The International Olympic Committee (IOC) reallocated the medals won by Marion Jones at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

The IOC disqualified Jones on 12 December 2007 from the five Olympic Games events in which she participated at the Sydney Games, and one event she competed in at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens after she admitted to using a prohibited substance prior to, during and after the 2000 Games.

The medals are allocated as follows:

100m, where Jones placed 1st:
Gold: Not awarded
Silver: Ekatirini Thanou (Greece)
Silver: Tanya Lawrence (Jamaica)
Bronze: Merlene Ottey (Jamaica)

200m, where Jones placed 1st:
Gold: Pauline Davis-Thompson (Bahamas)
Silver: Susanthika Jayasinghe (Sri Lanka)
Bronze: Beverly McDonald (Jamaica)

Long Jump, where Jones placed 3rd:
Bronze: Tatyana Kotova (Russia)

The reallocation of the medals for the 4 x 400m relay and 4 x 100m relay, where Jones’ teams placed first and third respectively, is still pending the outcome of an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

OMEGA will host a tribute to Utah’s Olympians during halftime at the Utah Jazz Basketball game. OC Tanner, an official retailer of OMEGA in the Salt Lake City area, will sponsor the event. An OMEGA timepiece along with a special gold Olympic ring created by OC Tanner will be presented to four Utah Olympic gold medal winners and a Russian Olympic basketball player who plays for the Utah Jazz.

The following are the Olympians who will be honored:

• Carlos Boozer — Member of the Utah Jazz Basketball team and gold medal winner as part of the US Team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

• Deron Williams — Member of the Utah Jazz Basketball team and gold medal winner as part of the US Team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

• Andrei Kirilenko – Member of the Utah Jazz Basketball team and Olympic competitor in the 2000 Sydney Olympics as member of the Russian National Team.

• Kevin Jepsen — Member of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Baseball team and bronze medal winner as part of the US Team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

• Matthew Brown — Member of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Baseball team and bronze medal winner as part of the US Team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Source: OMEGA

Heiden ‘Faster, Better, Stronger’ Book Signing to Follow Keynote Address

Eric Heiden, world renowned speed skater, cyclist and orthopedic surgeon, will be a featured keynote speaker at AdvaMed 2008, the MedTech Conference. The most successful speed skater in history, Heiden won five individual gold medals and set four Olympic records during the 1980 winter games in Lake Placid, New York. In 1985, Dr. Heiden went on to win the U.S. Cycling Championship and competed in the 1986 Tour de France. Dr. Heiden’s Olympic Gold medals were eventually used to help fund his medical school education to become an orthopedic surgeon.

“We are honored to have an Olympic champion and world-class orthopedic surgeon join the list of distinguished speakers at AdvaMed 2008,” said Stephen J. Ubl, president and CEO of AdvaMed. “As an athlete and medical practitioner, Dr. Heiden possesses a unique understanding of the value of medical technology and the critical role it plays in improving quality of life. He knows first hand what it takes to succeed in sports, medicine and business. We look forward to his comments about competition and commitment as well as what drives industry innovation forward.”

Dr. Heiden will give the keynote address on Tuesday, September 23rd from 1:00-1:45pm at the Marriott Wardman Park in Washington, DC. Immediately following the lunch plenary, Dr. Heiden will participate in a special book signing in the AdvaMed 2008 exhibition hall at the CEA Technologies booth. Dr. Heiden’s newly released book titled, “Faster, Better, Stronger” provides 10 proven secrets to a healthier body in 12 weeks. The book is co-authored by Massimo Testa, MD and Deanne Musolf.

“AdvaMed 2008 presents a unique opportunity to address the key constituencies involved in advancing health care for the 21st Century and beyond,” said Heiden. “I look forward to offering my perspective on the partnership between practitioners and industry as well as building a faster, better, stronger engine of innovation.”

Dr. Heiden will round out a robust conference program featuring political and industry luminaries. On Monday, September 22nd, Charlie Cook, publisher of the Cook Report, will open the morning plenary from 7:30-8:45am offering insights into the current political elections. From 12:30-1:45pm, G. Steven Burrill, CEO of Burrill & Company, will offer fresh perspective on the business and economic issues impacting the MedTech industry.

