EBU Protests IOC Decision Over Swimming, Gymnastics Finals

GENEVA, October 31: The European Broadcasting Union (EBU)
has issued a statement protesting the International Olympic Committee’s
decision to hold the finals of the swimming and a number of gymnastics
competitions at the 2008 Olympics in the morning in Beijing, corresponding to
the middle of the night in Europe.

The popular events taking place in the morning will benefit
NBC in the U.S., who will be able to air them in prime time. "With this
decision the IOC ends the tradition of staging these finals in the evening
irrespective of the time zone at the venue," said a statement from the
EBU, noting that "viewers in Europe as well as the vast majority of the
global TV audience will be disadvantaged."