Olympic update

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That other Olympic ‘sport.’ NBA players on Team USA are subject to unannounced testing for human growth hormone, despite objections voiced by NBA and union officials earlier this year in Washington, D.C. ‘At the end of the day, guys will do what they have to do,’ Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Kidd told USA Today. ‘They will follow the rules because everyone is waiting for us to complain about it. I’m OK with it.’

Hold that pose. Roger Federer posing as a fencer, Ana Ivanovic playing beach volleyball, Maria Sharapova as rhythmic gymnast -- and the world’s No. 1 wheelchair tennis player Esther Vergeer shooting hoops.
The photos are part of ‘Journey to Beijing – Tennis celebrates the Olympics, ‘ a 140-page publication issued by the International Tennis Federation to celebrate tennis as the Beijing Games approach.
The book features photographs of top players dressed as athletes from other Olympic sports, along with interviews in which players talk about how the Olympics have influenced them.
The publication ‘shows how proud current tennis players are to represent their countries in the Olympic Games as well as the importance the Olympics has played in their lives,’ said ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti.

Enteromorpha Prolifera: That’s the scientific name for the algae that is fouling coastal waters that will be used for Olympic sailing events. About 10,000 workers and 1,000 vessels have been pressed into action to remove the unwanted stuff. China Daily reports that the local government in Quindao will have the mess cleaned up in about two weeks. In the coming days, about 30 Olympic sailing teams will be arriving in the area to begin practicing. At present, about 30% of the waters to be used for the sailing events are covered with algae.

-- Greg Johnson