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PANORAMA: NHL concerned over Milan 2026 arena delays; Brisbane ‘32 chief Liveris concerned over Oz labor shortage; Russia wins case at CAS

By
Rich Perelman
-
The 2025 New York City Marathon finisher medal, showing the course elevation along the edge! (Photo: NYC Marathon on Instagram).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman expressed concerns Wednesday over the progress of the PalaItalia Santa Giulia Arena in Milan, the featured venue for ice hockey:

“We’ve had a concern for the last two years on the progress of the rink – both rinks – but mainly the main one.

“It’s the [International Olympic Committee’s] responsibility. We’re invited guests, but they know of our concerns and we’re expecting that they’re going to make good on all the promises to have a facility that is, from a competitive standpoint, first-class.”

In terms of possible back-up plans, Bettman said:

“You’d better talk to the IOC. It’s not our issue.

“If we have concerns, we’ll express them. We are constrained in what we can and can’t do, request and demand, and if it reaches a certain point, we’ll have to deal with it. But I’m not speculating, and we’ve been constantly assured by the IOC and the IIHF that it will be OK.

“Obviously, the players’ association will share our concerns if there are any that are necessary.”

The Associated Press reported that delays in construction mean that no test event will likely be held at the new arena prior to the Games.

● Olympic Games 2032: Brisbane ● Brisbane 2032 organizing committee head Andrew Liveris said at a local business forum on Thursday that he sometimes worries about the long road ahead.

“I’m having moments that keep me up at night,” and added some specifics:

“We need accommodation, we need hotels. We need human capital like there’s no tomorrow. Skilled labor is a country issue … how do we solve our labor shortage?”

But, as is his nature, he was also optimistic:

“I would be very energized if I was a small business in this state and this community. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of something that puts your product on display.

“You will be part of an Olympic city, an Olympic state. So I think it’s a massive opportunity.”

He acknowledged the cost of the Games, including billions in national and state government funding for 17 new and refurbished venues, including an Olympic stadium in Victoria Park, being contested by activist and First Nations groups. He noted:

“I’m very committed, maybe [because] I grew up in Darwin amongst Indigenous people, went to school with them. I think that there’s a unique opportunity to elevate in an equitable way how First Nations people live in our country.

“The Olympics and Paralympics should not back away from that.”

● Athletics ● A fun new element has been added to the finisher medals for the 2025 New York City Marathon, where a representation of the course elevation has been incorporated into the side of the award.

The overall design of the medal has not changed from 2024, but the edge clearly shows the changes in the 26.2-mile route. It’s a unique innovation for an iconic – and difficult – course.

● Cycling ● The UCI Women’s World Tour Tour of Chongming Island in China finished with a Dutch 1-2 as Anne Knijnenburg finished 55th, 64th and then third in Thursday’s final stage to emerge as the winner. Countrywoman Sofie van Rooijen, the stage two winner and leader going into the final stage, was second, 8:02:16 to 8:02:17.

All three stages were flat and unlike the first two, which had mass finishes that gave the same time to most of the field, a breakaway group of nine riders in the 111.4 km third stage crossed 15 seconds ahead of the peloton. With her third-place finish and the four-second time bonus, that gave Knijnenburg the overall title.

● Table Tennis ● The Russian news agency TASS reported on a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling – so far unpublished – stating that a 2022 European Table Tennis Union ban on Russian and Belarusian players in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine was discriminatory.

Specifically, the decision was described as holding that less-restrictive options were available, such as neutral-athlete status. A ban on national symbols was allowed as an action to reduce public tension.

A statement from the Russian SILA Lawyers firm included:

“This was the first ruling of its kind in which the tribunal sided with Russian athletes. However, CAS emphasized that its conclusions apply only within the context of table tennis and do not automatically extend to other sports, such as football.

“Nevertheless, we believe that the principles of non-discrimination are cross-disciplinary, and the conclusions of this decision could serve as a starting point for reconsidering the policies on Russian athletes’ participation in international competitions.”

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FOOTBALL: FIFA says a million 2026 tickets sold; Wu dismisses threat of relocation of World Cup games by Trump; security worries on drones

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 ≡

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu brushed off comments by U.S. President Donald Trump that 2026 FIFA World Cup games could be moved from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough if Trump felt the area was not safe.

Speaking on the “Java with Jimmy” podcast, she explained:

“Much of it is locked down by contract so that no single person, even if they live in the White House currently, can undo it.

“We’re in a world where for drama, for control, for pushing the boundaries, for just ongoing threats that are issued to individuals and communities who refuse to back down and comply or be obedient to a hateful agenda.

“We are going to continue to be who we are and that means, unfortunately, we are going to continue to be in the conversation in a way that is targeting Boston’s values. …

“In this case, there is no ability to take away the World Cup games. There’s no real threat when it comes to saying cities are so unsafe they can’t host the games.”

FIFA announced that more than one million tickets have been sold in the first purchase window for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.

Purchasers have come from 212 countries and territories; the top 10 by number of tickets bought:

● 1. United States
● 2. Canada
● 3. Mexico
● 4. England
● 5. Germany
● 6. Brazil
● 7. Spain
● 8. Colombia
● 9. Argentina
● 10. France

The statement noted:

“Fans, including those who were unsuccessful in the presale phase, can look forward to the next ticket sales window, which will begin later this month. Specifically, on Monday, 27 October, the entry period will open for the Early Ticket Draw, in which single-match tickets to all 104 games, along with venue- and team-specific tickets, will be released.”

About seven million tickets are expected to be available in all.

The assignment of which countries will play where and when won’t be finalized until the Final Draw, on 5 December in Washington, D.C.

Andrew Giuliani, the head of the White House Task Force on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, said this week that a major campaign against unauthorized drones is part of the planning effort, using part of a $500 million grant to the Department of Homeland Security to mount an anti-drone program. He explained to Politico:

“Everybody from the governors to different commissioners of the police in these different cities to the stadium chief security officer say that this is something that they need in order to protect the [World Cup] sites.”

The protective program includes detection, jamming and interception and disabling drones, but with legal impediments for Federal agencies to allow local and state security forces to do so. A bill in Congress to allow this has stalled.

At the FIFA men’s U-20 World Cup in Chile, Morocco won a thriller from France and Argentina edged Colombia to move to the championship final on Sunday.

Morocco and France moved to penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie after extra time and it took a sixth round to decide the 5-4 outcome, as Naim Byar converted his try and France’s Djylian N’Guessian could not score.

Argentina scored in the 72nd minute on a Mateo Silvetti goal to beat Colombia, 1-0, to advance to try and win its seventh U-20 World Cup title, the most of any country.

Morocco is the first African finalist since Ghana won the title in 2009. It’s Morocco’s first final; it was fourth in 2005.

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MILAN CORTINA 2026: Opening ceremonies plan spreads athletes across four locations, to emphasize “harmony”

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ MILAN CORTINA 2026 ≡

“Milano Cortina 2026 will be the first edition of the Olympic Winter Games with a polycentric model, meaning the Games will be spread across multiple cities. The Opening Ceremony will also reflect this vision: thanks to an innovative and inclusive project, all athletes will be able to participate in a shared experience in harmony between Milan, Cortina, Valtellina and Val di Fiemme.”

The 2026 Olympic Winter Games will be spread across northern Italy and Thursday’s announcement of the logistics of the Games opening on 6 February 2026 emphasized that unique aspect:

● In Milan, the historic San Siro stadium will include the traditional athlete parade in front of an expected 60,000 spectators.

● In Cortina, a parallel ceremony will be held, with athletes from biathlon, bobsled, curling, luge, skeleton and skiing.

● In Livigno in the Valtellina Cluster, skiing, snowboarding and ski mountaineering athletes can participate.

● In Val di Fiemme, athletes from the Nordic skiing events in cross country, Nordic Combined and ski jumping are located.

It was noted that each of the participating nations can have two flagbearers, who can appear at different sites. Host Italy will have four flagbearers. 

The multiple focus points concept also extends to the Olympic Flame, for which cauldrons will be established:

● Andrea Varnier, the Milan Cortina 2026 organizing committee chief executive, noted:

“For the first time, the name of our Games includes two cities, which means we have to hold the most significant moments twice: the flag-raising ceremony and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron will take place in two locations, and we have to manage this visibility.”

