PANORAMA: Australia, Queensland agree on Brisbane 2032 funding split; UCI ready vs. doping at Tour de France; Mexico to meet U.S. in Gold Cup final

July 3, 2025

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2032: Brisbane ● The Australian national government and the state government of Queensland announced an agreement on the details of the previously-agreed-on A$7.1 billion in spending for infrastructure related to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. (A$1 = $0.66 U.S.).

The national government will contribute A$3.435 billion, with A$3.665 coming from Queensland, to build or revamp 17 venues for 2032, with the Australian government to spend A$1.2 billion on the new stadium to be built in Victoria Park.

● Youth Olympic Games: Gangwon 2024 ● The International Olympic Committee announced it would return its 20% share of the small surplus achieved by the organizing committee of the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon (KOR) last year, which totaled roughly $1.4 million U.S. (1.85 billion Korean won).

Of note was the organizing committee’s revenue of about $55.3 million U.S., of which the IOC reportedly provided $34.1 million. Expenses were about $53.9 million.

● Cycling ● The Union Cycliste Internationale announced a heavy program of doping and cheating controls ahead of the Tour de France, which starts on Saturday.

In addition to 350 out-of-competition doping tests undertaken by the International Testing Agency in the weeks prior to the race, another 600 tests are expected to be done on the 184 riders across the 21 stages of the race, plus enhanced efforts on intelligence gathering.

The UCI will carry out “technological fraud” controls on the bikes used for the Tour, looking primarily for propulsion systems. Bikes will be checked before each stage with magnetic tablets, cheating during races will be monitored by video, and bikes from the race and section leaders will be checked after each stage. Some 192 x-ray checks were conducted in 2024; more than 600 have been made so far during the 2025 UCI World Tour season, up 24% from 2024.

● Football ● Defending champion Mexico defeated Honduras, 1-0, in Santa Clara, California on Wednesday night, advancing to the CONCACAF Gold Cup final against the U.S. on Sunday, in Houston, Texas.

After two team-on-team melees in the 0-0 first half, striker Raul Jimenez scored for Mexico in the 50th minute for the only goal of the game. Closely fought, Mexico controlled 56% of possession and had a 10-6 edge on shots, in front of a huge crowd of 70,975.

This will be the eighth Gold Cup final between the U.S. and Mexico, with Mexico holding a 5-2 edge to date.

● Skating ● The International Skating Union’s first Extraordinary Congress in Lausanne (SUI) approved the revised ISU constitution, which will streamline its structure and processes. A total of 94 of the 98 delegations voted in favor.

Importantly, the new framework also creates an independent Skating Integrity Unit, with responsibility not only for doping, but also for ethics, competition integrity and safeguarding. The Disciplinary Committee will be completely separate. A separate Elections Committee and a committee on financial affairs will also be installed.

A new rule-making process was also adopted, clustering changes into – in theory – only one time in each four-year Olympic cycle, giving more certainty to athletes in their planning and training.

The changes will go into effect after the ISU Congress in June 2026.

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For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS & CYCLING: Star-laden Diamond League Pre Classic on Saturday in Eugene, as 112th Tour de France starts in Lille

Rich Perelman

July 3, 2025

tsx pix 2025-503 gst II sydney mclaughlin-levrone (gst) — Another win and another world-leading performance from U.S. superstar Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in Miramar (Photo: Grand Slam Track).

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≡ STARS ON SATURDAY ≡

Olympic-sport fans are looking forward to two exciting events on Saturday, with the one-day Pre Classic track & field meet in Eugene, Oregon and the start of the Tour de France, with another showdown between Slovenian star Tadej Pogacar and Danish champ Jonas Vingegaard eagerly anticipated.

The 112th Tour comes first on the 5th of July, with the start in Lille, in northeastern France, with a full complement of 23 teams and 184 riders. The race is expected to be settled among three stars:

● Tadej Pogacar (SLO): Winner of the Tour in 2020-2021-2024 and second to Vingegaard in 2022 and 2023. At 26, he’s in his prime and the definite favorite, having won his two multi-stage races in 2025, the UAE Tour in February and the Criterium du Dauphine in France in June. He also won four major Classics races in Europe in March and April and was in the top three in all seven of his efforts.

He has the benefit of a superb running mate on his UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad in 2025 Tour de Suisse-Tour de Romandie-Itzulia Basque Country winner Joao Almeida (POR), who would otherwise be among the favorites himself!

● Jonas Vingegaard (DEN): Winner over Pogacar in 2022 and 2023 and second in 2021 and 2024, so between the two, they have been first and second in four straight Tours!

Vingegaard, returning from a bad crash at the Itzulia Basque Country races in 2024 and a concussion during Paris-Nice 2025 in March, says he is healthy, and was second to Pogacar at the Criterium du Dauphine in June. His Team Visma-Lease A Bike is strong, including American stars Matteo Jorgenson and Vuelta a Espana winner Sepp Kuss and 2025 Giro d’Italia winner Simon Yates (GBR).

● Remco Evenepoel (BEL): Last year, Evenepoel dominated at the Paris Olympic Games, winning both the Road Race and the Time Trial! He finished third at the 2024 Tour de France behind Pogacar and Vingegaard, so he knows what he is up against. He also won the 2022 Vuelta a Espana, and has to be considered if either of the two-time champions ahead of him should falter.

The 21 stages of this year’s Tour have most of the climbing stages in the second half of the races, with opportunities for the sprinters early:

● Flat stages (7): 1-3-8-9-11-17-21
● Hilly stages (6): 2-4-6-7-15-20
● Mountain stages (6): 10-12-14-16-18-19
● Individual Time Trials (2): 5-13

The race finale will return to Paris, after skipping 2024 due to the Olympic Games.

NBC has coverage of the Tour, primarily on its Peacock streaming service, with stages shown on NBC on 5-6-20-26-27 July.

The 50th Prefontaine Classic to be held Saturday started out as a fund-raising meet to support the construction of a new western grandstand at Hayward Field, in 1973 and 1974, but renamed after the tragic death of distance icon Steve Prefontaine on 30 May 1975.

Since then, the meet has grown into the top invitational in the U.S. and is the only Diamond League stop in the United States. Nike requires its top athletes to include it on their annual schedules, making it one of the best meets in the world.

The same is true for 2025, with multiple highlight events:

● Men/100 m: Jamaica’s world-leader (9.75) and Olympic silver winner Kishane Thompson vs. world no. 3 (9.84) two-time Worlds bronze winner Trayvon Bromell and 2019 World Champion Christian Coleman.

● Men/200 m: Another showdown between Grand Slam star Kenny Bednarek, the Olympic silver winner, and Paris gold medalist Letsile Tebogo (BOT).

● Men/400 m: Paris Olympic champ Quincy Hall, runner-up Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR) and bronze winner Muzala Samukonga (ZAM).

● Men/Mile: Olympic 1,500 m winner Cole Hocker and bronzer Yared Nuguse are in, plus world 1,500 m leader Azzedine Habz (FRA), 2019 World Champion Timothy Cheruiyot (KEN), 2022 Worlds winner Jake Wightman (GBR) and even double Olympic bronze medalist Grant Fisher!

● Men/400 m hurdles: Olympic champion (and world leader) Rai Benjamin of the U.S., 2022 World Champion Alison dos Santos (BRA) and 2022 Worlds bronze winner Trevor Bassitt of the U.S.

● Women/100 m: Olympic champ Julien Alfred (LCA), runner-up Sha’Carri Richardson, Grand Slam Track winner Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and world no. 3 Tina Clayton (JAM)!

● Women/400 m: Five of the nine have run in the 49s this season, but can Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone get the American Record of 48.70? She’s going to try.

● Women/1,500 m: Fresh from her “sub-4″ try, Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon may be in for a world-record try here. The Olympic silver (Jess Hull/AUS) and bronze (Georgia Hunter Bell/GBR) will be there too.

● Women/Steeple: The Paris podium is all here: Winfred Yavi (BRN), Tokyo winner Peruth Chemutai (UGA) and Kenyan Faith Cherotich.

● Women/5,000 m: Paris Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet (KEN) and world-record holder Gudaf Tsegay (ETH), among others.

● Women/100 m hurdles: Paris Olympic winner Masai Russell, world-record holder Tobi Amusan (NGR), two-time World Champion Danielle Williams (JAM) and double-Grand Slam winner Ackera Nugent (JAM).

● Women/Long Jump: The Paris Olympic medal winners are all here: Americans Tara Davis-Woodhall (gold) and Jasmine Moore (bronze) and German silver winner Malaika Mihambo.

There’s more, with world-record holder Mondo Duplantis (SWE) in the non-Diamond League men’s vault, American Record-setter and world leader Chase Jackson in the women’s shot and Olympic champ Valarie Allman looking for her 26th straight win in the women’s discus.

Wow!

The meet will be shown live on NBC and Peacock at 4 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LOS ANGELES 2028: IOC auctioning 2028 Olympic television rights in India; has Lausanne already returned LA28’s favor in adding cricket?

Rich Perelman

July 3, 2025

tsx pix 2025-703 cricket (wiki) — Will the IOC play cricket with LA28 on added TV rights sales in India? (Photo: Wikipedia).

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≡ CRICKET’S 2028 IMPACT ≡

“The sport that the Indian population cherishes the most is cricket. I think we’re here in a place where this is a game-changer not just for India, but it’s also a game-changer for the Olympic Movement.

“Bringing cricket back into the Olympic sports program, basically creates a new cricket competition. So whoever is going to be the winner of that bid will be bringing to the Indian fans, for the first time ever, cricket back into the games. So that’s our historical moment, but it’s also something very special, because the games are not just about will not be just about cricket, but we believe that also, whoever is going to be the media rights holder will also become the catalyst for growth of other Olympic sports around India, and, you know, hopefully inspire young girls and boys in across India to maybe take on, take upon a more active lifestyle and embrace new sports that they may not have known existed before.”

That’s International Olympic Committee Managing Director of Television and Marketing, Anne-Sophie Voumard (SUI), telling Indian television CNBC-TV18 that the IOC is opening the television rights sale for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles for bid.

The rights for Paris 2024 were purchased by Viacom18 for $31 million U.S. and Voumard expects quite a bit more for 2028:

“Because of the vibrancy of the media market in India at the moment, we deliberately chose to open a formal, transparent tender, where we’re going to be inviting everyone with the same conditions. In terms of value we expect, I cannot disclose any value that is confidential information, but the expectation is that the amount will be a multiple of that [$31 million] amount.”

Voumard confirmed that the IOC is talking with Indian companies as potential TOP sponsors, explaining what the Olympic Movement does and how it operates, but also how an Olympic sponsorship can help advance company objectives.

The television bidding process is expected to have bids returned to the IOC by 13 August.

Observed: Figures like $200 million for Indian television rights for 2028 were bandied about when T20 cricket was being discussed as a possible addition to the 2028 Olympic program in Los Angeles.

The LA28 organizers have decided to hold the tournament – with six teams each for men and women – in a temporary facility at the expansive Los Angeles County Fairgrounds in Pomona, California, just northeast of Los Angeles, a complex used to large crowds.

Now, Los Angeles in specific and Southern California in general is not cricket country. The addition of cricket by LA28 as an added sport was essentially a gift to the IOC to allow it to get a deeper relationship with India, a growing international power in sport.

With the sport in for 2028 and sure to be added for Brisbane 2032 – where cricket is big business – will the IOC share some of its increased TV rights with LA28?

They may already have.

The 2028 Host City Contract showed that LA28 would receive $898 million in television rights revenue and from $437-637 million in TOP sponsorship revenue. However, with the loss of Toyota as an IOC sponsor at the end of 2024, the latest LA28 budget shows a TOP sponsorship share back down to $437 million. Not good for LA28.

But, the revised LA28 budget does show an increase in the TV rights share to $948 million, an increase of $50 million. A share of the Indian increase, perhaps?

In truth, if the IOC does receive significantly more for the Indian television rights, it should willingly share half with LA28, because the Los Angeles organizers did them a real favor, not just for 2028, but setting the floor for 2032 and well beyond.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LOS ANGELES 2028: Huge security funding win for LA28 as $1 billion allocated for Olympic security; also $625 million for the 2026 FIFA World Cup!

Rich Perelman

July 3, 2025

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≡ FROM THE “BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL” ≡

The U.S. Congress completed work Thursday on H.R.1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which included a huge funding allocation to support the U.S. hosting aspects of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the hosting of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.

The funding language was buried deep in the bill, in the section relating to the Department of Homeland Security:

“SEC. 90005. STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE.

“(a) State Homeland Security Grant Programs.

“(1) In general. In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated to the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for fiscal year 2025, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to remain available until September 30, 2029, to be administered under the State Homeland Security Grant Program authorized under section 2004 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 605), to enhance State, local, and Tribal security through grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, and other activities:

“(A) $500,000,000 for State and local capabilities to detect, identify, track, or monitor threats from unmanned aircraft systems (as such term is defined in section 44801 of title 49, United States Code), consistent with titles 18 and 49 of the United States Code;

“(B) $625,000,000 for security and other costs related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup;

“(C) $1,000,000,000 for security, planning, and other costs related to the 2028 Olympics; and

“(D) $450,000,000 for the Operation Stonegarden [anti-terrorism] Grant Program.”

The bill is expected to be signed into law on Friday, 4 July, by President Donald Trump.

It is not clear exactly what the World Cup and LA28 Games money can be spent on, but the umbrella is pretty broad, considering it includes “security and other costs” for the American aspects of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and “security, planning and other costs” related to the 2028 Games. So:

● Is this the answer to some of the prayers of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority, for funding related to spectator transportation for 2028?

● Is this just for security planning and execution, meaning it will really be controlled by the U.S. Secret Service, the lead agency on security for the 2028 Games since it was named as a National Special Security Event (NSSE) in 2024?

No one knows, but this is a major development in the Federal funding of the FIFA World Cup and especially the 2028 Games. A U.S. General Accounting Office report in 2000 described prior Olympic spending, which included:

● For Los Angeles 1984, $50 million (in 1984 dollars) was allocated for security support for the Games and $45 was actually appropriated.

● For Atlanta 1996, the Federal government spent about $609 million (in 1999 dollars) on the Games, including $96 million for safety and security measures ($36 million for the Department of Defense). Most of the money was spent on highway and other infrastructure projects; of the $609 million total, just $17 million was spent on spectator transportation.

● For Salt Lake City 2002, Federal spending of $1.254 billion was planned, with $1 billion for highway and transit infrastructure projects already planned, but accelerated. Spending on the Games for security was expected to cost $161 million, plus $77 million on spectator transportation systems.

The $254 million in Games support costs had ballooned to $342 million by the time of a 2001 GAO update (2001 dollars shown at $341 million due to rounding):

● $185 million for Safety and Security
● $106 million for Transportation
● $27 million for Venue Construction
● $19 million for Staging and Operations
● $4 million for Housing and Infrastructure Support

The security cost went up considerably due to added protections after the terrorist incidents of 11 September 2001.

So, the Federal government has significantly stepped up the funding for 2026 and 2028, with the question now of how it will be spent, when, and by who? And what additional spending will be in the Fiscal Year 2027 and 2028 spending bills?

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TRANSGENDER: Will the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on transgender cases impact the IOC’s “protection of the female category” effort?

Rich Perelman

July 3, 2025

tsx pix 2025-703 us supreme court (us capitol-wiki) — The United States Supreme Court (Photo: Wikipedia via the U.S. Capitol).

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≡ U.S. SUPREME COURT TAKES TRANSGENDER CASES ≡

The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari Thursday in two cases involving the rights of transgender girls to play on girls sports teams on school:

● Little v. Hecox is an Idaho District Court case, challenging the state ban – enacted in 2020 – on transgender athletes, in this case at Boise State University, and requirements for sex testing. The law was blocked by the U.S. District Court and the injunction was affirmed by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in August 2023. The State of Idaho asked for Supreme Court review.

● West Virginia v. B.P.J., an action by a teen transgender girl in middle school against the 2021 West Virginia law banning transgender athletic participation. A U.S. District Court granted a preliminary injunction against the law in 2021, then changed and agreed with the law. The law was stayed on appeal in February 2023 to the U.S. Fourth Circuit, now appealed by West Virginia to the Supreme Court.

Both cases were brought under the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause, and the West Virginia v. B.P.J. case brings in questions concerning possible violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibiting discrimination in educational programs.

In June, the Supreme Court ruled, 6-3, in U.S. vs. Skrmetti (23-477) in favor of a Tennessee law banning “gender-affirming care” – puberty blockers and hormone treatments – for transgender minors. Specifically, the majority decided that the Tennessee law does not amount to sex discrimination under the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection clause.

So, the Court will wade into the transgenders-in-sports question which has a reported 27 states with laws banning transgender girls from participating on girls sports teams. Many other states have laws in the opposite direction, including the State of California, which in 2013 adopted AB1266 regarding elementary and secondary schools, which included:

“A pupil shall be permitted to participate in sex-segregated school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil’s records.”

This is an important case and one which will have wide impact, even up to and including the Olympic Movement. However:

● It does not apply to professional sports.
● It does not apply to U.S. National Governing Bodies.

It will, however, have a wide-ranging effect on how transgender cases are looked at, especially with regard to age.

This is critical.

As an example, World Aquatics took the lead among Olympic sports federations, announcing in March 2023 its “Policy on Eligibility for the Men’s and Women’s Competition Categories,” which includes:

“Male-to-female transgender athletes (transgender women) and athletes with 46 XY [differences in sex development] whose legal gender and/or gender identity is female are eligible to compete in the women’s category in World Aquatics competitions and to set World Aquatics World Records in the women’s category in World Aquatics competitions and in other events recognised by World Aquatics if they can establish to World Aquatics’ comfortable satisfaction that they have not experienced any part of male puberty beyond Tanner Stage 2 or before age 12, whichever is later.”

Further:

“[T]he athlete must produce evidence establishing that:

“i. They have complete androgen insensitivity and therefore could not experience male puberty; or

“ii. They are androgen sensitive but had male puberty suppressed beginning at Tanner Stage 2 or before age 12, whichever is later, and they have since continuously maintained their testosterone levels in serum (or plasma) below 2.5 nmol/L.”

Now, however, a push is on for sex screening to determine whether an athlete should be able to compete in the female category. An August 2024 comment in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports explained:

“Today, 25 years later, there is ample evidence that biological sex is a crucial differentiator in ensuring fairness and influencing safety for female athletes. The participation of male-born competitors (e.g., transgender women) and athletes with certain XY DSDs in female sport is a growing concern. These athletes experience male-typical development from testes producing testosterone, with resultant physiological differences creating athletic advantages and safety risks [4–6], even in athletes with XY DSDs who might have been observed as female at birth.

“The ethical failures of sports federations in the past cannot be allowed to obstruct accessible solutions to such an important issue in women’s sport. The ethical framework that governs modern genetic testing is thorough and, importantly to overcome the shortcomings of the past, it emphasizes individual consent, confidentiality, and dignity. Current technology enables a screening procedure for ‘sports sex’ that involves a simple cheek swab to determine sex chromosomes. This screen can be performed reliably and quickly and should be done in duplicate to ensure reliable results.”

The use of a sex-screening test was also promoted in October 2024 by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, Reem Alsalem (JOR):

“In order to ensure, fairness, dignity and safety for all, including females – women and girls, females – we would need to maintain a female-only category in sports, while at the same time also having more ‘open’ categories for those wishing to play sports in categories that do not respond to the sex they were born into.

“That is one thing. The other thing is, as requested by many women and girls in sports, is to bring back – or actually not bring back – is to introduce sex screening, which as you know was discontinued in 1999.

“So that should be sex screening have become a lot more reliable now, cheap, can be administered in a confidential, dignified manner, should be introduced … as an element of – what was that called – eligibility, in female sports.”

It will be against this background that arguments will be made to the U.S. Supreme Court.

But they will also be made in the working group that new International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) promised at her 26 June news conference:

“There was an overwhelming support … that we should protect the female category.

“And with that, we are going to … not revisit, that we’re going to set up a working group, made up of experts and International Federations. It was agreed by the members that the IOC should take a leading role in this, and that we should be the ones to bring together the experts, bring together the International Federations, and ensure that we find consensus.

“We understand that there will be differences, depending on the sport, but it was fully agreed that, as members and as the IOC, we should make the effort to place emphasis on the protection of the female category and that we should ensure that this is done in consensus with all the stakeholders.”

The IOC typically does not move swiftly in these matters, preferring lots of consultation and discussion. The Supreme Court, on the other hand, takes cases with a timeline clearly in mind, with a decision to be issued by the end of June in 2026.

Will Coventry’s own timetable now be shaped to allow the Supreme Court to have its say on the matter, as one more element to be considered in the IOC’s own policy?

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

FOOTBALL: “Moonman” Luna scores two in 2-1 U.S. Gold Cup semi win over Guatemala; U.S. women shut down Canada, 3-0

Rich Perelman

July 2, 2025

tsx pix 2025-702 luna, diego (usmnt) — U.S. men’s scoring star Diego Luna (Photo: U.S. Soccer on X).

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≡ U.S. MEN AND WOMEN WIN ≡

In the opening semifinal of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the U.S. men tangled with upset-minded Guatemala in very warm – 88 F – conditions in St. Louis, in front of a highly pro-Guatemalan crowd.

And the energetic Guatemalans started on offense, but the first significant foray for the U.S. turned into a goal in the fourth minute, as midfielder Luca de la Torre’s shot from the top of the box was saved by Guatemalan keeper Kenderson Navarro. But his punch rebounded right in front of the net, where forward Diego Luna stopped it, controlled it and slammed home a left-footed shot to the far side of the net for a 1-0 lead.

Luna struck again in the 15th, taking the ball above the box, using a step-over to the right to create space and then burying a right-footed rocket just inside the left post of the Guatemalan goal. 2-0.

Not surprisingly, Guatemala got busy and had multiple shots at U.S. keeper Matt Freese and striker Rubio Rubin scored in the 29th, but was called for offsides. Rubin sent another shot at the corner of the net in the 34th, but Freese saved it. Freese had to make two more saves in the 44th and 45th on Guatemalan charges in the box. The half ended with the U.S. at 52% possession, but only six shots to 15 for Guatemala.

Guatemala came out with energy in the second half, desperately seeking a goal, but the U.S. maintained good energy and had some chances as well, especially for striker Patrick Anyemang.

Finally, Guatemala’s pressure paid off with a right-footed strike from the center of the box by sub midfielder Olger Escobar, who took the ball in the box from substitute striker Arquimides Ordonoez, to close to 2-1 in the 80th.

With the pro-Guatemala crowd roaring, the U.S. defense held, and Freese saved a seeing-eye shot from the top of the box by defender Jose Morales in the 92nd. The Guatemalan pressure in the second half meant the visitors finished with 51% of possession and a 20-12 shots edge.

It’s the 13th Gold Cup final for the U.S., in the 18th edition. Mexico and Honduras followed with the second semi, in Santa Clara, California later on Wednesday. The final will be at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on 6 July at 7 p.m. local time.

The U.S. women, following up on two straight 4-0 wins over Ireland, faced Canada in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, and continued a strong run of first-half scoring, in warm (84 F) and humid (61%) conditions, starting just a half-hour after the men!

The U.S. was up by 2-0 in both of the Ireland games, and forward Sam Coffey put the U.S. up in the 17th on a right-footer shot from the middle of the box, off of a loose ball off of defender Avery Patterson – standing right next to her – on a dramatic free kick from beyond the box by midfield star Rose Lavelle.

Then, Claire Hutton got her first international goal in the 36th off a header from another perfect corner kick into the middle of the box from Lavelle. The half ended 2-0 – for the third straight match – with the U.S. at 62% possession and with an 8-5 lead on shots.

The U.S. continued on offense in the second half, taking the first eight shots, through the 65th minute, but no more goals. Finally, in the 89th, it was sub defender Tara McKeown with a pass to an open sub striker Yazmeen Ryan got to open space and smashed a left-footer into the net for the third goal.

U.S. keeper Claudia Dickey got the shut-out, saving Canadian sub striker Nichelle Prince’s on-line shot at 90+2. The Americans finished at 66% of possession and an impressive 22-7 shots edge, including 14-2 in the second half.

That’s five wins in a row for the women’s national team, with a combined score of 18-0!

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Belt-tightening at USA Track & Field continues, as top staff continue exits; USATF also sues ex-Chair Mike Conley!

Rich Perelman

July 2, 2025

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≡ INSIDE USATF ≡

As the tumult of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials and the 2024 Olympic Games subsided, a half-dozen long-time USA Track & Field staff members were let go or left, including events manager and chief of content Adam Schmenk and two other key event staff.

In January of this year, Chief Communications Officer Aarti Parekh and long-time Chief of Athlete Services and International Teams Aretha Thurmond – and others – exited. In June, Communications Manager Natalie Uhl moved on to TrackTown USA after almost four years in Indianapolis.

Also in June, the LA28 organizing committee hired Michael Nussa, the USATF General Manager of High Performance and a former assistant coach at Tulane, as the sport manager for track & field for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Nussa joined USATF as the High Performance Programs Manager in August 2018 and had been promoted to head the High Performance division in February of 2025.

A close observer told The Sports Examiner that as many as 17 of the 95 employees USATF had as of the start of 2024 had left or been terminated. And not replaced.

Amy Begley, a 2008 Olympian in the women’s 10,000 m and a five-time national champion, joined USATF in September 2023 as the Director of Long Distance Running Programs, was promoted to replace Nussa, now covering both track & field and long-distance.

In 2024, USATF staged three branded “Journey to Gold” meets, the April Bermuda Grand Prix, the Los Angeles Grand Prix in May and the NYC Grand Prix in June. All three were canceled for 2025, with the Bermuda Tourism Authority deciding not to continue its support, and USATF saying in a statement it was not the organizer of the New York meet. The L.A. meet was canceled without notice or comment.

Why the contractions?

Money.

This is the carnage which has followed the difficult finances of USA Track & Field since 2022, when it provided a long-promised $9.9 million subsidy to the 2022 World Athletics Championships organizers in Eugene, Oregon.

The federation’s financial statements detail the drop in USATF’s net assets:

● 2021: $8.53 million
● 2022: $548,002
● 2023: –$4.93 million

That’s a loss of $13.46 million from 31 December 2021 to 31 December 2023, and a negative net worth.

Just as alarming is that revenues have remained – since the start of the landmark, 20-year Nike sponsorship agreement came into effect in 2014 – essentially static:

● 2014: $35.05 million
● 2015: $30.40 million
● 2016: $38.43 million
● 2017: $33.67 million
● 2018: $36.71 million
● 2019: $37.24 million
● 2020: $23.30 million (Covid impact)
● 2021: $35.52 million
● 2022: $36.54 million
● 2023: $36.71 million

If inflation is taken into account, the situation is even worse. One dollar in 2014 is worth about $1.36 today, so the $35.05 million revenue from 2014 represents $47.67 million in 2025 (+36.0%). But USATF revenue has advanced by just 4.7% over the 10 years.

USATF does not usually publish its financial statements until the end of the following year, so no public reporting on 2024 has been made. But knowledgeable sources have told The Sports Examiner:

(1) USATF suffered a loss in 2024 as well.

(2) The October 2024 agreement to absorb Paralympic track & field into USATF as of 1 January 2025 will provide a $3.7 million boost from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, against which $3.2 million is expected to be spent.

And the new Board of Directors, with new Chair Curt Clausen, the 1999 Worlds 50 km Walk bronze medalist, is taking a much more active role in reviewing, guiding and trying to rebuild the finances of the federation.

And that means less people and fewer meets, at a time when hopes are high to use the upcoming 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles as a boost for the sport.

However, USATF has not been completely on the defensive, filing an 18 June 2025 complaint against former Board Chair Mike Conley, the 1992 Olympic triple jump gold medalist, for breach of fiduciary duty during his time as Chair.

The action arises from the November 2023 complaint against USA Track & Field filed by former USATF staff member and Board member Jim Estes, whose consulting role with the Chattanooga Sports Commission bidding for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials led to the disqualification of the Chattanooga bid and the awarding of the event to Orlando, Florida. This action (Marion (Ind.) County Superior Court/Civil Division cause no.: 49D01-2309-CT-034614) is continuing.

The USATF complaint against Conley alleges:

“communications between Conley and Estes [that] indicate a high level of coordination and collusion between them, in direct contravention of Conley’s ethical and legal obligations to USATF while Chairman of its Board of Directors.

“Equally troubling is Conley’s ongoing refusal in the litigation discovery process to
comply with USATF’s request for documents and communications relevant to Estes’ lawsuit. Conley’s refusal to comply with USATF’s document requests has impeded USATF’s ability to defend itself in the ongoing litigation and risks subjecting USATF to potential sanctions by the Court. As of the date of the filing of this Third-Party Complaint, Conley still has not provided USATF with any documents and communications relevant to these legal proceedings.”

Further, that “Conley was actively feeding Estes information regarding internal management and Board discussions related to USATF and USOPC’s ongoing investigation of Estes.”

USATF also alleges that Conley is continuing to refuse to cooperate with the provision of information in his possession relayed to the Estes case. So the prayer states:

● “USATF suffered, and continues to suffer, significant monetary, reputational, and legal procedural harm and damage as a direct result of Conley’s prior and continuing breach of his fiduciary duties.

● “WHEREFORE, the Third-Party Plaintiff USATF prays that the Court enter judgment in its favor and against Third Party Defendant Michael Conley, and award USATF all damages, prejudgment interest, costs, attorneys’ fees, and all other appropriate relief as is just and proper.”

The Estes vs. USATF case is still in discovery, so it’s not close to trial, and Conley’s cooperation will be important, so this new filing is going to push Estes’ action back. This is sad, and not close to over.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Why Kipyegon ran 4:06.42 “and” 4:06.91 on her sub-4 try; Grand Slam Track schedules athlete payments; modest Club World Cup attendance

Rich Perelman

July 2, 2025

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Athletics ● The mystery over the “official” time of 4:06.42 for Kenyan star Faith Kipyegon at the Nike “Breaking4″ event and the shown 4:06.91 event time was explained by Runner’s World.

The 4:06.91 time was the standard measurement of the time from the firing of the starter’s pistol to the time that Kipyegon crossed the finish line. The 4:06.42 time is a “chip time” from when Kipyegon actually began her race effort, to the time she finished.

This is seen often in mass road races, where some runners do not cross the start line for quite a while, but not in something as short as a mile. But now you know.

The Times of London reported on an e-mail message from Grand Slam Track Senior Director of Racing Kyle Merber sent to athlete agents on Tuesday (1st) concerning appearance and prize-money fees owed to athletes who competed in the Kingston, Miramar and Philadelphia Slams:

“We’d like to provide the following update regarding payments for the athletes who competed in Grand Slam Track events this year. Our plan is to make payments for Kingston prize money before the end of July and the remaining payments due by the end of September, which includes the honoring of Los Angeles appearance fees.”

