PANORAMA: Italy says ICE not “operational personnel” at Games; Fitzgerald Mosley starting in-depth SafeSport review; AIU suspends three for betting!

January 29, 2026

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● A motion from Los Angeles City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson filed Wednesday proposes an “Olympic Friendship City relationship” designation for Los Angeles and Brisbane (AUS), host for the 2032 Games. In specific:

“The LA-Brisbane Olympic Friendship City relationship will focus on key areas including, but not limited to: Sustainability, Housing, Transportation, Indigenous Recognition, Emergency Preparedness, Security, and Infrastructure.

“Formalizing Brisbane as an Olympic Friendship City presents a valuable opportunity to develop extensive exchange programs, particularly those linked to the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games and future initiatives.”

The motion was referred to the Rules, Elections and Intergovernmental Relations Committee.

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● After a flurry of criticism from politicians such as Milan mayor Giuseppe Sala about the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement staff coming as part of the U.S. security detail, an Italian Interior Ministry statement explained:

“It should be reiterated that the investigators of the Homeland Security Investigation [a unit of ICE] will not be represented by operational personnel such as those engaged in migration controls in U.S. territory, but by referents exclusively specialized in investigations, without any attribution on the Italian territory and mainly responsible for consulting their databases and supporting the other actors involved.”

The U.S. Italian Embassy’s statement noted, “HSI’s role at the Olympics will be strictly advisory and intelligence-based, with no patrolling or enforcement involvement,” the embassy added. “All security operations will remain the responsibility of Italian authorities.”

Brazilian statistician Marcio Melo posted a list of announced team sizes for Milan Cortina; the leaders:

● 232: United States
● 206: Canada
● 193: Italy
● 184: Germany
● 176: Switzerland

● 156: France
● 125: China
● 120: Austria
● 118: Japan
● 114: Czech Republic

There are 12 teams with 100 or more. Norway, expected to lead the medal table, has a team of 83 (and did not qualify either of its ice hockey teams).

Revisiting the story on American and Mexican Olympic skier Sarah Schleper getting ready to compete in her seventh Games, Olympic super-statistician Dr. Bill Mallon reports that “there have been 126 women who competed for two different National Olympic Committees at the Winter Olympics. However, only 24 of them competed for distinctly different nations.”

What does that mean? That 102 of these dual-nation competitors were part of “split-off” team formed by political changes, such as the many countries that used to be part of the USSR, or Yugoslavia, but also situations such as the integration of East Germany into Germany

The International Testing Agency announced that a team of 150 Doping Control Officers will staff the Milan Cortina Games, at 23 doping control centers in the venues and Olympic Villages.

The doping control effort will include about 2,200 test sessions and collection of about 3,000 samples: urine, blood and dried-blood-spot samples. Testing of samples will be done at the accredited laboratory in Rome.

The Official Pin Trading Center at the Milan Cortina Winter Games will be “redesigned with a Looney Tunes look and feel through a licensing collaboration between Warner Bros. Discovery, Honav USA, and the IOC. The center will be open February 6–22 at Via Carlo de Cristoforis 1.”

The location is perhaps a half-hour walk from the iconic Duomo Milano; the pin-trading hall will include 12 tables, rotated among traders in three-hour shifts. Trading is allowed; no selling, but Honav USA, the licensee for organizing committee pins, will have a sales site as well.

A limited-edition pin will be offered for each of the 17 days of the Games, available until exhausted with a limit of two per buyer per day.

● U.S. Center for SafeSport ● The Associated Press interviewed newly-named SafeSport chief executive Benita Fitzgerald Mosley and she explained that the first order of business will be to identify what actually works and what doesn’t:

“We may need to alter the structure of how we go about the work. I think, though, it’s important [to acknowledge] many of the complaints come from the grassroots. If we’re really, truly trying to change the culture of American sports to focus on athlete well-being and safety, you have to start from the bottom and go to the top.

“Then we’re going to go back to them and say ‘Thank you for participating. This is what we found, and this is what we’re going to do about it.’”

She was part of the U.S. Commission on the State of the Olympics and Paralympics, which suggested that issues at the youth level may be better served through regional entities rather than a national office also tasked with elite sport.

She knows the clock is ticking: “I’ll be able to tell you in six or nine months, how quickly are we able to turn this barge around? Is it three months, is it six months, is it 18 months? I don’t know. But it can’t be 18 years. We’ve got to do this quickly.”

● Transgender ● The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights “found that San José State University (SJSU) violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX). OCR concluded that SJSU’s policies allowing males to compete in women’s sports and access female-only facilities deny women equal educational opportunities and benefits.

“In February 2025, OCR initiated a directed investigation into SJSU amid allegations that the university allowed a male to compete on the female indoor volleyball team and allegedly retaliated against female students and an assistant coach who condemned its ‘gender identity’ policies.”

The Wednesday announcement included a summary of the factual background:

“OCR found that beginning in 2022, SJSU actively recruited and allowed a male to compete on the women’s indoor and beach volleyball teams and reportedly instructed members of the coaching staff not to tell the female players that the athlete was a male. As a result, female athletes on the team shared women’s locker rooms and hotel rooms with the male student while being unaware that he is a member of the opposite sex.

“In addition to privacy concerns, the presence of this male athlete presented a safety concern for female athletes and provided SJSU’s volleyball team with an unfair physical advantage over opposing teams. On multiple occasions, the male athlete spiked the ball so forcefully that it knocked females on the opposing team to the ground. During one season, seven all-women’s teams from other universities forfeited their competitions, accepting a loss rather than competing against a male.”

Among five steps demanded of San Jose State by the Department of Education are to “[i]ssue a public statement to the SJSU community that SJSU will adopt biology-based definitions of the words ‘male’ and ‘female’ and acknowledge that the sex of a human – male or female – is unchangeable” and “[s]end a personalized apology to every woman who played in SJSU’s women’s indoor volleyball (2022–2024), 2023 beach volleyball, and to any woman on a team that forfeited rather than compete against SJSU while a male student was on the roster – expressing sincere regret for placing female athletes in that position.”

● Alpine Skiing ● Norway scored a 1-2 on the second-day night Slalom of the Schladming stop on the FIS World Cup tour, with star Henrik Kristoffersen placing second on both runs to win in 1:53.80, ahead of first-run leader Atle Lie McGrath (1:54.14). France’s 2022 Olympic champ Clement Noel was third (1:54.34).

Benjamin Ritchie was the top American, in 13th (1:56.60).

● Athletics ● The Athletics Integrity Unit lowered the boom on betting. In a Thursday announcement:

“The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has sanctioned German discus throwers, Henrik Janssen and Steven Richter, along with French middle-distance runner, Aurore Fleury, for breaching the World Athletics Integrity Code and Manipulation of Competition (MSC) rules regarding betting.

“In a move that highlights the AIU’s zero-tolerance to betting on the sport by participants, 27- year-old Janssen and 22-year-old Richter were handed three-month suspended bans while 32- year-old Fleury received a six-month ban (from 1 September 2025) and was fined 3 000 Euros to be donated to charity. All three athletes were charged with violating Integrity Standard 3.3.4 relating to ‘Maintaining Integrity of Competition’ – and they all admitted the violations. The rules concerning betting prohibit all ‘applicable persons’ from betting on any athletics event.”

Janssen and Richter both placed small bets on the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo and unsuccessfully tried to rescind them after being told it was not allowed.

Fleury was a lot more serious, wagering €2,000 on another French athlete, and ended up winning €5,000 at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome. The size of the bet was considered grounds for more serious punishment.

● Boxing ● World Boxing continues to add national federation members, with Benin, Mali, Moldova and St. Lucia endorsed to join, awaiting final approval by the World Boxing Congress later this year.

The additions bring the federation to 159 members.

● Football ● The German Football Association (DFB) downplayed boycott chatter about the 2026 FIFA World Cup with federation chief Bernd Neuendorf explaining: “I don’t think this is a big debate at all, because I believe we at the DFB are very unanimous in our view that this debate is completely misguided at this point in time.”

German Football League (DFL) President Hans-Joachim Watzke, added, “When the time is right, we will discuss it, but from my point of view, it is completely out of place right now.”

Oke Gottlich, a DFB Vice President, had raised the issue. Neuendorf noted that Gottlich “hasn’t been with us that long. But as a rule, we first discuss these issues in committees, so to speak, and then form an opinion. Unfortunately, he has now jumped the gun on this issue.”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass joined the chorus of critics of the ticket prices for the FIFA World Cup 2026. During a public forum with Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt at the U.S. Conference of Mayors winter meeting in Washington, D.C., she noted:

“Another thing about the Olympics is that the tickets are going to be a range [of prices], and they will be affordable.

“That’s the thing that is unfortunate about FIFA. Because even the nosebleed tickets are hundreds of dollars.”

It was reported that Cindy Parlow Cone will run unopposed for re-election as the President of the U.S. Soccer Federation.

She became President in 2020, filling the unexpired term of Carlos Cordeiro, then won election on her own for the one-year remainder of that term in 2021 and then for a full term in 2022. She will be elected again at the USSF Annual General Meeting in February.

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For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LOS ANGELES: Olympic legends Miller and Naber, football “stars” Cantor and Rothenberg honored at 20th L.A. Sports Awards

Rich Perelman

January 29, 2026

tsx pix 2026-128 naber, john la sports awards — Olympic swim star John Naber accepting his L.A. Sports Council Lifetime Achievement Award on 28 January 2026 (TSX photo).

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≡ L.A. SPORTS AWARDS XX ≡

A full house of almost 400 gathered Wednesday at the Town & Gown ballroom at the University of Southern California to honor three of the university’s famed former students for the 20th Los Angeles Sports Awards.

Two were Olympic gold medalists, basketball icon Cheryl Miller from the 1984 women’s team and swim superstar John Naber, who stormed to four golds and a silver at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal.

Miller reflected on the advice of her father, who told her “that I can be anything I wanted to be, and all it would take was everything I had.”

She thanked her USC coach, Linda Sharp, “for allowing me to be me,” which was the most dominant player in collegiate basketball history during a three-year run as national player of the year from 1984-86. Miller also singled out her long-time friend and mentor Ann Meyers Drysdale, the four-time UCLA All-American from 1975-78 and 1976 Olympic silver medalist (and also in the house on Wednesday), of whom Miller said she learned, “what a leader looks like.”

The ebullient Naber, who always raises the energy in any room he’s in, remembers when he first encountered the Olympic Movement:

“At age 10, my family took us on a vacation – a Mediterranean cruise – that stopped neat the city of Olympia, Greece, the site of the ancient Olympic Games, and the tour guide explained to us that all the athletes in the ancient Games had to march through a tunnel before they got to the stadium where the competition would take place, and on either side of them were statutes that were carved in the likeness of any athlete who ever got caught cheating in the ancient Olympic Games.

“To show how important it was not to cheat, because they made the home town pay for the statue, and it was really a Hall of Shame. And I said to my mom, ‘this program, it’s not about honoring the athletes, it’s about honoring the gods, it’s about sportsmanship and fair play and teamwork.’ And I said, ‘Mom, I’m going to be an Olympian some day!’”

He didn’t start swimming for another three years. But he was ingrained from that early age, with the culture of Olympism, and offered the acknowledged definition of “a philosophy seeking to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good examples and respect for universal, fundamental, ethical principles. Now if that’s not a reason to get involved in sport, I don’t know what is.”

He also got a huge laugh from the crowd, that after winning four Olympic golds in 1976, he was on top of the world. But, “that moment can’t last forever. You have to come down from that planet and find something else to do. And let’s be fair, and tell the truth, the ability of swim quickly on your back has limited value at society at large.”

But Naber adjusted, becoming a sought-after broadcast of more than two dozen sports and continuing to promote Olympian through his three books, through board positions on the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, the L.A. Sport Council’s “Ready, Set, Gold!” program that integrates athletes into schools, and a lot more.

Another former Trojan whose voice has become synonymous with football (soccer) in the U.S. was honored: long-time broadcaster Andres Cantor.

He brought the house down with an in-person rendition of his iconic “Goooooaaal” call and explained that he was happy to be back on campus. Cantor attended USC from 1981 to 1984, but didn’t graduate … because he finished his journalism curriculum and decided to go to work. He joked that because there was no top-tier professional league in the U.S. – the North American Soccer League was dying – for him to play in, he had to “do the next best thing, which is being a broadcaster and being around the game.”

He said he was initially a little worried about receiving a “lifetime” achievement award, “I thought, hmmm, that sounds like the two-minute warning,” which drew a big laugh. But he was told by a colleague, “yeah, but it’s the two-minute warning of the first half.”

Cantor’s comments also effectively introduced the night’s final Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Alan Rothenberg – who went to Michigan – whose role in the development of professional soccer has not been fully appreciated. He told the house that Rothenberg “is responsible for what soccer is today. … Mr. Alan Rothenberg is responsible for having brought the 1994 World Cup to the U.S.

“There is a before-and-after Alan Rothenberg in U.S. soccer history. I am deeply honored to be sharing this night with him, because if it were not for him, we wouldn’t have MLS – Major League Soccer – which is now a very healthy, 30-team league across the nation, so the soccer community owes you everything.”

Rothenberg accepted his award, noting he can’t shoot a basketball, he’s not a fast swimmer and he can’t even say, “gooooaal,” but he thanked the many people whom he has worked with in so many events, the volunteers who made the events work and the millions of fans who made the successes possible.

Los Angeles Sports Council President Matt Cacciato (r) presenting a Lifetime Achievement Award to Alan Rothenberg on 29 January 2026 (TSX photo).

He noted that he has been especially “blessed to be in this great city. It’s truly one of the greatest cities in America, we have our problems, but we always come back from them. And it’s truly the sports capital of the world,” pointing to 12 professional teams, plus outstanding college teams, and a plethora of world-class venues.”

Rothenberg wrote about his unique role in creating the modern American soccer landscape in his forthcoming book, The Big Bounce: The Surge That Shaped the Future of U.S. Soccer, coming out on 12 February, but offered as a gift to attendees, along with Naber’s Olympic Trivia Challenge! from 2021.

The evening also included awards specific to Los Angeles sport in 2025, with Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani (JPN) recognized as the men’s sports person of the year and Angel City FC scoring sensation Riley Tiernan as the women’s athlete of the year. Naturally, the Dodgers’ second consecutive World Series victory was the top moment of the year.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MILAN CORTINA 2026: IBSF Appeals Tribunal upholds Uhlaender’s charge that Canada undercut entries intentionally; a CAS case would be next

Rich Perelman

January 29, 2026

U.S. Skeleton Olympian Katie Uhlaender in 2021 (Photo: Wikipedia via Steffen Prossdorf)

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≡ UHLAENDER WAS RIGHT ≡

“The Appeals Tribunal is satisfied that the action of the Canadians was intentional
and directed to reducing the points available to athletes who slid at the final Lake Placid NAC [North American Cup].”

That, in a sentence from the decision of the Appeals Tribunal of the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF), vindicates American skeleton star Katie Uhlaender’s claim of deliberate manipulation of the IBSF Rankings used for Olympic selection by the Canadian team.

It important to note that the IBSF Appeal Tribunal is a separate body from the IBSF Interim Integrity Unit, which dismissed Uhlaender’s appeal. The Appeals Tribunal, in a seven-page order issued Wednesday, was clear on its findings:

● “16. Canada entered six sliders in the final Lake Placid NAC Women’s Skeleton race by the registration deadline. Prior to the Official Training period, Canada’s coach Mr. [Joe] Cecchini [ITA] became concerned that Canada might lose an overall Olympic quota spot if non-Canadian athletes in Lake Placid performed well.”

● “17. In order to protect against that occurrence – Canada instructed four of its athletes not to participate in the Official Training period. By not participating, the four Canadian athletes became ineligible to be drawn during the final pre-race team captains meeting. (The other two Canadians participated in Official Training, the draw, and the race itself.)”

● “18. Only 19 names were drawn at the final pre-race meeting, thereby fixing the number of points available at 75% of the allotment for NAC races with twenty or more names drawn.”

● “19. Although Canada subsequently attributed its decision to order four athletes not to slide in Official Training to concerns about the athletes involved, substantial evidence supports Ms. Uhlaender’s contention that the move was a deliberate effort by Canada to reduce the points available at the final Lake Placid NAC so as to protect its own Olympic quotas.”

Even so, however, the Appeals Tribunal dismissed Uhlaender’s appeal, which was asking for full points to be awarded for the final Lake Placid race, which would have given her more ranking points than Mystique Ro and presumably would place her on the U.S. Olympic Team for the Milan Cortina 2025 Winter Games.

The Appeals Tribunal points to its authority under the Olympic Movement Code, which allows “invalidation or modification of results” and in terms of sanctions:

“When determining the appropriate sanctions applicable, the Sports Organisation shall take into consideration all aggravating and mitigating circumstances and shall detail the effect of such circumstances on the final sanction in the written decision.”

The Appeals Tribunal decided not to use the reference to “mitigating circumstances” on sanctions to modify the Lake Placid race results, which appears to have been an option under a reasonable reading of the Olympic Movement Code sections.

If this had been done, Uhlaender would then have had to file an appeal with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee to give her the spot assigned to Ro. But the Appeals Tribunal held, specifically:

“To the extent that the Appeals Code authorizes the ‘voiding of any action’ or ‘invalidation or modification of results,’ the relief sought by Ms. Uhlaender is outside the scope of such authority.”

Uhlaender’s only viable next step is to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, asking for an intervention on an equity basis, since the Milan Cortina qualification rules for Skeleton are clear that “Exceeding the total amount of quota places for women is not allowed under any circumstances.”

The International Olympic Committee could, if it wishes – as the owner of the Games – could make an exception and add Uhlaender if it wants to, but has previously said this is an IBSF matter.

But Uhlaender, per the Appeals Tribunal, was right: Canada manipulated the final Lake Placid race and it cost her a spot at the Winter Games. If she wishes to drag the Canadians through the mud, she has the makings of a civil suit, one that would be concluded long after the closing of February’s Winter Games is over.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PARIS 2024: Jordan Chiles’ Olympic bronze appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal upheld and the case goes back to the Court of Arbitration for Sport

Rich Perelman

January 29, 2026

tsx pix 2024-815 chiles, jordan (UCLA ath — Olympic champion gymnast Jordan Chiles, competing for UCLA (Photo: UCLA Athletics)

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≡ NEW HEARING COMING ≡

The long-shot appeal by American gymnast Jordan Chiles to retain the bronze medal she initially won in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games women’s Floor Exercise got a major boost on Thursday.

A long and tangled set of circumstances started on 5 August 2024, as Chiles initially scored 13.666 to place fifth. However, American coaches filed a inquiry with the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG), and Chiles’ difficulty score for her routine was increased from 5.800 to 5.900, increasing her score to 13.766, and she was awarded the bronze medal.

But Romania filed protests the next day, claiming that the appeal of Chiles’ score came after the 60-second time limit. On 10 August, the Court of Arbitration for Sport bought the Romanian argument, despite the U.S. side being informed only hours ahead of the hearing due to a communications error.

On 11 August, USA Gymnastics found and turned over video evidence which showed the inquiry on Chiles’ score to be made 47 seconds after posting. But the Court of Arbitration stood by its ruling and the International Olympic Committee awarded the bronze to Romania’s Ana Barbosu.

Chiles, USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee pursued the matter on Chiles’ behalf, with a filing to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, which can review Court of Arbitration for Sport decisions on limited grounds. One of those is procedural unfairness and on Thursday, the Swiss court statement explained:

“The Federal Supreme Court rejected Jordan Chiles’ appeal concerning the alleged lack of independence and impartiality of the arbitrator in question.

“However, it accepted both requests for revision. In the highly exceptional circumstances of the case in question, it considers that there is a likelihood for the audio-visual recording of the final on 5 August 2024 to lead to a modification of the contested award in favour of the applicants, since the CAS could consider, in the light of this audio-visual sequence, that the verbal inquiry made on behalf of Jordan Chiles had been made before the expiry of the regulatory one-minute time limit.

“The Federal Supreme Court therefore partially overturns the contested award and refers the case back to the CAS for a new ruling, taking into account the probative value of the audio-visual recording in question.”

So, Chiles – already a gold medalist from the team event – hasn’t won her case yet, but the Swiss Tribunal has sent a clear message that she should be (re-)awarded the Floor Exercise bronze.

There was more to the court statement, notably that the two appeals by the Romanian Gymnastics Federation were dismissed. The first was that Chiles’ appeal was made after the one-minute deadline, which was eliminated by the video evidence presented by the U.S. side.

There was also the matter of an out-of-bounds penalty assessed against Romanian gymnast Sabrina Maneca-Voinea, also using video evidence and if not assessed, would have placed her in third place. But:

“Sabrina Maneca-Voinea challenged the CAS award by filing an appeal and a request for evision with the Swiss Federal Supreme Court. In its decision of 23 January 2026, the Federal Court deemed both legal arguments inadmissible. It considered that it could not examine whether the gymnast had stepped outside the boundaries of the floor, as this question fell within the category of non-justiciable rules of the game and not within that of reviewable legal rules.”

USA Gymnastics was thrilled, of course, and issued its own statement:

“We are pleased the Swiss Federal Supreme Court recognized the flaws in the initial process and that Jordan’s case can now be heard inclusive of all relevant evidence.

“USA Gymnastics will continue to support the efforts of Jordan and her team to retain her bronze medal in the 2024 Olympic women’s floor exercise.

“We look forward to a fair arbitration that includes the clear evidence proving the inquiry into Jordan’s score was filed well within 1 minute as required by FIG rules.”

It’s another high point for Chiles, a senior at UCLA this season, who is leading the nation in All-Around scoring with a 39.712 average and leading on Vault at 9.944.

It will take some more time for Chiles’ case to go through the review process at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but it appears that is another victory for her in the future.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MODERN PENTATHLON: UIPM chief Stull announces Pent and Obstacle Worlds in China, plus less swimming, more shooting, more “excitement”

Rich Perelman

January 28, 2026

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≡ UIPM HEADS TO CHINA ≡

“While this sport certainly was Euro-centric for quite a while, you can’t ignore the rest of the world.”

With that backdrop, Rob Stull, the American president of the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) introduced the federation’s “Race Across China” in 2026, coupling two of its major championship events together:

● 24-30 Aug.: UIPM World Championships in Guiyang
● 02-06 Sep.: UIPM Obstacle World Championships in Beijing

Guiyang, the capital of the Guizhou province in southern central China, is home to 4.5 million people and is the hometown of UIPM Secretary General Shiny Fang. Stull explained that what made an impression on the federation was Guiyang’s enthusiasm in “their presentation, what they’re willing to do for us in terms of showcasing the sport is not the sort of standard recipe … what they offered to us was a different approach in how to present the sport, in their style.”

He did not give any details, but these will surface later. The attraction for more events in China, of course, is the enormous market there:

“We’re trying to grow on all fronts. China is definitely a big market; we have some very strong commercial partners there,” and teased future announcements about television programming “and some really cool things.”

Again, nothing to announce in detail yet.

Stull also spoke at length about how modern pentathlon is changing, again. Having dumped equestrian for obstacle at the behest of the International Olympic Committee after the Tokyo 2020 Games, the sport’s format is continuing to change.

The UIPM Executive Board agreed with innovations to the format, with Stull explaining it’s about “how to keep the sport compact, the excitement level up, how to keep it dynamic, how to make it this 90-minute format” more exciting.

● Swimming will be reduced from 200 m to 100 m, which Stull said still kept the swimming component, but the 100 m is just a more exciting race,” and noted that the shorter distance will attract a different type of athlete.

● Shooting was expanded from four segments to five in the Laser Run finale. Stull: “Shooting is drama.”

● Fencing was previously compacted with a change of format, but a change to bout times from 60 seconds to 45 seconds was rejected, pending further study and trials.

“It’s all about maintaining the energy in the room,” said Stull. “As you transition from one sport to another, you have these transition periods that are very short – think of triathlon in a transition, right – as you’re going from one event to another, ours are just a few minutes, but we’re trying to make sure that even those transition periods are very exciting.”

He said that during the 2025 season, he would watch the eyes of spectators to see when they were fixed on the field of play and when they went somewhere else: “During that 90 minutes, you’re focused on the event. … This 90-minute format is not just a sporting event, it’s entertainment.”

Stull also hinted at further technical changes leading up to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, especially in the obstacle course, with the goal of not only challenging the competitors, but wowing the crowd and creating new fans, both in person and on television.

The UIPM became the third International Federation this week to announce the re-integration of Russian and Belarusian youth athletes – age 19 and under – to compete freely and without restrictions. This does not apply to the UIPM Junior and Senior-level events.

He also noted the positive promotional opportunities that this creates for the UIPM, as obstacle is popular in both countries:

“Everybody knows that the demographic of obstacle sports tends to be to the youth … frankly, that’s the audience we wanted to catch. … How to be relevant to the youth of the world. That’s a challenge that I think every Olympic sport has, how do you stay relevant? Obstacle is our answer and it’s been very successful.”

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: The L.A. City Council wonders about a 2028 Olympic boycott; it won’t happen. They should concentrate on the one key element for its success

Rich Perelman

January 27, 2026

la 2028 city hall flag display 2024-1118 — The Olympic and Paralympic flags on display at Los Angeles City Hall (TSX photo)

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ AN LA28 BOYCOTT? NO! ≡

At the Monday meeting of the Los Angeles City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson worried out loud about a possible boycott of the Games by countries – especially in Europe – that would refuse to compete in opposition to the Trump Administration.

Following the shooting of an armed protestor in Minneapolis on Saturday (24th) by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, protests have spread nationally and notice has been taken internationally. Said Harris-Dawson:

“It’s hard to miss it. The situation with the national government in this country makes human rights an even more important question than it would ordinarily be. …

“We had a boycott in ‘84 in L.A., we know it’s possible to overcome that. But I’m just wondering, is that part of what the [International Olympic Committee] has preparations for, how do you prepare for that, given people are making real threats and holding governmental hearings about it in other parts of the world?”

LA28 Chief Operating Officer John Harper explained, “We’ve had no discussions with the IOC, no indications that that is going to be a concern here, but obviously, we’ll continue to work with the IOC and the [International Paralympic Committee] as they drive towards 2028. But all indications are that we’re looking forward to welcoming the world, all 206 nations of all the NOCs represented in 2028.”

But Harris-Dawson went further:

“This Council has, as its charge, the well-being of the City of Los Angeles, so we’ll do that piece, but another piece of it that I just offer to you, is damage to the Olympic Movement overall, which is all of our inheritance, everybody’s in the world . And I certainly don’t want to be the city and the country that is at the center of doing serious damage to that. …

“It’s not like we haven’t seen this before. We never talk about the boycott of ‘84, but there was a significant boycott in 1984, so it doesn’t mean that you can’t figure it out, but it also means you have to face it and face it directly.”

Harris-Dawson is right to be concerned, but here’s what he should know:

● 1. It’s 2028, not 1984.
● 2. There will be no 1980- or 1984-style boycott in 2028.
● 3. City worries should be elsewhere.

Starting with the history, the one truth about the Olympic Games is that only a raging world war can stop the celebrations. The 1916 Games was wiped out by World War I and the 1940 and 1944 Games were lost to World War II. Otherwise, they’re on.

And as for civic strife, boycotts and the Games, consider:

● 1968: The 2 October confrontation by the Mexican army against protesters in Mexico City – 10 days before the opening ceremony – resulted in the “Tlatelolco massacre” in which an estimated 300 or more died. The Games went on.

● 1972: The Olympic Movement was shattered by the capture at the Olympic Village and later killing of 11 members of the Israeli delegation by Palestinian terrorists on 5 September. There were widespread calls from the Games to be scrapped; the Games went on.

● 1976: The Montreal Games were hamstrung by construction delays and overruns to the tune of C$1 billion and there was a boycott of 29 mostly African countries over New Zealand’s hosting of the South African rugby team earlier in the year. The Games went on.

● 1980: In response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, U.S. President Jimmy Carter organized a boycott by 66 countries of the Moscow Games. Only 80 National Olympic Committees attended, but the Games went on.

● 1984: In response to the U.S. boycott in 1980, the Soviet bloc – 14 nations – boycotted the L.A. Games and four other countries declined to come for unrelated reasons. The Games went on with a then-record 140 nations attending and changed the Olympic Movement for the better.

During the IOC Presidency of Spain’s Juan Antonio Samaranch, substantial changes were made to avoid such boycotts in the future and these have been carried on to today. But that does not mean there have not been calls for boycotts of various Games since 1984.

Boycotts were demanded by various groups of the 2008 Games in Beijing, China in view of Chinese human rights policies, but the Games went on and were a successful showcase for China. There were outcries against Rio de Janeiro (BRA) in 2016 over human-rights abuses, but the success of that Games was marred by a lack of money, people and planning. Yet, they went on.

Tokyo managed the postponed Games in 2021 – somehow – during the Covid pandemic despite local demands for cancellation and hosted successfully, and the Paris 2024 Games were, in a word, spectacular.

The Games went on.

And they will go on in 2028.

A major difference between the 1976-80-84 period and today is a major change to the Olympic Charter, which governs the Olympic Movement. Language was added which now REQUIRES that National Olympic Committees attend the Games, or will be suspended by the IOC and ineligible for any future IOC funding during such a suspension. This is a serious issue for many National Olympic Committees and a stern incentive to get them to the Games, regardless of what they may think of the host country or city.

Further, the IOC’s immediate past President and now Honorary President Thomas Bach (GER) hammered the importance of the Olympic Movement’s political neutrality during his 12-year term, and remains at the disposal of current President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) in case any of the NOCs – or their governments – need to be reminded.

As Bach and others have said over and over: the only people hurt by boycotts are the athletes.

As for the anger of L.A. City Council members over the Trump Administration, it is also true that Trump’s Executive Orders on entry visas specifically carve out exemptions for – now – not just Olympic and Paralympic athletes and officials, but those attached to many large sporting events. So, the athletes and teams are going to be able to get into the U.S. and to L.A. to compete.

Their fans – especially if from certain countries restricted from U.S. entry – are a different issue.

Harris-Dawson mentioned the chatter around boycotting the FIFA World Cup coming to the U.S. (and Canada and Mexico) in June, but the chances of a government removing its national team from the event are tiny. The politicians responsible will incur the wrath of their populations for keeping their team from playing on the world’s biggest single-sport stage.

Former FIFA head Sepp Blatter (SUI) sided with a much more subtle and important concept, of essentially an economic boycott of the World Cup matches in the U.S. by fans.

Swiss anti-corruption attorney Mark Pieth, who helped with FIFA’s reform efforts after Blatter left in 2015, told the Swiss paper Der Bund:

“If we consider everything we’ve discussed, there’s only one piece of advice for fans: Stay away from the USA! You’ll see it better on TV anyway. And upon arrival, fans should expect that if they don’t please the officials, they’ll be put straight on the next flight home. If they’re lucky.”

Blatter posted on X: “I think Mark Pieth is right to question this World Cup.”

The City of Los Angeles’ financial reward for the 2028 Olympic Games will come from visitor spending and especially out-of-town spending for accommodations, food, transportation, shopping and entertainment beyond the competitions. If people don’t come, they won’t spend.

LA28 will sell its tickets; the 1.5 million first-day registrations for its ticket lottery demonstrates clear interest and perhaps four million tickets at $100 or less will ensure most people have options to see Olympic competitions.

But Los Angeles, which has offered no public plan for its activities related to the Games, needs Olympic and Paralympic visitors. That is what should be concerning Harris-Dawson and his fellow Council members.

The Paris tourism bureau’s follow-up report on the 2024 showed their Games brought about 420,000 extra overnight stayers across the 17 days of the Olympic Games. Not millions, but hundreds of thousands, up about (only?) 16% from the year prior.

That’s the metric that L.A. needs to focus on if it wants to “profit” from the 2028 Games, in terms of jobs and tax revenues. And where’s the plan for that?

Because the Games will go on.

Rich Perelman
Editor

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: LA28 signs Korn Ferry as 7th top-tier partner; Milan mayor doesn’t want ICE at Games; Kenyan marathoner Kosgei to Turkey?

Rich Perelman

January 27, 2026

tsx pix 2026-127 samsung flip OWG 26 — Samsung’s 2026 Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition will be distributed to athletes at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milan and Cortina (Photo: Samsung).

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● The LA28 organizers announced recruitment giant Korn Ferry as a Founding Partner, its highest sponsorship level, joining Comcast, Delta, Google, Honda, Intuit and Starbucks.

Korn Ferry’s designation is as “Official Talent & Organizational Consulting Partner,” and the announcement explained:

“Korn Ferry is working closely with LA28 to hire, onboard, and develop the nearly 5,000-people workforce needed to deliver the Games, while cultivating leaders and high-performing teams that reflect the spirit of Los Angeles and the Olympics and Paralympics.”

Continuing a hot streak in sales, LA28 has now signed seven highest-tier sponsors with 2 1/2 years to go, equaling the number signed for Paris 2024 in total.

● Olympic Winter Games 2028: Milan Cortina ● Now the Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, has stepped in with an opinion on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) staff coming to the Winter Games as part of the security detail for the American delegation, led by Vice President J.D. Vance. He told Italian media:

“This is a militia that kills. It’s a militia that enters people’s homes by signing permits for themselves. … It’s clear that they’re not welcome in Milan, there’s no doubt about that. …

“I believe they shouldn’t come to Italy, because they don’t guarantee they’re aligned with our democratic security management methods. We can take care of their security ourselves. We don’t need ICE.”

The U.S. State Department told CBS News:

“The State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service is leading the U.S. security effort at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. As in previous Olympic events, multiple federal agencies are supporting the Diplomatic Security Service, including Homeland Security Investigations, ICE’s investigative component.

“At the Olympics, the role of Homeland Security Investigations is strictly supportive – working with the Diplomatic Security Service and Italian authorities to vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organizations. ICE is not involved in policing or managing security during the Olympics. All security operations at the Olympics are directed and managed exclusively by Italian authorities.”

France announced a record team of 159 athletes and two alternates (161 total) for the Milan Cortina Winter Games, way ahead of the 86 sent to the Beijing 2022 Winter Games and 106 or PyeongChang in 2018.

Switzerland will also have a record number of athletes, with a 175-member team announced, more than the 173 in PyeongChang and 168 in Beijing.

The International Olympic Committee updated its list of invited “neutral” athletes from Russia and Belarus on Tuesday, totaling 20 in all:

There are 13 confirmed Russian athletes, in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, luge, Short Track and speed skating,

Belarus has seven invitees, in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, freestyle skiing and speed skating.

Samsung has been distributing complimentary mobile phones to Olympic and Paralympic athletes since 2014 and unveiled its 2026 Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition, to be handed out starting on 30 January to the more than 3,800 athletes expected to compete in the two Games.

