BELEK, Turkey -- The head of Olympic summer sports federations called for urgent action Tuesday to tackle the critical delays facing the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro and accused the Brazilian government of neglecting the crisis. In an interview with The Associated Press, Francesco Ricci Bitti said Rios troubled preparations are reaching a stage where some sports may need to consider "Plan B" options for their venues. "Its getting very serious," the Italian said. "We have an organizing committee with good people but without the leverage to cope with the problem. ... We are scared. This is not a country like China where you can ask people to work by night. In Brazil, this could not happen. The government has to change speed." Ricci Bitti heads the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, which represents the 28 sports in the Rio Games. He also leads the International Tennis Federation and serves on the IOC co-ordination commission for Rio, which made its latest visit to Brazil two weeks ago. "We can be flexible in the infrastructure but surely not in the sports venues, and we are at risk at sports venues," Ricci Bitti said. "Even for the ones that dont consider themselves at risk, we dont see a sense of urgency." The timetables are so tight that backup plans may need to be considered by some sports, he said. "We have to sit down and to start looking at some Plan Bs," Ricci Bitti said. Rios problems dominated discussions at the ASOIF general assembly, which took place during the SportAccord convention in this Mediterranean resort in southern Turkey. Rio will also top the agenda for meetings of the International Olympic Committee executive board, which meets here Wednesday and Thursday. "We need to act now because if we wait another six months, as it could be looking at the inactivity of the government, I think it will become very serious," Ricci Bitti said. "The organizing committee is doing its best, but the government is not supporting enough." Brazil is also struggling with delays ahead of hosting the World Cup this summer. With the country focusing on the World Cup, Ricci Bitti said, the Olympic preparations risk falling further behind. "We cant always hope in the fact that in the end we will solve the problem," he said. "This time we have the style and the habits of the South Americans. They are not used to managing big events like this. The Olympics is a very different problem from the World Cup. The World Cup in the end is one stadium, one hotel, in many cities. Rio has a lot of problems." Rio organizing committee chief Carlos Nuzman and CEO Sidney Levy were meeting in Brasilia on Tuesday with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseffs chief of staff to discuss the Olympics. It was left to Rios executive sports director, Agberto Guimaraes, to report to the federations in Turkey. "I still think we can pull this thing together and can have great games," he told the delegates. "The moment I dont I will (give) my resignation. I still believe we can do it. Please help me get through this alive and well." Christophe Dubi, the IOCs deputy executive director for the Olympic Games, said the IOC would be sending special task forces to Rio to monitor the situation. The first group will consist of construction experts, he said. "We have to have special measures in place," he said. Dubi noted that Gilbert Felli, the IOCs long-time executive director, has been assigned to work with Rio after he steps down from his post later this year. The meetings in Turkey come amid a daily drumbeat of troubles in Brazil. On Monday, striking construction workers and security personnel clashed at Rios Olympic Park. Random gunshots were fired but no injuries were reported. Workers also went on strike Monday at the Olympic stadium that will be used for track and field at the games. The venue has been closed since last year to fix problems with the roof. Guimaraes said the repair work would completed by December. The greatest concerns centre on the Deodoro complex, an area that is to host venues for eight sports. Work has yet to begin on the site. In addition, work on the Olympic golf course is far behind schedule, raising concerns for the sports return to the games after more than a century. Guimaraes said grass would begin to be laid on the course later this month and the venue would be ready by September 2015. . The 42-ranked Czech saved seven break points while converting his one chance, and defeated the No. 3 seed in 1 hour 46 minutes. Rosol, who lost in the final in Stuttgart against Roberto Bautista Agut on Sunday, awaits the winner between Philipp Kohlschreiber or 2011 champion Gilles Simon. . The 90-plus minutes of play are about trends and approach.
http://www.cheapastrosjerseysauthentic.com/. Erik Cole scored on a breakaway with 4:49 to play, and the Stars rallied to defeat the Minnesota Wild 4-3 on Saturday night. . On Sunday, head coach Patrick Roy said the teams leading scorer will skate at Mondays morning practice and the club will make a decision on his status for Game 6 at that point. . The 2014 edition will be the ninth meeting between the Caps and Vikes in a tradition that dates back to 2005. "Since the original Whitecaps, the club has enjoyed fantastic support from fans in Victoria and all across Vancouver Island," said Whitecaps FC president Bob Lenarduzzi. INDIANAPOLIS -- Dallas Clark never took his eyes off the screen as a video tribute played highlights from his time in Indianapolis. The standout tight end retired from the NFL after 11 seasons Wednesday and when he stepped to the podium at the teams practice facility, he could hardly keep his composure. "Obviously you should have showed the video afterward," Clark said after taking a long pause to gather himself. "My wife told me to keep it lighthearted. I just dont know how to do that because this place and these fans and everyone here mean so much to me." He retired as a member of the Colts, the team that drafted him in the first round in 2003. Its the place where he won a Super Bowl with Peyton Manning in 2006 and spent the first nine years of his career. Clark played for Baltimore last season and for Tampa Bay in 2012. He was released by the Colts in 2011 after the team finished 2-14 and missed the playoffs for the first time in 10 years. Clark signed with Indy just long enough to announce his retirement, though Colts owner Jim Irsay wisecracked that there was no signing bonus this time. "Theres a lot more meaning behind it than numbers," he said. "Its really a great moment when you have a chance to have somebody come back to town." Clark is Indys all-time leader in tight end touchdown catches (46) and receptions (427). He finished second in yards receiving (4,887) and 100-yard games (seven). Clark set single season records with the Colts with 100 receptions and 1,106 yards in the 2009 season. In 2007, he had 11 TD catches. The Colts won at leeast 12 games for seven consecutive seasons and made eight straight playoff appearances leading up to Clarks final season in Indy, before his release and the release of other veterans, including Manning.dddddddddddd "You cant write this, you cant make this up," Clark said as he thanked everyone from team doctors and equipment staff, to former Colts coach Tony Dungy and former team President Bill Polian, who drafted him with Indys first-round pick in 2003. "Nothing but love," he said to a crowd that included Reggie Wayne, Robert Mathis and Adam Vinatieri. "For us to go do what we do, theres so many people. Im not going to stand here and think I did it myself because that would be a boldface lie." Wayne was drafted by Indy in 2001 and played alongside Clark each year he was with the Colts. "From day one, he came in with a mission and focused in on it and he locked in on it and within that first year, he came in and made some plays and I knew he was going to be major, major contributor to this offence," Wayne said. "He was that last piece of the puzzle and without Dallas, I dont think we win as many games as we did." Clark got emotional when thanking the teammates hes had throughout his career. "When you have 52 men in the locker room giving everything that they have for one goal, special things happen," he said. "For us, we won like it was like, thats what you do. Until I went to other places, it was like, not everyone gets it. Not everyone can do what we did. Thats the reason why it was so special." ' ' '