The final meet, scheduled for UCLA’s Drake Stadium in Los Angeles for 28-29 June, was canceled over financial concerns, despite more than 10,000 tickets being sold for the two days combined, with more than two weeks to go.

● Football ● Much attention continues to be paid to the attendance figures at the FIFA Club World Cup, with the first round of playoff matches completed.

The group stage had 1,667,819 in attendance across 48 matches for an average of 34,746.

For the eight Round-of-16 playoff matches, Inside World Football offered a table showing 342,006 in attendance for an average of 63.28% of capacity (550,744). Of the eight matches:

● 2 had from 20-26,000
● 2 had from 30-35,000
● 1 had from 40-45,000
● 3 had from 60-65,000

OK, not great. Eight matches are left.

The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the guilty verdicts against former Fox International Channels head Hernan Lopez and Full Play Group SA dealing with television rights, wire fraud and money laundering for multiple major football tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup and Copa Libertadores. Full Play was also convicted on charges related to Olympic qualifying matches and the Copa America tournament.

All of the convictions had been thrown out in September 2023 by District Judge Pamela Chen (Eastern District of New York), citing a May 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision. But the appeals court ordered her to reinstate the convictions and to continue the proceedings in line with their opinion.

Lopez’s attorney promised to continue their appeals.

● Swimming ● The ancient suit by U.S. swimmers Michael Andrew and Tom Shields and Hungarian star Katinka Hosszu against World Aquatics (then FINA) for restrictions of trade over a planned 2018 meet in Italy, will apparently come to trial at the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, California beginning on 12 January 2026.

World Aquatics has energetically opposed the suit and it appears to be thrown out at one point, but a September 2024 ruling by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held the matter to be sufficient to be tried.

● Table Tennis ● After the disruption, screaming and shouting that caused the International Table Tennis Federation’s Annual General Meeting in March to be suspended, the ITTF is obligated to convene the meeting once again to finish voting on several offices. On Wednesday, the federation noted:

“Given the complexity of this situation, the ITTF engaged a leading law firm to ensure the continuation of the AGM is managed in full compliance with ITTF statutes and Swiss law, where the federation is headquartered. The date and details of the AGM’s continuation will be announced as soon as possible.”

It can be expected that at the re-convened meeting, a continued challenge to the Presidential vote will be made. ITTF Senior Executive Vice President Khalil Al-Mohannadi, the loser in the election by 104-102, has already announced an appeal to the ITTF Tribunal and to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MILAN CORTINA 2026: NHL player participation in 2026 Olympic Winter Games finalized

Rich Perelman

July 2, 2025

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≡ NHL PLAYERS RETURN ≡

After missing the 2018 PyeongChang and 2022 Beijing Winter Games, National Hockey League players will return to the Olympic play at Milan Cortina 2026 under an agreement signed on Wednesday in Zurich (SUI).

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly explained multiple points of the deal with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), International Olympic Committee and the NHL Players’ Association:

● “There were a bunch of issues that are typically dealt with between the NHL, the IIHF and the IOC that needed to be dealt with, and we ultimately got those done. We’re thrilled. It’s all good.”

● “I think we broke new ground a little bit in terms of our commercial rights associated with the Olympics, use of the integrated marks and content capture that we probably haven’t had in the past. I think those are all advances in terms of what we’re doing. We will have the ability to utilize Olympic content in a different and better way than we have in the past.”

● “I know that’s been speculated on by others in the media that it would be some hybrid [on ice size]. No, it’s 200 by 85 [feet]. I think that will be the case going forward as well.”

The agreement also included protocols for player accommodations in the Olympic Village, arrangements for one guest per player, injury insurance, and for the NHL’s role in tournament operations. The NHL will also have options to purchase additional tickets and reserve added accommodations.

As for the future, there was no guarantee of participation at French Alps 2030, but Daly said:

“We have every intention of going to 2030. We expect to be there, but for better or worse that’s a whole different negotiation.”

NHL players first participated in the Winter Games at Nagano 1998 and have played in five Winter Games – 1998-2002-06-10-14 – with Canada winning three times, Sweden once and the Czech Republic once.

The 12 teams to compete in Milan have been confirmed and placed into three pools:

● Group A: Canada, Switzerland, Czech Rep., France
● Group B: Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, Italy
● Group C: United States, Germany, Latvia, Denmark

Ice hockey will be played at the new Palaitalia Santa Giulia arena with some preliminary matches at the temporary Milano Rho arena.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Int’l Testing Agency did 44,400+ tests in 2025, saw 532 positives; tragic father-son doping incident; Cal gets $26M endowment for swimming!

Rich Perelman

July 1, 2025

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● International Testing Agency ● The ITA announced its 2024 results, including significant increases – in an Olympic year – for testing:

● “In 2024, more than 44,400 samples were collected from over 17,200 athletes from 216 countries and at over 1,100 international sports events, marking a 10% increase in testing volume compared to 2023.”

● “Reports submitted via the ITA’s confidential platform REVEAL [1,042] rose by 68% in 2024, marking a significant increase in actionable intelligence received by the organisation.”

● “The ITA also evaluated and processed 532 potential anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs).”

The number of nations tested was way up: 216 vs. 185 in 2023, with 55% collected out-of-competition and 45% in-competition. Testing by sex remained constant at 65 male and 35% female.

In terms of the violations:

“Of the 532 potential ADRVs managed in 2024, 232 led to sanctions, 105 are ongoing, and 181 were reviewed but not pursued as ADRVs. Additionally, the ITA reviewed 827 Whereabouts Failures, of which 437 were recorded, 77 were referred to NADOs, and 313 were dismissed after explanation.”

● Anti-Doping ● A terrible case of in-family doping, reported by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency:

“After receiving information from a whistleblower, USADA initiated an investigation that uncovered evidence demonstrating that Michael Vowell, 49, administered his own prescription testosterone gel to his minor child, Seth Vowell, 16, at the 2023 USA Track & Field Junior Olympic Cross-Country Championships on December 10, 2023.”

The steroid testosterone has been banned for decades, and the penalties were severe:

“Michael Vowell’s actions constituted anti-doping rule violations for possession of a prohibited substance, administration of a prohibited substance, and complicity. He accepted a lifetime period of ineligibility for his violations. Based on the circumstances of the case, Seth Vowell qualified for a reduced two-year period of ineligibility for his testosterone use anti-doping rule violation.”

● Archery ● USA Archery named a veteran Recurve team for the World Archery Championships in Gwangju (KOR) in September, including all three Paris women’s Olympians: 2021 Worlds runner-up Casey Kaufhold, Catalina GNoriega and Jennifer Mucino-Fernandez.

Five-time Olympic medalist and 2019 World Champion Brady Ellison leads the U.S. men’s Recurve team, along with 19-year-old Christian Stoddard and Trenton Cowles.

James Lutz, the 2024 World Cup Final Compound winner, leads the American Compound squad, with first-time Worlds Team members Curtis Broadnax and Jesse Clayton. Alexis Ruiz, a Mixed Team winner at the 2023 Worlds, leads the women’s Compound squad with Olivia Dean and Sydney Sullenberger.

● Athletics ● A new world outdoor lead for Tokyo Olympic co-champ Katie Moon of the U.S., who cleared 4.83 m (15-10) at the Maximum Velocity Born to Run Invitational in Chula Vista, California last Sunday.

U.S. sprinter Celera Barnes, the 2025 U.S. Indoor 60 m champ, won the women’s 100 m in a swift 10.79, but with over-the-allowable wind of 2.5 m/s.

The Athletics Integrity Unit posted its sanctions list for June, with 19 listings: seven Kenyans, six from India, two from France and one each from Brazil, Turkey, New Zealand and Nigeria.

Kenya and India continue to be the most sanctioned countries by the AIU, with no actions taken against either as yet.

● Football ● In view of the high temperatures and lightning delays at some FIFA Club World Cup matches in the U.S., British Columbia Premier David Eby said he has written to FIFA that Vancouver would be happy to take on additional matches if FIFA wanted to move some for the FIFA World Cup in 2026.

Vancouver’s B.C. Place and BMO Field in Toronto are the Canadian venues for 2026; three venues in Mexico will be used and 11 in the U.S.

● Swimming ● One of the best ways to assure the future of an in-danger university sports program is an endowment. The storied swimming, diving and water polo programs at Cal are apparently safe now, thanks to a $26 million commitment from Ned and Carol Spieker; Ned played water polo at Cal and became a titan in commercial property.

It’s the third program at Cal to be endowed, joining men’s and women’s golf, and rugby.

● Volleyball ● The Cuban Volleyball Federation said that the U.S. denied visa applications for the Cuban women’s national team to play in the NORCECA Final Four tournament in Manati, Puerto Rico from 16-21 July.

The Associated Press reported the federation “said last week that the team, comprising 12 athletes, a referee, and several coaches, had their visa request denied and will be unable to attend the tournament.”

The Trump Administration’s proclamation of 4 June 2025 directed the U.S. State Dept. to “partially restrict and limit the entry of nationals” from seven countries, including Cuba and eliminated entry from 12 others.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SAFESPORT: Annual report for 2024 shows Center for SafeSport made an actual violations decision on just 11.7% of all cases, all-time

Rich Perelman

July 1, 2025

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

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≡ SAFESPORT ANNUAL REPORT ≡

/Updated/The U.S. Center for SafeSport issued its 2024 annual report on Monday, two months after chief executive Ju’Riese Colon was dismissed, and demonstrated why so much concern has been voiced over the performance of the Congressionally-created organization in 2017.

On page 20 and 21 are tables which detail the number of reports coming into the Center and what happens to them:

● The number of reports from the Center’s opening in 2017 through the end of 2024 was 32,238, with significant increases to the highest levels ever coming in the past three years:

● 2022: 5,687
● 2023: 7,533
● 2024: 8,098

The 2020 total, influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic, was 2,310, rising to 3,708 in 2021.

● After a rearrangement of outcome categories in 2024, the breakdown of what happened demonstrates the frustration with the Center for those who reported potential abuse. Out of a total of 24,636 cases (not reports) – no timeframe was given, so this may be from the start of the Center in 2017 – the outcomes included:

● 7,610 (30.9%): jurisdiction declined
● 4,734 (19.2%): no jurisdiction
● 1,120 (4.5%): jurisdictional hold

● 5,716 (23.2%): administrative hold
● 2,583 (10.5%): administrative closure

● 2,654 (10.8%): violation found
● 214 (0.9%): no violation found

So, the Center was only able to come to an actual, on-the-merits decision in 11.7% of the cases submitted, finding either a violation or that no violation had occurred.

Of the other 88.3% of cases, 50.1% were declined or the Center decided it had no jurisdiction and it held or placed on “administrative closure” on 38.2% of all cases.

(Please see further below for the Center’s response to these calculations.)

What the tables in the report do not say is how long it took to resolve cases, which have dragged on for years in some instances. Moreover, those making reports and National Governing Bodies have loudly complained that they have not received information on the disposition of most cases – as shown by the statistics – especially those which were held or had “administrative closure.”

That’s a total of 38.2% or 9,419 cases “held” in some way by the Center in total. There can be little doubt why the frustration level, as expressed in both House and Senate committee hearings in March 2024, with SafeSport has been so high.

Former NWSL soccer player Mana Shim, now Chair of the U.S. Soccer Federation Participant Safety Task Force, told the House subcommittee hearing:

● “First, we need increased transparency by SafeSport. The lack of information sharing is standing in the way of protecting athletes from abuse. If SafeSport does not share information about the allegations it receives, its investigative process, or any findings it might make, we cannot develop an understanding of what appropriate safety measures can and should be instituted.”

● “Second, we need to limit the number of SafeSport investigations that end in administrative closure. Administrative closure is when SafeSport closes a matter without any findings, resolution on the merits, sanctions, or public record of the allegations.

“The administrative closure process leaves parties in limbo indefinitely or, worse, allows sexual predators to fall through the cracks and remain in the sport without restriction. This problem is made worse by the sheer volume of cases SafeSport ‘resolves’ in this manner. In soccer, approximately 89% of all cases involving sexual misconduct with no criminal disposition are administratively closed.”

● “Third, we need to ensure that U.S. Soccer and other NGBs can take action when SafeSport does not. When SafeSport administratively closes a matter, it maintains exclusive jurisdiction. If an NGB like U.S. Soccer tries to take any sort of action to protect athletes, SafeSport will report them to Congress and initiate an investigation against the NGB. We believe that NGBs should be allowed to take some form of action in cases following an administrative closure so they can ensure abuse does not occur in the future.”

When the Center did make a decision on the merits, only 5.5% were appealed arbitration (89 of 1,614), and 83% of those ended with a confirmation of a violation.

Where the Center has acted, it had 2,224 individuals on its Centralized Disciplinary Database as of the end 2024, with 90.4% classified as ineligible for a specified time period, or permanently ineligible. The remainder were on suspensions or other restrictions.

/Update/ The Center for SafeSport’s Vice President/External Affairs, Hilary Nemchik, took exception to the above calculations; her comment is reprinted for the benefit of our readers:

“We caught your column on the Center’s annual report and wanted to request correction on some misleading information:

● “The presentation of data on cases where the Center makes a finding based on merits misleads readers and dominates the headline. You’ll note that 4,734 cases end up being outside of our jurisdiction, that we declined 7,610 discretionary cases to NGBs, and that 1,120 are on hold pending someone’s reentry into the Movement, that leaves 11,172 cases from which the Center makes a finding or no finding of a violation. Can you please correct your calculation?

● “You state ‘That’s a total of 38.2% or 9,419 cases ‘held’ in some way by the Center in total.’ That is inaccurate. The Center bifurcated outcomes into ‘administrative holds’ and ‘administrative closures’ to provide more clarity as part of wide-ranging process changes announced in April of 2024, and for the first time has provided detail as to the numbers behind the specific reasons for these outcomes. This new data on the reasons for these holds and closures is absent from the piece and provides important context. Your calculation includes 2,583 administrative closures, which are cases that are not being ‘held’ and are considered closed absent extraordinary circumstances. Importantly, this report outlines for the first time the number of ‘admonishments’ under the administrative closure category (1,476) which do not constitute a finding, but do put individuals on notice.”

In terms of finances, SafeSport had $25.24 million in revenues in 2024, with $20.00 million from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and $2.93 million in Federal grants accounting for 90.8% of the total. Expenses were $23.43 million, so there was a net surplus of $1.81 million. The Center showed $17.80 million in net assets.

Colon’s situation became untenable due to an investigator being hired despite knowledge of questionable or even criminal actions in his prior employment (he was indicted on criminal charges in Pennsylvania). But she told both the House and Senate subcommittees in 2024 that the Center would need $30 million in annual funding to keep up with the expanding caseload.

SafeSport is well short of that figure, and its yearly report can only be cause for concern, especially for claimants and National Governing Bodies, who see reports going in, but very little action coming out.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TRANSGENDER: U.S. Education Dept. announces agreement with Penn, with records removed and no transgenders allowed on women’s teams

Rich Perelman

July 1, 2025

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≡ PENN RESOLVES TITLE IX SUIT ≡

“UPenn has agreed both to apologize for its past Title IX violations and to ensure that women’s sports are protected at the University for future generations of female athletes.”

That’s from a Tuesday announcement by U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, which specified the six steps Penn will take going forward:

● “UPenn will restore to female athletes all individual UPenn Division I swimming records, titles, or similar recognitions which were misappropriated by male athletes allowed to compete in female categories;

● “UPenn will issue a public statement to the University community stating that it will comply with Title IX, specifying that UPenn will not allow males to compete in female athletic programs or occupy Penn Athletics female intimate facilities;

● The statement will specify that UPenn will adopt biology-based definitions for the words ‘male’ and ‘female’ pursuant to Title IX and consistent with President Trump’s Executive Orders ‘Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism’ and ‘Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports’;

● “UPenn will post the statement in a prominent location on its main website and on each of its websites for women’s athletics;

● “UPenn will rescind any guidance which violated Title IX, remove or revise any internal and public-facing statements or documents that are inconsistent with Title IX, and notify all staff and women’s athletics of all such rescissions; and

● “UPenn will send a personalized letter of apology to each impacted female swimmer.”

This is all about the Lia Thomas case, in which the former Will Thomas, a former men’s swimmer at Penn, transitioned to female and joined the Penn women’s team, became a national star, winning three Ivy League title and the 2022 NCAA women’s 500-yard title, plus All-American honors in the 200-yard Free and 100-yard Free.

The Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights opened an inquiry into Penn’s actions in allowing Thomas to compete as a woman. Per the Department:

“On April 28, OCR concluded in its investigation that UPenn violated Title IX. OCR issued a proposed Resolution Agreement to voluntarily resolve its Title IX violations or risk referral to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for enforcement proceedings, which UPenn signed today.”

University of Pennsylvania President Dr. J. Larry Jameson said in a statement, “This is a complex issue, and I am pleased that we were able to reach a resolution through the standard OCR process for concluding Title IX investigations,” and added:

“Penn has always followed – and continues to follow – Title IX and the applicable policy of the NCAA regarding transgender athletes. NCAA eligibility rules changed in February 2025 with Executive Orders 14168 and 14201 and Penn will continue to adhere to these new rules.”

It is noteworthy that the agreement announced today was not joined by the Ivy League or the NCAA, in whose championships Thomas starred in 2022.

Former Penn swimmer Paula Scanlan said in the statement:

“As a former UPenn swimmer who had to compete against and share a locker room with a male athlete, I am deeply grateful to the Trump Administration for refusing to back down on protecting women and girls and restoring our rightful accolades. I am also pleased that my alma mater has finally agreed to take not only the lawful path, but the honorable one.”

The Education Department has also been pursuing cases elsewhere, including against the California Interscholastic Federation, for allowing a high school transgender athlete to compete at the California State Track & Field Championships.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: An Olympic city is at war, with Los Angeles fighting against itself, and now with Washington, D.C.

Rich Perelman

July 1, 2025

tsx pix 2021-1125 la city hall (wiki-tim ahem) — The Los Angeles City Hall, a 1928 Art Deco downtown icon (Photo: Tim Ahem via Wikipedia)

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≡ LOS ANGELES IN TURMOIL ≡

What has happened to Los Angeles?

A career Democrat legislator in California and the U.S. House of Representatives, Karen Bass, was elected Mayor of Los Angeles in 2022 by 55-45% over billionaire developer Rick Caruso, with the main focus on rampant homelessness across the city.

While making some inroads on the homelessness problem, the world that Bass and Los Angeles lived in was turned inside out:

● November 2024: Republican Donald Trump swept the national Presidential election, and along with Republican majorities in the Congress changed the national political calculus for California and Los Angeles, both with substantial majorities of Democratic voters.

● January 2025: Devastating, wind-blown wildfires destroyed much of the Palisades area of Los Angeles and large parts of Altadena, a separate town northeast of L.A.’s downtown, between 7-31 January.

● May 2025: The City’s financial difficulties were highlighted, with a projected $1 billion budget deficit for the 2025-26 fiscal year, leading to hundreds of layoffs. On 24 June, the City Council declared a “fiscal emergency” even though it approved a $14.1 billion budget, up from $12.9 billion for 2024-25.

● June 2025: A series of round-ups by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, resulted in mass demonstrations in downtown Los Angeles and elsewhere, that turned into riots in the downtown area, resulting in the deployment of the California National Guard and even a small number of U.S. Marines by the Trump Administration to protect Federal property and ICE agents. Between 6-15 June, the Los Angeles Police Department made 575 arrests, mostly for failure to disperse and looting.

Hardly tranquil. None of this directly impacted the work of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee, working on the planning of both Games. But the chaos around the Games continued:

● On 14 May, the City Council approved a four-stage, mandatory minimum-wage increase for workers at hotels within the City of 60 or more rooms and for those working at Los Angeles International Airport to $22.50 per hour in July 2025, $25.00 in July 2026, $27.50 in July 2027, and $30.00 in July 2028. This was dubbed the “Olympic wage” for its $30 minimum to be installed just two weeks prior to the 2028 Olympic opening, but was vigorously criticized by business groups, noting the local tourism business has not even rebounded to pre-pandemic levels.

● On 27 June, a coalition of airlines, hotels, tourism and other business groups submitted more than 140,000 signatures on a petition to place the “Olympic wage” ordinance on the June 2026 municipal ballot. A total of 92,998 valid signatures are required and the Interim City Clerk announced:

“As a result of the filing of the referendum petition, Ordinance No. 188610 is suspended and will not take effect while the petition is being reviewed to determine if it contains a sufficient number of valid voter signatures.”

So, the July 2025 wage increase to $27.50 did not take place today. Labor groups decried the signature-gathering effort as invalid and have asked for the referendum effort to be thrown out.

But the ordinance may come up for a vote on 2 June 2026 in what promises to be an ugly labor vs. business showdown, and on the same ballot that the mayoral primary will be held. Bass is already a declared candidate; Caruso may also run again, but has not committed yet.

On top of all this, the Federal government is turning up the heat in Los Angeles:

● Last Thursday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a harsh letter to Bass concerning the ICE protests and riots, where people could not access public transit as stations were shut due to the violence. Included was this:

“The weak leadership you have shown in these critical times does not inspire confidence in your ability to represent one of the Nation’s largest cities as it hosts one of the world’s biggest events, the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the LA 2028 Summer Olympics (collectively, the LA games), where millions from around the globe are expected to visit Los Angeles. Based on your slow action to quell the riots, the Department of Transportation is deeply concerned about your ability to keep the commuting public safe and to handle the transportation logistics needed for the LA
games.”

● On Monday, the U.S. Justice Department chimed in:

“Today, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and the Los Angeles City Council over policies that Los Angeles enacted shortly after President Donald J. Trump’s reelection to interfere with the federal government’s enforcement of its immigration laws.

“Not only are Los Angeles’s ‘sanctuary city’ policies illegal under federal law, but, as alleged in the complaint, Los Angeles’s refusal to cooperate with federal immigration authorities contributed to the recent lawlessness, rioting, looting, and vandalism that was so severe that it required the federal government to deploy the California National Guard and the United States Marines to quell the chaos.”

This follows similar actions against “sanctuary” laws in New York and New Jersey, and is not related to the 2028 Games at all.

And none of these actions, disasters, lawsuits and more would be newsworthy for The Sports Examiner is they weren’t happening in the Olympic host city for the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad in 2028.

But they are.

New International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) was asked about the L.A. situation in her news conference last week, and cited the commitment the IOC has repeatedly received from all levels of government for the success of the Games.

Where does all of this go?

Observed: As someone who lived most of my life in Los Angeles, the turmoil of the last decade, and especially the damage that the harshly-imposed conditions of the Covid-19 pandemic caused, has been depressing.

It’s clear now that the Trump Administration has made California – and Los Angeles – one of its prime targets in its legal and political policy initiatives and this will continue to play out over time. In that sense, the 2028 Games are still pretty far away, and the Secret Service is already involved in the long-lead security planning for the event, in coordination with local law enforcement.

But the Duffy letter gave the barest hint of a possible view that aspects of the Games which are up to the public authorities may be better planned, managed, coordinated or even handled by the Federal government and not by those already in Southern California.

No one is saying anything yet. But as Trump himself has said that the Federal government will do everything in its power to ensure the success of the 2028 Games, it would be unwise to doubt that resources will be brought in … but in a manner and time of the administration’s choosing.

The LA28 organizers are not yet being directly impacted by this; they haven’t put on any events and won’t until 2027. But they are going to be, as business, labor, the City and the Trump Administration continue to clash, with no end in sight.

As Engineer Montgomery Scott memorably said to Dr. Gillian Taylor in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home:

“Hold on tight, lassie. lt gets bumpy from here.”

Rich Perelman
Editor

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MEMORABILIA: Paris gold and torch offered together, three Louganis medals available among 67 Olympic medals up for bid from RR Auction

Rich Perelman

July 1, 2025

tsx pix 2025-629 rr auction paris 24-torch-gold — An Olympic gold and an Olympic torch offered together? Yes, at RR Auction. (Photos: RR Auction).

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

A sponsored post by RR Auction.

Auctions of Olympic memorabilia often offer Olympic medals and Olympic torches, but it’s unheard of to offer a package of both in the same lot.

RR Auction’s latest program, which closes on 17 July, has them both, in lot 3120, including a Paris 2024 Olympic torch, a Paris 2024 Olympic gold medal from track & field and an athlete-edition Games poster, given to the medal winners on the victory stand.

The estimated sale price is $75,000, with bidding already at $12,100 with more than two weeks to go.

The newest Olympic offer from RR Auction also includes three of the five Olympic medals won by superstar diver Greg Louganis:

● $20,000: 1976 Montreal Olympic silver 10 m Platform ( 6 bids so far)
● $35,000: 1984 Los Angeles Olympic gold 3 m Springboard (6)
● $25,000: 1988 Seoul Olympic gold 10 m Platform (10)

These medals have been offered before, primarily in fund-raising forums, but are now presented to serious Olympic memorabilia collectors. Not on auction are Louganis’ Olympic golds for the 1984 Platform and 1988 Springboard titles.

There is an impressive array of 67 Olympic medals being offered all together, including 25 more with a projected sales estimate of $10,000 or more:

● $40,000: 2006 Turin Winter gold for ice hockey
● $30,000: 1964 Tokyo Olympic gold for fencing
● $30,000: 2020 Tokyo Olympic silver for judo
● $30,000: 2024 Paris Olympic bronze for canoeing
● $25,000: 1904 St. Louis Olympic bronze for tug-of-war
● $25,000: 1908 London Olympic gold for field hockey
● $25,000: 1932 Los Angeles Olympic gold, with box
● $25,000: 1964 Innsbruck Winter gold for speed skating
● $20,000: 1920 Antwerp Olympic gold for shooting
● $20,000: 1998 Nagano Winter bronze for ski jumping

● $20,000: 2016 Rio Olympic silver for judo
● $15,000: 1968 Mexico City Olympic gold for fencing
● $15,000: 1984 Los Angeles Olympic silver for equestrian
● $15,000: 1992 Albertville Winter bronze medal
● $15,000: 2004 Athens Olympic gold for boxing
● $12,000: 2008 Beijing Olympic silver for baseball
● $10,000: 1924 Chamonix Winter bronze medal
● $10,000: 1936 Olympic silver for equestrian (and other items)
● $10,000: 1948 St, Moritz winner medal set (gold-silver-bronze)
● $10,000: 1956 Melbourne silver medal for football

● $10,000: 1960 Rome bronze medal for shooting
● $10,000: 1964 Innsbruck Winter silver for ice hockey
● $10,000: 1972 Munich Olympic gold for rowing
● $10,000: 1980 Lake Placid Winter gold medal sample
● $10,000: 2006 Turin Winter silver for speed skating

Not many Paris 2024 medals have come up for auction yet, so the two in this sale are noteworthy for collectors eager to update their displays.

There is also an excellent selection of Olympic torches – 36 lots in all – including the famed 1968 Grenoble Winter Games torch, of which only 33 were made. The rarity creates not only a high estimated sales price, but also a unpublished reserve price, below which the item will not be sold. There are seven torches offered at a sales estimate of $10,000 or more:

● $150,000: 1968 Grenoble Winter torch
● $50,000: 1952 Oslo Winter torch
● $30,000: 1994 Lillehammer Winter torch
● $20,000: 1972 Sapporo Winter torch
● $20,000: 2024 Paris Olympic torch
● $15,000: 1956 Melbourne Olympic torch
● $15,000: 1988 Calgary Winter torch

The Oslo ‘52 torch – the first Winter Games torch relay – is a scarce find, with only 95 produced.

For those interested in starting an instant collection of torches, a combination pack of torches from Los Angeles 1984 and Winter Games torch from Nagano 1998 and Salt Lake City 2002 is available, with a projected price of $6,000. But six bids are in already!

There are also some interesting, unusual items, expected to bring strong interest:

● $25,000: 1936 Berlin IOC Chain of Office
● $15,000: 1904 St. Louis participation medal
● $15,000: 1932 Lake Placid Winter IOC badge (1 of 20)
● $15,000: 1938 FFF FIFA World Cup winner’s medal
● $10,000: 1948 St. Moritz Winter IOC President badge
● $10,000: 41 Participation medals from 1896-Vancouver 2010

The St. Louis 1904 participation medal is one of the rarest and most sought-after, and is not included in the 41-medal offer of most of the participation medals from the 1896 Athens Games to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games.

The 1938 FIFA World Cup gold medal was not a FIFA award, but created by the host French Football Federation and in addition to being awarded to the winning Italian team, these were also given to some FIFA officers and officials from the Federation Francaise de Football.

The cutest item has to be a 1970s Springbok Editions poster from the Peanuts series, featuring a smiling Snoopy thinking “Support the Olympics…Hug an Athlete!”

The latest RR Auction is open for bidding, but open bidding will close on 17 July.

A sponsored post by RR Auction.

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PANORAMA: LA28 splits sailing in L.A. and Long Beach; what do coxswains say? Popovici screams second-fastest ever 46.71 100 Free!

Rich Perelman

June 30, 2025

tsx pix 2025-630 belmont shore long beach 750 — Olympic board sailing site Belmont Shore in Long Beach, California (Neighborhoods photo)

★ 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 2028: Los Angeles ● The stomping and screaming campaign by L.A. City Council member Tim McOsker paid off on Monday when the LA28 organizers announced a split of the 2028 sailing competition between the already-announced Belmont Shore Marina in Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro.

Sailing had been projected for Long Beach for many years and an Olympic Classes Regatta has been held there for decades. But McOsker blew up the 28 March meeting of the Los Angeles City Council, loudly demanding that sailing be held in his district, in San Pedro.

The announcement said the events will be split:

“The Port of Los Angeles will host six (6) boat events: Men’s and Women’s Dinghy, Men’s and Women’s Skiff, Mixed Dinghy and Mixed Multihull. Belmont Shore in Long Beach will host four (4) board events: Men’s and Women’s Windsurfing and Men’s and Women’s Kite.”

The agreement is a notable victory for former Los Angeles Yacht Club Commodore and Director Kelly Marie, who approached McOsker with the idea to bring sailing events to San Pedro, where the sport was held for the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

● Anti-Doping ● The important Compliance Review Committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency met in mid-June, and an announcement more than two weeks later confirmed the current countries currently not compliant as the anti-doping organizations in Cameroon and Russia, with Iran and Sri Lanka on the “watchlist” for non-compliance.

There has been no mention of the U.S., which has not paid its dues of $3.625 million for 2024 and continues to object to WADA’s handling of the 2021 Chinese swimming doping incident.