● Maria Laura Iascone, Olympic and Paralympic Ceremonies Director, explained:

“We are revealing the two places that will become iconic, where we will ignite the two Olympic cauldrons and raise the excitement: in Milan, at the Arco della Pace, you will all see this wonder and, in the same way, in Cortina, you will be able to admire it in Piazza Dibona, in the centre of Cortina.”

The announcement characterized the idea of the Winter Games opening this way:

“For the organisers, the Opening Ceremony is their moment to stand tall, to let il Tricolore fly proudly on the world stage, and to offer a love letter to Italy and to sport in all its beauty.”

Veteran Italian producer Marco Balich, the creative lead for the ceremonies, underscored the importance of the theme of “harmony,” originally from the ancient Greek:

“It means ‘bringing together’ in musical terms, different elements. Because there are two cities, Milan and Cortina, city and mountain, the harmony between man and nature, between cultures, people and different ways of thinking … it is very meaningful.”

The Winter Games will open on 6 February and close on 22 February in an equally unique concept, at the Arena di Verona, a Roman amphitheater from the first century.

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PANORAMA: Timing of new Milan arena for 2026 Games on thin ice; India to get 2030 Commonwealth Games; FIFA backs Trump on safety?

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2030 ● The under-construction PalaItalia Santa Giulia arena in Milan is behind schedule and may not have any formal test competitions prior to the 2026 Winter Games.

Milan Cortina 2026 chief executive, Andrea Varnier told The Associated Press, “It’s going to be very close to the start of the Games, the timeline is very tight. But we knew that.”

The facility, slated to hold 16,000 fans, is being privately financed and built.

● Commonwealth Games 2030 ● The Commonwealth Sport Executive Board recommended Ahmedabad, India as the preferred site for the centennial 2030 Commonwealth Games.

The board selected Ahmedabad over Abuja (NGR), and the recommendation “will now be put forward to the full Commonwealth Sport membership, with the final decision taking place at the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in Glasgow on 26 November 2025.”

This is a key step for India, which wants to host the 2036 Olympic Games, for which the selection could come at any time the International Olympic Committee will choose. As the 2030 Commonwealth Games will be too close to 2036, it will not be possible for the IOC to see the 2030 Commonwealth Games take place, so India’s chances may be better for 2040.

Moreover, the 2030 Commonwealth Games will be an opportunity for India to erase the memory of the poorly-organized 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, battered by corruption and mis-management.

Commonwealth Sport is also not letting go of future possibilities:

“[G]iven the impressive and ambitious submission from Nigeria, the Commonwealth Sport Executive Board has agreed to develop a strategy for supporting and accelerating Nigeria’s hosting ambitions for future Games, including consideration for 2034. This decision supports Commonwealth Sport’s strategic commitment to secure the future Games pipeline and to host a Games in Africa.”

● Los Angeles & California ● The Play Equity Fund, the Los Angeles-based activist organization dedicated to making sports more widely accessible to youth, celebrated the signing into law of AB 749, the “Youth Sports For All Act” on Monday, 13 October.

According to the legislative summary:

“This bill, the Youth Sports for All Act, would require the State Public Health Officer to establish and convene the Blue Ribbon Commission on the Development of a California Department of Youth Sports or an Equivalent Centralized Entity to conduct a comprehensive study on the need for and feasibility of creating a centralized entity charged with supporting and regulating youth sports, as provided, on or before July 1, 2026, or 6 months after implementation commences as described below, whichever is later.

“The bill would require the commission to submit the study to the Legislature and the Governor on or before January 1, 2028, or 2 years after implementation commences, whichever is later. The bill would make implementation of its provisions contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature or upon the State Department of Public Health obtaining sufficient funds from federal, nonprofit, or private sources.”

The goal is to examine the opportunities for wider youth sports participation in California vs. the disparate and uneven programming now offered.

● Canoe-Kayak ● The International Canoe Federation is following the lead of Union Cycliste Internationale in cycling and announced a future all-disciplines world championship event, to be called the World Paddle Games, including

“the Olympic formats of Canoe Sprint, Canoe Slalom, and Kayak Cross, as well as Paracanoe, Canoe Marathon, Wildwater Canoeing, Ocean Racing, Canoe Polo, Canoe Freestyle, Dragon Boat, and Stand Up Paddling (SUP).”

National federations are being asked to bid, with no target first year set. The event will be a challenge, requiring “flatwater, whitewater, and ocean arenas within an hour’s radius.”

The UCI had a significant success with its first Cycling World Championships in Glasgow (GBR) in 2023, with 13 disciplines in the 11-day program; it will be held again in 2027 in France.

● Fencing ● Following up on the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium in 2024, the USA Fencing National Championships at Milwaukee’s Baird Center was named as the “Best Amateur Sports Event” at the 2025 Sports Travel Awards. Per USA Fencing:

“Over 10 days in Milwaukee, more than 6,000 athletes competed as the event welcomed about 11,000 attendees and generated an estimated $10.7 million in economic impact for the city — all inside the Baird Center’s newly expanded North Building, where Summer Nationals was the first event in the northern expansion wing.

“Staged June 28–July 7, the event brought together youth, collegiate-bound, senior and veteran fencers for a festival of competition under one roof, with free admission that invites new fans to discover the sport.”

● Football ● The Italian news agency ANSA reported FIFA’s reply to comments from U.S. President Donald Trump that he would ask to have 2026 World Cup matches moved if safety issues arose:

“We hope that each of the 16 cities designated for the tournament will be ready to successfully host and meet all the necessary requirements.

“Security is the top priority at all FIFA events worldwide, but it is obviously the responsibility of governments, who decide what is in the best interest of public safety.”

Hmmm. Interesting. Very interesting. Very, very interesting.

Christen Press, a dynamic forward on two U.S. FIFA Women’s World Cup-winning teams in 2015 and 2019, announced her retirement, as of the end of the NWSL season.

“It’s hard to find the words to say goodbye to a sport that has defined my life for over three decades. Football has given me everything, and I will miss being on the pitch so very much. Thank you to my family, friends, teammates, coaches, and community for this beautiful ride.”

Now 36, she scored 64 goals and had 43 assists in 155 national-team appearances and played with clubs in England, Sweden and the U.S., currently with Angel City FC in Los Angeles.

● Wrestling ● U.S. wrestler Robby Smith, who finished fifth at the 2015 World Championships Greco-Roman 130 kg class, has been upgraded to the bronze medal due to a doping disqualification of Russian Bilyal Makhov.

Makhov, the 2012 Olympic winner, was third, but Smith moved up as Makhov’s wins have been erased, and now has a World Championships medal. A 2016 Olympian, Smith serves on the USA Wrestling Board of Directors and continues in the sport as a youth coach.

Russian wrestler Irina Ologonova, a three-time Worlds women’s silver medalist, received an 18-month suspension confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on behalf of the International Testing Agency for doping violations in November 2014.

The positive was unearthed from data obtained in 2019 from the Moscow Laboratory of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency during the time of the state-sponsored doping program from 2011-15. The ban for Ologonova, now 35, is from 24 April 2024 to 15 October 2025; her results were annulled from 8 November 2014 to 8 July 2015, which does not affect the silver medals she won at the 2014-15-16 World Championships in the women’s 55 kg class.

She last competed in 2024.

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SWIMMING: Australian distance superstar Titmus suddenly retires from competitive swimming at 25; said her perspective changed in the Paris lead-up

By
Rich Perelman
-
Australian swim icon Ariarne Titmus in her retirement interview on Instagram.

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≡ TITMUS RETIRES ≡

Writing on Instagram, Australian distance superstar and four-time Olympic gold medalist Ariarne Titmus announced Wednesday (U.S. time) that she was retiring. The post:

“Dear seven year old Ariarne,

“Today you retire from competitive swimming. 18 years you spent in the pool competing. 10 of those representing your country. You went to two Olympic Games and ever better, you won!!!

“The dreams you had.. they all came true. The friends you’ve made.. they’re for life. You achieved more than you ever thought you were capable of and you should be so proud.

“Along the journey you’ve met some incredible people who have helped all the way. Your coaches (one very special one in particular), your support staff, team mates, competitors, sponsors, friends, family and fans. Make sure you thank them.

“You do pack up and move away from your home at 14, what a tough decision it was to leave. Mum and Dad saw the glimmer in your eye and sacrificed everything to move. Without them, alongside Mia- you wouldn’t be here today.