On Tuesday, September 23rd, Andrew Dillon, Chief Executive of the UK’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, will provide an international perspective during his 7:30-8:45am plenary address. From 12:15-12:55 pm David Blumenthal, MD, Health Care Advisor to Senator Barack Obama; Gail Wilensky, Health Care Advisor to Senator John McCain; and moderator Marilyn Werber Serafini of the National Journal, will provide insights into each presidential candidate’s health policies. This will be followed by a 1:00 pm keynote address by Dr. Eric Heiden.

On Wednesday, September 24th, Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Newt Gingrich (7:30-8:45 am) and sitting U.S. Senator, Hillary Rodham Clinton (12:30- 1:45 pm) will provide Republican and Democratic insights into the U.S. health care system and the important role of the MedTech industry.

Currently, Dr. Heiden is an orthopedic surgeon practicing in Utah and is the team physician for the U.S. Speed Skating, and team physician and director of sports medicine for USA Cycling.

Source: AdvaMed and AdvaMed 2008

Results from the Dow Jones Insight- Olympics Media Pulse show that with the close of one of the most talked about Olympics Games, there are some key brand names — athletes and corporations — that have emerged as media favorites.

For the period August 26 through September 8, Michael Phelps was the most- mentioned athlete in social media and an emerging celebrity with his first non-sports related appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards. However, triple gold medalist Usain Bolt of Jamaica gained the lead in traditional media sources. Meanwhile, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Visa retained their leads among the global sponsors in coverage in traditional and social media sources.

It Won’t Take Four More Years for Phelps and Bolt To Hit Headlines

Beijing’s Olympic Closing Ceremony is over, the Olympic torch has been extinguished and the countdown to the 2012 Olympic Games in London has begun. But some of the biggest names from the Beijing Games continue to generate media coverage. After eight gold medals and seven world records in eight events, it’s no surprise that U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps continued as the most-mentioned athlete among those being tracked by Dow Jones Insight in social media sources (blogs and boards).

Social Media Presence:

1. Of the 7,907 total mentions in social media sources, Phelps had 4,620, or 58 percent, of the top 10 athletes tracked. Much of this coverage concerned Phelps’ appearances after the Games — including his stint as a presenter at the MTV Video Music Awards — and confirms his arrival as a full-fledged celebrity.

2. In a distant second to Phelps in social media sources was Bolt, who had 1,183 mentions, for 15 percent.

3. U.S. gymnast Shawn Johnson, who won a silver medal in the women’s all- around competition, followed Bolt with 501 mentions, for 6 percent.

4. Her teammate Nastia Liukin, who won the all-around gold medal, and beach volleyball gold medalist Misty May-Treanor each had 5 percent of mentions.

5. U.S. swimmer Dara Torres, who made history when she made the team at the age of 41, had 231 mentions, for 3 percent.

6. Chinese basketball star Yao Ming, U.S. gymnast Paul Hamm and British cyclist Chris Hoy each had 2 percent of mentions. Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang, whose withdrawal due to injury led to a national outpouring of disappointment, rounded out the top 10 with 109 mentions, for 1 percent.

Traditional Media Presence: Phelps and Bolt swapped positions in traditional media sources (print and online).

1. Of the 11,277 total mentions in traditional media sources, Bolt had 3,863, for 34 percent.

2. Phelps was a close second with 3,496 mentions, for 31 percent.

3. Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell was third, with 829 mentions, for 7 percent.

4. Hoy had 690 mentions, for 6 percent.

5. Liukin, May and British swimmer Rebecca Adlington, who won two gold medals, each had 4 percent of mentions.

6. Torres, Johnson and American sprinter Tyson Gay, who failed to qualify for the finals of the men’s 100 meters, rounded out the top 10 with 3 percent of mentions each.

It Pays to Play – Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Visa Overall Top Olympics Sponsors

Although the Beijing Olympic Games had 12 global sponsors, three sponsors led coverage in traditional and social media sources in analyses before, during and, now, after the Games. Those three — Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Visa — combined to garner 65 percent of coverage in both traditional and social media.