● Biathlon ● The International Biathlon Union had paid less prize money during its World Cup season in Olympic season – such as the 2025-26 season coming up – but no more. The IBU Executive Board confirmed its decision “to increase by 1.6 million Euros for the Olympic season to bring it level with seasons when there are IBU World Championships.

“The increase is focused on the top positions in individual competitions and will see a World Cup victory being worth 20,000 Euros in IBU prize money. The total prize money planned for the season is over 9.3 million Euros which represents a more than 56% increase since the last Olympic season in 2021-22.”

● Rowing ● Fascinating, if small, study done at the University of Limerick, of calls by coxswains during races, with Associate Professor of Sport Science Frank Nugent (IRL) telling World Rowing:

“There was practically no silence throughout a race. It’s a fairly big demand on someone to talk non-stop for five and a half to seven minutes, and it’s much higher than observed in other team sports. Coxing is a real niche specialised skillset that deserves a lot more research in the future.”

According to the study:

“The analysis revealed that over 40 per cent of calls were technical calls, predominantly with an internal focus directed at body movements; there was some limited use of externally focused calls talking about the boat or blades. Another 38.6 per cent of calls were motivational and 21 per cent were tactical, talking about making a change or where the boat was in the race. Coxes made an average of 32 calls per minute.”

● Swimming ● Amazing swim from Romanian star David Popovici, who won the men’s 100 m Freestyle at the European U-23 Championships in Samorin (SVK) on Saturday (28th) in 46.71, the no. 2 performance of all time, behind only the 46.40 world record by China’s Zhanle Pan at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Popovich had been the world-record holder at 46.86 at the 2022 European Championships, but was surpassed by Pan at the 2024 Worlds (46.80). Now, Popovici is the world leader in 2025 in both the 100 Free and the 200 Free (1:43.64), also at the European U-23s.

The Romanian won the 200 m Free in Paris in 2024 and a bronze in the 100 m Free.

● Weightlifting ● Four 2024 USA Weighting national title holders repeated in 2025, at the USA Weightlifting National Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Paris Olympian Mary Thiesen-Lappen was the only repeat winner among the women from 2024 at the 2025. She defended her 2024 title in the women’s highest class, now +86 kg, lifting a combined 258 kg, over Caitlin Thilges (248 kg). Four-time Worlds medalist Mattie Rogers won the 77 kg class at 241 kg.

Among the men, Olympic 61 kg bronze winner Hampton Morris took the men’s 71 kg class, lifting a combined 324 kg to win easily. There were three repeat winners from 2024: Christopher Camenares in the 65 kg class at 236 kg; Brandon Victorian defended his 89 kg title from 2024 by winning the 88 kg class with 350 kg, and Chrisanto D’Agostino, the 96 kg winner in 2024, won at 94 kg this time at 343 kg.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

CYCLING: UCI annual report shows historically-high reserves of CHF 76.1 million, which will support reduced revenue from 2025 Worlds in Rwanda

Rich Perelman

June 30, 2025

★ 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! ★

≡ UCI ANNUAL REPORT ≡

In 2021, the Union Cycliste Internationale decided to take its most important event, the World Road Championships to Kigali, Rwanda to create more excitement around the sport in Africa.

There are costs to doing that, as the UCI Annual Report for 2024, released Monday demonstrated. The report’s financial update noted:

“The year 2025 will be characterised by the first UCI Road World Championships to be organised in Africa (in Kigali, Rwanda). In this respect, the budget shows a particularity because when the UCI Road World Championships were awarded to Kigali, the Management Committee exceptionally approved a reduced organisation rights fee.

“It was considered that this initiative, which was part of the UCI’s development and solidarity mission, justified a financial effort. The 2025 budget therefore presents a logical loss for a non-Olympic year characterised by a drop in the organisation rights fee for its flagship annual event.

“However, given the surpluses of the last two cycles, the UCI has an excellent financial base, and the 2025 budget will not put the UCI’s finances under pressure.”

But the federation, as noted, has plenty to lean on to cushion the loss of its usual revenues from its World Road Champs. In 2024 (please note that CHF 1 = $1.26):

● CHF 70.080 million in operating revenue for 2024, compared to CHF 46.270 for 2023, thanks in part to CHF 24.756 million in IOC television rights money (about $25.7 million U.S.).

● CHF 47.502 million in expenses, compared to CHF 51.277 million in 2023.

● CHF 25.908 million in surplus after some investment gains, vs. a loss of CHF 3.408 million for 2023.

It was a good year, and the UCI balance sheet has never looked better:

● Assets expanded to CHF 134.254 million, including CHF 38.716 million in cash.

● Consolidated reserves were at an all-time high at CHF 76.139 million, up from CHF 50.183 million at the end of 2023. Pretty impressive.

In terms of its competitions, the UCI gets most of its money from road racing, especially the Road Championships. In 2024:

● CHF 14.576 million: Road
● CHF 4.980 million: Mountain Bike
● CHF 2.774 million: Track
● CHF 2.586 million: Cyclo-Cross
● CHF 1.550 million: BMX Freestyle
● CHF 1.253 million: BMX Racing
● CHF 851,000: all others

The financial report noted the federation’s financial strength should extend well into the future:

“The UCI’s financial solidity has been strengthened by the securing of our main media and commercial revenues, as well as by the allocation of most of our major UCI World Championships until the end of 2030.

“This operational visibility will enable the UCI to better define the allocation of its financial resources for the next cycle. A financial plan will be drawn up for the next eight years and will define the resources needed to implement the Agenda 2030 and strategic projects for our International Federation.”

The UCI has benefitted from strong interest in road racing and increased interest in mountain biking, so it can afford to go to Rwanda in September. Another massive World Cycling Championships involving most of the federation’s disciplines is scheduled for 2027 in the Haute-Savoie region of France.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LOS ANGELES 2028: U.S. Transport Secretary rips City of L.A. and L.A. Metro over ICE riots; is this foreshadowing a Federal takeover in 2028?

Rich Perelman

June 30, 2025

tsx pix 2025-630 duffy, sean c-span may25 — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, at a May 2028 news conference (Photo: C-SPAN 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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≡ 2028 GAMES TRANSIT ≡

“I am writing you with deep concern over law-abiding citizens in the Los Angeles metropolitan area being unable to access federally funded transit services because of your failure to stop the violent riots in your city.

“Closing stations, cancelling bus routes, and redirecting rail lines is a direct result of your inability or unwillingness to control the protests and violent mobs that paralyzed Los Angeles.”

That’s the opening of a harsh letter to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, published last Thursday in a news release where Duffy added:

● “Secretary Duffy also noted the failed response to the unrest raises serious questions about the city’s ability to keep citizens and tourists safe during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympics.”

● Said Duffy: “[California Governor] Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass failed to show up for Angelenos as their city was terrorized by anti-ICE riots. If President Donald Trump hadn’t stepped in and sent the National Guard and Marines in, LA would still be on fire.”

Duffy further asked for a report from Bass within 30 days that, among other things:

“Summarizes what resources will be deployed to ensure fans can get to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics games safely and on time.”

Duffy’s letter to Bass also included this ominous paragraph:

This comes just eight days after Duffy sent a much happier letter to Janice Hahn, the Chair of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which promised nothing but expressed a desire to help, including “We are all committed to making the Games a resounding success for the United States.”

Duffy also sent a letter to the Metro chief executive, Stephanie Wiggins, which did not mention the 2028 Games, but emphasized safety and security:

“People traveling on the LACMTA system to reach their jobs, education, health care, and other critical services need to feel secure and travel in a safe environment free of crime; and workers who operate the system need to be sure of a safe operating environment to provide transportation service. The transit riders and workers of Los Angeles deserve nothing less.”

In March, Duffy sent similar letters to the transit agencies in New York and Washington, D.C.

Observed: So, what happens now?

The letters to Bass and Wiggins about the Los Angeles situation during the protests and violence earlier in June attendant to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions in the area may simply be an expansion of the pressure applied to New York and Washington in March. The Trump Administration has shown no hesitancy to criticize the leadership of Democrat-led large cities.

But there could be something else getting started.

In 2000 and 2001, the U.S. General Accounting Office created reports on Federal spending on U.S.-hosted Olympic Games, which found $17 million (in 1999 dollars) were used to support spectator transit for the Atlanta 1996 Games, and $58.5 million (not including capital costs) for spectator transit for the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Games.

Conversely, L.A. Metro has asked for $3.2 billion in Federal funds for the 2028 Games, including an “order-of-magnitude” request for $2.015 billion for the Games Enhanced Transportation Network (GETS). Despite the request, no money was allocated to Metro for the Games in the Fiscal Year 2025 Federal budget and none is proposed for the Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

Could it be that the U.S. Department of Transportation sees itself as the answer to these issues for 2028? The GAO report noted that about 1,000 military service personnel were used as drivers in Atlanta, and the Federal government has a lot of buses.

Beyond being unhappy with the approach to the protests and riots earlier in the month, Duffy’s letter does not say what he plans to do for the 2028 Games. But the request for a report lays the groundwork for potentially declaring the local plan for 2028 Games transit as unworkable and requiring the Federal government to take over.

The Trump Administration is already involved in the Games, as the U.S. Secret Service is already the lead agency on security since the Olympic and Paralympic Games was declared a National Special Security Event (NSSE) – as is the annual NFL Super Bowl – in June 2024. And Trump called out the National Guard and the Marines to secure Federal sites in Los Angeles during the recent protests.

It may be getting even more involved.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

U.S. OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE: Who were the winners in National Governing Body funding in 2024?

Rich Perelman

June 29, 2025

★ 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! ★

≡ USOPC NGB SPENDING ≡

With the release of its financial statements for 2024, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee also included a recap of the funds paid to athletes and to the U.S. National Governing Bodies in 2024. It’s a long list, but there were some clear winners.

Of the stated $191 million-plus distributed to athletes and NGBs, the breakdown shown was:

● $55.71 million in direct Athlete Grants
● $21.74 million in Athlete Services
● $78.63 million in NGB Grants
● $34.96 million in NGB Services

The total shown is $191.04 million in 2024. The athlete and NGB grants were spread out over 59 National Governing Bodies: 34 Olympic, nine Winter Olympic, eight Paralympic and eight Pan American sports. That’s a lot of sports. But the breakdown of the NGB funding (grants and services) was decidedly in favor of the Olympic sports in 2024:

● 67.7% or $75.39 million to Olympic sports
● 18.3% or $20.40 million to Olympic Winter sports
● 13.5% or $15.07 million to Paralympic sports
● 0.4% or $475,074 to the Pan American sports

And which Olympic-sport National Governing Bodies got the most money (grants and services)? Let’s start with the big two, which combined for 62 of the 126 medals won by Americans at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (total medals won in parentheses):

● 1. $10.80 million: USA Track & Field (34)
● 2. $6.70 million: USA Swimming (28)
● 3. $4.18 million: US Rowing (2)
● 4. $4.15 million: USA Volleyball (2)
● 5. $4.06 million: USA Gymnastics (9)

● 6. $3.65 million: USA Cycling (6)
● 7. $3.37 million: USA Rugby (1)
● 8. $3.03 million: USA Shooting (5)
● 9. $2.94 million: USA Water Polo (1)
● 10. $2.86 million: USA Wrestling (7)

The top 10 accounted for 95 of the 126 medals won by the U.S. in Paris. Of note was USA Fencing, which won four medals, but ranked only 13th in funding.

The bottom 10:
● 34. $170,877: USA Handball (did not qualify)
● 33. $254,629: USA Golf (1)
● 32. $254,996: USA Pentathlon (0)
● 31. $545,224: USA Badminton (0)
● 30. $587,635: U.S. Tennis Assn. (2)

● 29. $697,922: USA Table Tennis (0)
● 28. $726,826: Breaking (in-house) (1)
● 27. $767,005: American Canoe Association (2)
● 26. $925,300: USA Surfing (1)
● 25. $932,143: USA Weightlifting (2)

The low amounts for golf and tennis are understandable, as the players come from existing, wealthy professional tours. The other eight combined for nine medals; the 10 listed NGBs were the only ones to receive less than $1 million in grants and services from the USOPC.

What is also true is that not one of these NGBs – those in the top 10 or the bottom 10 – will tell you that they received enough money from the USOPC. In fact, that’s true for all 60 NGBs.

And the number of governing bodies to support keeps expanding. When the Amateur Sports Act of 1978 was passed, giving the then-U.S. Olympic Committee jurisdiction over the Olympic Movement on the U.S., there were 28 Olympic NGBs (summer and winter) and 34 NGBs when counting the Pan American Games sports.

For 2028, add in cricket, flag football and lacrosse, raising the total to 63.

For the winter National Governing Bodies, whose allocations will increase in 2025 looking ahead to the 2025 Winter Games in Milan Cortina, the leader – as always – was U.S. Ski & Snowboard at $8.81 million, second only to USA Track & Field.

Next up were US Speedskating at $2.26 million, USA Bobsled & Skeleton at $2.19 million, USA Hockey at $1.61 million and U.S. Figure Skating at $1.46 million.

It’s a lot of money that has to go to a lot of places, a reality that is not often considered by the International Olympic Committee or Olympic organizing committees when they add sports to the programs of the Olympic and Winter Games.

And, as noted above, no matter what the amount, it’s never enough.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Fab 9.75 100 m world lead for Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, American shot record 68-8 3/4 for Jackson; Hill beats J. Lyles!

Rich Perelman

June 29, 2025

tsx pix 2024-803 thompson, kishane (dan vernon-wath) — Jamaica’s 100 m Olympic silver winner Kishane Thompson (Photo: Dan Vernon 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! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● In a move by the State of California budget office, $18 million is apparently being channeled to the L.A. Metropolitan Transportation Authority to assist with the “Games Route Network,” by siphoning off some of the state’s gas tax revenues.

State Sen. Roger Niello (R-Carmichael) complained to FoxBusiness.com:

“The infrastructure will be exactly the same when they’re done as it was before they start – and gas tax money is intended for infrastructure improvements; new infrastructure; repairing infrastructure, and that’s not what they’re doing here.

“I don’t have a problem with helping LA out with their logistics for the Olympics, but I don’t think the state should pay for it, regardless of where it comes from.”

Even with $18 million in help, Metro is looking for an estimated $210.9 million for the Games Route Network aspect of its 2028 Games transit plan, for which it has asked the Federal government for $3.2 billion in funding.

● Athletics ● Sad news that Bill Dellinger, the 1964 Olympic 5,000 m bronze medalist and a legendary coach at Oregon, passed away on Friday (27th) at age 91. Coached by Bill Bowerman at Oregon, Dellinger was a collegiate star, winning the NCAA mile in 1954 and the 5,000 m in 1956. He went on to compete in three Olympic Games – 1956-60-64 – and won the Tokyo bronze.

He turned to coaching, eventually joining Bowerman at Oregon in 1968 and becoming head coach in 1973. He coached legendary Oregon stars including Steve Prefontaine, Matt Centrowitz, Paul Geis, Rudy Chapa, Alberto Salazar, Joaquim Cruz and more. His teams won four NCAA men’s cross-country titles and 1984 NCAA track & field title.

He coached 23 cross-country All-Americans and 58 track & field All-Americans and more than a dozen Olympians. Dellinger was quiet, but direct, and was beloved by his teams.

● Basketball ● Jordan forfeited Sunday’s Group C game against Israel in the FIBA men’s U-19 World Cup, in Lausanne (SUI) in response to Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

FIBA has not taken any action against Jordan, which is 0-2 in the group and slated to play the host Swiss on Tuesday (1st). Jordan and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1994, but Jordan has a significant Palestinian population which has railed against Israel’s response to the 7 October 2023 raid by Hamas which instigated the Israeli response.

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Athletics ● Hot sprinting at the Jamaican national championships in Kingston, with Olympic silver winner Kishane Thompson, 24, running the fastest men’s 100 m in 10 years (!), winning the final in 9.75, with just 0.8 m/s of aiding wind.

That makes him no. 6 on the all-time list and no. 4 all-time Jamaica; only countrymen Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake and Asafa Powell have run faster, along with Americans Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin.

Behind Thompson in Kingston were Oblique Seville (9.84) and Ackeem Blake (9.88 lifetime best), now nos. 2-6 on the 2025 year list.

The women’s 100 had Tina Clayton with lifetime bests in the semifinals (10.93) and final (10.88 +0.1) to move to no. 3 in the world for 2025, ahead of rapidly-returning Shericka Jackson (10.88) and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.91), qualifying for her ninth Worlds team! Twin sister Tia Clayton equaled her lifetime best of 10.86 in the semis, but did not finish in the final.

At the ATX Sprint Classic in Georgetown, Texas, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill finally beat a Lyles, but it was young brother Josephus, in a wind-aided heat of the men’s 100 m.

Hill finished third in heat two of six in the 100 – aided by a +2.7 m/s wind – with Lawrence Johnson (10.00w), David Foster (10.08w) and Javonte Harding (10.09w) ahead of him, with Hill at 10.10w, his fastest ever. Lyles was fifth at 10.25w.

Hill ditched the finals, with East Texas A&M’s Ibrahim Fuseini (GHA) putting up the fastest time among the five finals races at 9.85w (+2.4).

Two-time World Champion Chase Jackson set her second American Record and claimed the world lead in the women’s shot at 20.95 m (68-8 3/4) at the annual Iron Wood Classic in Rathdrum, Idaho.

Her big throw came in round one and she fouled the next two, then uncorked a 20.45 m (67-1 1/4) bomb in the fourth round, and had two more fouls. It’s not just another American Record, but the furthest throw in the world since 2012, when New Zealand star Valerie Adams reached 21.11 m (69-3 1/4)!

Jackson now ranks 35th all-time, but beyond the drugged-up Eastern Europeans of the late 20th Century, Jackson is no. 4 among putters with their bests in the 21st Century. That’s impressive.

Maggie Ewen of the U.S. was second at 19.69 m (64-7 1/4). World Champion Lagi Tausaga of the U.S. won the women’s discus at 66.59 m (218-5) and 2019 World Champion DeAnna Price won the women’s hammer at 76.82 m (252-0). In the men’s shot, Payton Otterdahl got a seasonal best of 22.09 m (72-5 3/4).

At the European Team Championships, emerging star Jan Stefela (CZE), the 2025 European Indoor silver star, climbed over 2.33 m (7-7 3/4) for a new world-leading mark, and Olympic long jump supremo Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE) exploded out to a world-leading 8.46 m (27-9 1/4) in the second round. That’s also a world leader and his eighth-best meet ever.

Dutch star Femke Bol moved to no. five on the 2025 world list in the women’s 400 m with a 49.48 win, her fifth-fastest ever.

● Badminton ● At the BWF World Tour U.S. Open in Council Bluffs, Iowa, American star Beiwen Zhang reached her ninth career BWF World Tour final and third in the U.S. Open, facing India’s Tanvi Sharma.

She came through for the home crowd, winning her fourth career World Tour title, 21-11, 16-21, 21-10.

In the men’s Singles final, fourth-seed Ayush Shetty (IND) swept three-seed Brian Yang (CAN), 21-18, 21-13. Chinese Taipei teams won the men’s and women’s Doubles, and Denmark won the Mixed Doubles.

● Basketball ● Spain and the Netherlands won their first-ever FIBA 3×3 World Cup golds in Ulaanbaatar (MGL), with the Spanish men defeating first-time finalist Switzerland, 21-16, in the final.

Spain was only third (2-2) in Pool D, which was won by the Swiss (3-1), but beat Germany in its semifinal, 21-15, while the Swiss ousted top-ranked Serbia, 21-11. The U.S. men’s team of Henry Caruso, Mitch Hahn, James Parrott and Dylan Travis finished fifth, winning their four group matches, but then losing to Germany, 22-14, in the quarters.

The Dutch women (2-2) were third in Pool B and Mongolia was the runner-up in Pool D, but both fought their way to the final. The Netherlands won a play-in game over Hungary (21-9), then beat Australia (21-11) in the quarters and Canada (21-15) in the semis. Mongolia needed overtime to get past China in the play-in, then got past the U.S. and Poland – in overtime (18-17) – in their semi. The Dutch won the final by 15-9.

The American women – Morgan Maly, Sarah Strong, Mikaylah Williams and Sahara Williams – finished sixth, also winning their four group matches but falling to Mongolia, 18-15 in the quarterfinals.

● Canoe-Kayak ● At the ICF Slalom World Cup in Prague (CZE), Olympic women’s C-1 bronze medalist Evy Leibfarth of the U.S. collected her first career World Cup gold, winning the K-1 in 97.76 with zero penalties. That was enough to beat two-time World Cup winner Camille Prigent (FRA: 98.48/0), and her first victory after seven other medals (0-5-2).

Leibfarth came back to get a bronze in the women’s Kayak Cross final, with Czech Tereza Kneblova the winner, ahead of Prigent. Zuzana Pankova (SVK/103.29/0) won the women’s K-1 over Slovenia’s Eva Alina Hocevar (103.92/0).

France dominated the men’s event, with Paris Olympic silver medalist Titouan Castryck (86.35/0) and Anatole Delassus (87.38/0) going 1-2 in the K-1. The French swept the C-1 with Paris Olympic champ Nicolas Gestin (94.11/2), Mewen Debliquy (94.14/0) and Yohann Senechault (94.19/0). New Zealand’s Finn Butcher won the men’s Kayak Cross.

● Fencing ● The U.S. dominated the Pan American Championships in Rio de Janeiro (BRA), five of the six individual titles, and five of six team events.

The men’s Foil was won by three-time Olympic medalist Alexander Massialas over teammate Nick Itkin, the Paris 2024 bronzer, 15-14; the men’s Epee went to Tristan Szapary over Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Ruben Limardo Gascon (VEN), 15-7, and the Sabre was another all-American final, as Colin Heathcock edged William Morrill, 15-14.

The U.S. men won the Team Foil, 45-18, over Canada; Venezuela defeated the U.S. in the Team Epee final, 45-32, and the Americans took the Sabre Team final over Canada, 45-17.

Olympic champ Lee Kiefer of the U.S. won the women’s Foil final, 15-12 over Canada’s Eleanor Harvey; the Epee final went to Isabel Di Tella (ARG) over Ruien Xiao (CAN), 13-12, and the Sabre final went to American Maia Chamberlain by 15-12 over Natalia Botello (MEX).

The American women won the Foil Team final over Canada, 45-31, the Epee Team final over Canada, 41-25, and the Sabre final against Argentina, 45-28.

● Rowing ● Romania took three wins to highlight World Rowing’s World Cup II in Lucerne (SUI), winning both Pairs events and the women’s Eight. Florin Arteni and Florin Lehaci won the men’s Pair in 6:17.57; Maria Rusu and Olympic silver star Simona Radis took the women’s Pair in 6:59.04 and the Romanian women – the Paris winners – won the Eight in 6:02.92.

Britain won the men’s Quadruple Sculls (5:39.65) and the women’s Single Sculls with Paris Olympic Quadruple Sculls gold winner Lauren Henry (7:15.21).

The U.S. had a large presence, and won the women’s Four with Alexandria Vallancey-Martinson, Camille Verdermeer, Azja Czajkowski and Etta Carpender in 6:21.31. American boats claimed a third in the men’s Quadruple Sculls, sixth in the Four and fifth in the men’s Eight. Katheryn Flynn and Grace Joyce were fifth in the women’s Double Sculls and Teal Cohen and Kaitlin Knifton were fifth in the women’s Pair. The women’s Eight was second to the Romanians by less than two seconds.

New Zealand’s Logan Ulrich won the men’s Single Sculls (6:44.92) and Serbia won the men’s Double Sculls with Marvin Mackovic and Nikolaj Pomenov (6:10.48). Australia took the men’s Four and Germany won the Eight.

China’s Yunxia Chen and Ling Zhang took the women’s Double Sculls in 6:45.20.

● Sailing ● The Kieler Woche – “Kiel Week” – which dates back to 1882, concluded on Sunday, with the French scoring three wins in the Olympic classes. Erwan Fischer and Clement Pequin won the 49er class (56.6 net points), Tim Mourniac and Aloise Retornaz took the Nacra 17 title with a very low 23.0 score, and Marion Courturier, Ambar Papazian and Lucie Belbeoch swept the top places in the women’s IQ Foil.

Britain got two wins, including Freya Black and Saskia Tiday in the women’s 49erFX class (42.0) by winning the medal race to come from behind, and from Martin Wrigley and Battine Harris (17.0) in the mixed-crew 470.

Italy’s Lorenzo Chaicarini won the ILCA 7 (23.0 net points), Anna Munch (DEN: 43.0) won the women’s ILCA6 class and German Fabian Wolf won the men’s IQ Foil final.

● Sport Climbing ● Slovenia’s two-time Olympic champion Janja Garnbret dominated the IFSC World Cup in Innsbruck (AUT).

She won the women’s Boulder event with a sensational 99.8 score to 69.8 for 2023 Worlds silver winner Oriane Bertone (FRA) and then took the Lead title on Sunday at 41, to 33 for Italian Laura Rogora.

Paris Olympic Combined gold medalist Toby Roberts (GBR) won the men’s Boulder final, 69.8 to 68.6 over Japan’s Olympic runner-up Sorato Anraku, who clinched his third straight seasonal Boulder title.

Five men got to the top in the Lead final, with Neo Suzuki (JPN) winning on his semifinal score, and Roberts second.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

FOOTBALL: Analyzing the 57%-of-capacity FIFA Club World Cup so far; U.S. men edge Costa Rica on penalties while the women shut down Ireland, 4-0

Rich Perelman

June 29, 2025

tsx pix 2025-629 freese, matt (usmnt) crc — U.S. star keeper Matt Freese (Photo: U.S. Soccer/USMNT on X).

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≡ A U.S. FOOTBALL SUNDAY ≡

Lots of football action in the U.S. on Sunday, with the FIFA Club World Cup playoffs continuing and matches featuring both the U.S. men – in the CONCACAF Gold Cup playoffs – and the U.S. women in a friendly.

As far as the FIFA Club World Cup, the 48 matches of the group stage closed with FIFA reporting 1,667,819 fans attending, with an average of 34,746.

That was cited as about 57% of the combined capacities of the 12 sites hosting matches. In terms of crowd sizes by match:

● 10,000 or less: 4 matches
● 10,001-20,000: 11 matches
● 20,001-30,000: 5 matches
● 30,001-40,000: 10 matches
● 40,001-50,000: 4 matches
● 50,001 or more: 14 matches

Real Madrid was the star of the group stage, drawing 62,415 (in Miami), 70,248 (Charlotte) and 64,811 (Philadelphia) for its three matches. Paris St. Germain drew 80,619 (Pasadena), 53,699 (Pasadena) and 50,628 (Seattle) for its three games.

Observed: Is this good or bad? It’s both.

The tournament has hardly been a wild success and it is being closely followed by some and barely at all by most. The popular European clubs have done reasonably well and a lot of the lesser-known clubs have had modest crowds.

From the standpoint of Major League Soccer in the U.S., only Inter Miami made it out of the group stage and it was sent home, 4-0, by Paris St. Germain on Sunday. Los Angeles FC and Seattle were eliminated in the group stage and neither won a game.

The true, short-term benefit of this tournament from FIFA’s standpoint is that it provided real-world feedback for the federation on organizing a tournament in the U.S. Remember, there are no more host-country organizing committees for the FIFA World Cup, or for this Club World Cup. FIFA, operating out of its Coral Gables, Florida offices, is the organizer: it takes in all of the revenue and puts on the event, with local assistance from in-city “host committees” which provide governmental, security, transport and volunteer assistance in return for what it hopes will be a tourism bonanza.

No such bonanza will be coming from this Club World Cup, although some sites will have seen added traffic; Miami (Hard Rock Stadium) and Pasadena (Rose Bowl) had the best attendance in the group stage. But the FIFA World Cup in 2026 will be much bigger and have much more interest, and valuable lessons are being learned.

One of them is about the impact of heat in outdoor stadiums in the U.S. summer; that will be an issue next year.

The U.S. men faced Costa Rica in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with a back-and-forth game decided by penalties.

The Americans controlled possession from the start, but then defender Max Arfsten was called for a penalty with a hard tackle in the 10th, and defender Francisco Calvo slammed a left-footed shot past U.S. keeper Matt Freese in the 12th for a 1-0 lead.

The U.S. continued on offense, and in the 33rd, forward Malik Tillman had his legs cut out from underneath him near the Costa Rican endline by defender Juan Pablo Vargas, resulting in a penalty. But Tillman hit the left post in the 37th, with lots of pushing and shoving on the field afterward.

Then in the 43rd, a cross from Arfsten sent a cross to forward Diego Luna in the box and he knocked it down and ripped a right-footed laser that deflected off a defender and past Costa Rican keeper Keylor Navas for the 1-1 tie. The U.S. had 71% possession and was up, 9-3, on shots.

Right off the start of the second half, the U.S. was on the attack again and Tillman sent a lead pass from the top of the box to a wide-open Arfsten on the left side and he finished with a rocket to the far side of the Costa Rican net for a 2-1 lead in the 47th.

But while the U.S. continued in possession, Costa Rica looked for opportunities and in the 71st, defender Carlos Mora split two defenders on the right side, but his shot was saved by Freese. But on the rebound, Mora crossed to a charging striker Alonzo Martinez, who finished easily for the 2-2 tie.

Martinez then hit the post in the 86th, as Costa Rica found more and more offense in the final 20 minutes, but regulation finished 2-2, with the U.S. with 64% possession and 18 shots to seven.

On to penalties, and it was 3-3 after four rounds, then Freese saved Calvo’s fifth-round try. Sub defender John Tolkin took the U.S. try, but Navas slapped it away with his right hand. Sub midfielder Andy Rojas’ try in round six was saved by Freese (his third of the shoot-out), then sub midfielder Damion Downs buried his try and a 4-3 shoot-out win.

As far as the Gold Cup overall is concerned, attendance at the 14 venues (13 in the U.S.) for the 24 group-stage game was 459,603 for an average of 19,150 per game. Only 10 of the 24 group-stage matches drew 20,000 or more, mostly in large, NFL venues, many of which will host World Cup matches in 2026. Five matches had less than 10,000 in attendance.

The semifinals will be on 2 July, with Mexico and Honduras in Santa Clara, and Guatemala and the U.S. in St. Louis. The final will be on 6 July in Houston.

The U.S. women’s national team faced Ireland once again in Cincinnati, Ohio on Sunday, in hot (85 F) temperatures, but once again won by 4-0.

The U.S. started a completely different 11 from the first match, with only one player coming into the match with more than 10 caps. And it took only until the 11th minute for the U.S. to score, with striker Lynn Biyeldolo scoring from the center of the box on a right-footed volley off a perfect cross from forward Emma Sears.

