As violence between protesters and government forces escalated in Kiev, police stated on Thursday that protesters had taken over regional administration headquarters including Lviv, which is bidding to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

Speaking at a press conference in Sochi, IOC communications director Mark Adams said of the conflict, “Those are terrible scenes. The Olympic Truce is an important symbolic thing for us.”

The Olympic Truce was established in antiquity between the host city state and its neighbours to ensure safe delivery of the Olympic Games. It was revived in 1993 by a UN resolution and in 1998 the IOC called upon all nations to observe the Truce.

“I’m not sure it plays much part in what’s going on there [in Ukraine]. But clearly we hope the situation will be solved as quickly and with as little bloodshed as possible,” said Adams.

As the ceasefire broke, Bubka tweeted: "I want to bring Olympic Truce to my country. Our athletes are competing hard in Sochi, but peacefully and with honor. Violence has no place in the world."

Bubka, whose 21-year-old pole vault world record was broken in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk on 16 February by Renaud Lavillenie, is a crucial figurehead of Lviv’s bid for the 2022 Games.

He announced on his website: “I'm shocked by what is happening in my native country – especially because the violence is taking place during the Olympic Games – the world’s most peaceful and democratic event. 

“I am once again urging all parties to stop the violence! There is no 'their' Ukraine, or 'your' Ukraine. It is OUR Ukraine. For the sake of the future of our kids let's do everything possible to get back to negotiations and make a compromise.

“I am now in Sochi and I know that our Olympic athletes who compete for the glory of Ukraine fully support me.”

A total 45 athletes from the Ukraine travelled to Sochi 2014. However, BBC journalist Richard Conway tweeted on Thursday that up to half of these Olympians had returned home because of “unrest in their country.”

Several media outlets reported that Ukrainian skier Bogdana Matsotka pulled out of the Games in protest at the use of force in Kiev. On Thursday, the Ukrainian Health Ministry said 28 people had died and 287 had been hospitalised during the standoff between police and protesters in Kiev. Ukraine’s Interior ministry confirmed that security forces had opened fire on protesters.

Black armbands in the Olympic Village

Meanwhile, a request from the Ukrainian Olympic Committee for their athletes to wear black armbands in memory of those killed was rejected by the IOC. 

A statement on the Ukrainian Olympic Committee website said: “Sharing deep pain over the loss of fellow countrymen, the Ukrainian Olympic Committee appealed to the International Olympic Committee to allow Ukrainian athletes to wear black armbands as a sign of mourning, an expression of sorrow and sympathy.

“The answer was received from the IOC that in accordance with the Olympic charter it is not possible to do this.”

Instead, Ukrainian athletes attached black armbands to the national flags hanging from their balconies in the Olympic Village.

IOC President Thomas Bach expressed his sympathy for the Ukraine and his admiration for its Olympians. "I would like to offer my condolences to those who have lost loved ones in these tragic events," he said.

"Our thoughts and sympathy are with the Ukrainian team at what must be a very difficult time. The way they have continued to represent their nation with great dignity is a credit to them and their country. 

"Their presence here is a symbol that sport can build bridges and help to bring people from different backgrounds together in peace.”

Following a second successful event in Madrid, the World Air Traffic Management (ATM) Congress has announced that event will remain in the Spanish capital until 2017.

The 2014 World ATM Congress, which took place at the IFEMA exhibition centre last week, attracted more than 6,000 aviation and air traffic management professionals – up by more than 1,000 on the inaugural event in 2013.

President and CEO of the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA), Peter Dumont and the executive chairman of IFEMA, Luis Eduardo Cortes, signed an agreement confirming Madrid as the host city of the World ATM Congress, which will be held at IFEMA for the next three years.

 “This year’s World ATM Congress was a tremendous success,” said Dumont. “This was further evidenced by the wide variety of attendees from around the world and from all aspects of the industry. Not only was the event larger – it was better. With 190 exhibitors and visitors from 128 countries, the exhibition floor was rich for business. 

“There was clearly a demand for access to the ATM community in an environment that encourages innovation, and we have provided it.”

Jeff Poole, director general CANSO, said: “Once again, World ATM Congress has successfully provided an important and truly global forum for the air traffic management industry and its partners not just in terms of the numbers but also in quality. The success of World ATM Congress reaffirms the strong need and support for a single global ATM forum by the industry for the industry.” 

This endorsement from the international aviation industry will be a welcome boost for Madrid’s important hospitality and event sectors. Madrid was placed fourth in the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA)’s most recent ranking in 2012, just ahead of Barcelona – making Spain the world’s third most popular destination for meetings.

The next World ATM Congress will take place on 10–12 March 2015, bringing together all sectors of the air traffic community.

The inaugural edition of the Asian Youth Athletic Championships will be hosted in Doha in 2015. The news, reported by the Gulf Times, was announced at the 78th council meeting of the Asian Athletics Association (AAA) in Doha. 

Youth Athletics Championships are open to athletes aged 17 or under, unlike Junior Athletics Championships, which are open to participants aged 19 or younger.

“Long-term planning and grass-root level development should be our focus and we need to find ways to encourage the youth. That’s why we have decided to have an Asian Youth Athletic Championships next year,” AAA President General Dahlan Jumaan al-Hamad told reporters at the close of the event on Sunday.

The dates of the event have yet to be determined but it is likely to be hosted in May or June, as the IAAF World Athletics Championships take place in Beijing from 22-30 August. “It would be held before the World Championships so as to give our athletes the incentive to qualify,” Dahlan said. 

The aim of the Asian Youth Athletics Championships is to boost the sport in the continent.

“Asia should change. We need to improve. We need to raise our level. The continent should be at the pinnacle of everything. We are working towards it, and it involves a lot of hard work and commitment. But we are confident we shall reach there," said Dahlan.

In addition to the leaders of AAA member federations, the meeting was attended by former pole vault world champion and IAAF Vice-President Sergei Bubka.

It was also announced that selection trials for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) would be held in the Thailand capital of Bangkok from 21-22 May. The YOG takes place in the Chinese city of Nanjing in August 2014.

The 2015 Asian Youth Athletics Championships event adds to Qatar’s growing programme of sports events. The Gulf nation will be hosting the World Men's Handball Championship in January and February 2015. The UCI Road World Championships is scheduled to take place in 2016, with a potential shift from September to October due to the climate.