PANORAMA: O.C. Register asks 2028 Olympic costs focus; ex-IBU chief Besseberg loses conviction appeal; Paris champ Lin out of Boxing Worlds

September 2, 2025

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● Los Angeles Times columnist Gustavo Arellano wrote in a 7 August post that L.A. should abandon the 2028 Olympic Games because it will be a showcase for U.S. President Donald Trump. That was quickly followed by a rebuttal by retired Times Sports Editor Bill Dwyre a few days later and then a third story, with a detailed explanation of why a withdrawal was contractually and financially impossible.

On Tuesday, the Orange County Register got into the discussion with its own editorial, “Los Angeles should focus on costs instead of Olympic hype,” noting

“Even though Los Angeles has previously hosted the games twice before, there’s good reason to worry about whether the current leadership has the skills to pull off such a complicated endeavor in an efficient and cost-effective manner. The January wildfires exposed myriad layers of incompetence that had festered here for years.

“If LA28 organizers were trying to set everyone’s minds at ease, they could have done better than its recently unveiled Impact and Sustainability Plan, which depicts the Games as ‘a once-in-a-generation opportunity to uplift our communities and lead by example,’ per its CEO’s statement in this newspaper. We’ll be relieved if the city competently manages transportation and trash collection.”

The bottom line:

“[T]he 1984 L.A. Games were the only time a city has profited from them. But as CNBC reported, modern Los Angeles is near the fiscal cliff – and there’s no room for even a small revenue miscalculation. So we’ll see. Here’s hoping Los Angeles officials spend less time bloviating about generational uplift and more time getting the revenue numbers right.”

One correction for the Register: the Los Angeles 1932 Games also had a surplus, and paid back – with interest – the State bond that initially funded the organizing committee and donated the remainder of about $196,267 (about $4.61 million in 2025) to the city-county Community Redevelopment Agency.

● Commonwealth Games ● Commonwealth Sport announced that India and Nigeria both submitted proposals to host the centennial Commonwealth Games in 2030. The process now:

“Both proposals will now be assessed by an Evaluation Commission appointed by the CS Executive Board, including in-person presentations by the Candidate Hosts at a meeting in London in late September 2025. The Evaluation Commission will report its findings to the CS Executive Board, which will recommend a host to the 74 member nations and territories for approval at the General Assembly in late November 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland.”

India produced a very-poorly run Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in 2010; the Commonwealth Games have never been held in Africa, but Nigeria hosted the African Games in 1973 (Lagos) and 2003 (Abuja).

● Athletics ● Paris Olympic women’s 200 m champion Gabby Thomas said Tuesday that she will not compete at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (JPN) in view of continuing Achilles tendon issues since May.

She said in a statement, “As an athlete, you always want to keep grinding, but sometimes you simply can’t outwork an injury.” Now 28, she ran 21.95 for 200 m – still no. 4 in the world for 2025 – at the Grand Slam Track meet in Miramar, Florida, on 3 May, but had not looked the same since.

She is still listed to compete in the ATHLOS NYC meet on 10 October.

Nigerian (and former LSU) star sprinter Favour Ofili, in the top eight in the world in 2025 in the women’s 100 m (10.87) and 200 m (22.00) confirmed her decision to affiliate with Turkey, writing on Monday on her Instagram page:

“Wrapping up my 2025 season has been a whirlwind of new experiences and big decisions. Racing back-to-back across amazing cities and learning from the best has been incredible. As some of you have heard, I’m also starting a new chapter representing Turkey.

“I am proud to have represented Nigeria for many years in a highly successful way! Having won SIX gold medals, TWO silver medals and TWO bronze medals in championship meets and a 200 meter Olympic finalist while experiencing the biggest disappointment from AFN [Athletics Federation of Nigeria] and NOC [Nigeria Olympic Committee]. For their negligence towards me in two Olympic (Tokyo/Paris). I have made this decision.

“While that means sitting out this year’s championship in Tokyo, this change comes from the heart, not from financial motives. I’m truly grateful to have discovered a new home in Turkey, I’m excited for what’s ahead and grateful for all the support I got from my coach, agent, sponsor @adidas and my loved ones during this difficult time.”

Her intention to transfer was reported in June, following announcements by Jamaican Olympic discus winner Roje Stona, shot bronzer Rajindra Campbell, Olympic long jumper runner-up Wayne Pinnock and triple jump star Jaydon Hibbert.

AFN President Tonobok Okowa told ESPN:

“Ofili herself knows the whole truth. This is all about money. Herself and her coach, they are trying to make some money. I don’t see anything wrong with that, but as far as I am concerned, if she wants to go, it’s okay. She’s an adult but she should stop using these reasons as her excuse.

“Okay, the Kenyans and Jamaicans that are going to Turkey, what reasons do they have? Let her go in peace. She’s an adult, she has the right to make her decision if she wants to switch allegiance or not.”

World Athletics has a three-year waiting period for transfers of allegiance, which would make all five eligible in mid-2028, just ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, assuming they filed earlier this year.

● Biathlon ● Former International Biathlon Union President Anders Besseberg (NOR), now 78, lost his appeal on gross corruption charges to the Borgarting Court of Appeal; according to the Norwegian prosecutors (computer translation from the original Norwegian):

“The Court of Appeal has sentenced the man to 3 years in prison. He must also endure the confiscation of just over 1 million kroner. In addition, he has been sentenced to the confiscation of two watches and assets originating from hunting trips.”

The decision also noted:

“Besseberg has received significant financial benefits that clearly exceed NOK 1,000,000, that several of the individual actions have caused and had a risk of causing significant reputational damage to the IBU, and that the corruption act continued over many years and consisted of a long series of individual actions. In addition, the Court of Appeal emphasizes that Besseberg’s action was a clear breach of the trust that came with his position as president of an international sports federation.”

Besseberg served as the head of the IBU from 1993 to 2018 and the corruption charges related to activities in the period from 2009-18. He will undoubtedly now appeal to the Norwegian Supreme Court, in Oslo.

● Boxing ● Per Taiwan’s semi-official Central News Agency:

“Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting will not attend the 2025 World Boxing Championships held in Liverpool due to a lack of response regarding her sex tests from the organizer, World Boxing (WB).

“The Chinese Taipei Boxing Association (CTBA) stated on Monday that it had submitted all relevant tests to the WB federation, but had not received a response as of Monday, the departure day for the games.

“The CTBA said its decision for Lin to skip the championships was made to protect its athletes, ensuring they would not travel to the United Kingdom without a guarantee of participation.”

Lin, now 29, won the Paris Olympic women’s 57 kg gold medal last year, but was disqualified by the International Boxing Association for “gender ineligibility” at the 2023 IBA World Championships, after having won IBA world titles in 2018 and 2022 in the women’s 54 kg and 57 kg classes.

She agreed to submit to the now-required World Boxing sex test in order to compete at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool (GBR) beginning Thursday (4th), but did not receive results back in time for travel, according to the Taiwanese federation.

Algerian 66 kg gold medalist Imane Khelif appealed against the use of the test to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which refused a request to allow her to box without it. So both are now out of the World Boxing Championships in 2025.

● Cycling ● Australia’s Jay Vine won his second individual stage at the 2025 Vuelta a Espana, with an attack 5 km from the finish of yet another uphill-finishing stage, this time after 175.3 km to El Ferial Larra Belagua.

Vine broke away from Spain’s Pablo Castillo to win in 3:56:24, some 35 seconds up on Castillo and 1:04 ahead of Javier Romo (ESP). An 11-rider group followed at 1:05 behind, including Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard and Portugal’s Joao Almeida. As Norway’s Torstein Traeen finished 2:08 behind, in 23rd place, Vingegaard re-assumed the overall lead.

With 11 stages remaining, Vingegaard now has 26 seconds on Traeen and 38 seconds on Almeida in a lively race for the lead.

● Fencing ● The Federation Internationale de Escrime (FIE) announced Tuesday the election of four new athlete members of the FIE Hall of Fame, including U.S. Foil star Alexander Massialas, the 2016 Olympic silver medalist and a seven-time Worlds medal winner.

Joining him will be Korean Sang-uk Oh, the Paris 2024 Olympic men’s Sabre winner; Italian Andrea Borella, a 1984 Olympic Team gold medalist, and Gyorgy Nebald of Hungary, who won bronze, gold and silver Team medals in men’s Team Sabre at the 1980-88-92 Games.

● Gymnastics ● The head of the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation, Irina Deriugina, said that the federation has protested the approval as a “neutral” of Tokyo Olympic Team gold medalist Angelina Melnikova at the FIG Artistic World Challenge Cup in Paris on 13-14 September.

If the FIG does not disallow Melnikova’s status to compete, the Ukrainians may boycott the event as a “passive protest.” The Ukrainian federation believes Melnikova’s ties to military-related sports clubs and personal political activity.

The Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG), with tremendous viewership during the Olympic Games, has lagged for decades behind the commercial efforts of federations in athletics, aquatics and others. On Tuesday, FIG noted the formation of a new committee to try and fix this:

“The ‘Setting up the Marketing Company’ Working Group has the most ambitious objective. Inspired by the path taken by other international sports governing bodies. FIG President Watanabe’s vision is to have a separate commercial arm of the FIG that is responsible for handling all of the federation’s commercial interests. The objective for this Working Group is to produce a business plan by the end of this year.”

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For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: USA Track & Field names mammoth, 141-athlete team for 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo!

Rich Perelman

September 2, 2025

tsx pix 2024-809 benjamin, rai (dan vernon WAth) — U.S.’s Rai Benjamin wins the Paris Olympic men’s 400 m hurdles over Tokyo champ Karsten Warholm (Photo: Dan Vernon for World Athletics)

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≡ U.S. WORLDS TEAM ≡

A team of 75 women and 66 men will compete as part of the American track & field team at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (JPN) from 13-21 September, expected to once again lead the medal table.

The entries are a combination of those who are (1) defending World Champions from 2023; (2) 2025 Diamond League champions, (3) qualified via the championships’ qualifying standard, or (4) qualified via the World Athletics Rankings, to fill out the targeted field sizes in each event.

The U.S. had a superb performance at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris (FRA), winning 34 medals, including 14 golds (14-11-9). That was up from 29 (12-8-9) at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest (HUN) and 33 (13-9-11) at the 2022 Worlds in Eugene, Oregon.

In terms of returning stars, the American team is loaded:

2023 World Champions:
● Men/100 m: Noah Lyles
● Men/200 m: Noah Lyles
● Men/110 m hurdles: Grant Holloway
● Men/Shot: Ryan Crouser

● Women/100 m: Sha’Carri Richardson
● Women/Vault: Katie Moon (co-champion)
● Women/Shot: Chase Jackson
● Women/Discus: Lagi Tausaga

2024 Olympic Champions:
● Men/100 m: Lyles
● Men/1,500 m: Cole Hocker
● Men/100 m hurdles: Holloway
● Men/400 m hurdles: Rai Benjamin
● Men/Shot: Crouser

● Women/100 m hurdles: Masai Russell
● Women/Long Jump: Tara Davis-Woodhall
● Women/Discus: Valarie Allman

Crouser has not competed all year due to elbow problems, but will throw in Tokyo. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the world-record-setting 400 m hurdler, chose the 400 m flat for 2025, still chasing Sanya Richards-Ross’ 48.70 mark from 2006.

Looking at where the confirmed American entries for Tokyo stand on the Tilastopaja.info 2025 world list, there are 27 (13+14) currently in the top three:

● Men/100 m: Kenny Bednarek, Courtney Lindsey
● Men/200 m: Lyles, Bednarek
● Men/400 m: Jacory Patterson, Khaleb McRae
● Men/800 m: Donavan Brazier
● Men/5,000 m: Nico Young
● Men/100 m hurdles: Cordell Tinch
● Men/400 m hurdles: Benjamin
● Men/Shot: Josh Awotunde
● Men/Hammer: Rudy Winkler
● Men/Decathlon: Kyle Garland

● Women/100 m: Melissa Jefferson-Wooden
● Women/200 m: Jefferson-Wooden, McKenzie Long
● Women/400 m: McLaughlin-Levrone
● Women/100 m hurdles: Russell, Grace Stark
● Women/Pole Vault: Moon
● Women/Long Jump: Davis-Woodhall
● Women/Shot: Jackson
● Women/Discus: Allman, Tausaga
● Women/Hammer: Brooke Andersen, Rachel Richeson
● Women/Heptathlon: Anna Hall

Wow! And there are five relays as well. The announcement noted, as usual, “Relay orders will not be announced until the day of competition.”

The U.S. squad is enormous; some of the other announced teams include 90 for Italy, 80 for Japan, 64 for Great Britain, 63 for Jamaica and 59 for Canada.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TABLE TENNIS: ITTF tribunal rejects Qatar’s Presidential election challenge, so the next challenge will be at the Court of Arbitration for Sport

Rich Perelman

September 2, 2025

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≡ ITTF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ≡

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 a loud, 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 ITTF said that the election was properly held and on Monday, an independent, three-member panel confirmed the election results, stating:

“1. The Appeal filed by the First Appellant, Mr. Khalil Al Mohannadi, is dismissed.

“2. The Appeal filed by the Second Appellant, Qatar Table Tennis Association, is dismissed.

“3. The Decision of the ITTF Annual General Meeting as of 27 May 2025 to elect Ms Petra Sörling as the ITTF President is confirmed.”

This was not a surprise, since the voting procedure at the Annual General Meeting followed the federation’s rules. However, for Al-Mohannadi, this was only the first step in his appeals effort, as he stated in a June post outlining his plans:

“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”

So, the matter moves on to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which, unlike Al-Mohannadi, will take considerable note of the ITTF Tribunal hearing, which the ITTF explained, maintained a formalized process of submissions and argument:

“As the grounds will show, the ITTF Tribunal’s decision is the result of an extensive legal process initiated when QTTA and Mr. Al-Mohannadi filed their appeals on 17 June 2025, seeking to annul the result of the AGM election and that Mr. Al-Mohannadi be declared President of the ITTF. Throughout the past months, the ITTF Tribunal Hearing Panel received extensive written submissions and supporting evidence from all parties. Among the evidence submitted was, at the request of QTTA and Mr. Al-Mohannadi, the official LUMI report on online voting, including the certified tally of votes.

“The process culminated in a full hearing held on 28 August 2025, which lasted approximately five hours. At the outset of the hearing, all parties accepted the jurisdiction of the ITTF Tribunal and confirmed the independence of the three-member Hearing Panel appointed to adjudicate the case. The parties had full opportunity to examine and cross-examine Mr. Abdulla Al Mulla, Chair of the ITTF Nominations Committee, who was called as a witness on behalf of QTTA and Mr. Al-Mohannadi. The parties were then allowed to make oral submissions and, at the end of the hearing, confirmed that their rights to be heard were fully respected.”

Only the decision has been communicated so far and the full opinion of the panel – which is key – has yet to be published.

Because of the ruckus caused by Al-Mohannadi and his supporters, the Annual General Meeting had to be suspended, with several elections still to take place; the rest of the meet must be held before the end of November and an online meeting has been suggested, which would be a considerable irony, since Al-Mohannadi complained vigorously about online voting at the May meeting.

The ITTF Integrity Unit has also not been heard from, and may be waiting for the election challenges to be completed before it considers the actions from the Annual General Meeting in May. But it is hard to believe that some consideration of sanctions will not be held after the uproarious behavior seen there.

For now, Sorling’s election has been confirmed, and on to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

DIVING: Olympic superstar Greg Louganis sells medals, home and heads to Panama

Rich Perelman

September 2, 2025

tsx pix 2025-902 louganis, greg in 2016 (wiki) — American Olympic diving legend Greg Louganis, shown in 2016 (Photo: Wikipedia).

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≡ THE LATEST ≡

“So, as life moves forward, what are you prepared to leave behind?

“I am 65 years old, and I am asking just that. I am no longer who I used to think I was. Not even close to ‘What’ other people or ‘Who’ other people think I am.

“I have auctioned three of my medals, which sold, I believe, because I went against what the ‘experts’ told me last time when I tried the first time.

“I told the truth; I needed the money. While many people may have built businesses and sold them for a profit, I had my medals, which I am grateful for.

“If I had proper management, I might not have been in that position, but what is done is done; live and learn.

“The other consideration is the sale of my house. I am VERY happy with whom I sold it to. I thanked and blessed the house to bring joy, love, peace, happiness, and a sense of safety to those who entered the house.”

That’s the start of a long Facebook post by Olympic diving icon Greg Louganis from 29 August (Friday), explaining that he is moving to Panama. He explained that he gave some gifts to friends, has packed up and is getting ready for his next stage:

● “I realized I often close myself off, shut myself down, and play small for the comfort of others.

“I don’t think I have realized or given myself credit for what I might be able to accomplish.”

● “Now I get to discover who is Greg Louganis? Without the distraction and noise from outside. At least this is my goal, and hey, I may not find that.

“I think I may find it at times, in moments, my goal is to live it! Discover, allow, and nurture that human spirit through the experiences of life.

“To be joyful in the moments, embrace the grief, the anger, and the laughter, and embrace it all, feel it all in this experience we call our lives.

“Did I love well? Was I kind?

“Letting go of all judgment and criticism of self and others.

“Be kind in thought and deed!”

Louganis was an unforgettable diver, winner of a 1976 Olympic silver in the 10 m, then golds in the 3 m and 10 m at Los Angeles in 1984 and Seoul in 1988. He won the 1984 AAU Sullivan Award as the finest amateur athletes in the U.S. and is a member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame.

He sold the ‘76 silver, ‘84 3 m gold and ‘88 10 m gold in July in an RR Auction offering that netted him about $345,000, and he retained his Los Angeles ‘84 10 m gold and the Seoul ‘88 3 m gold.

He promises to check in from Panama on Facebook.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MODERN PENTATHLON: New event, new World Champs format, new UIPM President, but still a long road ahead

Rich Perelman

September 1, 2025

tsx pix 2025-901 khalil, farida wch (uipm-nuno goncalves) — Egyptian teen superstar Farida Khalil celebrating her 2025 World Championships gold (Photo: UIPM/Nuno Goncalves).

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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

The stories on the Web site of the International Federation for modern pentathlon – the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne or UIPM – were glowing, of course, from the just-completed World Championships in Kaunas (LTU), held for the first time indoors, at the Zalgiris Arena:

● UIPM President Rob Stull (USA):

“The local organizing committee and the competition team set a very high bar for themselves and they exceeded it. This is one of the best World Championships UIPM has seen in many years and I am in awe of the achievements of our athletes throughout the week.

“It was an amazing debut of the arena format at a World Championships. Building on the success of Budapest, Lithuania took it to an entirely different level. Athletes, coaches, staff and spectators had a thoroughly enjoyable experience on the first stop on the road to Los Angeles 2028.”

● UIPM Honorary President and International Olympic Committee member Prince Albert II of Monaco:

“It was a really positive and extraordinary improvement. The sport has undergone so many different transformations over the years and this is the culmination of a lot of brainstorming and a lot of ideas.

“I think it’s very exciting, it makes the competition very thrilling – and very interesting also for the athletes. It is a great format, and in an indoor venue like this it takes on a different dimension, a different meaning.”

● IOC member Balazs Furjes (HUN):

“You are making changes, and I think we have to appreciate that the changes are going absolutely to the right direction. It’s spectacular, attractive, dynamic, so I think it’s very good for the sport.

“In Budapest we were very happy to stage the first indoor World Cup, and I know there are three different type of events that Rob [Stull] talks about. One is indoor, the other is a stadium where we could host all the events together, even including a swimming pool in a stadium, and the third one in iconic locations of beautiful cities with the city serving as a backdrop.”

Great. Now, how did the 2025 Worlds – with obstacle instead of riding, changed at the insistence of the IOC – measure up to where the federation has been in the past?

We can a measure some of the ebb-and-flow of the UIPM as a federation by participation in its World Championships. So over the last four quadrennials, plus 2025, the number of men and women competing in the individual competitions in the World Championships looks like this:

● 2025: 95 men + 71 women
(first Worlds with obstacle; all prior with equestrian)

● 2024: 79 + 72
● 2023: 81 + 78
● 2022: 70 + 72
● 2021: 81 + 68

● 2020: no championships (Covid)
● 2019: 88 + 68
● 2018: 83 + 67
● 2017: 77 + 62

● 2016: 96 + 75
● 2015: 90 + 81
● 2014: 97 + 82
● 2013: 80 + 69

● 2012: 106 + 77
● 2011: 102 + 74
● 2010: 84 + 56
● 2009: 96 + 60

So, essentially, the 2025 participation numbers have gotten the sport back to its 2016 level, but about 9% smaller than 2011 and 2012.

Obstacle is not an immediate panacea for the sport, which has almost always been the smallest in the Olympic Games; with 64 total athletes (32 men + 32 women) for Los Angeles 2028, larger now only than surfing (48), and down eight quota places from Paris 2024 (72).

The UIPM reported attendance of 5,000 in the 15,415-seat basketball arena, so there is room for growth.

Stull followed German Klaus Schormann, who was the UIPM leader from 1993 to 2024, and whose primary achievement was to keep the UIPM in the Olympic program. Stull wants to do better, but funding is extremely limited at the UIPM and national levels.

One bright spot for the federation – an opportunity – is teen sensation Farida Khalil, the 14-year-old Egyptian who won four Worlds golds in 2025: the U-17, U-19, Junior (U-22) and senior titles. And Egypt, which wants to be more of a sports power, swept the Worlds individual golds with Moutaz Mohamed winning the men’s title, following Ahmed El-Gendy’s 2024 Paris Olympic men’s gold.

But how can Khalil and an emergent Egypt be leveraged to attract more participants in more countries? With a larger audience will come more opportunities for sponsorship and support.

It’s a difficult cycle to master, but biathlon – which used to be part of a combined summer-winter federation with pentathlon from 1953-93 – has solved the riddle. Can pentathlon ever break out?

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Kenya, India, Russia are 50% of all athletics ineligibles; FIFA lists 41 behavior sanctions just for June World Cup qualifiers!

Rich Perelman

September 1, 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 2028: Los Angeles ● Los Angeles City Council member Tim McOsker got what he wanted from the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games organizing committee, namely a split of the sailing events with Long Beach, with the boating races to be held in his district, in the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro.

In addition, LA28 finally posted – last week – its Impact and Sustainability Report, originally due on 31 March of this year and updated its Annual Report.

So, last week, he withdrew his four motions asking the City for the status on venue selection, procurement and hiring procedures, budget control and options for dispute resolution with the organizing committee. For now, he’s happy.

The City of Los Angeles made an outreach to the National Olympic Committee delegates during the “NOC Open Days” last week for possible in-city hospitality locations, holding a reception at Los Angeles City Hall on Thursday morning.

Several NOCs attended, at the invitation of the Mayor’s Office of International Affairs, and were informed about a handful of possible locations in the City, including some historic venues.

● Athletics ● At the USATF national 20 km championships in New Haven, Connecticut, Paris Olympian Conner Mantz finally got away from two-time Olympian and defending race champ Hillary Bor in the final 500 to win in 56:16, an American Record, better than his 56:23 en route time at the Houston Half earlier this year. It’s his second national title at this distance (also in 2022).

Bor was second in 56:32, ahead of Isai Rodriguez in third at 56:34.

Aubrey Frentheway broke away at 15 km and won the women’s race in 1:05:36, ahead of Biruktayit Degefa (1:05:42) and Ednah Kurgat (1:05:46). It’s the first national title for Frentheway.

The Athletics Integrity Unit posted its roster of ineligible people as of the end of August 2025 with 649 listings. There are 13 countries with 10 or more entries:

● 140: Kenya
● 123: India
● 62: Russia
● 33: China
● 21: South Africa

● 19: Italy
● 19: Turkey
● 17: Ethiopia
● 15: Ukraine
● 14: Morocco

● 13: United States
● 10: Kuwait
● 10: Nigeria

Between Kenya and India, their combined total of 263 is 40% of the entire list, and with Russia, accounts for half of all 649 listings.

● Canoe-Kayak ● Argentina and Chile dominated the Pan American Sprint Championships in Asuncion (PAR), winning 49 and 43 medals, and the Argentines taking 24 golds.

The U.S. sent a small team and won two medals, a silver by Philip Majumdar in the men’s K-1 200 m, and a bronze in the men’s K-4 1,000 m.

● Football ● FIFA posted a four-page, 41-line list of disciplinary measures from qualifying matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup held only in June 2025, with seven warnings, plus fines, suspensions and reductions in fans allowed in stadiums.

There were 25 national federations receiving warnings or sanctions: Albania, Argentina (3), Austria, Bahrain, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia (2), Ecuador, Estonia, Indonesia (2), Iraq, Jordan, Montenegro, Netherlands, Poland, Qatar, Romania (2), San Marino, Serbia, Suriname, Uruguay and Uzbekistan.

The charges were briefly listed and included actions such as:

● “Causing a disturbance during national anthems”
● “Discrimination and racist abuse”
● “Failure to respect decisions”
● “Invasion or attempted invasion of the field of play”
● “Lighting of fireworks or any other objects”
● “Misconduct of players and officials”
● “Offensive behaviour and violations of the principles of fair play”
● “Order and security at matches”
● “Serious foul play”
● “Team misconduct”
● “Throwing of objects”
● “Use of gestures, words, objects or any other means to transmit a message that is not appropriate for a sports event”

Players from 11 countries were sanctioned, from Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Montserrat, North Korea and Trinidad & Tobago.

Remember, this was only from matches in June!

● Volleyball ● The quarterfinals of the FIVB Women’s World Championship in Thailand are set after the U.S. and Turkey completed the bracket with Monday sweeps in the round-of-16.

The U.S. defeated Canada by 25-18, 25-21, 25-21 and Turkey sailed past Slovenia, 30-28, 25-13, 29-27. Thus, the quarterfinals, all in Bangkok (with tournament seeds indicated):

Upper bracket:
● 3 Sep.: 9 Netherlands vs. 7 Japan
● 4 Sep.: 3 United States vs. 4 Turkey

Lower bracket:
● 3 Sep.: 1 Italy vs. 6 Poland
● 4 Sep.: 2 Brazil vs. 19 France

Seven of the eight teams remaining are all 4-0, with France the only one to lose a match, a five-setter against Brazil in pool play. The semis will be on 6 September and the medal matches on the 7th.

Venezuela won the men’s Pan American Cup in Leon (MEX), a qualification pathway tournament, defeating Mexico in the final, 3-1. Canada won the bronze; the U.S., with a mixed team of experienced and new players, finished sixth.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

BOXING: Court of Arbitration dismisses appeal by Algerian Olympic champ Khelif to compete without a sex-test at World Boxing Championships

Rich Perelman

September 1, 2025

tsx pix 10918 court of arb for sport 750x500 — The Court of Arbitration for Sport

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≡ KHELIF APPEAL DENIED ≡

Algeria’s Paris Olympic women’s 66 kg gold medalist, Imane Khelif, does not want to take a sex-test to compete at the World Boxing Championships that begin on 4 September.

World Boxing, now responsible for governance worldwide of Olympic boxing, announced on 30 May that sex-screening would be required to compete in its sanctioned events, including the Eindhoven Box Cup in The Netherlands from 5-10 June.

The announcement noted that the Algerian federation was specifically informed that Khelif would be required to take the test. Khelif declined to take the test and did not compete, and World Boxing apologized to Khelif a few days later for singling her out.

The federation, however, formally announced on 20 August that it requires all entries for the World Boxing Championships – starting in Liverpool (GBR) on Thursday – to take the test:

● “It means that all athletes who wish to take part in the 10 female weight categories at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool will need to undergo a PCR or functional medical equivalent genetic screening test to certify their eligibility to box.”

● “Athletes deemed to be female at birth, as evidenced by the presence of XX chromosomes or the absence of Y chromosome genetic material (the SRY gene) or with a DSD where male androgenization does not occur, will be eligible to compete in the female category.”

● “Where test results for boxers that want to compete in the female category reveal Y chromosome genetic material and a potential Difference of Sexual Development (DSD), the initial screenings will be referred to World Boxing’s expert medical panel for genetic screening, hormonal profiles, anatomical examination or other valuation of endocrine profiles by medical specialists. The policy includes an appeals process, and support will be offered to any boxers that provide an adverse test result.”

So Khelif filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport – on 5 August, two weeks before the formal World Boxing policy was announced – so that she could compete without taking the test. On Monday:

“On 1 September 2025, CAS dismissed a request to suspend the execution of the decision by World Boxing until the case is heard.

“The Parties are currently exchanging written submissions and with their agreement, a hearing will be scheduled. CAS procedures whilst ongoing, are confidential.”

Unless an emergency hearing is scheduled, the appeal will roll well past the World Boxing Championships; the women’s 65 kg class will open on Friday, 5 September, and the issue regarding Khelif’s participation will be moot.

However, Khelif can continue with an appeal for injunctive relief going forward to allow her to compete without a test.

Khelif won an IBA World Championships silver in 2022 but was disqualified by the IBA during the 2023 Worlds for “gender ineligibility” issues, without any documentation.

Conversely, Agence France Presse reported on 21 August that the coach of Paris Olympic women’s 57 kg winner, Yu-ting Lin (TPE) – a two-time World Champion in 2018 (54 kg) and 2022 (57 kg) and who was also disqualified by the IBA in 2023 – said that she would comply with the testing regulations.

Final entries have not been posted yet.

Observed: Khelif has said that she is not done with boxing, but a refusal to comply with the World Boxing sex-test regulations does not offer a positive indicator that she can pass such a test. Only time will tell.

The release of the final entries for Liverpool will be closely followed to see if Lin is in the women’s 57 kg field.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THIS WEEK: Six world championships start or continue this week, plus (maybe) another American federation president?

Rich Perelman

August 31, 2025

tsx pix 2019-423 ellison, brady 750 medellin — American archery star Brady Ellison (Photo: World Archery)

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≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

It’s the end of summer, so six world championships are being held this week, in Korea, Great Britain, Switzerland, El Salvador and Thailand, plus a couple of other events of continuing interest highlight the international sports calendar:

● Archery: The 53rd World Archery Championships gets started on Friday in Gwangju (KOR), in the Recurve and Compound divisions. The U.S. always has a strong entry, including in 2025, with men’s 2019 World Champion and Paris 2024 silver medalist Brady Ellison, and women’s 2021 Worlds silver winner Casey Kaufhold.

Korean archers swept all five Olympic events in Paris in 2024, including Woo-jin Kim, who won his first individual men’s gold to go with three Worlds victories, in 2011, 2015 and 2021. Si-hyeon Lim won the women’s Olympic gold and teamed with Kim to take the Mixed Team gold. Ellison and Kaufhold won the mixed bronze.

The defending World Champions from 2023 are Mete Gazoz (TUR) in the men’s Recurve class and Marie Horackova (CZE) for the women.

● Boxing: This will be the first World Boxing Championships, and a significant milestone for the new World Boxing federation. The tournament will be held in Liverpool (GBR) from 4-14 September and will be carefully observed to check on the organization of the tournament and the quality of refereeing and judging, areas which were an issue with the prior federation, the International Boxing Association.

On 20 August, World Boxing announced that it was imposing mandatory female sex-testing for the 2025 Worlds:

“Athletes deemed to be female at birth, as evidenced by the presence of XX chromosomes or the absence of Y chromosome genetic material (the SRY gene) or with a DSD where male androgenization does not occur, will be eligible to compete in the female category.”

Paris Olympic women’s 57 kg winner Yu-ting Lin (TPE), a three-time World Champion under the IBA (and predecessor-in-name AIBA), was disqualified by the IBA for “gender ineligibility” in 2023, but said she would take the test to be able to box in Liverpool.

World Boxing started with 27 members in November 2023 and now, less than two years later, has provisional recognition from the International Boxing Committee and 118 member federations.

● Cycling: The 36th year of the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships will see Cross Country Olympic, Cross Country Short Track, Downhill and other racing styles in Valais (SUI), with the main action in the second week from 6-14 September.

Looking ahead, the defending World Champions from 2024 are Alan Hatherly (RSA: men) and Puck Pieterse (NED) in the Cross Country Olympic races, Victor Koretzky (FRA) and Evie Richards (GBR) in the Short Track, and Loris Vergier (FRA) and Valentina Hoell (AUT) in Downhill.

● Rugby: The World Rugby Women’s World Cup will continue through 27 September, but group play will finish this week (7th). So far, the leaders in each pool:

● Pool A: England 2-0; Australia 1-0-1
● Pool B: Canada 2-0; Scotland 2-0
● Pool C: New Zealand 2-0; Ireland 2-0
● Pool D: South Africa 2-0; France 2-0

The U.S. is in Pool A and plays Samoa on the 6th while England plays Australia, with all three in contention for the quarterfinals, which will start on 13 September.

● Surfing: The annual world championships on the waves, the 37th World Surfing Games will be in La Bocana (ESA) for the third time in the last five years. Gabriel Medina (BRA: men) and Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS: women) are the defending champions.

The Paris Olympic winners – in Tahiti – were Kauli Vasst (FRA) and American Caroline Marks.

● Volleyball: The 20th FIVB Women’s World Championships will conclude with the gold-medal match on 7 September. The 32 teams are almost down to eight, with the quarterfinals on 3-4 September:

Upper bracket:
● 3 Sep.: Netherlands vs. Japan
● 4 Sep.: Winners of 1 Sep. matches USA-CAN and TUR-SLO

Lower bracket:
● 3 Sep.: Italy vs. Poland
● 4 Sep.: Brazil vs. France

The top seeds coming into the tournament had Italy at no. 1, then Brazil and the U.S.

However, that’s not all that is on the noteworthy list:

● Cycling: The middle week of the 80th Vuelta a Espana has three more punishing, uphill-finishing stages in nos. 10, 13 and 14:

● Stage 10: starts at 262 m, finishes at 1,585 m
● Stage 13: starts at 111 m, finishes at 1,556 m
● Stage 14: starts at 23 m, finishes at 1,711 m

The other stages aren’t picnics, either, with seven smaller climbs on Wednesday and two significant climbs on Thursday. Favorite Jonas Vingegaard starts the week in second place, having won the ninth stage and moving from 2:33 behind to just 37 seconds behind Norway’s Torstein Traeen.

● Football: The U.S. men will be back in action on Saturday (6th) vs. 2026 World Cup qualifier South Korea in Harrison, New Jersey, its first match since a 6 July loss to Mexico (2-1) in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final in Houston, Texas.

The question continues about the progress of the U.S. team as the 2026 FIFA World Cup gets closer. In 2025, the American men are 7-5. The follow-up match will be against Japan – also coming to World Cup ‘26 – on 9 September in Columbus, Ohio.

● Tennis: The U.S. Open continues in New York, with defending men’s champ Jannik Sinner (ITA) now in the fourth round, and defending women’s champ Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) also playing in the fourth round.

The women’s final will be on 6 September and the men’s final on the seventh.

There’s one more competition to look for.

On Wednesday, prior to the World Archery Championships in Korea, the federation will select a new president for the first time since 2005. Long-time Secretary General Tom Dielen (BEL) and former World Archery board member Greg Easton – son of Jim Easton, the former president – are the candidates.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: Politico reports U.S. host cities balking at local costs for FIFA World Cup 2026; what does this mean for L.A. in 2028?

Rich Perelman

August 31, 2025

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≡ WORLD CUP PLANNING PAINS ≡

In a lengthy story posted Sunday titled, “US cities confront FIFA over World Cup costs,” Politico‘s Sophia Cai reviewed the obligations and constraints placed on the 11 communities in the U.S. where 2026 FIFA World Cup matches will be played, with the recurrent theme sounded by Santa Clara, California mayor Lisa Gillmor:

“There’s a little bit coming in, but certainly there is not enough to cover our cost. It’s a tall task to take on.”

FIFA has changed the way the World Cup is organized for 2026, dispensing with in-country organizing committees altogether, in favor of FIFA itself staging the tournament and collecting all of the revenues available for itself.

This will have the effect of enormously increasing FIFA’s take, from $7.57 billion in the 2019-22 quadrennial to a projected $13.0 billion for 2023-26, with FIFA staff and hundreds of short-term hires working out of new FIFA offices in Coral Gables, Florida.

All of the broadcast rights, sponsorship, hospitality, ticketing, licensing and merchandising and other revenue goes directly to FIFA now. On the other hand, communities in which the matches will be held are responsible, as part of the bid process and according to host-city agreements, to provide:

● Competition facility enhancements to FIFA’s standards
● Community security and policing
● Fan festivals, set to accommodate up to 15,000 at a time

All are counting on massive tourism to boost hotel, restaurant, transportation and other visitor spending to provide a tax bonanza to pay for all of this. And the story underlines the worries over where the money will come from in 2026.