The U.S. controlled the match, but could not get a second goal until the 42nd, when forward Sears sent a right-footed rocket toward the Irish goal that was punched away by Irish keeper Courtney Brosnan. But the ball fell right to defender Izzy Rodriguez, who ripped a left-footed shot into the net for a 2-0 lead. It was Rodriguez’s first goal, in her first national team appearance. The half ended with 73% possession for the U.S. and a 9-3 shots edge.

It was 3-0 in the 66th, as Sears made a great stop on a ball going out of bounds at the Irish endline, passing to midfielder Olivia Moultrie on the right side and her cross was perfectly finished with the right foot by Yazmeen Ryan. It was Ryan’s first international goal in her first cap.

Sub striker Alyssa Thompson scored the fourth goal in the 86th, taking a lead pass from sub midfielder Claire Hutton and slamming the ball past Brosnan for the 4-0 final. The U.S. finished with 73% possession and a 25-3 advantage on shots.

The U.S. women will be in action again on Wednesday in another friendly, this time against Canada in Washington, D.C.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Kipyegon’s sub-4 mile “moonshot” fell off in the final lap, but is now clouded in mystery; what happened?

Rich Perelman

June 29, 2025

tsx-pix-2023-721-kipyegon-faith-monaco-sona-maleter-dmnd-lg-AG-1 — Kenya's Faith Kipyegon, claiming the women's mile world record in Monaco in 2023! (Photo: Sona Maleter for Diamond League AG)

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≡ WHAT DID SHE ACTUALLY RUN? ≡

Nike’s “Breaking4” spectacle on Friday at the Stade Charlety in Paris was set up as a long-shot try at a women’s four-minute mile by the brilliant Faith Kipyegon, not only the triple Olympic champion in the women’s 1,500 m, but also the world-record holder in the 1,500 m (3:49.04), mile (4:07.64) and formerly at 5,000 m (14:05.20).

Her chances of getting close to four minutes were poor to start, as reported in The Sports Examiner in July 2023, after she set the mile mark at 4:07.64:

“Looking at the men’s 4-minute mile, it took 21 years to go from New Zealand’s Jack Lovelock and his 4:07.6 mark in 1933 to 1954 for Roger Bannister (GBR) to run 3:59.4.

“That period was impacted by World War II, but Swedes Gunder Hagg and Arne Andersson did lower the mile record from 4:06.4 in 1937 to 4:01.4 in 1945.”

That means a women’s sub-4 might come around 2040 with today’s better conditions, shoes, track and so on. Not in 2025.

But Nike put together a spectacle, as they had done for Kenyan marathon star Eliud Kipchoge and his sub-2:00 marathon tries in 2017 (2:00:25) and 2019 (1:59:40). And Kipyegon was game, with a special, wind-resistant suit and special shoes, clinging to 4:00 mile pace through the halfway mark, and close at three-quarters, then falling off.

French coach and statistician P.J. Vazel broke it down brilliantly on X:

Faith Kipyegon Splits (video timing, rounded *up* to the nearest tenth)

200m 30.1
400m 1:00.5
600m 1:30.5
800m 2:01.0
1000m 2:31.0
1200m 3:01.9
1500m 3:49.0

Imperial distances
1/8M 30.3
1/4M 1:00.9
3/8M 1:31.2
1/2M 2:01.7
5/8M 2:31.9
3/4M 3:03.0
7/8M 3:34.4
1 Mile 4:06.91 pic.twitter.com/5hQyM9ZoDR

— PJ Vazel (@pjvazel) June 27, 2025

At 60.9, 60.8 and 61.3, she was at 3:03.0 at the three-quarters mark, but could manage only 63.9 on the final lap for a final time of 4:06.91, as shown on the timing strip at the top of the screen.

That’s where the controversy started, as moments later, a screen graphic showed her time as 4:06.42, almost half a second faster.

Multiple observers got their stopwatches out and re-timed the race – including Vazel, as accurate as they come – with the unanimous consensus that Kipyegon almost certainly ran 4:06.91 and not 4:06.42.

So what happened?

LetsRun.com inquired with Nike about the time difference, but has not indicated it received an answer.

There’s really no reason to change Kipyegon’s time as she ran the fastest mile in history by a woman – faster than her 4:07.64 world mark from 2023 – so the half-second change would not make a difference that way.

No one is saying, but it’s a switch that statisticians won’t soon forget.

Even with the best-ever time, the mark is not eligible to be ratified as a world record, which everyone knew ahead of time. There are two rules which appear to be out of reach by the way the attempt was set up:

● World Athletics rule 31.1 on records states:

“A World Record shall be made in a bona fide competition which has been duly arranged, advertised and authorised before the day of the event by the Member in whose Country or Territory the event takes place and which has been conducted under and in compliance with the Rules.

“For individual events, at least three athletes and for relay events, at least two teams must be bona fide competitors in the event. Except for Field Events conducted as provided in Rule 9 of the Technical Rules and competitions held outside the stadium under Rules 54 and 55 of the Technical Rules, no performance set by an athlete will be ratified if it has been accomplished during a mixed competition.”

Kipyegon’s try failed on two points: there weren’t three “bona fide” competitors in the race, as British distance stars Jemma Reekie and Georgia Hunter-Bell – the other women in the field – were both announced as running two laps only and not trying to finish. Further, the cadre of 11 men’s pacers makes this a “mixed” competition and ineligible for record consideration.

● World Athletics’ regulations on shoes states that “Bespoke Shoes are not permitted to be worn in any Applicable Competition,” defined as:

“‘Bespoke Shoe’ means an Athletic Shoe that is one-off made to order (i.e. that are only one of its kind) specifically for a single Athlete and is not Available for Purchase.”

There was reporting that Kipyegon’s shoes were a prototype and not a one-off, in which case it would have had to be approved in advance by World Athletics as a “Development Shoe.” Which it was not.

So, there was no way Kipyegon’s mark – whatever it was – was going to be eligible to be a record of any kind.

None of this should take away from a brilliant effort by Kipyegon, who did run a mile faster than any woman has before. And no other woman has ever run faster than 4:12.33!

Now, at 31, what will Kipyegon do with the rest of her season? Besides this mile event, she has run only once, a 2:29.21 win in the 1,000 m at the Xiamen Diamond League in China in late April. As 2023 World Champion in the 1,500 m and 5,000 m, she has a direct entry in September’s World Athletics Championships and she is obviously very, very fit.

More world records on the way, perhaps, in the Diamond League season? She’s listed to run in this Saturday’s Prefontaine Classic in the women’s 1,500 m!

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: USOPC looking for a Chief Operating Officer; WADA rips U.S. Senate for “Restoring Confidence” bill; Rubiales’ conviction upheld

Rich Perelman

June 26, 2025

★ 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 2032: Brisbane ● The Queensland government passed The Planning (Social Impact and Community Benefit) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, with major provisions dealing with energy and home ownership, but also with the 2032 Olympic Games.

The bill allows the Brisbane organizing committee board to be trimmed from 24 to 15 members, “reducing bureaucracy and streamlining processes” and includes authorization to skip multiple planning approvals, “in a bid to ensure projects are not held up by potential legal challenges. It means final planning sign-off rests with the state government, rather than local councils.”

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ● The USOPC is looking for help, specifically someone who can handle some of the organization’s key operations away from sports, with the title of Chief Operating Officer:

“As a key executive partner to the CEO, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) provides leadership, thought partnership, and operational oversight to advance the culture, efficiency, and effectiveness of the organization’s daily operations.

“The COO oversees the USOPC’s strategic planning, finance, information & digital technology, procurement, and facilities management functions with a focus on internal business partnership. This role is responsible for ensuring alignment between strategic priorities and operational effectiveness. The COO should have an eye for efficient processes, while identifying strategic opportunities to create new value for the organization.”

The USOPC has handed the search to the Korn Ferry agency, with the position working out of the Colorado Springs downtown headquarters office.

● National Olympic Committees ● Elections at two major NOCs saw long-time Italian canoe federation chief Luciano Buonfiglio, a 1976 Olympian, elected as the head of his country’s NOC, known as CONI. He received 47 votes to 34 for Luca Pancalli, head of the Italian Paralympic Committee.

In Japan, Seiko Hashimoto, a speed skater in four Olympic Winter Games and cyclist at three Olympic Games, was elected Thursday as the President of the Japanese Olympic Committee, for a two-year term. She served as the head of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee from 2019-21 and successfully oversaw the transition of the event from 2020 to 2021 due to Covid-19.

She continues to serve as a member of the Japanese House of Councillors.

● Anti-Doping ● The World Anti-Doping Agency did not miss a chance to slap back at the passage of S. 233, the “Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act of 2025” out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on Wednesday (25th).

WADA’s Thursday comment included:

“Boiled down, the bill effectively seeks to embed U.S. bias into WADA’s governance structure with the threat of withholding funding if this is not achieved. Not only is this ironic given [U.S. Anti-Doping chief executive Travis] Tygart’s unfounded allegations of bias to China in connection with the Chinese swimmer cases; it would also undermine WADA’s governance reforms and go against democratic values and principles of good governance. As an international regulatory body, WADA cannot give in to this cash-for-influence ultimatum from any country. One can only imagine what Mr. Tygart would say if China or Russia sought to pass similar legislation. If only he put as much effort into addressing the serious deficiencies with anti-doping in the U.S.”

The war of words continues, unabated.

● Alpine Skiing ● Switzerland’s two-time World Cup champion Lara Gut-Behrami, 34, announced she will retire after the 2025-26 skiing season. She plans to join her husband, Valon Behrami, who will become the sporting director at the Watford football club.

She’s a medal contender for Milan Cortina, having won Olympic gold in the 2022 Beijing Super-G and a Giant Slalom bronze, plus a 2014 Sochi Downhill bronze.

● Baseball ● Former major league shortstop Ruben Tejada of Panama was suspended for four years following a positive test for a metabolite of the prohibited steroid drostanolone from an out-of-competition test last November.

Tejada played for the Mets from 2010-15, then for the Cardinals and Giants in 2016 and Orioles in 2017, finally for the Mets again in 2019. He has been disqualified through 2 December 2028, but can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

● Fencing ● The NCAA Division I Council approved separate men’s and women’s fencing team championships on Wednesday, splitting the combined championship currently offered. The NCAA statement noted:

“For this change to take effect, it must also be supported by Divisions II and III because fencing operates as a National Collegiate Championship involving teams from all three divisions. Divisions II and III are expected to consider the proposal at their meetings in July.”

If finally approved, this is a major victory for USA Fencing, which has been lobbying for this expansion.

● Football ● Spain’s Audencia Nacional upheld the sexual assault conviction and fine against former Royal Spanish Football Federation chief Luis Rubiales stemming from the awards ceremony following the end of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia.

Appeals by the prosecution to re-try the case, hoping for imprisonment, were dismissed, as were appeals against the acquittals of three other defendants from the Spanish federation.

Rubiales’ attorney said the €10,800 fine imposed on him will be appealed, based on a Spanish Supreme Court ruling.

The U.S. women’s National Team was back in action on Thursday in Commerce City, Colorado, against Ireland, with another young squad that took charge quickly, with three quality chances in the first 12 minutes.

In the 18th, off a short corner, midfield star Rose Lavelle sent a cross to the back side of the Irish net, with defender Ashley Patterson there to head it in for the 1-0 lead.

In stoppage time, midfielder Sam Coffey got the ball at the top of the box, dribbled left and sent a seeing-eye, right-footed shot that found the right side of the net, even with a touch from keeper Courtney Brosnan, at 45+4. The half ended soon after with the U.S. up 2-0, enjoying 61% possession and an 11-0 edge on shots.

Lavelle scored in the 53rd from the center of the box off a right-to-left pass from striker Ally Sentnor and forward Alyssa Thompson soloed from midfield, dribbling to the left side of the Irish goal and sending a rocket to the far side for the 4-0 lead in the 63rd. That was the final; the U.S. had 67% possession and a 26-2 shots advantage.

The two sides will face off again on Sunday, in Cincinnati.

● Volleyball ● Ugo Valensi (FRA) will become the new head of Volleyball World, the private equity partnership with the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), as of 4 August 2025.

He comes to the position from being the chief executive of Grand Slam Tennis, working with the world’s four premier tennis tournaments, and the Sportfive sports marketing agency. The growth of Volleyball World as a commercial venture to expand the sport’s impact worldwide has been impressive and Valensi will be asked to keep it going.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Kenyan star Kipyegon powers to fastest-ever 4:06.42 in sub-4 mile trial in Paris

Rich Perelman

June 26, 2025

tsx pix 2025-626 kipyegon, faith interview — Kenyan star Faith Kipyegon, after finishing a 4:06.42 mile time trial in Paris (Image: Nike Breaking4 video screen shot).

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≡ KIPYEGON “BREAKING4″ ≡

The “moonshot” try for a women’s sub-4:00 mile, starring triple Olympic 1,500 m champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya, had plenty of planning, plenty of technical and promotional support from Nike, and plenty of hope, and ultimately ended with the fastest mile ever run by a woman: 4:06.42.

The run was preceded by a 50-minute warm-up show, hosted by U.S. anchor MJ Acosta-Ruiz, with expert commentators Carl Lewis of the U.S., Olympic women’s 800 m champion Keely Hodgkinson (GBR) and BYU distance coach Diljeet Taylor.

Video segments talked through the setting, with the Stade Charlety chosen thanks to the shielding of the track from the wind, the special suit designed by Nike for better airflow, the pacing lights and the 13-person pacing team. Conditions were good at about 77 F at race time, and perhaps 3,000 people in the stands, spread out into cheering sections.

Kipyegon started off strongly, with five men in front of her, U.S. distance star Grant Fisher just ahead of her on her right and seven behind her, and stormed through three laps in good position:

● 400 m: 60.20
● 800 m: 2:00.75
● 1,200 m: 3:01.84

For comparison, her mile world record of 4:07.64 from Monaco in July 2023 began with:

● 400 m: 62.6
● 800 m: 2:04.6
● 1,200 m: 3:06.7

Her world 1,500 m record of 3:49.04 in Paris on 7 July 2024 started:

● 400 m: 62.4
● 800 m: 2:04.0
● 1,200 m: 3:04.8

So she was much faster by 1,200, but tired a bit in the final half-lap and crossed in 4:06.42, the fastest mile ever run by a woman.

This was not an official world-record attempt, with the pacers and with Kipyegon doing a time trial. But it’s still the fastest mile ever run by a woman by far and only Kipyegon is this good.

Next on the all-time list is Dutch star Sifan Hassan, at 4:12.33 from 2019!

Asked afterwards about the attempt, her first words were:

“Exhausted. I’m tired. I feel good, I tried.”

And as for a women under four minutes? “It’s only a matter of time. … if it’s not me, it will be somebody else.”

All too true.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

INT’L OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: Coventry announces IOC-member-led reviews of host-city selection process and protection of the women’s category

Rich Perelman

June 26, 2025

tsx pix 2025-626 coventry, kirsty news conf (ioc) — International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) (Photo: IOC video screen shot).

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≡ COVENTRY ERA STARTS ≡

“There was overwhelming support from the IOC members for a pause to be done, and a review, of the Future Host Election process, and we will be setting up a working group to look into this.

“For two main reasons: members want to be engaged more in the process, and secondly, there was a very big discussion in and around when the next host be awarded. We want to use the learnings from L.A. and from Brisbane, as well as the French Alps, who have had a much shorter lead time. And in the case of L.A. and Brisbane, a much longer lead time.

“So there was a lot of discussion from all of the members on when is the appropriate time to select a future host. So for those two reasons, that working group is going to be set up in the next week or so, to start looking into when we should be selecting the future host, and how we should be selecting the future host.”

That was new International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) at a Thursday news conference following a busy for three days in charge, with a day-and-half “Pause and Reflect” session with 70-plus IOC members in Lausanne and then an IOC Executive Board meeting.

She expanded on the desire to revisit the host-selection process:

“The members were in agreement that the way we used to do things is not where we want to go. There’s been some very good reforms to get the future hosts and the selection of host cities to date, but it just felt – and they [members] felt – to be included in the process a little bit more. And to really to be able to better understand the process.

“If you’re not sitting on the Future Host Commission, you’re obviously not getting as much information, and it’s such an important part of what we do, and members get asked a lot in their own home countries, what’s happening and where is it going; they want to better educate themselves. So, these are really the key points that we will be looking at in terms of the review.”

So, no decisions yet (and not for a while). Coventry also stressed that the time is right to analyze the experience of LA28 and Brisbane 2032 – both selected 11 years ahead – against that of Paris (seven years) and French Alps 2030, which was named only in 2024, in terms of the right time to select a future host.

Coventry also announced a second significant outcome from the member forum:

“There was an overwhelming support … that we should protect the female category.

This was one her pledges during her campaign, and she stressed the need for bringing in everyone who has been involved in this area over more than a decade, especially the federations, who had been on the leading edge of the issue, as well as “cohesion” on the topic, with “scientific and medical research at the core.”

Asked about whether the working group will revisit the controversy at Paris 2024 with gold-medal women’s boxers Yu-Ting Lin (TPE) and Imane Khelif (ALG), Coventry was clear:

“We’re not going to be doing anything retrospectively. We’re going to be looking forward.”

She explained that the “Pause and Reflect” program covered much more:

“We focused on five main topics: the athletes, the Olympic Games, the Olympic Movement, a better world through sport, and then all things revenue generation, reach, engagement; again, very wide scopes, but the engagement from the members was really incredible.”

As to future Games, Coventry noted that “Milano Cortina and L.A. are both on track,” and shared that more than 120,000 applications – with half under age 35 – from 165 countries, have been received for 18,000 volunteer positions for the 2026 Winter Games, and that 50% of the tickets have been sold.

On Los Angeles, LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman reported that he was favorably received at the recent annual meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, in Tampa, Florida, where he spoke about the plans for the 2028 Torch Relay, which is planned to hit all 50 states.

Coventry was pointedly asked about the recent turmoil in Los Angeles and how the IOC can be sure of success there. She was confident:

“When it comes to LA28, again, as I said before, we had a report from the organizing committee and there is so much goodwill from all levels of government, from the state to the Federal. There is an incredible willingness to see that the Olympic Games are a huge success.

“So the reason I mention that is because that gives us faith as the Olympic Movement, that that platform will be there for us to ensure that our values are stuck to, but that our values will also be heard and that we will be able to ensure successful Games for our athletes, but not just for our athletes, but for athletes around the world that are so looking forward to the success of the LA2028 Games.

“We have all heard how the LA84 Games was a huge pinnacle in our Olympic history; so many athletes are looking for to it [2028], so again, it’s our duty to ensure that we work towards that, and as of right now, we see that full commitment coming, across the board.

“And as the CEO, Reynold [Hoover] shared with us yesterday, there is ‘unity of effort’ as he put it … and, again, that was very reassuring for us and we will continue to work towards that as a unifying model in our different stakeholder roles.”

Coventry was asked a couple of times about the “neutral athlete” situation for Russian and Belarusian athletes for the 2026 Winter Games, but the subject was not discussed. It is expected to come up in the September Executive Board meeting.

Good news for U.S. middle-distance star Shannon Rowbury, as the IOC Executive Board formally approved the medal re-allocation for the London 2012 women’s 1,500 m, in which five of the 13 finalists were disqualified for doping.

Turkey’s Asli Cakir Alptekin and Gamze Bulut went 1-2 and were both found to be doping. Original third-place finisher Maryam Yusuf Jamal (BRN) has already been advanced as the winner, and fourth-placer Tatyana Tomashova (RUS) was also disqualified for doping.

So, Ethiopia’s Abeba Aregawi and Rowbury, who finished 5-6, are now – officially – the silver and bronze medalists! Now 40, it’s Rowbury’s only Olympic medal among her three appearances in 2008-12-16; she finished fourth at the Rio 2016 1,500 m. She also won a Worlds bronze at 1,500 m in 2009.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Senate committee advances “restore WADA” bill; Jamaica’s Campbell explains move to Turkey; USA Surfing gets major endowment

Rich Perelman

June 25, 2025

tsx pix 2025-303 us capitol (senate side) wiki-scrumshus — North wing of the U.S. Capitol, containing the Senate Chamber (Photo: Wikipedia via Scrumshus).

★ 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 ≡

● Anti-Doping ● The U.S. Senate’s Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee advanced S. 233 – Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act of 2025 – out of committee and to the Senate floor for consideration on Wednesday. The bill would permanently provide the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy authority to withhold membership dues payable to WADA if it fails to ensure athletes are competing in drug-free Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The bill’s primary backer, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) said in a statement:

“Since the [2021] Chinese doping scandal came to light, WADA has done everything it can to intimidate advocates for fair play and stonewall Congress.

“With the Commerce Committee passing my bipartisan Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act, we have sent a message to WADA that accountability and oversight are coming. We won’t be silenced by WADA or any international organization that tries to strong arm the United States in our mission to promote fair play in sports.”

U.S. Anti-Doping Agency head Travis Tygart added:

“We are more optimistic than ever that WADA will be fixed, and U.S. taxpayer funding will not be wasted by continuing to fund an organization lacking independence, transparency, and accountability.

“There can be no double standards when it comes to fairness in Olympic and Paralympic sport, and while we all want a strong, independent WADA, it has a long way to go to regain the confidence of all stakeholders, including the U.S. government, as evidenced by the approval of this act. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 and 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Games soon to be held in the U.S., now is the time to make sure that we’re investing in truly fair sport and giving clean athletes a chance to win the right way.”

A companion bill has been introduced in the U.S. House.

● Athletics ● In a video interview, Jamaican shot star Rajinda Campbell, the Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medalist, explained his application to change allegiance to Turkey. Speaking about the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association:

“I don’t believe that they really understand that it is challenging, one, for track and field. We are not sprinters. So obviously, and I can say, I am still un-sponsored. Yeah. Yeah. You know the adidas contract that the J3 refused to sign? It would have made Track Jamaica 100 times better than where we are now. There were bonuses that benefitted the athlete, not the federation. There were certain things they wouldn’t have control over because it would be directed to the athlete, based on my understanding. And they went against that.

“So, in my eyes, they don’t care about us. So [I decided], it’s time to start. I literally started the year with the mindset of, ‘Yo, this year I’m doing it for me.’ Yeah. As a result, this is the decision I had to make.”

● Cross Country Skiing ● The German ski federation said Wednesday that Victoria Carl, 29, an Olympic Team Sprint gold and 4 x 5 km relay silver at Beijing 2022, tested positive at the World Military Games in March for the prohibited substance clenbuterol.

The Associated Press reported that Carl – the FIS World Cup runner-up in 2025 – “was erroneously given the combination drug Spasmo Mucosolvan containing ambroxol and clenbuterol instead of Mucosolvan containing just ambroxol.” The case is now in the hands of the German anti-doping agency, which will decide on suspensions and possible sanctions.

● Cycling ● Add USA Cycling to the U.S. National Governing Bodies integrating Paralympic sport:

“[T]he U.S. Paralympics Cycling program will officially become part of USA Cycling beginning on July 1, 2025.

“Up to now, USA Cycling and U.S. Paralympics Cycling were operating as two separate entities, collaborating on select initiatives while independently pursuing World, Olympic, and Paralympic medals. After careful consideration, key stakeholders from both organizations agreed that bringing together these two high-performing programs would strengthen support for current and future generations of athletes and maximize performance across all cycling disciplines.

“This move is fueled by a shared belief: integrating Paralympic and Olympic programs within a single National Governing Body creates the best pathway for sustained long-term success. Bringing all Olympic and Paralympic cycling operations together will enhance athlete support, streamline resources, and drive innovation across every discipline.”

● Surfing ● USA Surfing, in a battle with U.S. Ski & Snowboard to be certified by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport, told The Associated Press that the group has received a multi-million-dollar endowment.

Executive Director Becky Fleischauer told the AP that “USA Surfing has struck multiyear deals for financial backing from Kamaka Responsible Development, which builds housing communities, and with Orange County-based surf company Resin Services. Kamaka also plans to develop a wave pool that can be used for year-round training for USA Surfing athletes.”

Funding has been a weakness for USA Surfing in its application, but it has the backing of the U.S.-resident International Surfing Association.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TRANSGENDER: U.S. Education Dept. finds California out of compliance with Title IX on transgenders in sports, demands corrections … or else!

Rich Perelman

June 25, 2025

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

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≡ DOE WARNS CALIFORNIA ≡

“Today, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced the conclusion of its Title IX investigations into the California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) for allegations of discrimination against women and girls on the basis of sex. In both cases, OCR has determined that CDE and CIF are in clear violation of Title IX.”

Wednesday’s announcement further specified the grounds:

“Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 requires schools to ensure equal opportunities for girls, including in athletic activities, but California has actively prevented this equality of opportunity by allowing males in girls’ sports and intimate spaces”

and what comes next:

“As a result of the noncompliance finding, OCR has issued a proposed Resolution Agreement to CDE and CIF to resolve their Title IX violations. OCR has offered both entities an opportunity to voluntarily agree to change these unlawful practices within 10 days or risk imminent enforcement action, including referral to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for proceedings.”

The announcement further described in detail its proposal as to what the California Department of Education (CDE) and California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) are required to do:

“(i) The CDE will issue a Notice to all recipients of federal funding (Recipients) that operate interscholastic athletic programs in California requiring them to comply with Title IX. This will specify that Title IX and its implementing regulations forbids schools from allowing males from participating in female sports and from occupying female intimate facilities, and that Recipients must adopt biology-based definitions of the words ‘male’ and ‘female’;

“(ii) The CDE will issue a Notice advising Recipients that any interpretation of California state law conflicting with the Department’s Resolution Agreement is preempted by federal law under Title IX;

“(iii) The CDE and CIF will rescind any guidance that advised local school districts or CIF members to permit male athletes to participate in women’s and girls’ sports to reflect that Title IX preempts state law when state law conflicts with Title IX;

“(iv) CDE will require all Recipients, including CIF, to restore to female athletes all individual records, titles, and awards misappropriated by male athletes competing in female competitions;

“(v) To each female athlete to whom an individual recognition is restored, CDE will send a personalized letter apologizing on behalf of the state of California for allowing her educational experience to be marred by sex discrimination; and

“(vi) The CDE will require each Recipient and CIF to submit to CDE an annual certification that the Recipient and CIF have complied with Title IX. Accordingly, CDE will also propose to OCR a Monitoring Plan to ensure that Recipients are fully complying with Title IX.”

There is little chance of agreement from the California Department of Education or the CIF, as the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division sent a 28 May letter stating that the inclusion of Jurupa Valley transgender AB Hernandez in the CIF State Track & Field Championships – she won two events and was second in a third – was in violation of Title IX.

California’s reply came on 9 June:

“California Attorney General Rob Bonta today filed a pre-enforcement lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice (U.S. DOJ) in anticipation of imminent legal retaliation against California’s school systems. …

“Today, the California Department of Education notified U.S. DOJ that the state will not certify to its demands, which would require school districts to violate not only existing state law, but also the U.S. Constitution.

“In the lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta asks the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to uphold California’s anti-discrimination law and prevent the Trump Administration from taking retaliatory action, such as withholding or conditioning federal funding, over the state’s refusal to comply with U.S. DOJ’s unlawful demands.”

Further, the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli, filed a statement of interest in the 31 January 2025 suit, Save Girls’ Sports, et al. v. Thurmond, et al, which concerns students at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside who lost opportunities in favor of transgenders, under California’s AB 1266, allowing participation in sports based on gender identity.

So, the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice are essentially now attacking the California Department of Education (and the CIF) on three sides at once.

There appears to be little interest from the California side in agreeing to any of the demands from the Trump Administration and will send the cases through the courts. That appears to suit Education and Justice just fine; Wednesday’s Education Department announcement points to last week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in U.S. vs. Skrmetti (23-477), where

“the Supreme Court acknowledged that a person’s identification as ‘transgender’ is distinct from a person’s ‘biological sex.’

“Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.“

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

U.S. OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE: Audited 2024 financials show the USOPC now the first-ever billion-dollar National Olympic Committee!

Rich Perelman

June 25, 2025

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

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≡ USOPC 2024 FINANCIALS ≡

Make room for another billionaire. The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s audited financial statements for 2024 were released on Wednesday, showing – for the first time – more than $1 billion in total assets:

● $661.199 million in investments
● $199.158 million in cash
● $53.580 million in restricted cash and investments
● $47.800 million in land, buildings and equipment
● $29.576 million in accounts receivable (royalties)
● $15.650 million in inventories, prepaid expenses, other investments

The total is a spectacular $1,018,116,000 – $1.02 billion for those preferring the decimal – up from $971.182 million at the end of 2023.

That the USOPC is a billion-dollar asset corporation is even more spectacular considering it is the only National Olympic Committee in the world which is not at least partially funded by its national government. Instead, the USOPC received income from six major categories in 2024:

● $213.641 million in broadcast revenue (from the IOC)
● $188.834 million in sponsorships-licensing (IOC and USOPC)
● $46.534 million in “special event revenue” (Paris 2024 related)
● $43.067 million in investment income
● $30.466 million in assets released from restrictions
● $29.846 million in contributions (cash and in-kind)

There was also $12.778 million in other items, for a revenue total of $565.166 million. Against this in 2024 was:

● $233.937 million in “athlete excellence”
● $49.567 million in “sport advancement”
● $50.708 million in “community growth”
● $50.030 million in “special event revenue” costs
● $51.534 million in fundraising, sales and administrative

That’s $385.566 million in expenses, so the USOPC had a surplus of $129.570 million for 2024.

The administrative cost of $27.795 million accounting for 7.2% of all expenses and 4.9% of revenue. The USOPC listed a total of 642 employees in calendar year 2024 on its IRS Form 990 tax return.

The USOPC financials also included some dramatic totals for the four-year quadrennial of 2021-24, which are partially impacted by the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to 2021. For the four-year cycle:

● $1.607406 billion in total revenue
● $746.410 million from sponsorships-licensing (46.4%)
● $531.866 million from broadcast revenue (33.1%)
● $96.189 million in investment income (6.0%)
● $86.532 million in contributions (cash and in-kind) (5.4%)

That’s 90.9% of the total with the remainder from special-event income and other items.

Expenses were $1.346681 billion for the quad, with $787.054 million (58.4%) for “athlete excellence,” $172.199 million for “sport advancement” and $176.295 million for “community growth.”

Fundraising, marketing and administrative cost $211.133 million for the four years, or 15.7% of expenses, or 13.1% of revenues. Administrative costs of $133.222 million for the quad were 9.9% of expenses or 8.3% of revenues, indicating a downward trend from 2021 to 2024.

The future is also looking bright, as the statements note future “conditional” contributions not yet shown of $107.370 million already pledged, with most of it coming in 2025-26-27.

