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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● The International Olympic Committee distributed awards related to the 2026 Winter Games in Rome on Tuesday, with the Olympic Cup – established by modern Games founder Pierre de Coubertin (FRA) in 1906 – awarded to the “People of Italy” for their support of Milan Cortina. Said IOC chief Kirsty Coventry (ZIM):
“These Games were not only organised in Italy – they were embraced by the Italian people.
“The arenas were full, the cheers loud, the atmosphere electric. You celebrated your champions and supported athletes from every nation. You showed the world that passion and respect can go hand in hand.”
The Olympic Order was awarded to multiple Italian government officials, including Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
Ceremonies on Monday saw the Olympic Order given to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and five government ministers.
● Olympic Winter Games 2030: French Alps ● The 2030 organizing committee board confirmed Vincent Roberti, the Prefect of Tarn-et-Garonne since April 2023, will become the new Director General of French Alps 2030, beginning in June.
It was also announced that the speed skating events, for which there is no available site in the French Alps region, will look to hold the sport in one of its most celebrated venues: the 12,500-seat Thialf in Heerenveen (NED). It has been a 23-time ISU World Championships venue.
● Anti-Doping ● Think substituting urine samples in doping tests went out with the Russian state-sponsored doping program of 2011–15? Think again.
The World Anti-Doping Agency reported Tuesday on six doping violations reported against six Georgia national rugby team players and one staff members. “Operation Obsidian” “revealed five instances where sample substitution occurred, also finding that advance notice of testing was being given to players from the Georgia national rugby union team, with the involvement of employees of the Georgian Anti-Doping Agency (GADA).
“It also determined that doping control officers were not observing athletes notified for doping control and not witnessing urine passing, which are clear non-conformities under the rules.”
In response, the Georgian government is working with WADA to create a new anti-doping organization in the country.
● Athletics ● More Kenyan doping news, as the Athletics Integrity Unit announced a four-year ban against 27:34 10 km and 58:53 half-marathoner Hillary Chepkwony “from 8 December 2025, for the Use of a Prohibited Substance/Method (ABP case).” He last raced in June 2025, but his results are nullified back to 24 August 2024.
Kibiwott Kandie, now 29, was the Half Marathon Worlds silver winner in 2020 and ran 2:04:48 for the marathon in 2023. He was suspended in March 2025 for “Evading, Refusing or Failing to Submit to Sample Collection” and now has an added charge of “Tampering or Attempted Tampering with Doping Control.” He remains provisionally suspended; he last raced in August 2025.
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A couple of world-leading marks in a mostly-quiet weekend, notably Japan’s Rachid Muratake – the Paris 2024 fifth-placer – running 13.05 in the 110 m hurdles in Osaka (JPN) on Sunday, and 24-year-old China’s Chenlong Yuan winning the Chinese Athletics Street Tour long jump in Nanjing (CHN) with a lifetime best of 8.33 m (27-4) on his third attempt.
● Badminton ● The USA Badminton Board voted, 7-3, to accept a “Reset Proposal” from the Badminton World Federation and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee of 23 April 2026.
The details of the proposal were not included, but the majority wanted to find a way forward and not have the organization de-certified as the U.S. governing body, while those against noted that issues with financial noncompliance, governance delays, and the lack of grassroots infrastructure are not being fixed.
● Cycling ● The 109th Giro d’Italia was finally in Italy, for the fourth stage, a 138 km ride to Cosenza with a giant climb in the middle. The long, gentle finish allowed for a mass sprint with Jhonatan Navarez (ECU) getting to the line first in 3:08:46, ahead of Orluis Aular (VEN) and Italy’s Giulio Ciccone. The first 42 riders received the same time.
It’s the third career Giro stage win for Navarez, previously in 2020 and 2024. The race leader is now Ciccone, with the top 25 all within 10 seconds.
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British star Katie Archibald, 32, said she is retiring from competitive cycling to become a nurse:
“The draw of the real world has been pulling me for a while, but I’ve been too scared to leave the world I know and love and, ultimately, to let go of something I’m good at.
“I’ve fallen completely in love with the whole [nursing] thing, When I let my friends and teammates know I was retiring from sport, they assumed it was because I wasn’t coping doing both.”
Her career includes Olympic track cycling golds in the Team Pursuit in 2016 and the Madison at Tokyo 2020 with Laura Kenny. She won 17 World Championships medals, including wins in 2014-17-18-21-23-24-25 in the Team Pursuit (3), Omnium (2) and Madison (2).
● Swimming ● Fascinating note in the USA Swimming sponsorship extension with Speedo through 2028, for “National Team and National Junior Team programs.” In specific:
“The partnership expansion includes dedicated National Junior team kit entitlements, further investing in the next generation of American swimming talent as they progress through the high-performance pathway.”
Interesting to see the focus on juniors in the deal. Young, super-talented swimmers usually make the varsity quickly and compete at the highest level. A renewed interest in the “pipeline” is noteworthy.
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