Some are turning to higher accommodations occupancy taxes, some want state financial assistance, such as Texas’ Major Events Reimbursement Program Fund. Others want to cut back. Cai wrote:

“Nowhere is the situation as tense as in California, where the state’s refusal to deliver more funding to two venues due to its own budget problems has driven the Los Angeles organizers to consider their own watch parties beyond FIFA’s control. The international federation countered with threats to deny public viewing licenses if the host committee deviates from its preferred format.”

Matches there include six at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara and eight at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, just east of Los Angeles International Airport.

The U.S. Congress appropriated $625 million in security support costs for the 2026 World Cup, which will no doubt include reimbursements to local law enforcement agencies in World Cup host communities.

But not for field modifications or local fan entertainment or transportation support programs.

Further, FIFA’s own commercial program crowds out nearly all corporate sponsorship opportunities for local host committees. So the revenue and the costs do not even up. So the fan festivals – typically free in the past and a favorite of television cameras whenever a goal is scored – look like the first casualty.

This could simply end up being a reduction of festival days to when matches are played in a host community, although FIFA wants the sites to operate for all days of the tournament (which will apparently be the case in the two Canadian and three Mexican host cities). Or tickets could be sold for the fan fests to try recoup some of the local investments, especially in infrastructure, security and production costs.

The Los Angeles host committee has plans for a FIFA Fan Festival, but also “regional watch events” that would cover more of Los Angeles County.

The Politico report said local community costs could be from $100-200 million each, depending on the number of matches to be played, and a FIFA official, speaking without being identified, said, “It’s a partnership. No one wants them to fail.” According to the story, fan fests in Dallas, Houston, New York/New Jersey and Philadelphia will run throughout the tournament. Elsewhere? Not clear yet.

The fight over these issues in Los Angeles has significant implications for the 2028 Olympic Games as well.

While FIFA owns and operates its World Cup, the International Olympic Committee owns the Olympic Games and has maintained the independent, in-city organizing committee model, with the rapidly-growing LA28 group in place for 2028.

While the LA28 team has focused on the competition sites and putting together the Olympic Village at UCLA, it has been working to save money and ensure that the event is staged at no cost to the City of Los Angeles, which is under heavy financial pressures, and is the guarantor of the first $270 million in deficit and all amounts about $540 million.

Last week, LA28 won easy approval from the City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, for moving the diving events from the LA84 Foundation/John C. Argue Swim Stadium next to the L.A. Memorial Coliseum, to the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center in Pasadena. The clincher was (1) the move will provide a net financial benefit to LA28 of $17.6 million, and (2) LA28 committed to spending $2-3 million of this to widen the existing Swim Stadium so that it can host national and international competitions in the future.

L.A. City Council members have wailed about the need for fan festivals so that “everyone can experience” the 2028 Games. But producing those events is on the City, not LA28, and the IOC’s own commercial needs, as well as those of LA28, will also severely constrain the ability of the City of Los Angeles to obtain commercial sponsors (although private donors seem to be allowed).

At the 1984 Olympic Games, the spread-out nature of the event and the parallel need to ensure there was no deficit – the City of Los Angeles was not involved in any financial guarantees – limited not-ticketed fan support to one main location: Exposition Park, operated by the L.A. Olympic Organizing Committee, at its expense.

The site of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (ceremonies and track and field) and the Los Angeles Sports Arena (torn down, now BMO Stadium), Expo Park had a broad, open-air expanse suitable for free activities, including entertainment stages that offered 127 performances across the 16 days of the Games – during non-competition hours – exhibits, food stalls, souvenir stands and a heavy decorative scheme, with five giant scaffold towers, rows of sonotubes and valances for shade and more than 400 concrete benches (some of which are still in service today).

Operations ran from 7 a.m. to past 10 p.m., with extensive public information kiosks supporting 10 languages, telephone banks (in pre-mobile phone days) and 400 restrooms throughout the park. Daily use was as high as 150,000, primarily Olympic event spectators, but with thousands of others simply visiting.

The desires of the City Council for 2028 are far larger, with Council members asking the City to put up festival or watch-party sites in all 15 Council districts. But who will pay for this?

It’s worthwhile to note that the tug-of-war between U.S. cities and FIFA will not end in 2026, as the U.S. will be the primary host for the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup, another month-long extravaganza that will raise the same issues.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI) is getting an earful about the 2026 World Cup, but also from outside the U.S. At a briefing for reporters in Nairobi (KEN), on Saturday (30th), Infantino was told:

● “African football fans are a little bit jittery about what is happening in the U.S. in regards to the expansion of [the number of] people who are in the U.S.”

● “I think the onus is on you to make sure that Africa and all the other people of the world do not feel outcast, do not feel like they are being made second-class citizens in a world where equality should prevail.”

Infantino replied, “Everyone will be welcome in North America next year for the World Cup. I think it’s important to clarify this, there is a lot of misconception out there.”

The outcome will be seen and heard in less than a year.

Rich Perelman
Editor

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Coe says field events are “additive” to athletics; Grand Slam Track owes $19 million? India confirmed for 2030 Commonwealth bid

Rich Perelman

August 31, 2025

tsx pix 2025-827 zurich dl ehammer, simon (DLAG) — Swiss long jumper Simon Ehammer in front of the Zurich city-center crowd at the Diamond League Final (Photo: Diamond League AG).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The success of the swimming-in-the-Seine program in Paris has led to an extension – providing good weather holds – into September, for up to two weeks.

More than 100,000 have taken advantage of the improved conditions, a signature project of the City of Paris, which had prohibited swimming in the Seine since 1923, until last year. Said Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan to FrancsJeux.com:

“The Games served the Seine, and the Seine served the Games. It was a bold, innovative bet, and we are very happy to have made it.

“It’s a bit like the Games: before, there were a lot of skeptics, people who predicted a catastrophe, and in the end it was a success. Given the 13 days of closure in July due to the rain, we thought about the possibilities of opening a little longer. It will be open for an extra week, with the same hours, at Grenelle, and two weeks at Bercy starting at 8 a.m. – to compensate for the closure of Bras Marie, which is stopping for reasons of coexistence with navigation. We managed to find this balance, without impacting other activities on the Seine, by offering a minimum swimming offer until the 14th, and I hope also the weekend of September 20-21.”

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● The second LA28 NOC Open Days finished last Wednesday, but that wasn’t the end of the sessions for some of the National Olympic Committee delegates who came to Los Angeles.

Beyond Los Angeles, Long Beach will be the next-busiest host city for 2028 and NOC representatives from Australia, Belgium, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain all met with Long Beach reps on Thursday, the day after the NOC Open Days finished.

No word on whether the City of Los Angeles has instituted an organized operation to attract NOC hosting operations yet. The New Zealand Olympic Committee and Culver City announced an understanding for a fan zone and some auxiliary housing in early May. Mission Viejo reached a deal as The Netherlands’ pre-Games training site in August 2024.

● Commonwealth Games ● The Indian Olympic Association said a delegation formally presented its bid for the centennial, 2030 Commonwealth Games in London on Friday (29th).

The proposal is to have Ahmedabad serve as the main host, with a clear vision toward the award of a future Olympic Games. IOC Executive Council member Harpal Singh told Reuters:

“Successfully hosting the Commonwealth Games will demonstrate our nation’s capability, strengthen our international credibility and lay the foundation for the Olympic journey ahead.”

While India has designs on hosting the 2036 Olympic Games, the decision on a host will be made not later than 2029, a year before the 2030 Commonwealth Games. GamesBids.com reported that Nigeria is also interested in 2030 for Abuja; the decision will be made in November.

The Commonwealth Sport Coordination Commission for the 2026 Glasgow reported the organizing committee is “on track” to stage a quality Games in a compact format of 10 sports, with about 3,000 athletes.

● Athletics ● World Athletics President Sebastian Coe (GBR) told reporters last week that field events should not be forgotten, as the Grand Slam Track did not include them in their meets:

“It’s all in the execution, and our sport is complicated. And what I would say, having been in Zurich [Diamond League Final] last night, if you showcase field events really well, then they are additive. They’re not subtracting from the experience.

“You know, we had 8,000 people in Zurich city center last night, watching two shot put competitions, a long jump and pole vault, and they were mesmerized, and they stayed to the very last moment. They were part of the theater.

“So I don’t believe our sport is just about track, and that’s quite an admission from a pavement-pounder. I do believe there’s space for both.

“If you ask me the biggest lesson that we take from everything – and we always have – is, it is ultimately in the execution, and its preparation, and understanding and delivery. That’s what we wake up every morning to do. There are no shortcuts.”

Lengthy, strongly-reported story in The Athletic on Grand Slam Track and its financial difficulties posted on Thursday, stating that the circuit had $13 million in committed funding by the time of its first meet in Jamaica in April (vs. the $30 million it had said was committed) and that potential equity investor Eldridge declined to come in after seeing the Kingston meet.

Grand Slam Track has Winner’s Alliance, a commercial arm of the Professional Tennis Players Association, as an operations partner and investor and that relationship continues. But as much as $19 million is owed.

On 21 August, Foot Locker announced that the 45-year-old Foot Locker Cross Country Championships was being discontinued, a casualty of its acquisition by Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Happily, the meet will continue, with Brooks Running picking up the meet, already scheduled for 13 December this year, as the “Brooks XC Championships presented by Fleet Feet” in San Diego’s Balboa Park.

How did it happen? Ken Stone of The Times of San Diego dove into a frantic effort made to save the event and how a committed group of people who believed in the project found Brooks and the Fleet Feet stores group, who have made a multi-year commitment to continuing it.

● Bobsled & Skeleton ● USA Bobsled & Skeleton finished its second Slide to Glory Recruitment Combine in Salt Lake City, Utah in mid-August, with two former track & field athletes selected to attend a USABS rookie camp in Lake Placid, New York.

Braeden Holcombe, a U.S. Air Force Academy decathlete (7,395), was the men’s winner and former Utah State sprinter Emma Reeves (23.82/54.96) was the women’s selection.

● Fencing ● USA Fencing’s Grievance and Disciplinary Committee imposed a five-year sanction on Epee fencer Curtis McDowald as of 29 August 2025.

Now 29, McDowald was a Tokyo 2020 Olympian, suspended in November 2023 by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, following an incident at the June 2023 Pan American Championships, in which he “kicked and damaged a freestanding banner near the strip,” and also refused to shake hands with his opponent, required under the rules at the time.

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Athletics ● The newest World Marathon Major, the Sydney Marathon, saw Paris Olympic champion Sifan Hassan (NED) back on top of the podium, winning the women’s race in 2:18:22, moving to no. 6 on the world list for 2025.

She pushed hard from the start and was able to hold on, a 34-second winner over Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei, the former world-record holder (2:18:56) and those two were way ahead of Ethiopia’s defending champion Workenesh Edesa (2:22:15) in third. Hassan shattered the race record by more than three minutes.

The men’s race broke open after 33 km, with Ethiopia’s Hailemaryam Kiros finally breaking countryman Addisu Gobena after 40 km and winning in a race record 2:06:06, with Gobena at 2:06:16. Tebello Ramakongoana (LES) was third in 2:06:47, with former Oregon star Edward Cheserek (KEN: 2:07:38) in fifth.

Two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge (KEN), now 40, finished ninth in 2:08:31.

● Badminton ● China, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea all scored wins at the BWF World Championships in Paris (FRA), with the Chinese getting two wins.

Top-seed and 2018 Worlds silver medalist Yuqi Shi (CHN) finally got his Worlds golds, but with a considerable challenge from Paris Olympic silver winner Kunlavut Vitidsarn (THA), 19-21, 21-10, 21-18. The bronze medals went to Canada’s Victor Lai and Anders Antonsen (DEN), who won his fourth career Worlds medal (0-1-3).

Paris Olympic silver medalists Shengshu Liu and Nang Tan (CHN) were the top-seeds in the women’s Doubles and won a tightly-contested match with second-seeds Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan (MAS), 21-14, 20-22, 21-17. Japan took both bronzes, with Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi and Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida.

Japan’s fifth-seed Akane Yamaguchi, the 2021 and 2022 World Champion, got her third career Worlds gold with a minor upset of fourth-seed Yufei Chen (CHN), the Tokyo Olympic champ, by 21-9, 21-13. Olympic champ Se-An Young (KOR) and Putri Kusuma Wardani (INA) won the bronzes.

Won-ho Kim and Seung-jae Seo (KOR) were top-seeded in the men’s Doubles and swept 11th-seeded surprise finalists Boyang Chen and Yi Liu (CHN), 21-17, 21-12. The bronze medals went to Kim Astrup and Anders Rasmussen (DEN) and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty (IND).

Malaysia scored a win in the Mixed Doubles, with fourth-seeds Tang Jie Chen and Ee Wei Toh sailing past no. 2 Zhenbang Jiang and Yaxin Wei (CHN) in straight sets, 21-15, 21-14. France’s Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue and China’s Xinwa Guo and Fanghui Chen took the bronze medals.

● Basketball ● At the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup, Argentina edged Brazil, 75-73, in the championship game and the U.S. defeated Canada, 84-80. At the 20th FIBA AmeriCup in 2025 in Managua (NCA), both medal games were re-matches!

In the semifinals, Brazil, which lost to the U.S. in pool play, was down 52-38 at half time and 68-58 at the end of three quarters, stormed to a 34-9 fourth quarter – including an 18-0 run – and won going away, 92-77. Argentina piled up a 24-9 lead after a quarter and held on to win over Canada, 83-73, in their semi.

The final was a defensive battle in which Brazil shot 33% and won, 55-47, with Argentina held to 30% shooting. It’s Brazil’s fifth win in this tournament. The U.S. won the bronze-medal game, leading 49-37 at half and hanging on for a 90-85 win.

● Beach Volleyball ● Norway’s World and Olympic champs Anders Mol and Christian Sorum scored another win, this time at the Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 in Hamburg (GER), defeating Bartosz Losiak and Michal Bryl (POL) in the final by 25-23, 21-14. It’s the third win this season for Mol and Sorum, plus a second and a third, in the seven Elite 16-level events in 2025. It was the first final of the season for the Poles.

Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot (NED) won the bronze over Martins Plavins and Kristians Fokerots (LAT), 21-16, 21-10.

Playing for their third win of the season, second-seeded Thamela Galil and Victoria Tosta (BRA) faced no. 6 Valentina Gottardi and Reka Orsi Toth (ITA), playing their first medal match of 2025. The Brazilians took the first set, 21-17, but the Italians rallied back and won the tournament with set wins of 21-18 and 15-6! Olympic champs Ana Patricia Ramos and Duda Lisaboa (BRA) won the bronze, 21-16, 21-18 over Svenja Mueller and Cinja Tillmann (GER).

● Canoe-Kayak ● France continued its strong performances at the ICF Slalom World Cup in Ljubljana (SLO), taking both of the men’s C-1 and K-1 titles with Olympic champ Nicolas Gestin and Tatouan Castryck.

Gestin, the Olympic C-1 champion in Paris, won the C-1 at 75.67 (0 penalties), just ahead of countryman Yohann Senechault (76.46/0) and Vojtech Heger (CZE: 78.70/0). Castryck, the Paris 2024 runner-up, won the K-1 at 70.24 (0), over Slovenia’s home favorite Ziga Hocevar (72.63/0) and Poland’s Mateusz Polaczyk (73.52/0).

With Australian superstar Jessica Fox out with kidney surgery (she is on the mend after a successful procedure), the women’s titles were up for grabs. Two-time Paris bronze medalist Kimberley Woods (GBR) took the K-1 in 79.69 (0), followed by Eva Hocevar (SLO: 79.42/0) – Ziga’s sister – ahead of American Evy Leibfarth (82.45/0), the Olympic C-1 bronzer. Fellow American Ria Sribar was sixth in 85.23 (4).

The women’s C-1 win went to Paris silver winner Elena Lilik (GER: 86.86/0), beating Viktoriia Us (UKR: 87.78/0) and Woods (88.19/2). Leibfarth was seventh in 91.60 (2).

In Sunday’s Cross finals, German Andrea Herzog won the women’s final over Momoka Nagasu (JPN), while France’s Mathurin Madore took the men’s race, with Jan Locnikar (SLO) second.

● Cycling ● Friday’s four-climb stage at the 80th Vuelta a Espana was a surprise, with the revenge of Spain’s Juan Ayuso, who faded badly on Thursday’s first mountain stage, finishing 62nd and falling 10:13 off the lead.

But he was ready for the stage seven, taking off with 11 km left and dominating the uphill finish to Cerler in 4:49:41. That was 1:15 up on Marco Frigo (ITA) and 1:21 on Raul Garcia (ESP). Ayuso moved up from 43rd to 25th. But Norway’s Torstein Traeen maintained the lead.

Saturday’s 163.5 km stage to Zaragoza was for the sprinters, won by Jasper Philipsen (BEL) in 3:43:48, his second win of the race. He charged from behind in the final 100 m to pass Italian star Ella Viviani, and then Viviani and – who finished second – and Bryan Coquard (FRA: sixth) were both sanctioned for moving off their line in the final meters, to 105th and 106th.

Another uphill finish marked Sunday’s ninth stage of 195.5 km to the Valdezcaray ski station, with a 13.3 km rise to the end and feeling good and in excellent position, Vingegaard struck.

Just before 10 km remaining, he attacked and broke the peloton, soloing to a brilliant 4:32:10 win, 24 seconds ahead of two-time Olympic Mountain Bike champ Tom Pidcock (GBR) and Joao Almeida (POR) and 1:46 up on Traeen!

Going into Monday’s rest day, Traeen has the lead, but now by only 37 seconds on Vingegaard, with Almeida 1:15 back and Pidcock 1:35 behind.

On the UCI Women’s World Tour, Saturday’s 24th Classic Lorient Agglomeration in Plouay, France, Dutch star Mischa Bredewold won for the third straight time, covering the 165.3 km course in 4:22:48.

She recovered, in rainy conditions, from an early crash and came from behind to win the final sprint over countrywomen Marianne Vos and Eline Jansen as the first 21 riders received the same time. American Chloe Dygert was sixth.

Sunday brought the men’s UCI World Tour Bretagne Classic Ouest France in Plouay, a hilly, 261.7 km route that ended with a mass sprint, with Arnaud de Lie (BEL) getting to the line first in 6:21:23, followed by Emilien Jeanniere (FRA) and Olav Kooij (NED). The first 67 riders received the same time.

Rio 2016 Olympic gold medalist Jenny Rissveds, now 31, scored a double at the UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Haute-Savoie (FRA), initially winning the Short Track race in 22:18, beating Alexandra Keller (SUI: 22:25) and Samara Maxwell (NZL: 22:37).

In the Cross Country Olympic race, the outcome was identical, with Rissveds fastest on every lap and winning in 1:12:01, more than a minute ahead of Keller (1:13:13) and Maxwell (1:13:33). Savilla Blunck was the top American, sixth in 1:13:56. It was Rissveds’ second win of the season.

In the men’s race, France’s Luca Martin, the 2024 U-23 World Champion, had the fastest times on six of the eight laps and won in 1:22:03, well ahead of Luca Braidot (ITA: 1:22:15) and Swiss star – and Tokyo 2020 runner-up – Mathias Flueckiger (1:22:22).

In the men’s Downhill, Ireland’s Ronan Dunne was a clear winner in 3:56.586, well ahead of Martin Maes (BEL: 3:59.407) and Andreas Kolb (AUT: 3:59.517). Canada’s Gracey Hemstreet won her third race of the season, in 4:55.517, ahead of 2020 World Cup champ Marine Cabirou (FRA: 4:56.589) and three-time World Champion Valentina Hoell (AUT: 4:58.258).

In the Short Track racing, Britain’s Charlie Aldridge, the 2024 World Championships runner-up, won in 22:04, just ahead of Martin, also in 22:04, and Braidot (22:06).

● Modern Pentathlon ● The amazing 14-year-old Egyptian sensation Farida Khalil won the women’s division of the UIPM World Championships in Kaunas (LTU), completing an amazing season in which she won World Championships golds in the U-17, U-19, Junior (U-22) and senior-level Worlds.

Khalil was dominant, placing third in fencing, winning obstacle and placing fourth in swimming, to enter the Laser Run with a 26-second lead on Poland’s Malgorzata Karbownik. Even with only a 14th-place showing in the final event, Khalil won by 12 seconds and scored 1,457 points.

However, Karbownik had trouble and Hungary’s Blanka Guzi, the 2024 Worlds runner-up, made a charge and with the second-fastest time in the field, ran up to second, scoring 1,445 points. Italy’s Aurora Tognetti ended up third at 1,432.

Said Khalil, “It’s like I’m dreaming now … “It took a lot of effort to get to this point, and I feel wow now.”

Egypt celebrated a sweep with a win by 20-year-old Moutaz Mohamed in the men’s final, moving up from fourth last year. The two-time World Junior Champion needed a big Laser Run, as he entered the final event in third place, 21 seconds behind.

Mohamed was fourth in fencing, eighth in obstacle and third in swimming, but had the second-fastest Laser Run in the field to win by 17 seconds, scoring 1,579 points.

France’s Mathis Rochat started second in the Laser Run (+0:16), and while passed by Mohamed, finished second despite the 12th-fastest Laser Run time, and scored 1,562. Well back in third, but moving up from sixth was Matej Lukes (CZE), who was seventh-fastest in the final event and scored 1,547 for the bronze medal.

Rochat, Ugo Fleurot and Leo Bories won the men’s team title (4,594), ahead of Ukraine (4,573) and Egypt (4,559). The U.S. team of Matthias Preidl, Luke Filar and Tristen Bell finished 15th (4,206). Italy won the women’s gold, scoring 4,229 over Great Britain (4,209) and Egypt (4,198). The U.S. – Madison Gonzalez, Kseniya Voronina and Corinne Thompson – was 15th (3,767).

● Rugby ● Pool play is continuing at the Women’s World Cup in England, where the U.S. drew Australia, 31-31, in their second matches. While top-seeded England is 2-0 (10 points) and on to the playoffs, Australia is 1-0-1 (8) and the U.S. is 0-1-1 (3), with Samoa at 0-2 (0) and eliminated.

England and Australia, and the U.S. and Samoa will play matches on 6 September to conclude the group.

Two matches have also been played in Pool B, with Canada and Scotland both 2-0 and into the quarterfinals. Ireland and New Zealand are 2-0 in Pool C, with South Africa and France also 2-0 in Pool D.

Pool play finishes on 7 September and the quarterfinals begin on 13 September.

● Squash ● At the Pan American Championships in Rio de Janeiro (BRA), Colombia’s Ronald Palomino won over top-seed and world no. 13 Leonel Cardenas (MEX), by 13-11 in the first set and then Cardenas withdrew.

The all-Canadian women’s final had top-seed Hollie Naughton take the title over Nicole Bunyan, 11-6, 11-4, 11-6.

● Taekwondo ● At the World Taekwondo Grand Prix Challenge tournament in Muju (KOR), 2023 Worlds 80 kg silver medalist C.J. Nickolas of the U.S. overpowered the field, sweeping his first three matches by a combined six rounds to none – 2-0, 2-0, 2-0 – and finally 2-1 in the final, defeating Korea’s Jaegwon Kang after losing the first round!

Nickolas won his second straight Challenge tournament title, after winning in Charlotte in June.

Paris Olympic bronze winner Kristina Teachout of the U.S. took the women’s 67 kg title, sweeping all four of her matches by 2-0 and winning the final against Ozoda Sobirjonova (UZB).

Faith Dillon of the U.S. scored the bronze in the women’s 57 kg class on Sunday, winning her first three matches by 2-0, 2-0, 2-1, but losing in the semifinals. Dillon rebounded to win the bronze-medal match by 2-0 over Tunisian Chaima Toumi.

● Triathlon ● The fifth stage of the 2025 World Triathlon Championship Series “French Riviera” – St. Raphael to Frejus – was on Sunday, with a Sprint format with no. 1-ranked Matt Hauser (AUS) getting his third win of the season.

He was first out of the water, 10th fastest on bike and then ran away from Portugal’s Vasco Vilaca at the end of the 5 km run phase to win by four seconds in 50:53, with Vilaca at 50:57. Hauser’s 13:36 on the run provided his margin of victory as Vilaca recorded 13:40. Brazil’s Miguel Hidalgo was third overall in 51:20. John Reed was the top American, in 16th (52:28).

Olympic champ Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) got her second win of the season in 56:43, six seconds ahead of Jeanne Lehair (LUX: 56:49), followed by two more French stars: Leonie Perault (57:00) and Emma Lombardi (57:03). Taylor Spivey was the top U.S. finisher, seventh in 57:15.

Beaugrand was second out of the water, fell back some on bike, but the top four on the run were also the top four finishers, in 15:19, 15:24, 15:29 and 15:39.

● Volleyball ● The FIVB Women’s World Championship in Thailand has reached the round-of-16 stage, with the Netherlands edging Serbia, 3-2 and Japan shutting out Thailand, 3-0, to reach the quarterfinals in the upper bracket, on 3 September.

The U.S. plays Canada on Monday (1st) and Turkey faces Slovenia in the remainder of the upper bracket.

Italy swept aside Germany, 3-0, and Poland edged Belgium, 3-2, to advance in the lower bracket, for a 4 September match-up in the quarters. On Sunday, no. 2 seed Brazil sailed past the Dominican Republic, 3-1, and no. 19 France surprised fifth-seed China, 3-1, and will meet in the quarterfinals.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: USA Fencing scores another high-profile deal, this time with iHeartMedia; Wasserman says the first task of LA28 is the competitions

Rich Perelman

August 28, 2025

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

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≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

● Fencing ● Do these guys ever sleep? Thursday brought the newest outreach program from the irrepressible USA Fencing:

“USA Fencing has secured a multi-million-dollar promotional partnership with iHeartMedia that will introduce the sport to millions and steer newcomers to usafencing.org/tryfencing to find beginner classes at local clubs.”

The partnership will give iHeartMedia signage at USA Fencing events, including on the piste for finals and USA Fencing’s “Try Fencing” program will be promoted across iHeartMedia podcasts, streaming audio, digital banners, and select broadcasts.

In preparation, the federation has urged clubs to be ready to respond to inquiries, especially information on how to begin and if equipment for novices will be available.

This follows up on USA Fencing’s agreement with CNBC for a monthly, Saturday afternoon television show to promote the sport, believed to be the only non-competition, regularly-scheduled cable-level program to specifically promote a U.S. National Governing Body.

Earlier this month, the federation announced record membership of 45,157 individuals and 752 clubs for the 2024-25 season.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman told Esports World Cup (EWC) Conference in Riyadh (KSA) last week that the organizing committee’s first task is to make sure the Games come off well:

“It’s my job to keep the organization focused and clear.

“Our first job is to operate and deliver the Games and make sure that the competitive atmosphere on the field is world class. If we don’t do that, it doesn’t matter how many cool people talk about it or where they talk about it. The main thing is the main thing.

“That said, L.A. is the creative capital of the world, so the opportunity is to evolve how people communicate and connect to share the glory and wonder of the Olympics. Our job is make sure we are pushing the media partners at the [International Olympic Committee] to open up their aperture and to understand that if we’re going to do this it would be a shame not to take advantage of [digital media] to engage a new generation of fans and ensure that the Olympic Movement is as important in 50 years as it is today.”

And he has his eyes not only on the success of the Games, but how they can impact the future of Los Angeles:

“What I hope we can accomplish for the month is that we will have put L.A. onto a better course, just as the Olympics did in 1932 and 1984. If we do our job, then we’re able to leave a financial legacy like they did in ’84.

“L.A. can have a better future because of hosting their Games, not because it’s measured in those 30 days but because of what those 30 days can allow it to do in the next 30 years. We saw that coming out of ’84 and I certainly hope we’ll see that coming out in ’28 if we stay true to ourselves and be authentically American. These are America’s Games, they are in Los Angeles but there will be events all over the country.”

● Basketball ● At the 20th FIBA men’s AmeriCup, being held in Managua (NCA), the top-seeded U.S. team won Group A with a 2-1 record, defeating The Bahamas in overtime (105-93), losing to Uruguay, 86-85 and then beating Brazil, 90-78 with a 26-11 push in the final quarter.

The American team is made up of some ex-NBA players, NBA G League players and U.S. internationals.

Canada and the Dominican Republic won the other groups at 3-0. In the quarters, Canada will meet Colombia and Argentina will face Puerto Rico in the upper bracket. In the lower bracket, Brazil beat the Dominicans, 94-82, and the U.S. overcame a seven-point halftime deficit to outscore Uruguay, 83-70, with a 45-25 edge in the second half.

The semis are due on Saturday and the medal matches on Sunday.

● Cycling ● The first climbing stage of the 80th Vuelta a Espana was a spectacular win for Australia’s Jay Vine, who took off with 10 km remaining to the summit at the Pal de Andorra.

He finished the 170.3 km route in 4:12:36, destroying the field, with Torstein Traeen (NOR) second at +0:54, then Lorenzo Fortunato (ITA) at +1:10.

The race leader coming in, Dane Jonas Vingegaard, was in a group at +4:19 in 11th place and lost the lead to Traeen. Now second is Bruno Amirail (FRA: +0:31) and Fortunato (+1:01). Vinegaard is now fifth at +2:33, with Portugal’s Joao Almeida at +2:41.

Friday’s course has another massive uphill finish, after three earlier climbs, across 188 km, finishing in Cerler (ESP).

Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome (GBR) suffered a bad training crash and was airlifted to a hospital in Toulon (FRA).

He was reported to have suffered a fractured vertebrae, collapsed lung and five broken ribs and had surgery. Now 40, he is in the final year of his racing contract with the Israel-Premier Tech team and may retire.

● Football ● Swiss prosecutors abandoned any further appeals against former FIFA President Sepp Blatter (SUI) and former UEFA chief Michel Platini (FRA), whose acquittal at trial were confirmed by an appeal court in March.

The allegations were for fraud, mismanagement and misappropriation of funds in FIFA payments to Platini in 2011 and ended with a trial-court acquittal in 2022.

Platini’s lawyer said they would consider whether to file suit against the prosecutors. Although cleared in court, Blatter was forced out as head of FIFA and Platini as the UEFA President and possible future FIFA chief.

● Shooting ● The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) paid tribute to Ukrainian ex-national team shooter Oleksii Khabarov, 31, reported killed in combat related to the Russian invasion of his country.

A national team member for more than 10 years, he was working for a branch of the Ukrainian National Olympic Committee, he was killed on or about 22 August,

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: World Athletics chief Coe says no to blanket national doping bans; Worlds women’s sex testing at over 90% so far

Rich Perelman

August 28, 2025

tsx pix 2025-325 coe, seb world ath news conf 750 — World Athletics President Sebastian Coe at his news conference following the March 2025 Council meeting in Nanjing (CHN) (Photo: World Athletics video screen shot).

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≡ COE NEWS CONFERENCE ≡

In his usual style, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe (GBR) held a series of news briefings with reporters from around the world on Thursday in the hours ahead of the Diamond League Final in Zurich (SUI).

Speaking with a group of specialists, he reported that the federation’s decision to implement sex-testing to protect the women’s category has gone pretty well:

“At the end of the two member federation national-championship windows, we tested about 85% of the athletes, with – as we sit today – over 90%, and it’s been a really good, collaborative effort between ourselves and the member federations.”

As to why the implementation of testing was so quick, Coe explained, “Why this year? Actually, it provides us with a much better platform to do those tests than next year” due to the World Championships, which concentrates athlete attention on national championships as the selection meets and provides a convenient platform to implement the tests.

It was noted that the test was not administered in France due to national laws, but Coe stated that the narrow nature of the test needs to be kept in mind:

“We’re not gender testing. I don’t actually have a view about that, that’s an assignment. What we are testing for is, we are simply verifying female biology. And that is absolutely in line with the principles that I have been espousing for a number of years, and that is to make sure that we do everything we possibly can in athletics – I’m not responsible for any other sport – to preserve, protect and promote the integrity of women’s sport.

“If you don’t, you lose it and I’m not prepared, under my presidency, to countenance that from happening. So, it’s not a gender test, we’re verifying female biology, and in simple terms, the absence of the Y chromosome.

“We’re not testing for anything else, there’s no genetic testing, there’s no DNA; it’s a one-off test, it’s non-invasive, it’s the test that the athletes overwhelmingly in our consultation settled for and it’s under the jurisdiction of our health and science teams. The information, once it’s become applicable, is destroyed and any contact around those tests is purely between the medical officer and the athlete themselves.”

As to the French athletes, Coe said the French federation had coordinated testing for the national-team athletes at competitions outside of France, with any remaining to be tested to be taken care of at the pre-Tokyo French training camp.

Naturally, this was followed by a question about rampant doping in some countries and a possible national ban. Coe is not in favor of a blanket approach:

“I don’t think there’s a ‘one-size-fits-all’ in this.

“Look, this is a field I have been laboring in for a number of years, and you have to be very cognizant of different environments and different circumstances. I’m in a fortunate position, because having created the Athletics Integrity Unit within the reform program of 2015 and 2016, I’ve got the best-in-class organization out there, to be helping us in that space.

“I don’t need go into details, but I can tell you they are very active in those federations, those countries that have elevated problems. We have the [federation] watchlist, where a lot of work goes on behind the scenes, and so I would rather progress on the basis that you deal with those challenges and absolutely understand what the problem is, because they are not uniform.

“The issue we dealt with in Russia was very different than the issues that we confront in Kenya, and you have to be very [careful]. I don’t think there is a ‘one-size-fits-all’ here, I think you do have to look at this and take into consideration the circumstances upon which those tests are positive, the environment, and, on many occasions, those athletes actually may have very little to do with their own federation.”

On the upcoming Tokyo World Championships in September, Coe said tickets sales are “pretty buoyant” with most of the evening sessions at 50,000 or more so far. More than 2,000 athletes are expected, from more than 200 countries and 74 rights-holding broadcasters and 1,200 total media attending.

On the Diamond League, Coe said expansion of the circuit was not on the immediate horizon, but noted, “but we’re always looking at wanting to improve, increase our footprint, get more broadcasters in place; that has improved quite dramatically recently: broadcast revenue is up than it was when it was represented under a previous system. …

“The assets are good, and I think the Diamond League board, all the meeting directors … are very clear that this is a really good springboard to broadening where we possibly can, the appeal.”

Coe was asked about Grand Slam Track and the financial difficulties, “We’re monitoring it, of course, we’re monitoring it, we’re watching it closely.

“Look, I know Michael [Johnson], this will not be sitting comfortably with Michael. I’m not here to batter Michael. He will feel badly about this and he will want to resolve this as quickly as he can.”

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Thrilling Diamond League Final in Zurich, with U.S. wins for Coleman, Lyles, Patterson, Tinch, Brown and 28 straight for Allman!

Rich Perelman

August 28, 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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≡ ZURICH DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡

The Diamond League concluded for 2025 with the Weltklasse Zurich, with chilly temperatures in the mid-60s, but with cloudy skies as the promised rain held off.

There was considerable drama amid a four-hour program, but good results for the U.S., with wins in the men’s 100, 200, 400, 110 hurdles, women’s 200 m and discus. Here’s what happened:

● Men/100 m: Two-time Worlds bronze winner Trayvon Bromell of the U.S. was in four, South Africa’s Akani Simbine was in five, and 2019 World Champion Christian Coleman in seven. Coleman got his usual hot start, but he didn’t fade and kept the lead right to the line in 9.97 (wind: -0.4 m/s).

Simbine came on and was straining in the last 10 m, but had to settle for second in 9.98, then Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake in 9.99. American Brandon Hicklin was fifth in 10.09 and Bromell was well back in 10.14 for sixth.

Coleman won his third Diamond League seasonal title, but will not be in the Worlds 100, since the U.S. has the 2023 World Champion Noah Lyles as its wild-card entry.

● Men/200 m: Special entry Lyles of the U.S. – a four-time Diamond League winner in this event – was in lane six, with Olympic champ Letsile Tebogo (BOT) outside him in seven.

Off the gun, Tebogo was out brilliantly and had a clear lead on Lyles into the turn. But Lyles kept coming and got even with 60 m left and got to the line first – barely – in the final 2 m in 19.74 (-0.6 m/s), with Tebogo at 19.76.