In the weeks leading up to the Games, a significant amount of coverage of these three sponsors was negative, focusing on their implied complicity in China’s poor human rights record. Once the Games started, however, coverage of these companies softened somewhat, focusing instead on their presence in Beijing, their commemorative merchandise and their feel-good ads.

Social Media Presence:

1. Coca-Cola had 158 of the 565 total mentions in social media sources analyzed by Dow Jones Insight, for 28 percent

2. McDonald’s was second with 135 mentions, for 24 percent
3. Visa was third with 73 mentions, for 13 percent

Traditional Media Presence:

1. Of the 768 total mentions in traditional media sources, Coca-Cola had 209 mentions, for 27 percent

2. Visa had 158 mentions, for 21 percent
3. McDonald’s had 129 mentions, for 17 percent

Other leading brands that gained media share include GE, Samsung and Lenovo. In social media sources, GE was fourth with 53 mentions, for 9 percent. Samsung had 44 mentions, for 8 percent. Lenovo, the only Chinese company among the global sponsors, and Panasonic each had 5 percent of mentions. Omega and Johnson & Johnson each had 3 percent and Kodak had 2 percent.

In traditional media sources, General Electric had 66 mentions, for 9 percent. Samsung had 60 mentions, for 8 percent, and Lenovo had 54 mentions, for 7 percent. Omega and Johnson & Johnson each had 4 percent of mentions. Atos Origin and Kodak rounded out the top 10, each with 2 percent of mentions. Panasonic and Manulife did not crack the top 10 in traditional media sources.

After Games Finish, Beijing Dims Light on Issues Coverage

In the weeks leading up to the Beijing Olympic Games, the excitement of the Games was tempered by news coverage of a number of issues that cast the host city, and China, in a negative light. The traditional relay of the Olympic torch drew protests from people who objected to China’s less-than- stellar human rights record and its relationship with Tibet. There were questions about Beijing’s air quality and its possible effects on athletes’ health and performance. Coverage of environmental issues peaked with the government’s efforts to clean up the air in Beijing and the enormous algae bloom at the sailing venue. There were also concerns about the government’s efforts to hinder the media in its access to information and its ability to freely report on the events. And, like other recent Games, the Beijing Games were taking place under the spectre of performance-enhancing drug use.

Since the Closing Ceremonies, however, coverage of these issues has declined significantly. During the period of August 26 to September 7, there were a total of 3,800 mentions in social and traditional media sources analyzed by Dow Jones Insight of issues relating to human rights, the environment, Tibet, media freedom, athlete health and doping. The most- mentioned issue, human rights, declined from 255 mentions on August 26 to 51 mentions on September 5 (data were analyzed to September 5, since September 6- 7 was a weekend, when all coverage tends to be lower). Mentions of China’s relationship with Tibet decreased from 147 to 20 during that period. Mentions of media freedom went from 131 on August 26 to 67 on September 5.

Mentions of the environment declined significantly from 121 following August 26, but spiked back up to 92 on September 1. This increase in coverage was driven by stories about Beijing’s improved air quality. The government’s attempts to improve Beijing’s air quality, including restricting driving based on an odd-even license plate schedule, were so successful that the city’s air quality was the best it had been in about 10 years. These improvements were so successful that some Beijing residents are calling for the driving restrictions to be extended in an effort to keep the air clean. Following coverage of these stories, mentions of the environment declined again to 28 on September 5.

The Dow Jones Insight-Olympics Media Pulse provides a high-level view of a competitive media landscape and demonstrates how athletes, sponsors and issues are covered in the media and how that coverage changes over time. Dow Jones Insight combines proven research methodologies, trusted content and advanced text-mining and visualization tools to deliver strategic qualitative and quantitative media measurement metrics. Organizations use the analysis to nurture their reputation, demonstrate the effectiveness of their communications strategies and achieve business objectives. The platform processes nearly a million articles, Web pages, blogs and message board posts per day.

Source: Dow Jones & Company

World’s Best Athletes Trust Their Performance to Oakley’s High Definition Optics(R)

Oakley, Inc. today announced that 88 Olympic medals were awarded to athletes in Beijing who relied on the performance benefits of Oakley’s High Definition Optics(R) (HDO(R)). More than 600 athletes represented their countries around the globe wearing Oakley Radar(R), Flak Jacket(R) or Enduring(TM) sport performance sunglasses for superior clarity and protection.

