Representatives of the Latvian Olympic Committee will participate in the 15th General Assembly of the National Olympic Committees, which begins on April 11 in the South Korean capital Seoul. Latvia will be represented by committee president Aldons Vrublevskis and secretary general Einars Fogelis, who will meet with members of the International Olympic Committee to discuss the forthcoming Olympic Games Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010 and London 2012. Representatives of the World Anti-Doping Agency will present the latest methods for detecting drug users. National Olympic Committee represents the interests of 202 members, and carries out international Olympic programs and events. General Assembly sessions are held once every two years.
Former heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson (photo) said he felt humbled by a visit to the mausoleum of Mao Zedong in Beijing. "I felt really insignificant next to Chairman Mao's remains," he was quoted by a Chinese daily as saying. Tyson was inspired by some of the late Chinese leader's writings, which he read while in prison for rape in the 1990s. Emerging from the mausoleum, the world champion shouted "I love you" to Chinese onlookers and told the Beijing News that the visit had been a great honor. The former champion, 39, was in the Chinese capital after a visit to Shanghai where he promoted a new night club.
Tomsk reached the top of Russian soccer's first divison for the first time in the club's history with a 1-0 win at Shinnk Yaroslavl after champions CSKA Moscow tied 1-1 with Spartak. Bulgarian midfielder Aleksandar Mladenov scored in the 75th minute to make it three wins out of three for Tomsk, enjoying every minute of their second season in the top flight. Meanwhile, Lokomotiv Moscow continued their poor start with a 3-2 home defeat by newcomers Spartak Nalchik.
Latvian banker Valerijs Belokons has bought England's Blackpool football club, the British newspaper The Gazette reported. Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston said Belokons was planning to invest more than 1,000,000 pounds in the club, and aimed to move the team, which is currently England's third highest, up one league as soon as possible. "New players will be brought in, including many from Latvia," Oyston told The Gazette. The paper reported that the deal could take time to complete, and first needed to be okayed