Dominican Alexander Ogando was a solid third in 20.14, followed by Robert Gregory of the U.S. in fourth (20.20); Kyree King was sixth in 20.43. It was Lyles’ second Diamond League win over Tebogo this year.

● Men/400 m: U.S. champ Jacory Patterson underlined his favorite status for the Tokyo Worlds, pounding the backstraight and rolling away from the field in the final 70 m to win in 43.85 a lifetime best and no. 2 in the world for 2025.

American Chris Bailey was second into the straight, but faded, and Bayapo Ndori (BOT) and Vernon Norwood of the U.S. were close in the final 20 m, with Ndori second at 44.40 and Norwood third in 44.45. Because Patterson is now the Diamond League champion, Norwood – fourth at the USATF nationals – should move up into the 400 m for Tokyo. Bailey was fifth in 44.75.

● Men/800 m: This highly-anticipated race had the Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) and 2023 World Champion Marco Arop (CAN), and Wanyonyi took over from the pacer after a 49.00 first lap.

Wanyonyi led Max Burgin (GBR) and Arop down the back straight and into the turn and Wanyonyi extended his advantage into the straight. But the lead shrank and shrank, with Burgin close and Arop coming hard, but Wanyonyi won at the line: 1:42.37 to 1:42.42 (Burgin) to 1:42.57 (Arop).

Americans Bryce Hoppel and Josh Hoey didn’t have the speed on the straight and finished 7-8 in 1:43.78 and 1:44.25.

● Men/1,500 m: American mile record holder Yared Nuguse had to win to get to the World Championships, and he was third with two laps to go with French star Azeddine Habz leading behind the pacers. Habz led at the bell, with Phanuel Koech (KEN) just behind and then Nuguse.

But Niels Laros (NED), the emerging star of the event, tore into contention on the backstraight and blew away the field on the straight, winning in 3:29.20, a meet record. On the straight, Nuguse faded and Kenya’s Reynold Cheruiyot rolled into second in the final 60 m (3:29.91), then Koech (3:30.02) and four-time Diamond League champ Timothy Cheruiyot (3:30.13).

Habz was fifth was 3:30.39 and Nuguse was seventh in 3:30.84.

● Men/3,000 m: The pace was strong, with Biniam Mehary (ETH) and George Mills (GBR) taking over after the pacers and then Wengene Adisu (ETH) leading at 2,000 m. At 800 m to go, it was Sam Tefera (ETH) and Mills in front, with Grant Fisher (USA) coming into second at 500 m left.

Mills, Fisher and Swede Andreas Almgren were leading the pack with 250 m to go but there was a lot of traffic around the turn and into the home straight with Fisher bumped by Mehary. French star Jimmy Gressier came up with most speed on the straight and withstood the charge from Fisher right at the line, 7:36.78 to 7:36.81, with Almgren at 7:36.82.

American Graham Blanks was sixth in 7:38.15.

● Men/Steeple: None of the Paris medalists were here, so this was a wide-open race. Kenyan Edmund Serem took over from the pacer at 2,000 m, ahead of German Frederik Ruppert. Ruppert led at the bell and he and Serem ran away from the field.

Off the final water jump, Serem charged, but Ruppert was able to hang on and was thrilled to win in 8:09.02, ahead of Serem (8:09.96). Morocco’s Salahheddine ben Yazide moved hard on the straight to get third at 8:14.10. Isaac Updike of the U.S. was sixth in 8:19.47.

● Men/110 m hurdles: It’s been Cordell Tinch’s year, the U.S. champion and world leader at 12.87. And he was out fast and dominated, winning in 12.92 (+0.3), equaling the ancient meet record of two-time Olympic champ Roger Kingdom of the U.S. from 1989!

The race for second was tight, with Spain’s Eugene Llopis running strongly in lane two, timing 13.12 to edge Jamal Britt (13.21), with fellow Americans Freddie Crittenden (13.23) and Trey Cunningham (13.32) in 5-6.

● Men/400 m hurdles: World-record holder – and 2025 world leader – Karsten Warholm (NOR) was in seven, and made up the stagger on CJ Allen of the U.S. by the third hurdle.

He led right to the finish in 46.70, a meet record, with 2019 Worlds bronze winner Abderrahmane Samba (QAT) a clear second in 47.45, then NCAA champ Ezekiel Nathaniel (NGR: 47.56). Allen was fourth in 48.00 with Trevor Bassitt sixth in 48.29.

● Men/High Jump: Only three made it to 2.28 m (7-5 3/4), with European Indoor champ Oleg Doroshchuk (UKR) making it on his first try, as did Olympic champ Hamish Kerr (NZL). American JuVaughn Harrison made 2.25 m (7-4 1/2) on his third try, but missed all three at 2.28 and finished third. Olympic silver winner Shelby McEwen of the U.S. was sixth at 2.13 m (7-0).

The bar went to 2.30 m (7-6 1/2) and Kerr got over on his second and Doroshchuk on his third. On to 2.32 m (7-7 1/4), and Kerr cleared right away and Doroshchuk passed to 2.34 m (7-8). Both missed their first tries and Doroshchuk missed again, so Kerr took the win and his first Diamond League crown.

● Men/Triple Jump: Portugal’s Tokyo Olympic champ Pedro Pablo Pichardo got to the lead right away at 17.47 m (57-3 3/4), with 2024 World Indoor runner-up Yasser Triki (ALG) right behind at 17.42 m (57-2). It didn’t hold, as Italy’s Olympic bronzer Andy Diaz popped to 17.56 m (57-7 1/2) in round four, and that turned out to be the winner!

It’s the third career Diamond League title for Diaz, who won his first while still jumping as a Cuban in 2022 and then he won as an Italian in 2023.

● Men/Discus: World-record holder Mykolas Alekna (LTU) got out in front right away at 68.29 m (224-0) in the first round and extended to 68.89 (226-0) in round three. That was good enough to win, with 2022 Worlds winner Kristjian Ceh (SLO) moving up in the fifth round to 67.18 m (220-5), finishing second with Olympic winner Roje Stona (JAM: 67.06 m/220-0).

It’s Alekna’s first Diamond League title.

● Men/Javelin: German star Julian Weber has been hot and he was on fire with a sensational, world-leading 91.37 m (299-9) in round one! And he was better in round two, to 91.51 m (300-2)!

London 2012 Olympic champ Keshorn Walcott (TTO) has been resurgent and reached 84.95 m (278-8) in the first round, followed by Tokyo Olympic champ Neeraj Chopra (IND: 84.35 m/276-9) in the top three.

● Women/100 m: Olympic champ Julien Alfred (LCA) was in lane four, but Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith (CIV) clearly jumped on the first start, but remained to run under protest.

On the re-start, Jamaica’s Tia Clayton was out best and had the lead until Alfred moved well at 50 m and ran to the finished unchallenged in 10.76 (+0.3), with Clayton at 10.84. Ta Lou-Smith was (amazingly) reinstated by the jury and got third at 10.92. Dina Asher-Smith (GBR) was fourth at 10.94, then American Jacious Sears at 10.96 in fifth. Fellow American Maia McCoy was seventh in 11.14.

● Women/200 m: Four Americans in the final, along with 2019 World Champion Asher-Smith in lane four.

And she was out best, rolling around the turn and leading into the turn, but then Olympic bronzer Brittany Brown of the U.S. moved up just outside her and got the lead with 70 m left. Asher-Smith challenged again, but Brown was ready and crossed in 22.13 (-0.4), a seasonal best. She also ran herself onto the U.S. Worlds team, as she was fourth at the USATF nationals.

Asher-Smith was second in 22.18, then Ta Lou-Smith in 22.25 and American Anavia Battle at 22.49. Jenna Prandini was sixth in 22.70 and McKenzie Long was eighth in 22.72.

● Women/400 m: Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser has been the world leader at 48.67 at the first Grand Slam Track meet in April, and was out hard, leading Paris champ Marileidy Paulino (DOM) into the straight by about 3 m. But where Paulino usually closes in, Naser ran away to win impressively in 48.70, with Paulino well back at 49.23. Norway’s Henriette Jaeger came on to close up on Paulino on the straight and was third in 49.49; Bella Whittaker of the U.S. was sixth in 49.99.

● Women/800 m: The Swiss home crowd was all in for Audrey Werro, who moved to no. 2 in the world with her 1:56.29 national record at the national championships. She took over from the pacer just after the bell and simply would not be passed.

She led Paris 1,500 m bronzer Georgia Hunter Bell (GBR) into the home straight and held on for a tight, but thrilling win in 1:55.91, another national record. Hunter Bell got a lifetime best of 1:55.96 in second, then Anais Bourgoin (FRA: 1:56.97) with a lifetime best for third.

Addy Wiley of the U.S. was eighth in 1:59.14.

● Women/1,500 m: Paris silver medalist Jess Hull (AUS) was the leader after the pacer left the race and had the lead at the bell, then moved away from Kenya’s Nelly Chepchirchir. Her lead was 5 m with 300 to go and 10 m by 200 left.

But Chepchirchir didn’t fade and came on hard on the home straight and closed on Hull, who was failing badly in the final 50 m. And Chepchirchir got the stunning win at the line in 3:56.99, with Hull at 3:57.02. Australian teammate Linden Hall was third, also with a hard stretch run, at 3:57.44.

American Sinclaire Johnson was fourth in 3:57.80, with teammate Heather Maclean next in 3:59.43.

● Women/3,000 m: Ethiopia’s Aleshign Baweke had the lead in a bunched field with two laps left, including American Josette Andrews. Andrews took over with 600 m left and led Caroline Nyaga (KEN) at the bell.

Andrews, third at the USATF 5,000 m, fought off two challenges on the backstraight and Nyaga tracked her into the straight, but it was Baweke who had the speed and got in front with 80 m left and won 8:40.56, with Andrews at 8:40.95. Amebaw came back to get third in 8:41.06, with Nyaga fading to seventh in 8:43.43.

● Women/Steeple: With four laps to go, Olympic bronzer Faith Cherotich was following the pacer, with Norah Jeruto (KEN) 10 m back. But it was all Cherotich as she lengthened her lead to more than 40 m at the bell and rolling to the line with the victory in 8:57.24.

Jeruto ran in second, mostly by herself, for the last three and a half laps, was a clear second in 9:10.87, then Tunisia’s Marwa Bouzayani. American Courtney Wayment got fourth in 9:14.81, with Gabi Jennings sixth in 9:15.56 and Olivia Markezich in seventh in 9:22.20.

● Women/100 m hurdles: Jamaican star Ackera Nugent, the World Indoor bronzer, came on powerfully in the middle of the race and got control, rushing to the finish in 12.30 (-0.6 m/s), equaling her seasonal best. She broke away from American Grace Stark, but the surprise came in lane seven, with Swiss star Dita Kumbundji coming on in the final 20 m for second in 12.40, followed by Stark (12.44).

Tonea Marshall of the U.S. was sixth in 12.49, with Keni Harrison eighth in 12.72.

● Women/400m hurdles: Dutch star Femke Bol came in with four straight Diamond League titles, and was out well, making up the staggers on the two lanes outside of her by 180 m.

She was 4 m up on the field over the ninth hurdle and won in a breeze in 52.18 in 65 F temperatures. Slovakia’s Emma Zapletalova got a national record of 53.18 in second; Jamaica’s Andrenette Knight was third in 53.76.

● Women/Long Jump: Italy’s European Indoor champ Larissa Iapichino took the lead in round three at 6.93 m (22-9), passing Tokyo Olympic champ Malaika Mihambo (GER), who started at 6.81 m (22-4 1/4) in round one. Mihambo saved her best for round six and got to 6.92 m (22-8 1/2), but fell just short. Iapichino won her second straight Diamond League title.

France’s Hilary Kpatcha took third at 6.75 m (22-1 3/4), with World Indoor champ Claire Bryant of the U.S. fourth in 6.66 m (21-10 1/4), and teammate Monae Nichols sixth in 6.45 m (21-2).

● Women/Triple Jump: Cuba completely dominated, with defending champion Leyanis Perez taking the leads at 14.91 m (48-11) in round two, followed by Liadagamis Povea at 14.72 m (48-3 1/2) from round two and Davisleydis Velazco at 14.65 m (48-0 3/4) in round three. That’s how it ended.

American Jasmine Moore, the Olympic bronze winner, was sixth at 14.24 m (46-8 3/4).

● Women/Discus: Olympic champ Valarie Allman entered with a 27-meet win streak and got to the lead in round two at 66.12 m (216-11). Then she unloaded in round for at 69.18 m (227-0) to grab another win and her fifth straight Diamond League title.

Jorinde van Klinken (NED) moved into second on her final throw of 67.15 m (), followed by Yaime Perez (CUB: 66.08 m/). Americans Cierra Jackson (64.40 m/211-3) and defending World Champion Lagi Tausaga (63.51 m/208-4) were 5-6.

● Women/Javelin: Greece’s 2022 European champion Elina Tzenggo got out to 64.57 m (211-10) in the first round, with two-time European silver winner Adriana Vilagos (SRB) getting up for second in round three at 62.96 m (206-7).

South Africa’s Paris Olympic runner-up Jo-Ane du Plessis reached 62.26 m (204-3) in the first round and that held up for third.

All eyes now turn to the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (JPN) from 13-21 September.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Int’l Paralympic Committee saw better attitudes on disabilities from Paris 2024; Enhanced Games sues WADA, World Aquatics, USA Swimming

Rich Perelman

August 27, 2025

tsx pix 2024-826 arc de triomphe paralympics — The Paralympic logo mounted on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris (Photo: City of Paris)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Paralympic Games ● The International Paralympic Committee noted Nielsen Sports research that it commissioned surveyed more than 15,000 people in 11 countries before and after the 2024 Paris Games, with positive results:

“Post-Games, the research found nearly three in four (73 per cent) people thought the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games positively changed their attitudes towards persons with disabilities. A further eight out of 10 (80 per cent) felt the Games made them feel more positive about the abilities of people with disabilities, while 79 per cent stated the Paralympics made them more supportive of the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all areas of society.”

● Enhanced Games ● The doping-encouraged Enhanced Games filed suit against World Aquatics, USA Swimming and the World Anti-Doping Agency in a U.S. Federal Court in New York, asking for injunctive relief and $200 million in actual damages:

“The lawsuit responds to defendants’ blatantly predatory and illegal campaign to force anyone involved in the sport, including athletes, support staff and officials, to boycott the Enhanced Games and to stop the Enhanced Games from entering the market for international elite swimming.”

The Enhanced Games event, slated for May 2026 in Las Vegas, has been criticized by the International Federations for all three sports it proposes to offer: athletics, swimming and weightlifting. World Aquatics has passed a rule, declaring any participants in events which do not follow the World Anti-Doping Code to be ineligible.

Enhanced Games promoter Aron D’Souza (AUS) told The Associated Press that, essentially, the fierce opposition of sports governing bodies is working: “[U]ntil this issue is resolved, it’s causing irreparable harm to our ability to sign athletes.” Only five have signed up so far.

● Athletics ● Shadrack Biwott, 40, a U.S. World Championships team member in the 2014 Half Marathon Worlds, was sanctioned by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency with a four-year ban for the use of erythropoietin (EPO), found during an out-of-competition test on 25 January 2024.

That was nine days ahead of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando, Florida, where he did not finish. The sanction was determined by an independent arbitrator and began on 23 February 2024. He has a half-marathon best of 1:01:25 from 2014 and a marathon best of 2:12:01 from 2016.

The Athletics Integrity Unit banned Kenyan road distance star Charles Kipkkuri Langat, 29, for five years and 11 months for using testosterone. He has bests of 26:57 for the road 10 km (2023) and 58:53 for the half-marathon, also in 2023. He last competed in July 2023.

● Cycling ● The Vuelta a Espana is on Spanish soil now, with the fifth stage being a 24.1 km, flat Team Time Trial in and around Figueres. UAE Team Emirates won in 25:26, with Visma-Lease a Bike (NED) second in 25:34. This gave Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) of Visma-Lease A Bike the overall race leadership once again, as France’s David Gaudu was ninth on the Groupama (FRA) team (25:50).

So, Vingegaard now has an eight-second lead on Juan Ayuso (ESP), Joao Almeida (POR) and Marc Soler (ESP) with Guilio Ciccone (ITA) nine seconds back. The next two stages are more challenging, with major uphill finishes.

A group of pro-Palestinian protectors blocked the path of riders from the Israel-Premier Tech team on the course; according to The Associated Press, “[r]ace officials on motorcycles riding ahead of the team rode through the banner, but several of the team’s cyclists had to temporarily stop as protesters stood in front of their bikes.” One person was arrested.

● Volleyball ● Pool play concluded at the FIVB Women’s World Championship in Thailand, with four more groups completed:

● E: 1. Turkey (3-0); 2. Canada (2-1)
● F: 1. China (3-0); 2. Dominican Rep. (2-1)
● G: 1. Poland (3-0); 2. Germany (2-1)
● H: 1. Japan (3-0); 2. Serbia (2-1)

The playoffs are now set, with round-of-16 matches starting Friday:

Upper bracket:
● Netherlands vs. Serbia
● Japan vs. Thailand
● United States vs. Canada
● Turkey vs. Slovenia

Lower bracket:
● Italy vs. Germany
● Poland vs. Belgium
● Brazil vs. Dominican Republic
● China vs. France

The quarters will be on 3-4 September with the semis on 6 September and the final on 7 September.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LOS ANGELES 2028: Diving moves to Pasadena, LA28 to refit ‘32 Swim Stadium and City Council members demand local procurement

Rich Perelman

August 27, 2025

tsx pix 2025-827 rose bowl aq ctr (rbac) — The diving platform at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center (Photo: Rose Bowl Aquatic Center).

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≡ COUNCIL COMMITTEE HEARING ≡

Something was clearly up when Rio 2016 Olympic silver medalist diver Sam Dorman spoke during the usually irrelevant public comments at Wednesday’s 8 a.m. meeting of the Los Angeles City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games:

“After earning a degree in engineering and an MBA in sports marketing and management, I’ve joined Duraflex International. We are the one-and-only diving board manufacturer in the world and the company that supplies every Olympic diving board since the 1960s.

“Throughout my career, I’ve experienced Olympic and international competition from both sides, first as an athlete, and now as a supplier, overseeing events, walk-throughs and equipment installations at the Olympic Games.

“While the John C. Argue pool is a popular pool, it is unfortunately is not a suitable pool for the Olympic competition. It presents too many obstacles; a complete renovation and reorientation of the current pool, that does not have enough space to even host a proper Olympic event.

“On the other hand, the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center is a prime location and the right choice to provide athletes with the best and safest experience. Structurally, it has the foundation of a world-class venue, it has the space, the infrastructure and the capacity to deliver an unforgettable Olympic experience.”

That set the stage for the already-in-motion announcement of the move of diving from Exposition Park to the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center, which offers multiple benefits for the Games:

● The Aquatics Center, opened in 1990, held the 2008 USA Diving Nationals and is in use today as a training facility. It already has six springboards, including two at 3 m, and platforms at 5 m, 7 m and 10 m.

● The John C. Argue/LA84 Foundation Swim Stadium was originally built as the Los Angeles Swim Stadium for the 1932 Olympic Games, and has not been substantially improved since then.

Once the planned temporary swimming and diving facility for USC’s Dedeaux Field had to be abandoned in view of the university re-development programs, the LA28 plan for diving turned to the ‘32 facility, shoe-horning in 5,000 seats right next to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, site of ceremonies and track & field. This was always a rough fit.

● The announced schedule for diving is from 16-22 July (synchro and team events) and 25-28 July for individual events. That clashed with the track events in the Coliseum from 15-24 July and the flag football and lacrosse events at BMO Stadium on the other side of the Coliseum.

● Conversely, the Rose Bowl itself is only slated for football semifinals and finals on 24-25 July and 27-29 July, conflicting with diving only on three days.

● The move from the Argue/LA84 facility to the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center will be a huge help to the operation of the track & field competition, as it was used for check-in and final warm-up before competitors walked into the Coliseum. That option is now open again for 2028.

Later in the meeting, LA28 chief executive Reynold Hoover formalized the request, telling the committee, “This proposal comes after extensive analysis, conducted by LA28 and is supported by diving’s International Federation.”

Later in the meeting, Council member Curren Price Jr., whose district includes the swim stadium, told the committee:

“I’m glad that LA28 has come to the table to ensure that South L.A. is not left behind. They committed investing in the John C. Argue Swim Stadium in Expo Park and delivering a pool that is going to be certified for national and international competition.

“This means that long after the Games, our young people, our athletes and our community are going to have a world-class facility right here in South Los Angeles. This is the kind of legacy that I think we must insist upon, as the host city and as the financial guarantor. …

“This is how we make the Games work for all of L.A., by demanding that every change, every compromise, come with some lasting benefit for all of our residents.”

He also referred to an as-yet unpublicized plan to install added broadband communications towers in the South L.A. are, which could improve online access in the area.

Council member Katy Yaroslavsky, however, objected, asking whether the additional cost of renovating the swim facility was worth doing now, in view of the need for LA28 to have an operating surplus. She asked about the cost and Shana Ferguson, the LA28 Chief of Sport and Games Delivery, made a ballpark guess of $2-3 million, with the work to be completed in 2027.

Ferguson said this is a “nice to have” and not a “must-have” for LA28 and Yaroslavsky was a “no” on the vote to approve the change until Council member Bob Blumenfield said that the move would save $17 million for LA28. That was enough to change Yaroslavsky’s vote to a yes.

(A news release posted a couple of hours later noted the “relocation would achieve up to $17.6 million in combined savings and revenue growth” and that the 1932 pool renovation would be in lieu of rent for use in 2028.)

The diving venue change still has to be formally approved by the City Council, but that should be a formality.

There was significant further discussion of the LA28 Impact and Sustainability Report, filed Monday, which had goals of 75% of “addressable spend” in the Greater Los Angeles Area and 25% of “addressable spend” with small businesses.

Council member Hugo Soto-Martinez crystallized the Council’s position this way:

“When I think about the Olympics, I want to make sure when this happens, that the people that are going to benefit the most are those small businesses. People are going to drink coffee? I want to see South L.A. Cafe being there, selling that coffee. And also giving a flavor of the city.”

So, the committee agreed on a motion to ask for a “tiered” preference even within the local spending to prioritize spending within the City of Los Angeles first, the County of Los Angeles second and then outward, with some sort of penalties imposed for not meeting the goals.

There will be more discussion on this; Hoover noted that about 80% of LA28’s spending will come in the final 18 months prior to the Games.

Hoover also noted that the organizing committee is ramping up quickly, with more than 400 on staff now and 600 expected by the end of the year.

A volunteer program not just to help at the Games, but to help in the community is expected to open later this year. The cultural program is developing, with many meetings with community groups ongoing and initial programming details coming next month.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Olyslagers gets world lead in thriller vs. Mahuchikh in Diamond League Final, with U.S. wins for Kovacs and Moon

Rich Perelman

August 27, 2025

tsx pix 2025-820 lausanne dl olyslagers, nicola (DLAG) — Two-time Olympic silver medalist Nicola Olyslagers of Australia (Photo: Diamond League AG).

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≡ ZURICH DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡

/Updated/It was warm but wet at the start of Wednesday’s events in a massive temporary arena in downtown Zurich at the Diamond League Final for six events in the Weltklasse Zurich meet.

Temperatures were about 80 F when the events started, dropping down as the evening came on, but the rain also stopped, which helped everyone.

As it turned out five of the six winners – Mondo Duplantis, Simon Ehammer, Joe Kovacs, Katie Moon and ~~Sarah Mitton~~ were prior champions (this changed after the meet; see the women’s shot below)!

● Men/Vault: Could Swedish star Duplantis be beaten? No, but it was close.

The damp conditions didn’t help, but only three were left by 5.80 m (19-0 1/4), with Duplantis having cleared on his first attempt and two-time World Champion Sam Kendricks in his third.

Greek star Emmanouil Karalis cleared 5.65 m (18-6 1/2) and passed to 5.90 m (19-4 1/4). At that height, Duplantis sailed over, Kendricks missed once and passed to 6.00 m and Karalis cleared cleanly.

So the decisions came at 6.00 m (19-8 1/4), with Duplantis making his fourth straight bar without a miss to stay in the lead. Kendricks missed once and then decided not to go higher, finishing third.

Karalis finally got over on his third try and the bar went to 6.10 m, but neither he or Duplantis could clear, leaving the Swede with the Diamond trophy, his fourth in a row.

● Men/Long Jump: This was the last event on Wednesday, held under dry skies, but still overcast. Swiss home favorite Simon Ehammer, the sometimes decathletes and full-time long jumper, exploded in round three and zoomed into the lead at 8.32 m (27-3 3/4) and that was it.

Jamaica’s Wayne Pinnock had the first-round lead at 8.15 m (26-9), but was equaled by Liam Adcock (AUS) in round two, before Ehammer took over in round three. Adcock improved to 8.16 m (26-9 1/4) for second, but in round five it was Italy’s World Indoor champ Matteo Furlani who got out to 8.30 m (27-2 3/4) to get into second place.

Adcock, sitting third now, improved to 8.22 m (26-11 3/4) in round five and then 8.24 m (27-0 1/2) in round six to secure the bronze. Pinnock did not improve and was fourth.

● Men/Shot: Even though he didn’t make the U.S. team for the World Championships, Joe Kovacs, a three-time Diamond League winner, might be able to squeeze in if reigning World Champion Ryan Crouser – injured so far this year – decides not to compete in Tokyo … and Kovacs won on Wednesday.

So Kovacs was tied for the lead after round one, took the lead at 22.10 m (72-6 1/4) in round two and then exploded in round four at 22.46 m (73-8 1/4) and that was the winning throw and a fourth Diamond League trophy.

Fellow American Payton Otterdahl was second after round two and confirmed that position in round four at 22.07 m (72-5). Olympic bronze winner Rajinda Campbell (JAM) was third with his second-round throw of 21.87 m (71-9) and Tripp Piperi of the U.S. was fourth at 21.84 m (71-8), also in round two.

● Women/High Jump: This is a high-class showdown – once again – between Olympic champ and three-time Diamond League winner Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) and runner-up Nicola Olyslagers of Australia, with each having won three against the other this year.

Despite the overcast conditions, four cleared 2.00 m (6-6 3/4): Mahuchikh and Olyslagers on their first tries, Morgan Lake (GBR: first try) and fellow Ukrainian Yulia Levchenko (third try).

At 2.02 m (6-7 1/2), Olyslagers was perfect on her first try and got a seasonal best to take the lead, with Mahuchikh making on her second attempt. Lake and Levchenko both failed and Lake took third on earlier misses. Now the bar went to 2.04 m (6-8 1/4), with Olyslagers sailing over for the 2025 world lead and a new lifetime best! She’s now equal-16th all-time.

Unable to win at 2.04, Mahuchikh passed to 2.06 m (6-9), and got close, but was unable to clear and had to settle for second. Olyslagers had one very good try, but also failed, but had a great day with a win, the world lead and the Diamond League Trophy.

● Women/Vault: Two-time World Indoor champ Sandi Morris of the U.S. grabbed the lead with a first-time clearance at 4.75 m (15-7), but that as high as she could go. World and Olympic champ Katie Moon missed once at 4.75 and then passed to 4.82 m (15-9 3/4), making it on her first try.

Morris missed once at 4.82 and then passed, trying for the win at 4.89 m (16-0 1/2), but she missed both of her attempts, leaving Moon as the winner. Moon missed once at 4.89 and then tried 4.90 m (16-0 3/4), but missed twice and settled for the win. Fellow American Emily Grove was third with her third-try clearance at 4.75 m.

It’s Moon’s second Diamond League win, also in 2023.

● Women/Shot: The women and men rotated rounds in the shot, which was both entertaining and confusing. But there was very little doubt about the winner: Canada’s defending champion, Sarah Mitton.

She got to the lead in round one at 19.86 m (65-2), then boomed her second throw out to 20.67 m (67-9 3/4) and that held up to win. European champ Jessica Schilder (NED) reached 20.26 m (66-5 3/4) in round four and got second and world leader Chase Jackson of the U.S. couldn’t get her footing right and had a best of 20.08 m (65-10 1/2) in round two; she had four fouls.

/Update: A Dutch protest, filed well after the competition, ended up invalidating Mitton’s second-round throw and moved her down to third at 19.99 m (65-7), and elevating Schilder to the winner!/

Fellow American Jaida Ross was fourth at 19.26 m (63-2 1/3) in the second round and Maggie Ewen was sixth at 18.45 m (60-6 1/2).

The rest of the meet comes on Thursday, with rain in the forecast.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SCENE & HEARD: Has USA Swimming found a new chief? L.A. City Council member demands all ceremonies be held at the Coliseum!

Rich Perelman

August 26, 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! ★

★ Whispers, Stats, Facts, News and Views
from the 5-Ring Circus ★

IS IT TRUE … that a deeply-divided USA Swimming board has settled on the federation’s next chief executive, and that the announcement is imminent? That the new head will receive an annual salary near or at $1 million a year, guaranteed for multiple years?

USA Swimming let go of seven-year chief Tim Hinchey on 29 August 2024, instituting a search that named University of Delaware athletic director Chrissi Rawak on 19 February 2025. But before she could start – scheduled for 14 March – she withdrew on 28 February.

USA Swimming hired Stanford coach Greg Meehan as its National Team Director on 11 April, and promoted communications and marketing chief Jake Grosser to Chief Operating Officer on 9 July of this year. The newest search is apparently coming to a close.

The Los Angeles City Council is busy coming up with new requests for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games organizing committee.

On Tuesday, a motion from Ninth District member Curren Price, Jr. requests the “City Council approve the following changes to the Official Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 2028 Games:

“● The relocation of the Olympic Closing Ceremony from both the LA Memorial Coliseum and the Stadium in Inglewood to solely the LA Memorial Coliseum; and

“● The relocation of the Paralympic Closing Ceremony from the Stadium in Inglewood to the LA Memorial Coliseum.”

The Coliseum is in Price Jr.’s district, of course.

Another motion, from Seventh District member Monica Rodriguez, asks LA28 for “a detailed presentation on the new federal Olympics taskforce, its purpose, jurisdiction, anticipated activities, and the implications for the City’s planning and preparation for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This should also include guidance on what guardrails the City can enact to ensure that the City’s most vulnerable communities are protected.”

Expect more on these at Wednesday’s 8 a.m. meeting of the Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Making its way, slowly but surely, through the California Legislature is AB749 – the Youth Sports For All bill – a major policy initiative of the Play Equity Fund.

Per the Fund, the bill “requires the California Health and Human Services Agency to establish a Blue-Ribbon Commission to examine the current landscape of youth sports and make recommendations for establishing a centralized entity to ensure fair access to quality sports programs for all youth in California.”

The idea is to develop a new approach to the current, fragmented environment, with pay-to-play models, lack of facilities, lack of coaching standards, and inaccessible community sports programs deny many children the opportunity for wellness, academic success and positive personal development. It passed the State Assembly by 62-3 in June and has passed the Senate Health and Appropriations Committees, but has a little further to go.

★★★ Athletics I: Thursday’s Diamond League Final in Zurich (SUI) could be ugly, with temperatures around 60 F, 90% probability of rain and 27% chance of thunderstorms; the first running-event final is at 6:34 p.m.

It’s a long program, finishing at 9:40 p.m. with the men’s 200 m, the last 18 running-event finals, not to mention eight field events. No word on any plan in case of a lightning delay; the meet – as usual – is a sell-out with more than 24,000 expected.

★★★ Athletics II: Gianna Woodruff, 31, who was born in Santa Monica, California, but who has competed for Panama since 2015 in the women’s 400 m hurdles, finished a strong second at the Van Damme Memorial Diamond League meet in Brussels last week in 53.89, a seasonal best.

Her reaction included: “I think I have a season´s best and am exciting with where we are going with that. … I am just finishing stronger now, that´s the only difference compared to my other races. It was my first time competing in Brussels and it was great. I love the waffles.”

★★★ Athletics III: American Jasmine Moore, the Olympic long jump and triple jump bronze winner, was third in the women’s triple jump, but was happy to just make it through the meet, with temperatures falling to around 60 F:

“It was a bit chilly out there today. I am used to the heat of Florida and my feet were a little frozen today, but it is good to know that I can fight through any condition. I am proud of that.”

★★ Football: FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI) was showing U.S. President Donald Trump the FIFA World Cup trophy last week in the Oval Office, as the Final Draw was announced for the Kennedy Center on 5 December. Said Infantino:

“Presidents of countries, and then those who win can touch it, because it’s for winners only. And since you are a winner, of course, you can, as well, touch it; it’s pretty heavy …”

Replied Trump: “Can I keep it?” Infantino threw up his hands, and gently reminded Trump, “We have to give it to the next winner.” (Photo: The White House)

★★ Aquatics: You’ve probably heard of Katie Ledecky, Gretchen Walsh and Kate Douglass, all U.S. superstars at the Olympic and World Championships in women’s swimming. If you’re looking for 2028 Olympians coming up now, remember this name: Rylee Erisman.

At 16, she won five golds at the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in Bulgaria, including the 50-100 m Freestyles and three relays, plus two relay silvers. Her 100 m win (52.79) was so fast it would have earned the Worlds bronze in Singapore in July. Remember the name.

★★ Gymnastics: Not many people pay attention to rhythmic gymnastics, but it’s hard not to be excited for 16-year-old Rin Keys, who won a silver medal in the Ball apparatus final at the FIG World Championships last week in Rio de Janeiro (BRA).

It’s the first-ever medal for the U.S. at the Rhythmic World Championships, which started in 1963; the 2025 edition was the 41st.

★★ Memorabilia: Olympic collectors – and those who would like to be – will be interested in a panel on 9 September presented by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, and the International Society of Olympic Historians. The latest “Games History Hour” will focus on the hobby with avid collectors Gordy Crawford, a past head of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Foundation, Jonathan Becker, President of the Lake Placid Olympic Museum and Karen Rosen, a TSX contributor and a Board member of the Olympic Collectors Club.

The program comes on 9 September at 9 a.m., U.S. Mountain Time. Registration is free here: https://usopm.org/gameshistoryhour/

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PARIS 2024: Follow-up report shows Paris 2024 Olympic visitors were 85% French, up 420,000 tourists during the Games period over 2023

Rich Perelman

August 26, 2025

tsx pix 2025-826 paris-eiffel tower-river (paris je t'aime) — The Eiffel Tower overlooking the Seine River during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games (Photo: Paris je t’Aime).

★ 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! ★

≡ FINAL TOURISM REPORT ≡

The Paris tourism agency – Paris je t’Aime or “Paris, I Love You” – released quick snapshots of the economic and tourism impacts of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games last summer, but the full report was quietly published earlier in 2025, with confirmation of the details.

The bottom line:

A lot of people came to see the Games, nearly all of them from France.

The details:

● The 2024 Olympic Games sold 9.5 million tickets, a record and had another 2.6 million watching the road races in track & field, triathlon and cycling.

● A total of 11.2 million people took part in Games activities in the Greater Paris region, with 85% from France:

= 5.2 million (46.4%) from the Ile-de-France region, which includes Paris
= 3.0 million (26.8%) visited for the day and did not stay overnight
= 3.0 million (26.8%) tourists stayed for one or more nights

Of the three million who came and stayed, almost half of those were French – 1.4 million – while 1.6 million were foreign visitors (14.3%).

Now, three million overnight visitors over the Games might seem like a lot, but let’s take it in context:

● 3.0 million tourists in 2024 compared to 2.58 million in 2023 (+16.3%)
● 1.4 million French tourists in 2024 vs. 1.13 million in 2023 (+24.4%)
● 1.6 million foreign tourists in 2024 vs. 1.45 million in 2023 (+10.3%)

So after all the arithmetic:

● About 420,000 more total tourists than 2023
● About 287,000 more French tourists than 2023 (68.3%)
● About 150,000 more foreign tourists than 2023 (35.7%)

That’s what the Olympic Games brought: about 420,000 extra overnight stayers across the 17 days of the Games. Not millions, but hundreds of thousands, up about 16% from the year prior. These figures are down slightly from the quick-release numbers published right after the Games.

In terms of where the foreign tourism came from, the top international markets included:

● 230,000 from the U.S. (+21% vs. 2023)
● 130,000 from Germany (+42%)
● 115,000 from Great Britain (+21%)
● 107,000 from Brazil (+109.4%)
● 82,000 from China (+64.9%)

Overnight stays averaged about three nights, compared to 2.0-2.5 in 2023. Moreover, Paris was not sold out:

● 84% occupancy rate of overnight accommodations
● This was up 10.1% over the same period in 2023
● Prices were 18% higher during the Games, vs. 2023.