This custom edition is not for public sale and has AI features incorporated along with special Games applications, including the Galaxy Athlete Card for exchanging profiles, the Samsung Wallet with the Coca-Cola Free Beverage Key for Olympic-Paralympic Village vending machine (!), Athlete365 performance and schedule support, the IOC Hotline and many more.

There is also a neat “Dual Recording” feature allowing users “to capture both what they see and their own reactions in a single shot using the rear and front cameras at the same time.”

Samsung, an IOC TOP sponsor, also created a special, curving Olympic “wallpaper” for this phone and each unit has a custom gold metal frame.

● Alpine Skiing ● Swiss star Loic Meillard, the 2023 Worlds Giant Slalom silver winner, took Tuesday’s night-time FIS World Cup Giant Slalom in Schladming (AUT), placing second in both runs and totaling 2:14.38 for his ninth career World Cup gold.

Brazil’s Lucas Pinheiro Braathen was the first-round leader but ended up second in 2:15.11, then second-run winner Alban Elezi Cannaferina (FRA: 2:15.28). The Schladming stop will finish Wednesday with a Slalom.

● Athletics ● It was reported last week in Canadian Running that five Kenyan distance runners, including former women’s marathon world-record holder Brigid Kosgei and “2024 Olympic [5,000 m] silver medallist Ronald Kwemoi, Catherine Amanang’ole, Brian Kibor and Nelvin Jepkemboi” were listed “in a now-deleted social media post from the Turkish Athletics Federation announcing five new national team members.”

World Athletics has a three-year waiting period for transfers to be effective, so change requests had to be filed in 2025 in order to athletes to run for their “new” country at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

It was reported last year that four Jamaican stars were transferring to Turkey, as well as Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili. The Canadian Running article noted, “Each athlete reportedly received a US$500,000 signing bonus, monthly stipends and performance incentives that include a $380,000 bonus for Olympic gold and an additional $190,000 for setting an Olympic record.”

● Bobsled & Skeleton ● American Skeleton star Katie Uhlaender has been turned down by the IOC in her quest for an added spot in the Winter Games, and she may still file a complaint with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

She told CNN of what she has called a flawed review process by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation’s Interim Integrity Unit:

“It saddens me that they didn’t respond to my email with the evidence. They didn’t reach out to any of the affected parties, not even afterwards, to make sure anyone was okay, and it makes the community feel isolated from the governance. I think this is an opportunity for us to all come together.”

She added that she worries about the message that it being sent by the manipulation of the qualifying process by withdrawing athletes from competitions:

“It was never about getting into the Olympics, it was about standing up for the integrity of the sport. I have to emphasize that when I see the younger generation witnessing competition manipulation like some are trying to justify it, ‘through the rules,’ it concerns me because, if we didn’t speak out and show that people care about the integrity of the sport and ethics, they might just fall in line and behave that way.

“I don’t want Canada to have a bad reputation; I’m hoping that we don’t treat any (athlete) in this situation like an enemy. We treat them like a part of our community and try to show them that the better way forward is sticking together and being transparent and honest.”

● Figure Skating ● U.S. Figure Skating reported that 1964 Olympic Pairs bronze medalist Dr. Ronald Joseph passed away on 20 January at age 81 from the effects of ALS.

He and sister Vivian won the Worlds silver in 1965 and the U.S. title that year. Joseph sent on to a long career as an orthopedic surgeon; he and his sister were inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in January 2024.

● Football ● The U.S. women face off against Chile in a friendly in Santa Barbara, California on Tuesday evening and once again routed an overmatched opponent, winning by 5-0 (following a 6-0 win vs. Paraguay), even with a youthful line-up.

The Americans had immediate control, with 80-20% possession after 10 minutes and the first goal came at 18 minutes from midfielder Croix Bethune, followed by forward Jameese Joseph (26th) and defender Emily Sams in the 33rd for a 3-0 halftime lead.

Forward Emma Sears scored right after halftime (46th) and star striker Trinity Rodman got a score on a left-footed, right-side rocket in the 68th, followed by a dance-off with U.S. coach Emma Hayes (GBR). The U.S. finished with 71% possession and a 21-0 shots advantage!

Next up will be the SheBelieves Cup in March.

● Wrestling ● Following the IOC’s recommendations from December, United World Wrestling announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes in the U-15, U-17, U-20 and U-23 competitions will be fully readmitted into international competitions, and no longer will compete under the UWW flag.

This does not apply to senior-level competitions. Moreover, the announcement noted that “the IOC maintains that no government officials from Russia or Belarus should be accredited or invited to international sports events or meetings for either senior or youth competitions.”

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TEAM USA WINTER MEDAL TRACKER: Seventeen more medals and six golds as U.S. stars like Shiffrin and Stolz show readiness for Winter Games

Rich Perelman

January 27, 2026

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ ON THE PODIUM ≡

U.S. athletes had another strong weekend on the snow and ice, with the Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games just a couple of weeks away, with World Cup and championship medals in five different disciplines:

Alpine Skiing: FIS World Cup in Spindleruv Myln (CZE):
● Women/Giant Slalom ~ Silver: Paula Moltzan
● Women/Giant Slalom ~ Bronze: Mikaela Shiffrin
● Women/Slalom ~ Gold: Shiffrin

Shiffrin won her seventh Slalom of the season and wrapped up her ninth seasonal Slalom title as well, after eight of the 10 races. She told reporters on Monday that she’s looking forward to the Games:

“I’m particularly excited about the alpine team we’re bringing into Cortina this year. On the women’s side, we are currently first in the Nations Cup standings for overall, Slalom, GS and Downhill.

“This success that we’ve had so far in this World Cup season is really unprecedented for the U.S. … It’s been a big season already. We’ve been in Europe for months competing every single weekend and often on the weekdays as well.

“I just skied my 14th, I think, 14th World Cup race yesterday in the Czech Republic … and our team is bringing really big energy into Milan Cortina.”

The American women’s squad is impressive, including Moltzan with three World Cup G-S medals and one in Slalom so far, Lindsey Vonn with two Downhill wins, silver and two bronzes, and two Super-G medals, plus a Downhill bronze from Jackie Wiles.

Biathlon: IBU World Cup in Nove Mesto (CZE):
● Men/15 km Mass Start ~ Silver: Campbell Wright

Wright was a sensation at the 2025 World Championships, taking silvers out of nowhere in the Sprint and Pursuit and now scored his first medal of the 2025-26 World Cup season.

He is trying to become the first American ever to win an Olympic medal in biathlon.

Cross Country Skiing: FIS World Cup in Goms (SUI):
● Men/Classical Sprint ~ Silver: Gus Schumacher
● Men/Team Free Sprint ~ Bronze: Ben Ogden and Schmacher
● Women/20 km Classical Mass Start ~ Silver: Jessie Diggins

Schumacher won his second medal of the season and now figures as a contender for medals in Milan Cortina, although not a favorite. He hadn’t planned on doing the Sprint at the Games, but with his silver and a bronze with Ogden in the Team Sprint:

“I’m definitely going to have to think about it. This course definitely suits me more than I think Val di Fiemme does, but I don’t know – we’ll see.”

Diggins, on the other hands, continues as the overall World Cup leader and won her eighth medal of the season. She already owns three Olympic medals (1-1-1) from 2018 and 2022 and will be looking for more.

Figure Skating: ISU Four Continents Championships in Beijing (CHN):
● Pairs ~ Gold: Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov
● Ice Dance ~ Gold: Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik
● Ice Dance ~ Silver: Caroline Green and Michael Parsons
● Ice Dance ~ Bronze: Oona Brown and Gage Brown

Efimova and Mitrofanov won the U.S. Nationals, but can’t go to the Games since Efimova is not a U.S. citizen. The only Olympic team members to skate at Four Continents were Zingas and Kolesnik and they won impressively, taking both segments and scoring 202.86 points.

Speed Skating: ISU World Cup in Inzell (GER):
● Men/500 m I ~ Silver: Jordan Stolz
● Men/500 m II ~ Silver: Stolz
● Men/1,000 m ~ Gold: Stolz
● Men/1,500 m ~ Gold: Stolz
● Men/Team Sprint ~ Gold: Conor McDermott-Mostowy, Cooper Mcleod, Zach Stoppelmoor
● Women/Mass Start ~ Bronze: Mia Manganello

Stolz wasn’t too concerned about the second-place finishes in the 500s to Pole Damian Zurek and was pleased with the 1,000 and 1,500 m wins, saying, “It was all right. I was a bit tired from 1,500 m, and I think this is about where I think I would be right now.

“There isn’t any way I can get slower right now, so that’s good. I’ve done a lot of training.”

Stolz did clinch the seasonal titles in all three distances, repeating his triple from 2025.

Manganello won the seasonal trophy for the Mass Start for the first time, and at 36, has expected this would be her last season, but:

“Maybe we’ll play it by ear. But as of now, the plan is to be done, but we’ll see.

“I’m 36 and I’d really like to move on with my life. It’s difficult as a woman. I know there’s a couple of amazing talents in our women’s field that have been able to leave, have a family and come back. I don’t know if I have that in me to do. So yeah, I feel like I’m about ready to move on.”

But Milan comes first.

This was the last major weekend of winter-sport action with the Olympic Winter Games starting on 6 February; the skiers still have a few more events this weekend.

But 17 more medals across five more sports and disciplines shows continuing American strength and maintains high hopes for a strong performance at the Winter Games, and the star power represented by Shiffrin and Stolz, especially!

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: No Russians or Belarusians in Winter Games opening marches; House passes $100.25 million World Cup aid for U.S. host cities

Rich Perelman

January 26, 2026

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● Italy announced a 196-member team for a home Winter Games, including skiing star Federica Brignone, set to return for a fifth Games despite a brutal crash last April.

It’s the largest Italian team ever, ahead of the 184 for the Turin 2006 Games, the last held in Italy.

The International Olympic Committee told the Russian news agency TASS that as for Russian and Belarusian “neutrals” at the Milan Cortina opening ceremonies:

“Individual Neutral Athletes will not take part in the Athletes’ Parade, but the opportunity to experience the event will be offered in Milan as well as in the mountain clusters.”

Mexico’s Sarah Schleper will compete for Mexico in alpine skiing at Milan Cortina, in her seventh Olympic Winter Games, four for the U.S. (1998-2010) and now three for Mexico (2018-26). Olympic super-statistician Dr. Bill Mallon notes:

“She will become the 1st woman and 2nd Winter Olympian to compete at 3 or more Olympics for 2 different nations. It has previously been done 7 times by men, 6 of them at the Summer Olympics, although 4 of them were for related nations.”

Even more special, she will be competing at the Games alongside her teenage son, Lasse Federico Gaxiola!

The Rome newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano reported that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will be part of the security detail for the U.S. government delegation for the Milan Cortina Games, starting 6 February and led by Vice President J.D. Vance.

According to the story, the paper “had reported the presence of agents in Italy, as confirmed by the US agency itself, in this very vein: ‘ICE Homeland Security Investigations will support the diplomatic security service of the United States Department of State for the duration of the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milan.’”

The Italian interior ministry said it had no concrete knowledge of the U.S. security team make-up.

It was confirmed to The Sports Examiner that The Washington Post, in a partial reversal, will send four staff members to cover the Milan Cortina Games, after declaring it would not send anyone last week. The Post was approved for 14 total credentials for the Games and had made, at significant cost, extensive accommodations and travel arrangements.

● Olympic Council of Asia ● Qatar’s Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani was elected unopposed as the 22nd President of the Olympic Council of Asia at the OCA Congress in Tashkent (UZB). He takes over from Interim President Timothy Fok (HKG).

Sheikh Joaan is also the head of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Senior Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees.

● Television ● Famed producer Geoff Mason, who worked primarily with ABC and ESPN but also had stints with Fox and NBC and others, passed away at 85 of natural causes in Naples, Florida on Sunday (25th).

Mason was best known for being the one in the producer’s chair when the Israeli hostage crisis and later massacre, took place during the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, West Germany. He coordinated the 22 straight hours of ABC coverage that ended with the confirmation that all of the hostages had died during a failed airport rescue attempt.

● Athletics ● Dutch 400 m hurdles star and World Champion Femke Bol is slated to make her 800 m debut at the Meeting Metz in France on 8 February.

She will be facing some of the best in the world, including Britain’s Olympic champ Keely Hodgkinson, Worlds silver winner Georgia Hunter Bell (GBR) and Diamond League winner Audrey Werro (SUI).

● Biathlon ● Olympic and World Championships gold medalist Sebastian Samuelsson (SWE) told SVT television that he is sure that he is still competing against dopers:

“I think two or three percent of the competitors are or have been under the influence of doping. Doping happens, and it would be strange to expect everyone to suddenly stop doing it. I’m absolutely convinced that I’m competing against people who are doping.”

He also referred to survey of Scandinavian athletes, of which half said they had never had an out-of-competition test from 1 September 2025 and 1 September 2025, stating

“This is bad, more testing should be done. At the same time, this trend has been going on for several years, and I wondered why this was happening.”

● Football ● As part of the 1,059-page Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2026 (H.R. 7148), passed by the U.S. House last Thursday, an allocation of $100,250,212 was included for “eligible planning, capital, and operating expenses for equipment and facilities in support of matches or other public events held in domestic host cities for the FIFA World Cup 2026.”

The impact on each of the 11 U.S. host cities was noted by Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Georgia), who noted where the local impact of the funding will be felt:

“As Georgia prepares to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the more than $9 million in transit funding will help ensure that visitors and fans from around the world experience the warm hospitality the South is known for.”

The appropriation process continues in the U.S. Senate.

The logo for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil was unveiled at the Copacabana in Rio, plus the “GO EPIC” slogan and “a distinctive sonic identity inspired by vibrant Brazilian sounds to unite fans across every platform and touchpoint.”

The tournament symbol is described as “a powerful emblem inspired by the Brazilian flag and the geometry of the football pitch, crafted from the union of ‘W’ (‘women,’ ‘world’) and ‘M’ (from the equivalent Portuguese words mulheres and mundo). The design symbolises movement and mastery, while subtly paying homage to the national flag.”

● Rowing ● World Rowing announced its annual medal winners for 2025, which included World Champions Giacomo Gentili, Luca Chiumento, Luca Rambaldi and Andrea Panizza of the Italian men’s Quadruple Sculls team, and the Dutch World Champion women’s Eight.

Diederik Simon (NED) was recognized as coach of the year and Czech five-time World Single Sculls champ Ondrej Synek was awarded the Thomas Keller Medal for his outstanding career in the sport.

● Snowboard ● Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding pled not guilty to charges of running a drug smuggling ring and colluding on multiple murders in a court appearance in Santa Ana, California on Monday.

Mexican authorities said Wedding turned himself in to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City last week, but this was disputed by Wedding’s attorney. He will appear in court again on 11 February, with trial set for 24 March. He is being held in custody and also has Canadian charges pending against him that go back as far as 2015.

● Swimming ● Canadian star Ilya Kharun, born in Montreal and currently swimming at Arizona State, announced on Instagram that he will change allegiance to the U.S.:

“Hey everyone, I’ve got big news. I’m changing my international representation from Canada to USA.

“First off, I’d like to thank everyone in Canada. It’s been incredible to travel the world representing Canada and while competing with the top Canadian athletes. John Atkinson and everyone representing Swim Canada, thank you. I would not be the swimmer or person I am today without your support. To my Canadian teammates, thank you. You helped me progress into the person I am today. You guys really made me feel like I was part of a family. It’s been an honor wearing the Maple Leaf flag and everyone in Canada will always have my support.

“Despite the incredible support I’ve received from Canada, I’ve always felt like an American. I grew up in Las Vegas. I’ve lived in America my whole life. I’ve never represented a club team outside of USA Swimming. I’ve got a long career left as a swimmer and I’d like to be based at home. And that home is in the USA.”

Kharun won Olympic bronzes in Paris in the 100 and 200 m Butterfly events, and he said that his U.S. affiliation will become effective on 26 October 2026. He has dual citizenship since April 2024 and will therefore be eligible – after the changeover per World Aquatics rules – to compete for the U.S. at the 2028 Games (if he makes the team!).

● Weightlifting ● The International Weightlifting Federation, following the recommendation of the International Olympic Committee, approved Russian and Belarusian youth lifters to return to international competition.

The approved classes include youth (ages 13-17) and juniors (15-20).

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Bankruptcy filings show Grand Slam Track debt now $40.68 million in all; Johnson loaned $2.7 million to the league last May

Rich Perelman

January 26, 2026

tsx pix 2024-1201 grant slam trk-johnson — Grand Slam Track founder Michael Johnson (Photo: Grand Slam Track).

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ GRAND SLAM TRACK ≡

New filings in the bankruptcy proceedings for Grand Slam Track, Inc. show that the organization’s finances are even worse than imagined.

A 221-page Schedules of Assets and Liabilities filed last Thursday (22nd) included:

● $831,385 in property assets, including $143,286 in cash

● $5,020,000 owed to secured creditors
● $68,295 owed to priority unsecured creditors
● $35,591,214 owed to all other unsecured creditors

That’s total debt of $40,679,509 vs. $831,385 in assets. Beyond the cash, the remaining $688260 is tied up with the bankruptcy filing process, including attorneys and the process company.

All of the $5.02 million in secured creditor debt is to investor Winners Alliance, the commercial arm of the Professional Tennis Players Association. However, total debt owed to Winners Alliance also includes another $6.113 million for additional unsecured debt and another $6.0 million it forwarded for a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) investment.

A list of 340 creditors are owed a combined total of more than $35.660 million, as many are listed with balances “Undetermined.” These include:

● $3,035,584 to Momentum-CHP Partnership for TV production
● $2,245,565 to founder Michael Johnson for a personal, unsecured loan
● $232,539 to Johnson for unpaid wages and un-repaid travel expenses
● $172,433 to President Stephen Gera for unpaid wages

So, according to the filings, Johnson put in about $2.7 million of his own money on 23 May 2025, trying to save his league, just in advance of the most successful meet, in Philadelphia. He was repaid $500,000 on 4 June 2025.

A long list of athletes are owed money. The top 75 are owed $20,000 or more and include (this is not just prize money, but also appearance fees):

$268,750: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone
$195,000: Kenny Bednarek
$185,625: Gabby Thomas
$174,375: Melissa Jefferson-Wooden
$173,125: Marileidy Paulino

$168,750: Josh Kerr
$164,375: Alison dos Santos
$147,500: Matthew Hudson-Smith
$141,250: Marco Arop
$137,500: Ackera Nugent
/10/
$122,500: Agnes Ngetich
$119,250: Grant Fisher
$107,500: Cole Hocker
$98,750: Jereem Richards
$96,875: Zharnel Hughes

$91,500: Sasha Zoya
$80,625: Nikki Hiltz
$77,000: Trey Cunningham
$75,000: Salwa Eid Naser
$71,875: Jessica Hull
/20/
$67,000: Jamal Britt
$64,250: Ejgayehu Taye
$63,375: Oblique Seville
$62,000: Trevor Bassitt
$61,250: Caleb Dean

$60,000: Masai Russell
$58,250: Danielle Williams
$57,500: Jasmine Jones
$56,250: Daniel Roberts
$55,500: Andrenette Knight
/30/
$55,500: Chris Robinson
$55,500: Tia Jones
$53,750: Alexis Holmes
$53,570: Yared Nuguse
$51,875: Mary Moraa

$51,000: Emmanuel Wanyonyi
$51,000: Freweyni Hailu
$49,375: Muzala Samukonga
$48,750: Nickisha Pryce
$47,500: Freddie Crittenden
/40/
$46,250: Tsige Gebreselama
$42,000: Alexander Ogando
$42,000: Bella Whittaker
$42,000: Tamari Davis
$39,375: Ronald Kwemoi

$38,750: Roshawn Clarke
$37,000: Dalilah Muhammad
$36,250: Elise Cranny
$34,500: Dylan Beard
$33,750: Steven Gardiner
/50/
$33,125: Nozomi Tanaka
$32,500: Hagos Gebrhiwet
$32,000: Cooper Teare
$32,000: Cordell Tinch
$32,000: Jenna Prandini

$31,500: Rushell Clayton
$30,000: Jasmine Camacho-Quinn
$29,500: Megan Tapper
$28,750: Daryll Neita
$27,000: Shiann Salmon
/60/
$26,000: Anna Cockrell
$26,000: Christopher Bailey
$26,000: Hirut Meshesha
$26,000: Jacory Patterson
$26,000: Nico Young

$25,000: Fred Kerley
$24,500: Dina Asher-Smith
$24,500: Jacious Sears
$24,500: Malik James-King
$24,000: Brittany Brown
/70/
$23,750: Shamier Little
$22,000: Ackeem Blake
$22,000: Andre De Grasse
$21,250: Clement Ducos
$20,750: Medina Eisa
/75/

Dozens more are owed less than $20,000. It should be noted that in another filing, it showed that athletes were paid $4.702 million in the 90 days prior to the filing of the bankruptcy, in line with Grand Slam Track statements that some of the money owed from the Kingston, Jamaica meet was paid.

A parade of other creditors are listed, for production, public relations, music, tents and a lot more. On the promotional side, U.S.-based Citius Magazine is owed $272,916 and Britain’s Athletics Weekly is owed $33,629.

There are debts in all of the Grand Slam Track meet cities, including $77,896 to the City of Miramar, Florida, $135,401 to Penn Athletics in Philadelphia and for the meet in Los Angeles that was canceled, the listing shows $70,399 owed to the UCLA Luskin Conference Center and $350,465 to the W Los Angeles hotel, near the UCLA campus.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency is owed $34,119 and track supplier Rekortan is shown as owed $350,000, possibly for the resurfacing of the track in Jamaica’s National Stadium. Prime Time Timing, which worked on the meets, is owed $177,934.

On a separate form, Grand Slam Track showed income in 2025 of $1,829,317, far less than the debts. Grim.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LOS ANGELES 2028: L.A. City Council 2028 Games oversight committee voices worries on human rights boycotts, LA28 procurement flow

Rich Perelman

January 26, 2026

tsx pix 2024-928 la city council chamber (city of la) — The Los Angeles City Council chamber at City Hall (Photo: City of Los Angeles)

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ L.A. CITY COUNCIL ≡

The main action item on the Monday agenda of the Los Angeles City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games was the approval of a draft ordinance to allow temporary construction related to the Games to forego the usual, lengthy planning and zoning requirement reviews and approvals.

In response to public comments and Council member questions, it was noted that signage to be approved under this exemption would be temporary and only related to the Games. With a minor amendment to add a sign-off by the Los Angeles City Attorney, the draft ordinance was moved forward by a 5-0 vote.

It was suggested that a refinement be examined to allow the City to remove illegal signs related to the Games more quickly and not go through the usual legal process, in which a court hearing would not take place until the Games are already over!

But that was not the focus of the two-hour session. The protests against the Trump Administration’s immigration enforcement and recent shootings in Minnesota, and questions about who gets contracts for services during the Games were in the forefront.

Council member Monica Rodriguez bored in on the security arrangements for 2028, which as a National Special Security Event, are led by the U.S. Secret Service:

“Clearly, given the most recent activity, there’s even more heightened concern … about the lead agency in law enforcement. We’ve clearly seen the egregious abuse of power at the Federal level, and the composition of the LA28 Board, given some of the newer members [friendly to the Trump Administration] has only elevated my concerns about what it’s going to look like here in Los Angeles. …

“We really need to have really serious conversations about who’s the lead and what the security looks like here in Los Angeles. And make no mistake, colleagues, we really need to be prepared about having some really hard conversations what we do going forward, especially when the people of Los Angeles are going to be on the hook for expenditures that perhaps exceed what has been raised and secured as it relates to the production of these Games.

“Look, we’ve just got to acknowledge it, we’ve got to talk about it, but we’ve got to be serious about this and stop pretending that they’re not going to overreach their authority.”

Rodriguez urged LA28 to increase its sponsorship goals and to raise even more money from any and all sources, again fearing a deficit from the organizing committee.

Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson weighed in about implications of the Minnesota protests that are going far beyond local and national politics:

“It’s hard to miss it. The situation with the national government in this country makes human rights an even more important question than it would ordinarily be. …

“I noticed at least three reports of countries discussing in a formal way – I mean, big countries like Germany, France – discussing boycotting FIFA [2026 World Cup], because of the actions of the U.S. around Greenland or whatever, so we have a national government who’s setting the stage for an environment where we can have a serious boycott. We had a boycott in ‘84 in L.A., we know it’s possible to overcome that. But I’m just wondering, is that part of what the [International Olympic Committee] has preparations for, how do you prepare for that, given people are making real threats and holding governmental hearings about it in other parts of the world?”

LA28 Chief Operating Officer John Harper replied, “We’ve had no discussions with the IOC, no indications that that is going to be a concern here, but obviously, we’ll continue to work with the IOC and the [International Paralympic Committee] as they drive towards 2028. But all indications are that we’re looking forward to welcoming the world, all 206 nations of all the NOCs represented in 2028.”

Fully 43 minutes of discussion was had on the single topic of LA28’s procurement of goods and services for the Games and how City of Los Angeles-resident businesses will get first priority.

The City is part of the RAMP program (Regional Alliance Marketplace for Procurement) and wants all of LA28’s purchasing to go through this portal to ensure that City and Southern California-area businesses have a clear shot at all available contracts.

A briefing by City Bureau of Contract Administration head John Reamer noted that LA28 is also using a software tool Supplier.io for vetting small businesses which was then badly explained, but drew a furious (through civil) response from the Council members about why anything other than the City’s own review process should be used.

Reamer was instructed to work with LA28 to ensure that for those contracts which are not required to be offered to the organizing committee’s commercial partners are offered through RAMP and that the City is the one doing the verification of resident or small-business status.

Harper made a brief report at the start of the hearing, noting “with 2028 less than three years to go, we continue to feel confident in our progress.” He pointed to the continuing success of the sponsorship sales program, which has passed $2 billion in contracted commitments through the end of 2025, about 80% of the budgeted goal.

He was challenged by Council member Bob Blumenfield on the size of the contingency in the LA28 budget, which went down slightly from $615.9 million to $613.5 million in 2025, even as the budget increased from $6.884 billion to $7.149 billion. Blumenfield asked that the contingency be fixed as a percentage of the budget, so that it goes up as the budget goes up, reflecting the Council’s continuous worry about an organizing committee deficit that would have to be paid by the City. This is to be reviewed in advance of the next LA28 annual report, due in March.

Harper also noted the continuing success of the volunteer registration program, which opened last year with 70,000 sign-ups on the first day and now past 150,000. And the ticketing registration, with 1.5 million signs-up in the first 24 hours, but no further updates since.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TEAM USA: U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee names 232-member American team for Milan Cortina; Uhlaender’s appeal rejected by IOC

Rich Perelman

January 26, 2026

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ TEAM USA NAMED ≡

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee named its team for the Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games, with 232 athletes that could be the largest American team ever.

The USOPC announcement included some amazing details about a powerful squad that will compete for medals in almost every discipline at the Games:

● “The 2026 U.S. Olympic Team features 98 returning Olympians – including seven four-time Olympians, 10 three-time Olympians and 22 two-time Olympians.

“The slate of veterans features 33 Olympic medalists, including 18 Olympic champions who have won a combined 22 gold medals. Sixteen athletes have won multiple Olympic medals, while three have won multiple Olympic gold medals.”

● “The multiple medalists are led by Elana Meyers Taylor (bobsled) who leads the team with five Olympic medals, including three silvers and two bronzes.

“The multiple gold medalists are Kaillie Humphries (bobsled) with three, and Mikaela Shiffrin (alpine skiing) and Chloe Kim (snowboarding), both with two golds each. Humphries and Hilary Knight (ice hockey) enter Milano Cortina 2026 with four medals each, while Shiffrin, Lindsey Vonn (alpine skiing), Jessie Diggins (cross-country skiing), Kendall Coyne Schofield (ice hockey), Lee Stecklein (ice hockey) and Nick Goepper (freeski) each have three medals.”

● “Set to make their fifth Olympic appearance in Milano Cortina, the seven four-time Olympians are Evan Bates (figure skating), Nick Baumgartner (snowboarding), Faye Thelen (formerly Faye Gulini, snowboarding), Humphries, Knight, Meyers Taylor and Vonn. Humphries has raced in four Olympic Winter Games, and additionally served as an alternate athlete at Torino 2006.”

This means that 134 of the 232 athlete total – 58% – are first-time Olympians; the 232 total does not include alternates.

The highest-ever actual competitor totals for the U.S. at a Winter Games are 228 at PyeongChang (KOR) in 2018 and 222 in Sochi (RUS) in 2014, so the 2026 team could surpass those numbers. More on the team:

● The roster includes athletes from 32 states and Washington, D.C., with Colorado (30), Minnesota (24) and California (19) the leading states.

● There are 117 men and 115 women on the team, with 15-year-old Abby Winterberger (Freestyle skiing) the youngest and curler Rich Ruohonen the oldest at 54. There are 26 athletes who are also parents, with 17 dads and nine moms.

● There are four sets of siblings on the team: Tara Peterson and Tabitha Peterson-Lovick (curling), Matthew Tkachuk and Brady Tkachuk and Quinn Hughes and Jack Hughes (both ice hockey), and Freestyle skiers Birk Irving and Svea Irving.

USOPC Chief of Sport and Athlete Services Rocky Harris told reporters on Monday that the appeal for skeleton racer Katie Uhlaender to be added to the Games was turned down by the International Olympic Committee:

“We did send a letter to the IOC, and we got a response this morning, that they are supporting the International Federation decision on the matter, since it was an International Federation’s decision.

“And so for us, I’m going to talk to Katie later today and see how she wants to move forward. But we did get a response from them.”

The International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation’s Interim Integrity Unit expressed some distaste for the actions of the Canadian federation in withdrawing some of its athletes from the final North American Cup race in Lake Placid – which reduced the ranking points available in that race, won by Uhlaender – but noted that there are no rules which prohibit such a move.

Uhlaender has indicated a willingness to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, specifically citing a conversation she had with Canadian coach Joe Cecchini (ITA), indicating that the withdrawal of the four young Canadian racers was specifically to protect Canada’s second skeleton racer for Olympic qualification purposes. Uhlaender said the IBSF tribunal never asked her for any information or evidence she had.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Washington Post staff won’t go to Winter Games; drug trafficker Wedding arrested by FBI; ISL wins $1 at trial vs. World Aquatics!

Rich Perelman

January 25, 2026

tsx pix 2025-213 moltzan, paula (us ski team) — American ski star Paula Moltzan at the 2025 World Alpine Championships (Photo: Stifel U.S. Ski Team).

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● In what can only be called a shock, Kimi Yoshino, the Managing Editor of The Washington Post, sent a Friday message to the sports staff announcing:

“As we assess our priorities for 2026, we have decided not to send a contingent to the Winter Olympics. We realize this decision and its timing will be disappointing to many of you, so please reach out to me if you want to talk further.”

The New York Times reported that The Post had 14 credentials (writers and photographers) to cover the Winter Games with spending of more than $100,000 for travel and accommodations already committed.

Other reports noted possible context for this at The Post as the “decision comes as major layoffs are expected in the coming weeks.”

● Asian Winter Games 2029 ● On Saturday, the Olympic Council of Asia posted a notice which began with:

“The Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia have agreed on an updated framework for future hosting of the Asian Winter Games, confirming the postponement of the 2029 edition to a later date to be announced in due course.”

The 2029 Asian Winter Games were slated for the Saudi mega-development of Noem, which has been hampered by multiple delays. Now, a Games three years away has been pushed off, and the OCA announcement never mentions Noem. Saudi Arabia was awarded the 2034 FIFA World Cup and promised to build 10 new stadiums and renovate five more for the event.

The OCA has been aware of the challenges and was reported to speak with possible alternative hosts in 2025.

● Football ● “I really wonder when the time will be to think and talk about this concretely. For me, that time has definitely come.”

That’s German football federation (DFB) Vice President Oke Gottlich, speaking to the Hamburger Morgenpost newspaper concerning a possible boycott of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in response to U.S. political activities. Gottlich, who is also the St. Pauli football club president, added:

“What were the justifications for the boycotts of the Olympic Games in the 1980s? By my reckoning the potential threat is greater now than it was then. We need to have this discussion.

“Qatar [2022] was too political for everyone and now we’re completely apolitical? That’s something that really, really, really bothers me.

“As organisations and society, we’re forgetting how to set taboos and boundaries, and how to defend values.”

The French government has already said it is not interested in a boycott.

● Snowboard ● Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding, wanted for drug trafficking and the coordination of multiple murders, was arrested Thursday night in Mexico City and brought to the United States for trial, landing in Ontario, California in FBI custody.

Wedding competed for Canada at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games, placing 24th in the men’s Parallel Giant Slalom. He had been wanted for criminal activities as early as 2006. He was indicted by a grand jury last November and will be in court for the first time on Monday.

Wedding had previously been convicted of distribution of cocaine in November 2009 and was sentenced to four years in prison; he was released in December 2011.

● Swimming ● The International Swimming League won a jury trial against World Aquatics – formerly known as FINA – in an anti-trust case over then-FINA’s actions against a December 2018 invitational meet in Italy. After more than seven years, the case, held in San Francisco, California, finally opened on 12 January and finished on Friday (23rd).

The outcome was unusual, but hardly unprecedented. SwimSwam.com reported that the jury found for ISL on nine of 11 questions pertaining to an agreement to boycott ISL, collusion, substantial harm, and a violation of anti-trust laws.

But the damages award was $1. Yes, $1.

Despite the “harm” caused by FINA as regards the December 2018 meet, the federation changed its rules shortly thereafter and ISL, in fact, went ahead with its league concept in 2019, 2020 and 2021, ending only because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. ISL founder and funder, Ukrainian billionaire Konstantin Grigorishin, lost access to many of his assets and the league had lost about $20 million a year for each of the three seasons.

Essentially, the jury held that FINA’s actions were against the law, but ISL suffered no real injury as it went ahead as it wanted to with its money-losing league in 2019. ISL has stated it wants to start up once again, in late 2026 or 2027.

World Aquatics President Husain Al-Musallam (KUW) said in a statement:

“This case has taken up resources that would have been much better utilized if they had been devoted to the sport and athletes.

“It was disappointing to learn during the trial that many athletes and service providers in the aquatics community remain unpaid by ISL, and we welcome ISL’s commitment to pay the $7 million it owes to swimmers before attempting to restart its league.”

