ep up their good record against big-name sides

TOKYO -- Baseball and softball still have a chance of being included in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, IOC President Thomas Bach said Wednesday. "This will be under discussion," Bach said at a news conference. "We will have the first broad discussion in December in a meeting of the executive board of the IOC, then the executive board will present its first discussion paper to the IOC session in Sochi." Baseball and softball were dropped from the 2012 program after a 2005 vote by the IOC. The two sports merged into a single federation in a bid for inclusion in Tokyo, but lost out to wrestling in an IOC vote in September in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Squash also had sought a spot in the 2020 program. Tokyos winning bid for the 2020 Olympics has prompted calls in Japan for baseball and softball to be included when the Japanese capital hosts the games. While the Olympic Charter states that a sports inclusion in the program must be decided not later than the session electing the host city, Bach stressed the need to be flexible. "I am open for more flexibility in the Olympic program," said Bach, who was elected president in September to succeed Jacques Rogge. "But first we have to see what the rest of my colleagues in the IOC think." Baseball and softball are very popular in Japan and there are many existing facilities in the Tokyo area that could be used if the sports were included. Bach was accompanied by IOC vice-president John Coates, who heads the co-ordination commission for the Tokyo Games. Japan is scaling down the cost of the planned 80,000-seat main stadium following an uproar from some prominent architects who think its too big and expensive. Coates said the IOC is open to changes as long as the cutbacks dont compromise the basic plan of the facility. "Its inevitable that costs will be reduced," Coates said. "We are always open to that as long as the basic facility isnt compromised." Japan has been in territorial disputes with both China and South Korea but Bach said he didnt see that as a problem that would affect the 2020 Games. "Sport is always about building bridges and never about building walls," Bach said. "The language of sport is the language of dialogue and mutual respect, and this is why I think sport can play a positive role." Over the past year, China has increased patrols near the Japanese-administered islands that it calls Diaoyu, and which Japan calls Senkaku. Adam Thielen Jersey . A question that was repeatedly posed last season, and the season before that and in the 2011 campaign before that. C.J. Ham Jersey . The Raptors (15-15) posted six road victories last month and have won seven of their last nine games overall. Toronto visits the Washington Wizards on Friday night. http://www.cheapvikingsjerseyselite.com/...smith-jr-jersey. -- Wichita State is all alone in the record book. Khari Blasingame Jersey . Louis Blues and back into top spot of the TSN.ca NHL Power Rankings. The Sharks had been ranked No. Oli Udoh Jersey .6 seconds left to give the Toronto Raptors a 92-89 victory over the Boston Celtics in an exhibition game Wednesday night.There is a split of fixtures this weekend as the Premier League continues in tandem with the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. In the top flight, Manchester City will look to reignite their title challenge at Norwich, live on Sky Sports 1HD on Saturday afternoon, with the Canaries in need of a win to boost their survival hopes.Tottenhams bid to put pressure on leaders Leicester continues at Aston Villa while Bournemouth and Swansea meet as they look for points that will keep them up. Harry Kane will be looking to find the net against Aston Villa on Sunday Stoke also entertain Southampton in a clash of European hopefuls at the Britannia Stadium, while Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal are all in action in the FA Cup.Here is what to look out for over the weekend, starting with the Premier League before moving on to the FA Cup… Ed Chamberlin is joined by Paul Merson to discuss this weekends Premier League fixtures Can Norwich keep a clean sheet and end their winless run? (Norwich v Manchester City - Saturday, 12.45pm, Sky Sports 1 HD)Citys last visit to Carrow Road on FA Cup business two months ago was a clear turning point in Norwichs season as they thrashed the home team 3-0.Since then, Alex Neils side have failed to win in each of their nine games and all 10 fixtures have seen them fail to keep a clean sheet. Manchester City have an excellent record against sides in the bottom half of the Premier League table, including Norwich Having been as high as eighth in the first few weeks of the season, they have slipped further down the standings the longer their winless run has gone on.While City must win to keep their title hopes alive, Norwich desperately need a victory too as their hopes of survival begin to look bleak.The last time Neils men won they also managed to keep a clean sheet as they defeated Southampton 1-0. How home fans would welcome both this weekend. Would a win ensure survival for either