Occupancy was way down in the four weeks prior to the Games, at about 65% from 1-22 July, down 16% from 2023.

It’s also worth noting what these tourists were doing. They were attending Olympic competitions, eating out and buying souvenirs. They were not visiting the Louvre (down 22.2%), the Musee d’Orsay (down 29%) or the Chateau de Versailles (down 25%). In fact, from 1 July to 11 August (the Games started on 26 July), overall tourism in the region was down 4.7% year-over-year. But it picked up significantly after the Paralympics closed. This is known as the “displacement” effect of the Games.

In addition to the Olympic Games proper, there were 7.5 million visitors to the “celebration sites” such as the Terrasse des Jeux, Parc George-Valbon, Parc des Nations with 15 countries at 180 sites and fan zones in the Ile-de-France; the vast majority were French.

In the build-up to the Games, eight million people saw the Olympic Torch Relay, in more than 450 towns and cities.

What about during the Paralympics, which had 2.6 million tickets sold, the second-most ever? According to the report:

“It is estimated that 3.4 million visitors came to Paris during the Paralympic Games. 1.9 million were tourists, of which 950,000 were French (-5.7 % compared with 2023) and 970,000 were foreigners (stable compared with 2023).”

An estimated 600 000 people saw the Paralympic Torch Relay, in more than 50 towns and cities.

The value of the follow-up report is to recognize the reality of the Games on tourism and not swallow the hype. A look ahead to 2028 makes it worthwhile to compare the Paris environment with the Los Angeles area:

● 12.45 million in the Ile-de-France region (4,638 sq. miles)
● 13.05 million in the Los Angeles-Orange County area
● 9.76 million in Los Angeles County (4,084 sq. miles)

● 2.07 million in the City of Paris in 41 sq. miles
● 3.88 million in the City of Los Angeles in 498 sq. miles

So, Paris itself is much denser than Los Angeles, but the Ile-de-France and Los Angeles County (with its 88 cities) are pretty similar in size and people. So the tourism experience in Paris should matter when looking ahead to 2028.

The report notes the reasons for Paris’ achievements:

“The success of this event necessitated close collaboration between professions and institutions that were not used to working together. Mindful of what was at stake and the fixed deadline of the opening date, everyone demonstrated professionalism, efficiency and a remarkable spirit of cooperation. …

“This collective effort, characterized by outstanding synergy, was the key to the success of the Games. It was proof that when a region’s driving forces unite around a common goal, they can rise to the most ambitious challenges and deliver an unforgettable event.”

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: LA28 puts Mountain Bike in Industry; rain coming to Zurich Diamond League; U.S. women 3-0, win group at FIVB Worlds

Rich Perelman

August 26, 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 ● The LA28 organizers identified one more venue, for mountain bike, to be held at a temporary installation – the “Industry Hills MTB Course” – in the City of Industry in Los Angeles County, northeast of the City of Los Angeles.

Competitions will be held on Monday and Tuesday, 17-18 July, 2028, with one event each for men and women. The original venue in the 2024 Los Angeles bid was Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas, about 10 miles further east.

LA28 is in the midst of its second “NOC Open Days” held primarily at the Olympic Village site at UCLA, but also including venue tours. Some 22 National Olympic Committees are participating, with 43 total delegates.

● Asian Winter Games ● The Olympic Council of Asia responded to reports of construction delays in Saudi Arabia for the 2029 Asian Winter Games with a statement carried by Agence France Presse that it is “pleased with the strong progress being made, as we closely monitor the on-schedule work from the [Saudi organizers].

“We appreciate the bold ambition of the venue and the opportunities it will create as a new winter sports destination serving the future of sport in Asia.”

The 2029 Asian Winter Games are to be held in a new, mountain resort in Trojena, part of the NEOM mega-city complex under construction.

● Athletics ● Heavy rain is forecast for Zurich and the Diamond League Final on Thursday, so the women’s vault was moved to Wednesday’s in-city event at the Sechselautenplatz, in front of the Zurich opera house.

Also, American women’s 1,500 m winner Nikki Hiltz has decided to scratch out of the Diamond League Final in favor of more training for the World Athletics Championships in September.

The 100th anniversary meeting of the Finnkampen – the annual dual meet between Sweden and Finland – took place in Stockholm over the weekend, with Sweden sweeping both meets: 252-201 for the men and 242 1/2-211 1/2 for the women.

The dual was the no. 1 show on Swedish television for the entire week (M-Su) on Saturday (23rd) with 885,000 viewers and was no. 6 for the week on Sunday, with 580,000!

The sport would be a lot more fun, including in the U.S., if there were more nation-on-nation meets.

● Cycling ● The final two-thirds of Tuesday’s stage four of the 80th Vuelta a Espana was downhill, finishing in the French town of Voiron in southeastern France. So it was no surprise that the 206.7 km stage would end in a mass sprint, with Britain’s Ben Turner getting the victory over stage one winner Jasper Philipsen (BEL) and countryman Edward Planckaert, all in 4:50:14.

The first 115 riders received the same time, including race leaders David Gaudu (FRA) and Jonas Vingegaard (DEN). Italy’s Giulio Ciccone remains third, eight seconds back.

The race now moves to Spain, with a 24.1 km, flat Team Time Trial in Figueres on Wednesday.

● Volleyball ● At the FIVB Women’s World Championships in Thailand, pool play has concluded in groups A-B-C-D, with eight playoff teams set:

● A: 1. Netherlands 3-0; 2. Thailand 2-1
● B: 1. Italy 3-0; 2. Belgium 2-1
● C: 1. Brazil 3-0; 2. France 2-1
● D: 1. United States 3-0; 2. Slovenia 1-2

The Americans finished group play with a 26-24, 25-20, 25-15 sweep of the Czech Republic and won nine sets and lost just two in their three matches.

Italy, Brazil and the U.S. are the top three seeds, with the Dutch ranked ninth. Pool play concludes on Wednesday, with the playoffs starting on the 29th.

● Weightlifting ● Canadian lifter Shania Bedward, seventh at the 2023 World Championships in the women’s 76 kg class, agreed to a two-year suspension for the use of the prohibited stimulant modafinil. She tested positive during the 2024 Commonwealth Championships in Fiji.

She is ineligible from 19 September 2024 until 18 September 2026. For a sport which was almost eliminated from the Olympic program over doping, every violation brings worry.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LOS ANGELES 2028: Organizing committee releases “Impact and Sustainability” plan, notably targeting spending goals in the L.A. area

Rich Perelman

August 26, 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! ★

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

The LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games organizing committee released its “Impact and Sustainability Plan” on Monday, a 62-page review of its community outreach program which fulfills its commitment to the City of Los Angeles under the 2021 Games Agreement, and makes a long list of promises on its business, procurement and operations practices.

Goals for community business and procurement, local hire and sustainability were due, based on a lengthy outreach and discussion process, by 31 March 2025, and delivered now. The key promised goals:

● “Target 75% of addressable spend in the Greater Los Angeles Area”
● “Target 25% of addressable spend with small businesses.”

“Addressable spend” was defined in the report as “the portion of LA28’s overall spend open to competition, excluding spending that is required to go to specific organizations based on regulatory requirements or supply rights agreements.”

Outreach to local businesses will be extended through an “LA28 Procurement Plan” to be rolled out in 2026.

On youth sports, LA28 committed to $160 million in spending to subsidize participation in City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks programs, with 1.02 million enrollees reported through the 2024-25 program year, and more than $100 million committed so far.

Sustainability programming starts with the “Radical Reuse” of existing venues and emphasizing ways to reduce waste and further uses clean energy systems and closely-managed resource consumption. An “LA28 Community Resilience Fund” will be created to support local, non-profit organizations which can assist in the sustainability effort. Further commitments:

● “At least 90% materials used for temporary infrastructure and overlay at competition venues will be reused or recycled post-Games.”

● Waste from construction and Games installations will be targeted through (a) design and product selection; (b) resource reuse by return to rental use, resale or donation; (c) recycling and composting wherever possible.

● Waste from concessions is being managed carefully, with goals of (a) “100% of concessions beverage containers will be reusable, recyclable, or compostable in local facilities”; (b) “100% of Los Angeles area venues will utilize free hydration stations, encouraging spectators to bring in reusable bottles”; (c) “100% of Los Angeles area venues will activate food waste composting programs;” and (d) “100% of Los Angeles area venues will activate food donation programs.”

LA28 is further committing to carbon reductions, “for operations and construction by at least 10% compared to the Paris 2024 Games,” including the construction of no new venues (a major savings and possibly meeting the goals already) and the new Community Resilience Fund.

On energy, LA28 “will work to minimize the use of temporary power during the Games – and purchase 100% renewable electricity for its venues. Where LA28 does need to supplement the grid, the Games will maximize the use of lower-carbon temporary power technologies, such as batteries and solar, to the extent feasible.”

On transportation, LA28 committed, “100% of buses in the Games Enhanced Transit System will aim to be zero- or near-zero emission” and “[n]o spectator parking will be available at or near most Los Angeles area venues,” making 2028 a “transit-first Games.” The Games Enhanced Transit System is the spectator and workforce system, in the hands of the L.A. Metro Transportation Authority.

Heat mitigation was also noted, with a strategy to be developed and support for the ShadeLA tree-planting project, through the Community Resilience Fund. LA28 further committed to earning an ISO 20121 designation for sustainable event management.

It’s a detailed project report which sets out significant goals under which the LA28 Games are to be staged. The implementation will depend mostly on the availability of money, resources and enough time to find the desired resources and providers prior to 14 July 2028.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LOS ANGELES 2028: LA28 updates March annual report with good 2024 financials, as assets nearly double and $329 million in cash

Rich Perelman

August 25, 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! ★

≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

The LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee has a massive, $7.149 billion budget, but the organization’s just-released audited financial statements for 2024 show that the money needed is really coming in now.

An amended LA28 annual report, initially submitted in March, was updated late Monday night with financial statements covering the 2024 calendar year, by far the earliest such statements have been made public.

What they show is encouraging from a financial standpoint, vs. the status as of the end of 2023:

● Assets rose from $217.72 million to $419.56 million – almost double – with $329.24 million in cash and equivalents, plus another $33.28 million in receivables.

● “Noncurrent” contract liabilities, in other words, sponsorship and other payments made to LA28 which are not ready to be recognized according to financial accounting rules, show up to $556.79 million from $367.19 million in 2023. This is very good news.

● While the organization shows a negative net worth of $323.86 million, adding in the “noncurrent contract liabilities” as real money actually shows $232.93 million in total assets and the working total is actually somewhat higher.

These figures show LA28 as moving in the right direction from a financial standpoint, as it continues to hire people – nearing 300 staff now – and continues the planning for the Games. For most of its first eight years, it maintained a tiny staff, but those days are over. There will be an estimated 4,000 employees by the time the Games come in 2028.

As for 2024 itself, the financials showed a huge increase in activity:

● Total revenues of $237.67 million, up from $82.18 million in 2023, almost triple!

● Sponsorship led all income with $188.16 million, or 79.2% of the total, plus licensing ($18.10 million), hospitality payments ($11.33 million) and other revenues ($20.09 million).

● LA28 still lost money for the year, spending $254.00 million, with sponsorship payables – including $64.00 million to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee – taking up $68.27 million, followed by office administration ($63.36 million, including the move to a new office space) and personnel ($41.114 million).

Sales and marketing costs were $30.58 million, with $25.39 million in grants – including the funding of the Youth Sports Partnership with the City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department, and $20.76 million in professional fees, including architectural work.

● The bottom line was a loss of $16.32 million, to expand the on-paper net deficit to $323.86 million.

The notes to the financials explain the huge revenues influx in 2024:

● $34.90 million in broadcast rights
● $76.80 million in sponsorship fees
● $24.80 million in hospitality fees
● $75.00 million in ticketing fees

LA28 has significant revenue agreements and guarantees with the IOC-contracted hospitality provider, OnLocation, and with two ticketing agencies, and the nearly $100 million in 2024 revenue appear to be from those providers. The statement notes include:

“As part of this agreement, the Organization received an upfront cash payment of $75,000,000 which was recorded as a noncurrent contract liability. This will be recognized as ticket revenue when the Games are held.”

The Salesforce sponsorship agreement, announced in 2021, was ended in April 2024, and the notes specify that “One of the Organization’s sponsorship agreements was terminated in 2024 by mutual agreement and $124,931,511 related to the sponsorship termination was recognized as sponsorship revenue in the year ended December 31, 2024.”

In all, LA28 has received $689.17 million in revenue as of the end of 2024, still just 10.37% of its total budget.

On the expense side, rent for the new LA28 office in downtown Los Angeles, comprising about 160,000 sq. ft. will cost about $8.19 million from 2024-28, with outfitting and services to cost a lot more. The statements also noted that LA28 “recognized an expense” of $517,113 for liaison services provided by City of Los Angeles staff.

The report was assigned for review to the City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on the Olympic and Paralympic Games, for a hastily-called meeting for Wednesday, 27 August, at 8 a.m. Pacific time.

Observed: The early publication of the statements, compared with all past years, is a welcome sign of transparency by LA28, and wisely so, as it demonstrates the promised revenue inflow, even with almost 90% of the total revenue budget still outstanding.

The revenue outlook will further be helped by the new venue-naming rights options approved by the IOC, creating a new revenue stream that will further help support the Games.

But there is still a long way to go.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Seine swimming in Paris a summer success; prep 800 star Lutkenhaus goes pro; poll says 72% of U.S. “interested” in soccer!

Rich Perelman

August 25, 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 2024: Paris ● The summer swimming program in the Seine River has been considered a significant success with 80,000-plus participants in the July-August program, slated to end on Sunday (31st). The numbers would have been much higher except for 13 days of closure due to rain in July.

Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan said no sickness incidents have been recorded so far and an extension of 1-2 weeks into September is being considered. He told the FrancsJeux.com site:

“The distrust hasn’t completely disappeared yet, but I’m convinced it will be after this summer. … We’ve done all the work necessary to improve water quality to be ready for the Games. We were told we were doing all this for the athletes, but no: it was just a step. The most important thing is that the Games are a unique acceleration tool to create conditions that will benefit the population. This is a good definition of what the legacy of a major event should be.”

● Anti-Doping ● The World Anti-Doping Agency posted its 2024 annual report online, with a review of the activities for the year, including its compliance work:

● Compliance questionnaires were received and reviewed from 192 smaller organizations (including National Olympic Committees), with 125 of these receiving notices of corrections to be made.

● Compliance audits were made of 11 top-tier organizations, including eight National Olympic Committees and three International Federations, with 10 of these conducted in-person.

● WADA reviewed 322 sets of doping regulations of all kinds from 71 organizations, and reported that 15 countries had adopting legislation which complied with the World Anti-Doping Code.

On Russia, 280 sanctions have now been returned based primarily on the Moscow Lab data from 2011-15 that was retrieved in 2019, with 29 more cases still in process and 13 still under investigation. Russia currently has a case before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, contesting a WADA holding that national legislation still does not conform to the World Anti-Doping Code.

The financial report noted the non-payment of the U.S.’s $3.6 million in dues for 2024 and $2.7 million owed by Russia from 2023 and 2024, but unpaid due to banking-system sanctions. Overall, the 2024 budget of $50.0 million was not reached and $45.4 million was received, with reductions in travel and in-person meetings to help meet the gap.

● Memorabilia ● The conclusion of the Heritage Auctions Summer Platinum Night Sports Auction including multiple Olympic items, including two Olympic torches.

A Rio 2016 torch sold for $7,015, including the 22% buyer’s premium, and a 1984 Los Angeles Olympic torch went for $2,135.

Three tickets to sessions of the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm (SWE) in which Jim Thorpe competed went for $2,684, $2,562 and $2,562. Three tickets to sessions of the Berlin 1936 Games, in which Jesse Owens ran, went for $4,392, $3,904 and $2,806.

A specially-gilt participation medal from the 1896 Athens Games sold for $4,575.

● Athletics ● Cooper Lutkenhaus, 16, who is starting his junior year at the Northwest High School in Justin, Texas, has signed a professional contract with Nike and will forego his remaining high school and collegiate eligibility.

He will continue to be coached by Chris Capeau at Northwest, after his stunning 1:42.27 men’s 800 m runner-up finish at the USATF National Championships. He is now preparing for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September.

Even though Russian participation at the upcoming World Athletics Championships is not allowed, the Russian Athletics Federation is paying bonuses for making the qualifying standards.

Payments of 500,000 rubles (about $6.197 U.S.) will go the 23 athletes who made the standard and 200,000 rubles (about $2,478) to their coaches!

● Cycling ● Stage three of the 80th Vuelta a Espana was a hilly, 134.6 km route to Ceres in northern Italy, with France’s David Gaudu winning the mass sprint to the line over Danes Mads Pedersen and race leader Jonas Vingegaard, all in 2:59:24. The first 71 riders received the same time.

Vingegaard and Gaudu are now tied for the leading overall time with Gaudu eight seconds behind; Tuesday’s stage will be the last in Italy and starts with an early climb before a long downhill to the finish. Stage five will start in Spain.

The Dutch-based Visma-Lease A Bike team – of which Vingegaard is a member – suffered a mass theft of as many as 18 bikes overnight from a mechanics’ truck, but the team was able to compete on Monday without significant incident.

Some of the stolen bikes were found on the roadside and Italian police are investigating; reports of damages were as high as €250,000 (about $291,000 U.S.).

At the USA Cycling National Track Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado, veteran star Mandy Marquardt added two more national track titles to her collection, giving her 13 career individual championships.

She won the women’s Sprint over defending champion McKenna McKee, 2-0, and the 1,000 m Time Trial, in 1:06.027, again over the defending champ, Emily Hayes (1:06.343). Since her first national track title in 2018, Marquardt now has four career Sprint wins and six Time Trial victories.

She wasn’t the only one with multiple wins, as Anna Hicks won the 4 km Pursuit, the Scratch Race and the Points Race, with 66, and was a member of the winning Team Pursuit squad, Virginia’s Blue Ridge.

McKee won the women’s Keirin for the second straight year; Stephanie Lawrence won the Elimination Race and Olivia Cummins took the Omnium, 140-122, over Lawrence. Cummins and Lawrence were also on the Virginia’s Blue Ridge Pursuit winner.

Dalton Walters won three individual titles in the men’s races, taking the Sprint over Graeme Frislie, 2-0; the Keirin, and the 1,000 m Time Trial, in 59.571. Veteran star Grant Koontz won the 30-lap Scratch race and the 90-lap points race, over defending champ Anders Johnson. Frislie won both the Elimination Race and the Omnium, scoring 191 points to 183 for Koontz.

Johnson defended his 2024 title in the Individual Pursuit, overtaking Ian Anderson.

Walters won a fourth gold in the Team Pursuit with the UNCS team, with Koontz, Frislie and David Domonoske. Walters won a fourth gold in the Team Sprint with the Running Out Of Ink team, including Sterling Reneau and Joshua Hartman.

● Fencing ● USA Fencing is getting a monthly TV show on business channel CBNC and now you can donate appreciated stock to the federation as well!

USA Fencing announced an account with DonateStock, which, according to the announcement:

“Gifts of long-term appreciated stock may let donors avoid capital gains taxes and claim a charitable deduction – often enabling a bigger impact at the same out-of-pocket cost. (Be sure to consult your tax advisor about your specific situation.)”

Explained Meghan DeFord, Director of Development and Executive Director of the U.S. Fencing Foundation, “DonateStock handles the secure transfer with your broker, notifies USFF, and helps ensure you receive a timely charitable receipt. It’s a win-win.”

What’s next? Robot fencing, with betting?

● Football ● FIFA told its continental confederations that the next Club World Cup will take place in 2029, to be held in the summer. The format and a possible increase in the number of teams is to be decided, with Brazil having already expressed interest; the tournament was expanded to 32 teams in 2025.

With the 2030 World Cup in Morocco, Portugal and Spain, the Club World Cup could be held in some or all of those countries as a rehearsal.

Fascinating Harris Poll study on football – soccer – interest in the U.S., with 72% of Americans showing interest in the sport. Of that 72%:

● 20% are “Obsessed” (that’s 14.4% of all Americans)
● 25% are “Dedicated” (18.0%)
● 55% are “Casual Fans” (39.6%)

The 72% interest level overall compares to 92% in Mexico, 82% in Great Britain and 80% in Germany. In the U.S., interest in the sport breaks down to 68% male and 32% female.

Interest is clearly growing and the poll indicates one major reason: “Seven-in-10 (70%) soccer fans agree that they are more excited about the 2026 World Cup specifically because it will be held in North America.” Almost half of the respondents (46%) were aware the 2026 World Cup will be held in the U.S.

A growing trend in all sports is also true here: “Almost half (47%) agree that they follow individual soccer stars as much or more than they follow a specific team.”

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THIS WEEK: Diamond League Final in Zurich, Kipchoge and Hassan in Sydney Marathon while Vuelta a Espana and U.S. Open continue

Rich Perelman

August 25, 2025

tsx pix 92417-berlin mar kipchoge 750 — Kenya's marathon superstar Eliud Kipchoge

★ 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! ★

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

A major stepping stone to the World Athletics Championships is this week’s Diamond League Final at the Weltklasse Zurich, with five events on Wednesday afternoon and the main portion of the meet on Thursday.

Wild-card entries into the September Worlds in Tokyo are on the line in many events, including for Americans in 10 events. Significant prize money is on the line, in two tiers:

● Most events will offer $30,00-12,000-7,000–4,000-2,500-2,000-1,500-1,000-500 to the top nine placers (12 in distance races).

● “Diamond+ Disciplines” in eight events will offer $50,000-20,000-10,000-6,000-5,000-4,000-3,000-2,000-1,000 for 1-9 and through 12th in distance events. For Zurich, these include the men’s 100 m and 1,500 m, 400 m hurdles, and vault, and the women’s 100, 3,000 m, 100 m hurdles and long jump.

World 200 m champ Noah Lyles of the U.S. will run with a wild-card entry into the Final, and stars like Karsten Warholm (NOR) and Femke Bol (NED) in the 400 m hurdles, vaulter Mondo Duplantis, Ukraine’s world-record holder in the high jump, Yaroslava Mahuchikh, and American discus superstar Valarie Allman all confirmed.

The meet will be shown in the U.S. only on FloTrack.

Meanwhile, in New York, the U.S. Open tennis extravaganza continues with Jannik Sinner (ITA) and Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) favored to meet in the men’s final for the third Grand Slam this year.

Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka is the reigning women’s champ and trying for a three-peat; she lost two Grand Slams in 2025, to Madison Keys of the U.S. at the Australian and to Coco Gauff at the French Open. Second-seed Iga Swiatek (POL) won Wimbledon this year, defeating Amanda Arisimova of the U.S. in straight sets. Gauff is the third seed.

Iconic American star Venus Williams, now 45, was granted a wild-card entry into the women’s bracket.

There’s a lot more going on:

● Athletics: The seventh World Marathon Major, the Sydney Marathon, comes on Sunday, finishing in front of the famed Sydney Opera House.

An exciting elite field includes marathon superstar Eliud Kipchoge (KEN), the two-time Olympic champion, now 40, who wants to win each of the World Marathon Majors races, but last won in Berlin in September 2023.

The men’s field also includes Berhanu Legese (ETH: 2:02:48 ‘19), Vincent Ngetich (KEN: 2:03:13 ‘23) and Dawit Wolde (ETH: 2:03:48 ‘23) among nine racers with lifetime bests below 2:05.

Olympic women’s champ Sifan Hassan (NED: 2:13:44 ‘23) leads the women’s field, along with former world-record holder Brigid Kosgei (KEN: 2:14:04 ‘19) and Ethiopians Workenesh Edesa (2:17:55 ‘25) and Ashete Bekere (2:17:58 ‘22).

● Badminton: The 29th BWF World Championships will be in Paris (FRA), with South Korea defending three titles in the women’s singles – Se-young An, also Paris Olympic winner, in the women’s Singles, and in men’s and women’s Doubles. Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsam won the 2023 World men’s Singles gold, but lost to Viktor Axelsen (DEN) in the Paris Olympic final.

● Beach Volleyball: The seventh and final Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 tournament will be in Hamburg (GER), always one of the highlight stops of the season.

In the six prior men’s tournaments, only Tokyo Olympic champs Anders Mol and Christian Sorum (NOR) have won twice, and reached three finals. Swedish pairs David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig (1-1) – the Paris Olympic winners – and Jacob Holting Nilsson and Elmer Andersson (0-2) have made it to two finals.

Brazil’s Themala Galil and Victoria Lopez and Americans Kristen Nuss and Taryn Brasher have both won twice, with Carolina Salgado and Rebecca Cavalcante (BRA), and Canada’s Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson taking the other two events.

● Cycling: The first week of the 80th Vuelta a Espana continues in Italy for stage three and four and moves to Spain for the flat, 24.1 km Team Time Trial in Figueres on Wednesday. The first two climbing stages are set for Thursday and Friday, both with uphill finishes, concluding at 1,900 and 1,910 m on consecutive days.

Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard, the two-time Tour de France winner, is the big favorite and leads with David Gaudu (FRA) after three stages. Spain’s Juan Ayuso, Portugal’s Joao Almeida, and Britain’s Tom Pidcock are all capable challengers.

● Modern Pentathlon: The new-look UIPM World Championships with obstacle racing instead of equestrian will debut in Kaunas (LTU).

Egypt has emerged as a force in the sport, with Ahmed El-Gendy the reigning Olympic Champion, and Mohamed Moutaz winning the 2025 World Cup Final.

Hungary’s Michelle Gulyas won the women’s Olympic gold in Paris, but 14-year-old Egyptian sensation Farida Khalil won the 2025 World Cup Final, two of three World Cup races, and Worlds golds in the U-17, U-19 and World Junior championships!

● Rugby: The 10th Women’s World Cup has started in England, with 16 teams playing matches in four pools through 7 September. Playoffs will be held from 13-27 September, with the final in London.

Top-seeded England opened the tournament on Friday with a 69-7 win over the U.S. and defending champion New Zealand mauled Spain, 54-8 on Sunday.

● Triathlon: The fifth of eight events in the 2025 World Championship Triathlon Series is the “French Riviera” stop in France, from St. Raphael to Frejus, on Sunday.

Australia’s Matthew Hauser won in Yokohama (JPN) in May and Hamburg (GER) in July and is the seasonal leader with 2,925.00 points, trailed by Alghero (ITA) winner Miguel Hidalgo (BRA: 2,647.08) and Portugal’s Vasco Vilaca (2,491.72). New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde won the season opener in Abu Dhabi.

Britain’s Beth Potter, the 2023 World Champion, leads the women’s rankings with 2,360.05, ahead of Hamburg winner Leonie Perault (FRA: 2,325.68) and German Lisa Tertsch (2,282.82), winner in Abu Dhabi. Olympic champ Cassandre Beaugrand won in Alghero and Luxembourg’s Jeanne Lehair sprang the upset in Yokohama.

● Volleyball: The 20th FIVB Women’s World Championship continues in Thailand with pool play, with top-seeded Italy, second-seed Brazil and third-seed U.S. all undefeated at 2-0 and into the playoffs.

Pool play will finish on the 27th and the playoffs will conclude on 7 September with the gold-medal match, in Bangkok.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: U.S. has 10 additional “wild-card” spots for World Championships at stake at the Diamond League Final in Zurich!

Rich Perelman

August 25, 2025

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

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

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≡ WORLD CHAMPS WILD CARDS ≡

The qualifying period for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (JPN) in September is over, except for one meet: the Diamond League Final in Zurich.

The winners of these events will be the Diamond League champions for 2025 and have a “wild card” entry into the Worlds in Tokyo … most of the time.

For the U.S. team, Zurich is the last direct opportunity to get into the Worlds, but even a win won’t allow some to advance, even though qualified to the Diamond League Final:

● Men/100 m: Trayvon Bromell, a two-time World bronze medalist, has qualified for the Diamond League Final, but even if he wins, he won’t get to Tokyo.

That’s because he finished fourth at the USATF National Championships in Eugene, and the U.S. already has a wild-card entry in 2023 World Champion Noah Lyles. World Athletics rules allow a maximum of four national entries in any event – three qualifiers and a wild card – and USATF confirmed that in a choice between a reigning World Champion and a Diamond League winner, the World Champion will go.

That’s important to remember, as the 100 is not the only instance where this applies.

● Men/200 m: Courtney Lindsey was fourth at the USATF Nationals, ranks seventh worldwide and is in the Diamond League Final. But with Lyles the reigning World Champion in this event, Lindsey’s path to Tokyo is blocked.

● Men/400 m: Veteran star Vernon Norwood finished fourth at the USATF Nationals, but has been strong on the Diamond League circuit. If he wins in Zurich, he’s on to Tokyo.

● Men/800 m: World Indoor champion Josh Hoey was a stunning fourth at the USATF, but has been excellent in the Diamond League meets. It won’t be easy, but if he can overcome Kenya’s Olympic champ Emmanuel Wanyonyi – and everyone else – again, he will get to Tokyo.

● Men/1,500 m: Same story for Yared Nuguse, the American mile record holder, who finished a disappointing fifth at the USATF meet. But he got into the Zurich final and he if wins, he’s on to Tokyo.

● Men/5,000 m: Graham Blanks was only 13th in the USATF 5,000 m, but he’s qualified for Zurich, ranks no. 9 on the season (12:48.20) and if he pulls a major upset, he’ll be in this event in Tokyo. He’s already at the Worlds in the 10,000 m.

● Men/110 m hurdles: Trey Cunningham, the 2022 Worlds runner-up, was fourth at the nationals and Jamal Britt didn’t finish, but even with a win they won’t be in Tokyo, as the wild-card slot belongs to defending champion Grant Holloway.

● Men/400 m hurdles: Trevor Bassitt, a 2022 Worlds medalist, was the final qualifier for Zurich and with an unlikely win, would make it to Tokyo. He’s no. 14 on the 2025 world list at 48.14.

● Men/Shot: Joe Kovacs went from second to fourth in the final at the nationals and even if he wins in Zurich, he still can’t go to Tokyo as the reigning World Champion is American Ryan Crouser. If Crouser’s injuries still have not healed enough for him to compete, though, Kovacs might get in at the last moment, so it will behoove him to win!

● Women/100 m: Jacious Sears and Maia McCoy both qualified for the Zurich final, but are blocked by the wild card already taken by 2023 World Champion Sha’Carri Richardson.

● Women/200 m: Brittany Brown, the 2024 Olympic bronzer, and ex-NCAA champ McKenzie Long were 4-5 at the nationals, but could run their way to Tokyo with a win in Zurich. In their way is defending World Champion Shericka Jackson of Jamaica.

● Women/800 m: Addy Wiley, the top American on time in 2025 (1:57.43), tripped at the USATF final and was ninth. But if she wins in Zurich, she’s on to Tokyo. It’s a tough ask, however, with former World Champion Halimah Nakaayi (UGA), Britain’s Georgia Hunter Bell and world no. 4 Tsige Duguma (ETH) in the field.

● Women/Steeple: Courtney Wayment and Gabi Jennings finished 6-9 at the nationals, but have qualified for Zurich. It’s a tall task to beat Olympic champ Winfred Yavi (BRN), Tokyo Olympic winner Peruth Chemutai (UGA) and others, but there’s always a chance.

● Women/100 m hurdles: Tonea Marshall is equal-fourth on the world list for 2025 at 12.44 and could join the U.S. team with a win in Zurich, but will have to beat USATF winner Masai Russell and runner-up Grace Stark.

● Women/Vault: Emily Grove was eighth at the USATF, but can’t qualify for Tokyo as the U.S. has Katie Moon as a co-champion in 2023. However, Moon was second at the USATF meet and could decline her wild-card invitation …

● Women/Long Jump: Olympic bronze winner Jasmine Moore finished fifth at the USATF meet, but won the triple jump. If she wins the Zurich long jump, she’s in for Tokyo.

That’s 16 events in which the U.S. has athletes who could get to the Tokyo Worlds, but with so many U.S. Worlds winners in 2023, the opportunity is open to 10 athletes to punch the final tickets as an American team member for the 2025 Worlds (ignoring any weird gymnastics from qualifying via the World Athletics Rankings).

The Weltklasse Zurich opens with five events on Wednesday (27th) – the shot puts, men’s vault, women’s high jump and men’s long jump – and finishes on Thursday.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Draw at Kennedy Center; Johnson not part of BBC Worlds coverage; historic U.S. Rhythmic medal for Keys!

Rich Perelman

August 24, 2025

tsx pix 2025-824 wld jr swim erisman-clark-mishler-king (waqua) — Record-setting World Junior 4x100 m Free relay champions Rylee Erisman, Liberty Clark, Julie Mishler and Lily King of the U.S. (Photo: World Aquatics).

★ 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 ● As expected, the San Clemente City Council unanimously approved Resolution 25-114 last week, supporting USA Surfing to be the recognized National Governing Body for Surfing in the United States.

USA Surfing, headquartered in San Clemente, had been the U.S. NGB for the sport but had financial and governance issues and withdrew as the governing body in December 2021, allowing the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee to re-start the recognition process. U.S. Ski & Snowboard, whose chief executive was previously the head of the World Surf League, filed to become the NGB for surfing, despite Federal law allowing a National Governing Body to be affiliated with only one International Federation (USSS is a member of the skiing federation FIS).

The City Council had previously sent a letter on 5 August to the USOPC, urging USA Surfing’s selection, and followed up with a 5-0 vote on the resolution last Tuesday (19th).

● Asian Winter Games 2029 ● A Bloomberg report on Friday said that delays on the under-construction Trojena winter-sport resort in Saudi Arabia have led to sports officials checking on a possible venue change for the 2029 Asian Winter Games.

China and South Korea were noted to have been contacted about taking over, with the Saudis coming back for the 2033 edition, if approved by the Olympic Council of Asia. Harbin (CHN) hosted the event in February of this year, with 1,222 athletes competing in 11 sports.

● Junior Pan American Games ● The II Junior Pan Ams closed in Asuncion (PAR) on Saturday with a vibrant closing ceremony at the end of 15 days of events, with Brazil finishing as the top medal-winner with 175 medals (70-50-55).

The U.S. had a strong showing in second place with 142 medals (54-42-46), followed by Mexico (129: 29-45-55) and Colombia (115: 48-27-20). A total of 34 National Olympic Committees won medals.

● Athletics ● The BBC confirmed that Grand Slam Track founder Michael Johnson will not be appearing as a commentator on its coverage of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (JPN) next month.

A Grand Slam Track spokesman explained: “He has other commitments, unfortunately, but is looking forward to working with the BBC in the future.” Johnson has been a part of BBC’s athletics coverage since 2001.

Plenty to talk about after Friday’s Van Damme Memorial in Brussels (BEL), with American Record holder and world women’s shot put leader Chase Jackson looking for another milestone breakthrough:

“I threw a meeting record here (20.90 m/68-7), that felt very good. I was pretty consistent and hope to stay that way. I hurt my finger before the U.S. nationals and it keeps bugging me. So I’ve got to figure out what to do these next few weeks, especially for Tokyo [World Championships].

“I hope I don´t have to let it rest but I still have to get it checked. For Zurich [Diamond League Final], I hope that I can win the final and be consistent. Maybe some shots over 21 m, we´ll see!

“It was a good meeting, sometimes a bit crowdy with the pole vault next to it but everyone was so sweet. The crowd was amazing and they really cheered for each and everyone of us so that felt amazing.”

Jackson set the American mark of 20.95 m (68-8 3/4) in June; if she reaches 21.00 m (68-10 3/4), she will be the 34th in history to do it, and perhaps more impressively, only the fourth this century!

American sprint star Melissa Jefferson-Wooden was perhaps the most impressive, destroying a good field in 10.76, her sixth time under 10.80 this season, a time only Olympic champ Julien Alfred has also achieved. Jefferson-Wooden said afterwards:

“I felt so much love. I was happy to come out here and compete the way I wanted it to be. Right now I´m going back home to the States to get some good training in and clean up the small things.

“I know that I´m in great shape and that it´s all about putting together the perfect race at the perfect time, when it matters the most, and that is at the World Championships in Tokyo. So now all the small meetings are done and it´s time to go back home and work on the biggest one of the season.

“The plan is definitely to go out there and take gold. I feel like I put myself in a really good spot to be a contender for that and now it´s time to have trust. I´m so grateful for everyone in my circle that helped and pushed me to get here. This year I have put in a lot of work and that is what makes me confident, I know what I´m capable of. This is probably the first season that I have zero doubts because I know that I worked hard.”