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Alpine Skiing ● A great weekend for the U.S. at the FIS women’s World Cup in Spindleruv Myln (CZE), with three medals in the two races! In Saturday’s Giant Slalom, Beijing Olympic champ Sara Hector (SWE) led after the first run and won in 2:23.66, but with American Paula Moltzan right behind her at 2:24.04 by moving up from fifth by winning the second run. It was Moltzan’s second Giant Slalom silver of the season.

U.S. superstar Mikaela Shiffrin won her first Giant Slalom medal of the season in third, moving up from fourth after the first run and finishing in 2:24.09. Fellow American Nina O’Brien was fifth in 2:25.66 and A.J. Hurt was eighth (2:26.93)!

On Sunday, Shiffrin dominated the Slalom, winning both runs and finishing in 1:37.59, winning by an enormous margin – for ski racing – of 1.67 seconds over World Champion Camille Rast (SUI: 1:39.26). German Emma Aicher was third in 1:39.77. Liv Moritz was the next U.S. finisher (1:41.73), in 13th. Shiffrin wrapped up the seasonal Slalom title with the win, the ninth of her career. She remains the overall World Cup leader, by 1,133 to 963, over Rast after 24 of 37 events.

At the FIS men’s World Cup in Kitzbuehel (AUT), Swiss star Marco Odermatt won his eighth race of the year in Friday’s Super-G, in 1:08.41, just ahead of teammate Franjo von Allmen (1:08.44) and Stefan Babinsky (AUT: 1:08.66). Sam Morse was the top U.S. finisher in 18th (1:09.28).

Odermatt got close to a ninth win in Saturday’s Downhill, but Italy’s Giovanni Franzoni came out with the gold, 1:52.31 to 1:52.38. Americans Erik Arvidsson (1:53.91) and Wiley Maple (1:53.91) tied for 19th.

Sunday’s Slalom was a win for 2017 Worlds runner-up Manuel Feller (AUT) in 1:40.60, well ahead of Swiss World Champion Loic Meillard (1:40.95) and Germany’s Linus Strasser (1:41.13). The top U.S. finisher was Benjamin Ritchie in 15th (1:42.24).

● Badminton ● At the BWF World Tour Indonesia Masters in Jakarta, home favorite Alwi Farhan won the men’s Singles title over Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul (THA), 21-5, 21-6. The women’s final saw top-seed Yu Fei Chen (CHN) win over Thailand’s Pitchamon Opatniputh, 23-21, 21-13.

Malaysian teams swept the Doubles over Indonesia (men), Japan (women) and Denmark (mixed).

● Biathlon ● American hopes for a breakthrough Olympic medal in biathlon rose again at the IBU World Cup in Nove Mesto (CZE), as Campbell Wright won a silver in the men’s 15 km Mass Start, finishing behind three-time Worlds gold medalist Eric Perrot (FRA) by 35:49.6 (0 penalties) to 36:08.6 (1). It was Wright’s first medal of the season; he won two Worlds silvers in 2024.

Perrot swept the weekend with a win in the men’s 15 km Short Individual race, in 36:30.6 (0) with teammate Emilien Jacquelin second in 37:12.4 (0).

France swept the women’s events, too, with Beijing 2022 Mass Start gold medalist Justine Braisaz-Bouchet edging teammate Lou Jeanmonnot in the 12.5 km Short Individual race, 35:50.3 (1) to 35:51.7 (1). The 12.5 km Mass Start was won by three-time Worlds gold winner Julia Simon in 33:39.4 (1) to 33:39.9 (1) for fellow French Oceane Michelon. American Deedra Irwin finished 10th in 34:56.8 (1).

In the mixed relays, Finland won the Single Mixed Relay over France and Italy won over France in the 4×6 km team relay. The U.S. was fourth in the 4×6 km with Irwin, Margie Freed, Wright and Maxime Germain.

● Cross Country Skiing ● A dominant display for Norwegian star Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo in the final pre-Olympic FIS World Cup in Goms (SUI), sweeping both men’s events. He took the Classical Sprint first in 3:19.23, with American Gus Schumacher getting a surprise silver, 2.64 seconds back.

In the Classical 20 km Mass Start, Klaebo led a Norwegian sweep, finishing in 48:29.0, followed by Emil Iversen (48:34.6) and Harald Amundsen (48:36.0). Zak Ketterson was the top American, in 18th (50:01.0); Schumacher was 22nd.

Sweden won its third straight women’s World Cup race with Linn Svahn taking the Classical Sprint in 3:46.07, ahead of Laura Gimmler (GER) by 10.54 seconds. In the 20 km Mass Start, it was Finn Johanna Matintalo out-legging American star Jessie Diggins to the finish, 55:53.9 to 55:54.8, with Astrid Slind (NOR: 55:55.6) in third.

American Julia Kern was 16th (57:37.3) and Diggins continued in the seasonal lead, now by 223 points after 19 of 28 events.

● Curling ● At the USA Curling Mixed Doubles National Championship in Bemidji, Minnesota, the final saw Rachel Kawleski and Connor Kauffman take the title by 8-4 over Ella Fleming and Jackson Bestland.

Both were 5-2 in the round-robin stage and Kawleski and Kauffman reeled off 1-1-2-1 points in ends 5-6-7-8 to earn the win.

● Cycling ● The UCI World Tour kicked off with the Santos Tour Down Under in Australia, with a prologue and five stages and home favorite Jay Vine took charge after the second stage and never lost control.

Vine had won this race in 2023 and earned a mere six-second lead when taking the lead following stage two, but this expanded to 1:03 after stage four, when fire danger and hot weather required a change in the course from 176.0 km to 130.8 km and primary challenger Jhonatan Narvaez (ECU) dropped out.

Vine finished with a 1:03 margin over Swiss Mauro Schmid, despite finishing in the top 10 only once in the five main stages.

● Fencing ● The men’s FIE Sabre World Cup in Salt Lake City went to Korea’s Paris Olympic champ Sang-uk Oh, who won the final from Mao Kukubo (JPN) by 15-12. France’s Sarah Noutcha won her first career World Cup gold with a 15-14 win against Japan’s two-time World Champion Misaki Emura.

At the Epee Grand Prix in Doha (QAT), Dutch fencer Tristan Tulen grabbed the gold over Simone Mencarelli (ITA), 15-7 in the final, for his first career Grand Prix win. Hungary’s Olympic bronzer Eszter Muhari earned the women’s gold, 15-5, against France’s Alexandra Louis Marie.

● Figure Skating ● The U.S. and Japan split the titles at the ISU Four Continents Championships in Beijing (CHN), with Japan taking the Singles titles and American entries winning the Pairs and Ice Dance.

Twenty-year-old Kao Miura won the men’s Singles event for the second time – previously in 2023 – taking the Short Program and then fourth in the Free Skate and scoring 273.73 points. Korean star Junhwan Cha, the 2023 Worlds runner-up, was second for the second straight year (273.62), rising from sixth by winning the Free Skate. U.S. entries Tomoki Hiwatashi (240.54), Jacob Sanchez (240.25) and Liam Kapeikis (226.75) finished 7-8-10.

Japan swept the women’s Singles with Yuna Aoki winning her first major title (217.39), followed by Ami Nakai (215.78) and Worlds bronzer Mone Chiba (202.23). American Bradie Tennell was fourth (199.37), Sarah Everhardt was eighth (182.72) and Starr Andrews was 15th (160.74).

The U.S. Pairs champs, Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, who cannot go to Milan Cortina because Efimova is not yet a U.S. citizen, won the Free Skate to move from third to first, scoring 205.34 points to 200.99 for home favorites and Beijing 2022 gold medalists Weijing Sui and Cong Han. Americans Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman (181.12) and Audrey Shin and Balazs Nagy (176.40) went 6-7.

In Ice Dance, the U.S. swept the medals with Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik winning both segments and scoring 202.86 points to 194.72 for Caroline Green and Michael Parsons and 190.78 for siblings Oona and Gage Brown! It’s the second medal in this event for Green and Parsons, who won in 2022.

● Football ● The no. 2-ranked U.S. women had no trouble with Paraguay in a Saturday friendly in Carson, California, scoring five times in the second half for a 6-0 victory.

The U.S. enjoyed 70% possession and a 19-2 shots edge, but was ahead only 1-0 at the break thanks to a stoppage-time goal at 45+3 by striker Reilyn Turner. But forward Ally Sentnor scored only two minutes in the second half, then an own goal by defender Fiorella Martinez made it 3-0.

Returning star forward Trinity Rodman made it 4-0 in the 56th and Sentnor got a second in the 57th for a 5-0 lead. Emma Sears added a score in the 72nd for the 6-0 final. It was the U.S.’s fifth straight win and 11th in the last 12 matches. The U.S. will face Chile on the 27th in Santa Barbara, California.

● Freestyle Skiing ● The fourth stop for the FIS World Cup in Ski Cross was in Veysonnaz (SUI), with Canada’s reigning seasonal champion Reece Howden showing he’s in top form, winning a silver and gold in the men’s races.

France’s Youri Duplessis-Kergomard won Friday’s first final over Howden, but Howden came back to get fourth win of the season – in seven races – on Saturday, cross the line ahead of Germany’s Tim Hronek.

The women’s star, as usual, was Olympic champ Sandra Naeslund (SWE), who won Friday’s final over 2022 Olympic bronze winner Daniela Maier (GER), for her fifth win of this season. Maier came back on Saturday to take her first win of the season, this time over Sanja Gigler (AUT).

● Luge ● The final FIL World Cup prior to the Olympic Winter Games was in Oberhof (GER), with more German gold. Two-time Olympic champ Felix Loch won the men’s Singles at 1:24.673 over 2023 World Champion Jonas Mueller (AUT: 1:24.762) and two-time World Champion Max Langenhan (1:24.994). Americans Jonny Gustafson (1:25.911) and Matthew Greiner (1:25.940) were 15-16.

The Doubles went to three-time Olympic winners Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt (GER: 1:22.575), just ahead of 2022 Olympic bronzers Thomas Steu and Wolfgang Kindl (1:22.727). For the U.S., Zachary DiGregorio and Sean Hollander (1:23.082) were eighth and Marcus Mueller and Ansel Haugsjaa (1:23.345) were 11th.

The women’s Singles title was the second straight win for Merle Fraebel (1:23.330), beating Austria’s 2024 World champ Lisa Schulte (1:23.435) and two-time World Champion Julia Taubitz (1:23.467). Summer Britcher of the U.S. was ninth in 1:23.705 and fifth in the seasonal standings.

The Austrians got a gold from women’s Doubles stars – and two-time World Champions – Selina Egle and Lara Kipp (1:24.086), beating Elisa-Marie Storch and Pauline Patz (1:24.241). Americans Chevonne Forgan and Sophia Kirkby (1:24.677) were fifth and Maya Chan and Sophia Gordon (1:24.805) were seventh.

● Ski Jumping ● Slovenian star Domen Prevc was the favorite at the World Ski Flying Championships in Obertsdorf (GER), off the giant, 235 m hill and he came through, winning the final three rounds and finishing at 905.4 points.

Second was 2022 winner Marius Lindvik (NOR: 845.9) and then Japan’s Ren Nikaido (842.4). It’s Prevc’s first Ski Flying Worlds gold, but not the first in the family as older brother Peter Prevc won this title in 2016!

Japan won the team title in a tight battle with Austria, 1,569.6 to 1,560.0.

The FIS women’s World Cup was in Sapporo (JPN), jumping off the 137 m hill, with the 12th and 13th victories of the season for Slovenia’s Nika Prevc, the youngest of the ski-jumping Prevcs at age 20.

The results of both competitions were eerily similar. Prevc won on Saturday over Canada’s Abigail Strate, 279.4 to 273.9, and then on Saturday in a weather-shortened one-round event, 134.5 to 129.2 with Strate again second.

Norway got third both times, with Anna Stroem on Saturday (260.3) and Heidi Traaserud (124.6) on Sunday.

● Ski Mountaineering ● The ISMF World Cup in Andorra featured familiar winners in the Vertical Race, with Swiss reigning World Champion Remi Bonnet winning in 27:21.6, ahead of Austria’s Paul Verbnjak (27:31.0). American Cameron Smith was sixth in 28:26.2.

France’s Axelle Gachet Mollaret, also the Vertical Race World Champion in 2025, won the women’s race in 31:44.4, well ahead of teammate Emily Harrop (32:39.9).

The Sprint Race comes on Monday.

● Snowboard ● Italy’s 45-year-old reigning World Champion Roland Fischnaller showed that he is again a contender for all honors at the FIS World Cup in Parallel Giant Slalom in Simonhohe (AUT), winning his second race of the season, over Austria’s Fabian Obmann, who won silver for the second race in a row.

Czech star Ester Ledecka, the two-time Olympic PGS champ, won the women’s final over Worlds Parallel Slalom bronzer Michelle Dekker (NED), for Ledecka’s first World Cup gold of this season.

● Speed Skating ● The fifth and final ISU World Cup of the season was in Inzell (GER), with Norway’s 2025 World 5,000 m champion Sander Eitrem making a statement ahead of the Winter Games: a world record of 5:58.62, winning by almost 3 1/2 seconds.

He’s the first one to dip under 6:00 and he smashed the mark of 6:00.23 set last November by France’s Tim Loubineaud, who finished third in Inzell in 6:03.65. American Casey Dawson was fourth in 6:05.13.

American star Jordan Stolz was busy, winning the men’s 1,000 m in 1:06.83 ahead of Poland’s Damian Zurek (1:07.20) with Americans Cooper Mcleod (1:07.68) in fifth and Conor McDermott-Mowtowy in seventh (1:07.92). Stolz also won the 1,500 m in 1:41.95, in front of China’s 2024 Worlds 1,000 m runner-up Zhongyan Ning (1:43.18) and Olympic champ Kjeld Nuis (NED: 1:43.81) in third.

In the 500s, Stolz was beaten twice by Zurek, 34.09 to 34.26 in the first race and then 34.06 to 34.10 in the second. In the Mass Start, Czech Metrodej Jilek was a decisive winner in 7:41.19.

The U.S. trio of McDermott-Mostowy, Mcleod and Zach Stoppelmoor won in 1:17.61, clear from Norway (1:18.27).

Dutch women won five events, starting with World Champion Femke Kok in the first 500 m in 36.87 over teammate Jutta Leerdam (37.22) with 2022 Olympic champ Erin Jackson of the U.S. in fourth at 37.44.

Leerdam, a two-time World Champion at 1,000 m, won that event in 1;12.74 ahead of reigning World Champion Miho Takagi (JPN: 1:13.43) and Kok (1:13.67). American Brittany Bowe (1:14.02) and Jackson (1:14.32) were 4-5.

World Champion Joy Beune won the 1,500 in a tight finish with Takagi, 1:53.34 to 1:53.59, with Bowe fifth at 1:54.57. Norway’s 2023 World Champion Ragne Wiklund claimed the 3,000 m in 3:54.74 with Beune second in 3:56.96. The Mass Start went to World Champion Marijke Groenewoud in 8:38.32, ahead of Valerie Maltais (CAN: 8:38.77) and American Mia Manganello (8:39.29).

With most of the Dutch stars out, Poland’s Kaja Ziomek-Nogal won the second 500 m in 37.25; Jackson was seventh (37.85). The Dutch won the Team Sprint as well in 1:25.52; the U.S. was fourth in 1:30.05. On to Milan.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MILAN CORTINA 2026: USOPC (and others) lobbying for Olympic inclusion for skeleton racer Uhlaender directly with IOC

Rich Perelman

January 24, 2026

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≡ “EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES” ≡

“Had this race not been manipulated, I would be preparing to represent the United States of America and make history as the first woman to compete in six Olympic Winter Games for our country… Instead, I am now focused on legally challenging what I believe to be a fundamentally flawed investigation and decision by the IBSF in a final attempt to earn my place at what would be my sixth and last Olympic Games.”

That’s American women’s skeleton racer Katie Uhlaender, 41, on X, continuing her fight to be allowed to compete at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo (ITA). She has been joined by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, whose Chief of Sport and Athlete services, Rocky Harris, sent a formal request to the International Olympic Committee for Uhlaender to be added to the Olympic skeleton field.

Harris’ letter stated that adding Uhlaender is “warranted in this moment given the exceptional circumstances … that resulted in significant reputational harm to the sport across the world.

“Specifically, allegations that another national federation delayed withdrawing four of its women’s skeleton athletes from the competition until they could not be replaced with other competitors.”

Further, Uhlaender added on X that she is receiving support from athletes of other countries, stating, “We have the support of 9 nations and it is growing….” and she said she is ready to take her case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to compel her entry.

She has an interesting case:

● Uhlaender was not selected for the USA Bobsled & Skeleton team for the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation’s World Cup circuit, which offers the highest point totals for Olympic qualification. Undaunted, she went to the lower-point races in the IBSF Asian Cup and North American Cup.

● In four Asian Cup races in South Korea in December, she finished 3-1-5-2 and piled up 414 points. She came back to the North American Cup circuit in Lake Placid, New York in January and won all three races, earning 120 points in each of the first two, but only 90 points in the third for a total of 330.

● The discounted, 90-point total was because only 19 racers contested the final race, on 11 January. The IBSF rules show that for 21 or more racers, points for North American Cup races earn 120-110-100 points for the top three, down to one point for 40th. For races with 15-20 competitors, points are reduced to 75%, or 90-83-75, down to 16 points for 20th. There is a further reduction for races with 11-15 sliders and for those with 6-10.

● Uhlaender ended up with 414 + 330 = 744 points, ranking 19th among all IBSF women’s racers for the Olympic qualifying period. That placed her third among U.S. racers, with Kelly Curtis at 16th at 798, then Mystique Ro at 17th with 762 points. They made the U.S. team.

So, if Uhlaender had the added 30 points if a full field had raced in the final Lake Placid event – which she won – she would have totaled 774 and been 17th overall and ahead of Ro and would have been named to the U.S. team.

Further, Uhlaender immediately called out the cause of her problem – Canadian team coach Joe Cecchini (ITA) – who withdrew four young athletes from the field prior to the draw for the final race. Said Uhlaender to DW.com:

“He did not have to do that. He did it because he could. And it wasn’t to protect his athletes; it was to manipulate the system. He waited until after everyone was registered and gave the illusion that the Canadians were going to be competing. He wanted to make sure that we could not get full points.”

The DW.com story also quoted an e-mail message sent by Cecchini to members of the Canadian team in Lake Placid, which “explains that the decision to withdraw athletes was made to ‘ensure that we have a complete and accurate understanding of the points landscape, qualification implications and confirmed start numbers,’ adding that participation would be determined in the ‘best interests of the national team.’”

Canada was trying to protect its no. 2 racer, Jane Channell, who ultimately ended up no. 25 in the rankings (624 points) and two Canadian quota places were granted. The final IBSF quotas show 25 racers for both the men’s and women’s fields.

The case was referred to the IBSF Interim Integrity Unit, which issued a rapid decision on 15 January (after the 11 January races) that the Canadians broke no rules, but also noted – with clear distaste – that the

“IBSF will task its Sport Committee to review this incident that occurred at the NAC in Lake Placid during the Sport Committee meeting in spring and possibly suggest adjustments to the Rules.”

Uhlaender ripped the IBSF Interim Integrity Unit decision, saying that the group did not even ask her about the communications she had with Cecchini on the issue.

The IOC issued no Saturday comment, but the Uhlaender is not about to stop lobbying, and a Court of Arbitration for Sport challenge seems likely.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: U.S.’s Hoey runs world indoor record 1:42.50 800 m, Kessler crushes world 2,000 m record in New Balance Grand Prix

Rich Perelman

January 24, 2026

tsx pix 2025-323 hoey beats crestan w indr (dan vernon) — Josh Hoey of the U.S. wins the 2025 World Indoor 800 m gold over Belgium’s Eliott Crestan (Photo: Dan Vernon for World Athletics).

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≡ NEW BALANCE GRAND PRIX ≡

American 800 m star Josh Hoey dominated the indoor 800 m last season, winning the World Indoor title in China and setting an American Record to win the USATF Nationals in Staten Island, New York.

His outdoor season was a disappointment as he failed to make the U.S. World Championships team, although his seasonal best of 1:42.01 made him no. 4 on the world list.

But now he’s back indoors and all is well. In December, he set the world best for 600 m at 1:12.84 in Boston and on Saturday, he mauled the World Indoor Record of 1:42.67 by Denmark’s Wilson Kipketer in 1997, running 1:42.50 to take the headline from the New Balance Grand Prix meet in Boston.

He was paced through the first 400 m by older brother Jaxson Hoey and passed the halfway mark in 50.21, then took over and finished in 52.30 for the 1:42.50 record win. He was way ahead of Poland’s Filip Ostrowski (1:44.68) and Dutchman Ryan Clarke (1:44.72).

The men’s 2,000 m was also set up for a record try, with indoor 3,000 m record holder Grant Fisher ready to go, but he wasn’t alone. The distance had already seen a shake-up with World 5,000 m Champion Cole Hocker of the U.S. running an American Indoor Record of 4:52.92 in Blacksburg, Virginia on Friday.

Fisher and 2023 World Road Mile Champion Hobbs Kessler were away after the pacemaking ended at 1,600 m, with Fisher leading until the fial half-lap as Kessler took over and held on to the line, getting a world record 4:48.79 win with Fisher at 4:49.48. Both of those times were faster than Ethiopian legend Kenenisa Bekele’s 4:49.99 from back in 2007!

Belgium’s Peter Sisk was third at 4:52.41, now no. 5 all-time and British star Jake Wightman was fourth (4:53.69), now no. 9 all-time. Wow!

Those were the most spectacular results of a solid meet:

● Men/60 m hurdles: Trey Cunningham of the U.S., the 2022 Worlds 110 m silver winner, equaled the early-season world lead at 7.48, beating Connor Schulman (7.51).

● Women/800 m: U.S. outdoor champion Roisin Willis ran her fourth-fastest 800 m ever and won in an early-season world lead of 1:59.59, easily ahead of Isabelle Boffey (GBR: 2:00.14) and American Victoria Bossong (2:00.36).

● Women/1,500 m: Kenyan Dorcus Ewoi grabbed the early-season world lead with a 4:01.22 win over American Sinclaire Johnson, whose 4:01.30 moved her to no. 4 all-time U.S. indoors with the no. 5 performance. Fellow American Gracie Morris ran 4:02.12 for fifth, now no. five all-time U.S. indoor.

● Women/3,000 m: U.S. star Elle St. Pierre, the 2024 World Indoor 3,000 m champ, was back in full strength from maternity and dueled with Australia’s Linden Hall, the Paris Olympic 1,500 m sixth-placer in 2024. St. Pierre finally took the lead on the last lap and sailed to a world-leading time of 8:26.54, the no. 5 performance in American history (she has three of the five).

Hall was second in 8:27.03 ahead of countrywoman and Paris 1,500 m silver winner Jess Hull (8:36.03).

● Women/60 m Hurdles: A world lead for two-time World 100 m hurdles champ Danielle Williams (JAM) at 7.87, beating world indoor record holder Devynne Charlton (BAH: 7.92) and Christina Clemons of the U.S. (7.94).

Beyond the world leads, the men’s 300 m drew a lot of attention with sprint icon Noah Lyles, 2022 World Indoor 400 m champ Jereem Richards (TTO) and American 400 m star Vernon Norwood. Richards had the lead from the gun and Lyles finished with his usual rush, but fell just short by 32.14 to 32.15, the no. 7 performance in U.S. history for Lyles. Norwood was third in 32.38.

Elsewhere, Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake won the men’s 60 m in 6.53, American Worlds relay silver medalist Khaleb McRae won the 400 m over prep sensation Quincy Wilson, 45.38 to 45.96, and Ireland’s Cian McPhillips won the men’s 600 m, 1:16.37 to 1:17.20 and 1:17.24 over American stars Donovan Brazier and Bryce Hoppel. Australia’s Cam Myers moved to no. 10 all-time in the 3,000 m at 7:27.57, winning by more than three seconds.

James Carter of the U.S. won the triple jump at 16.32 m (53-6 1/2).

Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith won the women’s 60 m in 7.08, Britain’s Nicole Yeargin won the 400 m over heptathlon Worlds winner Anna Hall of the U.S., 52.63 to 52.77 and American Monae Nichols took the women’s long jump at 6.64 m (21-9 1/2).

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: U.S. Ski & Snowboard names powerful, 97-member Olympic team; McLaughlin-Levrone pregnant; USA Swimming ups athlete pay!

Rich Perelman

January 22, 2026

tsx pix 2024-317 diggins, jessie (usski) — U.S. cross-country skiing superstar Jessie Diggins (Photo: U.S. Ski Team).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● The Los Angeles City Council approved, by 13-0, the “framework plan” of the Department of Cultural Affairs for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Cultural Affairs plan offered programming at three levels, depending on funding: $15 million from available department funding, an enhanced level of $30 million and a top level of $40 million, if funding is available. That fund-raising effort can start now.

This is not the cultural program to be offered by the LA28 organizing committee, which is yet to be unveiled.

In a not-unrelated announcement, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes on Main Street in downtown Los Angeles was named on Tuesday (20th) as the “Casa Mexico Los Angeles 2026″ for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, although Mexico is unlikely to play any of its matches (maybe one in playoff rounds) in the L.A. area. The venue will offer live broadcasts of Mexican and other games, music, visual arts and cultural performances during the tournament from 11 June to 19 July.

● Olympic Games 2032: Brisbane ● Australian Minister for the Environment and Water Murray Watt has received five applications – with one withdrawn – asking him to stop development of the Olympic Stadium in Victoria Park on Aboriginal heritage grounds.

He rejected one last week, but appointed an independent mediator to work through concerns about heritage issues on the site:

“The purpose of the dedicated facilitator will be to avoid harm to cultural heritage and inform any future decisions relating to the specified areas.

“This decision follows consultation with interested parties and acknowledges the area is of particular significance to the Turrbal and Yagara people in accordance with their traditions.”

Work on the site is expected to begin in the middle of the year.

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● U.S. Ski & Snowboard named an enormous, 97-member team for Milan Cortina, including 73 skiers and 24 from Snowboard, expected to contend for medals across multiple disciplines.

The team includes 48 first-time Olympians and 49 veterans, and a bevy of Olympic champions, including alpine skiers Mikaela Shiffrin (fourth Olympic team) and Lindsey Vonn (fifth), cross-country skier Jessie Diggins (fourth), Freestyle Team Aerials champion Chris Lillis (second), Freestyle Slopestyle winner Alex Hall (third), Snowboard Halfpipe star Chloe Kim (third), Slopestyle champ Red Gerard (third) and Mixed SnowCross winner Nick Baumgartner (fifth).

Baumgartner, at 44, is the oldest of the group; the youngest is Freestyle Halfpiper Abby Winterberger at 15! There are 47 men and 50 women on the squad.

USSS noted in its announcement: “At the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games, U.S. Ski & Snowboard accounted for more than 40% of Team USA’s delegation and brought home 15 of the 25 total Olympic medals won.”

The full American team is expected to be announced on 26 January.

The Associated Press reported that the International Skating Union’s rules for “neutral” athletes from Russia and Belarus no longer include a ban on these athletes speaking with news media at the Games.

The ISU’s rules for qualifying events – which it controls – prohibited any media contact. The Olympic Winter Games are under the control of the International Olympic Committee.

Jamaica became a sensation in 1988 by qualifying for the Olympic Winter Games bobsleigh competitions and now another country not known for snow will be sliding in Cortina:

Israel.

A reallocation spot was available as Great Britain will field only one men’s sled in the Two Man and Four Man events and Israeli Adam Edelman’s sled ranked 32nd in the Two Man and 31st in Four Man World Cup standings.

The Israelis also earned – without reallocation – one spot in men’s Skeleton, with Jared Firestone ranking 38th in the all-inclusive IBSF rankings.

Who knew?

● Athletics ● Don’t look for 400/400 hurdles star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone on a track anytime soon.

She announced her pregnancy on Instagram on Thursday with a photo of her and husband Andre Levrone Jr. and a short text on the side:

“Made a human with my favorite human.

“Oh, how we have prayed for you… and the Lord has answered!! You are our greatest blessing and are already so loved. We are eagerly waiting to meet you!”

McLaughlin-Levrone has been busy, winning the Paris Olympic 400 m hurdles in 2024 and then moving to the 400 meter flat and winning the World Championships gold in 2025.

Interestingly, she posted this three weeks ago as the new year dawned:

“From age 16 to 26 my love for the grind has not diminished by any measure…Thank you to 2025— another season doing what I love with the people I love”

Time for other priorities.

● Swimming ● USA Swimming announced an increase in its direct-athlete-support spending, with four levels for pool and open-water swimmers:

● $3,750 per month for “Qualified professional athletes who sign Athlete Partnership Agreement”

●$2,250 per month for “Qualified professional athletes who do not sign Athlete Partnership Agreement”

● $1,750 per month for “Qualified NCAA Athletes”

● $1,750 per month for “Qualified pre-enrollment NCAA eligible athletes”

The top 30 men and 30 women swimmers (60 total) and top two men and women (four total) open-water swimmers will receive funding.

The Athlete Partnership Agreement (see the 2025 handbook) lists requirements for competition appearances, agreeing to remain competitive fitness, observe doping regulations, and two personal appearances over a six-month period, plus attendance at the annual Golden Goggles Awards.

The new amounts for the top-level swimmers were reported as a 15% raise from prior levels – from $39,000 annually to $45,000 – which had not been changed since 2010.

The City of Long Beach, California, approved by an 8-0 vote on Tuesday (20th) a plan to build a new Belmont Beach and Aquatics Center, replacing the historic Belmont Plaza Pool site – where the 1968 and 1976 U.S. Olympic Trials were held – that had become unsafe and was demolished in 2014.

A series of designs were proposed and final approvals have been delayed, but the project is now settled, with a 50 m pool with a movable bulkhead, a separate recreational and instructional pool and beach-adjacent activity items such as a climbing wall and zip line. Seating for 544 is included, where the old pool had room for 2,500.

The project is estimated at $105.1 million, to be completed and opened in the spring of 2028.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MILAN CORTINA 2026: Organizing committee offers 2-for-1 lowest-category tickets for 6 February Opening Ceremony for those 26 and under!

Rich Perelman

January 22, 2026

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ OPENING CEREMONY PROMO ≡

“Milano Cortina 2026 announces the launch of an exclusive promotion dedicated to fans aged 26 and under, offering young spectators a unique opportunity to experience live the greatest event and show in the world: the Olympic Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games.

“Starting today, 22 January, eligible fans will be able to purchase two tickets for the price of one to attend one of the most anticipated moments of the Games. The exclusive offer is valid exclusively for Category D tickets, while availability lasts.”

The opening ceremony of an Olympic or Olympic Winter Games is often one of the earliest events to sell out. But not for Milan Cortina 2026.

The 6 February show, to be held in the famed San Siro Stadium in Milan – which will then be demolished and replaced afterwards – will have the iconic parade of nations, the lighting of the Olympic Flame and performances by American star Mariah Carey, Chinese pianist Lang Lang, famed tenor Andrea Bocelli and more.

But it’s not sold out.

So, now a 2×1 promotion just 15 days before the Games, but only for Category D seats, at the lowest price level – and highest seats – in the 60,000-seat venue. There are four ticket levels posted with none apparently sold out:

● €2,026: Category A (~$2,382 U.S.)
● €1,400: Category B (~$1,646 U.S.)
● €700: Category C (~$823 U.S.)
● €260: Category D (~$306 U.S.)

In case you were wondering about hospitality packages, they cost more:

● €3,250 for a Category B ticket and lounge access, including a buffet meal.
● €8,950 for a Category A ticket and lounge access, including a buffet meal.

The Milan Cortina ceremony will be historically unique in that the San Siro show will integrate live feeds from three mountain locations in which aspects of the ceremony – including an athlete march – will take place. No indication was given about how many San Siro tickets have been sold so far (and how many are left).

The organizing committee statement emphasizes:

“Being there means experiencing the greatest live show in the world, sharing an unforgettable emotion and becoming part of a moment that will remain in collective memory forever.”

Apparently, not enough people are convinced. At least not yet.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ICE HOCKEY: IIHF confirms all Russian and Belarusian hockey teams remain ineligible; Russia promises CAS appeal for youth teams

Rich Perelman

January 22, 2026

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ RUSSIAN SANCTIONS ≡

The International Ice Hockey Federation reported on its Council meeting of 21 January, explaining:

“Following its latest meeting and based on a detailed risk assessment, the IIHF Council believes it is not yet safe to reintegrate the Russian and Belarusian National and Club Teams to its championships for the 2026-2027 season as the current security conditions do not allow the necessary requirements for the organization of tournaments guaranteeing the safety of all.

“However, the IIHF Council has reviewed the IOC recommendations and will consider the reintegration of youth players (U18) from the Russian and Belarusian National and Club Teams to its championships for the 2027-2028 season.

“This consideration will remain contingent upon an ongoing assessment of safety and security conditions. If these risks sufficiently reduce over the coming months, the IIHF will work together with the relevant national associations to support a possible reintegration at the youth level.”

This is the same basis on which the International Olympic Committee recommended that a ban on Russian and Belarusian teams be instituted in 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev said that an appeal to the IIHF’s position will be filed with the Court of Arbitration for Sport:

“The Russian Ice Hockey Federation, with the support of the Russian Olympic Committee, is appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport the IIHF Council’s decision to bar Russian youth teams from competitions, contrary to the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which in December 2025 explicitly instructed international federations on the inadmissibility of restrictions on youth sports, including team sports.

“The IIHF’s references to so-called security concerns are unfounded. A similar argument was already the subject of a CAS case against the International Luge Federation, and the court found it unfounded. Lawyers for the Russian Olympic Committee presented dozens of examples of Russian athletes participating in international competitions without incident, and an independent Swiss human rights expert confirmed that a blanket ban on participation contradicts all existing humanitarian and legal principles in the field of human rights and is openly discriminatory.

“At the same time, a number of international federations, including the World Baseball Softball Confederation, the International Equestrian Federation, the International Fencing Federation, the International Volleyball Federation, and the World Curling Federation, have already implemented the IOC recommendations. We will consistently defend the right of our young athletes to fair and equal participation in competitions, and the process of Russia’s return to global sport will continue.”

Observed: The interesting element for a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing will be the difference between individual events and team sports, where it is harder to mask the identity of the squad.

The striking element of the Russian response is its insistence that the IOC recommendations be followed as if direct instructions. The IOC, in its Olympic Summit release, was clear that the ultimate arbiter of re-integration into each sport would be its international federation, in this case the IIHF:

“[T]he Summit supported the IOC EB’s recommendation that youth athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport should no longer be restricted in their access to international youth competitions, in both individual and team sports. The definition of youth competitions and the application of these recommendations depends for this purpose on the regulations of each International Federation (IF).”

