Öffentlicher Bereich » "Hes having an awesome year,"

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. Dee Ford 49ers Jersey . In the Brewers six games this season, no starter has allowed more than three runs. 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Or just about anything that has happened on the court in the first-round playoff series. Instead, Rivers and his players spent Saturday talking about how they would respond to an audio recording of a man identified as Clippers owner Donald Sterling telling his girlfriend not to bring black people to games. ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Texas Rangers know they have their work cut out for themselves if they want to wrestle the AL West title away from the defending division champion Oakland Athletics. And the Los Angeles Angels arent making it any easier for them. Garrett Richards pitched seven effective innings, and the Angels parlayed three errors and another mammoth home run by Mark Trumbo into five early runs against Derek Holland to beat Texas 8-3 Saturday night. The Rangers fifth loss in six games, coupled with Oaklands 2-1 victory against Houston, put them 1 1-2 games behind the Athletics with 21 remaining. "Their job is to try to spoil us from getting to the playoffs," Holland said. "But no matter who we play, its going to be tough. I dont care if its the Angels or whoever you want to throw out there. Theres not going to be an easy game from here on out, whether theyre a first-place team or a last-place team. Were all competing to get somewhere, and other teams are trying to knock us out." The Angels are 14 1-2 games out of first place despite winning 12 of their last 15 games. And despite the fact that they will miss the post-season for the fourth straight year, they will definitely have a say in the outcome of the division race. The final week of their schedule includes a three-game series at home against Oakland, followed by a four-game set at Texas. "Theyre a good team over there, but were playing good ball right now and every day is a new opportunity to get another W, get some momentum for next year and knock some teams out," Mike Trout said. "If we were playing this kind of ball in April, it would have been a different story now and down the road. But its been one of those years. If you look at our lineup now compared to April, its two different teams. Guys have come up from the minors and are getting an opportunity to play. Were playing together, pitching great and having some fun." Richards (6-6) allowed two runs -- one earned -- and six hits while striking out five and walking one. The right-hander, who finished his night by fanning the side, is 4-0 with a 3.25 ERA in seven starts at home this season. Holland (9-8) was charged with eight runs -- four earned -- and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings. He strucck out four and walked one in his sixth attempt to join Kenny Rogers as the only left-handers in the history of the Rangers/Washington Senators franchise with double-digit victories in three consecutive seasons.dddddddddddd. "I didnt pitch very well, and Im very disappointed at the way that I performed," Holland said. "I know Im a better pitcher than I have been performing like for the last two or three outings. Im very frustrated with the way things turned out." Holland, whose last victory was Aug. 4 at Oakland, gave up unearned runs in the first two innings. The Angels took a 3-1 lead in the first after Holland fielded a dribbler toward the first base line by leadoff man J.B. Shuck and committed a two-base throwing error. Shuck advanced on Erick Aybars sacrifice bunt and scored when four-time Gold Glove third baseman Adrian Beltre misplayed Trouts slow bouncer for his 13th error. Trumbo drove the next pitch to centre field for his 31st homer and second in two nights, following a drought of 57 at-bats without one. "Hes having an awesome year," Trout said. "Hes learning a lot of new things this year and making adjustments at the plate. He went through a couple of stretches where he was pressing a little bit, but hes back to being Trumbo and every at bat you look at him and hes got a chance to launch one. So its fun to watch." The Angels blew the game open in the sixth with three more runs that chased Holland. Texas catcher A.J. Pierzynski, who ended the scoring with a leadoff homer in the ninth against Cory Rasmus. NOTES: Trumbo is batting .235 with 20 games remaining. The lowest average by any Angels player who hit at least 30 homers in a season was by 3B Troy Glaus, who batted .250 with 41 homers in 2001 and .250 with 30 homers in 2002. ... Trumbos homer was the 17th allowed by Holland, who set a Rangers club record for lefties last season by giving up 32. ... Rangers manager Ron Washington flip-flopped Leonys Martin and rookie Jurickson Profar in the batting order, putting Profar in the leadoff spot and batting the struggling Martin ninth to take some pressure off him. The move produced a run in the second inning as Martin singled with two out, stole second and scored on Profars single. ' ' '