★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★
★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★
≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● The head of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) said Monday that Italy will have two flagbearers at the opening ceremonies at both Milan and in Cortina on Friday, 6 February 2026.
CONI chief Luciano Buonfiglio explained on RAI radio on Monday that there will be male and female flag bearers at each site. There will also be Olympic Flame cauldrons in both locations.
● Olympic Games: Future ● The German Sports Confederation (DOSB) approved the candidature files submitted by Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and the Rhine-Ruhr region to be considered as candidates for a future German Olympic bid:
“After completing the review – a total of more than 160 venues and 20 alternative sports venues were examined in the four concepts – the Olympic Bid Steering Group was able to determine that all four concepts met the minimum operational requirements. Subsequently, at its meeting last Friday, the DOSB Executive Board confirmed the steering group’s recommendation, resulting from the review, to allow all four applicants to proceed with the process. …
“Following the completion of the Stage 1 review, the four applicants now have until the end of May next year to further refine their concepts, both in terms of content and operational aspects, in consultation with the German Olympic Sports Federation (DOSB). The final decision on a German applicant will then be made at an extraordinary general meeting in the fall of next year.”
No determination yet has been made as to what Games the DOSB is aiming for; the next available Games is 2036.
● International Olympic Committee ● The IOC announced an agreement for merchandising with Japan-based SEGA Corporation for the use of Sonic the Hedgehog, “highlighting shared values such as friendship, excellence and respect.”
A full collection of merchandise will be offered in 2026.
● Enhanced Games ● Two weightlifters have signed up for the doping-friendly Enhanced Games next May in Las Vegas: Canadian Olympian Boady Santavy and American Wesley Kitts.
Santavy was a two-time Olympian in 2021 (fourth at 96 kg) and 2024 (did not finish at 89 kg); Kitts also competed at Tokyo 2020 (8th at 109 kg) and Paris 2024 (8th at 102 kg).
The event has now announced signings of six swimmers, two lifters and U.S. track & field sprinter Fred Kerley.
● Football ● “[G]iven that the relevant FIFA regulatory framework – currently under review – is not clear and detailed enough, the UEFA Executive Committee has reluctantly taken the decision to approve, on an exceptional basis, the two requests referred to it. UEFA will actively contribute to the ongoing work led by FIFA to ensure that future rules uphold the integrity of domestic competitions and the close bond between clubs, their supporters and local communities.”
Monday’s statement will allow FC Barcelona to play a La Liga match against Villareal in Miami on 20 December and for AC Milan to play a Serie A match vs. Como in Australia next February. U.S. promoter Relevent has been working to stage a Barcelona match in Miami since 2018.
The issue of league games played outside of home countries is a major issue in Europe. UEFA chief UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin (SLO) added:
“League matches should be played on home soil; anything else would disenfranchise loyal match-going fans and potentially introduce distortive elements in competitions. … While it is regrettable to have to let these two games go ahead, this decision is exceptional and shall not be seen as setting a precedent.”
¶
At the FIFA Council meeting last Thursday, held in Zurich (SUI), President Gianni Infantino (SUI) spoke to the calls for the suspension of Israel for its response to the massacre by Hamas on 7 October 2023, as well as the continuing Russian invasion of Ukraine:
“At FIFA, we are committed to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world. Our thoughts are with those who are suffering in the many conflicts that exist around the world today, and the most important message that football can convey right now is one of peace and unity.
“FIFA cannot solve geopolitical problems, but it can and must promote football around the world by harnessing its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values.”
Translation: no suspension of Israel. Israel has World Cup 2026 qualifying matches coming up on 11 October in Oslo against group leader Norway and on 14 October in Udine against Italy, with protests expected at both.
¶
FIFA released a report on doping controls in football from January 2024 through July 2025, with 1,942 tests carried out, 2,367 samples collected and most from in-competition tests (1,340) vs. out-of-competition (602), from players in 160 national federations.
Only two doping violations leading to sanctions were recorded; there was one atypical finding which was traced to contaminated meat consumed by the player.
¶
The U.S. State Department said last week that it would “send hundreds of staff to designated countries” to help process visa applications for fans wishing to come to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Many of the countries that will qualify are part of the U.S. visa waiver program, which does not require a specific entry visa, but others – Iran as an example – will have fans allowed in only after a thorough background check. The State Department said it “is prepared to meet the demand while maintaining rigorous vetting requirements.”
● Rowing ● World Rowing is trying to find new ways to showcase the sport and announced a “playoff-style” Shanghai Sprints event, to debut in September 2026, with a commitment to hold it annually through 2030.
The event is to feature 88 athletes from eight national teams, competing in four boat classes in an elimination-format racing – one on one – over 500 m only. In a move toward professional racing, the Sprints will include prize money in addition to covered travel, accommodation and participation costs for all athletes.
● Volleyball ● You just never know. Craig Thompson shared on LinkedIn the always-inspiring, sometimes unexpected experience of winning a bid for a major event:
“Life can be very strange in wonderful ways…
“I am a lifelong volleyball player, and forty years ago my wife and I packed up and left California for Lausanne Switzerland so I could start my dream job as technical director of the International Volleyball Federation FIVB. My first assignment was to run the [1986] Women’s World Championship in the former Czechoslovakia.
“Several months ago I decided to lead a Bid (without much hope) to Host the Women’s World Championship in the USA and Canada on behalf of USA Volleyball.
“Yesterday [30 September] in Manila Philippines, the FIVB President Fabio Azevedo awarded us the right to host the event in 2027! Big thanks to USAV CEO John Speraw for taking this chance with me. Dreams can come true – twice it seems!”
As Thompson well knows, now comes the hard part.
● Weightlifting ● In the men’s 79 kg class of the 2025 IWF World Championships in Forde (NOR), Indonesia’s 2024 Olympic 73 kg gold medalist Rizki Juniansyah finally got a Worlds victory, lifting a combined 361 kg to win.
He was only third after the Snatch, but scored a world-record Clean & Jerk of 204 kg to total 361 kg, following his second-place finished at the 2022 and 2024 Worlds. North Korea’s Chong-song Ri, the 2024 Worlds winner at 81 kg, won the Snatch (163 kg), but could not match Juniansyah’s record C&J and finished second at 360 kg.
Americans Caden Cahoy (353 kg) and Ryan Grimsland (342 kg) finished fifth and eighth.
¶
★ Receive our exclusive, weekday TSX Recap by e-mail by clicking here.
★ Sign up a friend to receive the TSX Recap by clicking here.
★ Please consider a donation here to keep this site going.
For our updated, 699-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!