Russia’s position is that the IOC’s recommendation is a directive. Assuming the Russians push the issue to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, it will be fascinating to see if the CAS panel takes the bait the Russians are placing before them, effectively turning the IOC’s guideline into a rule.

This would have wide impacts well beyond the specific issue of Russian youth team eligibility.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

DOPING: Re-testing of Rio 2016 Olympics samples nears the end, with seven new positives, but only one among the medal winners

Rich Perelman

January 22, 2026

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ ITA RE-TEST REPORT ≡

The International Testing Agency began its re-examination of samples collected from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in December of 2023 and announced Thursday some new positives, with seven athletes shown to have committed doping violations during the Games:

● Rafael Buzacarini (BRA: judo): placed ninth in the men’s 100 kg class.

● Soslan Daurov (BLR: wrestling): placed 15th in the Greco-Roman 59 kg class.

● Aurimas Dldzballs (LTU: weightlifting): bronze medalist in the men’s 94 kg class. If finally and officially disqualified, fourth-placer Sarat Sumpradit (THA) would be in line to receive the bronze medal.

● Ivan Efrimov (UZB: weightlifting): placed fifth in the men’s +105 kg class.

● Eseaa El-Sayed (EGY: weightlifting): placed seventh in the women’s 63 kg class.

● Ivet Lalova (BUL: athletics): placed eighth in the women’s 200 m.

● Ahmed Saad (EGY: weightlifting): placed fifth in the men’s 62 kg class.

So, four of the seven were in weightlifting, with athletics, judo and wrestling each with one. No country had more than one. Three others had been announced previously – in weightlifting (2) and cycling (1) – for a total of 10 so far from Rio 2016.

The ITA announcement explained that all of these positives were for anabolic steroids:

“The majority of these positive re-analysis results are mainly due to technical advances, including the development of new detection methods and improvements in analytical sensitivity for the detection of new steroid metabolites, which were not available at the time of the initial analysis. The re-analysis of the samples was conducted by the WADA-accredited laboratories of Lausanne, Switzerland, and Cologne, Germany.”

The next step, per the ITA:

“The athletes have been informed of their respective cases. They each have the right to request the analysis of their B-sample. If the B-sample analysis is requested and confirms the result of the A-sample, or if the B-sample analysis is not requested, the cases will proceed as a confirmed anti-doping rule violation.”

The cases will then be referred to the Anti-Doping Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

This is the fourth major re-evaluation of testing results. The re-analysis of London 2012 samples revealed 73 violations which led to the withdrawal of 31 medals and re-allocation of medals in athletics, canoeing, weightlifting and wrestling.

All together, there were 82 doping violations in 2012, the most ever. The total from Rio 2016 was eight, with 10 more announced for a total (so far) of 18. The ITA statement noted that the re-analysis program was “near completion,” in line with the 10-year term of limitations.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: USABS unveils Raising Cane’s “Bobsled Plush Puppy”; nine Russians invited for Winter Games so far; IIHF continues Russian ban

Rich Perelman

January 21, 2026

tsx pix 2026-121 bobsled plush puppy — The new Raising Cane’s Bobsled Plush Puppy, now on sale for a limited time only (Photo: Raising Cane’s).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● The Russian news agency TASS reported that the International Olympic Committee has now extended invitations to nine Russian athletes to compete as “neutrals” in Milan Cortina ‘26.

These include cross country skiers Savely Korostelyov and Daria Nepryayeva, figure skaters Adelia Petrosyan and Pyotr Gumennik, ski mountaineer Nikita Filippov, short track speed skaters Ivan Posashkov and Alyona Krylova and speed skaters Ksenia Korzhova and Anastasia Semyonova.

Nepryayeva and the figure skaters are considered as possible medal winners. Two lugers also have qualifying point totals, but must still be approved by the IOC. Russian and Belarusian athletes have had to apply individually and pass an IOC review of their “neutrality” concerning the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

● Bobsled & Skeleton ● Raising Cane’s restaurants have announced a new entry in its plush puppy program with a co-branded Bobsled Plush Puppy for a limited time, saluting USA Bobsled & Skeleton, for which Raising Cane’s is a premier sponsor.

Introduced in conjunction with USABS “hype man” Flavor Flav, the new plush toy features the Raising Cane’s puppy in a red, white and blue speedsuit – in a USABS sled, of course – and is available in stores or online for $13.99. It’s a limited edition, available only from 14 January to 24 February of this year. USABS-themed drink cups and collectible pins are also available.

As for funding USABS, the fine print notes:

“Net Proceeds (purchase price before tax minus production cost) equals a minimum of $3.00 per Plush Puppy. Ends 2/24/26 or while supplies last. Raising Cane’s Restaurants, LLC has committed to a minimum donation of $200,000 to USA Bobsled & Skeleton.”

● Figure Skating ● The ISU European Championships concluded last week in Sheffield (GBR) and the ISU Four Continents Championships – for everyone else – is on this week in Beijing (CHN).

As yet one more way to gauge American skaters against competitors they will see at the Olympic Winter Games, we can compare winning scores from Sheffield against the U.S. Nationals:

Men:
● Euro: 273.00, Nika Egadze (GEO)
● U.S.: 324.88, Ilia Milanin

Women:
● Euro: 216.14, Niina Petrokina (EST)
● U.S.: 233.55, Amber Glenn

Pairs:
● Euro: 215.76, Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava (GEO)
● U.S. 1: 207.71, Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov (not Olympic eligible)
● U.S. 2: 197.12, Ellie Kan and Danny O’Shea

Ice Dance:
● Euro: 222.43, Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron (FRA)
● U.S.: 228.87, Madison Chock and Evan Bates

Please note that the ISU does not recognize scores from national championships, but only for ISU-supervised events. So, the scores are not absolutely comparable. But it’s still fun.

● Football ● Amid chatter that European countries might consider boycotting the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a stand against the Trump Administration’s stated desire to acquire Greenland, French Sports Minister Marina Ferrari told RMC Sport television:

“At the stage we’re talking about now, our ministry has no desire to boycott this major competition. But I’ve also heard voices coming from certain political blocs. I want us to separate sport from politics.”

● Ice Hockey ● Hockey insider reporter Chris Johnston posted Wednesday that the International Ice Hockey Federation is continuing its sanctions against Russian and Belarusian team, per a vote at the IIHF Council meeting.

● Ski Jumping ● After winning eight individual medals this season, Austria’s Lisa Eder finally got a World Cup win – her first – on the final day of women’s jumping in Zao (JPN), off the 102 m hill.

Eder led the first round of jumps and came back with a third in the second round to score 227.9 points, just ahead of second-round winner Nika Prevc (SLO: 226.5), with Canada’s Abigail Strate in third (222.3). Annika Belshaw was the top American, in 20th (183.8).

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: Coventry says no White House meeting scheduled; female category rules coming after Winter Games

Rich Perelman

January 21, 2026

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≡ COVENTRY’S UPDATE ≡

Beyond the immediate attention to the Olympic Winter Games in Milan and Cortina, International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) has a lot to do, and spoke with reporters Wednesday by video conference.

Asked about when the IOC’s recommendations on the “protection of the female category” will be ready, the answer was not just yet:

“It won’t be at the IOC Session [in Milan], it will be a little bit later after that, because as I said, the working group is really taking their time, to go through everything, to take into consideration everything … so there’s been no conclusions, they’re still working at it.

“I don’t want to jump the gun and think what things they used or didn’t use; I’d rather answer that truthfully and with all the correct information, so after Milano Cortina is when we would look at something in the coming months … but right now, nothing has been finalized or decided just yet.

“So the work is still ongoing.”

Coventry was asked about the IOC’s reaction and role to today’s rising global tensions and political issues, and she – as a former government minister in Zimbabwe – was clear about the organization’s role:

“As the IOC, we are always aware of all the conversations that are happening and all the geopolitics and all the political conversations that are happening, but I also want to make it clear that is not our remit, right?

“We’re a sport organization. It is not within our remit to comment on sovereignty and political conversations, it’s our goal to ensure that we have all of our National Olympic Committees represented at all of our Games. We will continue to do that in the best way that we can and give support in any of those areas the best way that we can.”

She was also asked about a future meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in view of the coming Los Angeles Games in 2028:

“As it pertains to the United States, we have not had any formal communication yet, with the White House.”

But she added that she is looking forward to seeing the U.S. representatives, led by Vice President J.D. Vance, at the opening ceremonies and that the communications with the LA28 team and Chair Casey Wasserman, are “progressing really well.”

Coventry was asked about the future of the IOC in esports, after the dissolution of the “Olympic Esports Games” initiative with the Saudi Arabia National Olympic Committee:

“It was never an issue of comfort or non-comfort [with the Saudis], it was really about regrouping.

“Right at the beginning of the ‘Pause and Reflect’ process in June, we could already see that there were just multiple views coming from the entire Movement [on this issue]. I think it fits really nicely into the ‘Pause and Reflect’ and analyzing our ‘Fit for the Future’ and are we fit for the future and what needs to change and what do we need to realign, and it really gave us sort of this opportunity within the Movement to be very clear on what we want moving forward.

“And I do need to clarify as well that both parties agreed, so we had really good conversations, we still have a great relationship, and it just has been a time for us really to look at what it is that we want, how we want to proceed, what that looks like, and the Movement wanted clarity on all of that. …

“We all mutually agreed. We had conversations here in Lausanne with Saudi Arabia and the teams. Really, I think we’re on a good track forward, and I think this ‘Pause and Reflect’ time is also giving the Movement time to better understand.

“Some federations are really very proactive, very in the gaming community, but others not as much. So it’s really giving everyone an opportunity to be very clear on what entering into that space would mean, individually, but also collectively. That was the reasoning behind it.”

Coventry was asked about the pace of change in the world continuing to speed up, and she was clear about what needs to be the focus:

“Things change daily, and we’re keeping a pulse on it, I think we have to in order to ensure the relevance of the Games, the meaningfulness of the Games, the importance of the Games remains at its peak. And remains relevant, remains important.

“We will continue to do that. We have to monitor, we have to be aware of it, we have to know throughout all these conversations – ‘Fit for the Future’ – and where we are starting to see our priorities coming out, where we’re starting to see potential ideas in and around strategies.”

She pointed to the protection of the Olympic Games and how “it showcases how we could live” in this troubled world, “all respecting each other, all having some way of understanding each other. …

“That’s the incredible thing about sport. You don’t have to speak the same language in order to understand what each other are trying to achieve, or have an appreciation for each other. For me, especially in today’s world, are values that we need to ensure we are protecting and ensuring that they are being acknowledged as really important values for our communities, our families, for our sons and daughters and for the future of tomorrow.”

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MILAN CORTINA 2026: IOC chief Coventry excited for Winter Games, ExDir Dubi says there is a lot of work to do, but “will be ready”

Rich Perelman

January 21, 2026

tsx pix 2026-121 coventry, kirsty (ioc video) — International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) at her 21 January 2026 media briefing (IOC video screenshot).

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ IOC VIEW 16 DAYS OUT ≡

“The Games are going to be incredible. I’m getting really, very excited about being able to get there and see the blend of tradition and innovation … the magnificent venues that are there.

“Really, I think the excitement is slowly building up and now it’s at a really good pace.”

That’s International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM), speaking to more than 200 reporters on a video call from Olympic House in Lausanne (SUI) on Wednesday morning.

Already in Italy, Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi (SUI) explained that the last couple of sites are getting close to completion, but not there yet. Speaking about the new sliding track in Cortina d’Ampezzo, he explained:

“Is there some work to be done? Yes. A lot.

“What I have been told, and I am no construction expert, right, but it’s not complex work, so anything that has to do with any of the systems, especially for the track refrigeration, electricity, timing, scoring: all this is in place. …

“What I saw, while walking, is still a lot of finishing touches, right. Some concrete pavement for additional tents, for hospitality, some ground work to get the venue ready for spectators, where currently it’s a bit patchy when you walk.

“But what I have been told, [the amount to be done] it’s impressive, but it’s not complex and they have a lot of people working. OK, it will be ready. No doubt, it will be ready … but canot deny work has to be done.

He was also asked about the PalaItalia Santa Giulia Arena, the primary ice hockey venue, which is racing to finish enough of the construction to be ready for Games:

“I was there yesterday, with the future co-owner and operator of the venue. First, when you come from outside … it’s going to be a landmark, OK. It’s a beautiful venue, very spectacular, LEDs all around, it will be amazing in terms of animation, including for spectators getting to the venue and waiting to get in the venue. Incredible.

“Now, same assessment as the sliding track. Work remains to be done. Hats off to all those who could pull up such a venue in so little time. You know, it was always a complex project, it started late, but this is where … when we speak of the great objectives of having the best conditions for the Games for the athletes, it means all hands on deck.

“Sixteen hundred workers a day in the venue, to get it ready. So that’s where we’re at. There as well, super confident.”

He was asked specifically what was being worked on now:

“Basically, works on the concourse, and the temporary works, which by nature, comes last minute, as usual. So, all the tents in which you have the locker rooms. I visited it yesterday again; about half of the locker rooms are ready to host the teams, the other ones will be ready in a matter of days. So when we start competitions, it will be ready, no problem with this, but yeah, they are still working, because it’s temporary.”

Coventry was asked about the future of the Games, especially after seeing the spread-out venue plan for Milan Cortina, with venues – well-known and existing world-class sites – spread out across northern Italy. She noted that this is a point of interest for the IOC:

“We’ve got to find a balance between sustainability and making decisions for sustainable reasons and the balance of experience for fans, for [National Olympic Committees], for athletes. If we look at how the model is set up today, I do believe that we took the right decision in having a more dispersed Games, but – and I think we can all say, openly and honestly – it has added additional complexities, right? For media, for transport, for the IOC, for [Olympic Broadcasting Services], for [National Olympic Committees] and so what I think we are already seeing and what we’re going to be able to learn from Milano Cortina, is at the end of the Games, we’ll be able to take these things and look at it and almost, somehow, maybe come up with a ‘cost’ if I can say it.

“You know, it added complexities, which potentially added this much vs. if we just have that [sports] discipline, what would that look like, right? We have to have those conversations; I think Milano Cortina is going to allow for us to have those conversations, those conversations are already being had in the Olympic Programme Working Group, because that is part of their remit is to look at the program, and when we look at the program, we start looking at sustainability, at disbursements of where the venues should be and what that should look like.

“It’s a much greater conversation, but I do think already now, we are seeing that it’s not just the sort of simple answer.”

She explained that the experience of a spread-out Games will be a positive in that it will allow the IOC to see the concept in practice and “allow for us to realign and adjust for the future.” She also pointed to the trust that athletes have in these sites that they are so familiar with from their seasonal World Cup circuits.

Dubi noted that with the opening ceremony spread across four locations, “you never had the skiers able to go to an Olympic opening ceremony. Never; it does not happen. This time around, being in Livigno, being in Cortina, being in Predazzo, the athletes will be able to walk.”

It was noted that more than a million tickets have been sold (about two-thirds of capacity), but that there are still some available.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Dual Milan Cortina cauldrons revealed for Games; African Cup of Nations degenerates into chaos; FIFA PASS visa program opening

Rich Perelman

January 20, 2026

tsx pix 2026-120 milan owg cauldron arco della pace (mico) — Rendering of the Olympic Cauldron at the Arco della Pace in Milan (Image: Milan Cortina 2026).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● A unique aspect of the upcoming Winter Games will be two cauldrons for the Olympic Flame, lit simultaneously in two locations: in Milan at the Arco della Pace and in Cortina d’Ampezzo in Piazza Dibona. Per the announcement:

“They will be lit and extinguished in perfect synchrony, paying tribute to the constant dialogue between the different territories of this widespread edition of the Games.”

The cauldrons are made of aluminum, inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s “Knots”:

“The structure features variable geometry, with a diameter that expands from 3.1 meters when closed to 4.5 meters when open [10.2 to 14.8 feet]. The complex mechanical system integrates 244 pivot points and 1,440 components, mounted on pins and bearings. At its core, the Flame is enclosed in a glass-and-metal container and makes use of sustainable scenic effects: no material fallout, low acoustic impact, minimal smoke emissions and complete safety for environments in contact with the public.”

The Milan cauldron will be featured in a special, 3-5 minute daily show from 7 February, occurring on the hour, every hour, from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., open to the public.

● Paralympic Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● Russian athletes had been announced to be ineligible for the Winter Paralympic skiing and snowboarding events based on the position of the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS).

However, it was reported Tuesday that the International Paralympic Committee will allow “bilateral invitations” to be issued to specific Russian athletes in alpine and cross-country skiing and snowboard.

These invitations are expected to be made by 13 February and are to be approved by the IPC. No indication was given on the number of invitations to be extended.

● Alpine Skiing ● The FIS women’s World Cup stopped in Kronplatz (ITA) on Tuesday for a Giant Slalom, with Austria’s Julia Scheib winning her fourth gold this season, coming from second after the first run to win the second and time 2:19.85. That was just enough to beat Swiss Slalom star Camille Rast (2:20.22) and Sara Hector (SWE: 2:20.31).

American star Mikaela Shiffrin was fourth overall at 2:20.71, showing she is going to be a contender for an Olympic medal in this event. Fellow American Paula Moltzan was eighth (2:21.36) and Elisabeth Bocock was 12th in 2:22.54.

Much attention was focused on the return to the slopes of Italian star Federica Brignone – the 2025 Giant Slalom World Champion – who suffered a bad crash at last April’s Italian championships, but has recovered enough to ski and finished a very creditable sixth overall. She was not sure, however, about competing at the Winter Games.

● Athletics ● Impressive season opener from Olympic women’s high jump champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR), clearing 2.03 m (6-8) at home in Lviv on 17 January.

It equals her sixth-highest jump ever and only 12 other women – including her – have ever jumped higher indoors.

● Football ● Sunday’s African Cup of Nations final in Rabat (MAR) between host Morocco and Senegal descended into chaos when in a 0-0 match that was in stoppage time of the second half, a goal for Senegal’s Ismaila Sarr at 90+2 was disallowed on video review.

This incensed the Senegalese, who were then further infuriated by a penalty called against them at 90+5 on Morocco’s Brahim Diaz. The foul was not initially called by the referee, but the Video Assistant Referee signaled and the play was reviewed and a penalty given.

At that point, Senegal coaches, players and officials protested on the field and some Senegal fans tried to come onto the pitch as well, then being accosted by security staff. Senegal coach Pape Thiaw then ordered his team off the field as a protest, with some following and some staying.

After a 14-minute delay, Diaz finally took the penalty but keeper Edouard Mendy stopped it; Diaz just popped it straight toward the goal, expecting Mendy to jump one way or the other. Play continued, with regulation time finishing 0-0.

Senegal’s Pape Gueye finally scored in the 94th and Senegal held on for the win, 1-0. There were flare-ups between writers in the press section and between Moroccan flag-waving fans and some Senegal substitutes on the field, but the final score stood. Arguments continued in the media center and Senegal coach Thiaw was booed by Moroccan media members at the post-match news conference and left!

The African Confederation issued an unhappy statement on Monday:

“The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) condemns the unacceptable behaviour of some players and officials during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Final between Morocco and Senegal in Rabat last night.

“CAF strongly condemns any inappropriate behaviour which occurs during matches, especially those targeting the refereeing team or match organizers.

“CAF is reviewing all footage and will refer the matter to competent bodies for appropriate action to be taken against those found guilty.”

FIFA announced that the “FIFA PASS” program for ticket buyers for FIFA World Cup 2026 matches in the U.S. is open.

It’s “a voluntary, opt-in process that allows FIFA World Cup 2026 ticket holders travelling to the United States to access prioritised visa interview appointments” according to FIFA, but is not needed for fans from U.S. Visa Waiver Program countries. The announcement noted:

“All current FIFA World Cup 2026 ticket holders will be notified in the upcoming days by the FIFA ticket office with information on the availability of FIFA PASS, along with instructions on how to opt in to the process. Future ticket purchasers will receive the same opt-in opportunity at time of purchase.”

Midfield star Rose Lavelle has been voted U.S. Soccer’s women’s player of the year for 2025, scoring three goals in her national team matches and helping Gotham FC to the NWSL title.

Lavelle received 29.2% of the weighted vote, ahead of Sam Coffey (23.9%) and Catarina Macario (22.3%).

● Ski Jumping ● In the first of two competitions off the 102 m hill in Zao (JPN), early-season sensation Nozomi Maruyama (JPN) won her sixth FIS women’s World Cup gold, scoring 222.5 points, well ahead of Lisa Eder (AUT: 207.1) and Germany’s Selina Freitag (205.8). Slovenian star Nika Prevc’s six-event win streak ended, as she finished fourth (205.6).

Paige Jones of the U.S. was 16th (172.3).

● Tennis ● Venus Williams, now 45, played and lost in the first round of the Australian Open, losing a three-set match against Serbia’s Olga Danilovic, 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 4-6. Sje had been granted a wild card entry. She is now the oldest to play in a women’s Singles main draw at the tournament in the Open Era.

She is also entered in the women’s Doubles with Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova.

● Water Polo ● The U.S. women’s national team defeated 2025 Worlds runner-up Hungary, 13-8, in Budapest on Saturday to complete a sweep of their two exhibition matches.

The Americans had only a 6-5 lead at half, but broke the game open in the third period with a 4-1 advantage. Ryann Neushul was the individual star, with five goals, and four for Jordan Raney.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

FIGURE SKATING: NBC analysts Lipinski and Weir see not only three possible U.S. golds, but maybe a women’s sweep?

Rich Perelman

January 20, 2026

tsx pix 2025-327 liu, alysia wch shrt pgm (isu) — American star Alysa Liu, the 2025 ISU women’s Singles World Champion (Photo: ISU).

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ WINTER GAMES PREVIEW ≡

“In terms of Team USA, it should be a great team. High expectations. Might be the deepest, most talented contingent that the U.S. is going to send for an overseas Winter Olympics.”

That was NBC’s Terry Gannon, who will announce the figure skating competitions at the Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games, starting off a media briefing last Thursday with his analysts, 1998 Olympic champion Tara Lipinski and two-time U.S. Olympian Johnny Weir.

Lipinski went further on the U.S. squad, especially the women’s trio of World Champion Alysa Liu, three-time U.S. champ Amber Glenn and 2024 Worlds silver medalist Isabeau Levito:

“I truly believe this is the best team that I’ve seen in possibly over 20 years. There hasn’t been a U.S. woman on top of an Olympic podium since 2002, but this women’s team, we’re calling them ‘the big three’ and for good reason. There could be multiple medals, multiple U.S. women on top of that podium and it’s just very exciting to feel the excitement coming back into the sport.

“Obviously I am biased, but figure skating is the premier event at the Winter Olympics. This year it feels extra special. …

“[A]s Terry mentioned, out of the four disciplines, I think that the U.S. could come home with three Olympic gold medals and one of them being for Ilia Malinin. He is man-on-the-moon type material. Once-in-a-generation type skater. The things he does I thought I’d never see in my lifetime. Whatever he does, I know it’s going to be a historic skate. If you sort of look back at what he’s done this season, he’s almost competing in a different competition than everyone else, winning events by 75 points.”

Lipinski then broke down what to expect from the three U.S. women’s stars:

● “We can start with Alysa Liu who is the reigning world champion. If you look back in history and the track record of winning the world champions before an Olympic Games, it really sets her on the right path to not only be the favorite to win this Olympic gold medal but to bring it home and she us having a comeback like I have seen before in this sport. It’s definitely not one of pressure. It’s one of joy and passion and love for her sport and I think that’s what’s connecting her to millions of people at home.

“She’s so relatable and so authentic in the way that she performs and competes and she also has this unique ability, which I think everyone is trying to figure out what it is and then copy it, but she is skating in her own little bubble without pressure because she really feels that she’s doing this for herself and she’s taking full ownership over her skating. And she doesn’t feel the expectations that you would think she would and that gives her the edge to be able to compete under pressure.”

● “Then you have Amber Glenn, which her story of perseverance is just incredible. Johnny and I have both commentated Amber from pretty much the start and seen how she’s grown and really come into the woman that she is. And she is so special and I think important for our sport the way that she’s so open and vulnerable about her mental health issues and struggles and how she overcomes the doubts and the pressure that she faces and over the last two years – she’s in her 20s, which is definitely not old, but in figure skating terms it is older and she’s proven what you can do at any age if you work at it. She has a triple Axel which she’s the only American woman putting that into competition right now from the big three. The way she performs is so special. Because of her vulnerable she connects to the audience that way.”

● “And then Isabeau Levito really is that – I call her that skater in the snow globe. She is that quintessential ballerina that was put on ice. She brings elegance and grace and charm and she is a perfectionist. As beautiful and sparkly are her costumes, underneath it all is desire and will.”

Weir noted that the Team Event will come first:

“The Team Event will be hotly contested but I would say that Team USA are heavy favorites at this point. The team event is going to be a great way to start for U.S. figure skating fans and even for people that only tune in every four years for the Olympics and don’t watch the trials and tribulations of the skating season on a whole every season. I think that it will just be the most magical way to start.”

He also commented on an important rule change:

“[A]fter the last Olympic [Winter] Games, the age minimum for skaters to compete in the Olympics was 16 and since that Olympics they changed it to 17, first of all, in hopes that it would help elongate the careers of many of the top women because for a while, we saw an influx of young talent from Russia specifically that would they had two seasons where they really shone brightly and then they would go away and we would never see them compete in international competitions again because there was another 13, 14, 15-year-old there to take their place.

“I think the International Skating Union did a clever thing in aging that age minimum to 17 for Olympic Games and for senior-level competition.”

The trio will be busy in Milan with the figure skating starting on 6 February – the day of the opening ceremony – and continuing through 19 February with just three days off thrown into the schedule.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TEAM USA WINTER MEDAL TRACKER: Armbruster Humphries wins gold and silver, Vonn silver and bronze in nine-medal weekend

Rich Perelman

January 20, 2026

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ STAT BLITZ≡

The Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games are really close now, and U.S. athletes continue to shine in winter-sport World Cup events, but with the schedule thinning as the Games approach.

Over the weekend, American athletes won nine more medals (one gold) in international competition:

Alpine Skiing: FIS World Cup in Tarvisio (ITA):
● Women/Downhill ~ Bronze: Lindsey Vonn
● Women/Super-G ~ Silver: Lindsey Vonn

Said Vonn after her Downhill bronze:

“It’s crazy that I’m back here after 15 years. Unfortunately I don’t remember the track from 15 years ago! …

“But I do remember the fans and I do remember the atmosphere. It’s so fun to race when there’s so many excited people and fans. It makes racing World Cup that much more exciting.

“It was actually really tough and I tried not to have too much expectation because I knew these other girls were going to be fast. The snow was really soft, it was really hard to see in the middle and I made a pretty big mistake but I’m happy to be on the podium again.

“For me what’s important is to be consistent and I’m really happy that I could do that despite the conditions.”

After the Super-G bronze, Vonn has seven medals in her eight races this season … at age 41! She added:

“If I can fight for the [FIS Crystal] Globe in Super-G as well, that would be amazing. I obviously feel really confident in Downhill, but Super-G could be a little better, so today was a good step in the right direction and it gives me confidence for Milano Cortina.”

Bobsled & Skeleton: IBSF World Cup in Altenberg (GER):
● Women/Monobob ~ Gold: Kaillie Armbruster Humphries
● Two-Woman ~ Silver: Humphries and Jasmine Jones

After her Monobob win, Armbruster Humphries, 40, said, “I’m really happy with today.

“My drives were good, and we’re still working on getting my pushes faster at the start. I think that’s just coming back post-partum, taking it step-by-step. The goal was always to build each and every race throughout this year up until the Olympics, and I think we’ve been pretty successful at that, so to be able to win at Monobob again is a really good feeling. We still have a lot of work to do, but overall, it continues to be steps in the right direction, which is great. …

“Age is just a number; it does not define us or limit us in anything.”

Freestyle Skiing: FIS World Cup in Waterville Valley. New Hampshire:
● Women/Moguls ~ Silver: Elizabeth Lemley
● Women/Moguls ~ Bronze: Olivia Giaccio

Freestyle Skiing: FIS World Cup in Laax (SUI):
● Women/Slopestyle ~ Silver: Marin Hamill

Snowboard: FIS World Cup in Laax (SUI):
● Women/Slopestyle ~ Silver: Lily Dhawornvej

Snowboard: FIS World Cup in Dongbeiya (CHN):
● Men/SnowCross ~ Bronze: Nathan Pare

Vonn and Armbruster Humphries appear to be peaking at the right time. Many of the winter sport schedules have concluded, with Short Track over for now, one more event for figure skating and speed skating, and bobsled and skeleton are done for the season. Skiing will continue.

The Winter Games will open on 6 February.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MILAN CORTINA 2026: Opening ceremony plan to be “human-driven” with “no technological thrills,” but in four locations!

Karen Rosen

January 20, 2026

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ BALICH ON OLYMPIC OPENING ≡

The Opening Ceremony for the Milan Cortina Winter Games will emphasize humanity over technology while performing the complicated task of merging athlete parades in four locations throughout Italy.

Creative director Marco Balich (ITA, pictured below from a video screenshot) said that while technology has advanced in the 20 years since he won an Emmy Award for his work on the 2006 Turin Winter Games, his team is striving for a “very essential human-driven” ceremony with “no technological thrills.”

“When we think of the big images, we remember Muhammad Ali shaking [in 1996], the archer [Antonio Rebollo] in Barcelona lighting the cauldron,” said Balich, who has worked on a record 16 Olympic ceremonies. “We do not remember how much LED on the floor there was, or what kind of super powerful flying system was on top. The essence is human-driven and the emotion comes from humanity. This is our secret ingredient.”

The 70,000-seat San Siro Stadium in Milan is the main venue for the 2½-hour show, while simultaneous ceremonies will be held in Cortina, Valtellino and Val di Fiemme. During the athlete parade, the camera will jump from place to place to seamlessly show each country’s participants “marching together.”

“It’s challenging, but at the same time I think it is a great new feature of this Olympics,” Balich said. “We enable all the athletes to participate in the athlete parade … even if they have a competition the next day. That’s a beautiful gift that this Games gives to the athletes so they can represent their country with a big smile.”

Balich introduced the overall theme of “Armonia,” a word with Greek roots that connects man and nature or city and mountains.

“Everything that is harmonious is beautiful and for us Italians, beauty is an essence,” Balich said. “And Armonia is also a universal message of peace, which is very needed now in 2026.”

The Olympic Truce will be a major element in the show.

The set design in San Siro Stadium features a 30-meter [98-foot] central circle representing a place of gathering and communion, while four ramps are conceptual roads connecting Cortina, Anterselva, Val di Fiemme and Livigno.

Balich said the athletes will be placed next to the action while also being next to the protocol stage for the speeches.

Celebrities who will perform include Andrea Bocelli and Laura Pausini, who are Italian icons. The top international star is American Mariah Carey, who will sing a famous Italian song, and Balich said, “You will see the entire stadium singing along. That is my promise.”

The show will also celebrate Italy’s three famous composers: Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi and Gioachino Rossini.

During an online round table with more than 200 journalists, Balich revealed the cauldron, which is “usually a very well-kept secret,” he said.

However, this was necessary because there will be two cauldrons built in public areas – one in the heart of Milan and the other in the main square of Cortina.

The design was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci and his geometrical knots. The flame is small, as a nod toward sustainability, and and the cauldrons will expand during evening shows at the top of every hour.

“It’s a contemporary symbol that speaks of design, sunshine, sustainability and beauty,” Balich said. “I really expect that to become a viral social media sensation.”

He said the projected audience for the opening ceremony – without Africa and India – is estimated to be 2.2 billion people.

He hopes to appeal to Gen Z and the younger generation as well as the traditional Olympic fans.

“This is a true moment when the entire world is watching,” Balich said. “We are a small nation that contributes a lot to the world in terms of beauty, in terms of culture, in terms of sense of brotherhood. We are not a belligerent country. We love peace and we want to state that big and loud.”

The show will also feature a tribute to Giorgio Armani, a symbol of all the great fashion designers from Milan. Balich said they changed the perception of Italy “from pizza, pasta, mozzarella into an elegant, design-driven and beauty-inspired generation of Italians.”

Armani, who died in September 2025, left one of his final marks on the Games.

“For the first time we share that among the last drawings that Giorgio Armani did when he was alive is the the drawing of the outfit of the flagbearer in Milano Cortina,” Balich said. “It’s going to be very emotional for us Italians to see this.”

The opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics had some controversial moments, but Balich did not expect any from the Milan Cortina presentation.

“It’s a unique platform to convey good messages and not messages that divide,” he said.

While Balich said the opening ceremonies for Paris, Athens 2004 and London 2012 were “guru-driven,” he prefers a model where the creative director coordinates with other talents. His team includes veterans from the worlds of opera and Cirque du Soleil.

“It’s like a football team versus a single tennis player,” Balich said.

He did not want to reveal too much, but said 1,200 volunteers join professionals in the segments, which change every three to four minutes.

One segment will celebrate 102 years of Winter Olympics. “We go through different eras with people changing outfits in front of your eyes,” Balich said.

At 8 p.m. local time on 6 February, the Olympic opening ceremony will be appointment TV around the world.

“People will be awake to see their team, to see who is lighting the cauldron,” Balich said. “It’s always a beautiful celebration of the athletes, the sports and the Games.”

And it’s his job to make sure Italy shines.

Limited tickets are still available for the opening ceremony. Explained Balich:

“One goal of our ceremony is to deliver three or four strong images of the ceremony, among which two or three images that really trigger the sense of pride to the host nation.”

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Papadakis’ book loses her NBC announce job; U.S. expands events for athlete visa exemptions; Armbruster Humphries wins again!

Rich Perelman

January 18, 2026

tsx pix 2026-117 humphries wins altenberg (ibsf-viesturs lacis) — A World Cup Monobob win for American star Kaillie Armbrister Humphries! (Photo: IBSF/Viesturs Lacis).

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● Beijing Olympic Ice Dance gold medalist Gabriella Papadakis (FRA) had been working with NBC as a figure skating commentator, but in the tumult surrounding her memoir – in specific, criticism of her skating partner Guillaume Cizeron – she has been released by the network.

Papadakis’ new book, “So As Not To Disappear,” came out last week and called Cizeron a “controlling” and “demanding” partner. Cizeron’s attorneys have asked for a cessation of “defamatory statements” about him, and Papadakis told the French all-sports newspaper L’Equipe:

“To my knowledge, in reaction to Guillaume filing a formal notice, which was made public, they [NBC] considered that the perception of my neutrality was compromised and that I could not commentate on the Olympic Games.”