“You’ve just turned 25 and the time feels right to step away from swimming. The pursuit was unrelenting and you gave it every skerrick [every tiny bit] of yourself. You walk away knowing every stone was turned, no regrets. You’re fulfilled, content and happy.

“What’s ahead for you is exciting. New goals, more time with the people you love most and the chance to wholeheartedly put yourself, not your sport first.

“Make sure you enjoy every moment, big or small. Trust me, time flies.”

She said in a companion video interview that “I always intended to return. I never thought that Paris would be my last Olympic Games. Knowing now what I know, I wish I had’ve maybe enjoyed that last race a little bit more.

“But I guess having this 12 months away, I really had the chance to explore what life is like without swimming and that was always my intention, but I think a turning point for me, or a time when a switch was flicked, in the lead-up to the Paris Games, I went through some health challenges which, quite frankly, really rocked me, mentally. It probably was the first time where I considered some things outside of swimming.”

Titmus noted that she had to be all in to beat American rival Katie Ledecky, in Tokyo and in Paris in the 400 m Freestyle.

“Beyond swimming, I’ve always had goals on my personal life, but swimming’s always been most important, up until this point, and I’ve just realized that those goals and what I want in my future is now more important to me. But more than anything, I’m excited for what’s next.”

She paid tribute to Ledecky, saying that without racing her, she wouldn’t have been the athlete she became. Titmus called her decision, “a tough one, a really tough one, but one that I’m really happy with.”

She finishes with four Olympic golds, in the Tokyo 2020 200-400 m Freestyles and the Paris 400 m Free and 4×200 m Free Relay. She won eight Olympic medals in all (4-3-1) and nine World Championships medals, including the 400 m Free in 2019 and 2023.

Titmus set world records in the 400 m Free (3:56.40 in 2022 and 3:55.38 in 2023) and the 200 m Free (1:52.23) in 2024. The 200 m mark still stands.

This is a shocker, no doubt, but Titmus has left an indelible mark on the sport, as Ledecky continues and newcomers such as Summer McIntosh (CAN) are moving up as the stars from Paris and for 2028 in Los Angeles.

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LANE ONE: FIG offers pathetic, weak, unconvincing comment on CAS decisions on Israel’s exclusion from Jakarta Worlds

By
Rich Perelman
-
FIG President Morinari Watanabe (Photo: Watanabe IOC Presidential candidate statement).

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≡ ISRAEL OUT, FIG DOES NOTHING ≡

The Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG), the governing body of worldwide gymnastics, posted a pathetically weak comment after the Court of Arbitration for Sport refused any action on the Israel Gymnastics Federation appeal of FIG’s acquiescence of the Indonesian government’s refusal to issue entry visas to Israeli athletes for the FIG World Artistic Championships that start Sunday:

“The FIG has consistently emphasised that it has no authority over the issuance of entry visas in Indonesia. The decision of the Indonesian national authorities to deny visas to Israeli individuals lies entirely outside the FIG’s competence and control.

“The FIG takes this opportunity to underline that, as an international sports federation governing the sport of gymnastics worldwide, it is politically neutral and acts strictly within the framework of its Statutes and Regulations, as well as in accordance with the principles of neutrality and non-discrimination that underpin the Olympic Movement.

“The FIG deeply regrets this unfortunate situation and the impact it has on the affected athletes. It reaffirms its unwavering commitment to ensuring that all FIG competitions remain open to all eligible gymnasts in accordance with its rules and regulations, irrespective of their nationality or personal attributes.”

What a joke, especially the last paragraph and its “unwavering commitment to ensuring that all FIG competitions remain open to all eligible gymnasts …”

It is worth comparing the current situation, in which the government of Indonesia enforced its anti-Israel policy by not allowing the six-member Israeli team – plus three coaches – to compete in Jakarta, after the athletes had been duly registered for the championships, with the high-profile conflicts of the last three years:

● Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022 and on 28 February 2022, the International Olympic Committee Executive Board recommended that Russian and Belarusian athletes not be allowed to participate in international competitions:

“The IOC EB took protective measures immediately at the time, with a heavy heart and expressing the dilemma it faced. It was against the mission of the Olympic Games that the IOC had to recommend not to invite athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport because of government interference as governments were starting to decide who can take part in which competition.

“Some of the governments threatened to withdraw funding if athletes would participate in a certain competition. And this the IOC could not allow, because this is against every principle of the international sports system, which must be based on sport and not on political decisions about who can participate.”

● Hamas, the governing body of Gaza, invaded Israel on 7 October 2023, killing 1,195 and taking 251 hostages, with those living finally released back to Israel this week and Hamas saying that some of the deceased hostage bodies cannot be found.

Since then, the IOC has taken no action and the Israel Olympic Committee has not asked for the quarantining of the Palestinian Olympic Committee, recognized by the IOC in 1995. The FIG took no action against the Palestinian Gymnastics Federation.

But now Israel – the victim of the 7 October attack – is targeted again by Indonesia, a Muslim-majority country which has – with occasional exceptions – refused to allow Israel to compete on its soil, excluding the country from the Asian Games held in Jakarta in 1962. And twice in 2023, canceling the ANOC World Beach Games with 32 days to go and FIFA removing the men’s U-20 World Cup, in which Israel later won a bronze medal in the re-located tournament in Argentina.

Article 2.2 of the FIG Statutes states, obviously only for show:

“The FIG does not advocate, support or practice any form of discrimination on any grounds such as race, skin colour, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, disability, physical attributes, athletic ability or any other reason; the Federation does not permit any violation of human rights amongst its members. FIG respects and follows the UN universal declaration of human rights and the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in all its affairs.”

As noted in my comment of 12 October, FIG – even at this late date – has options:

● “FIG could turn the Indonesian ban around, and since they will not allow Israel to compete, then Indonesian athletes will not be allowed to compete in Jakarta. …

● “FIG can suspend the Indonesian federation for its violation of FIG’s own rules as well as the Olympic Charter; a four-year ban would keep Indonesian gymnasts out of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

● “FIG has awarded the 2026 Artistic Worlds to Rotterdam (NED) and 2027 to Chengdu in China. Why not award the 2029 Artistic Worlds right now to Israel – probably Tel Aviv – with Indonesia to pay all costs for the event. If it can’t stomach paying the Israel Gymnastics Federation directly, it can pay FIG and FIG will forward the money to the Israelis.”

FIG has indicated that it will do nothing. 

(By the way, just as with athlete prize money. Despite being a tier-one recipient of IOC television rights funds at $39 million-plus from Paris 2024, FIG pays no prize money at its World Championships. Astonishing but true.)

Will anything be done to it? Or to IOC members Morinari Watanabe (JPN), the FIG President, or Erick Thohir, the Indonesia Youth and Sports Minister, who supported – of course – his government’s Israel ban, in contravention of the FIG rules and the Olympic Charter.

As is the usual case in international sport, the ball is in the court of the International Olympic Committee and new President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM).

The IOC told the Russian news agency TASS it was gathering information about what happened. Its Executive Board does not meet until December; it met in emergency session after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

But Coventry and her IOC are now on the clock to act on a blatant violation of the “athletes are not responsible for their government’s actions” mantra insisted on by immediate past president Thomas Bach (GER).

If the IOC does not act – against FIG, against Indonesia and against Watanabe and Thohir – it opens wide the door that Bach fought hard to keep closed: that host countries of any event will – close to the start – simply refuse entry to athletes of countries they don’t like.

Don’t be stupid enough to think this has not been noticed in Washington, D.C.

Bach said, prophetically, at the 2023 International Federation Forum in Lausanne:

“The autonomy of sport – your autonomy as an International Sports Federation – is under threat. The actions of these divisive political forces would effectively mean that they take over your role as International Federations.

“Some want to decide which athletes can compete in which competitions. Others want to decide where your competitions can take place. Still others want to organise their own political sports events. Especially the latter would mean a government takeover of international sport.

“If they succeed with this, your role and the role of the Olympic Movement would become obsolete.”

Watanabe, Thohir, Coventry and all others were warned. What now?

Rich Perelman
Editor

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SPOTLIGHT: U.S. Para sprinters Jaydin Blackwell and Ryan Medrano continue to push each other to new heights

By
Gregg Voss
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U.S. teammates Ryan Medrano and Jaydin Blackwell at the 2025 World Para Track & Field Championships (Photo: Marcus Hartmann/USATF).