Bournemouth or Swansea? (Bournemouth v Swansea - Saturday, 3pm)Results in recent weeks have seen a gap open between the Premier Leagues bottom four teams and the sides directly above them.Bournemouth and Swansea are two of the clubs who have shown improvement since the turn of the year, each taking 14 points from their last eight fixtures. Both Swansea and Bournemouth are nearing Premier League safety It may be both are already far enough ahead of 18th-placed Norwich - Bournemouth are 11 points clear and Swansea have a nine-point gap - to avoid a relegation scrap.A win for either side would certainly enhance their hopes of staying up and while not mathematically safe yet, it could prove to be enough in the long run.Can Stoke or Southampton make a late push for fifth? (Stoke v Southampton - Saturday, 3pm)As the Premier League has intensified since the turn of the year, there has been plenty of focus on who will secure Champions League football.The race to the Europa League is arguably just as engrossing and several teams will still consider themselves to be in contention for fifth place. Southampton will need Sadio Mane to get back among the goals Southampton and Stoke may well be outsiders given they occupy eighth and ninth respectively at present but both are within sight.A win for either could be the catalyst for a late surge into European contention.Will Tottenhams Europa-to-Premier curse derail their title challenge? (Aston Villa v Tottenham - Sunday, 4pm)Tottenham return to Premier League action on Sunday at Aston Villa, three days after a heavy Europa League defeat to Borussia Dortmund, and a return to winning ways would put pressure on leaders Leicester.Whether they get it is another matter - even with Villas four-matchh losing run in mind - and more pertinent for Spurs fans is their own teams indifferent form after European games.ddddddddddddTottenham have notoriously struggled with the Thursday-Sunday schedule in recent seasons, although Mauricio Pochettino did make seven changes in Germany to keep things fresh. Tottenham will look to avoid a Europa League hangover when they travel to Aston Villa This term they have been inconsistent - winning just three of their eight fixtures immediately after European ties - and their heavy run of games could take a toll once again.Meanwhile, the last eight of the FA Cup throws up four intriguing fixtures as seven Premier League teams and Championship side Reading all turn out knowing they could be just 90 minutes from Wembley… Ed and Merse discuss this weekends FA Cup quarter-final fixtures How do Chelsea react after their Champions League exit? (Everton v Chelsea - Saturday, 5.30pm)Knowing they will be without Champions League football for the first time in 13 years is a situation Chelsea are still getting used to.If they think thats bad, their fans will travel to Goodison Park with the odd prospect of their team having nothing significant to play for in the last two months of the season if they lose to Everton. Will Chelsea bounce back from their defeat by Paris Saint-Germain? Guus Hiddink has admitted Chelsea are in transition and with the club heavily tipped to appoint Antonio Conte as their new manager, it appears there is a new man to impress.An FA Cup win this season would clearly help but as is the case for Everton, Chelseas season will effectively be over with a defeat in this fixture after Wednesdays loss to PSG.Will Arsenal continue to stutter in their FA Cup defence? (Arsenal v Watford - Sunday, 1.30pm)Arsenal are bidding to become the first team in 130 years to win three consecutive FA Cups but you wouldnt know it with a look at how their defence of the trophy has gone so far.After coming from behind to beat Sunderland, they were then pushed all the way by Burnley and went to a replay against Hull before winning 4-0 on Tuesday night. Arsenals title challenge takes a back seat when they face Watford in the FA Cup In Watford, they face a team that has adapted well to life in the Premier League and they should be the Gunners toughest opponents yet in the competition.Watford have been workmanlike in a trio of 1-0 wins over Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Leeds in the previous rounds.Combine that with Arsenals growing injury list and they should provide a difficult afternoon for the holders on Sunday.Can West Ham keep up their good record against big-name sides? (Manchester United v West Ham - Sunday, 4pm)West Ham supporters have good reason to believe they will see European football at the Olympic Stadium next season, particularly with their results against the countrys biggest sides in mind.Under Slaven Bilic, they have made a habit of pulling off their best results when they are seen as underdogs and that will give them hope going to Old Trafford. The two sides played out a draw at Old Trafford earlier this season In 11 games against Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham they have lost only once to the latter - and pulled off seven wins.Progression here would keep hopes of a Europa League spot next term alive, with the possibility of going one better and claiming Champions League football through the