Way in the back of the financial statements is a fascinating page which details payments made to athletes and the National Governing Bodies as part of the “Athlete Excellence” programming. Four major categories make up the $191.040 million in spending in 2024:

● $55,714,653 in direct “Athlete Grants”
● $21,737,708 in “Athlete Services”
● $78,628,833 in “NGB Grants”
● $34,958,779 in “NGB Services”

This covers not only direct payments to athletes, but travel and Games support, insurance, medical support, coaching and more. A significant part of the money given to the National Governing Bodies also ends up in athlete stipends, but a combined total of all direct-to-athlete funding was not included.

There are a lot of numbers here, and a lot of money. The USOPC has reaped significant rewards from its long-term revenue-sharing deal with the International Olympic Committee – almost $785 million from 2021-24 – and its joint marketing venture with the LA28 organizing committee.

However, even with its billionaire status, the demands on the USOPC to pay more for NGB pipeline development, more for athlete medal performances and the looming possible implosion of the collegiate sports system for sports other than football and basketball, mean there is not close to enough money to achieve everyone’s goals and desires.

But for now, the USOPC can take a few minutes to celebrate – once again – a great 2024, and then get back to getting ready for the Milan Cortina Winter Games in February and LA28 coming soon after.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: L.A.’s Metro transit facing “fiscal cliff”; Kipyegon tries for sub-4:00 mile Thursday; will Iran play in the U.S. at ‘26 World Cup?

Rich Perelman

June 24, 2025

tsx pix 2025-624 metro fiscal cliff present — Cover slide for the L.A. Metro Transit Agency presentation on the upcoming "fiscal cliff"

★ 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 next meeting of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board is on Thursday (26th), with one of the agenda items – item 13 – a “status report on the Workplan to Address the Fiscal Cliff” and adopting principles to deal with it.

A presentation to Metro’s Finance, Budget and Audit Committee on 18 June identified Metro Transit near-term projections showing growing deficits in Fiscal Years 2026-27-28-29-30, from $100 million in 2026 expanding to $2.3 billion by 2030.

Parts of these deficits are due to continued subway and rail expansion programs, inflation and Federal funding uncertainty. The projections do not include any 2028 Games funding issues, but the presentation noted that “Preparation for Mega Events” is causing “Short-term resource strain across the agency.”

The situation projects Metro General Fund balance to go negative in Fiscal Year 2026, amid declining revenues. Two of the drivers are future rail operations costing 2.2 times per hour what buses would cost, and a major funding gap – even if delayed – in the Zero-Emissions Bus program.

While trying to maintain service levels, the presentation states this is a “[c]ritical time for Board to consider major decisions to mitigate projected deficits in the coming years.”

The corollary is that Metro has no identifiable resources to throw at a 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games support program, waiting for Federal funding which is not in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

While the LA28 organizing committee is not responsible for spectator transit during the Games, it is counting on Metro to supply most of the transport service for its volunteer workforce.

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● Belarus is appealing the International Skating Union’s decision to limit its entries to 2026 Olympic qualifying to just 13 athletes across figure skating, speed skating and short track.

The appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport was filed on 3 June. The question of Russian and Belarusian participation in 2026 is a prime issue facing new IOC chief Kirsty Coventry.

● Athletics ● Kenya’s three-time Olympic women’s 1,500 champion, Faith Kipyegon, 31, will make a highly-publicized try at a four-minute mile on Thursday (26th) at the Stade Charlety in Paris (FRA).

This “Breaking4″ project, underwritten by Nike, is a herculean task, with Kipyegon trying to improve her world record of 4:07.64 from 2023, set in Monaco. In terms of seeing the attempt:

“Nike will welcome fans to Stade Charléty in Paris on June 26 for the opportunity to support Faith’s historic attempt in person. Nike is also partnering with Box To Box Films to invite supporters from around the world to watch Faith’s moonshot on a livestream broadcast available on Nike’s YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Douyin accounts, as well as Prime Video.”

The on-line streaming will begin at 7:15 p.m. local time, which is 1:15 p.m. Eastern time or 10:15 a.m. Pacific. Her attempt will begin at 8 p.m. Paris time.

A 50-minute first episode of a documentary. “Breaking4: Faith Kipyegon vs. the 4-Minute Mile” is now available on Prime Video.

At the 64th Zlata Tetra – “Golden Spike” – meet in Ostava (CZE), 17-year-old Australian sensation Gout Gout got a lifetime best of 20.02 to win the men’s 200 m (wind 0.0), beating two-time Diamond League meet winner Reynier Mena of Cuba (20.19).

Australian teammate Peter Bol won the men’s 800 m in 1:43.80, and 18-year-old Kenyan sensation Phanuel Koech won the 1,500 m in 3:29.05, ahead of Isaac Nader (POR: 3:29.37) and American Josh Hoey (lifetime best 3:29.75), moving him to no. 5 all-time U.S. and the sixth American to break 3:30.

Americans went 1-2 in the men’s 110 m hurdles, with Dylan Beard out-leaning Olympic champ Grant Holloway, with both in 13.13 (+0.6). Chris Robinson of the U.S. won the 400 m hurdles in 48.05.

Swedish superstar Mondo Duplantis won the men’s vault at 6.13 m (20-1 1/4), but missed three times at a world record 6.29 m (20-7 1/2). Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri won the shot at 21.70 m (71-2 1/2) with Jordan Geist of the U.S. third (21.09 m/69-2 1/2), while India’s Tokyo Olympic champ Neeraj Chopra took the javelin at 85.29 m (279-10) with Marc Minnicello of the U.S. in sixth (80.15 m/262-11).

Thelma Davies (LBR) won the women’s 100 m in a lifetime best 10.91 (+0.6) ahead of Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith (CIV: 10.92), with Cambrea Sturgis of the U.S. in fifth (11.19). World leader Salwa Eid Naser (BRN) won a major 400 m showdown in 49.15, beating Lynna Irby-Jackson of the U.S. (49.82) and Dutch hurdles star Femke Bol (49.98).

South Africa’s Prudence Sekgodiso moved to no. 2 in the world in the women’s 800 m at 1:57.16, beating Oratile Nowe (BOT: 1:57.49). Nigeria’s world-record holder Tobi Amusan took the women’s 110 m hurdles in a speedy 12.45 (+1.7).

Let’s call it “Allman joy” for U.S. discus star and Olympic champion Valarie Allman, who notched her 24th straight win with a final-throw victory at the Meeting de Paris on Friday.

She was trailing Dutch thrower Jorinde van Klinken’s fourth-round leader of 66.42 m (217-11), but Allman had one more throw in her and stole the event with a clutch toss of 67.56 m (221-8)!

She said afterwards:

“When your technique is off, it really throws you. I was doing the first part of the throw right, but I was still not getting it. As each round went on, it became more stressful, that is the beauty of the field events. It only takes one throw which can be in the last round, and that can be very exciting.

“This is not a good habit to leave everything ‘til last, at least it is not a habit that I like. I am very grateful to have be training and preparing for all sorts of situations. This is one of the scenarios we trained for, having two fouls, not being in the lead, and still coming out with a win.

“It is definitely a skill to be able to believe in yourself and knowing that you can still find yourself in the competition, but my heart was through the roof tonight.”

Next up for her is the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, on 5 July. No. 25?

● Football ● Multiple reports speculating on what will happen with Iran, which has already qualified out of the Asian confederation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

There are no World Cup groups with matches played exclusively outside of the U.S., which has 11 of the 16 host cities. The closest in Group A, in which Mexico – as a host – is already assigned. Five of the six group games will be in Mexico City, Zapopan or Guadalupe – all in Mexico – with one game in Atlanta. So if Iran were maneuvered into slot A3 at the Final Draw in December, it could avoid coming to the U.S. completely in the group stage. But it would have to win the group to have Round of 32 and possibly Round of 16 games in Mexico City.

Israel is also in the picture, competing in UEFA Group I, with Norway, Italy, Estonia and Moldova, with the winner qualifying for 2026 and the runner-up to a playoff. So far, Israel is 2-1 and second with six points, behind Norway (4-0: 12), and has five games remaining: two each with Italy and Moldova and one more with Norway, finishing in mid-November.

Israel has played in the FIFA World Cup only once, in 1970.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: Where does Thomas Bach rank among all the Presidents of the International Olympic Committee?

Rich Perelman

June 24, 2025

Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee from 2013-25 (Photo: IOC-Quinton Meyer).

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≡ THOMAS BACH IN REVIEW ≡

At 71 years, five months and 26 days, Thomas Bach (GER) is now the Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee, having completed his 12 years as the leader of the Olympic Movement on Monday.

His two terms saw plenty of controversy, upheaval and success, and while his legacy will still be shaped by future events, it’s not too soon to consider what he achieved and where he stands among the nine leaders of the Olympic Movement.

Bach came in at a time of turmoil, but also with money in the bank. At the end of the Jacques Rogge (BEL) tenure, in 2013, the IOC showed $3.448 billion in assets and $1.745 billion in reserves, designed to allow the organization to survive even with the cancellation of an Olympic Games or Winter Games.

But there was discontent, and disunity, as Rogge had been a fairly weak leader, especially compared to his predecessor, Spain’s Juan Antonio Samaranch, who had modernized the IOC dramatically over 20 years, but who had also been in charge as corruption had followed the expansion of the Olympic Games into a desirable political achievement.

So Bach sought to change things. And he did:

● Host City selection

The 1999 corruption reforms implemented in the wake of the selection of Salt Lake City as the host for the 2002 Winter Games had not ended the problem. Questions were raised about the 2009 selection of Rio de Janeiro (BRA) for the 2016 Olympic Games and possibly Tokyo in 2013 for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Further, the demands of the bid process required host cities and countries to spend millions chasing IOC members and creating ever more lavish spectacles to try and impress them.

Bach ended this with his signature reform, Olympic Agenda 2020, passed in December 2014. First among the 40 recommendations was to limit and simplify the process and where and how candidate cities could spend money. In 2019, public campaigning was essentially ended with the creation of Future Host Commissions for the Olympic Games and Winter Games, with which interested parties could enter “continuous dialogue” on possible candidatures.

After the 2015 election for the 2022 Winter Games in which four European candidates withdrew and Beijing (CHN) won over Almaty (KAZ) by 44-40, Bach saw the interest in bidding for the Games at an all-time low.

With Paris (FRA) and Los Angeles (USA) both interested in 2024, Bach arranged for a double award – the first time in a century for the IOC – for 2024 and 2028 and gave him time for more reforms. The last host election with competitive voting by IOC members was in 2019, as Milan Cortina (ITA) defeated Stockholm (SWE), 47-34, to host the 2026 Winter Games, with hosts set for 2028-2030 Winter-2032-2034 Winter.

Now, bidding costs are a tiny fraction of what they were previously, and losing bidders are not publicly humiliated by standing in a room watching some other city/region/country delegation celebrate.

The IOC membership does not like having this decision, in effect, removed from their hands, and there are changes being discussed. But Bach’s vision produced a healthy interest in hosting the Games that works, albeit with a lot less drama.

● Hosting of the Games

With the passage of Olympic Agenda 2020 and a series of smaller reforms packaged as “The New Norm” in 2018, the IOC completely changed its view of how the Olympic and Winter Games should be hosted.

New stadiums just for the Games were out and use of existing facilities was suddenly not only preferred, but required wherever possible. The IOC’s new approach was summarized as:

“The Games should adapt to the host, not the host to the Games

“The project must be aligned with local long-term socio-economic development plans. Existing venues should be used as much as possible, even if they are outside the main host region. New venues should be built only if there is a solid legacy and business case, in line with the needs of the population.”

If no existing venue was available, a temporary solution was now preferred, saving billions in expenditures on facilities that were not really needed. Moreover, the IOC’s new view allowed potential hosts to spread a Games more widely and take advantage of regional facilities, not just ones within a city.

● Russia and doping

A December 2014 documentary on the German ARD channel – “Secret Doping – How Russia Makes Its Winners” – exposed a massive Russian state-sponsored doping program that exploded in 2015.

A World Anti-Doping Agency inquiry report released in November 2015, led by the highly-respected IOC member Dick Pound (CAN), confirmed the scheme and led to a suspension of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency.

The IOC was caught in the middle, with the Rio Games coming quickly, and Bach eventually announced that the International Federations could decide at what level Russian athletes could participate. From 436 athletes in London in 2012, Russia had 282 in Rio and just one in track & field, long jumper Darya Klishina, who lived and trained in the U.S.

The Russian Olympic Committee was suspended for three months over the doping scandal in late 2017, allowing only “neutral” athletes for the 2018 Winter Games in South Korea. By mid-2018, the IOC had helped to found the independent International Testing Agency, to actually carrying our doping programs at major events so that no accusations of bias could be alleged.

A 2017 IOC review commission head by IOC member Denis Oswald (RUS) disqualified 43 Russian athletes from the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, although 30 findings were reversed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. But Bach and Russia would be at odds from here on.

● Russia and war

Russia’s place at the Olympic Games was impacted by the doping scandal for years and only the “Russian Olympic Committee” was allowed to compete at Tokyo 2020 in 2021. Then, just after the closing of the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing (CHN), Russia invaded Ukraine and began an aggression which continues to this day.

The IOC led the response, recommending that athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus, be removed from international competitions for their own safety, and banning all teams. This was complied with almost immediately.

As the Russian invasion dragged on and degenerated into stalemate thanks to Ukrainian resistance, Bach quietly oversaw a movement to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus who had not supported the war to be able to compete as “independent neutral athletes” in individual events. Eventually, just 17 Belarusian and 15 Russian athletes were allowed to compete at the Paris 2024 Games, across 10 sports.

In response to the takeover by the invading Russians of regional sports organizations that had been under the control of the Ukrainian National Olympic Committee, the IOC suspended the Russian Olympic Committee in October 2023. That ban still stands.

● Tokyo 2020 and Covid

Bach’s biggest challenge came with the arrival of the unexpected Covid-19 pandemic that forced the first-ever postponement of an Olympic Games, from 2020 to 2021.

There was a widespread belief that these Tokyo Games would never happen. But they did, without spectators and with unpleasant, antiseptic conditions that strained everyone’s patience. But they happened, and the Japanese government announced just 163 positives among 676,789 tests (0.02%).

Essentially the same playbook was used for the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, with just 172 Covid positives reported out of 2,022,170 tests (0.01%).

Both Games came off, meaning Rogge’s rainy-day reserves did not have to be tested, although the IOC made loans to International Federations which could not wait until 2021 for the television revenue dividend they were expecting at the end of 2020.

If this sounds like a lot, these are just the most impactful highlights of the Bach Era. He was a decisive leader, but also encouraged discussion and consultation, even if he already had an idea of what the end result would be.

And he had a lot of other things going on:

● Under Bach’s leadership, the first IOC Refugee Olympic Team appeared in Rio in 2016 and the project continues to grow.

● Bach undertook a first-ever liaison with the electronic gaming community, eventually resulting in an agreement to create the first Olympic Esports Games in Saudi Arabia. Originally slated for 2025, the first edition is now expected to be held in 2027.

● Given its financial resources and the growth of a professional staff beyond 500, Bach’s IOC built Olympic House in Lausanne to house its entire workforce and create an architectural statement on the size and power of the Olympic Movement.

He also championed much closer relationships with international organizations, especially those related to the United Nations, and other non-governmental organizations worldwide.

Bach also oversaw a continuing expansion of the IOC’s financial power, with broadcast rights increasing and also The Olympic Partner (TOP) program, which had 15 companies signed up for the 2021-2024 quadrennial ending with the Paris Games.

So Bach passed the torch to new IOC President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) with $6.120 billion in total assets, with reserves of $4.880 billion.

So where should Bach be ranked among the nine IOC chiefs? TSX looked at the rankings question previously in 2020, asking whether Samaranch was the greatest IOC President ever.

My answer then was no, that Samaranch – who brought the IOC from carbon paper to computers during his time – must be ranked second, to French founder Pierre de Coubertin, the inspiration and driving force that brought the Games back from memory to reality.

Samaranch created the modern IOC, and Bach re-engineered it to fit 21st Century needs for economy, involvement and values. As he reminded audiences relentlessly, today’s Olympic Games must be “fully aligned with our Olympic Agenda reforms; Games that are younger, more urban, more inclusive and sustainable.”

So, for me, Bach ranks third, and well ahead of the other six:

(4) Sigfrid Edstrom (SWE: 1942-52)
(5) Jacques Rogge (BEL: 2001-2013)
(6) Henri de Baillet-Latour (BEL: 1925-42)
(7) Demetrios Vikelas (GRE: 1894-96)
(8) Avery Brundage (USA: 1952-72)
(9) Lord Killanin (IRL: 1972-80)

And what about Coventry? At 41, she is the youngest IOC chief since de Coubertin, the first woman, first African and with seven Olympic medals, the most decorated athlete ever to serve as the IOC’s leader.

She inherits an immensely powerful IOC, that dominates all of the Olympic Movement with the exception of football and FIFA, but that still has issues with Russia, the desire by top athletes for more money from their sports, and a rambunctious, talented membership that wants a lot more say in what happens than they had under Bach.

Rich Perelman
Editor

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SPOTLIGHT: A Locked-in Jack Wallace led the U.S. Sled Hockey Team Back to the Top of the World

Steve Drumwright

June 23, 2025

U.S. Para Ice Hockey star Jack Wallace (Photo: Joe Kusumoto-USOPC)

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Wallace scored a hat trick in the gold-medal game against Canada, helping avenge the loss from last year’s gold-medal game.

By Steve Drumwright
Red Line Editorial

Maybe it was extra motivation. Maybe it was being healthy and focused. Maybe it was being around friends and family. Maybe it was the chicken wings.

Or it could’ve been a combination of all the above.

Whatever the reason, Jack Wallace put together the tournament of his life at the 2025 World Para Ice Hockey Championship, held 24-31 May in Buffalo, New York.

Wallace, who hails from Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, scored a hat trick to help the U.S. defeat Canada 6-1 in the gold-medal game on 31 May, securing Wallace’s fourth world title and a record seventh for the Americans.

“No one in the world competes harder than us when we get down to it,” said Wallace, who’s played on the U.S. team since 2016, including in two Paralympic Winter Games. “We have such a high compete level on our team. When we can match that compete level with our awareness and our strategy of getting the puck to the middle of the ice and keeping them outside the middle of the ice – when we can match that intensity level with the focus and awareness and our game plan – really no one can touch us, and I think we kind of proved that.”

The Americans dominated from start to finish on home ice, outscoring their five foes 41-5. Besides a 4-3 nail-biter against eventual bronze medalist Czechia in the preliminary round, Team USA’s next closest games were identical 6-1 triumphs against China in the semifinals and Canada in the final.

Wallace had a big hand in those lopsided margins, finishing as the tournament’s second-leading scorer with 19 points. His 10 assists tied with two others for the most in the tournament. Only teammate Declan Farmer had more goals (10) and points (21).

The 26-year-old Wallace felt a bit of redemption in the win.

At last year’s tournament in Calgary, Alberta, he was splitting his focus.

After a pair of trips to the Paralympic Winter Games, and a pair of gold medals, Wallace had taken up sprint kayak in hopes of qualifying for the Paralympic Games Paris 2024. That quest forced him to leave the sled team during worlds to compete in a kayak qualifier in Hungary.

Ultimately, Wallace missed a trip to Paris by eight-thousandths of a second. Then he returned to Calgary for the gold-medal game, where the U.S. fell to Canada 2-1. The loss snapped a three-year winning streak for Team USA at Worlds.

Wallace said he “felt pretty responsible for the loss” after having to leave mid-tournament.

“So I certainly felt really motivated and like I had a bit of a chip on my shoulder throughout the year to get back and kind of make up for it,” he said.

His hat trick in this year’s gold-medal game may seem like he was cashing in that chip on his shoulder, but Wallace said it was just being in the right spot at the right time.

“I don’t think it was anything that crazy,” Wallace said. “I had two tap-in goals and one kind of a lucky bounce to be totally honest. We were just focusing on those little things, getting the puck to the middle, getting the puck to the net, good things happen. It could have been anyone.”

A gold medal for Jack Wallace! (Team USA photo)

Last year’s intense double duty took a toll on Wallace. He developed tendinitis in both elbows from “severe overuse,” which necessitated treatment and physical therapy in the fall.

“I felt a bit like a shell of myself in last year’s gold-medal game, just not nearly as an effective player as I would want to be and that I think I am,” Wallace said. “So I think this year, coming in completely focused and solely ready to play hockey did me a lot of good.”

Playing in front of a home crowd helped, too. This tournament was the fourth time in 14 world championships that the U.S. played on home soil, but the first since 2015, when it was also held in Buffalo.

“It was awesome,” Wallace said. “The crowd was mostly all of our friends and families, so we all had some pretty big contingents in the crowd. That was really special to win in front of them. It had been a while since most of us had played in front of our families, let alone played in front of our families on home soil. So this was real cool.”

Wallace has an aunt and uncle who live in nearby Orchard Park, New York, so he gets to that region at least once a year.

Buffalo, of course, is known for its namesake chicken wings.

While Wallace’s favorite food is actually Buffalo chicken pizza, he makes sure to take in some of the popular wing joints whenever he’s in town. His go-to spot is one of the Bar-Bill locations for the honey butter barbecue sauce, but he ventured over to Wingnutz during Worlds.

“It definitely gave it a run for its money,” Wallace said.

While the gold at Worlds is still fresh in his mind, Wallace is already thinking ahead to February for the Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 – where the U.S. will compete for its fifth straight gold medal.

“We’re looking to do it again seven, eight months from now,” Wallace said.

Steve Drumwright is a journalist based in Murrieta, California. He is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.com on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.

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PANORAMA: Dentsu fined $2 million in Tokyo 2020 bid-rigging; French auditors say Paris 2024 cost $6.9 billion of public money, but Estanguet objects

Rich Perelman

June 23, 2025

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2020: Tokyo ● The Japanese ad giant Dentsu was fined ¥300 million – about $2.05 million – for its role in the bid-rigging scandal for Tokyo 2020 test events and then contracts for venue management during the Games period.

Former Dentsu executive Koji Hemmi was given a two-year prison term, suspended for four years, by the Tokyo District Court. He and Dentsu are appealing their convictions; the company admitted rigging the test-event contracts (worth ¥500 million), but not the venue management contracts for the Games, worth ¥43.1 billion in all.

Six companies – Dentsu, ad firms Hakuhodo and Tokyu Agency, and event producers Cerespo Co., Fuji Creative Corp., and Same Two – were indicted related to the rigged bids in 2018. Hakuhodo was convicted in 2024 and fined ¥200 million, and Cerespo was also convicted and fined ¥280 million; both have filed appeals.

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The French government’s Court of Auditors issued a report on Monday claiming that the public expenditures on the 2024 Games cost €5.96 billion (about $6.89 billion U.S.).

This included €2.77 billion (~$3.20 billion U.S.) on operations, including €1.40 billion on security for 35,000 military and police during the Games. In addition, €3.19 billion (~$3.69 billion U.S.) was spent on infrastructure.

The figures were challenged by Paris 2024 chief executive Tony Estanguet, who noted:

“Through its methodological choices, the Cour has in fact declined to examine the only question that would meaningfully inform public debate: How much public money would have been saved if the Games had not been held in Paris?

“It is undeniable that this amount would be far less than the €6 billion currently cited by the Cour. The organizing committee, as it already stated during the contradictory procedure, estimates that this figure does not exceed €2 billion, while the expected economic benefits of the Games are said to represent three to five times that amount.”

A more detailed report is expected in October.

Paris Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan confirmed that public swimming in the Seine River will resume on 5 July, at three designated sites. The FrancsJeux.com site reported his comment:

“We did all the necessary work to improve water quality before the Games, to be ready for the Games, with a deadline and a requirement for results by 2024. Without the Games, we might never have made it. We were told we were doing all this for the athletes, but no: it was just a step. The Games are a unique acceleration tool to create conditions that will benefit the population.”

A parade on the river will take place on 26 July, marking the one-year anniversary of the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

● Anti-Doping ● The World Anti-Doping Agency ridiculed comments by U.S. Anti-Doping Agency chief Travis Tygart at last week’s Senate subcommittee hearing on the 2021 Chinese mass-doping incident involving trimetazidine:

“[T]he amount of food, the amount of contaminated drink that you would have to actually eat or consume to get these [TMZ] levels – was a few micrograms – I think we did the analysis based on the information that’s out there. It’s like 11 pounds of food, and over, I think, seven gallons of liquid in order to get the levels, and to think that Chinese athletes at the top of their game are going to do that type of diet the day before an event, or the day after one event, before the next day’s race, is just absolutely ludicrous.”

WADA said in a statement to the Russian news agency TASS:

“Mr. Tygart’s statement is not based on science or facts. It appears to have been made simply to support his pre-conceived narrative. The fact is that the traces of trimetazidine found in the athletes’ samples are consistent with the consumption of contaminated food or liquid. All scientific experts involved in the review of the circumstances of this case agreed with this.

“By presenting his sensational speculations as facts, Mr. Tygart misled the Senate subcommittee and the public. It is unfortunate that some media outlets have disseminated them without questioning their veracity.”

The tug of war continues.

● Equestrian ● The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) published its annual report for 2024, showing a lively sport with 4,721 international events in 2024, with 44,107 registered athletes and 79,647 registered horses. Events were down slightly in 2024 (-53), but athlete registrations (+1,996) and horses (+711) were up from 2023.

The overwhelming leader among the federation’s six disciplines is Jumping, with 24,879 athletes (56.4%) and 52,606 horses (66.0%). Eventing is next with 5,803 people and 9.343 horses, following by the third Olympic discipline, Dressage, at 4,423 people and 5,786 horses.

The U.S. had the most FEI competitions in 2024, with 541, just ahead of France (604), with Italy third at 340. The French had the most registered athletes (5,628) and horses (11,329); Germany was second in both: 3,706 and 8,881.

The linked financial statements showed an improvement for 2024, with total assets of CHF 82.882 million (CHF 1 = $1.23 U.S.), and reserves of CHF 25.475 million. Revenues were up to CHF 64.368 million, powered mostly by sponsorships of CHF 24.973 million. Expenses were CHF 67.094 million for an operating loss, but investment gains of CHF 4.131 million produced a year-end surplus of CHF 1.404 million.

The FEI’s finances are steady, but it remains dependent on sponsorships and to a lesser extent, on the IOC television rights dividend; for Paris 2024, this was CHF 12.848 million (about $15.8 million U.S.).

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Now Nigeria’s Ofili is changing allegiance to Turkey too, reportedly over federation incompetence, not money

Rich Perelman

June 23, 2025

tsx pix 2025-623 ofili, favour 2024 (lsu sports) — Nigerian sprint star Favour Ofili (Photo: LSU Sports)

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≡ MORE TURKEY TRACK STARS ≡

Following last week’s revelations that four Jamaican field-event stars would transfer allegiance to Turkey in time to be eligible for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Nigerian sprint star Favour Ofili has also been reported to file for a change to Turkey.

Jamaican reporter Kayon Raynor posted on X:

“Nigerian sprinter @FavOfili has switched allegiance to Turkey as of May 31, 2025. According to impeccable @TvjNewscentre sources, 22-year-old Ofili has advised the [Athletics Integrity Unit] @aiu_athletics of her frustration with the Nigerian Athletics Federation.

“Ofili stated that the Nigerian Ath. Fed. caused her to miss the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after they did not confirm her number of doping control test & then missed competing in the 100m at the Paris Olympics after they did not enter her for the event. She was 6th in the 200m final.

“It’s further understood that Ofili impressed up on the AIU that her switch to Turkey was not for financial reasons.”

Ofili has run 10.93 and 21.96, both in 2022 and has run 10.99 this year.

Athletics Federation of Nigeria President Tonobok Okowa told reporters that the federation has not been formally informed by Ofili or World Athletics of the petition to switch to Turkey:

“If this is true, it is sad, disheartening and painful. But we are yet to get any official statement from her or any correspondence from World Athletics. She is a promising athlete with huge potential.

“We and the National Sports Commission have been working hard to get athletics and other sports in the country back on track. She is still our child, our sister, and our daughter. But it’s painful and hard to take for us. However, we will not stop her.”

Jamaica-based SportsMax reported Thursday that 2024 Olympic men’s discus winner Roje Stona and men’s shot put bronze medalist Rajindra Campbell had agreed to compete for Turkey, with additional reports on Friday that Olympic men’s long jump silver medalist Wayne Pinnock and Olympic men’s triple jump fourth-placer Jaydon Hibbert were also converting to Turkish eligibility.

Sportsmax reported Friday:

“All four athletes are said to be part of a broader initiative driven by Turkish sporting authorities and facilitated by a prominent American sports agent. According to sources, each athlete is set to receive a minimum of US$500,000, along with generous monthly stipends and six-figure bonuses for medals earned at global championships. Reports further suggest that the athletes have agreed to eight-year contracts, effectively committing to Türkiye through the 2032 Olympic cycle.”

There can be little doubt that Ofili would be eligible for similar support. Okowa said that Ofili had already been paid her training stipend for 2025.

Under World Athletics eligibility rules, there is a three-year waiting period for change-of-allegiance transfers to become effective, meaning all five could only represent Turkey in 2028, just in time for the Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Beyond that, however, the World Athletics rules also state that approvals of transfers are also conditional on:

“the Athlete demonstrating that as at the end of the waiting period:

● “i. they are or will be aged twenty or over; and

● “ii. they are or will be a Citizen of the Country or of the parent Country of the Territory which the Member represents; and

● “iii. they have or will have a genuine, close, credible and established link to that Country or Territory (e.g., through Residence there).”

All five athletes now switching to Turkey – Stona, Campbell, Pinnock, Hibbert and Ofili – have previously or are currently training in the U.S., and are likely to be primarily in the U.S. right through 2028. This makes sense, of course, as they will be preparing for an Olympic Games to be held in the U.S. as well.

But what does World Athletics do about star athletes whose day-to-day lives have little or nothing to do with their selected nationality?

The World Athletics Transfer of Allegiance Regulations, adopted in 2022, note that the federation has a responsibility

“to protect the credibility and regularity of National Representative Competitions, by ensuring that Athletes on a national representative team have a genuine connection with the Country or Territory represented, and do not switch either abruptly or frequently to other national representative teams for purely mercenary reasons.”

Will any of these questions be considered by World Athletics, or will these five – and perhaps others – simply be waived through?

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: Zimbabwe’s Coventry welcomed as new IOC chief in Lausanne ceremony, as Bach honored

Rich Perelman

June 23, 2025

tsx pix 2025-623 bach-coventry key (ioc) — New IOC President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) receiving the “key” to the Olympic Movement from Thomas Bach (GER) at the handover ceremony on 23 June 2025.

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≡ THE HANDOVER CEREMONY ≡

“Today is a day of gratitude. Today is a day of confidence. Today is a day of joy.”