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The American duo finished first and second in the T38 100 m at the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi

By Gregg Voss
Red Line Editorial

It would be understandable if Jaydin Blackwell and Ryan Medrano had a major rivalry with each another.

After all, the two U.S. sprinters regularly race against each other in the T38 classification at major track-and-field meets.

This year’s World Para Athletics Championships – held 27 September to 5 October in New Delhi (IND) – was no different. Blackwell broke his own world record in the 400 m in 48.00 and won gold in the 100 m in 10.70 (wind: -0.4 m/s), which set a championships record.

Medrano walked away with a silver medal in the 100, finishing in 10.90 seconds. He also took fourth in the 400 (50.09) and finished fifth in the T38 long jump (6.40 m/21-0) at worlds.

The constant battles between the two sprinters with cerebral palsy only pushes them both to get better.

“Like always, we both push ourselves to be the best competitors we can be, and we push each other to a higher level and go beyond our limits,” Blackwell, 21, said of Medrano, 28. “He’s as a fun guy to be around and fun person to run against.”

The feeling is mutual for Medrano.

“Jaydin and I have a very wholesome rivalry,” Medrano said. “We push each other to be better. We’ve been roommates previously. He’s the fastest in the world. You want to have people around you to make you better. It doesn’t happen with just me. As the field of T38s get faster, I have to get faster.

“Jaydin is someone I consider a friend.”

The friends both began competing internationally in 2023, and they have each appeared in three world championships already. Ever since Blackwell emerged on the Para track scene, he’s dominated the T38 class by winning gold in the 100 and 400 at the past three world championships. That consistency carried into Paris last summer during his Paralympic debut, as the Oak Park, Michigan, native took home gold in both events as well.

Medrano has been right behind Blackwell at many of those races. He won his first worlds medal last year in Kobe, Japan, taking silver in the 400. The Savannah, Georgia, native then won silver in both the 100 and 400 at the Paralympics last summer.

Their career timelines have matched up almost exactly, and they’ve each been able to win significant hardware already. When it comes to their preparation before a race, though, the similarities end.

“I just put my headphones on and get all my preparations in,” Blackwell said, “do my general warmups, and when it’s time, I just focus and don’t talk to anybody. Just lock in and focus.”

Keeping to himself before races may stem from Blackwell training alone in Michigan when he’s not competing.

(Photo by Marcus Hartmann/USATF).

“He’s focused and he doesn’t complain,” Fred George, Blackwell’s coach, said. “He trains by himself, and he adapts well to the knowledge you pass on to him.”

Meanwhile, Medrano engages with other competitors before the starting gun.

“I was talking with the volunteers, asking questions. Even the guy from Colombia was doing a song and dance, and I was loose myself,” Medrano said. “I’m very empathetic. I do a good job of connecting with another human. Instead of closing myself off, my coach was like, ‘Be yourself, dude, and trust in the process.'”

Medrano is only a few years into long-jump competition and is fifth in the world. He’s currently working on his takeoff, and his goal is always to take his time and try to enjoy it.

“I approach it with speed,” he said. “It is different than the 100 and 400. In long jump you have up to six attempts to get on the runway and get the crowd into it. It’s definitely a learned event.”

As for Blackwell, he’s clear on how he keeps himself motivated when he’s the odds-on favorite to win every race: family, friends and coaches like George.

“(They) help me out along the way,” he said. “They give me the strength to keep going. I want to push past my own limits every time, at practice or at a competition.”

Both Blackwell and Medrano have specific goals about what they want to accomplish going forward.

“My goals are to just keep doing what I’ve been doing since the start, keep breaking the world records and championship records,” Blackwell said. “If I don’t one time, then I have to go back to the drawing board.”

George said track-wise, Blackwell’s future is so bright he’ll have to wear shades. Maybe not during competitions, but you get the point.

Medrano, whose coach is Californian Kris Mack, said his approach is as physical as it is mental when it comes to his goals.

“I’m twice the size of everybody else, so my goal is to slim down and focus on the races I want to compete in,” he said, “working on things to complement when I get back into the season. I don’t want to be one of those athletes who didn’t train in the offseason. Being consistent and working on my knowledge of the sport.”

(Photo: Marcus Hartmann/USOPC).

When it comes to their counsel to other athletes, both Para and able-bodied, Blackwell and Medrano’s advice is similar.

“Number one, don’t let other people tell you what you can and cannot do,” Blackwell said. “The only thing that sets you back is your mindset. And number two, just because something is hard doesn’t mean you should ignore it.”

In terms of the latter part of that advice, Blackwell can prove that he follows it himself. Despite being the world-record holder in the event, Blackwell hates the 400, calling it “one of the most gruesome events in track and field.” But that doesn’t stop him from continuing to set records at that distance.

Medrano said the bigger picture is more than just training.

“You have to build a community of people that will help keep you accountable,” he said. “Motivation isn’t always there, so you have to hold yourself accountable in training, sleep and recovery. Create that environment for yourself. Find that coach.”

Gregg Voss is a journalist based in the Chicago suburbs who has been writing sports for newspapers and magazines for more than 20 years. He is a freelance contributor to Team USA on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.

For more, please visit the USOPC Paralympic Educational Hub.

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PANORAMA: Track “athletes of the year” nominees named; IOC inquiring about Israel’s gymnastics ban; 20-year SecGen Dielen leaves World Archery

By
Rich Perelman
-
A world title for American 400 m hurdler Rai Benjamin (Photo: Dan Vernon for World Athletics).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● International Olympic Committee ● The IOC replied Monday to an inquiry about the Indonesian government’s refusal to grant entry visas to the Israeli team for the FIG World Artistic Championships saying only:

“We are aware of various allegations regarding the Israeli national artistic gymnastics team’s participation in the upcoming World Championships in Indonesia. We are working to better understand the situation with all stakeholders.”

The IOC announced a renewed cooperation agreement with the World Olympians Association, a worldwide alumni group, which will be aimed at “maximising the impact of joint initiatives and resources to ensure that Olympians continue to be empowered to serve as role models and ambassadors of the Olympic Movement.”

This is significant as a change in attitude for the IOC from the Thomas Bach Era, when the IOC tried to absorb the WOA, but was rejected by the WOA in 2023.

WOA President Joel Bouzou (FRA) said, “We have achieved much over the last three Olympic cycles, including the creation of the OLY post-nominal letters and our grants and scholarship programmes, and we look forward to working hand in hand with the IOC to deliver even more services and opportunities for Olympians.”

● Archery ● World Archery announced that Tom Dielen (BEL), the federation’s Secretary General from 2005, was replaced on 10 October by 1992 Olympic men’s Team gold medalist Juan Carlos Holgado (ESP) as the Executive Director, new position.

He will serve as Acting Secretary General until that position is hired. Dielen lost to new World Archery President Greg Easton (USA) in the early September elections during the World Archery Congress. He said in a statement:

“I have had the privilege of working for a total of 26 years as a professional and several years as a volunteer at World Archery. The journey started in Lausanne with a meeting with Jim Easton in the Lausanne Palace in February 1996. He hired me, a few months later, in June 1996.

“I had the pleasure of working very well with Jim for six years and professionalised the office after moving the headquarters from Milan to Lausanne. In 2002, I left World Archery for three years and three months to move to WADA [World Anti-Doping Agency], but kept a volunteer role in the constitution and rules committee.

“When Prof Dr Ugur Erdener [TUR] wanted to become president, we sat together and jointly developed the 10-point presidential programme. Key elements of that were the mediatisation of our sport as well as implementing the World Cup, a project I finalised just before leaving to WADA in 2002. For me, it was essential that this project, which was not implemented during my absence (since there was no title sponsor nor financing for it), was implemented as soon as the elections confirmed Prof Dr Erdener as president and me as secretary general.

“The cancelled season due to the COVID pandemic will have caused me to miss the 20th edition next year. The World Cup has moved archery from a danger zone, nearly being kicked out of the Olympic Games at the session in Singapore in 2005, to a sport that is seen as a reference.”

