 CBC purchased the Canadian television rights earlier in March 1997.The undercard was announced, featuring pole vault duel between Sergei Bubka and Okkert Brits as well as a long jump competition between Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Heike Drechsler.By early May 1997, Magellan Entertainment Group (fronted by Briden and her partner Salim Khoja) was behind in paying many of the race's organizing costs, with creditors at the company's door.