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (GER) summed up his 12-year run as one of the most consequential leaders in the history of the modern Olympic Movement by welcoming his successor, Zimbabwean swim star Kirsty Coventry, in an elegant, hour-long ceremony at Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland.

After the perfunctory congratulatory videos and musical introduction, Bach spoke for almost 13 minutes on those themes of gratitude, confidence and especially joy:

“Today is a day of joy. The joy of passing the torch to a new generation. On this Olympic Day, a new chapter opens before us, full of opportunities, carried by fresh energy and renewed purpose. This is the moment to celebrate the enduring vitality of our shared mission, entrusted to us 131 years ago on this very day by our founder, Pierre de Coubertin.

“This gratitude, this confidence, this joy, fill me with a deep sense of peace. Today, I stand before you with a hopefully clear mind, but for sure with a full heart, knowing I have given all I could to the Olympic Movement.

“I have dedicated myself to our mission, to the values we all hold dear. And to serving you with integrity and commitment. This gratitude, confidence and joy allow me to pass on the torch wit serenity, knowing that together we have done everything we could to strengthen the Olympic values for generations to come.”

Of Coventry, 41, who Bach, now 71, worked with and then promoted as a future Olympic leader, he said:

“She has a new voice, that resonates with a new generation. This is why I say, full of confidence. From tomorrow on, with Kirsty Coventry, the Olympic Movement will be in the best of hands.

“This is why I am at peace. This is why my heart of full of gratitude, full of confidence, full of joy.”

Bach then handed the symbolic “key to the Olympic Movement” first used by Juan Antonio Samaranch (ESP) when he turned the presidency over to Jacques Rogge (BEL) in 2001 and by Rogge to Bach in 2013.

Coventry’s 10-minute remarks recalled her path from a young swimmer in Zimbabwe to the Olympic Games and now to the presidency, thanked those who have helped and mentored her along the way and looked to the future:

“How lucky are we? We get to work on creating a platform that is going to allow for generations to come, to allow for them to reach their dreams. It’s amazing. It’s incredible. And I can’t believe that in 1992, when I had the dream of going to the Olympic Games and winning a gold medal for Zimbabwe, that I’d be standing here with all of you, getting to make those dreams come true for more young people around the world. …

“We are the guardians of this incredible platform. And it’s not just about a multi-sport event. It’s a platform to inspire. It’s a platform to change lives. And it’s a platform to bring hope.”

She gave a final honor to Bach, awarding the rarely-bestowed Olympic Order in Gold; he will remain as IOC President through the end of the day on Monday. Coventry will be President as of 24 June 2025.

And she will be busy, as she has convened the IOC membership for a day-and-a-half “Pause and Reflect” program to discuss their shared path forward – including the many suggestions made by the other Presidential candidates – and then an IOC Executive Board meeting on Wednesday and Thursday.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

INT’L OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: Annual Report shows IOC distributed almost 74% of its revenues from 2021-24, and has $4.9 billion in the bank

Rich Perelman

June 22, 2025

tsx pix 2021-515 olympic rings at IOC 750 — Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland, home of the International Olympic Committee

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

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≡ ANNUAL REPORT ≡

With the Presidential handover ceremony coming on Monday (23rd), the final deliverable of the Thomas Bach Era – the International Olympic Committee’s Annual Report for 2024 – was made available on Friday (20th).

Most of the 244 pages were a review of the very successful 2024 Paris Olympic Games and a celebration of many of the IOC’s programs and the themes of the Bach presidency, including the important Olympic Agenda and the myriad of social and environmental programs.

None of those things are possible without money, and there are 49 pages of financial statements at the back of the book which tell the tale of what Bach is leaving for his successor:

“• Since the adoption of Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC’s commercial revenue from The Olympic Partner (TOP) programme and media rights has grown from USD 5.2 billion (2013–2016) to USD 6.9 billion (2017–2020/21) and now to USD 7.7 billion (2021–2024).

“• USD 7.5 billion has already been secured for 2025–2028, with a further USD 6.9 billion secured for 2029–2032 and USD 4.0 billion for 2033–2036.”

The IOC constantly states, and the Annual Report repeatedly underlines that the organization distributes 90% of its revenue for the benefit of the Olympic Movement. Well, not quite. Looking at the IOC’s financial statements during the 2021-24 timeframe (revenues include investment gains or losses):

● 2024: $4.621.3 billion revenue (Olympic year)
● 2024: $1.133.8 billion to reserves
● 2024: $196.3 million operating costs
● 2024: 71.2% distributed

● 2023: $1.122.5 billion revenue
● 2023: $201.2 million to reserves
● 2023: $185.5 million operating costs
● 2023: 65.6% distributed

● 2022: $2.339.0 billion revenue (Winter Games year)
● 2022: $222.8 million to reserves
● 2022: $173.9 million operating costs
● 2022: 83.0% distributed

● 2021: $4,194.2 billion revenue (postponed Olympic year)
● 2021: $843.8 million to reserves
● 2021: $189.7 million operating costs
● 2021: 75.4% distributed

The 2021 figure is a bit deceiving, since the television rights payable in 2020 for the Tokyo Olympic Games were deferred for a year and show up in 2021. That amount was $3.107.4 billion, so if the 2021 figures are restated (not possible to estimate what the amount to reserves would have been):

● 2021: $1,086.8 billion revenue (without TV rights)
● 2021: $189.7 million operating costs
● 2021: 82.6% distributed, not including reserves

Add all of these figures into a quadrennial total and you get:

● 2021-24: $12.070.5 billion revenue (with 2021 TV rights)
● 2021-24: $2,401.6 billion to reserves
● 2021-24: $745.3 million operating costs
● 2021-24: 73.9% distributed

● 2021-24: $8.963.2 billion revenue (without 2021 TV rights)
● 2021-24: $2,401.6 billion to reserves (assumed same)
● 2021-24: $745.3 million operating costs
● 2021-24: 64.9% distributed

(“Operating costs” include salaries, maintenance, meeting, transportation, depreciation and contracted services.)

So, the IOC distributed billions to outside groups and to external programs – essentially 75 cents of every dollar – but not quite 90%. The major recipients included three primary groups:

● Olympic Organizing Committees, with Paris 2024 receiving $1.991 billion in cash and services and Beijing 2022 receiving $970 million.

● International Federations, with summer federations receiving $590.1 million and winter federations getting $201 million.

● National Olympic Committees, through the Olympic Solidarity program, which received $590.1 million for 2021-24. In addition, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, through agreements dating back to 1996, receives a specific share of U.S. television rights and TOP monies, totaling $784.9 million from 2021-24.

Those three elements add up to $5.127.1 billion, or 57.2% of the IOC’s revenues (without the Tokyo 2020 TV rights included) from 2021-24.

The IOC also pays for a lot of other services, including in 2024:

● $437.198 million to its Olympic Broadcasting Services subsidiary
● $20.475 million to the World Anti-Doping Agency
● $9.142 million to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
● About $2.5 million to support the Olympic Movement Unit on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions (OM Unit PMC: $10 million per quadrennial)
● $2.000 million to the International Paralympic Committee

There is also support for the International Testing Agency, which was not separately shown.

The report confirmed that the IOC provided Olympic Scholarships to 1,560 athletes from 95 National Olympic Committees to summer-sport athletes, of which 599 actually competed at Paris 2024 (from 172 NOCs) in 24 sports. Those athletes ended up winning 75 medals (26-20-29) at Paris 2024.

Another 364 athletes from 77 NOCs received Olympic Scholarships in the 2023-24 season related to the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan Cortina (ITA), and 226 teams of various types from 142 NOCs received IOC support from 2021-24.

The IOC Refugee Team had 37 athletes in Paris, competing in 12 sports, with Cameroon-born 75 kg boxing bronze winner Cindy Ngamba claiming the first-ever medal by a Refugee Team member!

As you would guess from these figures, the IOC is exceptionally healthy financially, showing $6.120 billion in total assets, with reserves of $4.880 billion. By comparison, when Bach was in his first year as President, at the end of 2013, the IOC had assets of $3.448 billion and reserves of $1.745 billion in reserves. It’s been a good 12 years.

Looking to the future, Bach has emphasized the digital revolution, telling the IOC membership last summer that despite calls for him to stay on, he needed to hand the reins to a younger leader. And he noted in his commentary his recipe for the future is to focus on young people:

“[I]f we want to stay relevant, we must meet them where they are.”

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Roberts wins Paris 110H silver, is now unsponsored?! Senegal women’s hoopsters denied U.S. visas; three die in Algerian stadium crash

Rich Perelman

June 22, 2025

tsx pix 2025-622 daniel roberts msg unsponsored — Paris Olympic men’s 110 m hurdles silver medalist Daniel Roberts, explaining how he is unsponsored (shared by FitzDunk on X).

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

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≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

● Athletics ● The latest reminder that track & field is a hard business, like all others. A post by U.S. hurdles star Daniel Roberts, the Olympic silver medalist in the 110 m hurdles in 2024, is making the rounds and includes some hard realities:

“[T]hese brands are about marketing above everything else. So being at the top does play a part in that but if your (sic) at the top but not much of a following and they don’t see you as marketable those results will not mean nearly as much.

“I know this because coming off my best year of my life, winning a silver medal at my second Olympics and running sub 13 for the first time, I’ve been dropped from my sponsor and had to live off of grants and prize money the past 6 months. It’s unfortunate but with track and field the way it is now athletes 100% have to focus on more than just competing well.

“Sorry for the Ted talk lol.”

Roberts was part of Grand Slam Track, as a contracted Racer, but which finished its season early; the GST bio showed him as sponsored by Nike. His Instagram page shows 23,326 followers.

Observed: This is one more, difficult-to-digest example of how track & field is a sport desperately in need of a comprehensive structure, including a format which allows athletes like Roberts to earn a seasonal, if not year-round, salary. Grand Slam Track is a step in that direction, but not yet the answer.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● The Senegal women’s national basketball team’s planned training camp in the U.S. was scrapped when visas were not available. Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko wrote on Facebook:

“Informed of the refusal of issuing visas to several members of the Senegal women’s national basketball team, I have instructed the Ministry of Sports to simply cancel the 10-day preparatory training initially planned in the United States of America.”

The Senegal women are coached by American Otis Hughley, Jr., who also coached the Nigerian women’s team from 2017-22 and came to Senegal from Alabama A&M, where he was the coach from 2022-25.

The U.S. State Department has pledged Olympic athletes and officials will be exempted from visa restrictions on U.S. entry for 2028 and related competitions.

● France ● Former French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera, running unopposed, was elected as the new President of the French National Olympic Committee (CNOSF), receiving 918 votes, with two abstentions and none against.

She has outlined three priorities, with the CNOSF fighting to maintain its funding levels in the midst of a budget crisis in France: “Defending sport, helping to place its benefits more at the heart of society, and preventing the legacy of the Paris 2024 Games from fading.”

Cedric Grosse, head of the French triathlon federation, is to be the new Secretary General.

● Figure Skating ● Japan’s three-time women’s World Champion Kaori Sakamoto, 25, said Friday that she will retire after the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy.

Sakamoto won a women’s bronze and Team silver at Beijing 2022 and will be one of the medal favorites in Milan in 2026. She explained during a rink opening in Kobe:

“I feel like I have less than a year left. I’ll be 29 at the following [2030] Olympics, which is out of the question. I’ll try to bring things to a close the year I turn 26.”

● Football ● Through its first 28 matches – ending Saturday, 21 June – the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup has drawn 993,063 fans or an average of 35,467, in what can be seen so far as a modest success. The breakdown:

● Under 10,000 fans: 3 matches
● 10,000-20,000: 4 matches
● 20,000-35,000: 9 matches
● 35,000-50,000: 3 matches
● Over 50,000 fans: 9 matches

The 3,412 for Korea’s Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA) in Orlando, Florida and the 5,282 in Cincinnati, Ohio for Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) and Pachuca (MEX) have drawn a lot of attention, but these are outliers.

The LA28 Olympic organizers will be cheered by solid crowds at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl, with four matches played so far and announced attendance of 80,619 for Paris St. German’s 4-1 win over Athletico Madrid on 15 June, then 40,311 on 18 June, 53,699 on 19 June and 57,393 on 21 June.

In general, matches between well-known teams have done fairly well, but other games have not drawn much interest. Brazil and Australia have reportedly indicated interest in hosting a 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.

Horrific tragedy at the packed 5 July Stadium in Algiers (ALG), as three spectators fell to their deaths from the upper level after MC Alger clinched the seasonal Ligue 1 title with a 0-0 tie against Nadjem Magra on Saturday.

A portion of the restraining barrier on the upper level failed, resulting in fans falling to the level below.

Three hospitals received another 81 people with injuries, according to the Algerian Health Ministry:

“The Beni Messous University Hospital received 38 injured people, while three deaths were recorded. Ben Aknoun Hospital also received 27 injured people, while Bab El Oued Hospital received 16.”

● Luge ● Lake Placid, New York was selected to host its third FIL World Championships in 2029, previously in 1983 and 2009; 2029 will also be the 50-year anniversary of USA Luge.

≡ HIGHLIGHTS ≡

● Cycling ● Portugal’s Joao Almeida stamped himself as a one to watch at the Tour de France with a decisive win at the eight-stage UCI World Tour Tour de Suisse, his third multi-stage race win in a row.

Almeida was well back for much of the race, but won the fourth stage and was second in stage five to move into third place. He moved up to second with a win on the final climbing stage – stage seven – and then won the Individual Time Trial on Sunday to erase a 33-second deficit to France’s Kevin Vauquelin.

Almeida covered the 10 km, uphill time trial in 27:33.78 with Vanquelin a creditable fourth, 1:40.00 behind. So, Almeida won the race at 29:29:01, with Vanquelin 1:07 back and Oscar Onley (GBR) third at +1:58.

Almeida has now won the Itzulia Basque Country, Tour de Romandie and Tour de Suisse and is ready for the Tour de France, where he finished fourth as a rookie in 2024. He’s definitely aiming for the podium this time.

A new race, the UCI World Tour Copenhagen Sprint in was held in Denmark, with Belgian Jordi Meeus winning the mass dash to the finish in the men’s 235.6 km race in 5:01:15, ahead of French entries Alexis Renard and Emilien Jeanniere.

The women’s race was over 151 km, with Dutch star Lorena Wiebes getting to the line first in 3:32:30, ahead of Elisa Balsamo (ITA) and Chiara Consonni (ITA).

At the UCI BMX World Cup in Papendal (NED), Paris Olympian Rico Bearman (NZL) won the first men’s race in 36.819, beating Mitchel Schotman (NED: 37.125), with American Cameron Wood fourth (38.340). Britain’s Ross Cullen took Sunday’s race in 33.984, with Wood second (34.473) and France’s Olympic silver star Sylvain Andre third (34.784).

Five-time World Cup champ Laura Smulders (NED) won a tight women’s Saturday final in 34.426, chased by two-time series winner Saya Sakakibara (AUS: 34.807) and two-time Worlds runner-up Zoe Claessens (SUI: 34.990). Tokyo Olympic champ Bethany Shriever (GBR) won Sunday’s race in 33.702, trailed by Sakakibara (34.149) and Molly Simpson (CAN: 34.298).

At the UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Val di Sole (ITA), Chile’s rising star Martin Vidaurre, 25, got his first career Cross Country Olympic race win in 1:27:42, dominating the field, with Mathis Azzaro (FRA: 1:28:05) second and Fabio Puntener (SUI: 1:28:21) in third.

U.S. star Christopher Blevins won the men’s Short-Course race again, his fifth victory in five events this season, in 20:13, just one second ahead of three challengers, led by France’s Paris 2024 XCO silver star Victor Koretzky.

The women’s racing was all about the flame-haired Dutch star Puck Pieterse. She won her second XCO race in a row in 1:29:08, way ahead of Samara Maxwell (AUS: 1:29:34) and Laura Stigger (AUT: 1:29:52). Pieterse won her third straight women’s XCC race, in 20:53, just ahead of Rio 2016 XCO winner Jenny Rissveds (SWE), with both timed in 20:53.

Canadian Jackson Goldstone won his third straight men’s Downhill final in 3:38.862, ahead of Troy Brosnan (AUS: 3:41.284), with Dylan Maples (USA: 3:43.590) in fourth. France’s Marine Cabirou, the 2015 World Champion, won the women’s race in 4:10.310, beating three-time World Champion Valentina Hoell (AUT: 4:11.581).

● Football ● The U.S. men, already advanced to the quarterfinals, concluded group play at the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Sunday against Haiti (0-1-1) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with a 2-1 win.

The game started with Haiti on the attack, needing a win to try and advance out of the group. But the U.S. took advantage of that offensive mindset and in the 10th minute got some running room in the offensive zone and forward Brenden Aaronson sent a great cross from the left side all the way always to the far post and forward Malik Tillman headed it in for the 1-0 lead.

But a horrible mistake by U.S. keeper Matthew Freese in the 19th, kicking a clear-back by defender Tim Ream into the field of play and right to midfielder Louicius Don Deedson, who dribbled up – all alone – and sent a left-footed laser that settled in the far side of the goal for the 1-1 tie.

The U.S. had more chances during the remainder of the half, but it ended 1-1, with the U.S. holding 66% of possession and a 8-5 edge on shots.

In the second half, Haiti came out aggressively, but the U.S. had more and more control as the game wore on. U.S. defender John Tolkin almost scored on a free kick in the 50th from just outside box that curled wide.

The U.S. scored in the 64th on what appeared to be an own goal on a scramble in front of the net, but Tillman was called for a handball on a deflection off his arm. Tillman scored in the 67th, but was called offside and missed a pop-up try over Haitian keeper Johny Placide in the 74th.

Finally, another long lead by Tolkin from midfield found striker Patrick Agyemang on the left side, and as Placide came out early, Agyemang sent a left-footed, seeing-eye shot past him and into the goal for the 2-1 lead in the 75th. The U.S. ended with 66% possession and an 18-8 advantage on shots.

Trinidad & Tobago tied Saudi Arabia, 1-1, in a taut game in Las Vegas, so the Saudis (1-1-1) will advance to the quarters next weekend, along with the U.S.

● Gymnastics ● The rise of 16-year-old Rhythmic star Rin Keys continued at the USA Gymnastics National Championships in Providence, Rhode Island, as she swept the All-Around and apparatus honors.

A four-time FIG World Cup medalist, Keys – the defending champ – won the All-Around at 112.950, ranking first on three of the four apparatus. Evita Griskenas was second at 111.750, followed by Megan Chu at 111.600.

In the apparatus finals, Keys won Hoop at 29.250 to 28.550 for Chu; then Ball at 29.150 to 27.550 for Chu. Keys scored 29.000 to win Clubs over Griskenas (28.350) and then took the Ribbon at 28.400 to 27.650 for Ruby Freshwater.

Elijah Vogel won the men’s Trampoline final, scoring 58.500 to edge 2023 winner Alaksei Shostak (58.240) and 2022 champ Ryan Maccagnan (57.860). Alexandra Mytnik took the women’s title, at 54.460 over defending champion Sarah Webster (53.850) and Maia Amano (53.740).

At the FIG Artistic World Challenge Cup in Tashkent (UZB), home favorite Oksana Chusovitina thrilled the crowd with a second place in the women’s Vault – at age 50! 50! – at 13.275, with two-time European silver medalist Valentina Georgieva (BUL) – age 18 – winning at 13.450.

Algerian star Kaylia Nemour, 18, the Paris 2024 gold medalist on the Uneven Bars, won her specialty at 14.700, and also took the title on Beam at 13.300.

● Judo ● The IJF World Championships concluded in Budapest (HUN) with the Mixed Team event, with two first-time finalists and Georgia defeating South Korea, 4-1. Germany and Japan with the bronze-medal matches.

Japan, as always, led the medal table with 15 (6-4-5), with Russian judoka (as “neutrals”: 3-0-2), Georgia (2-2-1) and Korea (1-1-3) all with five.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Jamaican media reports four field-event stars – Campbell, Stona, Pinnock and Hibbert – transferring to Turkey for big money

Rich Perelman

June 21, 2025

Jamaican long jump star Wayne Pinnock (Photo: Sona Maleterova 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! ★

≡ TRANSFER OF ALLEGIANCE ≡

Jamaican media reported that four top Jamaican field-event stars – including three Paris 2024 Olympic medal winners – are in the process of transferring their athletic allegiance to Turkey.

Kingston-based SportsMax reported Thursday that 2024 Olympic men’s discus winner Roje Stona and men’s shot put bronze medalist Rajindra Campbell had agreed to compete for Turkey, with additional reports on Friday that Olympic men’s long jump silver medalist Wayne Pinnock and Olympic men’s triple jump fourth-placer Jaydon Hibbert were also converting to Turkish eligibility.

Sportsmax reported Friday:

● “All four athletes are said to be part of a broader initiative driven by Turkish sporting authorities and facilitated by a prominent American sports agent. According to sources, each athlete is set to receive a minimum of US$500,000, along with generous monthly stipends and six-figure bonuses for medals earned at global championships. Reports further suggest that the athletes have agreed to eight-year contracts, effectively committing to Türkiye through the 2032 Olympic cycle.”

● Jamaican Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) President Garth Gayle said in a statement on Friday:

“The transfer of allegiance of athletes is a process that involves the requisite national federations and requires the approval of World Athletics.

“The JAAA wishes to inform the public that, to date, it has neither been notified nor received a request for the transfer of allegiance of any of our Jamaican athletes, whether those mentioned in the referenced media reports or any others.”

World Athletics regulations on eligibility require a lengthy waiting period; from section 4.4.2 of the eligibility rules:

“[A]n Athlete may represent a Second Member with the approval of World Athletics in accordance with the Transfer of Allegiance Regulations, which approval shall be conditional upon:

“a. the Athlete observing a waiting period of three years from the date that the application for approval is made to World Athletics (during which period the Athlete must not represent any other Member in National Representative Competition or compete in any Other Relevant Competition); and

“b. the Athlete demonstrating that as at the end of the waiting period:

“i. they are or will be aged twenty or over; and

“ii. they are or will be a Citizen of the Country or of the parent Country of the Territory which the Member represents; and

“iii. they have or will have a genuine, close, credible and established link to that Country or Territory (e.g., through Residence there).”

So, the action by Turkey in June of 2025 is directly aimed at eligibility for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, which will start on 14 July, with track & field to start on 15 July. This may not be finished.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TABLE TENNIS: Presidential election loser Al-Mohannadi files actions with ITTF and Court of Arbitration over election voting process

Rich Perelman

June 21, 2025

★ 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! ★

≡ ITTF ELECTIONS ≡

Qatar’s Khalil Al-Mohannadi, the Senior Executive Vice President of the International Table Tennis Federation, who has been an officer of the federation for most of the last 28 years, lost the Presidential election held at the ITTF Annual General Meeting on Doha on 27 May, 104-102, against incumbent Petra Sorling (SWE).

He was part of an unrestrained protest shortly after the vote was posted, with multiple people yelling and screaming at the ITTF officials running the meeting – as a candidate, Sorling was not in charge during the voting – that the vote was invalid because some federations joined online after the initial roll call to confirm a quorum.

The meeting was eventually suspended and with several elections still to be held, must be re-established before November 2025. The protesters promised a legal follow-up and on Friday, Al-Mohannadi announced it on X:

“Khalil Al Mohannadi officially challenges the elections of the International Table Tennis Federation

“President of the Qatari, Arab and Asian Federations in an official statement:
“– Appeal to the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Tribunal
“– Formal claim before the [Court of Arbitration for Sport]
“– Revealing serious violations in voting, registration, and election supervision.
“– A demand to freeze electronic voting until integrity and transparency are ensured.

“‘We will not remain silent about manipulation…and we will continue to defend the legitimacy of our sport and our institutions’ – Khalil bin Ahmed Al Mohannadi”

The ITTF issued a statement on the election two days afterwards, on 29 May, which included:

● “[T]he ITTF would like to clarify that the election process was conducted in strict accordance with the ITTF Constitution and Statutes and in full respect of the Member Associations’ rights.”

● “In accordance with the ITTF Statutes (1.48.1.), each Member Association present at the AGM, not in arrears, has one vote, irrespective of whether it is present in person or online, at the time of the roll call or at a later stage during the AGM.”

● “In light of the above, the ITTF rejects the misconceived statement by some Member Associations to recognise any other result.

“The ITTF will not comment any further on the election process at this stage and will address any formal complaint it should receive in the appropriate forum.”

But Al-Mohannadi’s announcement in an accompanying photo included this important element, to accompany a complaint to the Court of Arbitration for Sport:

“This follows the submission of a formal complaint to the Nominations Committee, as required by the ITTF Constitution and Electoral Regulations, and within the legal time frame.”

Who is the head of the ITTF Nominations Committee? Fellow Qatari Abdulla Al-Mulla, who “led” much of the protesting with the microphone in his hand, yelling at ITTF Secretary General Raul Calin (ESP) and Executive Vice President Graham Symons (AUS).

The ITTF will defend, as it says, but Al-Mulla, Al-Mohannedi and others may also come under scrutiny from the independent ITTF Integrity Unit for their actions which closed down the Annual General Meeting.

In fact, Al-Mulla had a complaint filed against him with the Integrity Unit in July 2023, for actions in the Nominations Committee that were alleged that “he had obstructed the democratic process and the will of the majority of the NomCom members.” Interestingly, he was found not to have breached the ITTF’s rules by an independent tribunal in April 2024, with the decision granting him wide latitude to run his meetings as he saw fit. That might apply again, and if so, it would not be in Al-Mohannadi’s favor.

So the Integrity Unit may have more to say in this matter.

In any case, the ITTF continues in turmoil. The only thing that is sure is that the continuation of the Annual General Meeting later this year will not be held in Qatar.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Tokyo 2025 Worlds adds luxury seating to highest stadium level, with tickets at up to 250% of regular prices! This might work …

Rich Perelman

June 21, 2025

tsx pix 2025-621 tokyo 25 wch tabled seats — Tokyo's 2025 World Championships tabled third-level seats (Photo: 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! ★

≡ 2025 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

Every event wants to sell as many tickets as possible at as high a price as possible. The Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships are selling tickets on the third level – the highest-up level – of the National Stadium along the finishing straight at three different prices:

● ¥4,000 per ticket for morning sessions (~$27.41 U.S.)
● ¥7,000 per ticket for weekday evening sessions (~$47.97 U.S.)
● ¥8,000 per ticket for weekend-holiday evening sessions (~$54.83 U.S.)

These are not the lowest-priced seats; those are on the same level, but around the turns and on the backstraight. But they are in the fourth category (of five): “Category B.”

Now, a new concept has been unveiled, using those third-level seats in a new style:

“Located centrally in the third-tier main stand, this new seating option offers a panoramic view of the Japan National Stadium. Designed with both comfort and convenience in mind, each pair of seats includes a dedicated table and occupies the space of three standard seats, providing additional room for spectators to enjoy the championships in a more relaxed setting.”

But the luxury comes at a higher price; remember that the tabled pair actually takes up three standard seats:

● ¥14,000 per tabled pair for morning sessions (~$95.94 U.S.)
(vs. $54.82 for two seats, or $82.23 for three)

● ¥28,000 per tabled pair for weekday evening sessions (~$191.89 U.S.)
(vs. $95.94 for two seats, or $143.91 for three)

● ¥40,000 per tabled pair for weekend-holiday evening sessions (~$274.13 U.S.)
(vs. $109.66 for two seats, or $164.49 for three)

So, this is a premium of 17%, 33% or 67% on the revenue from the sale of three seats in the same location, lessened, of course, by the cost of installations and removals (or 250% of the price of two seats for a weekend or holiday evening session).

But this could be a pretty nice way to watch the Worlds. You can watch the races on the home straight, with your snacks and drinks on the table, maybe also with a tablet to watch replays or results.

There are not a lot of these seats; it’s shown as a very small subset; see the circled “21″ section on the map below:

It will be fascinating to see how well these seats do with ticket buyers, both in Japan and from elsewhere. The dream of every ticket manager everywhere is to maximize revenue in creative ways, whether with hospitality or some sort of special arrangement.

And it’s hardly new. Those with long memories of NBA basketball can remember San Francisco Warriors games – as they were known at the time – at the 1960s Cow Palace, with rows of spectators in tuxedos and dresses, seated on one side of the court with tables in front of them, watching the game after enjoying dinner before … in their seats!

But those seats were close to the court and have been followed by dozens of teams creating similar dining tables for fans in prime sections. But Tokyo 2025’s small experiment for luxury seating at the top of the stadium will be watched closely for success, or indifference.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Allman comes from behind for 24th straight discus win, amid three world leads and six U.S. golds at Diamond League Meeting de Paris

Rich Perelman

June 20, 2025

tsx pix 2025-606 rome dl allman, valarie (DLAG) — Olympic and World Champion Valarie Allman of the U.S. (Photo: Diamond League AG).

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

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≡ PARIS DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡

Stop no. eight on the 2025 Diamond League circuit was the annual Meeting de Paris, at the Stade Charlety, with some fabulous racing and world leads in three events:

● Men/1,500 m: 3:27.49, Azeddine Habz (FRA)
● Women/1,500 m: 3:57.02, Nelly Chepchirchir (KEN)
● Women/Steeple: 8:53.37, Faith Cherotich (KEN)

France’s 2025 European Indoor 1,500 m silver star Habz – also the world leader in the 1,500 m outdoors off his win in Rome two weeks ago – was the fan favorite in the men’s 1,500 m. He took over from the pacesetters and took the bell in front, chased by George Mills (GBR).

But Habz was too strong and pulled away to win in a brilliant 3:27.49, a national record and world leader, ahead of Phanuel Koech (KEN) who got a world junior (U-20) record of 3:27.72 in second. Mills got a lifetime best of 3:28.36 and Festus Lagat (KEN: 3:29.03) was fifth.

Twelve of the top 13 got lifetime bests in the race; Belgian Pieter Sisk ran 3:31.85 and was ELEVENTH! Habz moved to no. 6 all-time and Koech is no. 9.

The women’s 1,500 m saw Ethiopia’s Birke Haylom and Kenyan Chepchirchir in front after the pacesetters stepped off and they led at the bell. But then Chepchirchir took off and raced away to an outdoor world-leading 3:57.02 win.

Behind her, Haylom, Kenya’s Susan Ejore and Australian Linden Hall were jockeying for second into the straight, but Ireland’s Sarah Healy moved best and passed all three, finishing in a lifetime best of 3:57.15, no. 2 outdoors this year. Haylom (3:57.50), Hall (3:57.63) and Worknesh Mesele (ETH: 3:57.95) were 3-4-5; the top five are the fastest outdoors in 2025.