Perhaps the happiest athlete in Brussels was Ruben Querinjean (LUX), the surprising – and stunned – winner of the men’s Steeple in a lifetime best of 8:09.47:

“This is really exceptional. In the last meters I felt that it was possible to take the win, but I never thought that this time would be possible. I have the confidence in my sprint at the end of a race, but to do it here tonight is something else. A time around 8:12 was the goal, but this is really unbelievable. And now I’m going to the World Championships!”

The Diamond League Final comes on 28-29 August at the Weltklasse Zurich in Switzerland.

● Football ● U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that the Final Draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. on Friday, 5 December 2025 at noon.

The mid-day time slot offers easy watch times in the Americas, Europe and Africa, but overnight or early-morning times in most of Asia and Oceania. FIFA noted that 42 of the 48 teams in the tournament will be known by then.

FIFA further announced that match tickets will go on sale on 10 September 2025.

● Ski Jumping ● The International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) announced that Norwegian ski jump stars Johann Andre Forfang and Marius Lindvik agreed on Friday to a three-month suspension and a payment of CHF 2,000 each in costs for their roles in the suit-manipulation case from the 2025 Nordic World Championships in Trondheim (NOR).

The agreement noted that the athletes “agree that they should have checked and asked questions about the night-time adjustments” to their suits but also stated that “[t]hey were not charged with actual knowledge of the manipulations.”

Lindvik, 27, is the 2022 Olympic Large Hill champion and Forfang, 30, is a two-time Olympic medal winner from 2018. With the short suspensions, both will be eligible to compete at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan Cortina.

● Swimming ● USA Swimming announced its major meet schedule for 2026, with four Tyr Pro Swim Series dates:

● 14-17 Jan.: Tyr Pro Swim in Austin, Texas
● 04-07 Mar.: Tyr Pro Swim in Westmont, Illinois
● 20-23 May: Tyr Pro Swim in Sarasota, Florida
● 17-20 Jun.: Tyr Pro Swim in Indianapolis, Indiana
● 28 Jul.-01 Aug.: USA Swimming Nationals in Irvine, California

The USA Swimming nationals in open-water will be held in Sarasota from 2-4 April.

There are no long-course World Aquatics Championships in 2026, but a 25 m (short course) Worlds in Beijing (CHN) from 12-15 December 2026. The major long-course event of the year for the American team will be the Pan-Pacific Championships – also in Irvine – from 12-15 August, with the U.S. squad selected based on 2025 performances.

● Taekwondo ● World Taekwondo announced its candidate list for the 23 October elections in Wuxi (CHN), with incumbent President Chungwon Choue (KOR) standing unopposed for a seventh term. Now 77, he has been the federation chief since 2004.

American Chun Jae Park is one of six candidates for three Vice President positions, and Inseon Kim and Richard Warwick are U.S. candidates from the field of 34 looking to be elected to 14 Council seats.

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Canoe-Kayak ● Ukraine’s Liudmyla Luzan was already a star, but she went wild at the ICF Sprint World Championships in Milan (ITA), taking four golds and dominating the women’s canoeing races.

She won the C-1 200 m in 46.09 over Cuba’s Olympic bronzer (and defending World Champion), Yarisleidis Cirilo (46.27), the C-1 500 m in 2:01.47 over defending champ and Paris C-1 200 winner Katie Vincent (CAN: 2:02.50), and teamed with Iryna Fedoriv to take the C-2 200 m (41.87), and C-2 500 m (1:53.30) with Vincent and Zoe Wojtyk (1:54.36) in second.

Vincent won three silvers, in the C-1 500, the C-1 5,000 m and in the C-2 500 m to give her a career total of 15 Worlds medals (9-3-3).

Hungary dominated the rest of the championships, with six golds and 13 total medals, with wins in the men’s C-4 500 m, Kolos Csizmadia in the K-1 200 m, Tokyo Olympic champ Balint Kopasz in the K-1 1,000 m and Levente Kurucz and Bence Nadas in the K-2 500 m.

The Hungarian women scored wins in the C-4 500 m and Zsoka Csikos in the K-1 1,000 m; she also won a bronze in the K-1 500 m.

Paris Olympic champion Martin Fuksa (CZE) won the men’s C-1 1,000 m, defending his 2023 title and taking his fourth Worlds career gold; he was also second in the C-1 500 m. Olympic K-1 1,000 m champ Josef Dostal (also CZE, and 6-8!) won the K-1 500 m, his seventh career Worlds golds and 14th career Worlds medal!

Poland’s Anna Pulawska was a double winner, taking the K-1 500 m and teaming with Martyna Klatt to strike gold in the K-2 500 m; second in both was Australia’s Natalia Drobot, with Kailey Harden in the K-2 500.

The U.S. won one medal, by Audrey Harper and Andreea Ghizila in the women’s C-2 200 m, behind Ukraine and (“neutral”) Belarus. It’s the first American medal in this event and only the third U.S. medal in women’s Canoe events at the ICF Worlds! American women have won a total of five ICF Worlds medals all-time.

● Cycling ● The 80th La Vuelta Ciclista a Espana began in Italy this year, with Belgian sprint star Jasper Philipsen winning the mass sprint to win the 186.7 km first stage in Novara.

He finished in 4:09:12 for his fourth career Vuelta stagte win and first since 2021, followed by Ethan Vernon (GBR) and Orluis Aular (VEN), with the first 179 riders receiving the same time.

Sunday’s 159.5 km ride to Limone Piemonte featured a final, 30 km ascent to the finish in rainy conditions and with a big crash with 26 km to go. But race favorite Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) was able to recover and master the final sprint to the line in 3:47:14 and won his third career La Vuelta stage, ahead of Giulio Ciccone (ITA), David Gaudu (FRA) and Egan Bernal (ECU). Vongegaard now has the race lead by four seconds on Ciccone.

The first four stages will start in Italy, with the stage 5 Team Time Trial the first to start in Spain, in Figueres.

The 20th UCI World Tour Renewi Tour in the Netherlands and Belgium saw Belgian sprint star – and two-time defending champ – Tim Merlier win the first and fourth stages, but it was countryman Arnaud de Lie who took the fifth and final stage on Sunday and won the overall title.

Merlier led for two stages, then de Lie finished second to 2020 winner Mathieu van der Poel (NED) on stage three, but took the lead. He kept a one-second lead on van der Poel after Merlier’s stage four win, then won the final mass sprint in Leuven in stage five to win in 19:24:42, with van der Poel second on Sunday and finishing three seconds back overall. Belgian Tim Wellens was third (+0:31).

● Gymnastics ● The FIG World Rhythmic Championships was held for the first time in South America, in Rio de Janeiro (BRA), with German star Darya Varfolomeev defending her 2023 Worlds gold in the All-Around, scoring 121.900, ahead of Bulgaria’s Stiliana Nikolova (119.300) and 2022 winner Sofia Raffaeli (ITA: 117.950).

American Rin Keys – 16 – was seventh (112.650) and teammate Megan Chu – 17 – finished 12th (109.950).

In the individual apparatus finals, Raffaeli won on Hoop, scoring 30.650 over Stiliana’s 29.950 and Anastasia Simakova (GER: 29.400). Keys was a close fourth at 29.200.

On Ball, Varfolomeev was the winner at 12.600, followed by Keys at 12.300 and Raffaeli at 12.100.

For Keys and the U.S., this was a momentous result, as it’s the first-ever American medal at the Rhythmic Worlds, first held in 1963! Keys won a World Junior bronze in Clubs in 2023 and two years later is a senior-level Worlds medalist.

Varfolomeev was an easy winner on Clubs, scoring 31.700, followed by Lica Amalia (ROU: 29.000) and Stiliana (28.800), and got her third gold on Ribbon at 30.250, beating Stiliana (29.800) and Ukraine’s Taisiia Onofriichuk (29.100). Keys was fifth on Ribbon at 28.100.

In the Team All-Around, Japan edged Brazil, 55.550 to 55.250, with Spain third at 54.750. The U.S. was 31st. China won the 5 Ribbons final, 27.550 to 26.650 for Japan, with Spain third (25.950), and Ukraine took the Team 3 Balls-2 Hoops final at 28.650, ahead of Brazil (28.550) and China (28.350).

● Swimming ● The World Aquatics Junior Championships concluded in Sofia (BUL), with the U.S. leading the medal table with 22 total, and 10 golds, six silvers and six bronzes.

The American women’s team was sensational, with nine of the 10 golds, and the 10th in the Mixed 4×100 m Free relay. Sprinter Rylee Erisman won five golds, in the 50-100 m Frees and three relays (plus two relay silvers); Audrey Derivaux won the 200 m Backstroke, 200 m Butterfly, 200 m Medley, a relay gold and the 100 m Fly silver; Rachel McAlpin won the 50 m Breaststroke and Charlotte Crush took the 100 m Back, a relay gold and was second to Derivaux in the 200 Back.

The U.S. men? Four bronzes, including just one medal among the three relays. Not counting the 2022 World Juniors, where the U.S. did not compete, it’s the first time ever that a U.S. men’s team did not win a single event at this meet (this is the 10th edition).

The men’s stars were double winners Carlos D’Ambrosio (ITA) in the 100-200 m Frees, Kuzey Tuncelli (TUR) in the 800-1,500 m Frees, John Shortt (IRL) in the 100-200 m Backstrokes, and Filip Nowacki (GBR) in the 100-200 m Breaststrokes.

China’s Peiqi Yang dominated the distance women’s Freestyles, winning the 200-400-800-1,500 m events, and won a gold, silver and bronze on relays.

● Volleyball ● The 20th FIVB Women’s World Championship opened in Thailand, with matches in four host cities for the 32 teams, playing in eight groups.

The no. 3-seed U.S., playing in Group C, defeated Slovenia, 25-23, 17-25, 25-22, 25-14 in its opener on Friday and Argentina (25-14, 23-25, 25-12, 25-17) on Sunday. Its final pool game will be on Tuesday against the Czech Republic. The top 16 teams will advance to the playoffs, with the Americans already through.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MEMORABILIA: Fosbury’s ‘68 Olympic high jump gold brings $158,600; Jordan’s ‘84 gold-medal Converse go for $64,050!

Rich Perelman

August 24, 2025

tsx pix 2025-824 fosbury gold-uniform (hertiage auctions) — Dick Fosbury’s Mexico City ‘68 Olympic gold and his Olympic uniform (Images by Heritage Auctions).

★ 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! ★

≡ FOSBURY SOARS AT AUCTION ≡

The family of famed Mexico City ‘68 men’s high jump winner Dick Fosbury of the U.S. placed his Olympic gold medal, participation medal and uniform top on auction, closing quite successfully late Saturday night.

Part of the Heritage Auctions Summer Platinum Night Sports Auction, the three items all sold:

● Fosbury’s uniform, the iconic ‘68 dark blue with red-on-white “USA” lettering, was the only one he was issued for the Games and was projected to bring $50,000. With 90 minutes left in the initial “overtime” bidding period, it was at $39,000, but ended at $52,500 plus the 22% buyer’s premium, so $64,050 overall.

● His Mexico City ‘68 participation, a unique, copper square, has the “MEXICO 68″ logo and the pictograms of the 20 sports at the Games. It was expected to sell for about $20,000, but ended at $6,710, including the buyer’s premium.

● His Mexico City ‘68 Olympic gold medal was expected to bring as much as $200,000, and was at $82,500 with 90 minutes left in the “overtime” bidding period. Interest picked up quickly, and the final sale was at $130,000 plus the buyer’s premium, so $158,600 in all.

There was no reserve on the items, so they were clearly going to be sold; the total sale brought $188,000 plus the buyer’s premiums ($41,360). Fosbury passed away in March 2023, at 76.

Also closing on Saturday was a unique Michael Jordan item, the Converse shoes he wore during the gold-medal game of the 1984 Olympic basketball tournament in Los Angeles. Jordan starred in the 96-65 rout of Spain at The Forum, just before starting his NBA career in Chicago.

After the game, Jordan gave the shoes to Patrick Knight, son of American coach Bobby Knight, in the winning locker room. On auction, the pair was projected to bring $40,000, but bidding was already at $42,000 with 90 minutes left in the “overtime” bidding period.

The final price was $52,500, plus the buyer’s premium, or $64,050 in all.

There are other items still available, including Olympic torches from Los Angeles 1984 and Rio de Janeiro 2016, as remaining auction items will close late on Sunday, in U.S. Central time.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SPORTS DIPLOMACY: Bi-partisan House bill proposes ramped-up State Dept. strategy for 2024-2034 “decade of sports” in U.S.

Rich Perelman

August 23, 2025

tsx pix 2025-823 LA federal bldg (GSA) — The Federal Building in west Los Angeles, site of the State Department’s L.A. Foreign Press Center from 1982-2008 (Photo: GSA).

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≡ “AMERICAN DECADE OF SPORTS” ≡

“A plan to partner with local host cities, diaspora communities, creatives, athletes, the sports industry, private sector entities, human rights organizations, and civil society stakeholders surrounding the competitions for the purpose of showcasing United States national strengths and forging new diplomatic connections.”

That’s the core of H.R. 5021, the “American Decade of Sports Act,” introduced by second-term Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-California), from Los Angeles, on Friday (22nd), along with 23 co-sponsors (11 Republicans, 12 Democrats).

The bill refers to recent and upcoming events, including the “2024 Copa America, 2025 Club World Cup, 2026 FIFA World Cup, 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, the 2031 Men’s and 2033 Women’s Rugby World Cup, and the 2034 Winter Olympics and Paralympics” and seeks specific action from the U.S. State Department, “to leverage sporting events to advance various diplomatic lines of effort, including by:

● “(A) integrating sports diplomacy into regional bureaus’ bilateral engagements and efforts to pursue new areas of cooperation with foreign partners;

● “(B) integrating sports into public diplomacy to reach new foreign audiences that might not otherwise engage with United States embassies abroad; and

● “(C) leveraging sports diplomacy to advance commercial diplomacy.”

New engagement opportunities, commercial programs, international sports partnerships and sports diplomacy projects and tourism concepts are all to be encouraged.

This specific effort is to be “for the purpose of showcasing United States national strengths and forging new diplomatic connections” and requires an initial five-year plan from 2025-29 and then a second, 2030-2034 plan. Further, a new “Office of Sports Diplomacy” is to be formed, using about 18 dedicated staff for the project, which can be re-assigned State Department employees.

The new unit would report to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Professional and Cultural Exchanges in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Nicole Elkon.

The bill also directs direct, State Department action on two areas which were also high governmental priorities at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles:

● “A plan to ensure an expeditious and secure visa process for athletes and their families and support staff and eligible international visitors planning to travel to the United States to attend the games, including reducing visa appointment wait times.”

● “Any plans to deploy domestic public diplomacy resources, such as the Cultural Unit and Foreign Press Center established during the 1984 Olympic Games, to enable foreign visitors to engage with American culture and values.”

A State Department Cultural Unit – with two staff – was established in Los Angeles from 1963-68, “to better engage the creative community there and advise on international visitor support in Southern California.”

The Foreign Press Center in Los Angeles was a project of the now-shuttered U.S. Information Agency (1953-99) and was opened in 1982 to support the growing foreign entertainment press corps in L.A. and provide a West Coast complement to the existing – and still operating – Foreign Press Centers in New York (opened 1946) and Washington, D.C. (1968). The Los Angeles branch was closed in 2008.

During the 1984 Games, the Los Angeles Foreign Press Center offered support for news media who were not accredited for the Olympic Games but wished to cover Los Angeles during the Games.

H.R. 5021 was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, of which Kamlager-Dove is a member. The Committee Chair, Michael McCaul (R-Texas) is a co-sponsor.

Observed: This bill could formalize the sports diplomacy effort within the U.S. State Department and with the continuing expansion of U.S. professional sports leagues around the world, could create smoother opportunities for new business projects.

For upcoming events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup (and the to-be-awarded 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup), 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Rugby World Cups and the 2034 Winter Games, the bill is already late. However, it offers great possibilities for two entities:

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee: The USOPC already does its own international relations outreach, but this could be substantially expanded in cooperation with the U.S. government, especially to involve some of the National Governing Bodies whose sports may be most popular outside the U.S.

● City of Los Angeles: The City of Paris undertook a massive, €15 million (~$17.58 million U.S.) media support effort in its Paris Media Centre, with 40 days of programming, 350 events including news conferences and tours, a 250-seat auditorium, 300-station workroom, radio and television studios (5), in-Paris stand-up positions and more.

Los Angeles, in the midst of a deep financial crunch, could use Federal help for its own effort and a joint program with the State Department, County of Los Angeles and State of California makes enormous sense.

But the bill, even with bi-partisan support, has to get through, and then there are the questions of funding, staffing and time available to implement any kind of program.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LOS ANGELES 2028: Community groups, unions demand $5 billion for local housing from IOC, LA28, or they will strike in ‘28

Rich Perelman

August 22, 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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≡ L.A. UNIONS DECLARE WAR ON OLYMPICS ≡

The Unite Here 11 hotel and concession workers union led a Thursday (21st) rally in front of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, with its demands summarized in a message it posted on Instagram:

“The Fair Games Coalition, which is comprised of more than 60 organizations, launch a campaign for a New Deal for our Future to ensure the games benefit working families. Over the next three years, Los Angeles will become the first city to host the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic & Paralympic Games back-to-back, making it the mega-events capital of the world. We are demanding that these mega-events serve our communities and leave a positive legacy. We are calling on LA28 and corporations to negotiate a New Deal for Our Future – or face the possibility of massive protests and strikes on the opening day of the 2028 Olympics.”

During the short program, it was Unite Here 11 Co-President Kurt Peterson who dictated their terms:

“We believe the Games present a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform our city. A new deal that guarantees union jobs and $30 an hour minimum wage for all workers in Los Angeles.”

It’s the latest chapter in a dramatic, desperate and brutal business vs. labor clash continuing in the City of Los Angeles. The short recap:

● On 27 May 2025, a City of Los Angeles ordinance (188610) urged by Unite Here 11 was signed into law which raises minimum wages for airport and hotel workers beginning on 1 July and escalating to $30.00 per hour on 1 July 2028. It’s known as the “Olympic Wage” program.

● On 27 June 2025, the implementation of the ordinance was suspended, as the Los Angeles City Clerk announced that the LA Alliance for Tourism, Jobs and Progress, a coalition of hospitality-related businesses, had filed more than 140,000 signatures – many more than needed – for a ballot measure to repeal the ordinance. The signatures are now being reviewed for validity, required for the measure to advance to the June 2026 ballot.

● While the tourism alliance was collecting signatures, on 16 July, Unite Here 11 filed and is collecting signatures for two ballot measures of its own: (1) an initiative to mandate a $30 minimum wage for all workers in the City of Los Angeles, and (2) an initiative to require a public vote on any “major development projects” in the city, including hotels which receive City subsidies, or any temporary or permanent event construction of more than 50,000 sq. ft. or 1,000 seats, which would impact some Olympic sites in L.A. proper.

It subsequently filed for two more initiatives on 24 July, raising taxes on companies which pay chief executives “more than 100 times their median-salary employee in the city” and limit their use of city-owned property.

● On 23 July, multiple chambers of commerce within Los Angeles filed an initiative petition to scrap the City of Los Angeles business tax, which generates more than $800 million for the City annually and would be a devastating loss of revenue.

A month later comes the newest rally and the Unite Here 11-led demands, best summarized by National Public Radio affiliate LAist:

“They’re asking the International Olympic Committee and private Olympics organizer LA28 to give $5 billion to build housing in Los Angeles. They’re also demanding a citywide moratorium on Airbnb, and want the International Olympic Committee to end its partnership with the short-term rental giant.”

Peterson’s comment in the LAist story was “If LA28 and their billionaire backers refuse to change course, we will take this fight to the streets and to the Games. When the world’s eyes are on Los Angeles in 2028, we will not hesitate to strike.”

The Los Angeles Times quoted a reply from LA28 Vice President Communications Jacie Prieto Lopez, in a statement that explained the Games “will mean good-paying jobs and real opportunities for working people in Los Angeles, including benefits that reach the neighborhoods and families who keep this city running.

“In collaboration with the City of Los Angeles, we look forward to our partnerships with local unions and remain confident the Games will bring positive economic impact to the region and leave behind a stronger future for working people.”

Observed: The IOC and the LA28 organizers are literally innocent bystanders in all of this, now dragged into the business vs. labor fight at City Hall, with the union attacking events which will give their members more work and overtime pay in 2026 and 2028.

Neither the IOC or organizing committee are likely to get much involved in this, as the competing initiatives and referendum petitions will have to be reviewed and certified by the end of the year. They will then appear on the June 2026 ballot – or not – and the public will vote one way or the other; Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will be up for re-election on the same ballot.

Then the rules of engagement for 2028 will fully be known.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Jefferson-Wooden dominant in star-studded 100 at Van Damme Memorial, with more U.S. wins in the 400, 1,500, 400 hurdles, vault and shot

Rich Perelman

August 22, 2025

tsx pix 2025-531 gst phila jefferson-wooden, melissa II (gst) — Brilliant: Olympic 100 m bronze medalist Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (Photo: Grand Slam Track).

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≡ BRUSSELS DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡

The penultimate Diamond League meet for 2025 saw cool, cloudy skies in Brussels (BEL) for the annual Van Damme Memorial, that affected the marks, but with some exciting races and another dominant performance for Melissa Jefferson-Wooden.

The women’s 100 m had five-time World Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM) in lane four, world leader Jefferson-Wooden of the U.S. in five and teammate and 2023 World Champion Sha’Carri Richardson in six. The race was over at the start, with Jefferson-Wooden rolling to the lead and crushing the field in 10.76 (wind: -0.2 m/s), with no one close. Only Olympic champ Julien Alfred (LCA) has run as fast in 2025.

Richardson was left in the blocks again, but moved up nicely and stormed into second in 11.08, showing acceleration that had not been seen this season. Britain’s Daryll Neita was third (11.15) and Fraser-Pryce was fourth (11.17) and American Maia McCoy was sixth in 11.21. That’s nine wins in a row for Jefferson-Wooden across seven meets.

The American entries had a terrific meet, with five more wins:

U.S. champ Jacory Patterson completely dominated the men’s 400 m, taking over by 200 m, making up the stagger on countryman Vernon Norwood in lane eight. Into the straight, Patterson ran away to win in 44.05, with Norwood in 44.62 and then Britain’s Charles Dobson in 44.81. Very, very impressive on a cool night, about 59 F at his race time.

Australia’s Linden Hall had the lead in the women’s 1,500 m, running with the pacers and taking the bell 20 m up on the field. She was still up 10 m with 200 m to go, but U.S. champ Nikki Hiltz was moving best on the turn. Hiltz had all the speed on the straight and passed Hall with 15 m left and won in 3:55.94, a seasonal best by 0.02. Hall got a lifetime best of 3:56.33 for her brave run in second and Kenya’s Nelly Chepchirchir, a four-time Diamond League winner this year was third (3:57.35).

American Heather Maclean was 10th in 4:00.54, and Sinclaire Johnson was in a crash in mid-race and finished 12th in 4:18.92.

Olympic silver medalist Anna Cockrell of the U.S. took control of the women’s 400 m hurdles by mid-race and powered into the straight with a clear win in 53.66, jogging to the line, comfortably ahead of Gianna Woodruff (PAN: 53.89 seasonal best).

Seven cleared 4.64 m (15-2 3/4) in the women’s vault, but only 2024 World Indoor winner Molly Caudery (GBR), Olympic champ Katie Moon and Hana Moll of the U.S. cleared 4.74 m (15-6 1/2). Moon and Caudery cleared 4.80 m (15-9) on their first attempts, while Moll had to settle for third, with three misses.

But Moon – in long sleeves thanks to the cold – snaked over 4.85 m (15-11) on her third try and that was enough for the win. Lots of other U.S. entries, with Emily Grove (4.64) in sixth, Sandi Morris in eighth (4.44 m/14-6 3/4), Amanda Moll in 10th at 4.44 m and Gabriela Leon in 11th (4.24 m/13-11).

Two-time World Champion Chase Jackson of the U.S. grabbed hold of the women’s shot in the second round, getting out to 20.90 m (68-7), more than a meter ahead of two-time World Indoor winner Sarah Mitton (CAN: 19.89 m/65-3 1/4) through round four. Neither could improve and they finished 1-2, with two-time European champ Jessica Schilder third (19.58 m/64-3).

The other Americans, Maggie Ewen (18.80 m/61-8 1/4), Abby Moore (18.58 m/60-11 1/2) and Jaida Ross (18.22 m/59-9 1/2) finished 7-8-9.

There was a lot more, of course:

U.S. star Christian Coleman got off well on the turn of the men’s 200 m, but the race was in the outside lanes, with Alexander Ogando (DOM) in lane seven out-dueling Robert Gregory (USA) in lane six and Udodi Onwuzurike (NGR), 20.16-20.19-20.29 (-0.3). Coleman was fourth in 20.42. Kyree King of the U.S. was seventh in 2066.

A huge field in the men’s 1,500 m, with a lot of eyes on 18-year-old Kenyan star Phanuel Koech and he had the lead at the bell with the field close, with fellow Kenyan Abel Kipsang falling and out of the race on the inside.

It was Dutch star and Olympic finalist Niels Laros moving to Koech’s shoulder with 300 m to go and Laros took over into the final straight, winning convincingly in a seasonal best of 3:30.58. Koech was second in 3:31.41 and then Nuguse came on for third in 3:31.51, passing Isaac Nader (POR: 3:31.77).

Hobbs Kessler of the U.S. finished 14th in 3:36.65. Nuguse was confirmed as qualified for the Diamond League final and can get into the World Athletics Championships if he wins!

Kenya’s Abraham Kibiwot led the men’s 3,000 m Steeple, with Tokyo Olympic fourth-placer Getnet Wale (ETH) close in a bunched field. Wale took over on the penultimate lap, but American Isaac Updike surprised with a sprint on the inside to take the bell!

Wale got the lead again on the backstraight and took the final water jump and led to the final barrier. But Ruben Querinjean (LUX) had the most speed on the run-in and got to the line in a stunning national record of 8:09.47, no. 9 in the world for 2025. Wale was second in 8:09.62 and Updike got a lifetime best of 8:10.59, now no. 9 on the all-time U.S. list.

Fellow American Benard Keter was ninth in 8:16.11, a lifetime best!

In the men’s high jump, only Romaine Beckford (JAM), Ukraine’s Oleh Doroshchuk and Thomas Carmoy (BEL) cleared 2.22 m (7-3 1/4), and Doroshchuk took the lead with a first-time clearance at 2.25 m (7-4 1/2). Carmoy cleared on his third but Beckford went out and finished third. At 2.28 m (7-5 3/4), both missed twice and then once at 2.30 m (7-6 1/2), so Doroshchuk got the win.

Americans Elijah Kosiba (2.18 m/7-1 3/4) and Paris Olympic runner-up Shelby McEwen (2.14 m/7-0 1/4), finished seventh and eighth.

World-record holder Mykolas Alekna (LTU) went right to the front of the men’s discus in round one at 68.82 m (225-9), but it didn’t last as NCAA winner Ralford Mullings (JAM) got off a mighty 69.41 m (227-4) throw in round four to assume the lead. Slovenia’s Kristjian Ceh, the 2022 World Champion, moved up third in round five at 67.13 m (220-3).

In the final round, Mullings went further, to 69.66 m (228-6) and that was the winner, his seventh win in eight meets this season.

German star Julian Weber exploded in the first round of the men’s javelin at 87.01 m (285-5) with the resurgent 2012 Olympic champ Keshown Walcott (TTO) second at 86.30 m (283-2) in round two. Weber got better in round four at 89.65 m (294-1) and two-time World Champion Anderson Peters (GRN) was third at 85.17 m (279-5).

The women’s rarely-seen mile Steeple – a World Athletics test event – was set up for Olympic champ Winfred Yavi (BRN) to try for a world record, and was paced by American Val Constien. Yavi took over with two laps to go and soloed to the finish in 4:40.13, well off the world mark (reported as 4:25). American Angelina Ellis was a distant second in 4:46.74.

The women’s 5,000 m had the wavelights set at world-record pace and Kenyan Agnes Ngetich was on it, with more than 100 m on the field by 2 km. She was second in the world record 5,000 at the Pre Classic, 13:58.06 to 14:01.29, to countrywoman Beatrice Chebet. Ngetich passed 3,000 m in 8:30.74 and 4,000 m in 11:31.06.

The lead was 80 m at the bell and Ngetich ran all alone to the finish at 14:24.99. The rest of the pack had a wild sprint to the finish, with Ethiopians Likina Amebaw (14:31.51) and Aleshign Baweke (14:31.88) finishing 2-3 and then Josette Andrews of the U.S. (14:33.16). Weini Kelati was 11th (14:37.77) and Karissa Schweizer was 13th (14:39.30).

Cuba dominated the women’s triple jump, with Leyanis Perez leading from round one in 14.50 m (47-7), then passed by Davisleydi Belazco in round two (14.64 m/48-0 1/2). She extended to 14.72 m (48-3 1/2), but Perez launched back into the lead at 14.78 m (48-6) in the fifth and that’s the way it ended.

Olympic bronzer Jasmine Moore of the U.S. moved to third in round five at 14.38 m (47-2 1/4) and finished there.

Another World Athletics test event was the Mixed 4×100 m, with the Dutch mastering the man-woman-man-woman passing challenge to win in 40.96, over two Belgian teams (41.16 and 41.69).

Next up: the Diamond League final will be at the Weltklasse Zurich on 27-28 August, with potential World Championships wild card available in all events!

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SCENE & HEARD: Can anything ever get done in Los Angeles; hey FIFA: fans can go to Oklahoma football post-game news conferences for a price!

Rich Perelman

August 21, 2025

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

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★ Whispers, Stats, Facts, News and Views
from the 5-Ring Circus ★

Bill Shaikin, the national baseball writer for the Los Angeles Times, grew up in L.A. and knows the city in depth, covering its teams across five decades. His Tuesday column, “Can L.A. decide on the Dodger Stadium gondola, or anything, in a timely manner?” perfectly encapsulates the exasperating reality of the City of Los Angeles, three years ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games.

In short, a “gondola” to carry 2,500 people an hour from Union Station to Dodger Stadium was proposed in 2018. It has been bitterly opposed by residents close to the project and in 2024, the City of Los Angeles asked for a study on traffic alternatives for Dodger games. A request for proposals was issued 16 months later, in July; the study is hoped to be delivered in the fall of 2026! Wrote Shaikin:

“If it is delivered on time, that could be nearly a three-year wait for one study in advance of one vote for one of the several governmental approvals the gondola would require.

“Is the city – or, at least, the elected representatives opposed to the gondola – slow-walking the project?

“‘We’re not slow-walking nothing,’ said [L.A. City Council member Eunisses] Hernandez, whose district includes Dodger Stadium. ‘This is how the city moves.’”

Speaking to Shaikin at a rally against the project, she then pointed to a tree behind her, adding, “It takes us 15 years to trim a tree.” Shaikin was stunned; Hernandez explained, “We’ll trim this tree this year, and we won’t get to it again for 15 years.”

Whether the LA28 organizing committee will be ready to stage the Games in 2028 is unknown; that team is still in formation. But with the City of Los Angeles in a continuing fiscal crisis, as is the State of California, questions about whether public services can meet the needs of the event continue to be questioned. And will be. Buckle up.

Do the revenue hounds at FIFA know about this? The University of Oklahoma is offering 10 different football “Sooner Magic Memories” to fans this season, including high-fiving the Sooners as they come onto the field, delivering the game ball to officials, pre-game pictures on the field and … “postgame media access”:

“[Y]ou’ll step into the press area at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and see where the real-time reactions happen. Stand in the media zone and observe OU coaches and players address reporters after the game, just moments after the final whistle. This is your chance to witness the postgame storyline unfold – the insights, the questions, and the atmosphere that shapes the headlines. It’s a rare, behind-the-curtain look at what happens after the lights go off.”

It isn’t free; media access for the 30 August game against Illinois State – for two – is $461.61, but $692.11 for the 6 September Michigan game and $576.86 for the 20 September match-up with Auburn.

Can you imagine Brazil fans attending a 2026 FIFA World Cup post-match news conference after a loss? Even after a close win? Or what they would do to a reporter who asked a question they didn’t like?

★★★ LA28 II: Warm profile of LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman by Peter Kiefer in The Hollywood Reporter, with some well-documented details of the influence of his grandfather, Lew Wasserman, and Casey Wasserman’s look at how the Games has to bring people together.

★★★ LA28 III: The LA28 organizing committee isn’t going to put on any sporting events for a while – mid-2027 at the earliest – but small delegations of 30-40 National Olympic Committees are coming to Los Angeles next week for the second session of “NOC Open Days.”

The program includes, as in May, the usual venue tours and a lot of time at UCLA, which will be the site of the Olympic Village in 2028.

★★★ LA28 IV: Noted at the World Games 2025 in Chengdu (CHN), that the eight-team women’s tournament in Lacrosse Sixes – the LA28 Olympic format – had national teams from the U.S. (gold) and Canada (silver) and six other countries, but not the Haudenosaunee Nationals, which has players of both nationalities.

The Haudenosaunee Nationals women’s team is ranked no. 8 worldwide (for field lacrosse), and the men are ranked third, but appear to the on the outside of any Olympic participation, which is based on National Olympic Committees. Lacrosse, of course, was originated by tribes in North America and thus has an honored, independent position within World Lacrosse, just as Hawaii does within the International Surfing Association. But, so far, for LA28, the Haudenosaunee are not eligible to be play as a team.

★★★ LA28 V: A “pause in routine visa operations” in Zimbabwe by the U.S. State Department since 7 August wouldn’t normally draw much interest in TSX, but that’s where International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry is from. However, the post stated that “Applications for A-1, A-2, G-1, G-2, G-4, C-2, and C-3 diplomatic and official visas will continue to be processed.” So, no worries for her (probably).

The U.S. Embassy posted on X: “We have paused routine visa services in Harare while we address concerns with the Government of Zimbabwe.”

★★ U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee travel planners for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Games won’t have to worry about booking a return flight for luge star Emily Fischnaller (nee Sweeney; pictured below, courtesy FIL).

A two-time Olympian in 2018 and 2022 and a three-time Worlds medal winner in 2019 (silver) and 2025 (silver and bronze), Sweeney, 32, married Italian luge star and 2022 Olympic men’s bronze winner Dominik Fischnaller earlier this year and after the Games will head to her new home in Meransen, Italy.

“We’re still splitting our time for now, but after the Olympics, I plan to stay in Italy,” she said in an FIL feature. Badly injured in the neck and back in a crash at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games, she has recovered, with perspective:

“It’s an Olympic year, and the pressure is on. But I’m ready to push myself – a little more every day. I’ll always feel my back. But I’m not crying about it – it’s okay. I’ll live with it.”

★★ USA Fencing has been on a roll, announcing an all-time high of 45,157 members (and 752 clubs), and a new, monthly, Saturday afternoon television show on CNBC.

What about 2025-26? USA Fencing chief executive Phil Andrews wrote in an e-mail, “53 000 is our goal for this coming year! That’s ambitious, but possible.” Wow. Fencing!

★★ The Sports Examiner has enough to cover across 40 sports on the Olympic and Winter Games program, so not much attention is given to junior competitions. But the U.S. has been going strong recently.

The American women out-muscled Spain to win the water polo World Aquatics U-20 Worlds in Salvador (BRA), 16-15, with Emily Ausmus named the Most Valuable Player. It’s the fifth time the U.S. has won this tournament, but for the first time since 2015!

American men’s Freestylers went wild at the United World Wrestling U-20 Worlds in Samokov (BUL), winning the team title by 185-112 over Kazakhstan with Iran third at 111. The U.S. won half of the 10 classes: Marcus Blaze (61 kg), Luke Stanich (65 kg), Peter John Duke (70 kg), Max McEnelly (86 kg) and Justin Rademacher (125 kg), and medals in 8 of 10 weights!

Check out the guns on this guy! It’s 20-year-old Minnesota freshman Max McEnelly, the 86 kg World Junior Freestyle champion! (Photo: Rich Immel/USA Wrestling).

At the UCI U-20 Track Cycling Worlds in Apeldoorn (NED), 17-year-old Emma Jimenez Palos of the U.S. won the women’s 30-lap Scratch final with a final surge off the last turn to win by a bike length.

