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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● Although the opening ceremony comes Friday, competition continued at the Winter Games in three sports, and there were a lot of other things going on.
¶ Curling: Round-robin play in Mixed Doubles was on in Cortina, with Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat (GBR) and Canada’s Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant off to 3-0 starts and the American pair of Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin at 2-0.
The Americans edged Norway, 8-6, and got past Switzerland, 7-4. Round-robin play continues through the 9th.
¶ Figure Skating: The Team Event will start on Friday with the women’s Short Program, the Pairs Short Program and the Rhythm Dance.
The U.S., defending champions after the long process to disqualify Russia after the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, will field two World Champions in Alysia Liu in the women’s competition and Madison Chock and Evan Bates in Ice Dance. The 2024 U.S. Pairs champs, Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea will contest in Pairs.
The men’s Short Program and the Free Dance come on Saturday and the event will finish on Sunday. The U.S. is the unquestioned favorite, with Japan also in the mix and Canada perhaps in best position for the third medal.
¶ Ice Hockey: U.S. players were not aware that Vice President J.D. Vance was on hand for their 5-1 opening win over the Czech Republic, with star forward Hilary Knight saying afterwards, “Oh, I didn’t know. We’re dialed in on the game.”
Kendall Coyne Schofield echoed, “I had no idea they were here. I’m sorry. We’re in the game when we’re there, so I think our focus was on the ice.” Forward Joy Dunne was more excited: “Very cool. It was an unreal fan base today. Really cool on both sides. You just love to play in that environment.”
Asked about the postponement of the Canada-Finland game due to a norovirus breakout with the Finnish squad – the U.S.’s next opponent – Coyne Schofield said, “I think there’s always something that goes around … when people get together. I think it’s just staying vigilant and washing our hands, doing what we can. But I’m not fully aware.”
In Thursday’s other games, Sweden sailed past Germany, 4-1, and Italy swamped France, 4-1. The Canada-Finland game was rescheduled to 12 February because of a norovirus outbreak affected 13 Finnish team members.
¶ Snowboard: Canadian star Mark McMorris was released from the hospital after his Wednesday Big Air training crash and will skip that event in order to prepare for the Slopestyle event in which he is a three-time Olympic bronze medalist. He wrote on Instagram:
“Fortunately, things are looking good for slopestyle, so I’m staying positive and shifting my focus there. Huge thanks to the incredible medical staff who took great care of me, and to everyone who reached out with so much love and support.”
In the Big Air men’s qualifying, Japan’s Hiroto Ogiwara (20) led the men’s field at 178.50 with defending champ Yuming Su (CHN) fourth (172.75). American Oliver Martin is in the final in ninth place (167.50). Jake Canter did not qualify, in 15th (160.25) and Sean FitzSimons was 25th (136.00).
¶ Fair Play: The International Olympic Committee and the International Fair Play Committee announced that “nominations for the Milano Cortina 2026 Fair Play Award are officially open.
“The search for the ultimate act of sportsmanship is a global effort, and entries are invited from National Olympic Committees, International Federations, athletes and coaches, plus the public watching the Games, on site and globally.”
Nominations can be made here. The process of selection:
“After the end of the Games, a jury composed of representatives from the CIFP, the IOC and members of the international media will shortlist the most impactful moments. The global public will then be invited to vote for the winners, with the final results announced shortly after.”
The Milan Cortina award has a special significance as Italian bobsled legend Eugenio Monti was the first recipient of the award for his sportsmanship at the 1964 Winter Games in Innsbruck (AUT).
● World Anti-Doping Agency ● At a Milan news conference, WADA chief Witold Banka (POL) said there is no need for more audits of his agency, as demanded in a bill now moving through the U.S. Congress:
“I don’t know any other international organization with such strong auditing mechanisms, so I think there are no obstacles for our friends from U.S. to fulfill their duties and pay the contributions.”
But Sara Carter, the head of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy, which pays the American dues, told The Associated Press, “The United States will not be bullied or manipulated into paying dues to WADA until such [an audit] is achieved.”
The U.S. has withheld dues of more than $3.6 million per year for both 2024 and 2025, but Banka said, “I wish we could have this money, [U.S.] contributions, but WADA is financially very stable, so this is not the biggest problem.”