Olympic women’s Steeple bronze winner Cherotich (KEN) was coming off an impressive win at the Bislett Games in Oslo, and she and Tokyo Olympic champ Peruth Chemutai (UGA) were at the front by 1,200 m. They ran together, unchallenged, to the bell, and the race was still in doubt into the straight. But Cherotich was the stronger and won in a world-leading and lifetime best of 8:53.37 with Chemutai at 8:54.41 and Ethiopia’s Sembo Almayew third in 9:01.22.

Americans Gabi Jennings and Courtney Wayment got seasonal bests of 9:08.05 and 9:08.08 in 4-5 and Angelina Napoleon scored a lifetime best of 9:10.72 in seventh. Cherotich moves to no. 6 all-time with the no. 9 performance in history; Chemutai’s performance is no. 13 ever. Wow.

The U.S. had lots of success, starting with a come-from-behind win for discus star Valarie Allman!

Olympic champ Allman was looking for a 24th straight win and got out to the early lead at 64.88 m (212-10) in round one. But she was soon third, after Jorinde van Klinken (NED) reached 65.78 m (215-10) in round two, with 2019 World Champion Yaime Perez (CUB) out to 65.03 m (213-4). Van Klinken improved to 66.42 m (217-11) in round four, but Allman had one more throw in her and stole the victory in round six with a clutch toss of 67.56 m (221-8)! No. 24.

Japan’s Rachid Muratake (13.08: +1.4) out-leaned Dylan Beard of the U.S. (PR 13.08) to win the first heat of the men’s 110 m hurdles and Swiss star Jason Joseph won heat two (13.08: +1.1), passing Olympic champ Grant Holloway on the run-in (13.16). It was Holloway’s first race since finishing 10th at the Xiamen Diamond League on 26 April.

In the final, Holloway got his usual bullet start, but was in a battle with countrymen Trey Cunningham and Beard right through the 10th hurdle. On the run-in, Cunningham got the advantage and won in 13.00 (+1.1) – equaling his lifetime best – with Beard getting a lifetime best of 13.02. Holloway faded to fifth, however (13.11) as Joseph moved up to third (13.07) and Muratake was fourth (13.08). American Jamal Britt was sixth in 13.15.

Olympic champ Rai Benjamin had to avoid a let-down from his dominant, world-leading men’s 400 m hurdles win in Stockholm, and he trailed 2019 Worlds bronze winner Abderrahmane Samba (QAT) through five hurdles. But into the straight, Benjamin had the lead and ran away to win in 46.93. Samba was a clear second in 47.09, a seasonal best and American Trevor Bassitt, the 2022 Worlds bronze winner, out-dueled Matheus Lima (BRA) on the run-in for third, 48.14 to 48.26.

Dina Asher-Smith (GBR), the 2019 World Champion, got off best in the women’s 200 m, but American Anavia Battle, who has been excellent on the circuit, got to the lead on the straight and won again in 22.27 (+0.9). Britain’s Amy Hunt passed Asher-Smith on the straight and was second in 22.45, and McKenzie Long of the U.S. got third in 22.49. Americans Deajeah Stevens and Paris bronzer Brittany Brown were 4-5 in 22.66 and 22.77, with Asher-Smith at 22.88 in sixth. It was Battle’s fourth Diamond League win this year.

Current world-record holder Tobi Amusan (NGR) and former world-record holder Keni Harrison of the U.S. were in the women’s 100 m hurdles, but Paris fifth-placer Grace Stark has been a big story this season, winning in Shanghai and Stockholm and she dominated the race in Paris.

Out well, she got to the lead early and held it, finishing with a brilliant lifetime best of 12.21 (+0.7), no. 3 in the world for 2025 and now equal-fifth all-time (and the equal-fifth performance in history)! Amusan was a close second in 12.24, followed by Ackera Nugent (JAM: 12.30) and then Harrison at 12.48. American Alaysha Johnson was seventh in 12.66. Count Stark among the medal contenders for the Tokyo Worlds …. if you didn’t have her there already!

Five were still in contention at 4.73 m (15-6 1/4) in the women’s vault, with Tokyo Olympic co-champ Katie Moon of the U.S. the first to clear (second try) and two-time World Indoor winner Sandi Morris (USA) cleared on her third. Morris missed once at 4.78 m (15-8 1/4) trying to take the lead, then passed and then missed twice at 4.83 m (15-10), with Moon also missing her three tries, but taking the win. Emily Grove of the U.S. was third at 4.63 m (15-2 1/4).

And there was a lot more, under sunny Paris skies to start:

Six of the eight Paris 2024 finalists were in the men’s 800 m – placers 3-8 – but World Indoor 800 m winner Joey Hoey of the U.S. took the lead after the bell and was in front with Tshepiso Masalela (BOT) and Andreas Kramer (SWE) chasing. Around the turn, Hoey, Kramer and fellow American Bryce Hoppel were in the lead, but Spain’s 2024 European silver star Mohamed Attaoui – fifth in Paris – sprinted along the curb and passed everyone to win in 1:42.73, with Hoey (1:43.00), Hoppel (1:43.11) and Max Burgin (GBR: 1:43.61) following.

All of the questions in the men’s Steeplechase were about world-record holder Lamecha Girma (ETH), who failed to finish in the Paris Olympic final and hadn’t raced since. When the pacers finished, Girma was right at the front, with Tokyo Olympic fourth-place Getnet Wale (ETH).

Those two were well in front with 600 m to go, with Girma firmly in control at the bell and he rolled to a decisive 8:07.01 victory, no. 4 in the world for 2025. Behind him, Wale was passed coming off the final water jump by Salaheddine Ben Yazide (MAR), second in 8:1168, with Wale third in 8:12.58, a seasonal best.

The men’s 5,000 had Ethiopia’s two-time World Indoor 3,000 m champ Yomif Kejelcha looking for another stunning time, chased by Paris Olympian Graham Blanks of the U.S. and three-time Olympian Birhanu Balew (BRN) at the 3,000 m mark. But Kejelcha was all alone, and rolled to the line in 12:47.84, a seasonal best and no. 8 on the 2025 world list.

Balew passed Blanks at the bell for second and held on, 12:48.67 to 12:49.51. Nico Young of the U.S., so brilliant in his Bislett Games win, finished seventh in 12:55.71, right behind Morocco’s Steeplechase star, Soufiane El Bakkali (12:55.49 lifetime best).

Paris Olympian Jordan Scott (JAM) overwhelmed the field in the men’s triple jump in Oslo, jumping 17.34 m (56-10 3/4) on his first try, and was hot again in the opening round in Paris at 17.11 m (56-1 3/4). This time, he had company, as home favorite Jonathan Seremes (FRA) reached 17.08 m (56-0 1/2) in round two and 2024 World Indoor runner-up Yasser Triki (ALG) measured 17.02 mw (55-10 1/4w) in round three.

Things changed in round four as 2023 World Champion Hugues Fabrice Zango (BUR) bounded into the lead at 17.21 m (56-5 3/4), followed by France’s Thomas Gogois at 17.11 m and with a better second jump than Scott. But the Jamaican star rebounded in round six and took the win at 17.27 m (56-8) to get his third Diamond League win of the season! Donald Scott of the U.S. reached 16.84 m (55-3) and finished seventh.

The men’s javelin was essentially over in the first round, as Tokyo Olympic champ Neeraj Chopra (IND) took the lead at 88.16 m (289-3) and Germany’s 2022 European champ Julian Weber got close at 87.88 m (288-4) and neither improved and no one else got close. Brazil’s Mauricio da Silva got a national record of 86.62 m (284-2) in the third round for third.

Olympic champ Marileidy Paulino (DOM) and 2019 World Champion Salwa Eid Naser (BAH) were matched up once again in the women’s 400 m, but Lynna Irby-Jackson of the U.S. and Dutch star Lieke Klaver were the early leaders. Coming out of the final turn, Irby-Jackson was holding on, but Naser got to the lead with 50 m to go, only to be finally passed by Paulino, who won in a meet record of 48.81. Naser was close at 48.85, then Chile’s Martina Weil surprised in third with a national record of 49.83, followed by Irby-Jackson (49.87). Fellow American Bella Whittaker was sixth at 50.18.

The usual star suspects were in the women’s high jump, with the event coming down to Olympic champ Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR), two-time Olympic silver winner Nicola Olyslagers (AUS) and 2022 World Champion Eleanor Patterson (AUS). They dispensed with the rest of the field by 1.97 m (6-5 1/2), with Mahuchikh clearing on her first try to take the lead. At 2.00 m (6-6 3/4), Olyslagers took the lead with a second-try clearance, and that was enough to win her second straight Diamond League gold.

Americans Vashti Cunningham (1.94 m/6-4 1/4) and Charity Nufnagel (1.91 m/6-3 1/4) finished fourth and sixth.

Another terrific meet. Next up is the sole U.S. Diamond League meet, the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, on 5 July.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ANTI-DOPING: World Anti-Doping Agency reports all-time high of almost 239,000 Olympic-sport tests in 2023, with 0.57% or 1,732 “atypical findings”

Rich Perelman

June 19, 2025

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

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≡ WADA TESTING REPORT ≡

The annual World Anti-Doping Agency testing report for 2023 has finally been published, with good news that the amount of testing worldwide has reached an all-time high:

● 238,827 tests analyzed for Olympic-sport athletes
● 1,373 positive tests (0.57%)
● 359 “atypical findings” (0.15%)
● 1,732 tests needing follow-up (0.73%)

WADA also reported 50,038 tests for non-Olympic sports for a total of 288,865 tests. Possible issues were reported with 1,037 – or 2.07% – of these tests, a much higher rate.

Compared with recent years coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of tests in the Olympic sports has skyrocketed, while the total number of adverse findings and “atypical” findings has also rebounded:

● 220,659 tests in 2018
● 227,032 tests in 2019
● 127,483 tests in 2020 (Covid)
● 207,008 tests in 2021
● 218,774 tests in 2022
● 238,827 tests in 2023

● 0.82% of 2018 tests with adverse-atypical findings
● 0.79% in 2019
● 0.61% in 2020 (Covid)
● 0.60% in 2021
● 0.70% in 2022
● 0.73% in 2023

The primary test method continued to be urine collection 80.8%, with blood sampling accounting for 19.2% and growing. Across all tests for all sports, 63.8% of those tested were men.

The most active of the 30 WADA-accredited labs worldwide in terms of samples analyzed were led – as usual – by Cologne (GER) at 24,301, followed by Seibersdorf (AUT: 22,402), Beijing (CHN: 21,204), Paris (FRA: 19.957) and Ghent (BEL: 14,029). The busiest U.S. lab was in Salt Lake City, Utah at 10,618.

In terms of the most-favored drugs to try and cheat with, anabolics continue in the lead. Across all samples, for Olympic and non-Olympic sports, the leading choices for doping:

● 1,660 occurrences of 3,724 total: anabolic agents
● 554 occurrences: diuretics
● 464 occurrences: stimulants
● 323 occurrences: hormone and metabolic modulators
● 312 occurrences: peptide hormones and growth factors

The leading sports for samples analyzed started, as always, with athletics:

● 41,593: Athletics
● 35,511: Football
● 24,969: Cycling
● 17,165: Aquatics
● 12,103: Weightlifting
● 10,390: Rugby
● 7,383: Tennis
● 7,335: Wrestling
● 6,531: Basketball
● 6,062: Rowing

Weightlifting had the highest total of adverse findings at 1.8% (214), followed by wrestling at 1.1% (82) and roller sport (1.0%: 11) as the only Olympic-sport federations at 1.0% or more. The largest number of adverse findings was in athletics, of course, at 332. Boxing (only five tests) and modern pentathlon had no adverse findings, and sailing and surfing had just one each.

Winter-sport testing totals were much lower; five had more than 1,000 tested:

● 7,753: Skiing (all disciplines)
● 4,442: Skating (all disciplines)
● 3,958: Ice Hockey
● 2,579: Biathlon
● 1,548: Bobsleigh & Skeleton

Ice hockey had 25 adverse findings (0.7%), curling was at 0.8% and luge had no adverse findings at all.

In other sports, those with percentages were over 2% – with 100 or more tests – included bodybuilding at 11% (156/1,410), powerlifting (4.2%: 155/3,712) and arm wrestling (6%: 19/264), kickboxing (3.4%), American football (2.9%), auto racing (2.5%) motorcycling, muaythai and wushu (2.3%) and billiards and sambo (2.0%).

It’s important to note that WADA does not do the testing itself. Tests are done primarily by national or regional anti-doping organizations (70.9%) and International Federations (24.6%).

Looking at the number of samples collected by country – meaning national anti-doping organizations – the leaders:

● 28,197: China (0.2% reported adverse findings)
● 15,153: Germany (0.4%)
● 11,368: France (0.9%)
● 10,395: Russia (1.0%)
● 8,826: Italy (0.9%)
● 8,036: Great Britain (0.4%)
● 6,798: United States (1.0%)
● 6,334: Japan (0.2%)
● 5,606: India (3.8%)
● 4,342: Canada (0.9%)

What does all this mean? In short: there’s more testing, better testing and not that many positives. But a single doper in a single event impacts a dozen or more athletes, and so the fight goes on. It’s not over and it’s not close to over. But the anti-doping community, by this report, is trying.

The report acknowledged that the time lag between the end of the testing period and this report was too long, and that the 2024 report should be available by the end of this year.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Pan Am Games 2027 to be 36 sports, but no basketball! Grand Slam Track athletes say they haven’t been paid, but not worried yet

Rich Perelman

June 19, 2025

★ 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 2028: Los Angeles ● It was fascinating to see the 10 June Senate Home Security & Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Border Management, Federal Workforce and Regulatory Affairs hearing, in which U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass over lawlessness related to demonstrations against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), telling LA28 organizing committee chief executive Reynold Hoover:

“The obvious question, I think, on the minds of most Americans, given that these two big events coming up in ‘26 [FIFA World Cup] and ‘28 [Olympic-Paralympic Games], are going to see basically the same political leadership in California, and L.A., don’t we just make a decision now to say they’re incapable of handling two big, high-profile events like this?

“And aren’t we better off as a nation just to make an acknowledgment of that, and move it to some place that actually will have law and order, that will have the proper amount of protections for American citizens and the tens of millions of visitors are going to come to both of those events?”

The demonstrations and violence in downtown Los Angeles has stopped, and a Change.org petition to move the 2028 Olympic Games started in April has attracted just three signatures.

More surprising, perhaps, is that Moreno should know better than to propose moving the 2028 Olympic Games somewhere else, since the contract to host the Games is with the City of Los Angeles?

Perhaps he can ask his older brother, Luis Alberto Moreno, a member of the International Olympic Committee for Colombia, and the former Colombian Ambassador to the U.S., who is also a member of the IOC’s Coordination Commission for the 2028 Olympic Games.

In case you were wondering, Luis Moreno was born in Philadelphia – to Colombian parents – in 1953, while Bernie Moreno was born in 1967, in Bogota (COL).

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● Applications are open to try out to be a volunteer for the Olympic closing ceremony and the Paralympic opening ceremony, both in the historic Arena di Verona.

Auctions will be in the fall, in Verona, and rehearsals only in February 2025 for the Olympic closing on 22 February, and then in late February into March for the 6 March Paralympic opening. Experience is not required: “we are looking for enthusiasm, dedication and team spirit.”

● Pan American Games 2027: Lima ● The program for the 16 July-1 August 2027 Pan American Games was confirmed by Panam Sports, with 36 total sports – the same number as for the 2028 Los Angeles Games – but with some differences.

For the most part, the sports are the same, but the Pan Am program will include the non-Olympic sports of basque pelota, karate and water skiing.

The 2028 added Olympic sports of flag football and lacrosse were not included, but basketball – which has been in the Games continuously since the first edition in 1951, is not shown. The FIBA men’s World Cup, the federation’s showcase event, follows shortly after, from 27 August to 12 September in Doha (QAT). No such conflict for the women, however.

Other sports which were in the 2023 Pan Ams in Santiago (CHI) were bowling, breaking and racquetball, with National Olympic Committees now having to decide if these sports will continue to receive funding now that they are not in the Pan American or Olympic sports programs.

● World Games 2025: Chengdu ● A creative medals set for the 2025 World Games was revealed on Wednesday, shaped like a panda head with familiar, rounded ears! A set of bamboo motifs is on the front and the reverse features the hibiscus flower, the “city flower” of Chengdu.

The 2025 World Games is expected to host about 4,000 athletes from 120 countries, competing in 34 sports and 255 events.

● International Olympic Committee ● The IOC’s graphic listing its TOP sponsorship partners no longer lists chipmaker Intel.

The company, which joined TOP in 2017 and continued through the Paris 2024 Games, has been losing a ferocious battle for market share with competitors such as AMD, TSMC, Nvidia and others.

Any of those companies might be a replacement for Intel, but the IOC has been silent on the matter. Following Paris 2024, TOP partners Atos, Bridgestone, Panasonic and Toyota also declined to renew. The current IOC list shows 11 partners or partner groups, down from a high of 15 for 2024.

● Athletics ● The Norwegian state television network, NRK, asked athletes who were part of the Grand Track Slam circuit if they had been paid prize money yet, on the sidelines of the Diamond League Bislett Games last week.

No, said those quoted in the story, including U.S. distance stars Cooper Teare and Nico Young, and Kenya’s 800 m Olympic champion, Emmanuel Wanyonyi, who said:

“I haven’t received my prize money yet, but it may be coming. Why should they not come, they have to pay us who participate. I’ll have to be patient and wait.”

Teare told NRK he was impressed with the program, “[I]t’s a fantastic event. So it’s a shame that [the Los Angeles Slam] has been cancelled, because the two I was at were good. I hope it comes back next year.”

The Athletics Integrity Unit announced a ban handed down to French men’s 400 m hurdles star Wilfried Happio, 26, for 18 months for “whereabouts” failures. The suspension is from 30 January 2025 for reporting failures on 10 May 2024, 29 May 2024 and 17 October 2024. His results from 17 October 2024 are to be nullified, but his last race was on 14 September.

Happio finished fourth at the 2022 Worlds in Eugene and is a two-time Olympian, with a lifetime best of 47.41 from 2022.

Sad news of the passing of coach, administrator and marketer Steve Miller, who passed away in Portland (Ore.) on 15 June, at 81. Brash and confident, Miller coached Cal Poly from 1976-81, winning five NCAA Division II team titles in cross country (2) and track & field (3). He went on to Kansas State, coaching there to 1987, then returning a year later to serve as athletic director for four years.

He then went to Nike in 1991 and rose to Director of Global Sports Marketing, leaving in 2000. Miller headed the Professional Bowlers Association for five years and finished his career as the head of Agassi Graf Holdings in Las Vegas. He was deeply involved with USA Track & Field, lastly as a board member beginning in 2009 and chair in 2015 into 2020.

● Boxing ● World Boxing, the new IOC-approved international federation for the sport, is up to 111 members, adding Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Indonesia, Romania and Trinidad & Tobago, meaning these five countries can compete in the federation’s first World Championships in September in Liverpool (ENG).

● Canoe-Kayak ● The International Testing Agency reported a four-year ban of Francisca Laia (POR), a three-time World Championships medal winner for the use of DHCMT, a “synthetic drug that mimics the activity of testosterone in the body and enhances muscle growth and strength.”

The positive came from a test during the 2024 ICF World Sprint Championships, and Laia agreed to a ban from 30 May 2025 to 29 May 2029, with her results nullified from 25 August 2024.

Laia won Worlds silvers in the Mixed K-2 200 m in 2021 and women’s K-2 200 m in 2024, and a bronze in the Mixed K-4 500 m in 2024.

● Cycling ● Not widely noticed globally, but a big deal in the cycling world was the Union Cycliste Internationale’s note last Thursday (12th) that the UCI Management Committee rejected the inclusion of the OneCycling program as part of the UCI World Tour and UCI Women’s World Tour, through 2028. The announcement noted:

“While welcoming the fact that road cycling is attracting new investors, the UCI Management Committee nevertheless unanimously decided, following the [Professional Cycling Council]’s vote in this direction, not to respond to the request, as it stands, to include the OneCycling project in the UCI Women’s WorldTour and UCI WorldTour calendars.

“The project, which had been developed by certain teams and organisers, in collaboration with a sports investment fund, was deemed incompatible with the governance and regulatory framework of the UCI as well as lacking sporting coherence. However, the UCI wishes, as do all cycling’s stakeholders, to continue discussions with the representatives of this project in order to collaborate on the internationalisation of the UCI Women’s WorldTour and UCI WorldTour calendars and the economic development of our sport.”

The OneCycling concept is a sort-of breakaway program of multiple racing teams and some races, funded by an arm of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, to bring more money into the sport and lessen the dominant position of the Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO), which stages the Tour de France and other races.

● Equestrian ● U.S. rider Kaitlin Campbell was suspended by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) for prohibited substances found in a test of her horse, Castlefield Cornelious during the FEI Coachella Cup in Thermal, California last December.

The stimulant Octopamine and corticosteroid Dexamethasone were found in the test, and the horse is suspended for two months. Campbell, who rode for the U.S. at the FEI Jumping World Cup Final in Switzerland, is suspended, with no end date specified.

● Football ● The U.S. men faced guest nation Saudi Arabia on Thursday in group play at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, in Austin, Texas, with both teams having won their opening matches.

The first half had very little offense, especially from the U.S., which had 72% possession but managed only two shots and got its first shot on goal in the 45th minute. The Saudis had two shots and had one that was saved by U.S. keeper Matthew Freese.

The American offense was better in the second half and after defender Chris Richards had a header saved in the 54th, he got the only goal of the game in the 63rd, as he got on the end of a perfect free kick by midfielder Sebastian Berhalter from outside the box to right in front of the goal, and tapped it in.

The U.S. ended with 67% of possession as the Saudis tried to find an equalizer, but the U.S. finished with five shots to three and 10 fouls to seven as the game became more and more physical. But it’s a win and on to the quarterfinals.

Both teams will finish Group D play on 22 June, with the U.S. playing Haiti in Arlington, Texas, while the Saudis will face Trinidad & Tobago in Las Vegas, Nevada.

● Ice Hockey ● Swiss forward Sven Andrighetto was named the men’s Player of the Year by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), receiving 34.6% of the vote, ahead of U.S. keeper Jeremy Swayman (18.6%), scoring ace David Pastrnak (CZE: 18.0%), Denis Malgin (SUI: 6.5%), American Clayton Keller (8.8%) and Canada’s Nathan MacKinnon (6.5%).

● Judo ● At the World Judo Championships in Budapest (HUN), South Korea’s Paris bronze medalist Ha-yun Kim scored her first Worlds gold, winning the women’s +78 kg class over Mao Arai of Japan, who won her first individual Worlds medal.

Russian Inal Tasoev won his second Worlds gold at +100 kg as a “neutral,” winning over 2018 World Champion and Paris 2024 runner-up Guram Tushishvili (GEO). With only the Mixed Team event left, Japan has 14 total medal and six golds to lead all nations.

● Swimming ● Impressive, world-leading performance on Thursday by France’s 2023 World Champion Maxime Grousset, winning the national championships men’s 100 m Butterfly in 50.11, a national record. It keeps him in sixth place on the all-time list, but makes him the leading contender for medals at the Worlds in Singapore next month.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LOS ANGELES 2028: Transportation Secretary Duffy tells L.A. Metro his department is ready to help in 2028 IF Congress allocates funds (a big if)

Rich Perelman

June 19, 2025

tsx pix 2025-618 metro-hahn reads duffy — L.A. Metro Board Chair Janice Hahn (center) at the Executive Management Committee hearing on 18 June 2025 (Metro video screenshot).

★ 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! ★

≡ METRO AND MONEY ≡

Twenty minutes into Wednesday’s Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Agency Executive Management Committee meeting, Metro Chair Janice Hahn breathlessly announced to the audience:

“Hot off the press, I just got this letter from the Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy.”

She proceeded to read it with considerable drama, adding an important comment of her own in the fourth paragraph (the comment is underlined):

“Dear Chair Hahn:

“Thank you for your letter highlighting the ongoing mobility needs of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“The U.S. Department of Transportation shares your desire to showcase the very best of the United States as it pertains to transportation throughout the Los Angeles Metro region during the Games.

“The Department also appreciates your ongoing coordination with DOT staff as you work through the projects and activities that are critical to the success of the Games. The Department continues to encourage the use of existing formula and competitive grants, as well as credit programs, for capital needs as the Los Angeles metro area prepares for the Games.

“We stand ready to help implement and offer technical assistance – we want money, not just technical assistance – should the House and Senate advance legislation in providing additional funding for mobility needs during the Games.

“The Department looks forward to our continued engagement with Los Angeles Metro, the LA28 team, our Federal partners and the appropriate House and Senate committees to address and work through plans as the Games draw near.

“We are all committed to making the Games a resounding success for the United States. If I can provide more information, don’t call me, call my assistant. Sean Duffy.”

Hahn appeared to modify the last sentence, but gushed in her usual, upbeat manner:

“That’s still, that, you know, that was a very, I thought that’s a very positive. It’s encouraging, because, you know, we’ve always said the Games are not just Los Angeles, it’s showcasing the United States of America.”

Hahn is right that even a response from Duffy is encouraging, coming on the heels of Metro’s request for $3.2 billion in Federal funding for transportation support for the 2028 Games being shut out of the Transportation Department’s budget request for Federal Fiscal Year 2026.

And as Hahn instantaneously noted, Duffy promised nothing.

That’s consistent with Duffy’s testimony during a 14 May hearing with the House Appropriations Committee subcommittee on transportation. Responding to a direct question about FIFA World Cup 2026, the 2027 NFL Super Bowl and the 2028 Olympic Games by Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-San Bernardino), Duffy replied:

“I haven’t looked at the funding levels and what’s appropriate from the department’s
perspective but I want to make sure we have enough resources to make sure it’s seamless and I’d love to work with you if you have some ideas.”

Aguilar pressed for a commitment to $500 million, but Duffy said he’d be happy to chat later.

Observed: There was no airspace between what was in Duffy’s letter to Hahn and Duffy’s comments to Aguilar in May: no Federal money is coming to Metro for 2028 Games operations right now.

The good news for Metro is that the Trump Administration – as underscored by Duffy once again – will do what is necessary to make the Games work reasonably smoothly, and likely no more. So means some money in FY27 (October 2026 to September 2027) and enough to get by in FY28.

Compounding the issue is that the messaging around transportation for 2028 has been confused, with early comments from public officials and Metro about a “no-car Olympics” and now a “transit-first” Olympics, with, of course, no specifics.

What is true is that Metro can’t pay for the plan it wants to implement, and the Trump Administration and the Congress aren’t going to either. The reality is likely close to what LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman told the 144th Session of the International Olympic Committee about transportation for the Games, last March:

“[W]e are very confident in our ability to deliver, and let’s not get confused. Our venues are designed, and our city is designed, for people to drive their cars to events.

“They won’t drive them in the same quantities, at the same scale they do today, but that will also be a part of our delivery, because it would be a mistake not to take advantage of the venues that are designed and the use case they are designed for.”

So, whether Metro likes it or not, its role in the 2028 Games transportation mix is looking more and more to be part of the solution, but not all – or even most – of it.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

U.S. OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE: USA Badminton confirmed de-certified; USOPC pursuing Congress to stabilize collegiate sport

Rich Perelman

June 18, 2025

★ 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! ★

≡ USOPC BOARD MEETING ≡

“I have to confirm that USA Badminton has been decertified as the National Governing Body, and as such, the USOPC has assumed oversight of badminton high-performance programs.

“You may know, we went through extensive process; our certification review group, which is the group that makes determinations about certifications of NGBs, met and evaluated all of the actions and activities that USA Badminton had taken since we issued our letter to them suggesting all of the deficiencies.

“They did not, unfortunately, satisfy the terms that were agreed upon, and that, automatically, essentially resulted in decertification.

“So, it is not an ideal situation for Team USA athletes. We are committed to providing funding and resources to help support these athletes, as we also seek to build or find partnership with an entity that can be a strong, healthy, ongoing concern to support the sport of badminton in this country.

“And I will only add that while we have no details to offer, I have a great deal of optimism that we’ll get there.”

That’s U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee chief executive Sarah Hirshland during a Wednesday afternoon news conference, declaring the latest step in the USA Badminton saga … which is not over.

The case had been ongoing since 2019 with discussions for a couple of years prior. On 28 May, the USOPC asked USA Badminton to voluntarily resign as the National Governing Body of the sport in the U.S. That didn’t happen, so the USOPC de-certified the federation itself; Hirshland did not give a date and the filing has not yet been posted to the USOPC’s Governance document site.

While Hirshland said the search is on for a successor, USA Badminton has the right under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act (36 USC §2205 et seq.) to ask for arbitration in the matter. USA Badminton has made no announcement concerning decertification on its Web site.

The news conference featured USOPC Chair and International Olympic Committee member Gene Sykes and Hirshland and Sykes spoke directly to the ongoing tug-of-war between the World Anti-Doping Agency and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, following the Senate subcommittee hearing in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday:

“We applaud the Senate Committee for raising this subject and for seeking answers. We firmly support Travis Tygart and USADA for continuing to provide U.S. athletes with education and with levels of service that make participation and adherence to the World Anti-Doping Code as transparent and streamlined as possible.

“At the same time, we want to emphasize the importance of an effective global infrastructure, governed by the World Anti-Doping Agency that serves all athletes, while instilling confidence in competitors and fans alike. That is a goal we can all strive for, and the USOPC is a key partner to all who support this effort.”

Asked about the extra language about the supremacy of WADA in anti-doping matters that was added by the IOC to the Host City Contract for the 2034 Winter Games in Salt Lake City during the award of the Games in Paris last year, Sykes explained:

“We did not feel any pressure at all. We were asked to include language that was already included in the Host City Contract, which had already been agreed to. …

“There’s nothing exceptional or extraordinary in any of that, and I don’t expect any issue with regard to the Utah performance or any odd doubt about the opportunity for Utah to host the 2034 Games.”

As for ever settling the conflict between the sides, Sykes took a “glass half full” approach:

“I actually have more optimism. I think the fact that both Travis Tygart and Dr. [Rahul] Gupta offered testimony in front of the Senate was useful. I think the Senate [subcommittee] asked the right questions about WADA behaving in a way that can offer respect for everybody in the Movement, for WADA, that WADA can be both professional and widely regarded as the arbiter of the World Anti-Doping Code. That’s what we’ve always wanted.

“And this is not the U.S. vs. WADA, it’s definitely not that at all. I think it’s a matter of making sure that WADA is able to do its job well, to the satisfaction of athletes all around the world, in all sports. And I’m optimistic that we’ll arrive at that conclusion. I think there are a lot of people who have that objective as well.”