Of Cizeron – now skating with ex-Canadian Laurence Fournier Beaudry – Papadakis told L’Equipe:

“As long as I took a backseat role while Guillaume was the leader, everything went well. It’s when I wanted to be an equal in this relationship that things started to become more and more difficult.”

The White House announced Saturday that Vice President J.D. Vance and Usha Vance will lead the American delegation at the opening of the Milan Cortina Games.

Also attending will be Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Italian Ambassador Tilman Feritta, and Olympic gold medalists Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando (ice hockey), Apolo Ohno (short track) and Evan Lysacek (figure skating).

● United States ● The U.S. State Department sent a cable last week to its outposts, expanding the list of “major sporting events” for which athletes and officials will be exempt from visa bans otherwise instituted for multiple countries.

The exemption lists “all competitions and qualifying events” for the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan-American Games and Para Pan-American Games; events hosted, sanctioned or recognized by a U.S. National Governing Body; all competitions and qualifying events for the Special Olympics; and official events and competitions hosted or endorsed by FIFA or its confederations.

The Associated Press reported that the “exemption also will cover official events and competitions hosted by the International Military Sports Council, the International University Sports Federation and the National Collegiate Athletic Association as well as those hosted or endorsed by U.S. professional sports leagues such as the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and Women’s National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball and Little League, the National Hockey League, the Professional Women’s Hockey League, NASCAR, Formula 1, the Professional Golf Association, the Ladies Professional Golf Association, LIV Golf, Major League Rugby, Major League Soccer, World Wrestling Entertainment, Ultimate Fighting Championship and All Elite Wrestling.”

There have been multiple incidents of athletes and officials being denied entry into the U.S. for events based on restrictions implemented by the Trump Administration, and worries about some major league players related to the World Baseball Classic in March. A full travel ban is on for Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen and people with passports from the Palestinian Authority.

A partial ban is now in place for Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Togo, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

● Transgender ● “Today, the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED’s) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ’s) Title IX Special Investigations Team (Title IX SIT) initiated an investigation into the California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) amid allegations that its ‘Transgender Participation Policy’ (Policy) violates Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX).”

That was a Thursday announcement, with the statement noting specifically that the Community College Association policy “resulted in discrimination against at least three female athletes on the basis of sex by allowing a male athlete to participate on the women’s volleyball team at a member college and access locker facilities for women during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. It further alleges that 3C2A ignored female students’ complaints about the harms caused to females when male students participate in female sports.”

The Department of Education has also been pursuing high school athletic policies of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), a matter now in the courts.

● Athletics ● Charges in two cases against 2022 World men’s 100 m champion Fred Kerley of the U.S. were dropped in Miami last week. First, the charges against him for domestic violence against then-girlfriend, Olympic hurdler Alaysha Johnson, were dismissed by a Florida judge for “lack of cooperation” from the alleged victim.

His 2 January 2025 altercation with police – when he tried to get to his car in an area where police activity was taking place – and subsequent arrest was resolved as Kerley agreed to take an anger management course.

Kerley, the 2022 World men’s 100 m champ, has signed to run with the doping-friendly Enhanced Games in May.

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Alpine Skiing ● Another Downhill medal for American star Lindsey Vonn at the FIS women’s World Cup in Tarvisio (ITA) on Saturday, taking the bronze in 1:46.54 as the no. 11 starter. Italian Nicol Delago, 30, who won her first World Cup medal in two years and her first-ever gold at 1:46.28, followed by 2021 Worlds silver winner Kira Weidle-Winkelmann (GER: 1:46.48).

American Breezy Johnson, the 2025 World Champion, was sixth at 1:47.13. In five Downhill events this season, Vonn has five medals and continues as the seasonal leader.

On Sunday, German Emma Aicher got the Super-G win in 1:q4.04, with Vonn winning the silver in 1:14.31, her second medal in three Super-G races! Two-sport star Ester Ledecka (CZE: 1:14.98) was third.

At the FIS men’s World Cup in Wengen (SUI), the three-time World Junior Champs gold medalist Giovanni Franzoni was hot, winning Friday’s Super-G in 1:45.19, his second career World Cup medal and first win. He beat Stefan Babinsky (AUT: 1:45.54) and Downhill World Champion Franjo Von Allmen (SUI: 1:45.56). Ryan Cochran-Siegle was the top American, in sixth at 1:46.02.

Saturday’s Downhill was the seventh win of the season for Swiss superstar Marco Odermatt, in 1:33.14, trailed by Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT: 1:33.93) and Franzoni (1:34.04). Cochran-Siegle was 15th at 1:34.84.

Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath won the Sunday Slalom in 1:45.99, ahead of Brazilian Lucas Braathen (1:46.46) and Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen (1:46.80).

● Archery ● World Archery Indoor World Series in Nimes (FRA), Spain’s Andres Temino won the men’s Recurve gold with a shoot-out win over Chun-Heng Wei (TPE), 6-5 with both shooting 10s, but Temino’s arrow closest to the center.

France’s Victoria Sebastian won the women’s Recurve final, 7-3, over Mexico’s Angela Ruiz.

● Athletics ● At the Jimmy Carnes Invitational in Gainesville, Florida, sprint star Noah Lyles of the U.S. opened up with a 32.60 300 m win over training partner Cheickna Traore (CIV: 33.16) and Shomari Pettigrew (USA: 35.55). It’s the first time Lyles had run the distance since his 31.87, a then-world best back in 2017, and he still ranks no. 2 all-time.

● Badminton ● The BWF World Tour India Open in New Delhi was actually held despite significant challenges at the venue. On the court, unseeded Chun-Yi Lin (TPE) took the men’s Singles over Jonatan Christie (INA), 21-10, 21-18, and Olympic champ Se Young An (KOR) won by 21-13. 21-11 over second-seed Zhi Yi Wang (CHN).

China won the men’s and women’s Doubles and Thailand took the Mixed Doubles title.

The Times of India reported on bird waste on the courts, a monkey in the seating area and stray dogs wandering around and trying to catch rats, noting “the problems were neither isolated or minor.”

It was bad enough that Badminton World Federation issued a statement that glossed over most of the issues and noted:

“While some areas of implementation, including general cleanliness and hygiene plus animal control have required attention, the Badminton Association of India (BAI) has acted promptly to address these concerns. Players have also noted the positive enhancements to the playing surface and flooring, gymnasium, and medical facilities.

“The move to the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex provides greater space for athletes and officials and meets BWF’s Field of Play requirements for hosting the BWF World Championships. Insights gathered this week will guide further upgrades to deliver a world-class experience in August, where the seasonal issues are not expected being as severe.”

● Biathlon ● The fifth stop in the IBU World Cup tour was in Ruhpolding (GER), with the Swedish Oeberg sisters continuing to star in the women’s races, and two-time Olympic gold medalist Hanna – the older – winning the 7.5 km Sprint in 19:10.7 (0 penalties) over French star Lou Jeanmonnot (19:18.2/0) and Italy’s Lisa Vittozzi (19:22.4/0). Elvira Oeberg – who had won the last two World Cup races – was fourth (19:25.3/0).

Fellow Swede Sebastian Samuelsson took the men’s 10 km Sprint in 21:53.8 (8), ahead of Italy’s Tomasso Giacomel (22:11.4/1), who had won the prior three World Cup races. Sean Doherty was the top American, in 40th (23:26.3/1).

The Pursuit races on Sunday saw Norway’s Johannes Dale-Skjevdal log his first win of the season in 30:23.9 (1), over Eric Perrot (FRA: 30:28.8/3). Jeanmonnot won the women’s 10 km Pursuit in 29:26.6 (1) over Hanna Oeberg (29:37.1/3).

● Bobsled & Skeleton ● U.S. star Kaillie Humphries is getting hot at the right time, winning the IBSF World Cup women’s Monobob in Altenberg (GER) in the season finale, in 1:58.97. The 2022 Beijing Olympic champ was 0.13 up on Australia’s Bree Walker (1:59.10) and two-time World Champion Laura Nolte (GER: 1:59.16). Elana Meyers Taylor of the U.S. was ninth (2:00.06). Nolte won the seasonal title over Walker, 1,446 to 1,429.

The Two-Woman race went to Nolte and Deborah Levi in 1:52.33, with Armbruster Humphries and Jasmine Jones right behind for silver in 1:53.23. Nolte and Armbruster Humphries were 1-2 for the season.

The Two-Man title went to German 2023 World Champion Johannes Lochner, with Georg Fleischhauer, in 1:50.13, ahead of Adam Ammour (+ Benedikt Hertel: 1:50.58) and Olympic champ Francesco Friedrich (+ Alexander Schueller: 1:50.64). Frank Del Duca and Boone Niederhofer of the U.S. finished sixth (1:51.32). Lochner, Friedrich and Ammour finished 1-2-3 for the season.

In the Four-Man races, it was another German sweep, with Ammour winning in 1:49.13, then Lochner in 1:49.15 and Friedrich in 1:49.28. Lochner, Friedrich and Ammour were 1-2-3 in the seasonal standings.

The Skeleton season finished in Altenberg, with Britain’s 2025 Worlds runner-up Marcus Wyatt winning his second race of the season, in 1:50.47, ahead of a three-tie for second with two-time World Champion Matt Weston (GBR), Axel Jungk (GER) and 2022 Olympic champ Christopher Grotheer (GER), all in 1:50.65. Austin Florian was the top American, in 14th (1:51.78).

Weston won the seasonal title with 1,545 points, to 1,328 for China’s Zheng Yin.

Germany’s Jacqueline Pfeifer, the 2017 World Champion, won the women’s race in 1:54.42 to 1:54.75 for teammate Susanne Kreher, with Belgian Kim Meylemans third (1:54.76). Kelly Curtis was the best U.S. finisher, in 17th (1:56.59). Meylemans won the seasonal crown with 1,443 points to 1,338 for Pfeifer.

Germany (Kreher-Jungk) won the Mixed Team title in 1:58.21 with Britain second (1:58.56) and the U.S. fourth with Florian and Curtis.

● Cross Country Skiing ● At the FIS World Cup in Oberhof (GER), Norway’s Lars Heggen got his second medal of the season and first gold with a 2:25.83 win in the Freestyle Sprint, beating Italian star Federico Pellegrino (+0.32).

Beijing Olympic women’s Sprint champ Jonna Sundling (SWE) won her second sprint of the season in 2:43.79, just 0.71 up on Coletta Rydzek (GER) and 2.54 on fellow Swede Maja Dahlqvist.

Sunday had the Classical Interval Start 10 km races, with Martin Nyenget (NOR) getting his second World Cup win of the season in 21:09.1 over Finn Iivo Niskanen (21:22.9). The women’s race went Moa Ilar (SWE: 24:37.0), trailed by Teresa Stadlober (AUT: 24:37.7) and Sundling (24:57;8); U.S. star Jessie Diggins was fourth in 25:07.3 and maintained her seasonal lead.

● Cycling ● The UCI Women’s World Tour opened with the Santos Tour Down Under, with Australian home favorite Ally Wollaston winning the first two stages. But the third and final stage saw Swiss Neomi Ruegg win by 0:01 over two others and with Wollaston more than seven minutes back, Ruegg claimed the overall title.

Ruegg finished in 10:27:36 overall, trailed by Spain’s Mavi Garcia (+0:11) and Paula Blasi (+0:14).

● Freestyle Skiing ● Weather caused the FIS World Cup in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire to be reduced to just a single Moguls event for men and women, with two-time World Champion Ikuma Horishima (JPN: 85.56) the clear winner over Filip Gravenfors (SWE: 80.54). Nick Page was the top U.S. finisher, in fifth (78.92).

Olympic champ Jakara Anthony took the women’s event for her third straight World Cup gold (81.17), over Americans Elizabeth Lemley (78.12) and Olivia Giaccio (76.60). Giaccio is the only rider to medal in each of the four Moguls events held so far!

At the FIS World Cup Slopestyle in Laax (SUI), 2021 World Champion Eileen Gu (CHN) took the win at 85.13, well ahead of Marin Hamill of the U.S. (71.38) and Lara Wolf (AUT: 67.85). Hamill, 24, won her second career World Cup medal and first in four years!

Norway’s two-time World Champion Birk Ruud won the men’s contest at 85.08, over Matej Svancer (AUT: 84.08) and Evan McEachran (CAN: 82.70). American Hunter Henderson was fifth (80.50).

● Ice Hockey ● At the 18th IIHF women’s World U-18 Championship, held in Sydney (CAN), the U.S. squad claimed the 10th American title with a 2-0 over Canada in the final.

The U.S. won their quarterfinal by 9-0 over Hungary and 9-1 over Sweden and the Canadians beat Finland (12-0) and Czechia (8-1). The Czechs won the bronze over Sweden, 4-3.

● Luge ● At the FIL World Cup 6 in Oberhof (GER), 2023 World Champion Jonas Mueller (AUT) won his third race of the year in 1:24.59, beating Germany’s six-time World Champion Felix Loch (1:24.640) and two-time World Champion Max Langenhan (1:24.824). The best U.S. finisher was Jonny Gustafson in 19th.

The Doubles went to three-time Olympic winners Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt (GER: 1:22.687) over fellow German stars Toni Eggert and Florian Muller (1:22.941).

German Merle Fraebel won her second medal and first gold in the women’s Singles in 1:22.867 over Lisa Schulte (AUT: 1:26.810) and Natalie Maag (SUI: 1:23.148). Ashley Farquharson was ninth for the U.S. in 1:23.458.

Two-time World Champions Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal won the women’s Doubles in 1:23.956 over Austria’s two-time World Champions, Selina Egle and Lara Kipp (1:24.137).

● Nordic Combined ● Norway’s Jens Oftebro got his first FIS World Cup gold of the season in Oberhof (GER), taking Saturday’s Compact 100 m jumping and 7.5 km race in 17:51.6, beating Austrian star (and seasonal leader) Johannes Lamparter (17:53.3) in a tight finish.

Sunday’s Gunderson 100 m jumping and 10 km race was 1-2 for the Oftebro brothers, with Jens winning in 27:49.0 and older brother Einar crossing in 28:16.8.

Norwegian women’s star Ida Marie Hagen won her sixth World Cup gold in a row, taking the Compact 100 m and 5 km race in 14:03.3, with German Nathalie Armbruster second (14:11.0). American Alexa Brabec was fourth in 14:25.6.

The women’s Gundersen 100/5 km on Sunday went to Hagen of course, in 15:46.7, ahead of Minja Korhonen (FIN: 16:22.1), with Brabec fourth again in 16:47.6.

● Ski Jumping ● The FIS men’s World Cup moved to Asia with competitions in Sapporo (JPN) off the 137 m hill and Slovenian star Domen Prevc coming out on top again, with 285.7 points, moving from second to first in the final round. He edged Japan’s Naoki Nakamura (263.6) and Ren Nikaido (257.6).

On Sunday, Prevc completed a sweep, scoring 277.7 to 274.2 for Japanese star Ryoyu Kobayashi.

Younger sister Nika Prevc continued her rampage through the women’s World Cup, this time in Zhangjiakou (CHN) on the 140 m hill, with her fifth and sixth straight wins.

She took Friday’s event with 245.6 points to 221.9 for Nozomi Maruyama (JPN) and 215.2 for Selina Freitag (GER). Prevc won on Saturday in the one-round event due to weather with 113.6 points, over Anna Stroem (NOR: 97.5) and Maruyama (94.7).

● Ski Mountaineering ● Two-time World Champion Oriol Cardona Coll (ESP) won the men’s Sprint race at the ISMF World Cup in Courchevel (FRA), timing 2:41.6 to 2:45.3 for French star (and twice Worlds runner-up) Thibault Anselmet.

In the men’s Vertical Race, Swiss star Remi Bonnet – the 2025 World Champion – triumphed at 20:02.2, way ahead of Aurelian Gay (SUI: 21:08.9) and Cardona Coll (21:12.9).

The women’s Sprint went to France’s six-time Worlds medalist Emily Harrop in 3:07.0, with teammate Margot Ravinel second in 3:14.7. The women’s Vertical was another French gold, this time for Axelle Gachet Mollaret in 23:40.5, ahead of Harrop (24:21.7).

● Snowboard ● Oceanian athletes took the podium at the FIS World Cup in Laax (SUI) in the men’s Halfpipe, with four-time World Champion Scotty James (AUS) winning at 98.75, followed by New Zealand’s Campbell Melville Ives (91.00) and then Australian Valentino Guseli (80.25). Chase Josey of the U.S. was fourth at 75.00.

Korea’s Ga-on Choi won the women’s Halfpipe for the third time in five events this season, scoring 92.50 for a clean win over Rise Kudo (JPN: 82.75) and three-time World Champion Xuetong Cai (75.25).

In Slopestyle, France’s Romain Allemand won the men’s event at 86.70, ahead of Yuto Kimura (JPN: 81.95) and Olympic runner-up Yuming Su (CHN: 76.10). The women’s title went to 2025 Worlds runner-up Kokomo Murase (JPN: 77.55) over American Lily Dhawornvej (71.18).

In the men’s World Cup SnowCross in Dongbeiya (CHN), 2023 World Champion Jakob Dusek (AUT) won the Saturday final over Canada’s Olympic silver winner Eliot Grondin in the final.

Australia’s Adam Lambert won Sunday’s final over Olympic champ Alessandro Hammerle (AUT); American Nathan Pare took the bronze.

The first women’s final had Britain’s 2021 World Champion Charlotte Bankes with the win, beating Josie Baff (AUS) to the line for the gold. The second race on Sunday was a French 1-2 for Julia Nirani-Pereira over two-time Olympic medalist Chloe Trespeuch.

Beijing 2022 Olympic champ Benjamin Karl (AUT) won the Parallel Giant Slalom in Bansko (BUL), beating Arnaud Gaudet (CAN) in the championship final. On Sunday, home fans cheered Tervel Zamfirov to the win over Fabian Obmann (AUT).

The first women’s event went to 2018 Olympic bronzer Ramona Hofmeister (GER), against Aleksandra Krol-Walas (POL) in the final. Sunday’s racing saw Italian Elisa Caffont get her second win of the season over Japan’s Tsubaki Miki.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SWIMMING: Ledecky sensational at Tyr Pro Swim Austin with three wins, but Marchand, Ndoye Brouard also win three and Regan Smith won four!

Rich Perelman

January 17, 2026

tsx pix 2019-728 smith, regan victory stand 750 — World-record holder Regan Smith of the U.S.

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ TYR PRO SWIM: AUSTIN ≡

It’s just January, but the stars were out at the first Tyr Pro Swim Series in Austin, Texas and big names were touching first with fast times.

Right at the top was Freestyle superstar Katie Ledecky, who won the women’s 1,500 m Freestyle on the first night in 15:23.21, the second-fastest swim in history!

She continued with excellent swims and wins in the 800 m Free in 8:10.16, the no. 17 performance ever and with a winning margin of 25.62 seconds. And she took the 400 m Free at 4:00.84, ahead of improving fellow American Claire Weinstein (4:07.37). Weinstein also won the 200 m Free in 1:56.62.

But what about Regan Smith?

The eight-time Olympic medalist and six-time World Championships gold medalist was everywhere in the pool, dominating the Backstroke sprints with wins in the 50 Back in 27.67 and the 100 Back in 57.98. Now training with the legendary Bob Bowman in Austin, she also took wins in the 100 m Butterfly in 56.18, beating Canadian superstar Summer McIntosh (58.56), and the 200 Fly in 2:05.29, winning by more than four seconds. That’s four wins.

Triple Olympic winner McIntosh – still just 19 – did not leave empty-handed either, winning the women’s 200 m Medley by more than five seconds in 2:08.48, and the 400 m Medley in 4:28.13, winning by almost 11 seconds!

Simone Manuel, the Olympic women’s 100 m Free co-champ at Rio 16 won the women’s 50 m Free in 24.79, but was upset in the 100 m Free by 16-year-old Rylee Erisman, 53.34 to 53.55. Erisman was also busy, taking a bronze in the 200 Free behind Weinstein (1:57.19), another bronze in the 400 Free (4:11.02) and a silver in the 100 Back (behind Smith) in 59.25.

German World 100 m Breast champ Anna Elendt took the 100 m Breast in 1:06.91, but was upset by American Skyler Smith in the 50 Breast in 30.32 to 30.76.

In the men’s events, Paris Olympic icon Leon Marchand was impressive with wins in the 200 m Breast in 2:09.72, coming to the lead with a superb second half to win by more than a second, plus the 200 m Medley in 1:57.65 beating American stars Carson Foster (1:58.96) and Kieran Smith (1:59.86), and the 400 m Medley in 4:13.21 over Freestyle star Bobby Finke (4:18.35).

Fellow Frenchman Yohann Ndoye-Brouard, the two-time World Champs bronzer in 2025, won all three of the Backstroke events: 50 m in 24.94 (to 25.00 for American star Shaine Casas), 53.67 for the 100 Back and 1:56.68 for the 200 Back, beating Marchand (1:57.90) in the process.

France’s Maxime Grousset, the reigning 50-100 m Fly World Champion, impressed with wins in both of those events, taking the 50 in 22.80 (with U.S. star Caeleb Dressel third in 23.29) and the 100 in 50.95, ahead of Dressel (51.62). He also took silver in the 50 m Free (21.84 behind Andrej Barna of Serbia, 21.77) and the 100 m Free (48.36, behind Chris Guiliano’s 48.14).

Ryan Erisman, a Cal frosh who is the older brother of Rylee, won the 200 m Free in an upset over Worlds silver winner Luke Hobson (1:47.31), and took the 400 m Free in 3:46/75.

Triple Olympic gold medalist Finke won the men’s 1,500 m Free in 15:01.70 over Ireland’s Daniel Whiffen (15:04.98), the Paris bronzer, and then Whiffen – the Paris 800 m Free winner – took that event in 7:50.37, with Finke at 7:51.50 and Erisman at 7:51.87.

American Van Mathias won the 50 m Breast in 26.89, after moving to no. 3 all-time U.S. at 26.57 in the heats. He also won the 100 Breast in 59.45.

This is pretty elite swimming for the middle of January, in a year which has no World Aquatics Championships. And further confirmation that the name of “Erisman” is going to be heard a lot in both the men’s and women’s road to the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MILAN CORTINA 2026: Italian comedian Boldi removed as Olympic torchbearer after “hot” interview remarks about “sports”

Rich Perelman

January 17, 2026

tsx pix 2025-1206 milan cortina torch relay start — The opening of the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Torch Relay (Photo: Milan Cortina 2026).

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≡ A TOO-HOT INTERVIEW ≡

The Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, the organizing committee for the upcoming Olympic Winter Games issued a statement on Saturday that began:

“THE MILANO CORTINA 2026 ORGANISING COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES THAT
IT HAS DECIDED TO REMOVE ACTOR MASSIMO BOLDI FROM THE LIST OF TORCHBEARERS FOR THE OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY

“This decision follows an interview published today in a national newspaper, in which opinions were expressed that were deemed incompatible with Olympic values and with the principles guiding the work of the Organising Committee.

“Carrying the Olympic Flame is both a privilege and a responsibility, and requires that selected individuals embody and promote the values of respect, unity and inclusion, which are the foundations of the Olympic Movement and essential conditions for participation in the Torch Relay.”

What happened?

Embed from Getty Images

Boldi, 80, a long-time actor and comedian in Italy, spoke with the Rome daily Il Fatto Quotidiano in an interview published Saturday, which included:

“I have never moved a muscle. I am not an athlete. But the Olympic Committee called me and I accepted. And I didn’t take a euro. They promised me only six hundred meters, if it were more I don’t know how I would manage.

“I’m not a young man anymore… There are actually some disciplines in which I am a champion: the figa and aperitifs.’

Afterwards, he followed up with Il Fatto Quotidiano, which explained:

“The comedian – with his wit – described himself as a ‘great athlete’ of the ‘figa’ (literally, ‘hot’) – a joke, a comedian’s prank, which went down badly with the Foundation’s members. Boldi also stated that he’s not really an athlete, but that he loves Cortina very much.”

The newspaper reported further:

“The artist vented to a friend: ‘It’s all because of the line about the [sex]. I’m so sorry. I wanted to be a torchbearer. I was joking, obviously. They called me a thousand times for that interview. It caused a huge uproar.

“Now we absolutely have to fix it because I really wanted to be a torchbearer.”

That’s not going to happen, and as much as Boldi is embarrassed, it is a significant warning about the sensitivity around the nature of the Olympic Games and the insistence of the International Olympic Committee and the organizing committee on respect for the Olympic Movement.

The true impact of Boldi’s removal may not be so much for Milan Cortina, but for those organizing committees and host cities which come after.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: First meeting of Grand Slam Track creditors held in bankruptcy proceedings; “everyone … wants Grand Slam Track to succeed.”

Rich Perelman

January 17, 2026

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≡ GRAND SLAM TRACK ≡

LetsRun.com obtained a statement offered at the first meeting of the Grand Slam Track creditors and its bankruptcy reorganization team, in which the circuit acknowledged more than $30 million debt and just $7,300 in cash on hand. A loan from lead investor Winners Alliance is expected to pitch in with almost $3 million in loans to help Grand Slam Track in bankruptcy.

The statement from Mark Fulton of the Momentum-CHP Partnership, the league’s television production partner and the largest creditor at $3.04 million, included:

“Speaking on behalf of all vendors, let me be absolutely clear: everyone here wants Grand Slam Track to succeed. However, that success cannot – and should not – be built on the financial harm of the 2025 vendors. The impact on businesses, athletes and individuals has been severe, and the strain placed on people’s mental wellbeing has been significant and ongoing.

“The vendors have acted in good faith at every stage. Our support for the Grand Slam Track leadership, including founder Michael Johnson and President and COO Steve Gera, has been consistent and unwavering. We are not in this position due to any failure on the part of vendors. To the contrary, vendors repeatedly went above and beyond, a fact Mr. Gera himself acknowledged by routinely thanking us as ‘fantastic partners.’

“Let’s also be clear about this: without its vendors – including world-class athletes and the teams responsible for operations, infrastructure, broadcast, media, logistics and catering and many more – Grand Slam Track simply does not exist.

“Prior to Christmas, vendors were shocked by the treatment they received and by what can only be described as a disregard for the very people who delivered the product. Every element of this event was executed at the highest level. Everyone performed. There is no justification for work delivered in full not being paid for in full, or at the very least dealt with transparently and in good faith.

“In an effort to support the survival of Grand Slam Track, vendors offered meaningful concessions and reductions to the amounts owed. Those offers were not meaningfully engaged with. Since mid-October, nearly all communication has focused on preserving Grand Slam Track, while the vendors – who carried the operational and reputational risk – were largely ignored. The only proposal presented was unclear, incomplete, and when vendors sought clarification and quantification, there was no response. We did not choose to be in this position. But we are here now.”

The statement finished with:

“We are not here to argue. We are here to resolve this properly. That resolution must fairly address what is owed to vendors while allowing Grand Slam Track to move forward on a sustainable and credible footing. A resolution that meets those standards would allow all parties to move forward constructively and with confidence.”

Moving forward is going to be difficult, despite the comments. A recent filing explained that the reorganization effort includes looking for a sale of Grand Slam Track, essentially of its intellectual property assets. But it is also clear that the $7 million outstanding to participating athletes needs to be paid before anyone is going to take a chance on the circuit again.

Nine of the top 10 vendors are suppliers, for broadcasting, design and marketing, publicity and so on; the only athlete in the top 10 is Sydney McLaughlin-Levone, at $356,200. Seven of the top 20 are athletes.

The next hearing, dealing with interim financing, is slated for 2 February 2026.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Too much Italian mountain tourism; FIFA says ticket-cancellation story false; Ledecky swims no. 2 women’s 1,500 m Free in Austin!

Rich Perelman

January 15, 2026

tsx pix 2025-729 swim wch ledecky, katie (waq-aniko kovacs) — The greatest women’s swimmer ever: American Freestyle superstar Katie Ledecky (Photo: World Aquatics/Aniko Kovacs).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● Reuters posted a lengthy story titled “No selfies, please: Dolomites push back against overtourism ahead of Winter Olympics,” which noted the flip side of the popularity of the scenic mountains where the Milan Cortina Games will be held next month. Of note:

“[S]ome local officials and environmental groups counter that the global spotlight risks accelerating a troubling trend: overtourism fuelled by Instagram and TikTok, driven both by individual users and promotional campaigns.

“They warn that once-quiet destinations such as the Seceda summit and Lake Sorapis have already been transformed into viral hotspots overwhelmed by visitors. …

“A 2023 Apple advert featuring Seceda’s dramatic ridgeline helped spark a wave of visitors. By summer 2025, images of long queues at the cable car station – with tourists holding smartphones and parasols instead of hiking gear – had gone viral.”

It has gotten to the point now where some guides have their guests sign “non-disclosure” agreements, allowing lots of photographs, but no mention of what they picture and where it is. No such limits for the Games.

● World Anti-Doping Agency ● In a New Year’s message for 2026, WADA President Witold Banka (POL) and Director General Olivier Niggli (SUI) noted the priorities for the year. Of special note:

● “Increase Compliance Monitoring Program: We will intensify our compliance monitoring program through increased resources and stronger monitoring tools, including audits, to ensure anti-doping organizations have quality, compliant anti-doping programs, while providing more transparency on compliance data.”

● “Strengthen the position on appeals: To ensure that disciplinary decisions are in line with the Code and fair for athletes, we will allocate additional funding to increase the number of appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.”

Among the other initiatives, WADA wants to build up its “Intelligence and Investigations” program, extending its reach into continental groups.

● World Olympians Association ● After a difficult stretch in its relationship with the International Olympic Committee, the WOA and IOC issued a joint statement this week, reflecting a new agreement between them signed in October 2025.

Their joint announcement noted that “The IOC continues to recognise the WOA, which remains an independent, non-profit association” and that “The IOC commits to complying with the terms of the Agreement and will provide WOA with support including communications and other related tools, information, and annual financial support. The financial support is to be determined on a rolling basis that shall be based on clear deliverables and key performance indicators.”

On the critical issue of management of the “OLY” post-nominal title, which has been a sticking point, the apparent compromise includes “WOA will continue to use and manage the OLY title,” but “The Agreement confirms that the IOC owns all intellectual property related to the Olympic Properties (including ‘OLY’ and the WOA Emblem).”

● Russia ● Russian Minister of Sport Mikhail Degtyarev expects positive movement on the reinstatement of the Russian Olympic Committee after the Winter Games in Italy, saying in an interview:

“The status of Russia’s participants is currently neutral because the Russian Olympic Committee hasn’t been reinstated. This is a major legal process, and we expect a positive decision from the IOC in the coming months. I think it will happen after the Olympics, which start in early February. All governing bodies usually meet there. We won’t speculate on the outcome yet, because the decision is no longer up to us. We’ve completed all the legal procedures.

“What’s the difference between [ex-President Thomas] Bach and [President] Kirsty Coventry? The former IOC President brushed Russia off; I witnessed several months of his presidency – it was simply disgraceful. But I like Kirsty Coventry’s approach. Firstly, the public rhetoric, and secondly, the actions. Our request was immediately put into action.”

The Russian news agency TASS explained that “[i]n October 2023, the IOC suspended the ROC until further notice due to the incorporation of the Olympic Councils of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR), and the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions” and Russia still controls those areas as part of its invasion of Ukraine.

A recommendation of the Latvian National Olympic Committee to avoid interactions or picture-taking with Russian “neutrals” at the Milan Cortina Winter Games has inflamed Russian politician Dmitry Svishchev, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports. He told TASS:

“The recommendations of the Latvian NOC are not just a blatant case of discrimination; they are a deliberate undermining of the very foundations of the Olympic movement, whose spirit has always been equality, fair competition, and unity beyond politics. Urging athletes to avoid contact, shared photographs, and even communication with their colleagues from Russia and Belarus is not protocol; it is the ideology of sporting apartheid.

“Such actions grossly violate the principles of the Olympic Charter, which prohibit any form of discrimination, and turn athletes into hostages of political hysteria. I do not intend to leave this unanswered; I am preparing an appeal to the [European Court of Human Rights] to protect the interests of Russian athletes whose rights have been grossly violated by these recommendations.

“We will also submit official inquiries to the International Olympic Committee demanding a legal assessment of these scandalous instructions and take action against those who are attempting to turn sports venues into arenas for political provocations.”

He needs to hurry; the Winter Games in Milan Cortina open on 6 February.

● Football ● FIFA told Dallas television station WFAA that reports of fans “cancelling” tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup were false. The station reported:

“FIFA said that these claims are not only inaccurate reports with no substance, but doubled down saying that ticket application statistics set to be released Wednesday will further prove the opposite. The Random Selection Draw closed on Tuesday, and FIFA reported 500 million ticket requests were submitted in the 33-day window, marking a 15 million per day average.”

● Ski Jumping ● The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) Ethics Committee announced Thursday that three Norwegian team staff members were sanctioned in the 2025 suit-manipulation scandal, with bans for 18 months from 8 January 2026, but with allowance for time already ineligible, from 12 March 2025. So, in essence, head coach Magnus Brevik, assistant coach Thomas Lobben, and service staff member Adrian Livelten are suspended for another nine months.

Each is also required to CHF 5,000 for FIS’s costs in the investigation and proceedings.

The three were investigated “for their roles in the alleged manipulation of the Ski Jumping suits worn by athletes Andre Forfang and Marius Lindvik at the Men’s Large Hill event” at the 2025 World Nordic Championships in Trondheim. Norway. A separate settlement was already made with Forfang and Lindvik.

● Swimming ● The 2026 Tyr Pro Swim Series opened in Austin, Texas on Wednesday with a new format that injects semifinals into the 50 m events and the 200 m Medleys, but which once again started with a brilliant swim by Katie Ledecky.

At 28, she showed once again that she’s hardly slowing down, as she won the women’s 1,500 m in a startling 15:23.21, the second-fastest time in history! Only her 15:20.48 world record from May 2018 is faster. She has the top 12 performances in history and three of the top six have come in 2025 or 2026.

This was not Ledecky’s first January shocker. She set the women’s 800 m world mark of 8:06.68 in Austin on 15 January 2016 when the meet was known as the USA Grand Prix. That is still the seventh-fastest swim in history in that event!

Elsewhere, Olympic champions Leon Marchand (FRA) and Canadian Summer McIntosh won the semifinals in the 200 Medleys and Olympic silver winner Regan Smith of the U.S. won the women’s 100 m Back easily in 57.98.

Olympic men’s 1,500 m champ Bobby Finke of the U.S. won that event in 15:01.70 over a strong field that included 2024 World Champion Daniel Whiffen (IRL: 15:04.98).

The meet continues through Saturday.