● Athletics ● World Athletics posted the five nominees for Track Athlete of the Year for men and women, with fan voting available on the federation’s social channels:

Men:
● Rai Benjamin (USA) ~ 400 m hurdles World Champion
● Jimmy Gressier (FRA) ~ 10,000 m World Champion
● Noah Lyles (USA) ~ 200 m World Champion, 100 bronze
● Cordell Tinch (USA) ~ 110 m hurdles World Champion
● Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) ~ 800 m World Champion

Women:
● Femke Bol (NED) ~ 400 m hurdles World Champion
● Beatrice Chebet (KEN) ~ 5,000-10,000 m World Champion
● Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (USA) ~ 100-200 m World Champion
● Faith Kipyegon (KEN) ~ 1,500 m World Champion, 5,000 m silver
● Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) ~ 400 m World Champion

Voting closes on 19 October with two finalists to be selected for each award.

Kenyan distance runner Diana Chepkorir, 23, a 29:56 10 km road runner – no. 20 all-time – was banned for four years from 15 September 2025 based on irregularities in her Athlete Biological Profile. An expert panel noted of her test data, “the sequence of samples 2, 4, 5 and 6 displays an “ON” followed by an “OFF” phase pathognomonic for situations where the red cell mass is artificially increased and the body subsequently downregulates its own red cell production.”

● Football ● The U.S. men’s national team finished its latest international-play window against 2016 World Cup qualifier Australia in Commerce City, Colorado on Tuesday.

The game started with the U.S. in charge of the ball, but it was Australian defender Jordan Bos who scored in the 19th on a failed clearance and then an opportunistic left-footed shot from the center of the box to the right corner. But the Americans got even in the 33rd as striker Haji Wright took a lead pass in the box from midfielder Cristian Roldan and ahead of the defense, finished with a right-footed tap to the top of the left corner of the net.

In the half, the U.S. had 70% of possession and a 6-1 lead on shots, but only the one goal.

After an early Australian rush, Roldan surprised the Socceroos; off re-start, he sent a long pass from midfield to Wright streaking, on the right side, one-on-one toward the Aussie goal. He got control, faked to the right, went left and sent a curling, left-footed rocket to the far left side of the net for a 2-1 U.S. lead in the 51st.

U.S. substitute forward Diego Luna had a fabulous chance on a charge on the net in the 79th that was amazingly saved by Australian keeper Mathew Ryan. U.S. keeper Matt Freese saved a 90th-minute challenge from sub striker Nestory Irankunda, who danced through most of the defense, and that was enough for the win. The U.S. finished with 64% possession and a 10-9 shots edge.

In an up-and-down 2025, the 16th-ranked U.S. has rebounded from losses to 14th-ranked Mexico (July) and no. 23 South Korea (September) with wins against no. 19 Japan (2-0), a tie with no. 24 Ecuador (1-1) and now a win vs. no. 25 Australia. A key measure will come in November against South American sides no. 37 Paraguay and no. 15 Uruguay.

Israel completed its latest UEFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers with two losses on the road in Oslo against group leader Norway (5-0 on 11 October) and 3-0 against Italy in Udine on Tuesday. Both games were marked by protests against Israel’s retaliation in Gaza against the 7 October invasion and massacre by Hamas.

There was a mostly-orderly protest of about 1,000 people against Israel in Oslo, with a heavy police presence and some protesting fans inside the nearly-full Ullevaal Stadion.

There were as many as 10,000 protesters in Udine according to The Associated Press and a heavy police presence. Skirmishes with protesters ended once the match began, but after about 50 people charged the police and were repelled with water cannons and tear gas. Less than 10,000 tickets were sold for the match; some booing of the Israeli anthem was covered by cheers from others.

● Gymnastics ● It was announced Monday that Russian star Alexander Dityatin, who won eight Olympic medals at a single Games at Moscow in 1980, has died at age 68.

He won four golds at the 1979 FIG World Championships, then won the Team gold, All-Around and Rings in Moscow in 1980, with silvers in the Pommel Horse, Vault, Parallel Bars and Horizontal Bar and a Floor Exercise bronze. Only U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps, with eighth medals in 2004 (6-0-2) and 2008 (8-0-0) has also won eight in a single Games.

U.S. gymnastics icon Simone Biles told a forum last week in Buenos Aires (ARG):

“Everyone likes to talk about L.A. and what that road looks like for me. So currently, I am taking some time off from the gym because I think it’s really important that your physical health matches your mental health.

“That’s why you saw so much of my success in Paris, because the mental and the physical were right on par. They were right on track with each other, so I think that’s really, really important.

“I’m not sure what 2028 looks like, but I will be there in some capacity. I just don’t know right now if it’s on the floor or in the stands. But I definitely want to go and be a part of that movement.”

● Judo ● A compact field of 248 judoka from 48 countries contested the IJF World Tour Lima Grand Prix in Peru.

Brazil took four wins, with Olympic medalist Daniel Cargnin taking the men’s 73 kg class, Rafael Macedo winning at 90 kg, Giovani Ferreira at 100 kg and Jessica Pereira in the women’s 52 kg division.

Israel won two golds, with Izhak Ashpiz in the men’s 60 kg and women’s Olympic runner-up Raz Hershko at +78 kg. Rio and Tokyo Olympic champ Lukas Krpalek (CZE) won the men’s +100 kg for his 10th career Grand Prix and Grand Slam gold. Tokyo Olympic 57 kg bronzer Jessica Klimkait (CAN) took the women’s 63 kg class.

The U.S. won a silver in the men’s 81 kg final by Johan Silot for its lone medal.

● Speed Skating & Short Track ● The International Skating Union announced Tuesday a new bonus program for world records in both disciplines, of $5,000 for individual events, and $5,000 per team member for speed skating team events (3 athletes) or the mixed relay (2 athletes). Same $5,000 prize for Short Track and $20,000 for team events with four skaters.

The record setters will also get a “world record” ring!

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LOS ANGELES 2028: Trump says 2026 World Cup matches could be moved from Boston, and – if “not safe” – the Olympic Games from Los Angeles!

By
Rich Perelman
-
U.S. President Donald Trump during a White House news briefing (YouTube screen shot).

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≡ TRUMP ON 2026 & 2028 ≡

U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking with the press during a meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei, talked once again about moving FIFA World Cup 2026 matches if needed.

Asked about his continuing feud with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and the seven World Cup matches to be held in Foxborough’s Gillette Stadium, Trump said:

“We could take them away. I love the people of Boston. I know the games are sold out, but your mayor is not good. …

“If somebody [referring to Wu] is doing a bad job and I think there’s unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni [Infantino/SUI] the head of FIFA – who’s phenomenal – and I would say let’s move it to another location.

“And he would do that. He wouldn’t love to do it, but he’d do it, very easily he’d do it. And this is the right time to do it.

“If I thought Boston was doing something that was going to be, cause safety conditions for the World Cup [to be bad] … I could say the same thing for the Olympics because we have events that are in different locations for the Olympics. It’s based in L.A.

“If I thought L.A. was not going to be prepared properly, I would move it to another location, if I had to. For that one, I’d probably have to get a different kind of a permission, but we would do that.”

That’s a reference to the International Olympic Committee, which has a contract with the City of Los Angeles to hold the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which the first Trump Administration helped to bring to the U.S. and signed guarantees on multiple access and security issues.

Trump pivoted from Boston to talking about the California Governor:

“Gavin Newsom, he’s got to get his act together because had we not gone in at the beginning of my term, had we not gone in with a very strong, powerful force, they would have lost L.A.”

Trump ordered in 2,000 National Guard troops on 7 June, to protect Federal facilities from demonstrators against immigration raids by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) service, and added 900 Marines a couple of days later. The protests finished on 15 June.

Trump came back to the World Cup in Boston issue, finishing with, “Boston better clean up their act, that’s all I can say.”

Gillette Stadium has five group-stage matches assigned as well as a round-of-32 and a quarterfinal match. Trump raised the issue of moving matches in a media briefing on 25 September, but did not single out a specific location:

“It will be safe for the World Cup. If I think it isn’t safe, we’ll move it into a different city, absolutely. … It’s actually a very fair question. If I think it’s not safe, we’re going to move it out of that city.”

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LOS ANGELES: Even without the 2028 Olympic Games, L.A. sports generate $12.1 billion in economic impact, up 95.2% in six years!

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ L.A. SPORTS ECONOMY SOARS ≡

In 2018, a comprehensive study of the economic impact of sports in the Los Angeles area by the L.A. Economic Development Corporation showed $6.2 billion in total economic impact, supporting 39,100 jobs and generating about $327 million in state and local tax revenues.

Then came the pandemic. And then came another boom.

