The “London Times” is reporting this week that British cycling Olympian Chris Hoy has been recommended to receive an Order of the British Empire for his Olympic accomplishments. The 32-year-old Hoy is young for this honor, which is traditionally bestowed to individuals of near-retirement age.

Fellow Olympian, Rebecca Adlington, who earned two swimming Gold Medals this summer in Beijing, has also been recommended for the honor. She is just 19 years old.

Hoy earned three Gold Medals in track cycling this summer in Beijing. He adds those to the Gold Medal he received in Athens and the Silver Medal he earned in Athens. Hoy has said that he looks forward to defending his Medals in his home country in 2012.

^{(photo: Newscom)}

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Hoy Recommended for Knighthood

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced this week that they are one of the victims of the $50 billion investor ponzi scheme orchestrated by Wall Street financier Bernard Madoff. The organization estimates its loses to be around $5 million. IOC Chairman, Richard Carrion told the Associated Press that they have approximately $4.8 million at risk and anticipate a maximum loss. However, IOC spokeswoman, Emmanuelle Moreau added that the loss would have a minimum impact on the group’s future plans.

Bernard Madoff, the former head of the NASDAQ stock exchange, was arrested on December 11 (2008) and charged with securities fraud. He was turned in by one of his sons, an employee of the firm, after he admitted to him that the firm was one giant ponzi scheme.

^{(photo: Newscom)}

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IOC Loses in Madoff Fraud

The Silver and Bronze Medalists in the Hammer Throw event at the Beijing Games have been stripped of their medals for testing positive for high levels of testosterone on August 17. Vadim Devyatovskiy and Ivan Tsikhan of Belraus will forfeit their medals and Devyatovskiy, for whom this was a second offense, was hit with a lifetime Olympic ban.

The silver will now go to Krisztian Pars of Hungary and the bronze to Koji Murofushi of Japan. Primoz Kozmus of Slovenia won the gold medal.

In total, nine athletes were found guilty of doping during the Beijing Games.

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Hammer Throw Olympians Stripped of Medals

Marion Jones won five Olympic Gold Medal at the 2000 Games in Sydney. About a year ago, Jones admitted to using steroids during that time (for which she was stripped of her medals) and to lying to Federal prosecutors (for which she was sentenced and served six months in prison). She was released from prison on September 5, 2008. Yesterday, she appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

If you didn’t see the show, the reviews are mixed about her “performance.” Some say Oprah was too easy on her. Some say that she is still lying and deluding herself about her role in the 2000 doping scandal. I think that she’s probably gone through enough and we should give her the benefit of the doubt.

When Oprah asked her about her prison time, she replied:

“There were moments, Oprah, where I felt like my world was over. I wasn’t with my family. I wasn’t with my kids. I had made such a huge mistake, let so many people down, disappointed myself,” she says. “And there were remarkably days where I just felt empowered almost. It’s almost like I got this renewed energy where I felt that, ‘I’m here for a reason.’ The searching for that reason, I think, is what really changed my life.”

Jones still has to serve two years probation and to complete 800 hours of community service. She will have to disclose that she’s a convicted felon for the rest of her life.

^{(photo © Newscom)}

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Marion Jones on Oprah

Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since 2001, announced this week that he will seek relection to the post. The 66-year-old Belgian is expected to be unopposed for this position when the IOC votes in October of 2009. Rogge, the eighth president of the IOC, has presided over four Olympic Games, the 2002 and 2006 Winter Games and the 2004 and 2008 Summer Games. He is eligible for a second term of four years.

^{(photo © Newscom)}

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IOC President Rogge to Seek Re-election

Londoners turned out en masse today to celebrate Great Britain’s more than 500 Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Gold Medalists Chris Hoy (cycling), Rebecca Adlington (swimming), and Victoria Pendleton (track cycling) were among those featured on the 12 floats that snaked their way through the downtown streets.

Great Britain earned 47 Medals in the Olympic Games, including 12 Golds. It was their best showing more than 100 years. The GB team earned 102 medals at the Paralympic Games, finished second in the medal tally to host nation, China.

London is the site of the next Summer Olympic Games, which begin on August 29, 2012.

^{(photo of the British Olympic and Paralympic swim team © Newscom)}

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London Celebrates Olympians

The Women’s Sports Foundation chose Olympic Gymnast, Nastia Liukin as their individual Sportswoman of the Year at their annual banquet on Tuesday. The 18-year-old Liukin won five medals at the Beijing Games, including the Gold Medal in the women’s all-around competition.

US Women’s Softball player, Jessica Mendoza was awarded the Team Sportswoman of the Year award.

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Liukin Named Sportswoman of the Year

Ueberroth will continue his service to the USOC as President in an honorary capacity–a non-voting, non-Board member position that will last for two years. His new role will also focus primarily on the USOC’s partnership with Chicago 2016 and bringing the Olympic and Paralympic Games back to the United States.

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US Olympic Committee Picks New Leader

The Russian News Agency, Allsport is reporting that the Silver and Bronze Medalists in the mens hammer throw event at the Beijing Games both tested positive for trace amounts of testosterone after the event on August 17 (2008). Vadim Devyatovskiy and Ivan Tsikhan, both from Belarus, will face the IOC disciplinary commission at the end of September.

If found guilty, the pair would be disqualified and stripped of their Medals. They would be the seventh and eighth athletes disqualified for doping at the Beijing Games.

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Hammer Throw Medalists Face Doping Investigation

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Oprah Hosts Olympians