SwimSwam.com published a draft of the USA Swimming Board of Directors minutes from 8 December 2025, which showed an initially-expected fiscal-year surplus had turned into a deficit:

“2025 year-to-date operating revenues were $33,325,901 with corresponding operating expenses of ($27,066,149), for a year-to-date excess of $6,259,752. The current projected forecast for fiscal year end is total operating revenues of $37,235,560 and operating expenses of $38,302,520, and we thus anticipate an operating deficit of ($1,066,960) compared to the budgeted operating surplus of $99,532.”

The detail showed “Operating revenues projected less than the original budget (net) by an estimated ($2,514,291) or (6.3%)” primarily from less-than-budgeted sponsorship revenue (by $1.81 million) and membership revenue (by $941,685).

Expenses were also down, “projected less than the original budget (net) by an estimated $1,347,799 or 3.4%” but there was an unanticipated cost of $574,997 due to an “antitrust lawsuit,” no doubt the suit filed by the Enhanced Games, and eventually dismissed by the Federal trial judge.

Retired French swim star Yannick Agnel, the men’s 200 m Freestyle and 4×100 m Freestyle relay gold medalist at London 2012, will be tried for statutory rape and sexual assault with the 13-year-old daughter of his then-coach back in 2016, when Agnel was 24.

A French law passed in 2021 classifies sex with a child under the age of 15 as rape. Agnel, now 33, was arrested in 2021, but has said that the interaction was not coerced. He can appeal the decision to prosecute within 10 days.

● Volleyball ● The Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour is going away. The highest-level tour in the sport is being revamped as the “FIVB Beach World Series,” beginning in November 2026.

The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) announced that the new circuit will comprise 10 tournaments during its season, with Dubai Sports Council signing an agreement on Thursday that will place the “opening destination” there for the first five years.

This is a slight contraction from the 2025 schedule, with 12 “Elite 16″ stops, the highest-level tournament, also featuring “Challenge” and “Futures” events. Ten “Elite 16″ tournaments, plus a World Tour Finals were held in 2024.

● Water Polo ● The U.S. women’s national team defeated 2025 World Championships runner-up Hungary in Szolnok (HUN) by 12-11 by winning the penalty shootout. The U.S. had a 7-6 lead at the half, but the game was 8-8 after regulation time.

But the U.S. got the win, 4-3, in the shoot-out thanks to a Emily Ausmus score; Ausmus was one of five Americans to get two goals.

A second match against the Hungarians comes on Saturday, this time in Budapest.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LOS ANGELES 2028: Organizing committee reports more than 1.5 million registered in the first 24 hours for LA28 Olympic tickets

Rich Perelman

January 15, 2026

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ TICKET LOTTERY SIGN-UPS ≡

“In the first 24 hours of registration for the LA28 Olympic Ticket Draw, more than 1.5 million fans showed up to share their excitement for the 2028 Games. Don’t miss out on your chance to be there for every epic moment. Register for the draw by March 18, 2026 for a chance to be included in the first drop and LA & OKC Locals Presale.”

That post on X came from the LA28 Olympic organizers just before 2 p.m. Pacific time on Thursday, following the 7 a.m. Wednesday opening of registration for the Olympic ticket lottery system that will actually begin selling tickets in April.

An LA28 statement noted that the total was more “for the LA28 Games in the first day than Tokyo, Paris and Milan combined (based on day one registrations for Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024 and Milan 2026).” Registrations were recorded from more than 150 countries.

This is only the beginning, of course. The LA28 system was initially overwhelmed right at the start, with waits to register of more than an hour reported, but which faded away over the next few hours.

The ticket registration program has multiple parts to it:

● Registration continues from 14 January through 18 March 2026, which enters the registrant into a random-draw lottery for a time slot to purchase up to 12 tickets (per person) in April.

● Notifications will be sent by electronic mail of slots assigned (if any) between 31 March and 7 April.

● The first section of actual sales will be held between 9-19 April 2026.

● Special, early access will be offered to “local” residents in Southern California – Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Bernardino and Riverside counties – and two counties in the Oklahoma City area, with sales from 2-6 April 2026.

LA28 expects to have about 14 million tickets to sell for the Olympic and Paralympic Games – a record – with one million tickets to be available at the lowest price point of $28. The LA28 announcement noted that “a third of tickets priced under $100.”

Paralympic ticket sales will start in 2027.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

BOBSLED & SKELETON: IBSF Interim Integrity Unit dismisses complaints on Canadian skeleton withdrawals due to a specific rule

Rich Perelman

January 15, 2026

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ PROTEST DENIED ≡

The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation’s Interim Integrity Unit dismissed complaints about the withdrawal of four Canadian skeleton racers from the North American Cup races last week in Lake Placid, New York in view of a specific IBSF rule. From the announcement:

“The late withdrawal of athletes intuitively gives rise to concern that the action may have constituted impermissible manipulation, a matter that is within the competence of the IIU to adjudicate. At the same time, the express language of Section 7 of the IBSF Code of Ethics precludes any finding that conduct ‘expressly permitted’ by the competition rules is ‘improper’ or creates an ‘undue benefit.’ As a consequence, the IIU dismisses the complaints.

“Notwithstanding the above conclusions, the IIU reminds the Canadian coach and the National Federation that, whilst acting within the letter of the IBSF Code of Conduct, it is expected that all parties concerned should also act within the spirit of the Code, whose aim is to promote fair play and ethical conduct at all times.”

Multiple federations, including Denmark, Israel and the U.S. raised questions about why only two Canadians raced after six were entered and five-time U.S. Olympian Katie Uhlaender placed the blame on Canadian coach Joe Cecchini (ITA), saying he removed the entrants because he “wanted to make sure that we could not get full points.” Her long-shot quest to make a sixth team was ended by the lack of points, even though she won all three races at the North American Cup event. She trails teammate (and U.S. no. 2) Mystique Ro, 660 to 694, going into this last weekend of racing, but Ro is in the higher-point World Cup races and Uhlaender did not make the World Cup team.

Under the qualifying rules and standings, two countries (currently Germany and Great Britain) get three Olympic entries and the next four countries (for women) get two places. The U.S., China and Italy are set, but Canada is hanging on for a second spot with no. 2 Jane Channell standing 26th and Austria’s no. 2 Julia Erlacher in 28th. It is close, with one weekend to go.

The IIU decision noted:

● “During the IBSF North American Cup Races in Lake Placid (7-11 January 2026), Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton had registered 6 Women´s Skeleton athletes for the competition (training and race).

“None of the athletes participated in the first training session. On the second and final training day (9 January 2026), only two female Canadian athletes participated in the official training. According to IBSF International Skeleton Rules, an athlete must complete two training heats without accident to be allowed to participate in the race (Art 10.1.5) – as a result, the other four female Canadian athletes were not eligible to participate in the race.”

● “The late withdrawal caused complaints from International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) members and allegations of a potential competition manipulation by BCS, particularly its coach, as it resulted in a reduction of ranking points for all participants to 75% instead of 100%, potentially supporting allegations that Canada was aiming to secure a second quota place at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

“In addition, allegations were raised regarding a possible breach of the Code of Ethics, in particular with respect to the principle of fair play.”

● “Section 8.6(d) of the IBSF International Skeleton Rules states that ‘Entries may be withdrawn at any time. Already paid entry fees are non-refundable.’ The International Skeleton Rules do not provide any additional consequences for late withdrawal of athletes.”

The decision also stated that, looking to the future, the “IBSF will task its Sport Committee to review this incident that occurred at the NAC in Lake Placid during the Sport Committee meeting in spring and possibly suggest adjustments to the Rules.”

Observed: The text and tone of the IIU decision points to a level of distaste for what was done, but the rules are completely clear on the specific issues, including ineligibility for not taking any training runs, a measure significantly designed for safety.

Uhlaender and others have also appealed to the International Olympic Committee, which has not issued any statement. Regardless of anyone’s view of the decision itself, it is to the credit of the IBSF and its integrity unit that a filing from a weekend race issue had a detailed decision announced and published on the following Thursday.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Swiss confirm CHF 200 million for 2038 Winter Games; U.S. did not pay WADA dues in 2024 or ‘25; Phoenix bidding for ‘28 Marathon Trials

Rich Perelman

January 14, 2026

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● Following up on the Paris 2024 organizing committee surplus of €26.8 million, the Paris 2024 Endowment Fund agreed to distributions of €3.27 million to promote sports participation in France. (€1 = $1.16 U.S.)

Youth engagement will be the theme of the 10th Olympic and Paralympic Week from 30 March to 4 April in 2026, and the Inclusive Club program will be funded to train sports clubs to support those with disabilities.

● Olympic Winter Games 2038 ● Switzerland is in “preferred dialogue” with the International Olympic Committee to host the 2038 Olympic Winter Games, but must come up with a plan which satisfies the IOC by 2027.

On Wednesday, the Swiss Federal Council said it is ready to help:

“At its meeting on January 14, 2026, it opened for consultation the main points of its support for this major sporting event. The policy and planning decision provides for a maximum federal contribution of CHF 200 million, with no liability in the event of a deficit.” (CHF 1 = $1.25 U.S.)

This is slightly more than the budget developed by the Swiss Olympic Committee, as the announcement noted:

“The association estimates the total cost at approximately 2.2 billion Swiss francs. In its application for support, the association is requesting a financial contribution of 190 million Swiss francs from the Swiss Confederation for planning and implementation costs. This amount is broken down as follows: 60 million Swiss francs will be used to co-finance the Winter Paralympic Games; 50 million Swiss francs will be used to reduce the cost of public transportation for spectators; and the remaining 80 million Swiss francs are intended to co-finance expenses related to making competition venues available throughout Switzerland.”

The CHF 200 million does not include security or other government services:

“This financial contribution does not include security tasks that the Confederation will assume within its usual remit, namely the costs of a potential military intervention or a joint civil defense operation, nor the services provided by the Federal Office of Customs and Border Security (FOCB), the Federal Office of Police (fedpol), the Federal Intelligence Service (FIS), and the Federal Office for Civil Protection (FOCP). Primary responsibility for security rests with the cantons.

“The decision in principle and planning further stipulates that the Confederation will not assume any responsibility for any deficits resulting from the implementation of the 2038 Winter Olympics. The association provides for a deficit guarantee financed by private funds up to 200 million francs.”

● World Anti-Doping Agency ● A story by the Russian news agency TASS stated that the U.S. has not paid its dues to WADA for either 2024 or 2025 and that its dues for 2026 have been calculated at $3,957,756, with Canada at $1,978,8789 and Japan at $1,502,800.

The U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy, which is the governmental agency that would pay the dues, has been at odds with WADA over governance and operations issues, notably the January 2021 mass-positives incident involving Chinese swimmers. The story stated, “The American debt to WADA already amounts to almost $7.5 million.”

● Russia ● The annual total of anti-doping violations went up slightly in 2025, as the Russian Anti-Doping Agency announced a total of 109 violations (not sanctions) during the whole of last year.

That’s up by seven from the 102 reported in 2024.

The World Anti-Doping Agency said that Russia owes dues of $1.44 million for 2026, which is also the amount due from France, Great Britain, Germany and Italy. Due to financial transfer sanctions, Russia has been unable to pay its dues for 2024 or 2025, while it continues in war against Ukraine.

● Athletics ● Citius Magazine reported that Phoenix, Arizona is also a bidder for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 2028, to be held in late March of that year.

The bid was developed by the Phoenix Sports and Events Commission and Brooksee Race Productions, which produced the first Phoenix Marathon last December.

USA Track & Field has not announced the bidders for the event; St. Louis has already said that it is a bidder.

● Flag Football ● The United States and Mexico men’s national teams, ranked no. 1 and no. 3, will meet in an exhibition at the NFL Super Bowl Experience at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California on 5 February at 4 p.m. Admission is included as part of the Super Bowl Experience for that day and the game will also be streamed on the NFL’s YouTube channel.

The two teams were supposed to play in Panama for the 2025 IFAF Americas Continental Championship, but the game was washed out and both were declared co-champions. The U.S. and Mexico have not faced off since a 40-36 U.S. win at the 2023 IFAF Americas Continental Championship final in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Flag football took a major step forward on Wednesday as the NCAA Division I Cabinet “unanimously approved the addition of women’s flag football to the Emerging Sports for Women program, effective immediately. Teams at schools that sponsor the sport this spring will count toward the requirement that 40 schools sponsor the sport and meet minimum contest requirements for it to be considered for an NCAA championship.”

Having flag football introduced at the women’s collegiate level is a significant opportunity for the sport to grow in the U.S. Votes by the councils for NCAA Division II and III will take place on Friday, at the NCAA Convention in Washington, D.C.

● Football ● FIFA reported that requests were made for more than 500 million tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup during the 33-day during the Random Selection Draw sales phase from 11 December 2025 to 13 January 2026. In terms of popularity:

“Apart from the host countries – the United States, Mexico and Canada – the highest number of applications came from fans residing in Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Colombia.

“The most coveted match in this sales phase was Colombia v. Portugal on Saturday, 27 June in Miami. The top 5 was completed by Mexico v. Korea Republic in Guadalajara on Thursday, 18 June; the final in New York New Jersey on Sunday, 19 July; the tournament’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City on Thursday, 11 June; and the round-of-32 match in Toronto on Thursday, 2 July – highlighting the exceptional appeal of both marquee fixtures and knockout-stage encounters across all three host nations.”

Applicants will be notified concerning the outcome not earlier than 5 February 2026. There will be subsequent “last-minute” sales, but these will come later.

Defender Chris Richards, who also scored two goals, and started 11 of 12 national-team games for which he was available in 2025, was voted the U.S. Soccer men’s player of the year:

“In a list of nominees that included defender Max Arfsten, defender Alex Freeman, goalkeeper Matt Freese and midfielder Malik Tillman, Richards won with 48.6 percent of the weighted total, followed by Tillman (21.7%) and Freeman (13%).”

● Freestyle Skiing ● In the FIS World Cup Mixed Team Parallel Slalom event in Bad Gastein (AUT), the second Italian team won the gold over Switzerland with Aaron March and Lucia Dalmasso riding for the winners.

The Italy 3 team won the bronze; two U.S. teams reached the quarters, with Cody Winters and Iris Pflum and Walker Overstake and Alexa Bullis.

● Ice Hockey ● The U.S. and Canada ran through their group matches undefeated and barely scored on at the IIHF women’s World U-18 Championship taking place in Membertou and Sydney, Canada.

Defending champions Canada won its Group A games by 9-0, 14-0 and 9-2 for a 32-:2 total. The U.S., in Group B, won by 13-0, 9-1 and 14-0 for an aggregate of 36:1.

In the quarterfinals, Canada will face Finland, the U.S. will face Hungary, Sweden will play Slovakia and the Swiss will face the Czech Republic. The semifinals will be set based on the seeding of the quarterfinal winners and played on 17 January. The medal matches will be on the 18th.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LOS ANGELES 2028: L.A. Metro still searching for funding, but has 834 buses committed (48%) for 2028 fleet; World Cup plan also needs funding

Rich Perelman

January 14, 2026

tsx pix 2028-114 metro GETS overview slide — An L.A. Metro Transportation Authority presentation slide on the "Games Enhanced Transit System" presented on 14 January 2026.

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ METRO BUSY BUT NEEDS MONEY ≡

Transportation planning is continuing uninterrupted for the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

At a special Board meeting held Wednesday morning, there was good news and the same problem to report:

● Planning with the LA28 organizing committee has accelerated, with a non-binding “Term Sheet” signed in September and a binding Memorandum of Understanding being finalized, and to be presented in the coming months.

● Procurement of buses for the 2028 “Games Enhanced Transit Service” is continuing, with 834 buses committed for donations or loan to Metro so far, out of a reduced requirement estimated at 1,747 compared to 2,700 buses projected in 2024. The vehicles are coming from 26 different public agencies, most of which are in California.

● Venue and scheduling changes have created the reductions. LA28’s move from Temecula for the equestrian events to Santa Anita Park eliminated the need for 200 buses. The confirmation of compact scheduling for baseball and football events at Dodger Stadium and the Rose Bowl in Pasadena reduced needs by 300 buses. And another 100 were saved by tweaking the scheduling of events with LA28.

● The total projected bus need of 1,747 buses at peak includes a contingency fleet of 350 buses to handle overflow needs. However, of the 834 added buses committed to Metro, only 322 drivers and managers will come with them.

● Metro staff said that the buses being offered for 2028 Games use were primarily fueled by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and none are diesel-fueled, in line with Metro’s desire for clean-air fleets. And most are equipped with disability provisions.

But then there is the continuing question of funding.

Metro has asked repeatedly for Federal funds of as much as $3.2 billion to support the Games transport project and was shut out by the Biden Administration and so far by the Trump Administration. Some funds have been procured for various projects which are not directly related for the 2028 Games, but more help is needed:

● Metro planning staff said that the continuing engineering costs for the Games period have been internalized into the agency’s existing funding. But, funding for construction will be needed by the end of 2026 or very early in 2027 in order to be effective in executing the planned program.

● A request to proceed with a request to the U.S. Department of Transportation for a loan under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) was approved, asking for $270 million to support “Priority 1″ projects. If granted, the loan would fund “2028 Games Customer Experience Improvements” at downtown L.A. stations and the Games Metro Mobility Hubs.

But it’s not close to being enough.

Planning is advancing at all of the Olympic and Paralympic venues and each site is being reviewed for operating, security and transport continuously, with formal reviews at least once a year. A question specifically about the plans for the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area, which is normally open parkland, but will host 3×3 basketball, BMX cycling, modern pentathlon and skateboarding, revealed that Pierce College in nearby Woodland Hills and Valley College in Valley Glen will be used for park-and-ride lots for Games events.

Metro is also acquiring, piece by piece, usage of land parcels on which its bus operations for 2028 can be staged. It was noted that even with the reduced bus numbers, the now-forecast total of 1,747 buses is close to Metro’s existing fleet of about 2,000, which are now serviced at 10 different locations in Southern California. Metro Chief Innovation Officer Seleta Reynolds explained:

“You’ve honed in on the longest-lead item for the GETS [Games Enhanced Transit Service], which is real estate leases and site preparation. This is a massive undertaking for a fleet of this size, and our estimates, that we’ve validated with our partners – public and private partners – is that the lead time for that is two years, because this is a complicated place, and finding the real estate, procuring the real estate, preparing the real estate, it’s a capital program, even though it is temporary in nature.

“That means that is a very important threshold for the GETS, is basically two years out, which is this summer. … That money has to come from the Federal government.”

The GETS program was estimated in the Metro ask at $2.016 billion out of the $3.2 billion total. Reynolds added:

“That is the cost estimate for the GETS, is all-in: it’s the operations, it’s the real estate, it’s the preparations, it’s the construction and so our cash flow anticipates that we would need a chunk of funding available by this summer in order to do that and it can’t come from local sources and there are no eligible grants or an operational program like that.”

And the LA28 organizers will not be paying for it. The “Term Sheet” from September was described by Reynolds as “an articulation of roles and responsibilities between LA28 and Metro” and “it says clearly that, for example, Metro will be operating the GETS, but that is completely dependent on external funding.”

The question of revenue to be received by Metro for not only fares from riders, but advertising on its system and stations was raised, but no estimates were offered in comments from Metro staff.

Another presentation was made on preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with eight matches to be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

Here, a “mini-GETS” is being planned with a clear concept of being a test run for the 2028 effort, with an estimated 30,000 fans and staff to be supported with service from park-and-ride facilities.

This program is being designed with 330-plus buses from Metro, more than a dozen municipal operators and charter services.

It was noted that official FanFest sites will be announced for the “Los Angeles” hub at the end of January and “unofficial’ event sites by the end of February.

Funding is, of course, an issue, as Metro has asked for $25 million in Federal support and the 11 cities combined have asked for $400 million. A current effort for $78 million for all 11 U.S. World Cup host cities is being worked on in the U.S. Senate for passage by the end of January, which would likely yield just $4.8 million for Metro.

So, funding again. And the time is short. That was a continuing theme throughout the hearing and will be for months to come.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MILAN CORTINA 2026: Olympic Broadcast Services accelerates technology for Winter Games, but with less people, power and space

Rich Perelman

January 14, 2026

tsx pix 2026-114 exarchos, yiannis (ioc screen shot) — Olympic Broadcasting Services chief Yiannis Exarchos (IOC video screen shot).

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ THE TECHNOLOGY GAMES ≡

Technology plays a huge part in the staging of any Olympic Games, and the 2026 Winter Games opening ceremony will be a prime demonstration of what is possible, thanks to the work of the Olympic Broadcasting Services team.

OBS chief Yiannis Exarchos (GRE) spoke to reporters on Wednesday and explained the challenge:

“This opening ceremony, as you probably know, will be distributed geographically. These are Games that have a very wide distribution across northern Italy; it’s difficult to go from one place to the other.

“So it was fundamental that we provide, for the organizers, for the IOC, an opportunity for all Olympic athletes to have a feeling of participation in the opening ceremony. We know important it is for all of them.

“With the help of our underlying technology and especially the core connectivity that OBS is establishing between different places of the Games, this opening ceremony will actually take place at the same time across four different locations, actually across five locations because there will be two in Milano, and this, we feel, is an example where technology comes and helps really create excitement and create a sense of participation.”

Exarchos explained that the parade of athletes in four different locations will be “integrated” – between all four sites where athletes will march – thanks to a coordinated and rehearsed program developed by organizing committee Creative Lead Marco Balich (ITA) and OBS.

And the multi-site ceremonies program is just one of the innovations that will be seen in the OBS production. Even more, the connectivity engineering that has been created for the Games, spread across northern Italy, will remain as a legacy after the Games to improve the communications infrastructure for the mountain region.

Exarchos showcased a series of efforts which will be either new at the Milan Cortina Winter Games, or significant improvements on what was done in recent Games:

● “First Person Drones” flying with athletes as sports such as bobsled, luge and skeleton for the first time, in addition to the well-known flyover shots of skiing events.

● “Real Time 360º Replay” offering multi-camera replay systems and stroboscopic analysis, which can be overlaid with added information; Exarchos showed a skiing example, which would in practice be a video overlaid with tracking data:

● “Olympic GPT.” a new project for the Olympics.com site which will provide not only rules and results, but “will have the capacity to answer questions about the current state of events.”

● “Olympic AI,” which will offer AI-generated answers to user inquiries, but not based on whatever is available online, but drawn from the International Olympic Committee’s own, deeply detailed and continuously revised database.

● For rights-holding broadcasters and the IOC’s own channels, AI is being used for “Automatic Media Description” identification of highlights within a broadcast session, “Automatic Highlights Generation” for the first time at a Winter Games and using real-time reactions on Olympics.com to identify the most compelling moments of the Games.

All of this will take place in a continuously-shrinking International Broadcast Center, which Exarchos explained will be 25% smaller than the IBC at the Beijing 2022 Winter Games. But that does not mean there won’t be thousands of broadcasters on the ground:

“Even in Milano, we will have something like 6,000 broadcasters being present. Why? Because they want to the close to their athletes. And this is very legitimate; most of them need to do that.

‘What we don’t want is that they are forced to be bringing people doing something that they could be doing at the other side of the world. … For Milano, 65% of the signals are being transmitted over the cloud.

“When we started the cloud with [IOC sponsor] Alibaba, we thought by Milano, we would have an adoption of 25% and we are at 65%, first because everybody is seeing the benefit, and second, because we had the pandemic that forced people to accelerate how to work differently.”

Exarchos surmised that the International Broadcast Center for Los Angeles 2028 will have half the size of the IBC at Rio 2016 and by the time of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, the IBC will likely be the size of the Milan Cortina Winter Games facility! But it won’t go away entirely.

However, this efficiency has not slowed the expansion of content produced by OBS. That keeps expanding, as Exarchos noted:

“We will be producing more than 6,000 hours of content. Now, the competition in the Winter Games is about 1,000 hours. So all this additional amount is really because we want to produce this extreme type of diversity of content, because consumption of content as you very well know, in today’s world is not done on traditional television.

“It’s still a very, very important factor, but you have so many different platforms that have their own ways of consumption, we have to be enable broadcasters to be able to use all these types of content: short form, behind-the-scenes, virtual reality content and so on, be able to use them across all these different platforms

“And this is how we end up producing so much, which of course would not have been possible unless technology provided us the means to do it.”

Consider this: the communications traffic out of the IBC alone during the Games will be equal to 70% of the entire among of bandwidth used in the city of Milan during a normal, non-Games day.

He said that some coverage will be shot in a vertical format, instead of the traditional horizontal television format, for content to be used on mobile phones.

It’s a big undertaking, but Exarchos emphasized that the advantage of having a permanent organization to handle broadcasting for the Games – the OBS concept essentially started in 2000 – allows for continuos expansion of capabilities and eliminates the learning curve that a new host broadcaster had to deal with.

Exarchos is looking forward to the opening of the Milan Cortina Games, not only for the show, but also “these Games can really help us all recalibrate a little bit how we feel about the world and how we feel about the relations between people, and get immersed in this unique power that the Olympics have to bring people together.”

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: LA28 opens ticket lottery registration Wednesday; Chloe Kim OK to compete at Milan Cortina; U.S. Supreme Court hears transgender cases

Rich Perelman

January 13, 2026

tsx pix 2026-113 kim, chloe instagram — U.S. snowboard superstar Chloe Kim in her Instagram video, saying she can compete in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● The LA28 organizing committee will open its public ticket sign-up program on Wednesday.

This is not to buy tickets, but to register for the “LA28 Ticket Draw” system, which will open at 7 a.m. Pacific time on Wednesday (14th). Once signed up, registrants will receive an e-mail message (eventually), assigning them to a randomly-drawn online purchasing window.

There will be about 14 million tickets to be sold for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, more than for any other Games. The organizers have promised tickets as low as $28, with “early access” for those with credit-card billing address ZIP Codes in the Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Bernardino or Riverside countries, or in Canadian or Cleveland counties in Oklahoma for the events in Oklahoma City.

Those “local residents” registered by 18 March are expected to be able to purchase tickets during the 2-6 April early window, with an initial limit of 12 tickets per account. Sales for everyone else will follow, initially from 9-19 April 2026.

The initial ticketing program is subject to 19 pages of regulations, which do not mention the early-access window for Southern California or Oklahoma City residents.

The City of Los Angeles’s City Council committee on Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) approved by 3-1 the recommendation of the City Planning Commission to modify several City ordinances to allow works related to the 2028 Games to skip planning and zoning reviews. This applies primarily to temporary construction and signage related to the Games, but also allows for items installed for the Games to be converted for permanent use if desired by the City.

The proposal next moves to the Ad Hoc Committee on the Olympic and Paralympic Games and if approved, to the full City Council.

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● U.S. Snowboard star Chloe Kim posted a video to Instagram explaining her situation after last week’s training crash on what appeared to be her left shoulder:

“I have good news and bad news. We’ll start with the bad. The bad news is I tore my labrum. I’m not surprised by that, but it’s official.

“The good news is that I just tore my labrum and I guess there are two different ways to do it and the way I did it is less severe than the other, so I’m really happy about that.

“Obviously I’m really disappointed that I can’t snowboard until right before the Olympics, which is going to be hard. I haven’t gotten nearly the amount of reps that I would have liked, but that’s OK.

“You know, it’s funny. I’ve been doing this for so long and every season I am met with a different set of challenges, so I guess this is going to be the one this year. But again, I’m so grateful that I will be good to go for the Olympics.

“I get to wear this really sexy shoulder brace, which I should be wearing right now. It’s really uncomfortable.”

The Japanese federation for bobsled, luge and skeleton said Tuesday it misinterpreted the qualifying regulations for the Two-Man Bobsled for the 2026 Winter Games and did not contest Four-Man events which would count toward Two-Man qualification as well.

“Our competition committee misinterpreted the condition. We deeply apologize to the athletes who have taken part in our trip plans that did not meet the preconditions, after pouring their hearts and souls into the challenges so far.”

● Olympic Winter Games 2030: French Alps ● The French National Assembly advanced a bill to allow French Anti-Doping Agency specialists to “conduct a visual inspection of baggage and, with the owner’s consent, conduct a thorough search” of sports delegation luggage in an effort to curtail doping.

This is considered new, as prior searches required judicial approval in France and even visual inspections were not allowed. The bill passed only the first reading.

● International Olympic Committee ● Responding to an inquiry from the Russian news agency TASS concerning the recent U.S. action in Venezuela, which included the capture and removal of national leader Nicolas Maduro, the IOC replied:

“In a world shaken by conflict and division, the International Olympic Committee firmly believes that sport must remain a beacon of hope, a force that unites the world. This lies at the heart of the Olympic Movement and flows from the founding principles of Olympism.

“This was reiterated by the IOC Executive Board in September 2025. As a global organization, the IOC must navigate this complex reality.

“At every Olympic Games, the IOC must take into account the current political context and recent global events. We have always done this successfully. The ability to unite athletes, regardless of their background, is fundamental to a future based on the values of truly global sport, capable of inspiring hope in the world. For this reason, the IOC cannot directly intervene in political issues or conflicts between countries, as this is beyond our remit; it is the realm of politics. Our role is to ensure that athletes, regardless of their background, can participate in the Olympic Games.”

● Transgender ● The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Tuesday concerning state regulations in Idaho and West Virginia that ban transgender women from participating in the women’s division in sports competitions. Politico reported:

“The Supreme Court seems poised to uphold state laws banning transgender women from women’s sports teams even though some justices signaled a reluctance Tuesday to issue a sweeping ruling that could reverberate beyond athletics or threaten states that require schools to accommodate transgender athletes. …

“The court appeared to lean toward putting sports in a separate category, in part because Congress did that in a 1974 amendment to Title IX that explicitly allowed sex-segregated sports, while insisting on equal athletic opportunities for men and women. The measure initially covered only intercollegiate sports but was later expanded by regulation.”

Justice Brett Kavanaugh noted, “We have to decide for the whole country — constitutionalize this — given that half the states are allowing transgender girls and women to participate, about half are not.” The cases are Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J.

● Alpine Skiing ● U.S. superstar Mikaela Shiffrin returned to the top of the FIS World Cup podium with her sixth win of the season in the women’s Slalom in Flachau (AUT), leading a U.S. 1-2 in a rare night event.

Shiffrin and teammate Paula Moltzan were 1-2 after the first run in 56.22 and 56.41 and held on to those positions, despite being seventh and ninth on the second run. Shiffrin timed 1:50.52 to win and Moltzan finished at 1:50.93 over Katharina Truppe (AUT: 1:51.17). Fellow American Nina O’Brien was 13th at 1:53.62.

Shiffrin continues as the overall World Cup leader with 923 points to 753 for Swiss 2025 World Slalom Champion Camille Rast, after 19 of 37 events. Moltzan has now won three World Cup medals on the season, her best total ever.

● Athletics ● Dutch star Femke Bol told national broadcaster NOS that her 400 m hurdles days – in which she is the reigning World Champion – are likely behind her:

“There’s a good chance I’ll never run the 400 m hurdles again. I think it’s always an option, but the plan is really to be able to run a really good 800 m.

“The unknown is something very exciting, but also something very fun. The 400-meter hurdles was so challenging. But with everything I’ve achieved, I’ve also gained the confidence to dare to take such a step.”

“I’m not afraid of failing on the track. I’m not living in a fairy tale. It’s an illusion that I can immediately compete with the best in the 800 and win. That will take time; I just have to see if I get there.”

● Figure Skating ● French Ice Dance star Guillaume Cizeron, who won an Olympic gold and silver and five World Championships, was accused in a forthcoming book by former partner Gabriella Papadakis – “So Not to Disappear” – as being controlling and demanding and “being under his grip.”

Cizeron now performs with ex-Canadian Laurence Fournier Beaudry and is a medal contender again for Milan Cortina 2026. He said he is being unfairly treated:

“In the face of the smear campaign targeting me, I want to express my incomprehension and my disagreement with the labels being attributed to me.

“These allegations arise at a particularly sensitive time… thereby raising questions about the underlying intentions behind this campaign. I also wish to denounce the content of the book, which contains false information, attributing to me, among other things, statements I have never made and which I consider serious.”

● Snowboard ● In the seventh event of the FIS World Cup in Parallel events, Italy continued its domination on the men’s side, winning its sixth race out of seven with Maurizio Bormolini getting his second win of the season in a Slalom, at Bad Gastein (AUT).

He defeated Alexander Krashniak (BUL) in the final, with American Cody Winters getting third, the first U.S. medal of the season.

Italy completed a sweep with Lucia Dalmasso winning the women’s Slalom over Michelle Dekker (NED); it’s Dalmasso’s fourth career World Cup individual gold.

Swiss rider Ueli Kestenholz, the 1998 Olympic Giant Slalom bronze winner, died on Sunday (11th) in an avalanche in the Valais Alps. He was 50.

Police explained that the avalanche pulled him from the mountain about 7,900 feet up, while a friend he was with managed to escape the torrent.

● Swimming ● A case filed in December 2018 over a refusal to sanction a meet in Italy by the international federation governing swimming – then known as FINA, now World Aquatics – finally came to trial in San Francisco, California on Tuesday (13th).

The International Swimming League, which held competitions in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and then stopped after the Russian invasion of Ukraine crippled the finances of billionaire founder Konstantin Grigorishin (UKR), sued FINA on anti-trust grounds based on its actions over a single meet in December 2018.

World Aquatics’ attorney explained that Grigorishin had offered FINA $50 million for ten years of exclusive rights to develop professional meets, but an agreement was never concluded. Further, even after it held three seasons of meets – without interference by FINA – Grigorishin’s league was unable to establish a going concern and lost millions each year, leading defense counsel to conclude, “Mr. Grigorishin is looking for someone to blame for his failure.”

The trial is continuing in the U.S. Federal Court for the Northern District of California.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

FOOTBALL: A FIFA World Cup ticket boycott? Jordanian site claims 16,800 “cancellations” to protest U.S. policies; see what’s really at stake

Rich Perelman

January 13, 2026

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ PROTEST CANCELLATIONS? ≡

According to a Wednesday report on the Jordanian site Roya News, a modest “boycott” of the FIFA World Cup coming to Canada, Mexico and the U.S. in June has sprung up:

“around 16,800 ticketholders cancelled their World Cup tickets overnight. The cancellations stem from boycotts shared across social media; fans overseas said they are backing out over safety concerns and discomfort with the U.S.’ political climate.”

FIFA does not allow sold tickets to be “cancelled,” so if sold, the tickets could be in the resale market or, according to TicketNews, could be an exit from registration for the next (third) ticket sales phase.

Social media campaigning to boycott the U.S. has popped up, from posters from multiple countries, concerning Trump Administration activities on varying issues, including Greenland.