At the L.A. Sports Innovation Conference held Monday at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California and organized by the Los Angeles Sports Council, the LAEDC presented its latest findings, showing a startling rise since the Covid-19 shutdown in 2020:

In 2021:
● $7.0 billion total economic impact
● 39,690 jobs (direct and indirect)
● $363.6 million local and state tax revenue

In 2024:
● $12.1 billion total economic impact
● 92,970 jobs (direct and indirect)
● $725.9 million local and state tax revenue

These are astonishing numbers, growing over six years by 95.2% in total and adding 53,280 direct and indirect jobs. What happened?

The biggest economic driver in the region are its fans. The report noted and offered a stunning chart demonstrating the rabid interest in sports in the area:

“Between 2023 and 2024, attendance at professional sporting events in Los Angeles increased by an average of 1.0 percent across all major teams. Football continues to anchor the region’s sports scene, with the Rams averaging 73,194 fans per game and the Chargers 69,967, both essentially filling SoFi Stadium to capacity, with the Rams again exceeding its official seating limit.

“Soccer also demonstrated strong support, with Los Angeles Football Club averaging 22,121 per game, the Galaxy increasing to more than 26,000, and Angel City FC averaging just over 19,300, reflecting the sport’s broad appeal in Southern California.

“Baseball followed closely, with the Dodgers drawing 48,657 fans per game at Dodger Stadium, the highest in Major League Baseball, and the Angels attracting 31,822 at Angel Stadium.

“Basketball and hockey teams also maintained steady support, with the Lakers averaging 18,723, the Kings 17,196, and the Ducks 15,806. The Sparks recorded the most dramatic year-over-year increase, rising from 6,554 to 11,045 per game, while the Clippers posted the sharpest decline, down 12.6 percent, reflecting the transition to the newly opened Intuit Dome, which offers a smaller seating capacity than their previous home at Crypto.com Arena.”

The accompanying chart showed that of the 12 largest pro teams in the area, eight have average attendance at 90% or better of their listed capacities, with three more over 80% and one at 71%:

Moreover, spending on concessions, parking and merchandise is not included in the total.

These large-scale pro teams account for $10.2 billion of the $12.1 billion impact total or 84.3%, with collegiate sports – primarily UCLA and USC – accounting for most of the rest at $1.87 billion. USC was listed with $242.4 million in athletics revenue for 2024 and UCLA with $170.9 million; others ranged from $39.7 million down to $22.1 million.

Annual events also generated significant, if smaller impacts such as the PGA Genesis Invitational golf tournament, Long Beach Grand Prix auto race, the Rose Bowl, U.S. Surfing Open, Los Angeles Marathon and others, and one-time events such as the Rugby Sevens World Championships.

The LAEDC measured the impact of sporting events taking place in the area and not those in the planning stages, such as for the 2026 FIFA World Cup or the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in the Los Angeles area.

LAEDC chief executive Stephen Cheung told the conference the numbers aren’t just good, they open the door to much more:

“This is really a call to action. I think for economic developers – I get excited about the data – it’s not so much about the data, but about the narrative and the story. We don’t tell that story enough; other folks are telling the story for us.

“So we basically have to let folks know that we’re one of the top two sports-entertainment sector [locations] in the entire world, and because of that, we need to take our rightful place on the national and international stage, owning the development of that and turning this into business opportunities and job opportunities for our communities as well.

“So, this is a way of asking all of you to start getting the data, creating your own narrative and your story, so when our international partners are coming, so they can call you and we have a lot of these amazing stories about new technology, new companies, new work, new sports teams are coming through, so we can showcase to the rest of the world how great L.A. is.”

He noted that the New York-New Jersey area is top-ranked, but he pointed out that takes in activities across two states. Cheung sees L.A. as no. 1 and said the data “momentum positions Los Angeles as the global capital of sports and innovation.”

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GYMNASTICS: Israeli appeals to compete in 2025 World Gymnastics Champs rebuffed by Court of Arbitration, as door to chaos opens

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ ISRAEL OUT OF FIG WORLDS ≡

“On 10 October 2025, the Indonesian government issued a statement that Israeli athletes due to participate in the competition were not granted visas. The IGF subsequently filed two appeals to CAS with requests for urgent provisional measures.

“The first appeal, filed on 10 October 2025, is against the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) requesting the annulment of the FIG statement issued the same day, ‘taking note’ of the Indonesia’s decision not to issue visas to the Israeli delegation.

“The second appeal, filed on 13 October 2025, is joint with six Israeli athletes who qualified for the championships (Artem Dolgophyat, Eyal Indig, Ron Payatov, Lihie Raz, Yali Shoshani and Roni Shamay) and is also against the FIG. This appeal requests that CAS orders FIG to take the necessary measures that guarantee Israeli participation in the championships, or in the alternative, to move or to cancel the championships.”

That’s the Court of Arbitration for Sport summary of the appeal lodged by the Israel Gymnastics Federation with CAS issuing a notice on Tuesday that it rejected requests for “urgent provisional measures”:

“The IGF argued in their appeal that the FIG Statutes require the FIG Executive Committee to pass a decision in case entry visas are not granted to all participating delegations. They also argued that the absence of a decision constitutes a denial of justice, thus creating a situation of discrimination against a member association.

“The FIG emphasized that it has no prerogatives in the issuance of entry visas in Indonesia and that the fact that Indonesian authorities have refused to grant visas to Israeli individuals falls entirely outside the competence of the FIG. …

“Both requests have been rejected. The first appeal will be terminated due to a lack of jurisdiction. The second appeal is still ongoing.”

The Israeli Gymnastics Federation has accepted the reality and posted two messages on Instagram:

● “CAS ruled – the Israeli delegation will not go to the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.

“We have just received with great disappointment the CAS ruling regarding the departure of the Israeli delegation to the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Indonesia, according to which the delegation will not be allowed to go to the championship.

“We are so disappointed for the gymnasts, male and female, and professional teams, but not only. We are deeply concerned by the recent decisions that could negatively affect the future of all our delegations and the future of sport in general.

“We continue the fight, hoping to achieve justice, but unfortunately we will no longer be going to this World Championships.”

● “Today we were informed that our team will not go to the World Championships. This is hard, painful, unfair news. But it is precisely in these moments that our true strengths are revealed.

“We see you and you, the hard work, the faith, the big heart. The coaches who fought until the end, and the gymnasts who continued to dream, even when the path became impossible.

“Today we will no longer participate in the World Championships, but we stand tall, united, proud.

“We will grow out of this crisis, we will come back stronger, and we will continue to fight so that in the future our flag will fly exactly where it deserves.

“Artem, Eyal, Ron, Lihi, Yahli, Roni, and the coaches: Sergey, Mia and Roni – we are very proud of you. We believe in you. With you every step of the way.”

So the event will go on, beginning on Friday and ending Sunday. But the impact will go longer.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport summary, although unofficial, underlines the limitations of the forum. This is an arbitration mechanism designed to resolve issues between multinational sports organizations, not governments.

As the CAS summary stated, the Israel Gymnastics Federation asked for the “annulment” of the FIG acceptance of the Indonesian government’s decision not to issue visas to its delegation. The CAS “reply” is important:

“The first appeal will be terminated due to a lack of jurisdiction.”

CAS has no power over governments, or to make an International Federation challenge a government over a governmental decision not to issue visas.

So, taking this further, there is no recourse for a sports body – such as the International Olympic Committee – to coerce a host country to issue entry visas to any delegation it does not like, regardless of any contractual guarantees it may have made in the process of being named as host.

This is a bad precedent for gymnastics, for the IOC and for every International Federation. FIG has options, but will clearly not exercise any of them.

The only question is when this will next be seen and where. IOC President Thomas Bach (GER) worked tirelessly on this issue during his two terms, especially concerning Russian athletes in the aftermath of the doping scandal and then also Belarusian athletes after the invasion of Ukraine. He largely won that fight, with a small number of Russian and Belarusian “neutrals” allowed to compete in Paris.

So far, the IOC under new President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) has not been heard from.

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PANORAMA: Canadian NOC asks C$104 million gov’t funding; Pogacar dominates Il Lombardia again; Hancock & Simonton take skeet Worlds!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Canadian Olympic Committee chief David Shoemaker and Olympic sprint star Andre De Grasse on CBC’s “Power & Politics” (CBC screen shot).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2032: Brisbane ● The newest twist from Australia is a push to “re-brand” South East Queensland – which includes the City of Brisbane – as simply, “Brisbane.”

