(ATR) Games organizers prepare for visitors from Lausanne; Olympic legislation lands in the House of Commons; Vancouver’s month of countdown festivities ends quietly, and FIFA U-20 World Cup holds its draw. More inside the Vancouver Update . . .

International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel chairs the IOC’s Vancouver 2010 Coordination Commission.  (ATR)

IOC on Annual Vancouver Inspection

The International Olympic Committee’s Vancouver 2010 Coordination Commission makes its annual visit next Tuesday through Thursday to check on preparations for the next Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

The 10-member panel, chaired by International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel, has shown little public criticism of VANOC.

The Coordination Commission will likely get a chance to look at VANOC’s two-year overdue business plan and its $1.4 billion operations budget. Furlong promised both would be published in “early 2007.”

VANOC claims construction is on-time and on-budget despite the west coast being battered by a series of late fall and early winter storms that devastated some area forests and caused landslides on the Sea-to-Sky Highway.

Last spring’s visit ended with the announcement by Fasel and VANOC CEO John Furlong that the 2010 Games would use National Hockey League-size rinks instead of the wider European variety used at previous Olympics.

Since then, VANOC has received $94 million more from federal and British Columbia governments to cover construction cost overruns and the proposed Whistler Paralympic hockey rink was scrapped.

Games Trademark Protection Bill in Parliament

The Canadian House of Commons is getting its first look at a bill that would give temporary trademark protection to words and symbols associated with the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The Olympic and Paralympic Marks Act would also prohibit ambush marketing.

Italy, Greece and Australia passed similar legislation before hosting Olympic Games.

Documentary Critical of Games Opens

The Coordination Commission’s visit coincides with the last three days of an unflattering, unauthorized documentary’s premiere run in a Vancouver theatre.

Independent filmmaker Conrad Schmidt reportedly didn’t know the Coordination Commission would be visiting when he booked The Five Ring Circus to play March 2 to 8 at the Rio Theatre.

The project, financed by Schmidt’s selling his apartment, claims VANOC and governments have broken bid book promises to make the Games fiscally responsible and sustainable.

VANOC CEO John Furlong on left wing for employees’ road hockey match.  (VANOC)

Three Years ‘til Games End; No One Counting

There was no three-year countdown to the end of the 2010 Winter Olympics on Feb. 28. VANOC had announced plans for a “mystery” event but then quietly and mysteriously canceled it.

The three-year countdown to the beginning of the 2010 Games on Feb. 12 was the sparsely attended Omega countdown clock unveiling at Vancouver Art Gallery. Four protesters were charged with mischief, including two who were able to get on stage despite the heavy police presence. That countdown clock is under round-the-clock watch by security guards.

VANOC employees staged a low-key road hockey game in the parking lot of their East Vancouver headquarters.

A team wearing blue Olympic jerseys beat the team wearing white Paralympic jerseys 10-9 in a shootout. John Furlong briefly played left wing for the white squad.

Draw for FIFA U-20 World Cup

The countdown intensifies for the Canada-hosted 2007 FIFA Under 20 World Cup.

International soccer’s second biggest tournament runs June 30 to July 22 in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, Burnaby, B.C. and Victoria.

The draw is Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET in Toronto. The final will be played in the new BMO Field, Canada’s national soccer stadium.

Canada hosted the 2002 Under-19 Women’s World Championship and is bidding for the 2011 Women’s World Cup.

Leveraging the Impacts of Olympic Fever

Simon Fraser University’s Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue in Vancouver is hosting a one-day seminar aimed at creating cultural, environmental and economic legacies of the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. A 2010-Piece Puzzle is part of the undergraduate semester in dialogue’s Going for Gold: Leveraging the Impacts of Olympic Fever study. Call 604-291-5100 to register for the 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., event on March 14.

SFU’s main Burnaby Mountain campus was the original site of the 2010 speedskating oval. It was moved closer to Vancouver International Airport in Richmond.

With reporting from Vancouver by Bob Mackin.

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