¶
WADA Director General Olivier Niggli (SUI) explained the status of Russia, still considered non-compliant:
“The current ban is not related to anti-doping. The Russian Anti-Doping Agency still does not have compliance status, but for a different reason. In particular, we are continuing the judicial process and discussion of Russian legislation, which needs to be amended to comply with the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s ruling. So there are other elements that are still in the process of being resolved.
“RUSADA works in Russia, we maintain contacts with them, and we have a working relationship.”
In terms of timing, Niggli said “The timeframe may be similar [to the end of the war in Ukraine], or it may be different, we are following our process.”
● Athletics ● U.S. sprint star Sha’Carri Richardson pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges of speeding at more than 104 miles per hour on a road in Winter Park, Florida. She said that a back tire was under-inflated and that she did not means to be going so fast.
Her partner, Olympic sprinter and 2019 World men’s 100 m champ Christian Coleman was also arrested at the scene for trying to help her and had a “glass smoking device: in his car. He also pled not guilty.
¶
World Athletics has declined to ratify the sensational 56:42 half marathon by Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) from Barcelona (ESP) in 2025 as a world record.
Specifically, the presence of the lead car in the race was seen as a pacing aid for Kiplimo, although there are no specific rules on separation between vehicles and runners. Thus, the record reverts to 57:30 for Yomif Kjelcha (ETH) in 2024.
¶
Another Kenyan sanction from the Athletics Integrity Unit, this time four years for 13:00.38-26:43.98-58:45 man Benard Kibet Koech, “from 10 June 2025 for Use of a Prohibited Substance/Method (ABP case).” In this case, blood manipulation was identified as the reason for the abnormalities in his medical data.
● Biathlon ● International Biathlon Union President Olle Dahlin (SWE) told the Russian news agency TASS that Russian federation reinstatement has a long path:
“[W]e previously had an action plan to return the Russian Biathlon Union to the IBU as a full member. We’re talking about 12 criteria. So there’s a lot to do here, too, in various areas, and, at least in the area of anti-doping, it’s extremely important for us to stay up to date with the latest developments.
“This program is still relevant, but the war in Ukraine is at the forefront.”
● Boxing ● Algerian Olympic women’s 66 kg boxing gold medalist Imane Khelif told CNN that she wants to continue her career in the ring. That includes taking a sex-screening test as required now by World Boxing:
“Of course, I would accept doing anything I’m required to do to participate in competitions.
“They should protect women, but they need to pay attention that while protecting women, they shouldn’t hurt other women.
“I’m not transgender. I’m a woman. I want to live my life. Please do not exploit me in your political agendas.”
Khelif and Yu-ting Lin (TPE: 57 kg) won Paris golds, but were accused of being ineligible by the International Boxing Association, the former governing body for Olympic boxing. The new World Boxing organization was approved by the IOC to run the sport in 2025 and has adopted an eligibility for the women’s category that requires a screening test for the Y chromosome, found in men.
● Cycling ● Two-time World Track Championships silver medalist Martha Bayona Pineda (COL) has been suspended for 18 months for “whereabouts” failures of three missed tests in a 12-month period.
The Keirin runner-up at the 2017 and 2023 Worlds will be ineligible through 22 October 2026 due to time served; the sanction can be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
● Sport Climbing ● Poland’s Aleksandra Miroslaw, the 2024 women’s Olympic Speed gold medalist, said she will retire at the end of the 2026 climbing season.
She owns the women’s world record at 6.03 seconds , but at 32, she wrote on Instagram:
“For a long time, I knew how I wanted to say goodbye to the world of sport in this role. On top. On my own terms. My own way. And now, as I turn 32, that day has come.
“I’d like to tell you that the 2026 season will be my last competitive season in the World Cup and European Championships. Just a few final starts and then this chapter comes to a close.. Sport will always remain an important part of who I am, even though my role will gradually change. There will be time to tell that story.”
● Wrestling ● American men’s Freestylers made a big impression at the first United World Wrestling ranking series event of 2026, the Zagreb Open in Croatia, with tournament golds for Paris Olympic silver man Spencer Lee at 57 kg, Austin DeSanto at 61 kg, David Carr at 74 kg, Parker Keckeisen at 86 kg, and Stephen Buchanan at 97 kg, beating Iranian star and 2016 Olympic champ Hassan Yazdani at 97 kg!
The U.S. also won silvers by Dean Hamiti at 79 kg, Trent Hidlay at 92 kg and Wyatt Hendrickson at 125 kg. The women’s and Greco-Roman tournaments are continuing.
¶
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