The area now includes Ipswich, Logan, Somerset, Scenic Rim, Moreton Bay, Redland, Noosa, Toowoomba, the Lockyer Valley, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Brisbane, but promoters say the change would help uplift the entire area. Brisbane 2032 organizing committee chief Andrew Liveris is on board:

“Global and national accolades continue to roll in and our focus must be to support and seize our collective success, together. When we promote one another, we win as one.”

Not everyone is on board with this, with polls indicating resistance.

● International Fair Play Committee ● The CIFP honored three exceptional acts of sportsmanship and fair play at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne (SUI) on Sunday, from the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris:

Norway’s Sander Skotheim was a prime contender in the decathlon, but no-heighted in the vault. Rather than retire, he stayed in to help teammate Markus Rooth to the gold medal, including pacing him in the final event, the 1,500 m.

At the beach volleyball women’s final between Brazil’s Ana Patricia Ramos and Duda Lisboa and Canadians Brandie Wilkerson and Melissa Humana-Paredes, the competition and the crowd got heated with in the third set as Brazil’s lead shrank to 11-8. After an exchange of words between the sides at the net, the referee tried to calm the situation and venue DJ Tony Ramos (ESP) inserted John Lennon’s “Imagine” in the site and reduced the tension. The Brazilians went on to a 15-10 win for the gold medal.

The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) was recognized for lending a boat to Belarus “neutral” rower Yauheni Zalaty for the men’s Single Sculls, as Zalaty’s equipment did not arrive in time in Paris. He eventually won the silver medal behind German star Oliver Zeidler in the Olympic final!

Said CIFP President Sunil Sabharwal (USA), “These moments from Paris 2024 showcase that fair play is not just an ideal, but a tangible, powerful force in sport.

“Whether through an act of sacrifice, a musical moment of peace, or simply extending a helping hand to a competitor, these honorees prove that character is the highest medal a person can win.”

● Canada ● Speaking on a CBC Power & Politics interview alongside seven-time Olympic medalist Andre De Grasse, Canadian Olympic Committee chief executive David Shoemaker said that under-funding of the country’s national sports organizations has reached a tipping point.

Program host David Cochrane noted that the Future of Sport in Canada Commission projected a shortfall of C$329 million (C$1 = $0.71 U.S.) over the next five years to the 62 NSOs, with Shoemaker explaining that the crisis has come:

“The long and short of is we can’t make it work. Eventually the pressure will become too much to bear and the sports system will collapse as a result of it. So we’re trying to let it be known that now is an important opportunity to invest in sport. …

“With the financial pressure that the national sports organizations are facing, they are making decisions to cut back on programming, to cut back on training. Not just for Olympians, but it’s making it more and more inaccessible for young people to get into grass roots sports in Canada, and that’s not the vision we have for sport in this country.”

He said that the “federal government hasn’t increased its core funding commitment to sport in 20 years; not since 2005 has there been an increase,” and is asking for C$104 million in added funds.

Shoemaker noted that while sport is a “nation-building tool all unto itself,” the Canadian women’s rugby World Cup team that won the silver medal last month had to crowd-fund its travel expenses, as did surprise women’s World Road cycling champion Madgeleine Vallieres.

“We want to be competitive with G-7 countries,” explained Shoemaker, saying countries like Britain, Germany and France out-spend Canada, 10:1, in sports.

De Grasse reflected on his own career, with many highs but also lows due to injury and said that without more help, “there won’t be as much people in sports, to be honest. The funding goes down, a lot of people can’t provide, they can’t do the sports, they have to find other avenues to go away from sports.”

● Athletics ● Dutch star Femke Bol announced that she is moving to the 800 m, after winning two Worlds golds in the women’s 400 m hurdles, two Olympic bronzes and an amazing 400/400 m hurdles double at the 2022 European Championships, plus more than a dozen relay medals. She ranks no. 2 all-time in the 400 m hurdles at 50.95 last year. She wrote on Instagram:

“The next chapter: 800m

“I’m really excited to share the next chapter of my career It’s a big change, it’s uncertain and challenging, but I’m ready to put in the work, surrounded by an amazing team and enjoy this new journey.”

Given her 400 m speed (49.17 indoor world record, 49.44 outdoors), she will be closely watched as a contender for worldwide honors. She is not to be underestimated.

● Rowing ● “USRowing is proud to announce that its most prestigious recognition, formerly known as the Medal of Honor, will be renamed the Anita DeFrantz Medal of Honor beginning with the 2025 awards. This change celebrates one of rowing’s most influential athletes and leaders, ensuring her legacy will continue to inspire future generations.

“The Anita DeFrantz Medal of Honor will be presented annually to an individual who, like DeFrantz, embodies integrity, leadership, and a lifelong dedication to advancing rowing.”

DeFrantz won an Olympic women’s Eight bronze at Montreal 1976 and made the American team for Moscow 1980, only to be sidelined by the American boycott. She sued the U.S. Olympic Committee unsuccessfully, but amplified the athlete voice to demand a larger say in how they were treated and what they could do.

US Rowing announced a major fundraising success with the largest gift ever bestowed on the federation: $6.5 million from Cameron and Tyler Winkelvoss, the co-founders of crypto-currency exchange and custodian Gemini. Per the federation:

“In recognition of this historic donation, USRowing will rename its senior, para, and beach sprint teams the ‘Gemini.com U.S. National Team,’ reflecting the commitment of the Winklevoss brothers to the future of American rowing. In addition, The Caspersen Boat House — USRowing’s National Team Training Center in West Windsor, N.J. — will be expanded and the new facility will be named the ‘Winklevoss Training Center.’”

● Swimming ● Lars Jorgensen, a 1988 U.S. Olympic distance Freestyler at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games and the coach at Kentucky from 2014-2023, was deemed “permanently ineligible” by the U.S. Center for SafeSport on 9 October. The database entry:

“(Subject to appeal / not yet final); Intimate Relationship – involving a Power Imbalance; Physical Misconduct; Retaliation; Sexual Harassment; Sexual Misconduct”

He was suspended in 2019 and 2023 for short periods, then in April 2024, a still-active suit was filed against him, the Kentucky athletic department and the university, alleging sexual harassment.

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Badminton ● At the BWF Arctic Open in Vantaa (FIN), 2022 Worlds bronze winner and second-seed Tien Chen Chou (TPE) scored a mild upset over top-seeded Kunlavut Vitidsarn (THA), 21-11, 13-21, 21-19, while top-seeded Akane Yamaguchi (JPN) swept past Busanan Ongbamrungphan (THA), 21-19, 21-16.

England won the men’s Doubles, Malaysia took the women’s Doubles and China went 1-2 in the Mixed Doubles.

● Beach Volleyball ● The Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 tour was in Newport Beach, California for the first top-tier tournament in the U.S. since October 2018, in Las Vegas.

The all-American women’s final had top-seeded Kristen Nuss and Taryn Brasher against 10th-seeded Julia Donlin and Lexy Denaburg, playing for their first medal of the season. Nuss and Brasher collected their third win of 2025 with a 21-15, 21-14, sweep.

Olympic champs Ana Patricia Ramos and Duda Lisboa (BRA) won the bronze medal with a 21-11, 21-12 win over Americans Therese Cannon and Megan Kraft (USA).

The men’s final had Tokyo Olympic bronze medalists Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan (QAT), the top seeds, winning over Evandro Oliveira and Arthur Lanci (BRA), 21-16, 30-28 for their third Elite victory in 2025. Chile’s Marco Grimalt and Esteban Grimalt won the third-place match from Trevor Crabb and Taylor Crabb (USA), 21-16, 21-18.

A follow-on 4×4 Newport Beach Invitational tournament for men and women Sunday had a separate $250,000 prize purse.

● Cycling ● Slovenian superstar Tadej Pogacar blew past American Quinn Simmons on the final climb – the Passo di Ganda – and rode away over the final 34 km to win the 119th Il Lombardia on Saturday by 1:48, his fifth straight win in the event!

Pogacar covered the 241 km route in 5:45:53, with Belgian star Remco Evenepoel second (+1:48), then Michael Storer (AUS: +3:14) and then Simmons (+3:39).

In addition to his Tour de France, World Road Championships and European Road Championships wins, Pogacar won his third “Monument” race this year – the ancient events that go back before World War I – having taken the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Liege-Bastogne-Liege and finishing third at Milan-Sanremo and second at Paris-Roubaix.