“We couldn’t be more proud of the countless athletes from around the world that chose to use Oakley sunglasses as a critical piece of their performance equipment,” said Scott Bowers, senior vice president of global marketing and brand development, Oakley. “We developed High Definition Optics (HDO) to meet the demands of our athletes and there is no greater compliment than to see them earn their place among the world’s greatest.”

While developing HDO, Oakley invented an optical geometry to extend clarity across the entire lens. Awarded a worldwide patent, Oakley’s XYZ Optics(R) defines the shape of the lens in three dimensions. This allows Oakley to produce lens contours that offer razor-sharp clarity at all angles of view, not just straight ahead. The swept-back contours of Oakley eyewear also provide enhanced protection against sun, wind and side impact.

In Beijing, Oakley’s HDO lenses provided critical performance advantages for athletes with its precision filtering, glare elimination, impact resistance, wind and 100% UV protection. Athletes were also able to select a lens tint to keep up with the changing light conditions, in addition to polarization and prescription correction.

Also at the Olympics, Oakley introduced the world’s first sport performance eyewear designed exclusively for women, Oakley Enduring. It was the choice of female athletes in a wide range of Olympic events. World Indoor Champion Lolo Jones wore Enduring sunglasses while in competition. Emma Snowsill took the Gold in the women’s triathlon with Enduring while Australian tennis ace Samantha Stosur used Enduring to protect her eyes from the glare of stadium lights. Enduring was also the choice of Chiara Cainer as she won Gold in skeet shooting for the USA, as well as beach volleyball player Elaine Youngs who sported her lipstick-red Enduring.

Athletes also had the option to wear a custom frame color representing their country. Similar color combinations are available through the Oakley Custom Eyewear Program. The program allows the consumer to express their own personal style by choosing color preferences and finishes, including frame color, lens shape, lens color, icon color, ear socks (when applicable), etching and accessories.

With more than 600 patents worldwide, Oakley innovation provided Olympic athletes the vision to exceed possibility. All performance benefits, as well as customizable frame colors, are available to consumers worldwide at http://www.oakley.com/.

Source: Oakley, Inc.

Platinum Performance client McLain Ward proclaimed the Unites States Show Jumping victory at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, on August 19, as “probably the greatest day for North America in the history of the sport.”

Winning the first ever jump-off in Olympic Games history, the U.S. team broke a tie with Canada to win the Team Show Jumping title at the Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Venue in Sha Tin. It was a perfect ride in 38.45 seconds — the third-fastest time in the jump-off — by Platinum Performance client, Will Simpson, 49, of Thousand Oaks, Calif., riding Carlson vom Dach, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding, who sealed the victory and clinched the gold for the team. Other members of the gold-medal team were Laura Kraut, Beezie Madden and Platinum Performance client, McLain Ward, 33, riding Sapphire, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare. Ward and Sapphire were also a part of the U.S. team that won gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Two other Platinum Performance clients turned out stellar performances for the U.S.: Gina Miles, 34, and her horse McKinlaigh, a 14-year-old Irish-bred gelding.

Miles had hoped only to qualify for the individual final in the duos Olympic debut, but their decade-long partnership paid off with a silver medal in Individual Eventing, a combination of dressage, jumping and cross-country tests. Miles entered the show jumping final round in fourth place, and moved up to 2nd after a clean run to clinch the silver medal.

Over the years, Platinum Performance clients — from swimmers to triathletes, and equestrians — have wowed the world with their stellar performances at international sporting competitions, including the Pan American Games and the Olympics. President Mark Herthel congratulates the Summer Games competitors, saying the company is proud and honored to have watched them achieve their success with such outstanding performances.

“Will, McLain and Gina have been Platinum Performance clients for years,” explains Herthel. “We were so proud to watch them capture their Olympic medals.”

Platinum Performance Inc. offers a full line of veterinary developed nutritional formulas for horses, companion animals and people. Platinum Performance products are available exclusively through licensed veterinarians and factory direct to ensure an optimum supplement program to meet each horse’s individual needs.

For further information, visit the company Web site at http://www.platinumperformance.com/.

Source: Platinum Performance