders are held accountable for their decisions, the course of action would be obvious.

Whether from ineptitude, predatory competition, miscalculation or self-dealing by interested business parties, AFN is a service that has failed in the marketplace

It is clear to any observer with a modicum of business acumen that AFN cannot, and never will, succeed on its own merits without continued massive public subsidy. All the study sessions or consultants hired at public expense will not prove otherwise.

If AFN is such a wonderful asset, then those business leaders who are directly profiting from the public subsidy should step up and buy it from the City.

Otherwise, the rest of us should demand that we stop writing open-ended checks that enable a select group of subsidized subscribers to feel warm and fuzzy about supporting this ill-conceived boondoggle.

The course of action that must be taken is clear. It is long-past time to stop chasing good money after bad.

Our community leaders need to finally let the marketplace work, end the subsidy by the many for the elite few, and pull the plug on AFN.
Originaly from Source

Is there no end to the stupidy of this city?

Tidings reports tonight that, after 10 years in business, a bunch of “whiners” (including a city councilor) are complaining that the Ashland Roasting Company, a small coffee house in a residential neighborhood, is doing too much business and is causing too much traffic.

This location has had a commercial use for many, many years as it was previously a small neighborhood grocery store.

I venture a guess that every one of these whiners knew of the commercial nature of this location at the time they moved in.

But, in keeping with the finest anti-business tradition in Ashland, they are now trying to drive them out of business.

Hey, I’ve got a message for you. Ashland is rapidly changing and it ain’t for the better!

First the city condemns favorite local hang-out, the Blue Mountain Cafe, to build a new fire station.

McDonalds says adios and becomes a bank (they wanted the drive-thru window which are strictly limited in car-unfriendly Ashland). Then the kids face losing another local hang-out, as DQ sells out to another bank for theirr drive-thru window.

Two elementary schools are closed and on and on.

This town has become very unfriendly to kids and their families.

Seems the only people welcome in Ashland are blue-haired touristas with jack in their wallets.

All others need not apply.


Originaly from Source

Xlnt “Guest Forum” in yesterday’s Tidings by former planning commissioner Marilyn Briggs. She asks a very perceptive series of questions concerning the national press’ current love-affair with the myth of Ashland vs the reality.

Article after article in the media continue to name Ashland as one of the best places to live and retire. Yet, the reality is that Ashland is confronted with a myriad of problems that the articles ignore.

From lack of affordability, low wages, a poor water and sewage system and more, the writers only accentuate the positive. Nobody ever asks the tough questions.

To read this xlnt commentary, click on the following link. http://www.dailytidings.com/2005/0801/080105forum.shtml

Originaly from Source

Just in case you’re still wondering how the geniuses at the city have managed to lose $20+ million of your tax dollars on AFN, a project that was conceived to be a profit making venture, look no further than tonight’s Tidings.

The AFN rescue committee, charged by the city to try to figure out what to do now, cannot even agree on the ground rules upon which to run. A bunch of smart guys who can’t even get out of the way of the city’s bureaucrats.

Pretty clear that the “fix” is in and that the city and it’s toadies will not easily give up their power to influence the committee.

Is this any way to run a business?

And yes, it is a business (albeit a failing one), not a public utility as the die-hard supporters would like to morph it into.

No wonder your tax dollars continue going down the toilet.

Read it for yourself and weep: http://www.dailytidings.com/2005/0803/080305n4.shtml
Originaly from Source

Published: Sun Sep 30, 2007 2:00 AM MDT

Editor's Note: It is interesting to see European cities use major Nordic events as a means of improvement and development.

Oberstdorf hosted the FIS Inspection Group on August 20th and 21st. Following the 1987 and 2005 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, the German mountain and ski resort is bidding to organize its third championships. The 2013 candidacy is part of the local tourism concept that calls for Oberstdorf to be one of the three leading venues in Nordic ski sports in the Alps by 2015. Oberstdorf will also host its fifth FIS Ski Flying World Championships in February 2008.

As elaborated by the Candidature Committee led by Alfons Hrmann, President of the German Ski Association and Thomas Mller, Mayor of Oberstdorf, the 2013 concept takes advantage of the existing high-quality sports infrastructure which only requires some optimization work on the Ski Jumping venue and some extensions to, and broadening of, the Cross-Country courses, along with enhancements to the snow-making facilities. The newly reconstructed park in the center of Oberstdorf is planned as the new location for winner ceremonies and the Nordic festival.

For more information on Oberstdorfs candidature, please visit www.oberstdorf2013.com.

The FIS Inspection Group next visited Val di Fiemme, the venue for the 2003 and 1991 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships and 63 FIS World Cup events. It was hosted by Pietro de Godenz, President of Candidature Executive Committee, along with Tiziano Mellarini, Minister for Tourism in the region of Trentino, and Giovanni Morzenti, President of the Italian Ski Association.

As in 2001, the 2013 concept is based on the use of the Lago di Tesero Cross-Country stadium and the Predazzo Ski Jumping facilities. Enhancements to the existing structures, including new areas for athlete services, as well as the media infrastructure, are planned. The 2013 candidacy leverages the experience of the previous World Championships, and the Candidature Committee is pleased to be able to count on the help of more than 1,000 local volunteers. New tourist developments are under development in the Tesero cross-country area and Predazzo ski Jumping area, which will also enhance the facilities for the championships. This is Val di Fiemmes second consecutive candidature after 2006.

For more information on Val di Fiemmes candidature, please visit www.fiemme2013.com.

Zakopane, the largest sports resort in Poland, hosted the FIS Inspection Group on the 22nd and 23rd of August, just days before the 2007 FIS Grand Prix Ski Jumping events held there. The Candidature Committee led by President Janusz Majcher, Mayor of Zakopane, was supported by Apoloniusz Tajner, President of the Polish Ski Association, and Andrzej Kozak, President of the Tatra Ski Association. The 2013 Candidature of Zakopane is part of the general Strategy for Balanced Development of the City of Zakopane for 2004-2013 which also includes the development of sport and tourism and consists of upgrades to the existing facilities and organization of large sporting events. As a result, many new facilities, including some for accommodation, transportation and other services, have been, or are being built. New cross-country courses are also being constructed while the existing normal hill will be converted to a HS-105 hill. Moreover, Zakopane will serve as a host training center for a team during the European Football Championships in Poland and the Ukraine in 2012 which will contribute to additional upgrading of the sporting facilities and infrastructure.

In addition to the 1962 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, Zakopane has experience hosting numerous international competitions in Nordic skiing. These include 11 Ski Jumping FIS World Cup events, known worldwide for a great atmosphere and large crowds, and 4 Nordic Combined events. This is Zakopanes second consecutive candidature following a bid in 2006.

For more information on Zakopanes candidature, please visit www.zakopane.eu.