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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
● Olympic Games ● Comcast announced Monday its plan to split off its NBCUniversal and Sky broadcast units into a separate, publicly-traded company, with the transaction expected to be completed in about a year. It’s a technology play, per the statement:
“Comcast is a leading technology company serving residential and business customers through its broadband, wireless and entertainment platforms. …
“NBCUniversal is a premier global media and entertainment company, anchored by its growing theme parks division, Universal film and television studios, NBC and Telemundo networks, Peacock, and Bravo. In addition, NBCUniversal’s global portfolio will include Sky, our European media business.”
A CNBC report explained: “The company’s share price has plummeted over the past 12 months amid significant challenges facing the media industry, driven by the shift away from the TV bundle and toward streaming.”
Comcast previously cast off its cable television networks and digital assets to create Versant Media earlier in 2026.
Observed: It can be anticipated that the Olympic television rights for 2028 and beyond will go with the new NBCUniversal company, although Comcast is likely to continue its sponsorship relations with LA28 and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee to further promote its technology products and services to the broad Olympic audience.
● Youth Olympic Games ● The Ukrainian Olympic Committee has asked the International Olympic Committee, the International Federations and the Dakar 2026 organizers for special protections during the November event:
“The appeal pays particular attention to situations that may arise during medal ceremonies should a Ukrainian athlete find themselves on the same podium as representatives from Russia or Belarus. The NOC of Ukraine requests the introduction of a special protocol that would allow Ukrainian athletes to leave the podium early after receiving their own award.
“This mechanism would grant athletes the right not to remain on the podium whilst the flags of the aggressor states are raised and their national anthems are played, and not to take part in joint photo sessions if this conflicts with their moral convictions. The NOC of Ukraine also requests assurances that such actions by Ukrainian athletes will not be regarded as a breach of the regulations and will not result in disciplinary action.
“In addition, the Ukrainian side has requested that the particular circumstances of wartime be taken into account during the competitions and that no sanctions be imposed in cases where handshakes, hugs, bows or other traditional gestures of mutual respect between Ukrainian athletes and representatives of aggressor countries, as provided for in the competition rules.”
● Athletics ● Olympic 100 m champ Noah Lyles finished second to fellow American Trayvon Bromell at the Paris Diamond League 100 m on Sunday – 9.91 to 9.92 – and then posted a still image from the television coverage of the race, showing Bromell looking back at the field (and Lyles) from lane eight as he crossed the finish line:
“Carefully there Treyvon [sic]. The last person who did this to me didn’t even make the podium next time we met.”
A report noted the reference to the 2024 Racers Grand Prix in Jamaica, where Oblique Seville beat Lyles in the 100 m but was eighth at the Paris Olympic 100.
Bromell, a two-time Worlds 100 m medal winner, said afterwards:
“I really liked my start, I pushed the wheel. I didn´t let the race get in my head. I know that I have so much more in my tank, the times and data from my biomechanics make me excited for the season. In Eugene [next week], I will go nuts. After that I will take a small break to wait for my son to come to this world.”
Lyles added later that a rematch is not immediately coming:
“It´s been a very busy year, especially this month of June. It´s been running, running, running, training and running. It´s been a lot of fun, but I think the first half of my European tour is done here. I am going to get back to the U.S. and just do other stuff.”
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American Jamal Britt has been the story of the men’s 110 m hurdles this season, getting his third Diamond League win, a lifetime best of 12.89 and becoming the ninth man to sub-12.90:
“I was not expecting to run that today. Just coming out here not feeling 100%, running that time and winning is a great feeling. I was just waiting to be 100% to be able to do this. This race was not perfect, the way I wanted.
“I didn’t have the best start, but I am best at the middle and the end. Indoor season I came out with 7.4 [through hurdle 6], the first time under 7.5, that was a big statement for me. If I can put that out in the 110 m hurdles, times like this will happen all the time.”
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Swiss star Audrey Werro, who was just short of the world women’s 800 m record at 1:53.80, said afterwards, “I was not expecting to run this fast this season. These recent performances have really given me hope and built my confidence to what is coming next.”
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Rae Edwards, 45, a 10.00 sprinter for the U.S. back in 2010 and now a coach and media personality (RaesTakeTV), was suspended for two years, a reduced doping violation sanction for his help. Per the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency:
“Edwards committed a complicity violation in 2023 by introducing athlete Marvin Bracy-Williams to an individual whom Edwards believed to be a doctor for the purpose of obtaining testosterone. …
“Bracy-Williams’s testosterone use was reported to USADA by a whistleblower in early 2024, prompting USADA to open an investigation that included a targeted out-of-competition test, which returned a positive result and led to Bracy-Williams being sanctioned for his anti-doping rule violation. Federal authorities separately opened a criminal investigation into Paul Askew, the individual who supplied Bracy-Williams with testosterone after Edwards connected them. Edwards provided important assistance to the federal investigation, which culminated in Askew’s guilty plea under the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act (RADA) on May 26, 2026.”
This closes the circle of cases and sanctions which started with the Bracy-Williams ban. Edwards’ ban started on 15 November 2026; Bracy-Williams was suspended for 45 months beginning 5 February 2024 and then a 12-year ban for “whereabouts” failures beyond the 45-month ban.
● Badminton ● At the BWF World Tour U.S. Open in Fullerton, California, Li Yang Su (TPE) won the men’s Singles final over India’s Srikanth Kidambi, 21-15, 16-21, 21-9, and Denmark’s Line Christophersen out-lasted Kaloyana Nalbantova (BUL) in the women’s Singles, 21-16, 16-21, 21-11.
Japan won the men’s Doubles and women’s Doubles and Chinese Taipei was victorious in the Mixed Doubles final.
● Tennis ● The International Tennis Federation announced Monday a name change to World Tennis, effective immediately. Further:
“In an open letter co-signed by World Tennis President David Haggerty [USA] and World Tennis Chief Executive Officer Ross Hutchins [GBR], World Tennis pledged to reinvest back into the game at least 85% of all income it generates each year for the next decade – empowering its 214 national tennis associations – and committed to drive collaboration across the sport.”
The federation also announced a goal of expanding worldwide participation in the sport to 140 million players by 2035, from 106 million now. The organization’s income is mostly tied to the Davis Cup national-team competitions and not to shares of Olympic television revenue.
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