★ World Archery announced that CBS will show the World Championships – in Gwangju (KOR) from 6-12 September – in the U.S., although without any details on specific airings.

It’s a move up for archery, which has strong U.S. medal contenders such as Olympic medal winners Brady Ellison and Casey Kaufhold, and women’s national champ Catalina GNoriega.

★ U.S. Soccer will honor retired midfielder Michael Bradley, now 38, who was a stalwart of the American men’s national team from 2006-19, with 151 appearances and 17 goals and was a captain in 48 matches.

Bradley will be saluted in a pre-game ceremony in Harrison, New Jersey, ahead of the USA-South Korea match on 6 September as part of a continuing series for players who retired in 2019 or later, with 100 caps and two World Cup and/or Olympic appearances.

★ The Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) has promoting its seventh “Pierre de Coubertin Pentathlon Day” – named for the modern Olympic founder who is credited with inventing the sport, which debuted at the 1912 Stockholm Games – with two challenges.

The first is a fast online quiz, which requires registration, opening on 2 September, with the winner being the fastest who got all of the questions right. Second is the de Coubertin “Wear Your Moustache With Pride” challenge “encouraging Olympic sports fans everywhere to wear a moustache — real, fake or drawn — while training or performing everyday tasks” and post the photo(s) on social platforms.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Olympic marketing expert says relax on LA28 venue-naming rights; Foot Locker vaporizes cross-country nationals; Tinch loves rain!

Rich Perelman

August 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! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● Although mostly positive, there has been some shrieking about the 14 August announcement that the LA28 organizers will venue naming rights to its temporary venues, but with the International Olympic Committee retaining its ban on sponsorship signage inside competition sites.

“I understand people’s confusion, and even their alarm.

“Relax. The IOC will never abandon its ‘clean venue guidelines’ as it pertains to in and around the field of play.”

That’s from veteran American observer, bid expert and Olympic sponsorship designer and marketer Terrence Burns, in a LinkedIn post on the issue. He added:

“The over-reaction to this is understandable, but also uninformed about how LA28 and the IOC are approaching this new opportunity.

“And yes, I think every future OCOG or Candidate City see this as an additional revenue stream. And they should because they need it.

“Take it from someone who used to approve TOP Partner marketing activations, who used to canvass Olympic venues pre-Games with [duct] tape to cover up inappropriately displayed brand names, sponsors or not.

“This is a positive development and long overdue.”

Relax.

● Junior Pan American Games 2025: Asuncion ● The second Pan Am Juniors is heading to the finish on Sunday. Through Thursday, Brazil continues to lead the medal count with 150 (63-39-48), with the U.S. second at 112 (40-34-38), then Mexico (100: 22-41-37) and Colombia (95: 37-24-34).

● Athletics ● “After thoughtful and careful consideration, Foot Locker has made the difficult decision to conclude the annual Foot Locker Cross Country Championships (FLXC). As we look to the future, this strategic decision reflects our ongoing commitment to evaluating where we can make the most meaningful impact for our business, our customers, and the communities we serve, including the running community.

“For the past 45 years, the FLXC has been more than just a race; it has been a celebration of passion, perseverance, and the boundless potential of student-athletes across the country. As the longest running cross country race in the nation, it has brought together generations of runners, coaches, families, and fans and helped build one of the most inspiring communities in high school sports.”

Thursday’s announcement ends what started as the Kinney Cross Country Championships in San Diego in 1979 and grew into one of the most anticipated races of each season, up through December of 2024. No reasons were given for the decision, but it was announced in May that Foot Locker is being acquired by Dick’s Sporting Goods for an equity value of $2.4 billion.

The transaction is slated to close by the end of the year; it’s not unusual for the sponsorships of a company being acquired to be shut down in favor of the marketing efforts of the acquirer.

Dick’s is the Official Sporting Goods Retail Provider for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games organizing committee in the Official Supporters tier.

The Athletissima Lausanne Diamond League meet was held under brutal conditions, with hard rain, but some athletes weren’t that upset:

● Cordell Tinch of the U.S., the 110 m hurdles winner in a speedy 12.98, said afterwards, “I felt great through the warmup, this is my kind of weather! This result feels great.”

● American Joe Kovacs, winner of the men’s shot at 22.04 m (72-3 3/4), said, “I’m never too scared of the rain, I live in a rainy state [Ohio]. You just have to find a way to make it work. It’s always good to put another 22-meter throw in the bank, even if the mark itself isn´t the most impressive. My wife [Ashley] told me not to come home without that wheel of cheese they give as a prize here; that´s my favorite part of the meeting.”

● Josh Hoey of the U.S., winner of the men’s 800 m in an amazing (for the conditions) 1:42.82, explained:

“I wanted to get out hard, let the leaders take the rain, and then make my move with 100 to go. It felt like being a kid again, playing in the rain. I´ve never raced in anything like this before. It reminded me of cross-country growing up, where it comes down to being the toughest and the most patient.”

● American Noah Lyles was second in the men’s 100 m (10.02), but was upbeat:

“I just had a horrible reaction to the gun. That was the only thing wrong. Technically I felt good, my warm-up was good, but once you miss the start at this level the race is basically over. Physically I feel great, and I am confident every race will get better and better. The goal is to sharpen the details, especially my drive phase and my start, heading to Tokyo and the World Championships.”

● The 100 m winner, Jamaican Oblique Seville, was impressive with his 9.87 win:

“Running 9.87 in those conditions shows I can go much faster, anywhere in the world. That´s a good time. I´ve beaten the Olympic Champion [Lyles] twice, in London and here, and that gives me a lot of confidence heading into the championships. It´s been a while since a Jamaican man has won the 100 m at a global championship, and of course I believe I can be the one to do it. My coach inspires me a lot, even the small tips he gives make a big difference.”

The penultimate Diamond League meet comes Friday in Brussels (BEL) for the annual Van Damme Memorial, with cloudy skies and cool temperatures in the low 60s forecast in the evening.

Where did this come from? Norway’s Hakon Moe Berg, 19, finished a tight second to Worlds 1,500 m bronze winner Narve Nordas at the Pfungstadt Evening Sports Festival in Germany, 3:30.26 to 3:30.28!

That’s more than five seconds better than his prior best of 3:35.41 and a qualifying mark for the World Athletics Championships. Moe Berg had already won the European U-20 titles in the 1,500 m and 3,000 m and now this?

He’s now no. 8 on the all-time world junior list and the third-fastest junior in European history, behind Niels Laros (NED: 3:29.54 in 2024) and countryman Jakob Ingebrigtsen (3:30.16 in 2019).

● Swimming ● The U.S. junior women are having a terrific time at the World Aquatics Junior Championships in Otopeni (ROU) through three of six days, with five wins, including Rylee Erisman (100 m Free: 52.79 meet record), Charlotte Crush (100 m Back: 59.52), Audrey Denvaux (200 m Back: 2:06.99 meet record and 200 m Fly: 2:07.57), Rachel McAlpin (50 m Breast: 30.78).

Florida-based Erisman, 16, now sits at no. 6 all-time U.S. and no. 5 on the 2025 world list, and would have won the bronze medal with that time at the World Championships in Singapore!

The Americans also won the Mixed 4×100 Free relay and was second in the Mixed 4×100 m Medley. The men’s team has two bronzes so far, from Gavin Keogh in the 100 m Back and in the 4×100 m Free relay.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

BOXING: Khelif denies boxing career is over; fellow Paris gold winner Lin to take World Boxing sex-test to fight at Worlds

Rich Perelman

August 21, 2025

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

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≡ WORLD BOXING SEX SCREENING ≡

The talk of the 2024 Olympic boxing competition was about the women’s 57 kg and 66 kg divisions, won by Yu-ting Lin (TPE) and Algerian Imane Khelif, both accused of being biological men.

On Thursday, both came out and said they are not retired and one is planning on competing at the first World Boxing Championships in Liverpool (GBR) in September and will take the now-required sex-test to compete in the women’s division.

Agence France Presse reported that Lin’s coach, Tzu-Chiang Tseng announced that she would comply with the new regulations:

“They announced that everyone must submit, so we will submit as well.

“If you want to compete you have to follow the rules of the competition. Since we are participating, we will go by their rules.”

As for Khelif, a story from the French Nice Matin site quoted her manager Nasser Yesfah, that she was not boxing any more. On Thursday, Khelif slammed back in a Facebook post:

“I would like to make it clear to the public that the reports of my retirement from boxing are false. …

“I have never announced my retirement from boxing. I remain committed to my sporting career, I train regularly and I maintain my physical condition between Algeria and Qatar in preparation for upcoming events.”

As for Tesfah, Khelif stated, “This person no longer represents me in any way,” and that he “betrayed trust and country with his false and malicious statements.”

Lin and Khelif both won world championship titles in event staged by the International Boxing Association (and its predecessor-in-name, AIBA) before the IBA disqualified them at its 2023 World Championships, citing ineligibility under its gender regulations, without specifics:

● Lin: World Champion 54 kg 2018; Worlds 57 kg bronze 2019; World Champion 57 kg 2022

● Khelif: Worlds 64 kg silver 2022

Both fought, without incident, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, with Lin losing in the 57 kg round-of-16 and Khelif losing in the 60 kg quarterfinals. On Wednesday, World Boxing announced mandatory sex-testing for the women’s category, and for all boxers as of 1 January 2026:

“Under the policy, World Boxing will operate two categories as determined by sex: a men’s category and a women’s category. To be eligible for the men’s category, a competitor must be male at birth. To be eligible for the women’s category, a competitor must be female at birth.

“Participation in either category will be determined by a PCR or functional medical equivalent genetic screening test to determine sex at birth. The PCR test is a laboratory technique used to detect specific genetic material, in this case the SRY gene, which reveals the presence of the Y chromosome, that is an indicator of biological sex. The test can be conducted by nasal/mouth swab, saliva or blood.

“Athletes deemed to be male at birth, as evidenced by the presence of Y chromosome genetic material (the SRY gene) or with a difference of sexual development (DSD) where male androgenization occurs, will be eligible to compete in the male category.

The World Boxing Championships in Liverpool are scheduled for 4-14 September.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Australia commits $2.2 billion U.S. to Brisbane 2032 venues; Gabby Thomas wants doping life bans; USA Fencing gets own TV show!

Rich Perelman

August 20, 2025

tsx pix 2021-625 thomas, gabby OT (tim healy trktwn usa) — Paris Olympic 200 m champion Gabby Thomas of the U.S. (Photo: Tim Healy for TrackTown USA)

★ 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 Australian government and the State of Queensland signed an agreement for venue support for the 2032 Brisbane Games; the announcement noted:

“The Australian Government has allocated a capped contribution of $3.435 billion to the $7.1 billion Games Venue Infrastructure Program, which will see 17 new or upgraded venues delivered across Queensland.

“This includes the main 63,000 seat stadium at Victoria Park and the National Aquatic Centre.”

(A$1 = $0.64 U.S., so A$3.435 billion ~ $2.21 billion U.S.; A$7.10 billion ~ $4.57 billion U.S.)

Queensland will be responsible for the rest of the funding and will manage the actual construction work. It was further noted that the agreement “also prevents the state government from selling or offering long-term leases on Olympic venues for 25 years, unless the federal government agrees to it.”

Queensland Sports Minister Tim Mander said during the signing ceremony that any added sports that might be proposed for the Games would need to pay their own way:

“It is important to know that any additional sports, outside the 28 core sports, those costs have to be born by the host.”

● International Olympic Committee ● “There is not a word of truth in this, it is a completely fabricated story.”

That’s from the IOC Press Office, replying to a statement by retired Russian discus thrower Vera Geneeva, who said in a radio interview that the IOC “threatened to annul” the Olympic results of vault star Yelena Isinbayeva, two-time Olympic champion in 2004 and 2008, if she “supported” the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In fact, Isinbayeva served as an IOC member from her election to the IOC Athletes’ Commission from 2016-24.

● World Anti-Doping Agency ● WADA is asking governments for additional money beyond their annual dues “for the purpose of scientific research in anti-doping, which is crucial to securing a level playing field for athletes worldwide.”

The Tuesday announcement noted a May contribution by Qatar of $1.5 million for research, above its $200,000 annual dues payment. The WADA post went on:

“Prompted by this, in July, WADA’s Finance and Administration Committee recommended that WADA Management invite all Governments to consider making similar contributions that would advance scientific research and also help mitigate the risks created for clean sport when a Public Authority withholds payment of its annual dues.”

That’s a pointed reference to the U.S. – specifically the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy – which has withheld its 2024 dues of $3.625 million over WADA’s approach to the 2021 Chinese swimming mass-doping incident and its handling of the case since it was publicly exposed last year. The war of words between WADA, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and the U.S. Congress has continued, without any indication of a thaw.

● Athletics ● Paris women’s 200 m Olympic champion Gabby Thomas of the U.S. came out even harder against doping in a post on X on Wednesday, calling out coaches, but also athletes (reproduced in her format; “idc” = “I don’t care.”):

Doping coaches should be banned for life
from coaching in the sport. Whether you
were banned while competing as an athlete
or caught distributing as a coach (for some,
both)
Idc idc idc
If you train under a coach who is known for
doping (one, twice or even three times for
some), you are complicit.
That’s my stance

There is quite a lot of doping activity out there. The Athletics Integrity Unit, which announces new doping suspensions almost daily (it seems), had 659 individuals on its global list of ineligible people as of 1 July 2025, and there were more in July and August.

These are only individuals currently under sanction and does not include those whose sanctions have concluded. As Thomas notes, she does not care.

● Fencing ● A breakthrough for USA Fencing, announcing a monthly television program – “The Fencing Show” – beginning in October on CNBC. Per the announcement:

“Viewers can expect exciting competition recaps, personal athlete stories, and expert commentary that bring the tactics and drama of fencing to life for both longtime fans and new audiences. By featuring both household names and rising stars, the series aims to inspire the next generation of fencers and engage a broader fan base across the country.”

USA Fencing will have some ad inventory available during the shows, which can also help boost sponsorship opportunities for the federation. It’s an important step forward for the sport in the U.S., giving it reliable, scheduled exposure – generally the last Saturday of each month, at 2:30 p.m. Eastern time – that it can direct to current and new fans to with confidence.

● Freestyle Skiing ● China’s two-time Olympic gold medalist Eileen Gu is recovering and undergoing tests in New Zealand after a training accident.

The South China Morning Post reported on the Friday incident, referencing Gu’s Weibo account:

“Unfortunately, a very terrible accident occurred yesterday due to human error.

“Hopefully I’ll be back on the snow soon, but I’m still waiting for final confirmation from the expert team.”

Gu had recovered from another injury at the January X Games in Aspen, Colorado before the incident in Cardrona, a popular New Zealand resort which has been a multi-time FIS World Cup host. She was moved off the resort and flown for Christchurch for more examinations.

If healthy, she will be favored in February Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games in the women’s Freestyle Halfpipe and Big Air.

● Gymnastics ● Olympic women’s Floor Exercise gold medalist Rebeca Andrade (BRA) will not compete at the 2025 FIG Artistic World Championships in Jakarta (INA) in October, explaining:

“I am a woman with five knee surgeries. When we understand our limits, it is essential to respect them. I know you like it when I do floor exercises, but I can still show a lot on other apparatuses.”

Now 26, she was the All-Around runner-up in Paris and has won four other Olympic medals.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Hoey wins wild men’s 800 m in rainy Lausanne Diamond League, as Seville beats Lyles in 100 and Kovacs wins men’s shot

Rich Perelman

August 20, 2025

tsx pix 2025-731 usatf ch hoey, joey (usatf) — U.S. 800 m star Josh Hoey (Photo: USATF).

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≡ LAUSANNE DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡

It was raining and wet with temps in the 60s at the annual Athletissima Lausanne, the 13th of 15 meets on the Wanda Diamond League circuit, and while the conditions held down the marks, the intensity was still high.

Take the men’s 800 m, perhaps the hottest event of 2025 and with 2024 Olympic champ Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN), 2023 World Champion Marco Arop (CAN) and 2025 World Indoor winner Joey Hoey of the U.S. all in the field.

Once pacer Guy Learmonth (GBR) left after a 49.24 first lap, it was Wanyonyi to the lead in his usual style, but with Olympic finalist Max Burgin (GBR), Hoey and Arop chasing. Around the turn, it was Arop moving well and into the lead and onto the final straight and Wanyonyi in some trouble.

But it was tight and Hoey had the most speed and moved away to win decisively in a surprisingly fast 1:42.82, with Wanyonyi coming on the straight with Spain’s Mohamed Attaoui (1:43.38) and Burgin (1:43.44) in 2-3-4, passing Arop (1:43.91). A real confidence builder in the conditions for Hoey; fellow American Bryce Hoppel was ninth in 1:48.18.

The men’s 100 looked to be great until the rains came, but once the gun went off, It was Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake to the front, then passed by countryman Oblique Seville in mid-race. Olympic champ Noah Lyles of the U.S. made his usual late rush, but Seville got his second Diamond League win this season in dominant fashion in 9.87 (wind: -0.3) with Lyles getting second in 10.02, then Blake (also 10.02). Fellow Americans Brandon Hicklin and Courtney Lindsey were 6-7 in 10.20 and 10.27.

The U.S. scored three wins besides Hoey:

● World leader Cordell Tinch of the U.S. trailed out of the blocks in the 110 m hurdles, with 2022 Worlds runner-up (and fellow American) Trey Cunningham in front. But Tinch was in charge by halfway and Jamal Britt moved past Cunningham for a U.S. sweep in 12.99-13.13-13.19 (+0.3). The fourth American in the field, Dylan Beard, was seventh in 13.30.

● Two-time World Champion Joe Kovacs of the U.S. took the lead in the men’s shot – in the wet conditions – with a 21.47 m (70-5 1/4) in the first round and then improved to 22.04 m (72-3 3/4) in round five for the win and on to the Final in Zurich. World leader Leonardo Fabbri got out to 21.77 m (71-5 1/4) in round five for the lead, but had to settle for second; American Tripp Piperi took third with his final throw of 21.49 m (70-6 1/4). Roger Steen (21.28 m/69-9 3/4) and Payton Otterdahl (21.24 m/69-8 1/4) were 5-6 and national champ Josh Awotunde was ninth at 20.15 m (66-1 1/2).

● Olympic bronzer Brittany Brown of the U.S got hold of the women’s 200 m into the straight and got to the line first in 22.23 (-0.5), with a clear win over Favour Ofili (NGR: 22.31) and Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith (CIV: 22.37). Ex-NCAA champ McKenzie Long of the U.S. was sixth in 22.69.

The meet was definitely impacted by the weather and no one was taking chances, but there was plenty of good competition:

Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo injected some speed into the men’s 5,000 m after the 3,000 m mark, but the field was bunched at 4,000 m with Mezegubu Sime (ETH) taking over at the front. At the bell, it was Ethiopia’s two-time World Indoor 1,500 winner Samuel Tefera who had the lead, followed closely by Grant Fisher of the U.S. and Hagos Gebrhiwet (ETH).

It was a battle down the backstraight, with Gebrhiwet getting to the lead, but Belgium’s Paris Olympic finalist Isaac Kimeli got to the front into the final straight and stayed there – in pouring rain – winning in 13:07.67, with Fisher second in 13:08.51 and then a fast-charging Eduardo Herrera (MEX: 13:09.50). Tefera was fourth in 13:09.80; Graham Blanks of the U.S. was eighth in 13:12.94.

American Trevor Bassitt, the 2022 Worlds bronzer, had the lead in the men’s 400 m hurdles by halfway, but was under pressure from NCAA champ Ezekiel Nathaniel (NGR), who took the lead on the straight and managed a 48.08 to 48.14 win. Matik Ian Gucek (SLO) was a distant third in 49.23.

The men’s long jump suffered with the rain, as Anvar Anvarov (UZB) managed 7.84 m (25-8 3/4) in round one, trailed by Swiss decathlon star Simon Ehammer at 7.72 m (25-4). Only five jumped in round five and one in round six and the early results stood. Jamaica’s 2019 World Champion, Tajay Gayle was third at 7.71 m (25-3 1/2) and Olympic champ Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE), who never likes to leave without an 8 m mark, jumped just twice with a best of 7.52 m (24-8 1/4) for seventh.

European Indoor champ Lieke Klaver (NED) led the women’s 400 m from the start, but was finally run down by Paris Olympic finalist Henriette Jaeger (NOR) in the final meters, 50.09 to 50.17. Americans Bella Whittaker (50.63) and Alexis Holmes (50.73) were 3-4 and Britton Wilson was seventh in 51.69.

The women’s 800 m was another confirmation of brilliant condition for Olympic champ Keely Hodgkinson (GBR), who took over following the bell and ran away from the field over the final half-lap to get a meet record of 1:55.69, slower than her world-leading 1:54.74 in Poland, but faster than anyone else in the world this year! Teammate and Olympic 1,500 m bronzer Georgia Hunter Bell was a clear second in 1:57.55, then Anais Bourgoin (FRA) in 1:58.43. American Addy Wiley was ninth in 1:59.64.

The conditions weren’t so off-putting for the women’s steeplers, with NCAA champ Doris Lemngole (KEN) in the lead at the 1,000 m mark at 3:04.36, and extending her advantage at the 2,000 m mark (6:10.81). She rolled home with an easy win in 9:16.36, with Ethiopia’s Sembo Almayew second (9:20.39) and American Olivia Markezich closing well for third in 9:20.73. Courtney Wayment of the U.S. was fifth (9:26.89) and Gabi Jennings was 10th (9:51.03).

Dutch hurdler Nadine Visser, the two-time European Indoor gold medalist, had been showing signs of a real contender in the women’s 100 m hurdles and in rough conditions, got to the lead at midway of the women’s 100 m hurdles and held off Olympic champ Masai Russell of the U.S. in a slow 12.45 to 12.53 (-0.5). Swiss Dita Kambundji was the early leader, but ended up third in 12.54; Alaysha Johnson of the U.S. was sixth in 12.94 and Keni Harrison was eighth in 13.20.

The wet women’s high jump got as far as 1.94 m (6-4 1/4), which no one cleared, leaving Christina Honsel (GER), Olympic runner-up Nicola Olyslagers (AUS) and Maria Zodzik (POL) the tri-winners at 1.91 m (6-3 1/4). Olympic champ Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) took two jumps (misses) and retired, not wanting to risk injury.

The women’s vault was also torpedoed by the weather, with Lea Bachmann (SUI), Hanga Klekner (NED) and Swiss Angelica Moser tying for the win at 4.35 m (14-3 1/4). Five cleared that height, but the jumping didn’t even finish the attempts at 4.35.

The women‘s javelin belonged to Serbia’s two-time European silver winner Adriana Vilagos from the start, as she opened at 62.83 m (206-1) and finally settled at 63.02 m (206-9) in round three as the winner. Paris Olympic runner-up Jo-Ane du Plessis (RSA) was second at 58.89 m (193-2) in round two in difficult conditions.

Next: the penultimate Diamond League meet for 2025 will be on Friday, 22 August, in Brussels (BEL) for the annual Van Damme Memorial.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

BOXING: World Boxing confirms screening tests for women’s World Championships fighters; Algeria’s Khelif has stopped for now

Rich Perelman

August 20, 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! ★

≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

World Boxing is leaving no doubt about its process to “protect the women’s category” ahead of September’s inaugural World Championships in Liverpool (GBR). The federation announced Wednesday:

“World Boxing has introduced mandatory sex testing, to determine the eligibility of male and female athletes that want to participate in its competitions as part of a new eligibility policy published HERE today.

“The policy is designed to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women and means that all athletes over the age of 18 that want to participate in a World Boxing owned or sanctioned competition will need to undergo a once-in-a-lifetime PCR (polymerase chain reaction) of functional medical equivalent genetic screening test to determine their sex at birth and their eligibility to compete.

“The new policy comes into effect from 20 August 2025 and will be applied in the female category at the forthcoming World Boxing Championships in Liverpool, 4-14 September 2025.

”It means that all athletes who wish to take part in the 10 female weight categories at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool will need to undergo a PCR or functional medical equivalent genetic screening test to certify their eligibility to box.”

The testing itself must be done by national federations who must provide a certification of testing and results when entering fighters into the World Championships. World Boxing explained further:

There is an appeals process to challenge results and to examine unique circumstances such as differences in sex development. Testing for all boxers – men included – will be implemented on 1 January 2026.

Observed: World Athletics is also requiring such screening for the women’s division and the International Olympic Committee has said it will try to form a consensus approach to women’s participation issues. The experience of athletics and boxing will significantly inform the IOC’s own approach, especially if the program advances reasonably well in both sports.

Meanwhile, a report on the French Nice Matin site says that Algerian women’s champion Imane Khelif has stopped boxing. According to her manager, Nasser Yesfah:

“She hasn’t started again, she doesn’t box anymore. In any case, she will be subjected to the same type of tests if she turns pro. She does sessions in Algeria or goes to Qatar, to the national performance center, to continue training, but nothing more. And then she travels mainly for sponsorship deals.”

Khelif, 26, won the Paris women’s Olympic 66 kg title, but was accused of failing a sex-screening test in 2023; she has filed multiple lawsuits, but has not boxed since the Games.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: U.S. courts continuing the implosion of the collegiate sports system, with lifetime college careers on the horizon

Rich Perelman

August 19, 2025

tsx pix 2024-1121 ohio stadium (osu) — Ohio Stadium at The Ohio State University (Photo: The Ohio State University).

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

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≡ LIFETIME COLLEGE ATHLETES? ≡

The settlement in the House vs. NCAA case, with its billions of dollars in payouts to collegiate athletes, primarily in football and men’s basketball, is only the beginning of the remaking of college sports into something completely new.

Beyond universities playing their (mostly football and basketball) players, the framework that players can compete for four years in sports across five total years, is under fire and is being torn down in multiple – but not all – jurisdictions:

● Last December, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia won an injunction from the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, allowing him an extra year of eligibility by invalidating the NCAA rule that athletic participation at a junior college counts against the “five-year rule.” The NCAA has appealed, but also had to relax its rules for now.

● In April of this year, Rutgers safety Jeff Elad received a preliminary injunction from the U.S. District Court for New Jersey, also against enforcement of the five-year rule, as he played at a junior college and wants to play a fifth year of college football across seven seasons (including the Covid seasonal waiver).

Two basketball players have also sued the NCAA on its five-year rule regarding junior college participation, and other football players have received injunctions or State temporary restraining orders related to the junior-college rule.

● In July, Nevada wide receiver Cortez Braham Jr. won a preliminary injunction against the junior-college rule, but also challenged the five-year rule itself. Kansas City-based sports attorney Mit Winter – a former William & Mary basketball player – observed on his LinkedIn page:

“In the order granting the injunction, the court found the following:

“– the five year and JUCO rules are commercial, because they limit the number of years an athlete can play college athletics and therefore limit the ability to be paid as a college athlete

“– the rules have substantial anticompetitive effect and no procompetitive justifications

“– that Braham will be irreparably harmed by not being allowed to play college athletics

“As with the other recents decisions granting preliminary injunctions in similar cases, I’m sure the NCAA will appeal this one. Which means we’ll have four appellate courts addressing these issues. This is a perfect situation for the Supreme Court to step in and settle the issues.”

● Also in July, the NCAA won a case at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, where the holding reversed a preliminary injunction in favor of Wisconsin cornerback Nyzier Fourqurean to play a fifth season in five years.

Fourqurean filed another suit this week, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, asking for another preliminary injunction to allow him to play; the hearing is slated for 27 August.

● The NCAA won another round in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on Monday (18th), where players from UCLA, USC and San Diego State were all denied preliminary injunctions against the five-year rule, adding to the confusion.

With different courts finding different results, the case of tailor-made for the U.S. Supreme Court, which has shown high interest in economic freedom and relaxing constraint wherever possible.

That means the five-year-rule could be eliminated by June of 2027 at the latest, opening the door to essentially “lifetime” college players who can be on teams as long as they remain in school, earning bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees and Ph.Ds and new formats not yet conjured up by athletic departments.

This is insanity.

The mission statement of the national leader in athletic revenue in 2023 – The Ohio State University – states:

“The university is dedicated to:

“● Creating and discovering knowledge to improve the well-being of our local, state, regional, national and global communities;

“● Educating students through a comprehensive array of distinguished academic programs;

“● Preparing a diverse student body to be leaders and engaged citizens;

“● Fostering a culture of engagement and service.

“We understand that diversity and inclusion are essential components of our excellence.”

Ten-year careers as middle linebackers are not identified as a core offering.

Everyone involved, whether players, parents, school officials, broadcasters and all the rest know this we are now in the era of professional U-23 sports, primarily football and basketball. To properly support the young men and women involved, the “college sports” fiction needs to be dropped.

Instead, college football and college basketball need to be become fully professionalized, with franchises separated from the schools and run either as a single-entity organization, or as independently-owned teams. They would remain on campus, with the “team” or “league” renting the stadium, practice field, dorms or other housing, and the associated sports-related intellectual property from the university and operating on the campus as other businesses do.

In turn, the rights and responsibilities of the players would be collectively bargained with the “league” of whatever style it takes, and they would not be students. If they wish to attend, fine; this can also be part of the deal with the university and the collective-bargaining agreement. But let’s drop the fiction of the student-athlete football or basketball player.

What does this have to do with the Olympic-sports world?

Let’s start by saying that if a privately-organized league of “college” teams in baseball, softball, gymnastics, tennis or other sports can make enough money to establish a separate, professional project, they should be able to, and pay the schools involved a fee for use of the facilities made available, intellectual property, and staff time – such as athletic trainers – if used for their athletes.

The Sports Examiner has proposed this before, in a 29 April 2024 column, with research help from Texas-based NALathletics coach George Perry. Using the Equity in Athletics database of athletic department financial and participation data, Perry noted that 68 top schools in the leading collegiate conferences reported $8.57 billion in total spending and $4.76 billion in spending outside of football and basketball.

The “non-revenue” sports at these schools actually brought in about $1.10 billion (!) and a close guess on “non-revenue” sports costs is $2.14 billion, meaning a “fee” from the football and basketball “college leagues” of $1.04 billion a year would cover the costs of maintaining the “other” college programs such as gymnastics, swimming, track and field and so on. If those sports – on a national basis – can become self-sufficient in their own league, they can leave too.

Just looking at the college football television contracts alone, the big-four leagues earned $2.72 billion for the 2024 season, will earn $2.88 billion for 2025 and $3.71 billion for 2026. (Please refer to the April 2024 column for many more calculations.)

There’s plenty of money to cover this kind of arrangement. The players will win, as they will be professionals; the schools will win as they can turn their “pro teams” over to true professionals and fans will still stream in to their regular tail-gate spots on fall Saturdays. The “non-revenue” sports will be supported by the “pro” teams on campus and can offer scholarship contracts to students who can actually fulfill the role of “student-athletes.”

Are there a lot more details to this? Yes, of course. But it is possible to leave the fiction of a “student-athlete” playing college football behind.

This will not happen because of lawyers or players or athletic directors or broadcasters. Only university presidents – who are the NCAA, by the way – have the power to shape this new format and leave the hypocrisy of the imploding current system behind.

Rich Perelman
Editor

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: FBI arrests ex-gymnastics coach while SafeSport case unresolved after three years; USA Swimming posts Golden Goggles nominees

Rich Perelman

August 19, 2025

tsx pix 2024-1210 walsh, gretchen 25mWch (usa swim) — World Champion Gretchen Walsh of the U.S. (Photo: USA Swimming).

★ 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 ≡

● SafeSport ● Another damaging incident for the U.S. Center for SafeSport, as The Associated Press reported that Sean Gardner, 38, was arrested last week by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation on child pornography charges, more than three years after being placed on “temporary suspension” by SafeSport.

Gardner was hired in 2018 as a coach at the well-known Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines, Iowa. He was dismissed in 2022 with SafeSport noting “allegations of misconduct” in his suspension and the AP reported:

“court records obtained exclusively by The Associated Press show the coach was accused of sexually abusing at least three young gymnasts at Chow’s and secretly recording others undressing in a gym bathroom at his prior job in Mississippi.”

While there was a report to police in 2022, a new report in 2024 led to Gardner’s arrest by the FBI after 16 months, with the SafeSport case still unresolved after three years.

SafeSport has been repeatedly criticized for its slow case resolution and is current searching for a new chief executive, after Ju’Riese Colon left in April.

● Anti-Doping ● The World Anti-Doping Agency declared the anti-doping agency of Sri Lanka as non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code and joins Russia as the two countries currently out of compliance.

The issue in Sri Lanka is the alignment of national laws with the World Anti-Doping Code, which has remained unresolved since March.

● Archery ● The World Archery Congress is coming up quickly on 2-3 September in Gwangju (KOR), ahead of the World Archery Championships, with two familiar candidates for President: long-time Secretary General Tom Dielen (BEL) and Greg Easton (USA), son of Jim Easton, the former President of the federation from 1989-2005. Current chief Dr. Ugur Erdener (TUR) is stepping down after having been President since 2005.

Dielen, 57, has been the federation’s Secretary General since 2006 and proposes to continue the growth seen under Jim Easton and Erdener. He wants to review the competition formats for further growth along the lines of badminton, judo and table tennis, create much better communications among federations, organizers and athletes, and create a dedicated commercial arm for rapid revenue development.

Easton, 60, has been deeply involved in the sport since birth, and at every level, including as a Board member of USA Archery and World Archery. His platform emphasizes more support for athletes and national federations, remaking events to be more attractive, inspirational and accessible to possible organizers and expanding the sport’s commercial appeal to fans, broadcasters and sponsors. He notes the need for better transparency, communications and responsiveness from the federation with the member national federations.

Both are quality candidates and a difficult choice for the World Archery Congress in two weeks.

● Athletics ● The men’s pole vault competition of the Athletissima Diamond League meet in Lausanne (SUI) was held in cloudy and rainy conditions in the city center on Tuesday, with Olympic bronze winner Emmanouil Karalis (GRE) taking the lead at 5.92 m (19-5), clearing on his first attempt.

London 2012 Olympic champ Renaud Lavillenie (FRA), 38, and countryman Thibaut Collet both cleared 5.82 m (19-1) and went 2-3. Turkey’s Ersu Sasma cleared 5.82 m but then missed three times at 6.02 m (19-9). But Karalis got over to seal his win with a final clearance.

Americans Sam Kendricks (5.72 m/18-9 1/4) and Austin Miller (5.62 m/18-5 1/4) finished sixth and in a tie for seventh.

The second Ico For All-organized women’s world championship in the decathlon was held at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio on 16-17 August with Emory University grad student Nicki Boon (NED) winning with 7,451 points, ahead of Americans Katie Straus (7,301) and Jordyn Bruce (7,272).

There were 19 competitors in all from five countries; Boon was consistent, placing second in four events and never lower than ninth.

The Athletics Integrity Unit banned Ukrainian star jumper Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk, 30, for four years for a December 2024 out-of-competition positive for testosterone. She denied taking the drug, but produced no satisfactory evidence to refute the positive test.

Her suspension runs from 13 May 2025, the date of her provisional suspension. She had apparently stopped training after the Paris Olympic Games, where she finished 11th in the triple jump. The ban can be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Bekh-Romanchuk is a three-time Olympian and a two-time Worlds silver medalist in the long jump (2019) and triple jump (2023) and ranks no. 24 all-time in the triple jump with a best of 15.02 m (49-3 1/2) from 2022.

The AIU also banned 30-year-old Kenyan distance runner Roncer Kipkorir Konga for three years for the use of testosterone, from 16 June 2025. He’s a 58:03 half-marathoner from 2023 and was the 2024 African Championships 10,000 m bronze medalist.

● Swimming ● USA Swimming revealed its nominees for the annual Golden Goggles awards, to be held on 27 September in Denver, Colorado. The candidates:

Men’s swimmer:
● Jack Alexy ~ Worlds 50 m Free bronze, 100 m Free silver
● Shaine Casas ~ Worlds 200 m Medley silver
● Luke Hobson ~ Worlds 200 m Free silver
● Luca Urlando ~ Worlds 200 Fly gold

Women’s swimmer:
● Katharine Berkoff ~ Worlds 50 m Back gold
● Kate Douglass ~ Worlds 200 m Breast gold
● Katie Ledecky ~ Worlds 800-1,500 m golds
● Gretchen Walsh ~ Worlds 50-100 m Fly golds

Coach of the Year:
● Bob Bowman
● Todd DeSorbo
● Anthony Nesty

Open Water:
● Mariah Denigan ~ Women’s 3rd in 5 km and 10 km nationals
● Dylan Gravley ~ Men’s 10 km national champion
● Brinkleigh Hansen ~ Women’s 10 km national champion
● Ivan Puskovitch ~ Men’s 5 km national champion

Relay of the Year:
● Mixed 4x100m Freestyle ~ Worlds gold, world record
● Women’s 4x100m Medley ~ Worlds gold, world record

Fan voting is open through 22 August.