The story stated that FIFA is holding an “emergency” meeting this week to consider “strategies to address fan anxiety, declining ticket commitments, and broader criticism of the World Cup’s hosting environment. Some observers expect the meeting to consider adjustments to fan engagement, communications, or even security measures to reassure supporters.”

FIFA announced on 29 December that “over 150 million ticket requests have been submitted to date by fans from over 200 countries” for the 6-7 million tickets that will be available and that:

“The outcome of the current phase that opened on Thursday, 11 December 2025 means the FIFA World Cup 2026 is oversubscribed over 30 times based on verified individual credit card numbers submitted with each ticket application. The demand also represents 3.4 times more than the overall number of spectators who have attended the 964 matches that make up all 22 editions of the competition combined since 1930.”

The TicketNews analysis of the “cancellations” noted:

“According to data from Ticket Club [resale market], it doesn’t appear that demand has cracked – or at least for now, if it has, that’s not showing up in a meaningful way in asking prices. Overall, the resale marketplace reports that the average asking price across all 104 World Cup matches has edged down only slightly since late December — from $3,697 (12/30) to $3,631 (1/12), a dip of 1.8%. In other words: the market has stabilized, but it hasn’t ‘broken.’”

Its data shows average asking prices on the resale market are still stratospheric, even if down slightly:

● $2,652 for group-stage matches (down)
● $4,347 for the round-of-32 matches (down)
● $7,348 for the round-of-16 (up)
● $4,331 for quarterfinals (down)
● $6,204 for semifinals (down)
● $21,680 for the final (down)

The analysis continued that “even a modest reduction in inbound demand could leave sellers fighting over a smaller pool of high-end buyers, especially for premium-host-city inventory that’s currently priced as if global demand will be limitless.”

Observed: This is the latest resistance-to-Trump activity online by individuals and groups determined to do whatever they can, anywhere, against the administration. It will be fascinating to see what FIFA’s reaction is, especially considering the close relationship of President Gianni Infantino (SUI) with the American President.

The real issue here is not whether FIFA will be able to sell its World Cup tickets: it certainly will. But the entire marketing effort that brought Canadian, Mexican and U.S. cities to spend millions in preparations is based on the anticipated influx of visitors – and their spending on accommodations, meals, merchandise and transportation – to the host cities.

If that fails to materialize – for whatever reason – there will be a furious reaction by cities and their budget, tourism and good governance officers against FIFA and many other sporting events over broken promises, possibly even lawsuits for fraud.

The future of mega-event sports marketing, in the U.S. especially, will depend on visitor spending in World Cup cities from 11 June to 19 July, much more so than on any results on the field.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TEAM USA WINTER MEDAL TRACKER: Big U.S. medal weekend, with 23 medals in Winter events, including Vonn’s 84th World Cup gold

Rich Perelman

January 13, 2026

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ STAT BLITZ ≡

This was one of the busiest winter-sport weekends of the year, with events in the U.S., Canada and Europe, and American athletes were everywhere, earning 23 medals in all.

Alpine Skiing: FIS World Cup at Zauchensee (AUT):
● Women/Downhill ~ Gold: Lindsey Vonn
● Women/Downhill ~ Bronze: Jacqueline Wiles

Vonn won her fourth medal in four Downhill starts this season, amazing even herself:

“I honestly thought with my start number I had no chance, because there’s so much snow and there wasn’t really a track at no. 6. I thought I had no chance so I just swung really hard.

“I felt within myself, I didn’t feel like I was doing anything crazy, but definitely it was a much different line than everyone else was taking, and that’s why I was able to ski a little bit faster than the rest.

“I’m a pretty stubborn and driven person. I have an intense amount of competitiveness in me, it’s just how I’m wired, so I’m thankful I have that ability.”

Wiles won her fourth career World Cup medal and first in almost two years, taking advice from Vonn on the line to follow.

Bobsled & Skeleton: IBSF World Cup in St. Moritz (SUI):
● Two-Woman ~ Gold: Kaillie Armbruster Humphries and Jasmine Jones
● Women/Skeleton ~ Silver: Kelly Curtis

Armbruster Humphries won her third Two-Woman medal in six races and a second win, this time with Jones instead of Emily Renna. After two golds with Canada in this event, she appears primed for another medal shot in Italy.

Freestyle Skiing: FIS World Cup at Aspen, Colorado:
● Men/Halfpipe ~ Silver: Hunter Hess
● Men/Halfpipe ~ Bronze: Matthew Labaugh
● Men/Slopestyle ~ Gold: Mac Forehand

Forehand, 24, said afterwards:

“This one means a lot. We have a big Olympic spot that we’re all battling for now, and the win definitely helps for me. I don’t even know what that means, if I qualified or not, but I was so stressed out.

“The Olympics is always in everyone’s head and all I’ve been thinking about these past couple of months and I haven’t had the results that I’ve wanted to do and today it just all clicked and I am so happy.”

He had been fourth and 28th in the two Big Air events in December, so the win was a big relief.

Freestyle Skiing: FIS World Cup at Lac-Beauport (CAN):
● Men/Aerials I ~ Bronze: Quinn Dehlinger
● Women/Aerials I ~ Gold: Winter Vinecki
● Women/Aerials II ~ Silver: Vinecki

Vinecki said after her win, “It’s an amazing feeling being back on top of the podium, especially after coming off an injury last season. I took a pretty hard crash in Ruka at the first comp, and it didn’t go my way the second time [at Secret Garden].”

Freestyle Skiing: FIS World Cup at Lake Placid, New York:
● Women/Aerials I ~ Bronze: Kalia Kuhn
● Women/Aerials II ~ Gold: Kuhn

Kuhn got her first World Cup gold after winning the 2025 Worlds Aerials gold and was ecstatic:

“Winning the World Championships gave me the confidence it took to go out and do this jump today. It’s indescribable. I’m so happy, especially going into the Olympics, this is the cherry on top of the World Cup season.”

Freestyle Skiing: FIS World Cup at Val St. Come (CAN):
● Men/Moguls ~ Bronze: Nick Page
● Women/Moguls ~ Silver: Tess Johnson
● Women/Moguls ~ Bronze: Olivia Giaccio
● Women/Dual Moguls ~ Gold: Jaelin Kauf
● Women/Dual Moguls ~ Silver: Elizabeth Lemley
● Women/Dual Moguls ~ Bronze: Johnson

In the men’s Moguls event, Canadian star Mikael Kingsbury got his 100th career World Cup win, far ahead of everyone else and another career first for the 2018 Olympic champ and nine-time World Champion.

Kauf, 29, who always seems to be in the thick of things when the biggest events come up – she won the Moguls silver at Beijing 2022 – “I love Duals. I just came out to have fun, ski as hard as I could, and I did just that.”

Nordic Combined: FIS World Cup at Otepaa (EST):
● Women/Compact 97 m-5 km ~ Bronze: Alexa Brabec

This was Brabec’s fourth World Cup medal of the season, but women’s Nordic Combined is not yet in the Games.

Snowboard: FIS World Cup at Aspen, Colorado:
● Men/Halfpipe ~ Bronze: Alessandro Barbieri
● Men/Slopestyle ~ Gold: Jake Canter
● Women/Halfpipe ~ Silver: Madeline Schaffrick

Canter got his first World Cup win and had no doubts, saying “Pressure is a privilege. Have as much fun as possible while you’ve got it. That’s all I’ve got to say.”

Schaffrick is an amazing story. Now 31, she got out of the sport at age 20 due to injuries, went into coaching in 2022 and then returned to competition in the 2024-25 season, winning a World Cup medal in December 2024. Her silver in Aspen is her best finish ever.

Even with one of the busiest weekends of the year, 23 medals is a lot, as is seven golds, with many of the top American stars either done with World Cup events prior to the Olympic Winter Games, or in domestic events, such as the U.S. Figure Skating National Championships that nominated a strong team.

The coming weekend is not as heavy, but has more events in alpine, biathlon, bobsled, cross country skiing, freestyle skiing, luge, nordic combined, skeleton, ski jumping, ski mountaineering and snowboard.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: NHL, NHLPA OK with Milan ice arena; Swiss plan for ‘38 Winter Games unveiled; St. Louis a bidder for U.S. Marathon Trials

Rich Perelman

January 12, 2026

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● National Hockey League and the NHL Players Association issued a joint statement signaling satisfaction with the weekend’s trial tournament at the new PalaItalia Santagiulia arena in Milan to be used for the Winter Games. Also:

“While challenges are inherent with new ice and a still-under-construction venue, we expect that the work necessary to address all remaining issues will continue around the clock.

“The NHL and NHLPA will continue to monitor the situation, standing ready to consult and advise on the work being done to ensure that the local organizing committee, the IOC, and the IIHF deliver a tournament and playing conditions befitting the world’s best players.”

● Olympic Winter Games 2038: Switzerland ● The “preferred” Swiss bid for the 2038 Winter Games took a step forward with the release of a plan which spreads the Games across the entire country, with events in 10 of the 26 cantons (states). Per the announcement:

“This decentralization has the positive effect of ensuring that the whole of Switzerland benefits from the Games, thus promoting national cohesion. Switzerland is one of the leading winter sports nations, and this expertise will be leveraged for the 2038 Games.

“The plan relies on existing, world-class sports venues that have demonstrated, and will continue to demonstrate, their excellence annually at World Cups, World Championships, and European Championships. In close collaboration with the national winter sports federations and experienced local organizing committees, Switzerland is ensuring that costs and environmental impacts are minimized.”

The ceremonies would be in Lausanne (opening) and Bern (closing) with athletes housed in three of the clusters and two smaller locations. As for costs:

● “The total budget for the next 10 years, from the awarding of the contract to the Games themselves, amounts to 2.2 billion Swiss francs [$2.76 billion U.S.]. 82 percent of this is to be financed by private investors, and 18 percent by the public sector.”

● “The federal government’s requested contribution amounts to 130 million francs for the Olympic Games and 60 million francs for the Paralympic Games, supplemented by contributions from cantons and municipalities.”

● “Public deficit guarantees are explicitly not part of the concept. Instead, the budget includes reserves of 10 percent of the total budget as well as a privately funded deficit guarantee of 200 million Swiss francs.”

The International Olympic Committee will review the plan after the Milan Cortina Winter Games, also quite spread out, and could decide to award the 2038 Games in 2027, or go back out to bid.

● World Anti-Doping Agency ● WADA has listed the anti-doping agency of Cote d’Ivoire as “non-compliant” with a 21-day clock for appeal or compliance. If compliance is not achieved by 3 February, Cote d’Ivoire will be listed as “non-complaint.”

No restrictions on athletes are included at this stage, but further sanctions are possible after 12 months of non-compliance.

● Athletics ● At the USA Track & Field Marathon Race Walk Championships in Santee, California, Swedish star Perseus Karlstrom, the 2023 World 20 km silver medalist, won at 3:04.50 for the new distance, with an impressive margin of six minutes.

American Nick Christie took the U.S. title – his 22nd national championship – by a wide margin in second in 3:11.12, with Jordan Crawford third overall at 3:31:30.

The women’s winner was veteran star Maria Michta-Coffey at 3:50:38 – her 24th national title – followed by Katie Burnett at 3:59:07 and Lydia McGranahan at 4:07:15

At the Chevron Houston Marathon, Zouhair Talbi, who gained his American citizenship in 2025 after changing his affiliation from Morocco, won the men’s division with a lifetime best of 2:05:45, making him the third-fastest American in history, with the no. 3 performance.

He won’t be able to represent the U.S. until 2027; his prior best was 2:06:39 to win in Houston in 2024.

In the Houston Half, Habtom Samuel (ERI) won in 59:01, with American Alex Meier fourth in 59:23, moving him to no. 2 all-time U.S., behind only Conner Mantz’s 59:17 in Houston last year. Fantaye Belaneh (ETH) won the women’s Half in a lifetime best of 1:04:49, with American Taylor Roe fourth in 1:06:20, also no. 2 all-time U.S., behind Weini Kelati’s 1:06:09 from 2025, also in Houston.

Veteran Kenyan marathoner Albert Korir, 31, the 2021 New York City Marathon winner, has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit for CERA (Continuous Erythropoietin Receptor Activator), used for stimulating red blood cell production.

The listing was as of 8 January; he was third in the 2025 NYC Marathon on 2 November, his last race. He has a best of 2:06:45 from 2023 in New York.

Following up on the success of the U.S. Figure Skating Nationals at the Enterprise Center, St. Louis Sports Commission President Marc Schreiber said that the city has also bid for the 2028 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.

It was reported that USA Track & Field has received multiple bids for the event, but has not named any of the cities interested.

Having been banned for 45 months for doping and tampering, American sprinter Marvin Bracy-Williams – the 2022 Worlds men’s 100 m runner-up – was announced as one of six new additions to the Enhanced Games.

Britain’s Reece Prescod, South African Clarence Munyai and German Mike Bryan joined the men’s field and American Taylor Anderson and Shockoria Wallace (JAM) were added to the women’s roster.

● Football ● FIFA announced a multi-year agreement with Britain-based Stats Perform with “exclusive rights to distribute official betting data and live streams for selected FIFA properties.”

In addition to data for sportsbooks, “Stats Perform will also serve as an official distributor of live FIFA match streams to customers of licensed sports betting operators in selected territories,” which were not listed.

● Freestyle Skiing ● Monday was the second and final day of the Aerials event at Lake Placid, New York, with China’s 20-year-old Xinpeng Li winning his first career World Cup gold, scoring 137.19 ahead of Sunday’s winner, Xindi Wang (112.00).

The women’s results were flipped from Sunday, with then-third-placer Kalia Kuhn of the U.S. winning her first World Cup gold at 105.60, followed by again-second-placer (and Olympic champ) Mengtao Xu (CHN: 105.17) and then Sunday’s winner, Danielle Scott (AUS: 85.65) this time in third!

● Gymnastics ● Jim Hartung, a member of the 1984 men’s Olympic team champions, passed away at age 65 on Saturday, 10 January. A two-time NCAA All-Around champion at Nebraska, he was a 22-time All-American and a member of the U.S. national team eight times.

He was a member of the 1980 U.S. team that did not go to Moscow, but won gold in Los Angeles in 1984 and was a finalist on Vault. He was a 19-year assistant coach at Nebraska and inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame with his ‘84 teammates in 2006.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SKELETON: U.S. and three other countries complain over Canada’s removal of four entries that lowered NorAmCup points for possible Olympic racers

Rich Perelman

January 12, 2026

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ COMPLAINTS ABOUT CANADA ≡

A move by Canada to withdraw four of its six athletes from the North American Cup women’s Skeleton races on Sunday has caused a furious reaction from others in that race, including five-time Olympian Katie Uhlaender of the U.S.

Uhlaender, 41, explained to the German DW.com site that with the removals, only 19 athletes raced, resulting in fewer points awarded due to the size of the field being less than 21. Uhlaender said Canada’s coach, Joe Cecchini (ITA) did this intentionally in order to protect the point total of the better Canadian entries for Olympic qualification. Said Uhlaender, who was trying to make a sixth Olympic team, but cannot score enough points now:

“I cried when I found out he went through with this plan. I didn’t know if it hurt more that my friend of 20 years just nailed my coffin – my Olympic dream is over – or that my best friend of 20 years is doing something so horrible that hurts so many people.”

An e-mail sent by Cecchini to the Canadian team, provided to DW.com by someone else, “explains that the decision to withdraw athletes was made to ‘ensure that we have a complete and accurate understanding of the points landscape, qualification implications and confirmed start numbers,’ adding that participation would be determined in the ‘best interests of the national team.’”

Said Uhlaender, “He did not have to do that. He did it because he could. And it wasn’t to protect his athletes; it was to manipulate the system. He waited until after everyone was registered and gave the illusion that the Canadians were going to be competing. He wanted to make sure that we could not get full points.”

She called on the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation to inquire and the federation has directed its integrity unit to investigate.

Athletes from Denmark, Israel and Malta were apparently also impacted, and the Danish federation also asked for an IBSF investigation; its statement from federation Chair Carsten Wulf noted:

“To protect the integrity of skeleton sport, we initially contacted our Canadian colleagues, but when they rejected our appeal, we have gone a step further and as a federation have filed a formal complaint with the IBSF.

“As a small Winter Olympic country, we cannot and will not simply stand as a model for the manipulative behavior of large nations.”

The Times (London) reported that the U.S., Denmark, Israel and Malta all reported the incident to the International Olympic Committee through its Athlete365 portal.

In a statement to Reuters, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton explained:

“The Lake Placid event presented unique circumstances, as it consisted of three races in a single week rather than the standard two. Four of our athletes entered in the event are young and relatively new to the sport. All experienced a particularly challenging week on the track.

“It was determined that continuing to race these athletes was not in their best interests. As a result, they were withdrawn from further competition at that venue this weekend. Our two most experienced athletes continued to compete. …

“[I]t is well understood within the sport that development circuits do not carry fixed points. The National Skeleton Program has always treated the development circuit as exactly that – a developmental environment – not a pathway for Olympic qualification. BCS remains confident that its actions were appropriate, transparent, and aligned with both athlete welfare and the integrity of the sport.”

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LOS ANGELES: Strong Olympic theme for the return of the Jan. 28 Los Angeles Sports Awards, with fan award voting now open!

Rich Perelman

January 12, 2026

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ LOS ANGELES SPORTS AWARDS ≡

After a year’s absence due to the devastating Southern California wildfires, the 20th edition of the Los Angeles Sports Council’s L.A. Sports Awards are back on 28 January, with a distinctly Olympic theme among the four Lifetime Achievement Award winners:

● Cheryl Miller, one of the greatest women’s basketball players of all time as the three-time Naismith Player of the Year in 1984-85-86 at the University of Southern California and gold medalist at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, as well as the 1986 Goodwill Games and the FIBA Women’s World Championship in 1986.

● John Naber, the individual star of the 1976 Olympic swimming competition in Montreal, winning golds in the 100-200 m Backstrokes, the 4×100 m Medley relay and the 4×200 m Freestyle relay, plus a silver in the 200 m Free. Also a USC star, his teams won NCAA titles in all four of his seasons there. He was so widely respected that at age 28, he was a member of the Board of Directors for the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee for the 1984 Games.

● Alan Rothenberg, one of two remaining original Board members of the Los Angeles Sports Council from 1988, was perhaps THE key player in the rise of soccer in the U.S., first as Commissioner of Football for the wildly successful 1984 Olympic tournament – men only in those days – and then as the Chair of the stunning 1994 FIFA World Cup, which set attendance records that will only be challenged 32 years later when the event returns to the U.S.

His memoir, The Big Bounce: The Surge That Shaped The Future of U.S. Soccer, will be published on 10 February.

● Andres Cantor, the Argentine-born sportscaster and eight-time Emmy winner whose famous “goooooal” call helped promote soccer in the U.S., and who has worked multiple Olympic Games for NBC and Telemundo, even including English-language calls beginning at the 2000 Sydney Games.

The 20th L.A. Sports Awards will be held – appropriately for Miller and Naber – at the Town & Gown Ballroom at USC at 6:30 p.m., and fans can vote through 26 January for the Sportsman, Sportswoman and Coach of the Year and the no. 1 sports moment of 2025 from 10 nominees from baseball, basketball, football and soccer.

The Sports Awards is a fund-raiser for the Sports Council and for its “Ready, Set, Gold!” education program that features Olympic athletes working with students in Southern California area schools to promote better attendance, attention and goal-setting. Ready Set, Gold! is one of the only legacy programs that sprang from a losing bid for the Olympic Games, created as a project of the Los Angeles effort to land the 2016 Olympic Games that eventually went to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Want to attend? The Sports Awards is primarily a corporate event, sold in tables of eight. If you’re interested in a table or a sponsorship, please contact Sports Council chief executive Matt Cacciato here.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LOS ANGELES 2028: Metro bus estimate for 2028 slashed by 35.3%, $143 million in grants received; $270 million Fed loan request coming Wednesday

Rich Perelman

January 12, 2026

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ METRO BOARD ON 2026/2028 ≡

A special Board meeting of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Agency has been called for Wednesday, 14 January, with significant updates on the agency’s planning for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The agenda and accompanying materials reveal striking changes in the plan Metro has been talking about for several years:

● The plan to use 2,700 buses to support the 2028 Games has been slashed to 1,747 – down 35.3% – thanks to the announcement of the comprehensive sports schedule and the relocation of some venues closer to existing transit.

Moreover, the presentation notes, “Over half of the required buses have been secured.”

● A publicly unannounced “term sheet” was signed in September with the LA28 organizing committee, and Metro staff met with International Olympic Committee representatives last year to review the plan for the “Games Enhanced Transit System” (“GETS”) for spectators and volunteers at the Games.

However, funding for the GETS system, estimated last year at $2.015.7 billion, has not been secured as yet and efforts will continue for assistance from the Federal government.

● The Metro Board will consider a proposed application for a loan – not a grant – from the U.S. Department of Transportation for a list developed last September of “Priority 1″ projects dealing with (1) specific line upgrades, (2) upgrade program at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles and at the 7th Street Metro Center station and a (3) fare modernization program to allow easier payment of fares.

The loan request will be made for funds from the Federal Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA), for $270 million. If granted, the loan would fund “2028 Games Customer Experience Improvements” at downtown L.A. stations and the Games Metro Mobility Hubs.

The Metro Mobility Hubs project was estimated at $80 million in November 2024, but the tab is now shown at $90.7 million, of which $45.86 million has been obtained already.

● Funding has been committed from the Federal Highway Administration’s Congestion Migration and Air Quality (CMAQ) improvement program and Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) program, and the California Transportation Commission, totaling $143 million, that also funds first mile-last mile projects such as walking and bike lanes and signage to the venues.

Smaller programs costing almost $25 million are planned for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with seven matches to be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, most of which is for expanded shuttle services.

Observed: The reduction by more than a third of the bus fleet for 2028 is welcome news, but as the presentation notes, there is still much funding to be sought. The original estimate of $2.015.7 billion is perhaps $330 million lighter, but still expensive and needs support.

But the report also indicates that other local and regional transit agencies will help and that Caltrans is involved to help with the “Games Route Network” to ensure spectators, as well as athletes, media and officials, can get to the venues on time.

There is a long way to go, but there is a better grip on what Metro actually needs to do in 2028. Hopefully, more details will be shared on Wednesday.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: New Milan arena passes ice test; sale of Grand Slam track contemplated; Vonn storms to another Downhill win in big U.S. weekend!

Rich Perelman

January 11, 2026

tsx pix 2025-1203 santa giulia arena (itinera) — Rendering of the Santa Giulia arena in Milan, by Itinera S.p.A.

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● The PalaItalia Santagiulia Arena in Milan was finally put to the test on Friday with final-four Italian Cup matches, but with the first game briefly delayed during the first period due to a hole in the ice near one of the goals.

It was patched and the games went on, with NHL staff on hand to monitor the ice. One of the players, Kaltern-Caldaro center Florian Wieser posted on X:

“It was a small hole that was fixed in five minutes. Ice was really good, I was surprised how good it was and it will only get better.”

International Olympic Committee Sports Director Pierre Ducrey (SUI) said he was fully confident in the progress of the arena, explaining, “We knew exactly where the venue would be at this stage, and we are pleased with the progress. A lot more progress will be done so that we are absolutely ready for Games time.”

International Ice Hockey Federation President Luc Tardif (FRA) said last week that the facility will seat 11,800 rather than 14,000 as expected, but that the conditions for the players will be fine. He added Sunday:

“We know how it’s difficult to have a high level of quality of ice for the third game of the third period. Yesterday that was a good test because that was fantastic, the puck was sliding, it was not bumping. So we’ll go back in Zurich happy and confident.

“We’re going to make a report, but yesterday that was a test, so there is no reason that NHL will not come. … We want to make sure about the quality of ice, the security for the players, doesn’t matter where they come from. So now I can say we’re ready for the competition.”

Famed Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli was announced Sunday as a performer at the Milan Cortina 2026 opening in Milan, joining U.S. pop star Mariah Carey in the program on 6 February.

Tragedy in Cortina last Thursday as a security guard near a construction site near an Olympic site died during an overnight shift, apparently due to a heart attack.

It was exceptionally cold – 10.4 F – and the 55-year-old guard was on duty at a location near the Cortina ice arena. Organizing committee chief executive Andrea Varnier told reporters, “At the moment, the information we have from the emergency services is it was a death caused by natural causes … while he was on site.”

● Athletics ● Grand Slam Track filed a motion on Friday for the appointment – by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware – of Irvine, California-based Force Ten Partners to assist in the Chapter 11 reorganization efforts.

The filing noted:

“[T]he Debtor intends to propose a chapter 11 plan of reorganization in this Chapter 11 Case, and concurrently, market its assets for a potential sale. …

“Force 10 and the CRO will assist the Debtor in connection with the marketing and sale of the Debtor’s assets concurrently with assisting the Debtor to prepare and confirm a chapter 11 plan. Force 10 and Mr. Rubin have extensive experience assisting chapter 11 debtors in connection with the marketing and sale of assets and conducting a bidding, auction, and sale process in chapter 11 cases, and the Debtor believes that Force 10 and Mr. Rubin present the most efficient, expeditious, and effective option for the Debtor to conduct a marketing and sale process.”

Prior filings showed $31.4 million in debt to more than 200 creditors, with lead investor Winners Alliance loaning another $3 million to assist in the bankruptcy process.

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Alpine Skiing ● The U.S. women sent a message at the FIS World Cup Downhill in Zauchensee (AUT), with the amazing Lindsey Vonn scoring the win – her second of the year – in 1:06.24, taking the lead from Kajsa Vickhoff Lie (NOR: 1:06.61).

Coming 16th in the order was fellow American Jacqueline Wiles, who roared to the bronze in 1:06.72, and 2025 World Champion Breezy Johnson showed well in seventh (1:06.94). Wiles, 33, won her fourth career World Cup medal and her first in two years; please note that two of those four World Cup podiums were at the Olympic site of Cortina d’Ampezzo, in 2018 and 2024. Johnson has been in the top seven in three of her five Downhills this season.

Vonn logged career World Cup win no. 84. Sunday’s Super-G had to be canceled due to heavy snow overnight and strong winds on Sunday.

The men’s World Cup action was in Adelboden (SUI), with Swiss star – and four-time World Cup overall champion – Marco Odermatt (SUI) winning his sixth race of the season in the Giant Slalom, in 2:31.23, just ahead of Brazil’s Lucas Braathen (2:31.72) and Leo Anguenot (FRA: 2:31.91). River Radamus was the top American, at 2:32.90 in seventh.

The Sunday Slalom was the second win of the season for France’s Paco Rassat, who hadn’t won a medal until this season, at age 27! Fourth after the first run, he won the second run and timed 1:51.22 to beat Atlie McGrath (NOR: 1:51.40) and Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR: 1:51.42).

● Athletics ● Sweden’s Andreas Almgren moved to no. 7 on the all-time list with an emphatic, European record 26:45 victory in the 10K Valencia in Spain on Sunday.

He passed 5 km in 13:29, then pulled away from Khairi Bejiga (ETH) with about 1,000 m left and won decisively. Bejiga was second in 26:51 and Victor Kipruto (KEN: 27:16) was third. Almgren’s time is the ninth-fastest race ever.

Kenya’s Brenda Jepchirchir took the lead early and maintained a steady lead on Likina Amebaw (ETH) and held it to the finish, winning by 29:25 to 29:30, moving to no. 4 and no. 6 on the all-time list (performances nos. 6 and 9 all-time). Claire Ndiwa (KEN) was third in 29:49, now no. 16 all-time.

● Badminton ● A surprise ending at the BWF World Tour Malaysia Open in Kuala Lumpur, as men’s top seed Yu Qi Shi (CHN) – the 2025 World Champion – had to retire due to an injury in the second set, after losing the first set, 23-21 to Paris 2024 runner-up Kunlavut Vitidsarn (THA), and trailing by 6-1 in set no. two.

Olympic champ Se Young An (KOR) continued her dominance with a 21-15, 24-22 win over second-seeded Zhi Yi Wang (CHN) in the women’s final.

In the men’s Doubles, top seed Korea won in three sets over Malaysia, top-seeded China swept Korea in the women’s Doubles and top-seed China won the Mixed Doubles.

● Biathlon ● Italy’s Tomasso Giacomel, the 2025 20 km Worlds runner-up, made a statement at the IBU World Cup in Oberhof (GER), winning the men’s 10 km Sprint and 12.5 km Pursuit to make it three wins in a row and four on the season.

He took the Sprint in 25:01.7 (1 penalty) over Philipp Nawrath (GER: 25:14.9/1) and Johannes Dale-Skjavdal (NOR: 25:26.9/1); Campbell Wright of the U.S. was 10th (25:2.5/2). Giacomel then won the Pursuit in a tight finish with Norway’s Martin Uldal, 37:15.4 (6) to 37:19.9 (4); Wright was the top American again, in 21st (38:57.2/3).

Norway won the men’s 4×7.5 km relay over France, 1:20:29.1 (7) to 1:20:31.7 (9); the U.S. was seventh in 1:22:18.2 (10).

The women’s Sprint was the first win of the season for Swede Elvira Oberg, the Beijing Olympic Sprint runner-up, finishing in 22:00.6 (0) over Finn Suvi Minkkinen (22:21.7/0), with Luci Anderson of the U.S. in 21st (23:25.7/1).

Sunday’s 10 km Pursuit saw Oberg make it two in a row, winning again over Minkkinen, 31:38.5 (1) to 31:55.1 (1), with sister Hanna Oberg in third in 32:43.0 (2).

France won the women’s 4×6 km by 53.7 seconds over Norway in 1:18:21.9 (8); the U.S. was sixth in 1:21:18.8 (9), its best performance since 2022.

● Bobsled & Skeleton ● The U.S. posted its second win in the Two-Woman IBSF World Cup this season in St. Moritz (SUI), with two-time Olympic winner Kaillie Armbruster Humphries teaming with Jasmine Jones to time 2:18.40 over Melanie Hasler and Nadja Pasternack (SUI: 2:18.41) and Germany’s 2022 Olympic champs Laura Nolte and new partner Leonie Kluwig (2:18.43). Americans Kaysha Love and Emily Renna were eighth in 2:19.17 and Elana Meyers Taylor and Jadin O’Brien finished 10th (2:19.37).

Australia’s Bree Walker continued her success in the women’s Monobob, winning her third World Cup of the season in 2:23.27, just ahead of Hasler (2:23.80). Armbruster Humphries, the 2022 Olympic champ, was fourth in 2:23.99 and Meyers Taylor was ninth (2:24.46).

German sleds went 1-2 in the men’s Two and Four, with Johannes Lochner winning the Two-Man with Georg Fleischhauser in 2:12.24 for their fifth win in six events this season. Olympic champ Francesco Friedrich, with Alexander Schuller, finished second (2:13.02). Frank Del Duca and Josh Williamson had the top U.S. finish, in seventh at 2:13.81.

The Four-Man went to Adam Ammour for the first time this season, after three prior medals, in 2:09.51, over Lochner (2:09.58). Del Duca’s sled was 16th (2:10.81). The U.S. squad with Kris Horn driving was disqualified on the first run as the other three members of the team were unable to get into the sled in time and fell off on the first turn. No serious injuries were reported.

In the added Skeleton racing after prior cancellations, Britain’s two-time World Champion Matt Weston won on Friday (9th) for his fifth gold in six races this season in 2:16.58, with Italian Amedeo Bagnis again second, in 2:17.49. Austin Florian was the top American, in 10th in 2:18.43.

The women’s victory went to Belgium’s Kim Meylemans for the third time this season in 2:21.01, ahead of first-time seasonal medalist Kelly Curtis of the U.S. (2:22.12). Teammate Mystique Ro was 11th (2:22.77). China won the Mixed Team race in 2:26.16 over Germany (2:26.25), with Ro and Florian fifth (2:26.66) and Curtis and Nicholas Tucker eighth in 2:27.33.

● Cross Country Skiing ● The U.S. national champs were in Lake Placid, New York, with big performances by Zanden McMullen and Samantha Smith.

McMullen won the men’s Free Sprint over Owen Young by 2:41.42 to 2:42.56, then won the 20 km Freestyle Mass Start in 47:37.0, with Mons Melbye second in 47:37.7. Hunter Wonders took the Classical 10 km in 25:28.8 over Luke Jager (25:30.2) and John Schwinghamer won the Classical Sprint in 2:52.91, with Pierre Grall-Johnson second in 2:53.37.

Smith won the Freestyle Sprint in 3:06.96 from Alayna Sonnesyn (3:08.75) and then the Classical Sprint in 3:14.95 with Katherine Weaver the closest in 3:21.58 for second. Hailey Swibul won the women’s Classical 10 km in 28:42.5 over Erica Laven (29:14.4) and Novie McCabe took the Freestyle 20 km Mass Start in 54:31.6.

● Curling ● At the World Curling Mixed Doubles Qualification Event in Dumfries (SCO), four teams advanced to the 2026 Worlds in Switzerland in April: China, France, Hungary and the Netherlands.

At the Grand Slam of Curling Players Championship in Steinbach (CAN) – the final event of the 2025-26 season – Scotland’s Ross Whyte faced off in the final against fellow Scot Kyle Waddell and managed a 6-3 win for their second-ever Grand Slam gold, thanks to two-point ends in the third and sixth. Waddell’s rink got the silver in their second-ever Grand Slam final.

The women’s final was a battle between Switzerland’s four-time world champion team skipped by Silvana Tirinzoni and Canada’s Kerri Einarson, a two-time Worlds bronze winner. Tirinzoni jumped ahead 2-0 in the first end and added one in the second, two in the fourth and one more in the sixth of a 6-4 win. It’s the third straight Players Championship win for Tirinzoni’s rink.

● Fencing ● The U.S. had a big weekend!

The FIE World Cup circuit fired up in Fujariah (UAE) in Epee for men and women with a first-time men’s gold for 28-year-old Dane Conrad Kongstad, who defeated Matteo Galassi (ITA) by 15-13 in the final. France’s Marie-Florence Candassamy took the women’s crown, 15-10, against Alberta Santuccio (ITA). The 2023 World Champion, it’s the first World Cup gold for Candassamy.

The U.S. women took the team gold, with Kyle Fallon, Hadley Husisian, Catherine Nixon and Leehi Machulsky recording a 45-40 win over South Korea. The men’s Team gold went to Switzerland, with a 45-24 win over Italy.

American Olympic Foil champ Lee Kiefer won the women’s World Cup in Hong Kong, taking the final in a 15-12 duel with Francesca Palumbo (ITA). Kiefer, 31 now, claimed her sixth career World Cup gold and 25 medal! The U.S. team of Kiefer, Jaelyn Liu, Carolina Stutchbury and Lauren Scruggs won the Team bronze, with Italy defeating France, 45-22, for the title.

