FILE - In a Sept. 30, 2000 file photo, U.S. cyclist Lance Armstrong waves after receiving the bronze medal in the men's individual time trials at the 2000 Summer Olympics cycling road course in Sydney, Australia. Officials familiar with the decision tell The Associated Press the IOC has stripped Armstrong of his bronze medal from the 2000 Sydney Olympics because of his involvement in doping. Two officials say the IOC sent a letter to Armstrong on Wednesday night, Jan. 16, 2013, asking him to return the medal. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan, File)
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FILE - In a Sept. 30, 2000 file photo, U.S. cyclist Lance Armstrong waves after receiving the bronze medal in the men's individual time trials at the 2000 Summer Olympics cycling road course in Sydney, Australia. Officials familiar with the decision tell The Associated Press the IOC has stripped Armstrong of his bronze medal from the 2000 Sydney Olympics because of his involvement in doping. Two officials say the IOC sent a letter to Armstrong on Wednesday night, Jan. 16, 2013, asking him to return the medal. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan, File)
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FILE - In this Saturday, Sept 30, 2000 file photo Russia's Viacheslav Ekimov, center, winner of the gold medal in the men's individual time trials, celebrates with Germany's silver medal winner Jan Ullrich, left, and U.S bronze medal winner Lance Armstrong at the cycling road course in Sydney, for the Summer Olympic Games. Officials familiar with the decision tell The Associated Press the IOC has stripped Lance Armstrong of his bronze medal from the 2000 Sydney Olympics because of his involvement in doping. Two officials say the IOC sent a letter to Armstrong on Wednesday night Jan. 16, 2013, asking him to return the medal. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours, File)
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FILE - In this July 25, 2010, file photo, Lance Armstrong looks back on the podium after the 20th and last stage of the Tour de France cycling race in Paris, France. Armstrong confessed to using performance-enhancing drugs to win the Tour de France during a taped interview with Oprah Winfrey that aired Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013, reversing more than a decade of denial. (AP Photo/Bas Czerwinski, File)
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Years of speculation is about to end as the first part of Lance Armstrong's television interview with Oprah Winfrey is aired on Thursday night. Any admission of drug use by Armstrong will end more than a decade of denials. (Jan. 17)
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Experts say revelations by cyclist Lance Armstrong that he engaged in doping during his professional career will undoubtedly have a negative effect on Livestrong the charity Armstrong founded. (Jan. 18)
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Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany, top, sprays champagne on his teammates after the Brazil's Formula One Grand Prix at the Interlagos race track in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012. Vettel overcame a first-lap crash to clinch his third straight Formula One championship title on Sunday, finishing sixth in an incident-filled Brazilian Grand Prix won by Jenson Button under pouring rain.(AP Photo/Andre Penner)
IOC gives Pakistan another chance
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The
International Olympic Committee has given Pakistan another chance to resolve differences between its government and the country's national Olympic association.
The move was announced after IOC officials held a meeting on Friday with Pakistan Olympic Association President Syed Arif Hasan and IOC member Syed Shahid Ali. Despite being invited, no representative from Pakistan's government attended.
The IOC said it still recognizes Hasan as the POA's president and asked the former general "to establish fruitful dialogue with the government of Pakistan and find good solutions for the future which are fully compatible with the principles and rules which govern the Olympic Movement and, in particular, the principle of autonomy of the Olympic Movement."
At least 20 sports federations formed their own interim committee within the POA and, with the support of the government, called Tuesday for fresh elections within a month. The IOC has repeatedly warned Pakistan of severe consequences if the government continues to interfere in the affairs of the POA.
The gulf between Hasan and the government widened last year just before the Olympic Games and Pakistan was in danger of being suspended from the London Games.
Eventually, the IOC allowed Pakistan more time to put its house in order. However, the differences have grown in recent months, culminating in the formation of the interim committee — headed by the president of the Pakistan Basketball Federation, Asif Bajwa.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation, whose president Qasim Zia was beaten by Hasan in last year's elections for the POA presidency, is among the 20 federations to have called for fresh elections.
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