● Table Tennis ● The International Table Tennis Federation has been quiet about its process of internal repair after the near-riot at its Annual General Meeting on 27 May in Doha (QAT), where Petra Sorling (SWE) was re-elected over Qatar’s Khalil Al-Mohannadi, the Senior Executive Vice President of the federation, 104-102.

Al-Mohannadi announced in June that he was challenging the result to the ITTF Tribunal and the Court of Arbitration for Sport. However, the Annual General Meeting was not concluded and several elections are still open; resumption of the meeting will be needed by the middle of November.

A Monday meeting of the ITTF Executive Committee noted some progress:

“Significant work has been undertaken to address matters relating to the resumption of the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM), in consultation with an international Swiss-based law firm. During the meeting, it was clarified that this responsibility lies with the Chair of the AGM, Graham Symons [AUS], who indicated he is considering an online format for the continuation. He will wait for the decision of the ITTF Tribunal before confirming the date and modality.”

The ITTF Tribunal hearing is slated for later in August. An online resumption of the Annual General Meeting would be ironic, since Al-Mohannadi’s protest centers around his belief that at least some of the online votes in the May meeting should not have been counted (and if not counted, would have given him the election).

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SCENE & HEARD: Rice Krispies, LA28 needs doping control and Phelps can still swim really fast

Rich Perelman

August 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! ★

★ Whispers, Stats, Facts, News and Views
from the 5-Ring Circus ★

Fun story from Front Office Sports about how 40-year-old Molly Huddle, a two-time Olympian, five-time American Record setter from the 5,000 m to the Half Marathon and who ran (but did not finish) the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Marathon Trials, carbs up for races:

A full box of 16 Rice Krispies Treats!

That’s 272 carbs in a carton, as well as 1,440 calories, from Rice Krispies, corn syrup, fructose, vegetable oil and a total of 128 grams of sugar. A common daily intake is about 2,000 calories a day, with 225-325 carbs; Huddle gets it all in one box! (They’re $4.96 on sale at Walmart.)

Should a warning be posted; do not eat a whole box unless you are a professional runner? What’s next? Mike & Ike?

Now you know the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games organizers are getting serious. They are advertising for a Head of Doping Control:

“The Head of DOP is responsible for delivering a robust, efficient, secure, and comprehensive doping control program,” coordinating primarily with the International Testing Agency, World Anti-Doping Agency, U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and the International Federations.

The position requires a “minimum of 8+ years of experience in anti-doping operations,” with a salary range of $126,000 to $170,000.

The Hamas-Israel war has bled into sports with calls to ban Israeli football teams and boycott other events. In Italy, some members of the left-wing Partito Democratico proposed that Israel be banned from all sports competitions by the International Olympic Committee, FIFA and UEFA.

The ruling, right-wing Fratella d’Italia (FdI)’s Chamber of Deputies head of culture, Federico Mollicone, parried, “We believe that sport – until it becomes petty international propaganda – should be a tool for unity, not division, a key to peace and sharing amid the violence of global conflicts,” adding:

“We don’t understand why there hasn’t been the same outcry for Iran, which has already qualified for the next World Cup, given that it supports terrorist organizations throughout the Middle East with the declared goal of destroying the State of Israel. We don’t understand why there hasn’t been a call to ban Chinese athletes, who dominate the medal table at every Olympic Games, due to the severe persecution of the Uighurs or in Tibet, or why the same request hasn’t been made for all the military dictatorships around the world that openly kidnap, kill, and persecute minorities and opponents.”

★★★ Olympic 100 m champ Noah Lyles of the U.S. lost to Jamaica’s silver medalist Kishane Thompson, 9.87 to 9.90 at the Diamond League Silesia on Saturday, but you wouldn’t know it from their comments afterwards:

● Lyles: “It is a great stepping stone. I needed to see a sub-10. I needed to see winning, beating people, I took out some really big heads today, people who run 9.7 and 9.8. I am getting the confidence. It makes me really excited for not only today but also for next week and Tokyo. The more I run, the better I am getting. I get more excited each day and it is working. I need to keep competing. I think I we will see some really good races in Lausanne.”

● Thompson: “My race today was not so good, not so bad. I enjoyed competition against Noah today. It is all about execution: I had problems with that, but I am finding it. The key is to find the momentum in the race and to maintain it till the end. Nobody is perfect, but I am working on improving my strengths and improving on my weaknesses. Paris last year was a big learning factor. I learned it is me against myself.”

On Monday, the Lausanne Diamond League organizers said that Thompson would not run and further reports have him skipping everything until the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in a month.

★★★ Two-time Olympic gold medalist Mel Stewart, a co-founder of the impactful SwimSwam.com news site, pulled no punches in a lengthy editorial about Olympic icon Michael Phelps’ letter about the future of U.S. swimming and USA Swimming. The bottom line:

“In my opinion, Michael was far, far too nice, controlled even. …

“To be 100% clear so everyone understands this, Michael’s letter was not nor has it ever been about the swimmers or any single meet. It was 100% about leadership – specifically, the USA Swimming Board of Directors.”

Stewart details the inside-the-sport issues of national coach payments, club issues, board performance and what he thinks are the key performance indicators: membership growth, new revenues and national-team performance. And a lot more.

★★ Phelps, now 40, can still haul. At the end of a swim-training session with members of the NFL Baltimore Ravens, Phelps dove off the blocks and swam an underwater 25-yard (Free) in 9.98 … without much effort.

The world best is fellow American Michael Andrew’s 8.56 in May of this year, but 9.98 underwater? At 40? Wow. Wow!

★★ American Pommel Horse star Stephen Nedoroscik – the 2021 World Champion and who clinched the U.S. men’s Team, bronze in Paris – had a busy off-season on “Dancing With the Stars” and only got back to training in April. Now 26, he finished fifth at the USA Gymnastics nationals in New Orleans, but says it’s only the first step in his return:

“I’ve always told myself, ‘I want to be done with the sport when my body is done with the sport,’ and I’m still getting better. I feel like I’d be doing myself a dishonor to not see how far I could go.”

And what about LA28: “I’m going to continue going. L.A. would be amazing, so I want to shoot for that.”

★ The most underrated performance of the weekend was a startling Japanese 110 m hurdles record of 12.92 (+0.6) for Rachid Muratake at the Athlete Night Games in Fukui on Saturday. That makes him no. 2 on the 2025 world list, took 0.12 off his prior best and puts him in position to win Japan’s first-ever medal in the event, in either the Olympic Games or World Championships!

In front of a home crowd, he could win the whole thing!

★ The North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Championship drew a huge, 50-member U.S. team to Freeport (BAH), with 16 wins in an event most U.S. competitors had previously ignored.

The difference: the timing of the meet, moved from early June to mid-August, was perfectly placed for late qualification and world-ranking-points for the World Athletics Championships, whose qualifying deadline is 24 August. This could be a real boost for the meet, possibly making it a fixture in World Athletics Championships years, after the first World Athletics-mandated national championships window and the qualifying deadline.

★ The Chicago Marathon announced that 2024 winner John Korir (KEN) will return for the 12 October 2025 race, with an eye toward a sub-2:01 time. Translation: the 2:00:35 world record by the late Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) from the 2023 Chicago Marathon is being targeted.

Korir won in 2:02:44 last year, moving him to no. 8 all-time. He will be challenged by countryman Timothy Kiplagat (2:02:55 in Tokyo in 2024), with six others who have run faster than 2:04:30. Conner Mantz will target the American Record of 2:05:38 by Khalid Khannouchi from 2002.

Los Angeles City Council member Tim McOsker, speaking at the 28 March 2025 Council meeting (Photo: L.A. City Council video screen shot).

★ Los Angeles City Council member Tim McOsker got his way with the LA28 organizers, romping and stomping that if the SailGP pro sailing circuit found San Pedro – the Port of Los Angeles, in his district – good enough to hold events there in 2024 and 2025, the Port should have Olympic events too.

He won the point and San Pedro will host boat events, while board events will remain in Long Beach. But SailGP has moved on, announcing its 2026 schedule with only one U.S. event – in New York – and skipping both San Pedro and San Francisco.

★ Interesting new event for climbing at the Chengdu World Games, with not just the regular, one-on-one Speed events on a 15 m wall, but two new concepts, a relay and a Speed 4 format, which places four climbing walls side-by-side for four-at-a-time action.

Indonesia’s World Champion Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi won the women’s title in 6.35, but said afterwards, “competing on a four-lane wall is more difficult, as it requires more concentration.” China’s Jianguo Long took the men’s gold in 4.74 seconds.

(Special Thanks to Mike Navarro of J.R. Navarro & Associates for efforts on the “Scene & Heard” graphic!)

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: New deals bring Milan Cortina to 70% of sponsor budget; Jamaican stars out of Diamond League; Russian gym star Melnikova returns

Rich Perelman

August 18, 2025

tsx pix 2025-220 IT's your vibe 2026 motto (MiCo) — The Milan Cortina 2026 slogan: "IT's your vibe!" (Photo: Milan Cortina 2026)

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

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

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● A flurry of corporate partnerships were announced by the Milan Cortina organizers just as the six months-to-go bell rang, now giving the foundation staging the Games a total of 40 partners:

● 8 Premium Partners
● 8 Partners
● 16 Sponsors
● 7 Supporters

OnLocation has a special designation as the Official Hospitality Provider.

The eight Premium Partners include renewable energy company Enel, energy transition firm Eni, Italian mobility system operator FS Italiane, the Intesa Sanpaolo banking group, industrial conglomerate Leonardo, the national postal service Poste Italiano, winter lifestyle brand Salomon and auto giant Stellantis.

The Milan Cortina 2026 budget targets €575 million (~$670.6 million U.S.) for corporate support, with the 40 existing deals worth a reported €400 million, or 69.6% with six months left. The Winter Games will open on 6 February 2026.

● Athletics ● The news from Monday was the meet management’s announcement of the withdrawal of Jamaican sprint stars Kishane Thompson and Shericka Jackson from Wednesday’s Athletissima Diamond League meet in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Olympic 100 runner-up Thompson and two-time World 200 m Champion Jackson won their events at the Skowlimowska Memorial Diamond League in Poland on Saturday, both with close finishes over Americans Noah Lyles (9.87 to 9.90) and Brittany Brown (22.17 to 22.21).

Thompson complained of some “shin discomfort,” and reportedly will not compete in the remaining Diamond League meets, including the final next week in Zurich. He is now pointing for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September.

● Gymnastics ● The Russian news agency TASS reported that Tokyo Olympic Team gold medalist and 2021 World All-Around champion Angelina Melnikova (RUS) will return to international competition at the FIG Artistic World Challenge Cup on 13-14 September in Paris (FRA).

Melnikova was approved in March as a “neutral” competitor by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique. Now 25, she last competed at the 2021 Worlds, winning the All-Around, a Floor silver and a bronze on Vault.

● Ice Hockey ● The International Ice Hockey Federation announced its officials for the women’s Olympic tournament in Milan (ITA) in 2026, with 12 referees and 10 linespersons. Per IIHF Officiating Committee member Vanessa Stratton (CAN):

“We were down to a group of 30 officials heading into Olympic Qualifications in February 2025.

“Once those tournaments were over, our coaching group selected the 24 officials that would go to Women’s World Championships in Czechia in April 2025. At that point, we had identified our core group of referees (12) for the Olympic Games but still needed to select 10 linespersons from the 12 that were going to WW. Once WW was completed, our coaching group decided on the final 10 and everyone was notified soon after IIHF Council approved the nominations in May.”

The 22 selected come from Austria (1), Canada (8), the Czech Republic (2), Finland (2), Sweden (2) and the U.S. (7).

● Skiing ● Swiss Urs Lehmann, 56, the 1993 World Downhill Champion and the head of the Swiss Ski Federation since 2008, was named Friday as the first chief executive of the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS).

He will be working with FIS President Johann Eliasch (GBR) and Secretary-General Michel Vion (FRA). The international federation battled with national federations from Austria, Germany, Switzerland and others over rights control from the middle of the 2010s through December 2024, when an agreement was reported to have FIS as the central seller from the 2026-27 season onward.

Lehmann’s appointment may signal better relations between the FIS and the national federations who were the hold-outs on the rights deal until last year.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THIS WEEK: Nuguse chasing Diamond League Final spot, the Vuelta a Espana and world champs get going in canoeing, rhythmic, and volleyball

Rich Perelman

August 18, 2025

tsx pix 2025-816 poland dl nuguse, yared (DLAG) — Close at the finish, but a win for U.S. star Yared Nuguse at the Diamond League Silesia men’s 1,500 m (Photo: Diamond League AG).

★ 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! ★

≡ DIAMOND LEAGUE HEATS UP ≡

The qualification deadline for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September is 24 August 2025, with one exception.

Winner of the 2025 Diamond League.

So, those athletes who are on the outside looking in – like men’s 1,500 m Olympic bronze medalist Yared Nuguse, fifth at the U.S. nationals – are trying to muscle their way into the Diamond League Final in Zurich on 27-28 August and then trying to win there to claim the last “wild card” spots at the Tokyo Worlds.

Nuguse helped his cause by holding on down the final straight to win the 1,500 m at the Silesia Diamond League meet on Saturday in 3:33.19. And he’s full of confidence:

“My plan today was not to take the lead, just wait for my time, the last 300 m. I felt really good on the last 300 m and the kick came.

“I will race in Brussels and Zurich. I won in Zurich in 2023 and 2024 and I hope to win a third time this year there. My season is developing really well, but the best part is still to come.”

He’s in good position, standing fourth in the Diamond League 1,500 standings, with one more race available – at the Van Damme Memorial in Brussels (BEL), one of two Diamond League meets this week:

● 20 August/Wednesday: Athletissima in Lausanne (SUI)
A city-center men’s vault will be held on Tuesday, then the main meet on Wednesday, with the main program from 2-4 p.m. Eastern time.

Paris Olympic men’s 100 m champ Noah Lyles says he needs more races, so he’s in the 100 here against countryman Courtney Lindsey and Jamaicans Ackeem Blake and Oblique Seville, both of whom are faster in 2025 than Lyles.

Olympic 800 m champ Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) leads a great field, including 2023 World Champion Marco Arop (CAN), world leader Cordell Tinch of the U.S. in the 110 hurdles and double Olympic champ Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE) heads the long jump.

Gold medalist Keely Hodgkinson (GBR) ran her first race since the Paris Olympic Games in Poland (due to injury) and scored a world-leading win in 1:54.74 and she is back for more. Same for American Masai Russell, the Paris winner but now having run 12.17 and 12.19 this season in the 100 m hurdles. Paris winner and world-record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) headlines the women’s high jump.

And after two runner-up finishes in the 5,000 and 10,000 m at the U.S. Nationals, Grant Fisher is in the men’s 5,000 against an enormous and talented field.

● 23 August/Saturday: Van Damme Memorial in Brussels (BEL)
This is annually one of the best meets of the year, including the men’s 1,500 m and a chance for Nuguse to clinch his spot at the Diamond League Final, in front of an expected 35,000 fans at the King Baudouin Stadium.

The main program is again from 8-10 p.m. local time, which is 2-4 p.m. Eastern, including eight Paris winners: men’s high jump victor Hamish Kerr (NZL), discus champ Roje Stona (JAM), American women’s 4×100 m relay golden girls Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Sha’Carri Richardson, steeple champ Winfred Yavi (BRN), triple jump winner Thea LaFond (DMA), shot put victor Yemisi Ogunleye (GER), and most importantly for Belgian fans, heptathlon star Nafi Thiam (BEL).

Kenyan Agnes Ngetich will try for a world record in the women’s 5,000 m; she’s no. 3 all-time from her 14:01.29 from the Pre Classic in July.

It’s a busy time for track & field, but also the start of the last of the cycling Grand Tours for 2025, the Vuelta a Espana.

Danish star Jonas Vingegaard, the two-time Tour de France winner who was second to Slovenian star Tadej Pogacar at the Tour de France, is the favorite, supported by American teammate Sepp Kuss, who won this race in 2023 (with Vingegaard second).

Prime competitors will be Joao Almeida (POR), who abandoned the Tour after eight stages, but won the Itzulia Basque Country, Tour de Romandie and Tour de Suisse earlier. Last year’s runner-up, Ben O’Connor (AUS) is back and what kind of shape is Juan Ayuso (ESP) in; he won Tirreno-Adriatico in March, but left the Giro d’Italia during the 18th stage.

The 21-stage race will conclude on 14 September.

There are also three world championships on this week:

● 20-24 August: ICF Sprint World Championships in Milan (ITA).
● 20-24 August: FIG Rhythmic World Championships in Rio de Janeiro (BRA)
● 22 August on: FIVB Women’s World Championship in Thailand

In canoeing, the legendary New Zealand star Lisa Carrington has entered at the last moment as a replacement; she won three golds in the K-1, K-2 and K-4 races in Paris in 2024.

The Rhythmic Worlds had 10 straight Russian All-Around winners from 2009-2021, but have been banned since. A limited number of “neutrals” have been approved now and will face 2022 A-A winner Sofia Raffaeli (ITA) and 2023 champ Darya Varfolomeev (GER).

Serbia has won the last two women’s Volleyball Worlds, over Italy and Brazil in 2018 and 2022, but Olympic champ Italy, Paris bronzer Brazil and the Paris runner-up U.S. are the top three seeds. The tournament will continue to 7 September.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Trouble for some with T&F gene testing; time it takes for Diamond League doping results; 1.87M gymnastics nationals TV audience!

Rich Perelman

August 17, 2025

tsx pix 2019-428 ellison, brady medellin 750 — U.S. shooting star Brady Ellison (Photo: World Archery)

★ 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 ≡

● Transgender ● The battle royal over transgender participation in women’s sports continues in California.

Last Tuesday, the Kern County Board of Education voted to not allow transgender girls to compete in the girls division of school meets. This followed parallel motions from the Redlands Unified School Board and the Chino Valley Unified School District in the spring.

The State of California, however, continues to follow AB1266 (now Education Code §221.5), passed in 2013, which allows participation in athletic teams by gender identity.

In view of the 5 February 2025 Executive Order signed by Pres. Donald Trump, the U.S. Justice Department has sued the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) for Title IX violations. That process is ongoing.

● Athletics ● Reuters reported that some countries are having challenges meeting the World Athletics requirements that female athletes complete an SRY-gene test by 1 September, ahead of the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (JPN).

Testing at the Canadian nationals by contractor Dynacare, using saliva, were invalid as the “test kits they provided were not of the required standard,” and blood samples were needed.

In France, the French federation was told that “such tests are prohibited under the French Bioethics Law enacted in 1994,” and is looking for testing for its athletes elsewhere.

USA Track & Field set up a testing service for athletes as its nationals in Eugene, Oregon.

Fascinating information from superagent Paul Doyle in a Forbes’ story on athlete pay wait times from Diamond League meets. Of the nine meets held this year through 11 July, not including the Pre Classic, doping control clearance – which allows meet organizers to pay athletes – came in 17 days following the Monaco meet on 11 July, from 21-29 days for the meets in Europe and Africa in May and June and 31-39 days for the meets in Qatar and China in April and May.

● Gymnastics ● Good audience for the final night of the USA Gymnastics national championships from New Orleans, with the second women’s session drawing an average of 1.872 million viewers on NBC. This lags behind the 2.664 million which saw the 2023 Nationals (with Simone Biles), but was reportedly up on 2022, when Biles did not compete.

The Russian Gymnastics Federation withdrew its appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport of the denials by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique of “neutral status” to eight gymnasts. According to the Russian news agency TASS:

“[T]he FIG refused to grant neutral status to some athletes from Russia due to the posting of a congratulatory message on social networks for Victory Day, the athletes’ participation in a gala concert for Defender of the Fatherland Day, during which the St. George ribbon was used and photographs were taken with children in military uniform.”

● Surfing ● The City of San Clemente, California, the nearest municipal jurisdiction to the 2028 Olympic venue at Lower Trestles, signaled its support for USA Surfing to be re-certified as the National Governing Body for surfing by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

A 5 August letter from the members of the City Council was sent to the USOPC and included:

“The City of San Clemente is not only the epicenter of surfing in the United States, but also the home of USA Surfing. As elected officials in San Clemente, we fully support the application of USA Surfing to be recertified as the National Governing Body. … Many Olympic and professional surfers call San Clemente home. Having a Governing Body that recognizes and understands the importance of surfing in San Clemente and is familiar with the community is crucial.”

A resolution supporting USA Surfing to be the recognized NGB will be on the Council agenda for Tuesday (19th), stating:

“The City Council of San Clemente, California respectfully requests consideration of the United States Olympic and Para-Olympic Committee to select USA Surfing as the Governing Body for the U.S. Olympic Surf Team. It is further requested that all provisions of the Ted Stevens Act be followed.”

USA Surfing is vying for recognition against U.S. Ski & Snowboard, whose chief executive is the former head of the World Surfing League. The Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act – at 36 U.S.C. §220522 (6) – requires that a National Governing Body must represent one sport only. The USOPC is expected to make a decision on the issue in September.

≡ RESULTS ≡

● World Games 2025: Chengdu ● The XII World Games in Chengdu (CHN) concluded on Sunday, with 83 countries winning medals across the 256 events. China led the medal table with 64 total (36-17-11), followed by Italy (57: 13-25-19) and Germany (45: 17-14-14). The U.S. stood sixth with 28 (11-10-7).

There were multiple sports which will have some events on the 2028 Olympic program:

● In Field Archery, Matteo Borsani (ITA) defeated Britain’s Patrick Huston in the men’s Recurve final, 61-58, while Denisa Barankova (SVK) took the women’s title, edging Chiara Rebagliati (ITA), 59-57. Mike Schloesser (NED) won the men’s Compound gold, 150-148, over American Curtis Broadnax. Mexico’s Andrea Becerra won the women’s Compound, 147-146, against Estonian Lisell Jaatma.

● In women’s Flag Football, lightning struck twice for Mexico, which came from behind to win its second straight World Games gold over the U.S., 26-21, on Sunday.

Both teams were 3-0 in group play, and the U.S. defeated Italy (33-12) and Austria (46-39) to reach the final again. Mexico stomped China, 40-9, then beat Canada, 25-13, in the semis.

Mexico had a 14-7 halftime lead in the final, then Deliah Autry rushed for a touchdown to tie, only to have Mexican quarterback Diana Flores find Monica Rangel for a score with 2:36 to go for a 20-14 lead, but the conversion was missed. The Americans got ahead, 21-20, with just 28 seconds left as U.S. quarterback Vanita Krouch tossed a touchdown to Madison Fulford and the conversion was good.

But Flores had some magic left and completed a touchdown on the final play to Victoria Chavez for the 26-21 lead; with the conversion missed, that was the final, echoing Mexico’s win in 2022, a 39-6 rout.

● The women’s Softball tournament had the expected U.S. vs. Japan clash, but it came in the semifinals, with the teams tied 4-4 after five innings, 5-5 after eight and then the U.S. coming from behind in the 10th with two runs to advance, 7-6.

Chinese Taipei won its semi against Canada and faced the Americans in the final, losing 5-0. The U.S. scored three in the second and two in the seventh, while UCLA’s Megan Faraimo pitched a three-hit shutout. Japan beat up on Canada, 11-1, in the bronze-medal game.

● The Sport Climbing speed events saw China’s Shou Hong Chu winning the men’s final over Olympic bronzer Sam Watson of the U.S., 4.80 to 4.96. The all-China women’s final had Li Juan Deng timed in 6.40, just 0.01 ahead of Yu Mei Qin.

The Ultimate Flying Disc final, always a popular event, had a Mixed Team tournament, with the U.S. defeating Canada, 13-12, in the final.

The 2029 World Games will be held in Karlsruhe (GER), which also hosted the III World Games in 1989 and will be the first two-time host of the event.

● Junior Pan American Games 2025: Asuncion ● The second Junior Pan American Games, being held in Asuncion (PAR), continues this week and will finish on the 23rd.

The U.S. has the sixth-largest team at 169 athletes – Mexico has the most at 285 – and through Sunday, Brazil is the medals leader at 118 (55-27-36), trailed by the U.S. at 68 (20-26-22) and Mexico at 65 (15-24-26).

● Archery ● The amazing Brady Ellison did it again, winning the men’s Recurve division at the USA Archery National Target Championships in Springfield, Missouri. In the 144-arrow nationals, he scored 1,364 points to lead Trenton Cowles (1,346) and Christian Stoddard (1,331); according to USA Archery, that’s his 17th win in the last 19 U.S. men’s nationals!

In Sunday’s U.S. Open elimination tournament, Ellison defeated Jacob Robinson in the final by 7-1 (25-24, 30-26, 26-26, 30-28); Tokyo Olympian Jack Williams took the bronze.

In the women’s nationals, Catalina GNoriega, 22, won the 144-arrow title at 1,307, just ahead of Olivia Martin (1,306) and defending champ Casey Kaufhold (1,303). GNoriega also won the U.S. Open women’s title, also by 7-1, over Alexandria Zuleta-Visser; Martin won the bronze.

In the Compound Division, Stephan Hansen won the men’s nationals, 1,428 to 1,426 over James Lutz and Alexis Ruiz won the women’s national title, 1,400 to 1,397, ahead of Liko Arreola. Hansen and Toja Ellison won the U.S. Open titles.

● Athletics ● At the NACAC Championships in Freeport (BAH), the most startling result was another super-fast men’s 800 m, with Penn State’s Handal Roban (VIN) edging Brandon Miller of the U.S. at the line, 1:42.87 (no. 14 in 2025!) to 1:43.15!

A large U.S. team came away with a batch of wins, including from Daniel Michalski in the men’s steeple, in 8:14.07 with national champ Kenneth Rooks third (8:26.52); Drew Hunter in the 5,000 m (14:38.85); CJ Allen in the 400 m hurdles (48.22); Tyus Wilson in the high jump (2.24 m/7-4 1/4); Josh Awotunde in the shot at 21.68 m (71-1 1/2); Daniel Haugh, who edged teammate Rudy Winkler in the men’s hammer, 77.08 m (252-10) to 76.87 m (252-2); Curtis Thompson in the javelin at 87.24 m (286-2) with teammate Dash Sirmon second at 77.04 m (252-9), and Austin West in the decathlon at 8,038.

In the women’s events, American winners included Nia Akins in the 800 m (1:59.75), Emily Mackay in the women’s 1,500 m (4:09.48) ahead of Danielle Jones (4:10.49); Krissy Gear in the steeple (9:35.27); Taylor Roe in the 10,000 m (32:19.84); Sanaa Barnes in the high jump at 1.91 m (6-3 1/4), with Vashti Cunningham second at the same height; Alyssa Jones in the long jump (6.74 m/22-1 1/2); Janee Kassanavoid in the hammer (74.31 m/243-9), and Evie Bliss in the javelin (58.62 m/192-4).

In a very good men’s discus, Jamaica’s 2019 Worlds runner-up Fedrick Dacres edged American Sam Mattis, 65.10 m (213-7) to 64.06 m (210-2).

A few events are still ongoing; this post will be updated as needed.

● Beach Volleyball ● At the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 in Montreal (CAN), Tokyo Olympic champs and Paris bronze winners Anders Mol and Christian Sorum (NOR) kept rolling, scoring their fourth medal (2-1-1) in five Elite 16 tournaments with a 21-19, 21-13 win over Swedes Jacob Holting Nilsson and Elmer Andersson.

Czech stars Ondrej Perusic and David Schweiner, the 2023 World Champions, defeated Paris Olympic winners David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig (SWE), 14-21, 22-20, 20-18 for the bronze.

The women’s final had Paris Olympic runner-ups Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson (CAN) winning the first set, 21-15, then coming from way back to win the second set, 22-20, for a sweep of 2024 European champs Svenja Muller and Cinja Tillmann (GER)

Olympic champs Ana Patricia Ramos and Duda Lisboa (BRA) won the bronze medal with a 21-14, 21-16 win over Tina Graudina and Anastasija Samoilova (LAT).

● Canoe-Kayak ● Stars Fernando Jorge and Ana Swetish dominated the ACA Sprint National Championships in Seattle, Washington, winning seven events each!

Jorge, 26, a three-time Olympian, won an Olympic gold for Cuba at Tokyo 2020 in the C-2 1,000 m and six World Championships medals from 2017-21. He left Cuba in 2022 and was a member of the Refugee Olympic Team for Paris 2024, now living in Florida.

In Seattle, he took wins in the men’s C-1 200 m, 500 m, 1,000 m and 5,000 m, and the C-2 200 m, 500 m and 1,000 m with Oreste Fransisco.

The men’s Kayak finals saw three wins for Walker Peck, in the K-1 5,000 m and the K-2 500 m (with Colin McMullen) and K-4 500 m. McMullen also got a second gold in the K-2 1,000 m with Karl Sorocco. Finn Connell won the K-1 500 m over Peck and also took the K-1 1,000 m for his two victories.

Swetish, 23, a star racer in the surfski category, dominated the Kayak finals, winning the K-1 500 m, 1,000 m and 5,000 m, and teamed with Abby Scoggins to win the K-2 200 m and K-2 500 m races. Swetish teamed with Paili Airth to win the K-2 5,000 m final as well, and was part of a K-4 500 m winner which also included Scoggins.

Scoggins won a fourth race – as did Peck – in the Mixed K-2 500 m final, and a fifth with Ellie Scoggins in the C-2 500 m.

Kenley Edwards was also a big winner, taking the women’s C-1 500 m and 1,000 m and teamed with Malia Terry-Voisard to win the C-2 200 m. Terry-Voisard also won the C-1 200 m.

● Cycling ● There was a major incident prior to the start of the three-stage UCI Women’s World Tour Tour de Romandie in Switzerland, which started on Friday. The UCI had mandated that one rider from each team entered in the race have installed on their bike a GPS tracking safety tracking system for testing purposes. Per the UCI in a Friday statement:

“The teams that have refused to participate in the GPS tracking technology test – and that are therefore excluded from the Tour de Romandie Féminin – are:

● Canyon//Sram zondacrypto
● EF Education – Oatly
● Lidl –Trek
● Team Picnic PostNL
● Team Visma | Lease a Bike.

“It should be noted that most of these teams are part of the Velon organisation which is the owner of its own data transmission system and is working on the development of its own GPS tracking system.”

The Canyon//Sram zondacripto team issued its own statement, confirming the competition with another system:

“Despite our cooperation and the existence of a proven and collaborative safety tracking system already tested successfully in other major races (fully operational for the whole peloton and offered to the UCI), the UCI has chosen to impose this measure without clear consent, threaten disqualification, and now exclude us from the race for not selecting a rider ourselves. The reason why they don’t want to nominate a rider themselves is still unknown and unanswered.”

Eleven teams remained in the race, with Spain’s Paula Blasi leading after the first-stage time trial, and then stage 2 runner-up Urska Zigart (SLO) taking the lead by eight seconds over stage winner – and home favorite – Elise Chabbey (SUI), going into Sunday’s hilly, 122.1 km third stage in and around Aigle.

The title fight came down to the end, with Hungary’s Blanka Vas winning the final stage in a sprint against Blasi and Chabbey, with all three given 3:11:35 as their time. Zigart was 10th (+0:11), so with a four-second time bonus for third, Chabbey ended up the overall winner in 6:53:02, just 0:07 up on Zigart and 20 seconds better than Yara Kastelijn (NED)

Ireland’s Rory Townsend, 30, a two-time national road champ, got his first UCI World Tour victory with a late attack in the ADAC Cyclassics in Hamburg (GER), riding away over the hilly 207.4 km course in 4:24:06 to edge Arnaud De Lie (BEL) and Paul Magnier (FRA) as the first 36 riders were given the same time. He’s the first-ever Irish winner of this race, which dates back to 1996.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Kipyegon just misses world 3,000 m record at Diamond League Silesia, amid four world leaders as Thompson and Jefferson-Wooden wins 100s

Rich Perelman

August 16, 2025

tsx pix 2025-426 xiamen dl-kipyegon, faith (DLAG) — Kenya's amazing distance superstar Faith Kipyegon (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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≡ POLAND DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡

Quality was everywhere at the Skowlimoska Memorial Diamond League Silesia in Chorzow (POL), with a near-miss on a world record that hasn’t been touched in decades. There were four world-leading performances at the meet.

● Men/400 m hurdles: 46.28, Karsten Warholm (NOR)
● Women/800 m: 1:54.74, Keely Hodgkinson (GBR)
● Women/3,000 m: 8:07.04, Faith Kipyegon (KEN)
● Women/400 m hurdles: 51.91, Femke Bol (NED)

First and foremost was the world-record attempt in the women’s 3,000 m, as Kenyan superstar Faith Kipyegon ran behind pacesetters Sage Hurta-Klecker of the U.S. and Paris 1,500 m runner-up Jessica Hull (AUS). They had to run essentially 65 seconds a lap to approach the approved (but dubious) world mark of 8:06.11 by Junxia Wang (CHN) from way back in 1993. The closest anyone had come was Kenya’s 5,000-10,000 Olympic champ Beatrice Chebet at 8:11.56 in May.

Hull left after 2,000 m in 5:25.18 and then Kipyegon was on her own and she was up for the challenge, passing the bell alone and charging over the final lap and came up just short at 8:07.04! It’s the no. 2 time ever and closer than anyone has been to the Wang mark.

The laps: 65.08, 64.93, 65.30, 64.89, 66.40, 65.34 and 63.03. Kipyegon said afterwards she was following the pace lights and straining, and she covered her final 400 in 62.90!

Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw was a distant second in 8:34.53. Americans Karissa Schweizer (8:40.35) and Ella Donaghu (8:42.91) finished ninth and 11th.

The women’s 1,500 m was a half-hour later, with Ethiopia’s two-time World Indoor champ Gudaf Tsegay in front by 800 m and running away, up by 40 m at the bell. The lead was down to 25 m by the time she got to the final straight and she powered in at 3:50.62, the no. 2 time of the year, only behind Kipyegon’s world record of 3:48.68. It’s Tsegay’s second-fastest 1,500 ever and the no. 8 performance of all time; she finished with a 62.93 final 400 m.

Behind her was Kenyan star Chebet, who destroyed her lifetime best at 3:54.73 (now no. 21 all-time), then Olympic bronze winner Georgia Hunter Bell (GBR: 3:56.00) and American champ Nikki Hiltz (3:56.10), with the no. 7 performance all-time U.S. Fellow American Heather Maclean was eighth with a lifetime best of 3:57.79.

The women’s 800 m was all about Olympic champ Kelly Hodgkinson (GBR) – who had not run since Paris due to injury – with a fast pace of 56.09 at the bell. Hodgkinson rolled into the lead on the second lap and ran away and won in dominant fashion in a world-leading 1:54.74, way ahead of Lilian Odira (KEN: 1:56.52); American Raevyn Rogers got fourth in 1:57.52.

Dutch star Femke Bol, the reigning World Champion, ran away from the field in the women’s 400 m hurdles, extending her lead impressively on the home straight and winning in a world-leading 51.91, with Emma Zapletalova (SVK: 53.58) in second and Jasmine Jones of the U.S. in third at 53.64.

The men’s 400 m hurdles had Tokyo Olympic champ Karsten Warholm (NOR), but he didn’t blast off in his normal style. He had the lead heading into the final straight, and then he took off and won in a brilliant, world-leading 46.28, not just the world leader, but a Diamond League record and the no. 3 performance of all-time! Wow!

NCAA champion Ezekiel Nathaniel (NGR) was a clear second in a lifetime best of 47.31 – no. 5 in the world for 2025 – then Abderrahmane Samba (QAT: 47.34) and Americans Chris Robinson (48.09) and Trevor Bassitt (48.37).

Those were just the headlines; there was a lot more!

● The much-anticipated men’s 100 m was all Kishane Thompson (JAM) from the gun, and he had control of the race by 35 m. But Olympic champ Noah Lyles – now with golden hair, which he says will be his Tokyo Worlds hair color – of the U.S. was coming hard at the end and was close, 9.87 to 9.90 (wind: +0.3 m/s). Following were Americans Kenny Bednarek (9.96), Christian Coleman (9.96), Trayvon Bromell (9.97) and Courtney Lindsey (10.05).