American men’s Olympic star Alexander Massialas, silver winner in 2016, won his 10th career World Cup gold in the men’s Foil in Paris (FRA), defeating Hong Kong’s Ryan Choi by 15-10 in the final. It’s Massialas’ third World Cup gold in Paris. Massialas led the U.S. team – with Nick Itkin, Gerek Meinhardt and Marcello Olivares – to a silver, losing to Hong Kong, 45-38, in the final.

At the Grand Prix in Sabre in Tunis (TUN), Sebastien Patrice of France took the men’s final for his first Grand Prix gold from Krisztian Rabb (HUN) by 15-11; American Colin Heathcock was fifth. Russian “neutral” Alina Mikhailova won the women’s final over two-time World Champion Misaki Emura (JPN), 15-10.

● Figure Skating ● U.S. Figure Skating nominated its Olympic team in a televised special on Sunday, with a strong squad for Milan:

● Men (3): Ilia Malinin, Andrew Torgashev, Maxim Naumov ~ finished 1-2-3 at the Nationals.

● Women (3): Amber Glenn, Alysia Liu, Isabeau Levito ~ finished 1-2-3 at the Nationals.

● Pairs (2): Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea, Emily Chan and Spencer Howe ~ finished 2-4 at the Nationals.

● Ice Dance (3): Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik, Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko ~ finished 1-2-3 at the Nationals.

With three current World Champions on the roster – Malinin, Liu and Chock and Bates – the U.S. will be favored in the Team Event as well.

Pairs national champions Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov could not be named to the U.S. team since Efimova is not yet a U.S. citizen; the same circumstance befell third-placers Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman, as Parkman is not a citizen.

● Freestyle Skiing ● The U.S. opened the men’s Slopestyle FIS World Cup in Aspen, Colorado with a win, as 2025 Worlds silver medalist Mac Forehand took the season opener, 77.38 to 75.90 over Estonia’s 19-year-old Henry Sildaru, who got his first World Cup medal.

Saturday’s Halfpipe was a second win this season for 2025 World Champion Finley Melville Ives (NZL) at 95.00, ahead of Americans Hunter Hess (90.75) and 2025 Worlds runner-up Nick Goepper (90.25), with fellow American Matthew Labaugh fourth (88.00).

The women’s Slopestyle opener went to Kirsty Muir (GBR: 80.62) over Megan Oldham (CAN: 73.02), the 2023 Worlds silver winner. The Saturday Halfpipe was won by China’s 2025 Worlds runner-up Fanghui Li (93.00) in a tight battle with Britain’s 2025 World Champion Zoe Atkin (92.75) and Kexin Zhang (CHN: 88.75).

At the third World Cup event in Moguls this season, in Val St. Come (CAN), Canadian superstar Mikael Kingsbury won his first medal of the season at 85.83, his 100th career World Cup victory, easily the most ever.

He beat 2018 Olympic silver winner Matt Graham (AUS: 83.50) and Nick Page of the U.S. (80.96).

The women’s Moguls final had to be canceled due to heavy fog, so the qualifying results were used, with 2022 Olympic champion Jakara Anthony (AUS: 79.83) the winner ahead of Americans Tess Johnson (75.85) and Olivia Giaccio (75.78).

Kingsbury skipped Saturday’s Dual Moguls, but Canada won again, this time with Julien Viel, who won his first World Cup gold, over Japan’s three-time World Champion Ikuma Horishima.

The women’s Dual Moguls was a U.S. sweep, with 2025 World Champion Jaelin Kauf taking the final from teammate Elizabeth Lemley, with Johnson defeating Giaccio for the bronze!

The FIS World Cup in Aerials in Lake Placid, New York was a Sunday-Monday affair, with China claiming its third men’s win in five events, all by different skiers. This time is was Xindi Wang, scoring 103.50 to edge Ukraine’s Yan Havriuk (94.12) and countryman and 2022 Olympic champ Guangpu Qi (94.12).

The women’s Sunday winner was four-time Worlds medalist Danielle Scott (AUS: 95.88) ahead of China’s Beijing Olympic champ Mengtao Xu (94.01) and American Kalia Kuhn (92.29).

Monday will be the seasonal finale.

● Luge ● The fifth FIL World Cup was in Winterberg (GER) for the second time this season, with 2023 World Champion Jonas Mueller (AUT) getting his second win of the season in 1:42.899, winning the first run. That was good enough to edge two-time Olympic champ Felix Loch (GER: 1:43.004), who won the second run. Jonny Gustafson of the U.S. was ninth in 1:43.640.

Triple Olympic champs Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt (GER) won the men’s Doubles in 1:25.599, just ahead of Olympic bronzers Thomas Steu and Wolfgang Kindl (AUT: 1:25.653). Americans Marcus Mueller and Ansel Haugsjaa finished 10th in 1:26.176 and Zachary DiGregorio and Sean Hollander were 12th (1:26.290).

Austria’s two-time Olympian Hannah Prock took her first medal – and first win – of the season in the women’s Singles, winning both runs and timing 1:51.885. Just behind was Germany’s reigning World Champion Julia Taubitz (1:51.972) and Verena Hofer (ITA: 1:52.250). Seasonal leader Summer Britcher of the U.S. was fifth (1:52.527).

The women’s Doubles title went to two-time World Champions Jessica Degenhardt and Cheyenne Rosenthal (GER: 1:26.710) over reigning World Champions Selina Egle and Lara Kipp (AUT: 1:26.810) and 2025 bronzers Dajana Eitberger and Magdalena Matschina (GER: 1:27.079). American pair Chevonne Forgan and Sophia Kirkby was fifth (1:27.315) and Maya Chan and Sophia Gordon were sixth (1:27.419).

● Nordic Combined ● The FIS World Cup finally resumed in Otepaa (EST), with 2023 Worlds silver medalist Julian Schmid (GER) getting the win on Friday in the men’s 10 km race and 97 m jumping with 114.0 points, just ahead of seasonal leader Johannes Lamparter (AUT: 113.4). Norway’s Einar Oftebro was third at 109.9.

Oftebro took over on Saturday, winning the Gundersen with a 10 km finish in 26:47.6, beating German 2018 Olympic champ Johannes Rydzek (26:48.1). The Sunday Compact event with a 7.5 km race featured Lamparter with the win in 19:55.2, well ahead of Rydzek (20:15.7) and 2022 Olympic gold winner Vinzenz Geiger (GER: 20:16.0).

Norway’s Ida Marie Hagen came in having won three of the first four events this season and she kept it going, taking Friday’s 97 m jumping and 5 km race with 101.0 points over Minja Korhonen (FIN: 99.8). American Alexa Brabec was fourth at 93.1.

Hagen won again on Saturday in the Gundersen at 19:46.1 for the 5 km race, way ahead of Yuna Kasai (JPN: 21:08.0), with Brabec fourth again in 21:11.0. The Norwegian star completed her sweep on Sunday in the Compact 5.0 km race, in 11:19.5, with Korhonen second (11:45.6) and Brabec with her third medal of the season in 12:03.4.

● Ski Jumping ● The FIS women’s World Cup was in Ljubno (SLO) on the 94 m hill, a home event for World Champion Nika Prevc, and of course she thrilled the crowd with a Saturday win at 278.1, dominating the event, as Lisa Eder (AUT) took second at 254.1 (second for the third straight event!). Paige Jones was 14th, scoring 206.7.

On Sunday, Prevc won another battle with Eder, 271.1 to 270.1, after Eder won the first round. German star Katharina Schmid was third at 252.9. American Annika Belshaw was seventh, her best individual finish ever and first time in the top 10!

The men’s World Cup in Zakopane (POL) was off the 140 m hill on Sunday, with five-time Worlds medalist Anze Lanisek (SLO) moving from second to first in the final round, at 278.1 to 264.8 for six-time Worlds medalist Jan Hoerl (AUT), with Manuel Fettner (AUT: 262.7) third. American Kevin Bickner was 10th at 230.9.

● Snowboard ● The FIS World Cup Slopestyle opener was in Aspen, Colorado, with American Jake Canter getting the win at 85.16, his first career World Cup gold, at 22. Beijing 2022 runner-up Yuming Su (CHN: 84.18) was second and New Zealand’s Dane Menzies (83.68) third.

The Halfpipe went to Japan’s 2021 World Champion Yuto Totsuka at 90.50, just ahead of teammate Shuichiro Shigeno (90.00) and Alessandro Barbieri of the U.S. (89.25). It’s Totsuka’s third medal of the season, in four events.

The women’s Slopestyle opener went to Laurie Blouin, the 2017 World Champion, scoring 81.21, with Mari Fukada (JPN: 77.26) and 2025 Worlds silver winner Kokomo Murase (75.36) going 2-3. In Halfpipe, Japan’s two-time Worlds medalist Mitsuki Ono got the win at 91.00, ahead of 31-year-old American Madeline Schaffrick (82.75) and Sena Tomita (JPN: 80.75).

Schaffrick won her second career World Cup medal and first silver, after taking a competition break from 2015-24!

Italian immortal – well, he’s 45 – Roland Fischnaller, the 2025 World Champion, won the men’s Parallel Giant Slalom in Scuol (AUT) on Saturday, beating countryman Mirko Felicetti to the line in the final.

The women’s victory went to German two-time Worlds medalist Ramona Hofmeister, who crossed first ahead of Elisa Caffont (ITA).

● Table Tennis ● Surprises at the WTT Champions in Doha (QAT), with Tokyo Olympic fourth-placer Yun-ju Lin (TPE) taking the men’s final by 4-3 (12-10, 11-6, 6-11, 6-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-5) over Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto, a three-time Worlds medal winner.

The women’s final belonged to 2017 Worlds runner-up Yuling Zhu, who represents Macau, winning 4-2 against China’s two-time Worlds medalist Xingtong Chen, 4-2: 5-11, 13-11, 3-11, 11-7, 11-8, 13-11.

It’s the first WTT Champions title for Lin and Zhu.

● Water Polo ● The U.S. women were on the road in Ede against The Netherlands on Thursday to begin a two-game set, winning 12-6 and followed up with a 16-9 victory in Rotterdam on Friday (9th).

Rachel Fattal, Ryann Neushul, and Jewel Roemer each scored three to lead the Americans in the first game and Paige Hauschild and Ava Stryker each had five on Friday. The U.S. moves on to play three matches in Hungary against the 2025 Worlds silver medalists on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The U.S. men played a two-game home series with Australia in Walnut, California on Saturday and Sunday, winning the first match by 17-9, with Ryder Dodd scoring five goals to lead the Americans, who had a 10-3 halftime lead.

Sunday’s match saw a six-goal explosion by Australia in the second quarter for an 8-4 halftime lead, and hold on for a 13-10 victory. Matthew Byrnes had four goals for the winners and Dodd led the U.S. with three.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

FIGURE SKATING: Malinin brings out the dragons, Chock & Bates and Glenn star at U.S. Nationals, as American Olympic squad to be nominated Sunday

Rich Perelman

January 10, 2026

performs in the men's short program at the 2024 World Figure Ska — World Champion Ilia Malinin of the U.S., in 2024 (Photo: Wikipedia via Flowering Dagwood).

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≡ U.S. CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

The 2026 U.S. Figure Skating National Championships concluded in St. Louis, Missouri on Saturday, with all three U.S. World Champions performing strongly, but only two actually winning.

The men’s favorite, Ilia Malinin, was looking for a fourth straight U.S. championship and completely overwhelmed the field in the Short Program on Thursday, scoring a sensational 115.10 points, to 89.26 for 2020 bronzer Tomoki Hiwatashi and 88.49 for 2015 national champ Jason Brown. It’s the second-highest U.S. Champs score ever, behind Nathan Chen’s 115.39 in 2022.

Malinin’s program started with a quadruple flip and included a perfectly-executed quad Lutz and triple Toe Loop combination that earned extra credit, plus a backflip and his “Raspberry Twist.” He dressed as the character “Toothless” from “How to Train Your Dragon” and in a pre-planned stunt, fans threw stuffed “Toothless” dolls – provided by U.S. Figure Skating and NBC – onto the ice, reminiscent of the “Winnie the Pooh” plush toys that followed performances by Japanese Olympic champ Yuzuru Hanyu.

Malinin, 21, said afterwards that he didn’t know about the stunt.

For Saturday’s Free Skate, 11th-place Jimmy Ma brought the house down, incorporating the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A” into his routine, and he moved into the lead at 225.71 with 10 skaters left. He was quickly passed, but not forgotten.

Contender Andrew Torgashev, second last year, was fifth in the Short Program, but sparkled with a spirited program that roused the crowd and scored 182.63 to total 267.62 and take the lead. Next was Maxim Naumov, fourth in 2025, who lost his parents in the tragic crash of AA 5342 last January. He skated with tremendous emotion, but had technical imperfections and scored 163.44 for a total of 249.16 for second place.

Fan favorite Brown, 31, trying for a third Olympic Games, entered in third place. He fell on his first triple Axel, and fell again late in the program and his artistry was dramatic; the score was only 139.03 and a total of 227.52, in sixth.

Hiwatashi had a clear shot at the Milan team and gave a spirited performance that drained him emotionally and had the crowd cheering, but that also had small errors and scored 157.98 and 247.24 in total, leaving him fourth. Naumov was assured of a top-three finish for the first time.

Then came Milanin, needing only 152.53 points to win the title. He included “only” three quad jumps, but offered artistry beyond his amazing athletic feats – including another backflip – and the stuffed animals rained down again (no dragons, though).

He won the Free Skate at 209.78 for a winning total of 324.88 and his fourth title in a row. He remains the strong favorite for an Olympic gold next month. It’s his fifth-highest score ever.

Torgashev and Naumov finished 2-3 and look like possible Olympians, with the decision due on Sunday.

The Ice Dance final was another showcase, for World Champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates, well in front after the Rhythm Dance, 91.70 to 85.98 for Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik – twice fourth in the prior three years – with two-time runner-ups Caroline Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko third at 83.29.

In the Free Dance final session on Saturday, 2023 runners-up Caroline Green and Michael Parsons performed elegantly to score 121.50 and take the lead at 202.05, their fourth-best score ever. Carreira and Ponomarkenko topped that with a sensuous performance, scoring 123.66 and a 206.95 total for the lead, their career no. 3 score.

Zingas, who transitioned from Singles to Ice Dance only in 2022, and Kolesnik offered a highly athletic and expressive routine that drew the stuffed animals to the ice and scored 127.67 and a total of 213.65 – by far their best ever – to take the lead. Chock and Bates performed an intricate Flamenco-themed program that had the crowd on their feet and more toys on the ice. The Free Dance score was 137.12 and the total was 228.87, the 13th time they have surpassed 220 points.

Chock and Bates won their fifth U.S. title in a row and seventh all-time, going back to 2015. They are the sixth to win five straight American championships; the last were Meryl Davis and Charlie White, who won a record six straight from 2009-14. But only Chock and Bates have won seven.

Maia and Alex Shibutani, two-time U.S. champions and the 2018 Olympic bronze winners, came back this season and finished in ninth place overall at 173.17.

The women’s championship on Friday had two-time defending champion Amber Glenn leading 2025 World Champion Alysia Liu by 83.05 to 81.11 going into the Free Skate, and Glenn performed beautifully under pressure as the final skater, scoring 150.50 to win the event, ahead of 2023 national champion Isabeau Levito (148.73) and Liu (147.80), with two-time U.S. winner Bradie Tennell fourth (141.95).

All three had six triples in their program, but Glenn had the top Technical Element and Program Composition (artistic) scores and won the title with 233.55 points to 228.91 for Liu and 224.45 for Levito. Tennell was well back in fourth at 211.48. The top three are expected to be named to the U.S. and will be a formidable entry in both the individual and team events.

For Glenn, her third title in a row was the first time since Michelle Kwan’s eight straight from 1998-2005, and she is the 15th U.S. woman to win at least three straight.

In Pairs, defending champions Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov were decisive winners, winning both the Short Program and Free Skate and piling up 207.71 points, their best score ever. Their path to the Olympic Winter Games, however, is clouded by Efimova’s status as not yet receiving a U.S. passport, required as proof of citizenship in order to be on the American team. Born in Finland in 1999, she skated for Russia from 2015-20, then for Germany from 2021-23, before coming to the U.S. She married Mitrofanov in 2024.

Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea were clear in second, moving up from third after the Short Program and scoring a total of 197.12. They have placed 3-1-3-2 in the last four nationals. Third-place Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman were fifth in the Short Program and fourth in the Free Skate, but that moved them up to third overall at 187.45. Parkman, born in Russia and partnered with McBeath since 2023 also does not have U.S. citizenship.

So, fourth-placers Emily Chan and Spencer Howe (186.52), second in 2023, may be in line for selection, or possibly fifth-place Audrey Shin and Balazs Nagy, just behind in fifth at 185.10, as the U.S. has two spots in this event in Milan.

The U.S. Figure Skating Association will announce its Olympic nominees on Sunday at 2 p.m. Eastern, televised by NBC.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Kiplimo wins third straight, Ngetich dominant at World Athletics Cross Championships in Tallahassee

Rich Perelman

January 10, 2026

tsx pix 2026-110 ngetich wins w x-c (world feed) — All smiles for Kenya's Agnes Ngetich as she wins the women's World Athletics Cross Country title in Tallahassee (World Athletics video screen shot).

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≡ WORLD CROSS CHAMPS ≡

The 46th World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida started with a bright sky and 67 F temperatures, but with 90% humidity at Apalachee Regional Park, and a nice crowd of more than 5,000 on hand on the custom-built course.

The setting was fun, the racing was great, the meet looked to be very well organized and two great champions destroyed good fields for the men’s and women’s senior titles. Race-by-race:

Mixed Relay (4 x 2 km):
Ethan Strand of the U.S. (5:12) and Kenya’s Reynold Cheruiyot passed first, but Australia’s Linden Hall – who attended Florida State in Tallahassee ran away in the final third of the second leg to take a six-second lead (11:11) on France and South Africa.

France’s Antoine Senard (16:31) overtook Jack Anstey (AUS) over the log section and passed first, but Australia had world 2,000 m record holder Jess Hull on anchor. Wes Porter of the U.S. passed third (+0:09).

Hull, who has been training in the U.S., ran to the front right away over Agathe Guillemot and stayed on the gas to win easily in 22:23 to 22:26 over France. Ethiopian star Hirut Meshesha – the 2024 All-African Games 1,500 m winner – ran Ethiopia into third (22:34), ahead of defending champ Kenya (22:42) and Gracie Morris and the U.S. in fifth (22:43).

It’s the first time that anyone other than Kenya (3 golds) and Ethiopia (1 gold) has won this event and the first time that African nations did not finish 1-2. But given the visa issues that plagued Ethiopia, the bronze was impressive.

Women (10 km):
Temperatures were up to 73 F and 73% humidity when 101 women started at 8:35 a.m. Favored Agnes Ngetich (KEN) – the road 10 km world-record holder at 28:46 from 2024 – led a group of four who had a four-second lead on the pack by 2 km. It was six seconds at 3 km over Joy Cheptoyek (UGA), Senayet Getachew (ETH) and Asayech Ayichew (ETH), with another nine seconds back to the next group.

The television shot from a drone couldn’t put Ngetich and the chase pack in the same shot (!) by 4 km, with Ngetich taking a 17-second lead. She won the bronze in 2023 and was on the way to Kenya’s 10th straight women’s title. Ngetich passed 5 km in 15:19 and was up by 25 seconds, with Cheptoyek and Getachew 2-3 and Ayichew falling back.

Ngetich was lapping runners as she took the bell at 8 km, 40 seconds up on the field and rolled to the win in a masterpiece run in 31:28, with a huge smile on the run-in to the tape.

Cheptoyek pulled away in the final kilometer to take silver in 32:10 with Getachew in 32:13.

Ethiopia took the team title easily with 19 points, ahead of Kenya (36) and Uganda (37). Ednah Kurgat of the U.S. was 10th (33:28), followed by Karissa Schweizer (17: 33:58), Katie Izzo (25: 34:25) and Grace Hartman (32: 34:47) for 83 points and fourth place. Emily Venters was 33rd (34:48) and Weini Kelati was 40th (35:25), falling well back on the final lap and a half.

It’s Ethiopia’s first women’s gold since 2019, and their 13th all-time.

Men (10 km):
Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo was looking for a third straight win in the men’s race, started at 75 F and 67% humidity. Wesley Kiptoo of the U.S. had the lead at the 2 km mark at 5:39, with Kiplimo in 32nd.

Tadese Worku (ETH) took over at the end of the second lap (11:34), with 16 within two seconds and Kiplimo up to fourth. And Kiplimo was in the lead heading to the start of the fourth lap, in 17:14, with six in the lead pack and Daniel Ebenyo (KEN) closest.

Kiplimo, Ebenyo and Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi – second to Kiplimo the last two times – crossed in front at the bell at 22:56, five seconds up on the field. Kiplimo surged ahead through the sandy beach section and Aregawi gave chase, breaking away from Ebenyo. Kiplimo was up by 0:08 with a km left and ran alone to the finish in 28:18. He’s the first to win three in a row since Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele took five in a row from 2002-06 (and also won in 2008).

Aregawi got his third straight silver in 28:36 and Ebenyo took bronze in 28:45 and Worku was fourth (28:39). You have to go back to the first three editions of the event to find Spain’s Mariano Haro finishing second three consecutive times in 1973-74-75.

Ethiopia (2-4-6-18) won the team title at 30, a satisfying result considering their visa issues, followed by Kenya (34) and Uganda (39). The U.S. leader was American Cross champ Parker Wolfe in 12th (29:28), then Kiptoo in 14th (29:34), Graham Blanks in 19th (29:41) and Nico Young in 36th (30:19). Their 81 points placed them in fourth; France was fifth at 92.

Ethiopia won its first title since 2017 and 11th all-time.

In the U-20 races, defending women’s champion Marta Alemayo steadily built a lead and entered the final 2 km lap with a seven-second lead. She won the 6 km race easily in 18:52 and became the fifth to win two consecutive titles; countrywoman Letesenbet Gidey was the last to do it in 2015-17.

Teammate Wosane Asefa was second (19:18), then Charity Cherop (UGA: 19:19); Ethiopian Yenenesh Shimket was fifth (19:35) and but for their entry visa problems, the Ethiopians would have won their sixth team title in a row. As it was, Uganda and Kenya each scored 29 points, with the fourth-place finisher the tie-breaker and Peace Chebet was 10th to 11th for Miriam Kibet for Kenya. It was the first win for Uganda in the event.

Japan was third (87) – for the 17th time in this event – and the U.S. was fourth at 108, with Blair Bartlett the top finisher in 16th (20:36).

The men’s 8 km U-20 race had Kenyans Emmanuel Kiprono, Frankline Kibet and Andrew Alamisi in front entering the final lap, and Kibet sprinted to the line first, with Kiprono, Alamisi and Andrew Kiptoo going 1-2-3-4 (23:18-23:20-23:28-23:42) to complete a team sweep (10 points).

Uganda was a clear second in the team race (31) and then the U.S. won the bronze (75) with Tyler Daillak in 16th (24:46), then Jackson Spencer (18: 25:00), Daniel Skandera (19: 25:02) and Aidan Torres (22: 25:20).

The bronze is the first for the U.S. since 2023 (which was the first since 1982!).

This was the first Worlds Cross in the U.S. since 1992, but based on how well this one went, it won’t be the last.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Int’l federations want more IOC money, Olympic event control; Ukraine skeleton racer asks Russian suspension; Chloe Kim injured!

Rich Perelman

January 8, 2026

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Association of Summer Olympic International Federations ● The ASOIF Strategy 2026-32 plan was unveiled, with new President Ingmar De Vos (BEL-equestrian) explaining:

“[T]he new strategy takes a more deliberate and forward-looking approach. It maintains ASOIF’s core purpose while sharpening its focus. Greater emphasis is given to collaboration and influence, with the purpose of championing the role of the IF whilst also protecting the jurisdiction and mandate of the IF.”

The primary objectives include collective representation of International Federations interests in the Olympic Movement, to “establishment of a clear and objective process and methodology for determining the Olympic Games Sport Programme” as well as “[c]larify Olympic Games revenue distribution based upon transparent and objective criteria” and better information-sharing between federations.

At the core: more money for the IFs from the International Olympic Committee and more say on what sports and events are included in the Games (which then impacts revenue sharing).

● Enhanced Games ● The latest athlete to sign with the Enhanced Games is British sprinter Reese Prescod, 29, who last competed in 2024. He had a best of 9.93 in 2022, but managed only 10.00 in 2024; he was a member of three British Worlds teams and a Tokyo 2020 Olympian.

● Athletics ● World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe (GBR) visited Jamaica and pledged an additional $100,000 support to help rebuild facilities in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, for

“programme support focused on ensuring athletes from the impacted western side of the island can continue to train and compete in regional and global championships, including the CARIFTA Games in Grenada in April and the World Athletics U20 Championships in Oregon, USA, in August.

“Our funding will be allocated to areas such as transport and accommodation to ensure impacted athletes have access to facilities for training and competition, and replacement of equipment, rather than infrastructure, considering that this is a local and national government responsibility.”

The Athletics Integrity Unit suspended Mercyline Chelangat (UGA) for five years for testosterone use from 10 October 2025. Now 28, she is a 1:08:27 half-marathoner (2022) and 2:24:12 marathoner from 2023.

● Bobsled & Skeleton ● Activist Ukrainian (and two-time Olympian) skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych posted a broadside against the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation on Thursday for admission of Russian “neutrals” which he believes are, in fact, supporting the war against Ukraine:

● “Today, during the European Cup stage in skeleton, the Ukrainian national team, together with the teams from Latvia and Sweden, held a protest against the participation of so-called “neutral” athletes whom the IBSF has admitted to competitions.”

● “Our national team has every moral right to this protest. These young Ukrainian athletes have gone through real hell, and our entire country continues to endure it due to russia’s full-scale invasion. At the same time, the majority of the admitted “neutral” athletes support the war against Ukraine in one way or another (examples in the thread).”

● “Olympic sport is always politics, and russian sport is one of the key instruments of russian propaganda. Anyone who does not understand this is either consciously supporting russia’s actions against Ukraine or simply refusing to see reality.”

He ended with:

“The Bobsleigh Federation of russia remains a member of the IBSF despite gross violations of the Olympic Charter: recognizing Ukraine’s occupied territories as russian and spreading propagandist symbolism. For similar violations, the russian Olympic Committee was suspended by the IOC. Why the IBSF acts differently is unclear to us.

“The Bobsleigh Federation of russia must be suspended, and all athletes involved in supporting the war must be barred from competitions.”

● Football ● The expected rush of friendly matches in the U.S. ahead of this summer’s 2026 FIFA World Cup started Thursday with qualifiers Brazil, France, Croatia and Colombia announcing dates in March:

● 26 March: Brazil vs. France at Foxborough, Ma.
● 26 March: Croatia vs. Colombia at Orlando, Fl.
● 29 March: Colombia vs. France at Landover, Md.
● 31 March: Brazil vs. Croatia at Orlando, Fl.

The promoters include Unified Events, Florida Citrus Sports, Pitch International, Lions Sports & Media and Cardenas Media Network. Only the 26 March match with Brazil and France is at a World Cup site.

The inquiry into betting by Turkish football referees and officials is deepening as 212 more individuals were referred to the Professional Football Discipline Committee, including 108 coaches and team staff and 104 football agents.

All of the coaches have been temporarily suspended, with the inquiry now focused on individuals who were involved in the country’s professional leagues during the previous five years and placed bets during that time.

In October 2025, an investigation reported 371 of 571 match officials in Turkey had active betting accounts and 152 had been betting on football matches.

● Freestyle Skiing ● French Olympic women’s Big Air silver medalist Tess Ledeux is out of the Milan Cortina Winter Games due to a concussion suffered last March. A World Champion in both Big Air and Slopestyle, she wrote in a Friday social post:

“With the help of the medical staff, I have made the decision to draw a line under my season. Probably the hardest decision of my life. … This choice is difficult, almost impossible to accept. It feels unfair.”

Ledeux, still just 24, has suffered from continuing dizziness, fatigue and headaches since then. She said she will be looking forward to a Winter Games in her own country at French Alps 2030.

● Snowboard ● U.S. women’s Halfpipe star Chloe Kim posted a video on Instagram Thursday with bad news:

“I’m here in Switzerland and on my second day of training, I took the silliest fall … and that ultimately resulted in my dislocating my shoulder. Just so fun.

“Trying to stay really optimistic. I think I don’t have much clarity right now because I haven’t gotten an MRI yet, but that’s scheduled for tomorrow. … So yeah just trying to stay really optimistic, but I feel really good about where my snowboarding is at right now so I know that the minute I get cleared and I’m good to go, it should be fine.

“I’m just hoping that it doesn’t take too long. But I’m going to be chilling for the next little while. So if you have any recs on how I should kill all this time that I have, please let me know.”

She appeared to hurt her left shoulder and said she is “not in that much pain” and that she has range of movement. She added in the text column:

“trying to stay positive through these moments so difficult. I have gone through so many waves of emotions I literally have a migraine. The only thing I can do is rest/do everything in my power to come back as soon as possible. thank you all for supporting me on this wild journey! will keep you posted 🙂 p.s I think I am getting old”

She’s 25.

● Swimming ● The International Swimming Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2026:

“Swimmers Nathan Adrian (USA), László Cseh (HUN) and Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED); Open Water Swimmer Ferry Weertman (NED); Diver Tania Cagnotto (ITA); Water Polo Player Simone Fountain (AUS); Artistic Swimmer Heather Simmons-Carrasco (USA); Masters Swimmer Richard Burns (USA); Coach Jane Figueiredo (ZIM); Contributor Stephen A. “Sid” Cassidy (USA); and Paralympian Beatrice Hess (FRA).”

Adrian won five Olympic golds in the men’s sprints and relays, including the London 2012 men’s 100 m Free; Cseh won four Olympic silvers and two bronzes in the 200-400 m Medley and the 100-200 m Butterfly, and Kromowidjojo won Olympic golds in the 50-100 m Frees in 2012 and the 4×100 Free relay in 2008.

She married Weertman, the 2016 Olympic men’s 10 km open-water champion in 2022. Simmons-Carrasco was a member of the American gold-medal team at the Atlanta 1996 Games.

They will be inducted on 16 May at the ISHOF in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: World Athletics Cross Country Championships on in Tallahassee on Saturday, with Kiplimo looking for a third straight title

Rich Perelman

January 8, 2026

World Athletics Cross Country Championships Belgrade 2024 — Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda repeats as World Athletics Cross Country champion in 2024! (Photo: Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images for World Athletics)

★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★

★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ ALL EYES ON TALLAHASSEE ≡

For the first time in 34 years, the World Athletics Cross Country Championships will be in the U.S., this time in Tallahassee, Florida at Apalachee Regional Park on Saturday morning. The last time was in 1992 in Boston, with Kenya sweeping the men’s and women’s team titles and that could happen again.

Despite some significant entry visa problems for the Ethiopian team in particular, a total of 485 athletes are entered from 52 national federations for men’s and women’s senior-level races (10 km), a 4 x 2 km mixed relay and junior races for men over 8 km and women over 6 km. The schedule (times Eastern):

● 9:45 a.m.: Mixed Relay
● 10:20 a.m.: U-20 women
● 10:55 a.m.: U-20 men
● 11:35 a.m.: Women
● 12:20 p.m.: Men

A look ahead:

Men (145 entered from 43 federations):
An African runner has won this race every time beginning in 2002: that’s 16 in a row. All of the winners have come from Ethiopia, Kenya or Uganda, with Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) winning the last two and ready to go for a third.

He will be assisted by Dan Kibet, who finished 11th in 2024; Uganda was second in the team race in 2024, third in 2023 and won it in 2019. Kiplimo will certainly be challenged for the race win by France’s World 10,000 m winner Jimmy Gressier and Spain’s European Cross champ Thierry Ndikumwenayo.

Ethiopia won three in a row in 2013-15-17, then second in 2019-23 and third in 2024 and even with the visa issues, could win again. Berihu Aregawi was second in the 2023 and 2024 races and would prefer a victory this time. He has Tadese Worku, 12th in 2024, back again and Biniam Mehary, fifth in the Paris Olympic 5,000 m in 2024.

Kenya has won the last two men’s team titles and is led by 2023 World 10,000 m silver winner Daniel Ebenyo, but with new faces on the team for 2026.

The U.S. hasn’t won a team medal since 2013, but has a competitive squad with national champ Parker Wolfe, Paris Olympian Nico Young and ex-NCAA cross champ Graham Blanks.

Women (101 entered from 30 federations):
Kenyans have won this race nine years in a row, but two-time winner Beatrice Chebet won’t try for a third as she is out for maternity. Agnes Ngetich, the bronze winner in this race in 2023 and fourth in 2024, is back to lead the squad, plus national cross champion Maurice Chebor.

Ethiopia has an all-new senior team, but Senayet Getachew won the U-20 race in 2023. Uganda has Sarah Chelangat, fifth in 2024, and Joy Cheptokyek, 17th in 2024 as the squad leaders.

Kenya has won the women’s title seven of the last nine times and two in a row; Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda have been the medal winners in three of the last four Worlds.

The U.S. last won a team medal in 2011 (bronze) and has two-time national champ Weini Kelati back; she was 14th in the 2024 Worlds. Edna Kurgat, the 2022 U.S. cross champ is on the squad, along with 2024 squad member Allie Ostrander (27th) and Paris Olympian Karissa Schweizer, a member of the 2019 U.S. Worlds Cross team.

Mixed Relay (15 national teams entered):
This will be the fifth time for the Mixed 4×2 km relay, with Kenya winning in 2017, 2023 and 2024, all three times over Ethiopia, which won in 2019.

The Kenyans will be favored again with World 1,500 m bronzer Reynold Cheruiyot, Purity Chepkirui and Kyumbe Munguti returning from the 2024 winners.

There is prize money; for the senior races, it’s $30,000-15,000-10,000-7,000-5,000-3,000 for the top six in each gender, and team prizes of $20,000-16,000-12,000-10,000-8,000-4,000 for the top six. The Mixed Relay has prizes of $12,000-8,000-6,000-4,000 for the top four.

This is the third time the Cross Worlds are in the U.S., previously in 1992 in Boston and in 1984 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

In terms of U.S. broadcasting, NBC has it with live coverage from 9:35 a.m. Eastern on its Peacock streaming service and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern on NBC and Peacock and then from 1-2 p.m. Eastern on Peacock.

For our updated, 45-sport, 910-event International Sports Calendar for 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!