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IOC to set Beijing Games swim schedule by August

Posted on: Wednesday, 21 June 2006, 14:30 CDT

By Karolos Grohmann

MUNICH (Reuters) - The timetable for the swimming competition at the 2008 Beijing Games, which U.S. broadcaster NBC wants altered, will be finalized in the next two months, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Wednesday.

NBC wants the swimming finals moved to the morning, which would better suit North American television audiences, website swimnews.com reported earlier this month.

IOC president Jacques Rogge will finalize the Olympic schedule.

"The executive board has empowered the president to finalize the competition schedule," IOC communications director Giselle Davies told Reuters after the first day of the executive board meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland.

"There are a number of elements that need to be finalized," she said.

NBC owns the exclusive U.S. media rights to the Olympics, having paid $3.55 billion to cover the Games from 2000-2008. The company recently secured the rights to the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver and 2012 Summer Games in London for a further $2.201 billion.

Swimming is likely to be one of NBC's biggest ratings winners in Beijing with Michael Phelps, who won a record eight medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics, expected to lead the American charge for gold.

Australia, whose swimmers are likely to provide the stiffest competition to the Americans, has said such a move should not be made simply for commercial purposes.

Davies said Rogge would have a "dialogue with all stakeholders" before finalizing the program.

Source: REUTERS

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