Lyles said afterwards he was emphasizing his drive phase today – he was pleased – and was looking for more race sharpness.

● The women’s 100 had world leader Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of the U.S. and World Champion Sha’Carri Richardson, but it was all Jefferson-Wooden. She was out well, got to full speed beautifully and ran away – unchallenged – to a 10.66 win (+0.1), just 1/100th off her world lead. Jamaica’s Tia Clayton got a lifetime best of 10.82 in second, then Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith (CIV: 10.87). Americans Jacious Sears (11.00) and Richardson (11.05) finished sixth.

● In the men’s 1,500 m, Australia’s Olli Hoare led at the bell and had a 5 m lead on the field, but fellow Australian Cam Myers and American Yared Nuguse were moving up along with Norway’s Worlds bronzer Norve Nordas.

Nuguse got to the lead after the bell and led into the final straight and held on to win in 3:33.19, an important victory for him to try and get into the Diamond League Final and into the World Championships. Behind him was a pack in full sprint, with Kenya’s Tim Cheruiyot moving up on the inside in the final 20 m for second in 3:33.35, then Nordas (3:33.41); Americans Josh Hoey (3:33.75) and Hobbs Kessler (3:34.14) finished fifth and seventh. Nuguse covered his last 400 in 53.0!

● The men’s 110 m hurdles was a U.S. sweep, with world leader Cordell Tinch getting to the line first in 13.03 (-0.5), just ahead of Olympic champ Grant Holloway (13.13) and Eric Edwards (13.20).

● Olympic champ Hamish Kerr (NZL) won a four-way duel in the high jump at 2.30 m (7-6 1/2) as the only one to clear and went on to make 2.33 m (7-7 3/4), a seasonal best to win. American JuVaughn Harrison cleared 2,28 m (7-5 3/4) on his second try and that earned second place; Olympic silver winner Shelby McEwen cleared 2.25 m (7-4 1/2) for fifth.

● In the vault, five jumped at 6.00 m (19-8 1/4), but only Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis cleared on his first try as did world-record man Mondo Duplantis (SWE). Both missed their first tries at 6.10 m (20-0), but Duplantis got over on his second, while Karalis missed all three. The bar went up to 6.20 m (20-4), with Duplantis missing his three attempts.

Two-time World Champion Sam Kendricks of the U.S. tied for fifth at 5.90 m (19-4 1/4).

● American Olympic fourth-placer Payton Otterdahl won the men’s shot in the fifth round, getting out to 22.28 m (73-1 1/4) to pass world leader Leonardo Fabbri (ITA: 22.10 m/72-6 1/4). Two-time World Champion Joe Kovacs of the U.S. was third at 21.82 m (71-7 1/4), and Tripp Piperi got fifth at 21.69 m (71-2).

● Olympic runner-up Bence Halasz (HUN) got his second win over Paris champ Ethan Katzberg (CAN) in a week in the men’s hammer, blasting 81.77 m (268-3) in the second round, with Katzberg at 79.30 m (260-2) in round five for second.

● In the men’s javelin, Kenya’s 2015 World Champion Julius Yego, now 36, got out to 83.60 m (274-3) in round three, and that held up! Keshorn Walcott (TTO: now 32), the 2012 Olympic champ, moved into second on his final throw, reaching 82.54 m (270-9).

● Jamaica’s two-time World Champion Shericka Jackson was the headliner in the women’s 200 m, but Britain’s Daryll Neita had the lead around the turn. But Jackson emerged in the middle of the track, chased hard by Olympic bronzer Brittany Brown of the U.S. Jackson had to lean to win in a seasonal best of 22.17, with Brown at 22.21, then Favor Ofili (NGR: 22.25). Jenna Prandini of the U.S. was seventh in 22.78.

● Olympic champ Marileidy Paulino (DOM) was a clear winner in the women’s 400 m in 49.18, ahead of world leader Salwa Eid Naser (49.27); American Alexis Holmes was sixth in 50.18.

● The women’s 100 m hurdles was wild, with the heats won in 12.34 (-0.6) by Ackera Nugent (JAM) and a fast 12.28 (+1.1) by Olympic fourth-placer Nadine Visser (NED), a national record!

In the final, Visser got out and was in front by halfway, but hit the seventh and eighth hurdles and Olympic champ Masai Russell of the U.S., who was coming on, blew by and won in a Diamond League record of 12.19 (+1.4; equal-3rd performance all-time), with fellow American Tonea Marshall getting a lifetime best of 12.24 (equal-7th all-time, equal-5th all-time U.S), then world-record holder Tobi Amusan (NGR: 12.25). Americans Alia Armstrong (12.32, lifetime best) and Keni Harrison (12.41) went 5-6 with Visser fading to 12.60 in eighth. Yowsah!

● Olympic bronze medalist Jasmine Moore of the U.S. got to the lead in the women’s long jump in round two, lost it to Hilary Kpatcha (FRA: 6.83 m/22-4 3/4) in round three, but won at 6.85 m (22-5 3/4) in round five. World Indoor winner Claire Bryant of the U.S. was the round-one leader, then had four fouls, then matched Kpatcha in the sixth, but had to settle for third off the back-up jump. Fellow American Quanesha Burks was fifth in 6.65 m (21-9 3/4).

● Women’s Olympic hammer champ Cam Rogers (CAN) won at 75.39 m (247-4) in round two; American Rachel Richeson was fourth (71.70 m/235-3) and Brooke Andersen (69.99 m/229-7) was fifth.

Three women’s field events were held in the city center of Katowice on Friday, with Olympic champ and world-record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) facing runner-up Nicola Olyslagers (AUS). Both cleared 1.97 m (6-5 1/2), but Mahuchikh cleared 2.00 m (6-6 1/4) on her second try and that proved to be the winner. Charity Hufnagel of the U.S. was fifth at 1.88 m (6-2).

France’s Marie-Julie Bonnin, the 2025 World Indoor winner, took the women’s vault at 4.70 m (15-5), beating Hanga Klekner (HUN) and Americans Brynn King and Hana Moll of the U.S., all at 4.60 m (15-1). Two-time European champ Jessica Schilder (NED) won the women’s shot at 19.66 m (64-6) on her third throw, ahead of German Olympic winner Yemisi Ogunleye (19.50 m/63-11 3/4) and Maggie Ewen of the U.S. at 19.49 m (63-11 1/2).

The Diamond League will conclude in a blur, with meets on Wednesday (20th) in Lausanne (SUI), the Van Damme Memorial in Brussels (BEL) on Friday (22nd) and then the finale at the Weltklasse Zurich on 27-28 August.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Michael Johnson promises Grand Slam Track will pay debts before committing to 2026 season

Rich Perelman

August 15, 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! ★

≡ GRAND SLAM TRACK ≡

Olympic icon Michael Johnson, the founder of the Grand Slam Track circuit which held three meets in the spring and canceled a fourth, posted a three-panel, 758-word letter on X on Friday, explaining the plans for the future. His bottom line:

“We’re not done yet.

“Not even close.”

However, there are a lot of questions to be answered, and he explained:

● “It is incredibly difficult to live with the reality that you’ve built something bigger than yourself while simultaneously feeling like you’ve let down the very people you set out to help.

“However, I have to own that.”

● “We set out with a bold vision for this league, and even through our trials, we set the stage for unforgettable races, records, upsets, and long-awaited matchups. Our Racers and Challengers brought their talent, personalities, and were race ready – constantly giving the fans something to cheer for. They believed in what we were building, even when they didn’t have to, and for that I am deeply grateful. Many have shared just how much fun they’ve had competing with us this season. We were all in the arena together, building this amazing thing.

“That is success to me.”

● “We were devastated when we learned we would not receive the funding committed to us. We worked tirelessly alongside our investors and board to find a quick solution to the problem. Up until and even after the LA postponement, we were getting positive signs that a solution was close. However, we determined the best thing to do would be to conclude our season early to avoid further losses and start the lengthy process of stabilizing the company to get back on track.

“But unfortunately, we saw circumstances change in ways beyond our control.”

● “Due to our strong desire to make this right as quickly as possible, we offered dated payment timelines and have been unable to meet them. Understandably, this has led to frustration, disappointment, and inconvenience to our athletes, agents, and vendors. I know this damages trust. I know this makes some wonder if our vision can survive. That is why we are not just addressing the immediate problem; we are putting systems and partnerships in place to make sure it never happens again.”

(The prize money for the 4-6 April Kingston, Jamaica meet was expected to be paid by the end of July, but was not.)

● “The 2026 season will not happen until those obligations are met and that is my #1 priority.

“Winners are defined by how they respond to setbacks, and our team has responded with the fight and commitment to make this right. We are doing the work required to secure the right capital partners to ensure the long-term sustainability of Grand Slam Track.

“That starts with paying the athletes and satisfying our outstanding debt in order to continue the momentum toward a better future for athletes, fans, and the league.”

● “I have spent the last several weeks meeting with excited investors who see the value of Grand Slam Track and believe, just as we do, that track deserves a prominent place in global sports. That said, this process takes time. The reality of our business and the world is that it’s complex and is hard to rush, especially with long-term investments and selecting the right partner is so important to this project. So, I’m asking for your continued grace, patience, and encouragement as we navigate this next chapter.

“Despite the challenges of the past few months, I remain confident about the future of Grand Slam Track.”

There are varying estimates of how much the circuit owes to athletes and vendors of $13 million or more that will have to be settled. And there will be a need for much more cash to be paid up front before any meets will take place in 2026, not only for athletes, but also for service providers and vendors.

Athletes who have spoken about the situation have said that appearance fees for the first meet, in Kingston, were paid, but not the prize money (about $3 million per meet). Some or all of the fees and prizes for the other two meets, in Miramar, Florida and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have not been paid.

The fate of the circuit will, as Johnson has noted, depend on the athletes and suppliers being paid in full.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SALT LAKE CITY 2034: Organizing committee reveals staggering near-$150 million in donor commitments to start operations

Rich Perelman

August 15, 2025

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≡ PROGRESS REPORT ≡

Amazing. Astounding. Almost unbelievable.

At a Thursday (14th) meeting of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Coordination Committee of the Utah State Legislature, Salt Lake City-Utah 2034 organizing committee chief executive Brad Wilson stated – with considerable calm – that private commitments from donors are approaching $150 million.

This is unheard of.

For Olympic Games and similar-style events held in the United States, raising money to stand up the organizing committee is always a problem. For the 2028 Los Angeles Games, the International Olympic Committee advanced $180 million to the LA28 organizers, $20 million for direct organizing committee support and $160 million for City of Los Angeles youth programs through to 2028, some of which was used very early to pay the bills until sponsorship support began coming in.

Wilson, the former speaker of the Utah House, explained further what has happened for the 2034 organizers:

“Our ability to go out right now and secure corporate sponsors for our Games, is in a holding pattern, until L.A. completes their Games in 2028. And we are such big supporters and fans of the L.A. team, and the L.A. Games and they are actively in the market, working with corporate sponsors and we’ll try to draft off of them as they finish their Games up, and then we will pivot to our commercial program at that point in time.

“Until then, we are reliant on the good graces of the philanthropic community here in the State of Utah. And so we’re actively engaged in that community. You saw on an earlier slide that we have $150 million in donor commitments. You will see an event sometime in the next month or so where we will announce our first wave of key donors and donor commitments, and you will be getting an invitation to that event as members of this committee.

“But that part is going very, very well.”

He added later in the presentation:

“The leaders in this community, business leaders, philanthropic leaders, are amazing. And I think, in some ways, we take it for granted a little bit – how remarkable they are – but you will see in the month of September when we announce this first wave, a level of donor support that is unusual and we just couldn’t more grateful for those that are stepping up, because I think they understand that Utah is very special . They want to sure we maximize this opportunity, for the world.”

It was noted that four-time Olympic speed skater and the SLC-Utah Committee for the Games bid chair, Cat Raney Norman, has been leading the fund-raising effort. And quite successfully so far.

The remainder of the report from SLC-Utah 2034 was less stunning; Executive Chair Fraser Bullock underscored one of the key initiatives for the Games, “that was really promulgated by a conversation I had with Lindsey Vonn a few years ago, was around the athlete’s families.

“Many times an athlete will qualify 10 days before the Games’ opening ceremonies and their families don’t have tickets, they don’t have accommodations, they don’t have transportation, and the athlete wants their family to watch them. So we’ve created the Athlete’s Families Initiative, where we’re going to have so many activities and messages and things we can do around families, which fits very well with the values of Utah, obviously, but also to take care, special care of the athlete’s families …

“One pillar of this to have an Athlete’s Families Village, where families from around the world could be together instead of isolated in Airbnbs, but actually be together and I’m excited about bringing the athlete’s families of the world together to share these experiences together.”

Bullock also noted that athletes from more than 30 countries are training in Utah today.

Wilson observed that “our level of preparation and readiness to host a Winter Games is probably unprecedented,” but that with the time available to consider new concepts, he said a major focus is on “how do we maximize the opportunity that’s presented to us?”

As to the preparations already in place, Wilson noted:

“All of the venues that were used in ‘02 are, for the most part, are being used again, and all of the agreements with those venues, as well as 21,000 hotel rooms, are already under contract. We just need about 3,000 more hotel rooms and that box is checked and I expect that will be done in the next 3-6 months.

“And you think about how remarkable that is, and I checked, we’re 3,102 days away from opening ceremonies and this work is done. And there are organizing committees that are hosting Games in the next 2-3 years that don’t have this work done yet.”

Possible adding some sports to the program is being considered, but no request will be made until 2028 or 2029.

The discussion with the committee’s elected officials offered no surprises, and included the inevitable requests for (1) inexpensive tickets and (2) to consider how to “coordinate and leverage Federal funds to support Utah, because of the Games.” Of course.

Observed: This level of community support from the private and philanthropic sector – no public funding – is almost beyond description. The SLC-Utah organizing committee presentation noted they have eight employees and three consultants, with very little growth expected in the coming months.

So much, if not all, of the funding it will need through the end of 2028, when it will be able to go into the sponsorship marketplace, is already committed.

While the SLC-Utah bid had enormous public support within the state, this demonstration of financial support is the best indicator yet of how successful the 2034 Winter Games could be.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Jakob Ingebrigtsen continues injury recovery, but talks about the steeplechase for Tokyo Worlds? What?

Rich Perelman

August 14, 2025

tsx pix 2025-213 jakob ingebrigtsen lievin (hauts de france) — Norwegian middle-distance superstar Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Photo: Hauts de France on X).

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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

A Wednesday video from Norwegian star Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the two-time defending World Champion in the 5,000 m, who won World Indoor titles in the 1,500 and 3,000 m in March, had him talking about recovery from injuries … and the steeplechase?

“The last eight weeks have been challenging, but at the same time I have been progressing quite a bit until things happen and I got a setback. Stumbled up on some illness, set me a little back and gave some more irritation to the Achilles.

“So, a little bit up and down, but in total the last eight weeks have been progressing both mileage, volume and also the pace. Until right now where I have been one half week in altitude in St. Moritz [SUI] and really progressing the load that I have given myself and also on the Achilles.

“A very good track session just a couple of days ago, so definitely pointing in the right direction, but still a lot more to improve and a lot more things that need to be done for me to be 100% prepared for World Championships.

“I think next two, three weeks we will get a lot of answers in what type of training that I have been doing, what I can do and also in terms of fitness, how fast I can run.”

Then he introduced a real stunner:

“I think that is going to lead up to a very exciting mid-September where worst case scenario we have to change things a little bit and maybe do something a little bit different.

“Don’t forget, I was a steeplechaser in 2017 in my first World Championship, but again that is very much and very difficult discipline for – let’s say your tendons – but that is where we are at right now. We are trying to push as much as we can, at the same time listening to the body and displaying all of our options and trying to maximize the performance and the results we can achieve for this season.”

What?

Ingebrigtsen was quite right about the Steeple and 2017; he ran the 3,000 m distance five times with a best of 8:26.81 in his debut and won the European Junior title in Italy that year, before racing in the heats at the World Championships in London. He also ran the 1,500 m Steeple three times in total in 2015 and 2016.

That’s his Steeple career. So far.

He admitted the recovery process has been difficult:

“It is definitely very difficult getting a setback as a professional athlete, especially when you have kind of been progressing and developing as an athlete almost continuously the last couple of years.

“But everyone is going to have some sort of setback. But it’s also what can be challenging is having an open mind when it comes to results or progression, short term but also long term. …

“You don’t necessarily have a guarantee that you are progressing and developing and getting, you know, getting along with where you want to be headed. So seeing kind of the light at the end of the tunnel and then getting, you know, a second or even a third or fourth setback is definitely one of the bigger challenges because it is a mental roller coaster where you’re starting to be positive and you see some results, but then everything is lost in a split-of-a-second and you really need to reset and still keep your head down and push through with the training and do the things that need to be done.”

Ultimately, he is focused on one thing:

“Right now it’s all about risk and reward. So, my main goal is to be fit and ready to go in the World Championships in Tokyo.

“And everything that happens before that, I have to see when it closes. Right now, I’m focused on training and trying to build my fitness.

And it’s relatively easy just to say, ‘Okay, this we’re going to do this race.’ But everything needs to be very well thought through when it comes to the risk involved and also the way it can compromise the World Championships.

“So it is a little bit exciting because there’s a lot of things happening every day and also a lot of discussions and choices that needs to be made, more than usual and I think it’s definitely different and a different approach and different aspect of the way we do our training and especially competitions. But sometimes that’s for the best and it can be a good opportunity to achieve something that’s maybe a little bit different.”

Ingebrigtsen, still just 24, has a direct entry into the Worlds as the defending 5,000 m champion and has the 1,500 m qualifying standard, of course. If he really wanted to run the Steeple, the event is already almost at capacity for Tokyo and the entry standard is 8:15.00 on or before 24 August. As of now, there are no Norwegians with the Worlds standard.

Steeple? Can’t be. Or can it?

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Russian sports re-entry depends on Trump-Putin? Honda got venue naming rights included in June LA28 deal!

Rich Perelman

August 14, 2025

tsx pix 2025-602 honda cars-coliseum (honda) — Honda, a Founding Partner of the LA28 Olympic & Paralympic organizing committee (Photo: American Honda).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Russia ● Dmitry Svishchev, First Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports, told the Russian news agency TASS the Olympic world will be impacted by Friday’s meeting in Alaska between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin over the Russian invasion of Ukraine:

“If the negotiations have a positive outcome, then this will definitely be projected onto sports.

“If certain agreements are reached between countries, then this will have a positive impact. The International Olympic Committee and international federations will also monitor the progress of the negotiations, expecting to receive signals. No matter how much the federations claim there is no politicization, much will depend on political decisions.”

Other Russian politicians noted that sports issues are not likely to come up during the talks, but that the outcome of any peace process – if there is any progress – could significantly impact how Russia is viewed by the IOC and the sports federations.

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● The concept of venue naming rights at the 2028 Olympic Games was in development well before Thursday’s announcement by the LA28 organizers about an expansion of sponsor opportunities to include it going forward.

In an AdAge interview, Honda North America Vice President for Digital Services Ed Beadle explained that the retention of naming rights for the Honda Center in Anaheim was baked into its LA28 sponsorship agreement, announced on 2 June 2025:

“[T]hroughout the Honda Center, we’re actually going to be able to retain that name. The first time in the Olympics history where a venue kept its branding. And for us, that’s a huge win. You talked about like how you value a sponsorship and you know, the easy part is the media. So that has a clear math to it. There’s comparable ad units, there’s history and you can score it. So what you’re really trying to do as a marketer is close that value on sponsorship.

“The Olympics is an emotional hook, but how do you really measure that? So when you think about elements like branding of an actual venue, that’s that much more incremental value exposure on the broadcast – and it’s volleyball, which I don’t know if you can think of a more California sport than that. It runs the whole two full weeks. So I think that’s one exciting breaking news that no one’s talked about yet.”

As to why Honda sponsored LA28, Beadle noted:

“[T]he fact that it’s in Los Angeles is a pretty big deal for us. It’s our home turf. Honda dedicates so many resources to where they are, wherever Honda is, we have a history of investing in Los Angeles. We’ve been a huge part of the Rose Parade. We have the Honda Center. It is our home turf. So from that alone, we needed to look at it. And when we went down there, there was this great feeling overall. …

“As we looked at the map, you know, they have one of those massive city maps where it has all the different points where the events were going to be. You could just visualize. I wrote a little bit about it, about the Honda Marine picking up a surfer or Moto Compacto as being the last mile transportation between events. So it aligned beyond just an auto play. We looked at it like, this is perfect.”

● World Games 2025: Chengdu ● Archery sells itself as a lifetime sport and in Chengdu, Australian star Simon Fairweather is living proof.

Now 55, he was a five-time Olympian in Recurve, and the 1991 World Champion and 2000 Olympic champ in Sydney. But, with wife Nicky, he’s in the archery equipment business and picked up Barebow archery – with less sophisticated bows – in 2019. Now, they’re both representing Australia again, in Chengdu.

The World Games has Field Archery, a walking tour with marked and unmarked targets that mimics the ancient hunting concept; the started on Thursday and the Barebow competition will end on Saturday (16th).

● Commonwealth Games 2030 ● The Indian Olympian Association approved the bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, with Commonwealth Sport scheduled to make the selection at its 2025 General Assembly in Glasgow (SCO) in November.

There is interest from other bidders, such as Canada and Nigeria; the 2010 Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi were marked by corruption and mismanagement.

● Deaflympics 2025: Tokyo ● Organizers of the 15-26 November Deaflympics in Tokyo will use new techniques to make sport more accessible to those with hearing issues. Kyodo News reported:

“At the judo venue, devices provided at the spectators’ seats will send vibrations that enable them to feel the impact of judokas’ dynamic throws. …

“Messages will be transmitted in sign language on big screens at every venue, as well as in text. Athletes’ announcements and emergency notifications will also be made via text.”

● Athletics ● World Athletics unveiled its “brand design” for its 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, featuring a blue, white and red “Star Flare” icon to symbolize the energy and explosiveness of the event.

The meet is slated for 11-13 September 2026, with Swedish vault superstar Mondo Duplantis named the first “Ultimate Star.”

USA Track & Field named a 50-member team for the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Championships to be held in Nassau (BAH) from Friday through Sunday.

The men’s team includes 2025 national champions such as Ja’Kobe Tharp (110 hurdles), Olympic Steeple silver winner Kenneth Rooks, high jumper Tyus Wilson, long jumper Isaac Grimes, shot star Josh Awotunde, discus winner Reggie Jagers, hammer winner Rudy Winkler and javelin victor Curtis Thompson. The women’s team has high jump winner Vashti Cunningham and javelin champ Evie Bliss, along with sprint star TeeTee Terry and Lynna Irby-Jackson.

Several are chasing World Championships qualifying marks so they do not have to depend on the World Athletics Rankings to determine whether they will be in Tokyo in September.

● Biathlon ● Biathlon is not an NCAA or NAIA sport, but it is now supported at Paul Smith’s College in upstate New York, with scholarships for qualified biathletes:

“The new scholarship program recognizes the unique demands faced by student-athletes in biathlon, a sport that combines the rigorous training requirements of cross-country skiing and rifle marksmanship with the pursuit of higher education. Through this partnership, qualified biathletes will receive financial support to help make their college education more accessible while maintaining their competitive training regimen.”

Founded in 1946, Paul Smith’s is a small college, with less than 1,000 students, but on a 14,000-acre campus, with its own Nordic skiing and biathlon center, and only 21 miles from the winter-sport hub of Lake Placid.

● Boxing ● A new process from World Boxing is being installed at federation championships to monitor referee performance, now used by Asian Boxing at its U-19 and U-22 championships in Thailand. The system works this way:

● “Two evaluators per bout: one monitors the referee, the other the judges, ensuring two independent perspectives on each performance.

● “Scores are recorded manually, and bouts are reviewed again each evening as a second layer of protection, identifying inconsistencies or signs of favouritism.

● “If issues are found, sanctions can be applied to the official. Accumulating a set number of sanctions means an official will not complete the tournament.

● “All evaluations are stored in the World Boxing database, forming a reliable record used for future officiating appointments and supporting officials’ development.”

This is part of the reform effort by World Boxing to redress the refereeing and judging issues which the International Olympic Committee saw with the International Boxing Association and its predecessor, AIBA.

● Cycling ● Britain’s Matthew Richardson, who won three Olympic track cycling medals for Australia at Paris 2024 (0-2-1) but transferred afterwards, set a world record for the flying 200 m (lap) sprint at the high-altitude velodrome in Konya (TUR), at 8.941 seconds.

That broke the mark of 9.088 by Dutch star Harrie Lavreysen from the Paris 2024 Games; Richardson’s time averages 80.5 km/h or 50.02 miles per hour!

● Wrestling ● At the USA Wrestling’s Board meeting on 8-9 August in Colorado Springs, the all-time high in memberships help to power excellent projected financial results for the 2024-25 fiscal year, with “an operating reserve of $12 million, a favorable budget variance of $3 million and total net assets of almost $26 million.”

The budget for 2025-26 was approved, with projected revenue of $24,907,491, expenses at $24,763,210, and a modest surplus of $144,281.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LOS ANGELES 2028: IOC and LA28 follow up on “product placement” strategy with venue naming-rights for 2028 Games

Rich Perelman

August 14, 2025

tsx pix 2025-814 honda center (wiki) — The Honda Center in Anaheim, California (Photo: Honda Center).

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

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≡ OLYMPIC SPONSORSHIP GROWS ≡

A change in the International Olympic Committee’s view of sponsorship rights was clearly signaled during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, with essentially a commercial for Paris 2024 Premier Partner LVMH incorporated into the opening ceremony telecast, and Samsung mobile phones magically available on victory platforms for the medal winners to use.

IOC Managing Director of IOC Television and Marketing, Anne-Sophie Voumard (SUI) told reporters in Paris:

“That is the direction we want to go into, we want to be unique in our actions. We don’t have any visibility on the field of play. We want to keep that position, but we want to work with our partners is that we can integrate their products in a way which is more organic in the Games. …

“So this is the path that we are taking deliberately and you will see things evolve during the next editions of the Games in this sector.”

On Thursday, the IOC and the LA28 organizers took the next step:

● “For the first time in the history of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, LA28 has created the opportunity to implement naming rights at competition venues.”

● “In celebration of this moment, LA28 welcomes Comcast Squash Center at Universal Studios and Honda Center as the first named venues for the LA28 Games.”

● LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman explained: “Today’s historic announcement delivers on that promise, creating the first-ever venue naming rights program in Olympic and Paralympic history while advancing LA28’s mission of a fully privately funded and no-new-build Games. These groundbreaking partnerships with Comcast and Honda, along with additional partners to come, will not only generate critical revenue for LA28 but will introduce a new commercial model to benefit the entire Movement. We’re grateful to the IOC for making this transformation possible.”

The program is limited, with “qualifying LA28 partners will have the opportunity to keep existing venue naming rights during Games time, as well as secure additional marketing assets to significantly bolster their activation efforts.”

Naming rights for 19 temporary venues will be available for sale to the IOC’s TOP sponsors and LA28 commercial partners. The existing venues covered by existing naming rights-holders also include the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live, site of weightlifting, and boxing finals (Peacock is a Comcast brand).

But, as Voumard emphasized last year, the ban on in-stadium signage will continue, as the announcement noted, “Outside of naming rights partners, standard clean venue Games policies will still apply.”

Observed: This is a logical and necessary forward step for the IOC and the first meaningful expansion of marketing rights for the LA28 organizers. It will be criticized by those who hate corporations and hate the Olympic Games, but should be cheered by Los Angeles-area politicians, who continue to be concerned that the City of Los Angeles and State of California will have to pick up an organizing committee deficit.

The LA28 folks and the IOC will have their hands full trying to sort out – on the fly – what works and what doesn’t in and around the temporary venue installations. But as companies look for immersive experiences to unlock new markets and remind existing customers they made the right choice, this kind of marketing programming is critical and timely.

How LA28 approaches sales of these new rights, through its joint-venture partnership with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Properties (USOPP) unit, will determine its value.

In its infancy, this is not a billion-dollar addition to LA28 revenues, but if approached with dignity and imagination, it could help, not only with existing top-tier partners, but in upgrading existing relationships – how can Nike pass this up? – and creating new interest.

Logical, timely and potentially impactful, now and into the future. Lists of ideas are already being penciled out in Salt Lake City, host of the 2034 Olympic Winter Games.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SWIMMING: Michael Phelps, on Instagram, calls for full review of USA Swimming, better approach to athlete services and youth swimming

Rich Perelman

August 13, 2025

tsx pix 2025-813 phelps, michael rio 2016 (fernando frazao-agencia brasil) — Olympic icon Michael Phelps, at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Photo: Wikipedia via Fernando Frazao/Agencia Brasil).

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≡ PHELPS’ CALL TO ACTION ≡

“As an initial step forward, I would propose the following next steps to the USA Swimming Board of Directions and USA Swimming staff:

“1. Commission a 360º independent review of USA Swimming’s Board of Directors and its organization as a whole. Provide complete transparency in this process.

“2. Streamline athlete services and develop a proactive, athlete-first way to support athletes competing in the sport. While USA Swimming and the USOPC provide some athlete resources, there needs to be a better way to work directly with athletes to implement what’s available to them.

“3. Focus on strengthening the grassroots level of the sport, reversing its pandemic membership decline while developing new ways to foster additional growth.

“I offer up my service to be a resource in these proposed initial steps and I am hopeful that the USA Swimming community will accept my offer.

“My door is open and there is work to be done.”

That’s the finish of a lengthy statement posted by Olympic icon Michael Phelps, now 40, on Instagram on Wednesday, following up his comments during the World Aquatics Championships, centering his focus on the sport’s leadership:

“First, I must be clear that I have the utmost respect for the U.S. swimmers that competed at the World Championships. My criticism is in no way directed at them – I know how hard they work and how honored they are to represent the U.S. National Team. My criticism is about the system, its leadership, and how it’s failing.

“There have always been cracks in the system but in the last nine years, I’ve seen those cracks grow. In 2016, I had the honor to be a part of a U.S. swim team in Rio that was arguably the most successful in the sport’s history and we won 57% of the medals we had the opportunity to win. Fast forward eight years to Paris, where Team USA won only 44% of the medals they had the opportunity to win in the pool, the lowest percentage the sport had seen since the 1988 Olympics.

“I’ve asked myself what’s changed in our sport and the answer is clear…this isn’t on the athletes as they continue to do the best they can with what they’ve been given. This is on the leadership of USA Swimming. Poor leadership trickles down and can impact an organization at every level.

“I spent most of my life inside of a system that is supposed to support athletes. I gave it my everything, but I often felt that my voice went unheard. I was told to be grateful for the chance to compete and that it was more important to stay quiet and to keep the peace.”

He added:

“No one really wants to talk about how broken USA Swimming has become.

“But, if we don’t talk about it, it won’t get fixed.

“Money is a factor. But poor operational controls and weak leadership are a cornerstone of the sport’s problems. …

“I still care and I’m not ready to give up.

“I don’t have all the answers, but I know this: we need accountability. We need transparency. We need athlete voices at the center, not in the margins.

“We need systemic change.”

Phelps has offered his help; his post followed a lengthy message from triple Olympic gold medalist and NBC analyst Rowdy Gaines on 7 August, which included:

“This isn’t about throwing stones at the athletes. Far from it. I’ve spent the last 50 years as one of their biggest cheerleaders. But both Michael and I are saying what many are thinking: something is broken in the way USA Swimming is being run. And if we don’t fix it now, we risk losing the very culture of excellence that built this program in the first place.”

USA Swimming let go of seven-year chief executive Tim Hinchey on 29 August 2024, instituting a search that named University of Delaware athletic director Chrissi Rawak on 19 February 2025. But before she could start – scheduled for 14 March – she withdrew on 28 February.

A new search was instituted, but no new chief executive has been named. USA Swimming hired Stanford coach Greg Meehan as its National Team Director on 11 April, and promoted communications and marketing chief Jake Grosser to Chief Operating Officer on 9 July of this year.

For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SPOTLIGHT: Annie Carey’s world-record long jump highlighted a historic weekend for Para Athletes at the USATF National Championships

Steve Drumwright

August 13, 2025

Women's Para T44 long jump world-record holder Annie Carey of the U.S. (Photo: U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee).

★ The Sports Examiner is delighted to present this important contribution from our patron, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, with a focus on American Paralympic stars. Opinions expressed are those of the USOPC. ★

For the first time, USA Track & Field hosted a combined outdoor national championship with able-bodied and Para athletes.

By Steve Drumwright
Red Line Editorial on behalf of Team USA

Annie Carey is no stranger to big stages.

As a 19-year-old last summer, the native of Boise, Idaho, took part in her first Paralympic Games, posting top-six finishes in both the 200 m and long jump in the T64 classification in Paris.

Earlier this month she was at it again.

With Para athletes competing alongside able-bodied athletes for the first time at the USATF Outdoor National Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Carey, now 20, stole the show by breaking her own T44 world record in the long jump. She leaped to a distance of 5.19 m (17-0 1/2) on Saturday, 2 August, the third and final day of Para competition at historic Hayward Field.

Her performance highlighted a memorable weekend as many of the sport’s biggest names competed for both national championships and spots in next month’s Para Athletics World Championships in New Delhi.

“I think it’s finally nice that Para is getting that extra recognition,” said Carey, who was one of 40 athletes named to the Worlds team on 3 August. “Because in the past at Para meets, there’s not that many people there and it’s not as loud an environment. It’s always fun to race when it’s loud. It was also definitely cool to see all those higher-up athletes. We’re all at the same meet. It’s like, ‘What?’ That’s cool.”

Among the others who made the team were Ezra Frech and Jaydin Blackwell, each of whom won a pair of gold medals at the Paris Games.

Only Carey left Eugene with a world record, though.

“I broke the world record on my second attempt, which honestly I was pretty surprised by,” she said.

Breaking long jump records has become something of a habit for Carey. She set the previous world record last July during the U.S. Paralympic Team Trials in Miramar, Florida. Less than two months later, she set a Paralympic record with a leap of 4.96 m. However, she was competing with athletes in the T62 and T64 classes and finished sixth in the event.

Carey, who was born with a club foot, competes in the T44 classification for athletes with movement affected in one lower leg.

At nationals, she also ran in two 100 m races and two 200 m races, with all four events combining multiple classes together. In each of those events, she was the top T44 performer.

While Carey surprised herself with the world-record jump, her times on the track were more in line with what she was expecting after her sophomore year at Mount St. Mary’s, a smaller NCAA Division I school in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

“My times were very consistent from what I’ve been running during my college season until now,” she said. “Obviously I want to run a little bit faster. I think anyone would want to run faster when they see their times.”

Carey, who was born in Datong, China, came to the U.S. at 21 months old when she was adopted by Sarah and Geoff Carey. She spent this summer back in Boise, which has set up a difficult training environment without a lot of other elite athletes or coaches around to consistently offer feedback.

“I’ve been training alone all summer, so it’s really hard to get into that long-term mentality when you’re alone,” Carey said. “You don’t have anyone to watch you on your runways. You’re kind of doing all of your jumping drills alone. So it’s like, ‘Am I doing it right? Am I not?’ Going into [nationals], I was as prepared as I could be. … I haven’t jumped that far in my life yet, so it was really shocking to see that distance.”

Her time at Mount St. Mary’s – where she’s studying sports management – has helped her focus more on her techniques.

“During my whole training, I was just really trying to be on the board,” she said. “It’s very common for me to not be on the board when I’m jumping. So I just wanted to go into this meet at least getting a few good jumps on the board. I’ve been working on it all summer.”

Competing alongside able-bodied athletes in Eugene, Carey said she didn’t have too many interactions with non-Para competitors during nationals. But recently, Tara Davis-Woodhall, the 2024 Olympic gold medalist in the long jump who is married to Paralympic gold medalist Hunter Woodhall, reached out via Instagram.

“She was commenting [on a post], and I was like, ‘Oh, my god, you should definitely coach me,’” Carey said. “That was really cool.”

Carey, who also has been into swimming, triathlons, tennis and spike ball, appreciates the historical significance of the mixed meet.

“I realized that this meet was more than just making a Worlds team, more than just getting good times,” Carey said. “But it was also a change in history, the first time ever we are seen as one whole community, rather than separated. And that’s just something that us Para athletes I think will always remember, being accounted for and just being able to share our stories with everyone, spreading awareness. It’s come a long way.”

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

For more, please visit the USOPC Paralympic Educational Hub.

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