Hirshland spoke at some length about the continuing turmoil at leading NCAA Division I universities in the aftermath of the House vs. NCAA settlement approval, noting

“The power of collegiate athletics was very clear during the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, where 75% of Team USA Olympians and 53% of our Paralympians were current or former collegiate athletes. … Their success really underscores the importance of preserving the pipeline that supports their development in these critical years of athletics.”

As for the prospects of Congressional action to support keeping Olympic-sport programs:

“We believe there is a meaningful opportunity to create policy that empowers institutions, athletic associations and conferences to continue investing in a broad portfolio of sports. We are engaged with these leaders in this conversation and with the right framework, we feel confident that Congress can help assure that Olympic and Paralympic sports, and the athletes who rely on them, are protected and not sidelined.

“We encourage thoughtful integration of compensation provisions alongside support for sports sponsorship within the [proposed] SCORE Act, ready to partner with the NCAA, the institutions and the NGBs in the effort to preserve and protect Olympic and Paralympic sport on campus.”

And she was optimistic:

“Today, we have no reason to believe that we don’t have real alignment there from all the parties, including members of Congress, who have indicated to us a very real concern for Olympic and Paralympic sport, and the preservation of the strength of our system, and what Team USA is benefitting from today. We know that the NCAA and the conferences are feeling the same.

“Now the challenge is, can we have language that doesn’t provide for the wrong incentives or unintended consequences that lead to sports being cut, or resources being allocated in a different way that would hurt or harm Olympic and Paralympic sport.”

Hirshland was also asked about access to the U.S. for the 2028 Olympic Games in view of increasing restrictions from the Trump Administration on entry to the country. She cited continuing assurances from Washington that the U.S. will be a responsible and welcoming host.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

U.S. OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE BULLETIN: USA Badminton confirmed de-certified

Rich Perelman

June 18, 2025

★ 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! ★

≡ USOPC BOARD MEETING ≡

“I have to confirm that USA Badminton has been decertified as the National Governing Body, and as such, the USOPC has assumed oversight of badminton high-performance programs.

“They did not, unfortunately, satisfy the terms that were agreed upon, and that, automatically, essentially resulted in decertification.

“And I will only add that while we have no details to offer, I have a great deal of optimism that we’ll get there.”

The case had been ongoing since 2019 with discussions for a couple of years prior. On 28 May, the USOPC asked USA Badminton to voluntarily resign as the National Governing Body of the sport in the U.S. That didn’t happen, so the USOPC de-certified the federation itself; Hirshland did not give a date and the filing has not yet been posted to the USOPC’s Governance document site.

While Hirshland said the search is on for a successor, USA Badminton has the right under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act (36 USC §2205 et seq.) to ask for arbitration in the matter. USA Badminton has made no announcement concerning decertification on its Web site.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Iran war causes Israel’s Maccabiah to move to 2026; new investor, sponsor hunter for Grand Slam Track; Chusovitina competing at 50!

Rich Perelman

June 18, 2025

tsx pix 2019-221 chusovitina, oksana 750 — Ageless gymnast Oksana Chusovitina (UZB)

★ 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 Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) confirmed the Eventing course for the 2028 Olympic Games will be arranged in and around Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, where Dressage and Jumping will also be held.

The FEI announced Alec Lochore (GBR) as the Eventing course designer; he was the Eventing Manager for the London 2012 Olympic Games, and FEI President Ingmar De Vos (BEL) noted:

“He holds excellent credentials as a first-class Eventing course designer but also as a technical delegate and an organiser. He was instrumental in advising the FEI on the cross-country feasibility at the LA28 equestrian venue at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia and we are confident that, in cooperation with Mike Etherington-Smith [GBR], he will design a course that challenges the world’s best while showcasing the heart of our sport to a wider global audience. Work on the LA28 Olympic cross-country course will begin in the coming weeks.”

At the 1984 Games, Santa Anita was also used for Dressage and Jumping, but the cross-country element of what was then known as the Three-Day Event was held at Fairbanks Ranch in San Diego County to offer cooler conditions for the horses.

● Israel ● The XXII Maccabiah Games, first held in 1932, was slated to be held in July, but has been postponed to 2026 in view of the continuing hostilities with Iran.

The 2025 Games was scheduled for 1-22 in Israel, opening in Jerusalem and held in Tel Aviv and elsewhere, and was expected to draw about 8,000 athletes from 55 countries in open, Juniors, Masters and Disabled divisions. Maccabiah Chair Assaf Green said in a statement:

“Despite our strong desire to hold the Maccabiah in the summer of 2025 as a symbol of hope, we are forced to postpone it due to the complex security situation created by the attack on Iran, the instructions of the Home Front Command, the continued suspension of flights to Israel, and the necessary security measures required of all of us.

“Together with the Ministry of Culture and Sports, and after considering several alternatives, we realized that although we are almost at the starting line, the most prudent step from a security, safety, and logistical perspective is to postpone the event by a year to a quieter and safer time.”

● Athletics ● Grand Slam Track announced a multi-year agreement with Sundial Media & Technology Group:

“SMTG will secure strategic commercial partnerships for Grand Slam Track’s 2026 season and beyond, with 10% of all related sponsorship sales secured by SMTG paid directly to Grand Slam Track Racers.

“Additionally, Grand Slam Track, and its signed Racers and Challengers, will be featured and celebrated across SMTG’s entire network of media entities, publications, and brands, with in-person activations at major events, and a spotlight shone on the biggest names in track.”

The partnership plan is to focus on creating “[i]nteractive digital content and athlete-driven storytelling across social and media platforms, [l]ive event experiences that blend competition with culture, music, and fan participation, [a] new media platform that allows fans to co-create, share, and own pieces of the narrative” and “[e]xclusive behind-the-scenes access into the lives and training of athletes.”

Also, Richelieu Dennis, Founder and Chair of The Sundial Group of Companies and Founder and Managing Partner of New Voices Fund, has invested into Grand Slam Track.

● Gymnastics ● A completely amazing confluence of a milestone birthday and a gymnastics meet this weekend in Tashkent (UZB) as Oksana Chusovitina – born on 19 June 1985 in Bukhara (then URS, now UZB) – will compete in the FIG Artistic World Challenge Cup in the women’s vault!

She first competed for the USSR, but her first Olympic appearance was for the “Unified Team” in 1992 as the Soviet Union was disassembled. She was a member of the Uzbekistan team from 1992-2005 and for the 1996-2000-2004 Olympic Games, then for Germany from 2006-12 (2008-12 Olympic Games) and from 2013 on, for Uzbekistan again (2016-20/21 Olympic Games).

Chusovitina won a women’s Team gold in 1992 and a Vault silver in 2007 for her two Olympic medals, and World Championships golds in 1991 in Team and Floor (USSR) and in Vault in 2003 for Uzbekistan. She owns 11 total Worlds medals from 1991-2011!

And she is not done. She said earlier this week:

“My number one goal is to get to Los Angeles [in 2028]. But there is so much time before then, so I’m not thinking that far ahead. I go step-by-step, from one competition to the next. If it happens, it happens. If not, then no. But I will try, and I will give it everything I’ve got.”

● Ice Hockey ● In a balloting for the International Ice Hockey Federation’s women’s player of the year, Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin fought off five U.S. candidates and emerged the winner with 33.1% of the vote.

American keeper Gwyneth Philips was second at 22.3%, 2023 winner Hilary Knight (20.2%), defender Caroline Harvey (12.9%) and keeper Aerin Frankel (7.3%).

Poulin was seventh in the voting in 2023, and third last year.

● Judo ● Olympic women’s 78 kg champion Alice Bellandi of Italy added her first Worlds gold on Wednesday at the IJF World Championships in Budapest (HUN), defeating Germany’s Anna Monta Olek in the final. It’s the third Worlds medal for Bellandi, who won bronze in 2023 and silver in 2022.

Russian “neutral” Matvey Knikovskiy won the men’s 100 kg class over Japan’s Dota Arai, the 2024 Worlds bronze winner in this class. The heavyweight divisions will be held on Thursday and the Mixed Team event on Friday.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ANTI-DOPING: USADA chief Tygart says Chinese athletes would have had to eat 11 pounds of food, seven gallons of drink to get their 2021 TMZ levels!

Rich Perelman

June 18, 2025

tsx pix 2025-617 travis tygart sub subcomm — U.S. Anti-Doping Agency chief executive Travis Tygart at the 17 June 2025 Senate subcommittee hearing on the World Anti-Doping Agency (U.S. Senate video screen shot).

★ 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! ★

≡ U.S. vs. WADA CONTINUES ≡

During Tuesday’s Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy hearing, “WADA Shame: Swimming in Denial Over Chinese Doping,” Chair Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) asked U.S. Anti-Doping Agency chief executive Travis Tygart the central question about the January 2021 Chinese doping incident and the subsequent acceptance by the World Anti-Doping Agency of the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency’s insistence that the positive doping results were the result of contaminated food that contained the banned substance trimetazidine, or “TMZ”:

“As soon as the allegations came to light [in 2024], I got a letter out to WADA, demanding to know why they felt like they could ignore this doping, and their answer back to me was insufficient. And, of course, they blamed everyone but themselves, which is not a surprise to us.

“And they even said that there was no basis to challenge the contamination and that the source was TMZ. And so, they you go, and we find out, of course, that they have lied about this, and I know you’ve reviewed their response.

“I want for you to just talk for a minute about why it is completely implausible that the Chinese swimmers were unwittingly contaminated.”

Tygart was more than ready, with a detailed answer:

“We have attempted to get answers as you all have as to what really happened. We’ve seen what they have produced, which is very little.

“They appointed a very, you know, limited review of their own actions, and you don’t have to take it from me, you can take it from what he [ex-Vaud attorney general Eric Cottier] determined.

“He determined that they did not prove contamination and that it was just as plausible to be intentional use. You then couple that with the fact that WADA did no investigation, just blindly accepted the factual scenario that was provided by the Chinese.

“And, in fact, months before these positive tests showed up on their desks, they had interviewed a defector, a whistleblower from Russia – excuse me, from China – who had indicated to them that TMZ was being given in a systemic fashion to athletes, but yet WADA leaders never brought in their independent investigative unit. They have a 16-person, very experienced investigative unit; they were not involved at all with investigating the facts of this case.

“TMZ is a prescription medication in some countries. It does not just show up in the kitchen.

“It’s unbelievable to think that, you know, Tinker Bell showed up and sprinkled it within the kitchen. The Chinese didn’t find anyone using it. They didn’t find it in the food.

“And the amount of food, the amount of contaminated drink that you would have to actually eat or consume to get these [TMZ] levels – was a few micrograms – I think we did the analysis based on the information that’s out there. It’s like 11 pounds of food, and over, I think, seven gallons of liquid in order to get the levels, and to think that Chinese athletes at the top of their game are going to do that type of diet the day before an event, or the day after one event, before the next day’s race, is just absolutely ludicrous.

“And it’s why we’ve asked for the questions: why hasn’t this followed the process that, and the protocols that are in place.”

In fact, the testing of the Chinese athletes in 2021 was in the midst of a winter national championship meet – not just a training camp – in which the top swimmers were involved.

The hearing was in support of S. 233, “Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Act of 2025,” introduced on 23 January 2025 by Blackburn, and assigned to the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, of which her subcommittee is a part. That bill would allow the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy to withhold U.S. dues to WADA unless specific governance reforms discussed during the hearing are implemented.

WADA has strenuously maintained that it did nothing wrong, showed no bias in favor of the Chinese athletes in this case and that Tygart, USADA, the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Congress are simply trying to play politics.

The war of words between the two sides continues unabated.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MILAN CORTINA 2026: Luge federation votes to continue exclusion of Russians through the 2026 Olympic Winter Games

Rich Perelman

June 18, 2025

★ 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! ★

≡ FIL CONGRESS ≡

“At its 73rd Congress in Tampere, Finland, the International Luge Federation (FIL) has voted to continue the exclusion of Russian athletes from FIL competitions, including the qualification process for the Olympic Winter Games Milano-Cortina 2026. The decision was made through a democratic vote held on June 18, 2025.”

The vote was on whether to extend the existing ban on Russian participation, first passed in 2022 and extended in 2024. Two votes were taken:

● “The first vote asked whether to uphold the 2022 and 2024 resolutions. 24 delegates voted in favor of continuing the exclusion, while seven voted against and one ballot was invalid.”

● “A second vote followed, in which the Congress decided not to authorize the FIL Executive Board to develop an AIN program for neutral Russian athletes. As a result, Russian athletes and their entourage will not be permitted to participate in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Again, 24 delegates voted for the exclusion, while eight supported the possibility of participation under the AIN (Athletes with Individual Neutrality) concept.”

Commented FIL President Einars Fogelis (LAT):

“The Congress has made its position clear. This outcome reflects our collective responsibility to uphold fair and safe competition. We fully respect the diversity of views within our community, especially from our athletes.”

Winter federations have generally been in favor of keeping Russian and Belarusian athletes out of their competitions. The International Ski Mountaineering Federation is allowing a limited number of Russian neutrals to be eligible for Olympic qualifying races and the International Skating Union is allowing one entry per event in figure skating, speed skating and short track for Olympic qualifying events, but not for standard ISU events.

The federations for biathlon, skiing and now luge have kept Russian and Belarusian athletes away from their competitions. Following the International Olympic Committee’s request not to have Russian or Belarusian teams competing, the federations for curling and ice hockey have not allowed these teams to compete.

Russian reaction, was predictably disappointment and anger:

● Russian Luge Federation chief Natalia Gart told the Russian news agency TASS:

“I understood that there would be a vote, and I understood the possible outcome, how it would go.

“It all depends on the desire; you look for opportunities or reasons. Why were the Russian lugers treated so harshly? This is not the first time we have been treated like this, our lugers are already well-seasoned in this matter, but we are not going to give in.”

● Dmitry Svishchev, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sport, told TASS:

“Unfortunately, this is expected. Although there is only one team discipline, why not allow individual athletes? I don’t understand this, it is difficult to explain. When the International Olympic Committee itself recommends allowing Russians, the federation does the opposite. This is harmful to sport.”

● Russia’s 2015 World men’s Singles Champion Semen Pavlichenko told TASS:

“Before talking to you, a journalist called me, and I told him that the decision to deny access was not unexpected for me, I had not followed it and did not know about today’s congress, and I have other things to do without it.

“But after that conversation ended, a couple of minutes later, something heated up inside me, and I thought: ‘Do we deserve this?’ I understand that they are trying to punish us for no reason. Somewhere they cannot fight Russia, which they hate, and therefore they want to hurt it at least in this way, through sports.

“At first, doping was invented as a pretext for our oppression, as if we were all so bad in this regard. Now, another way has been chosen to rein in these Russians. And now Russian athletes are in this situation because of bad people who fight in this way. Many of them tell us to our faces that we are friends, but behind our backs they do things that are not typical for friends.

“We have always had very good relations with the leadership of the international federation, FIL President Einars Fogelis is Latvian, we communicated very well with him in Russian. We had plans to hold international competitions in my native Bratsk. And now they are stabbing us in the back, to put it bluntly.”

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

U.S. OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE: IOC’s 2024 financials show USOC revenue-share deal from 2012 working for both sides

Rich Perelman

June 17, 2025

tsx pix 2024-314 rings across america 750 — NBC's "Rings Across America" tour ready to promote its Paris 2024 telecast (Photo: NBC Sports)

★ 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 2012 IOC-USOC DEAL ≡

In the aftermath of the revolutionary 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the International Olympic Committee took over television rights sales from the organizing committee and created a worldwide corporation sponsorship offer – The Olympic Program or “TOP” – which included usage rights from the IOC, the National Olympic Committees and the Olympic organizing committees.

From the start, a huge percentage of the IOC’s revenue from television rights sales and TOP came from American companies and so, amid rumblings of possible Congressional action, the IOC and the then-United States Olympic Committee agreed in 1996 on a revenue-split formula, with the USOC to receive:

● 12.75% of the U.S. television rights sales
● 20.00% of all TOP sponsorships

Over time, while the U.S. television rights continued to skyrocket in value, other countries began paying more too. And while U.S. companies like Coca-Cola continued with TOP, firms from other countries came in too.

So, the 1996 IOC-USOC deal started to cause chafing within some corners of the IOC membership, that the percentages were too rich.

The moaning got louder and louder and after the New York bid for the 2012 Games went out in the second round in 2005, and Chicago for the 2016 Games was eliminated in the first round in 2009, USOC officials felt a modified agreement was needed.

After a lengthy series of talks, a new agreement came in May 2012, modifying the deal from 2020 to 2040. The specifics have never been made public, but then-IOC Marketing Committee Chair Gerhard Heiberg (NOR) told the IOC Session that:

● USOC percentage of U.S. TV rights lowered from 12.75% to 7.0%
● USOC percentage of TOP sponsorships lowered from 20% to 10%

It is believed (but never confirmed) that the cuts also came with a “floor” of the minimum amount of revenue to the USOC during the 2021-24 quadrennial and beyond.

So, is it working?

The answer appears to be yes.

The IOC released its 2024 financial statements earlier than usual in 2025, as a part of efforts to place a bow on the close of the Thomas Bach Era, and so the payments to what is now the USOPC – “Paralympic” added in 2019 – can be compared to prior quadrennials.

The IOC’s year-by-year financial statement numbers from 2013-16, 2017-20 and 2021-24 on IOC payments to the USOC/USOPC for shares of the U.S. television rights and the worldwide TOP program:

2013 to 2016: $404.399 million paid to the USOC
[$259.463 million TV + $144.936 million TOP]
● 2013: $ 32.139 million ($0 TV + $32.139 million TOP)
● 2014: $144.101 million ($98.813 mln + $45.288 mln)
● 2015: $ 31.900 million ($0 + $31.900 mln)
● 2016: $196.259 million ($160.650 mln + $35.609 mln)

2017 to 2020: $664.554 million (+64.3%)
[$306.765 million TV + $357.789 million TOP]
● 2017: $ 91.576 million ($0 TV + $91.576 million TOP)
● 2018: $213.785 million ($124.484 mln + 89.301 mln)
● 2019: $ 88.240 million ($0 + $88.240 mln)
● 2020: $270.953 million ($182.281 mln + $88.672 mln)
(Showing the Tokyo 2020 TV rights payment as if made in 2020 instead of in 2021)

2021 to 2024: $784.923 million (+18.1%)
[$318.750 million TV + $466.173 million TOP]
● 2021: $117.211 million ($0 TV + $117.211 million TOP)
● 2022: $237.015 million ($122.400 mln + $114.615 mln)
● 2023: $109.811 million ($0 + 109.811 mln)
● 2024: $320.886 million ($196.350 mln + $124.536 mln)
(Tokyo 2020 television rights money paid in 2021 is shown in 2020)

So, while the USOPC saw revenue from the IOC increase hugely from Rio to Tokyo – thanks in significant part to a huge expansion of TOP revenue – the 64.3% run-up from 2016 to 2020 slowed dramatically to 18.1% for 2024.

The USOPC is getting more money, but so is the IOC, which – mostly – sends it elsewhere for its various programs, including support for the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the International Testing Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency.

There were fears that the 2012 modification would hurt U.S. competitiveness, but that has not happened, at least not at Paris 2024, where the American team won a sensational 126 medals, the most ever except for Games held in the U.S.

It’s good news for the U.S., but never enough, of course. For the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, the expanded sports program means the USOPC will have to significantly add funding for baseball and softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse and squash, and sport climbing for the Paralympic Games.

And USOPC chief executive Sarah Hirshland has said that she would like to see significant increases in the amounts paid to medal winners at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. And more has to be spent on development and training in advance of 2028.

Some added help will come from joint-venture monies from the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Properties (USOPP), the shared marketing effort by the LA28 organizers and the USOPC. The agreement promises $476 million to the USOPC from 2021-28, with $58 million paid annually from 2022-24 and $64 million paid in 2025-26-27-28.

It all helps.

But the prior hard feelings between the IOC and the U.S. have abated, as shown by an all-time high of four U.S. members of the IOC now – Anita DeFrantz, David Haggerty, Gene Sykes and Allyson Felix – and a 2034 Winter Games awarded to Salt Lake City, Utah.

So far, so good.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Coventry convening IOC members for “consultation”; Hill vs. Lyles race called off; more colleges cut sports and events

Rich Perelman

June 17, 2025

tsx pix 2025-217 lyles-hill (DLAG-up&adams) — Sprint star Noah Lyles and speedy receiver Tyreek Hill (Photos: Diamond League AG and Up & Adams Podcast).

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≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

● International Olympic Committee ● President-elect Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) is not wasting time as she gets ready to take charge of the IOC on 23 June – Olympic Day – in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Following up on her promise after election in March, she has called the IOC members to Lausanne for a day-and-a-half “consultation” on the “theme of ‘Pause and Reflect’” to begin discussions on key issues which remain hot: Russian and Belarusian participation at Milan Cortina 2026, protection of the women’s category, member involvement in IOC programs and especially in future host-city selections and so on.

The new IOC Executive Board will then meet on 25-26 June.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● The LA28 organizing committee announced CDW as its 11th “Official Supporter” of the Games, becoming “Official IT Equipment Services and Solutions Provider” for the organizing committee and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

The agreement, announced last Thursday, covers both hardware and software support for both organizations.

● NCAA ● The state of Louisiana agreed to increase the tax on sports betting from 15% to 21.5% and agreed to share a quarter of the total tax revenue generated from in-state betting – estimated to be about $24.3 million – equally with the 11 public universities with football programs. The money must be used for athlete support, such as scholarships, insurance, medical coverage, facility enhancements and litigation fees.

North Carolina already has a betting tax-sharing plan.

Washington State announced Monday it is reducing its track & field program substantially:

“Earlier today, WSU Athletics leadership met with members of the men’s and women’s track and field team to inform them that the program will be shifting to a distance-focused approach. This change gives the WSU Track & Field program the best opportunity to remain competitive at the conference and national levels in distance events in cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field. It does mean, however, that field events (e.g., jumps, throws) will no longer be supported, effective immediately, and the number of sprint and hurdle opportunities will be limited moving forward.

“Impacted student-athletes will have their scholarships honored should they choose to remain at WSU. WSU understands the significant impact this decision has on Cougar student-athletes, coaches, and fans. Transition support and services will be provided to those student-athletes who choose to seek to continue their academic and athletic careers at other institutions.”

Distance running has been the signature element of Washington State’s program over decades, including stars like Gerry Lindgren, Samson Kimombwa, Henry Rono, Bernard Lagat and others. But the program, especially under ferocious head coach John Chaplin, was a national contender in all phases and won the 1977 NCAA Indoor men’s title.

This is yet another impact of the changes in collegiate athletics, now in view of direct payments to primarily football and basketball players of up to $20.5 million for the academic year beginning 1 July. Expect many more announcements of this kind.

SwimSwam.com reported that as efforts to raise money to endow the Cal Poly swimming and diving program reached only $10 million out of a $20 million requirement, the program is being cut.

Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong wrote: “I know this is difficult news for participants and supporters of the programs, and we want to recognize and again express our appreciation for the work they have done.

“This is an unfortunate reality given the approved NCAA House settlement, state budget and the tenuous situation moving forward for both the state and the NCAA. I want to reiterate that the significant and unequitable changes in the NCAA and the House settlement (and new organizations resulting from this settlement) had an impact that weighed heavily in this decision.”

● Athletics ● The Tyreek Hill sprint challenge to Noah Lyles was supposed to happen this weekend, but didn’t.

Lyles explained at the Sport Beach event in Cannes (FRA):

“We were very deep into creating the event. In fact, it was supposed to happen this weekend. Unfortunately there were some things, complications, personal reasons that it just didn’t come to pass, but we were full on.

“We were gonna have a big event, we were going to shut down New York Times Square and everything, we were gonna have all the billboards for the event, it was going to be a lot of fun.”

There were no more details; Hill, for his part, did race in a 100 m at the Last Chance Sprint Series meet at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California last Friday, winning heat five in 10.15 with a +1.2 wind reading, a lifetime best.

That did not scare Lyles in the least, but Hill, 31, did race the 100 for the first time in 12 years. Lyles has not run a 100 this season.

Arkansas sophomore and NCAA men’s 100 m champion Jordan Anthony, who won the SEC title in 9.95 and the NCAA West regional in 9.75w (+2.1), announced Tuesday that he is going pro in track & field and abandoning his promising wide receiver role on the Razorbacks football team.

At the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku (FIN), the U.S. saw a win for Dylan Beard in the men’s 110 m hurdles in 13.16 (wind: -0.1 m/s) and 2023 Worlds women’s hammer runner-up Janee Kassanavoid was third, at 73.15 m (240-0), behind Olympic champ Cam Rogers (CAN: 74.59 m/244-8).

Italy’s World Indoor champ Mattia Furlani won the men’s long jump at 8.11 m (26-7 1/4) and discus stars Kristjian Ceh (SLO: 2022 World Champion), Matt Denny (AUS: Paris Olympic bronze) and Daniel Stahl (SWE: Tokyo Olympic champ) all surpassed 70 m, with Ceh winning (70.61 m/231-8) over Denny (70.52 m/231-4) and Stahl (70.19 m/230-3).

● Judo ● Two more for Japan at the 2025 IJF World Championships, as Paris Olympic runner-up Sanshiro Murao won an all-Japan final in the men’s 90 kg class from 2024 World Champion Goki Tajima.

The women’s 70 kg final was the first Worlds gold for Shiho Tanaka, winning over 2022 Worlds runner-up Lara Cvjetko (CRO). Through 10 classes, Japan has six golds and 11 total medals Wow.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ANTI-DOPING: USADA’s Tygart tells Senate subcommittee independent leadership and audits of WADA are needed to restore confidence

Rich Perelman

June 17, 2025

tsx pix 2025-617 rahul gupta sen subcomm — Dr. Rahul Gupta, former director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy (U.S. Senate 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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≡ U.S. vs. WADA CONTINUES ≡

“Nearly a year ago, I held a press conference with a bicameral, bi-partisan group of colleagues, demanding answers as to why the World Anti-Doping Agency betrayed its mission and allowed 23 Chinese swimmers to get away with doping.

“Unfortunately, almost a year after the explosive New York Times report exposing the scandal, WADA has failed to provide answers. Instead, all that they have provided are threats, stonewalling and intimidation.

“My message remains the same: my colleagues and I will not be threatened or silenced for promoting fair play and advocating for clean sport.”

That was Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) at the opening of Tuesday’s Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy subcommittee hearing titled “WADA Shame: Swimming in Denial Over Chinese Doping.”

She set the stage for the 75-minute hearing by adding:

“In 2021, credible allegations emerged that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for a banned substance just months before the Tokyo Olympics. What did WADA do? Instead of launching a thorough investigation, they turned a blind eye. They accepted a deeply questionable explanation and allowed these athletes to go ahead and compete. Many of them went on to win medals.

“This wasn’t just a lapse in judgement. This was a cover-up.”

The hearing was in support of S. 233, “Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Act of 2025,” introduced on 23 January 2025 by Blackburn, and assigned to the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, of which her subcommittee is a part. That bill would allow the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy to withhold U.S. dues to WADA unless specific governance reforms are implemented.

The witnesses included the former head of the U.S. ONDCP, Dr. Rahul Gupta, the head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, Travis Tygart, University of Baltimore law professor Dionne Koller and Katie McLaughlin, a Tokyo Olympic 4 x 200 m Freestyle silver medalist, who team finished behind China, with both under the prior world record.

Both Tygart and Gupta were specifically asked what will be take to restore confidence in WADA. Tygart noted that the integrity of the worldwide anti-doping system has been continuously under attack:

“This China scandal is happening on the heels of the Russian state-sponsored doping scandal. It is no wonder why the world’s athletes are incensed once again. …

“And how does WADA respond? Instead of acknowledging and fixing its failures, WADA has dug in to protect the Chinese and its backroom, secret decision-making process. If WADA had any legitimate answers, they would be here. This is the third time they have been invited, but declined to come to Congress.

“So, what can be done? First, disclose the entire Chinese TMZ [trimetazidine] dossier. Justice for athletes demands it.

“Second, the time for blind trust in WADA is over. WADA must be audited by independent experts. Finally … WADA must be independent. One of the core principles of an effective anti-doping system is that it must be free from sports influence. You cannot have the fox guarding the henhouse. …

“Unfortunately, WADA is not independent. WADA promised the U.S. it would make their President and Vice President independent; they have betrayed that promise and they did a classic bait-and-switch. We should continue to hold U.S. funding until this promise has been delivered.”

WADA President Witold Banka (POL) and Vice President Yang Yang (CHN) were re-elected unopposed for third terms for 2026-28 in May after a rule change to allow officers to serve the same number of terms as Board members.

Tygart added:

“We need a strong WADA. We support the mission. But we need a WADA that is truly independent, a global regular, not a lapdog to interests other than anything besides clean athletes and fairness in sport.”

Gupta explained his experience with WADA on the questions raised by the Chinese doping incident:

“When I, as the U.S. representative to WADA, asked questions, why we weren’t told, why no sanctions, why no transparency, we were met with deflection. The so-called independent investigator offered no recommendations, no accountability and no answers.

“This is not a technical lapse. It’s a governance failure, and it breaks faith with every clean competitor. The United States, as WADA’s largest public [government] funder and founder, could not in good conscience continue business as usual.

“That is we withheld our dues and demanded reforms. We need transparency in decision-making, true conflict-of-interest protections, independent oversight and a permanent U.S. seat at the table.

“WADA leaders responded by removing us from its Executive Committee, and that’s not because we broke rules, but because we dared to challenge a broken system. The United States was a democratically-elected member representing the Americas region; that is not how global institutions should operate. That is not leadership. That is fear of accountability.”

Gupta, then the head of the U.S. ONDCP during the Biden Administration, withheld the U.S. dues payment of $3.625 million for 2024 and it has not been paid yet.

In addition to McLaughlin’s concerns over the Chinese incident which may have cost her a gold medal in the Tokyo 4×200 m relay, a video of other athletes, notably star swimmers such as Ryan Murphy and Lilly King of the U.S., Mack Horton of Australia and others, voiced their concerns about WADA. Tygart noted:

“The confidence has been undermined and it’s coming on the heels of the Russian state-sponsored doping; if you see in my long testimony about the weightlifting, it was biathlon before that, it was track & field before that; here we go again. And we have to get this cleaned up to be effective going forward.

“I think the silver bullet on reform … is independence. And I think with independence, then flows transparency, accountability, effective use of resources, engaging in dialogue on how to better themselves, and than ultimately trust, which is the most important aspect for a system that is supposed to give confidence to athletes doing it the right way is the only way to win.”

Blackburn said near the end, “We do want to get this legislation across the line and get something on the books and be able to hold WADA to account. We know WADA and their allies are going to fight this.”

But the U.S., both at USADA and the Congress, appear ready for a long fight.

For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!