Pogacar equaled the great Eddy Merckx (BEL) in winning three Monuments in a single year; he did it four times, in 1969-71-72-65. Pogacar now has 10 Monument wins (at age 27), ranking third all-time. Merckx, of course, is the leader, at 19.

At the UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Mont Sainte-Anne (CAN), Rio 2016 Olympic champ Jenny Rissveds (SWE) put on another dominant display, winning both the Cross Country Olympic and Short-Track races for the third time in a row!

She won Sunday’s Cross Country race in 1:20:35, three-and-a-half minutes ahead of Samara Maxwell (AUS: 1:24:05) with 2021 World Champion Evie Richards third in 1:24:42. Kelsey Urban was the top American, in seventh (1:26:13).

Rissveds won the women’s Short Track in 21:40, rolling away from Richards (21:58) for her fourth XCC win in a row. But Richards won the season, at 1,770 points, with Rissveds at 1,660.

Maxwell, the 2023 U-23 XCO World Champion, took the XCO seasonal title with 2,341 points over Rissveds (2,250).

France’s Luca Martin won the men’s Short Track race in 21:04, beating Charlie Aldridge (GBR: 21:05) and Adrien Boichis (FRA: 21:05). American Christopher Blevins, who won the first five races of the season and later a sixth, won the season title with 1,911 points to 1,380 for Martin and 1,267 for Aldridge.

That set up Sunday’s XCO race, where Aldridge rode away on the seventh and final lap to win at 1:21:41, over Martin Vidaurre (CHI: 1:21:52) and Mathis Azzaro (FRA: 1:22:01). But Blevins had a big seasonal lead and won the 2025 circuit gold with 1,996 points to 1,695 for Vidaurre.

Canada’s Jackson Goldstone thrilled the home fans with his fifth win of the season in the men’s Downhill in 3:30.096, ahead of American Luca Shaw (3:32.340) and Andreas Kolb (AUT: 3:32.341). Goldstone won the seasonal series title with 1,946 points, to 1,768 for five-time World Champion Loic Bruni (FRA) and 1,366 for Shaw.

Four-time Worlds medal winner Marine Cabirou (FRA: 4:01.617) got the women’s win, with Nina Hoffmann (GER: 4:02.333) second and French teammate Myriam Nicole third (4:03.913). Austria’s Valentina Hoell, the four-time World Champion, won the seasonal crown at 2,139 points, with Gracey Hemstreet (CAN: 1,727) second.

● Football ● The U.S. men dominated much of the play vs. Ecuador on a Saturday in Austin, Texas, but came away with a 1-1 tie on striker Falogin Balogun’s finish of a cross from forward Malik Tillman in the 71st minute.

Ecuador striker Enner Valencia gave Ecuador the lead in the 24th on a dribble drive through the U.S. defense, beating American keeper Matt Freese from just inside the six-yard box. The U.S. controlled possession at 66% and had an 11-8 edge on shots, but managed only the one score.

In the quarterfinals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, Colombia eliminated Spain, 3-2, on Saturday in the upper bracket and Argentina blanked Mexico, 2-0.

On Sunday, the U.S. men had 76% of possession and a 5-2 edge on shots in the first half against Morocco, but trailed 1-0 in the first half until forward Cole Campbell converted a stoppage-time penalty against defender Nolan Norris in the box, at 45+6! But the second half had a U.S. own goal by Joshua Wynder in the 66th and then Gessime Yassine scored in the 87th for a 3-1 win. The Americans ended with 73% possession and a 13-7 shots advantage, but it did not help.

France edged Norway, 2-1, in the last quarterfinal. The semifinals will be played on Wednesday (15th) with the final on the 19th (Sunday).

● Sailing ● Spain scored two wins at the combined 49er-49erFX-Nacra 17 World Championships in Cagliari (ITA), with Olympic 49er gold medalists Diego Botin and Florian Trittel taking three wins and scoring 83 net points to win, just ahead of Bart Lambriex van Aanholt and Floris van der Werken (NED: 89.0), the 2021 and 2022 World Champions. Denmark’s Jonas Warrer and Mathias Lehm Sletten finished third at 109.0.

The 49erFX class was much closed, with Paula Barcelo and Maria Cantero (ESP) winning the last-day medal race to win the class, 91.0 to 92.0 from Paris runner-up Vilma Bobeck and new partner Ebba Berntsson (SWE). The Spaniards won their last three races to claim the title.

The Nacra 17 was just as exciting, with 2020 and 2021 World Champions John Gimson and Anna Burnet (GBR) chasing Italy’s Gianluigi Ugolini and Maria Giubilei, who had four wins in their first 10 races. But by winning their last three races, Gimson and Burnet tied the Italians at 39.0 net points and took the gold by virtue of winning the medal race. Willemijn Offerman and Scipio Houtman (NED) were a very close third at 41.0.

● Short Track ● Canadian skaters dominated the 2025 ISU World Championships and picked up again at the ISU World Tour season opener in Montreal (CAN). Three-time Worlds medalist Courtney Sauralt was the women’s star, winning the 1,000 m in 1:28.185 over 2024 Worlds runner-up Gil-li Kim (KOR: 1:28.250), with American Corinne Stoddard third in 1:28.279.

Sauralt doubled back in the 1,500 m, winning in 2:22.156 to 2:22.217 for Kim and 2:22.256 for Stoddard.

World 500 m champ Xandra Velzeboer (NED) took that race in 42.972, beating Canada’s Kim Boutin, the 2024 World Champion (43.087) with Stoddard claiming a third bronze in 43.142. South Korea won the 3,000 m relay in 4:07.318 over the Dutch (4:07.350).

William Dandjinou, Canada’s 2025 1,500 m World Champion, won the men’s 500 m at 40.350 with 2023 World 500 m champ Petro Sighel (ITA) second in 40.414. Sighel won the 1,000 m in 1:30.407 to 1:30.488 for Korea’s 17-year-old Jung-un Rim, then Rim took the 1,500 m in 2:16.141, ahead of teammate Dae-heon Wang, the 2022 Olympic champion. The Koreans won the 5,00 m relay in 6:50.781.

China won the mixed 2,000 m relay in 2:38.528.

● Shooting ● The U.S. went wild at the ISSF World Shotgun Championships in Athens (GRE), taking all four gold medals across the Skeet finals! Wow!

In the men’s final, Vincent Hancock, the four-time Olympic gold medalist, took his fifth Worlds gold – 2005-09-15-18-25 – with a near-perfect 59, missing only his 44th shot! That was well clear of Daniel Korcak (CZE), at 55 for the silver.

Hancock had previously led the American men – also Christian Elliott and Conner Prince – to a gold in the Team final, 365-363 over Italy, with Greece third (361).

Sam Simonton, previously the 2022 Worlds bronze winner, won the women’s Worlds gold, shooting 57/60 in the final, hitting her final 36 targets to edge Gabriela Rodriguez (MEX: 54).

Simonton, six-time Olympic medalist Kim Rhode and 2017 World Champion Dania Jo Vizzi teamed up for the women’s Team gold, scoring 358 to win from Cyprus (349) and Slovakia (348). Four for four!

● Swimming ● The Paris Olympic bronze medalists won the men’s and women’s 10 km racing in rainy conditions at the World Aquatics Open Water World Cup in Golfo Aranci (ITA), with the home crowd happy to see Ginerva Taddeucci (ITA) out-touching Klaudia Tarasiewicz (POL) and Lea Boy (GER), by 1:58:56.5 to 1:58:57.2 and 1:59:00.6. Mariah Denigan was the top American, in 12th.

Taddeucci won her first World Cup gold and also took the seasonal series with 2,600 points to 2,250 for Spain’s Angela Martinez.

Paris bronzer David Betlehem (HUN) got his first career World Cup win in 1:53:28.2, with a clear win over 2024 Worlds 5 km champion Logan Fontaine (FRA: 1:53:31.6) and Dario Verani (ITA: 1:53:42.4).

Fontaine led a French 1-2 in the final seasonal standings, at 2,350 points to 2,120 for eight-time Worlds medalist Marc-Antoine Olivier and Italy’s Verani in third (2,050).

France, anchored by Fontaine, won the mixed 4×1,500 m relay in 1:07:54.0, trailed by Italy (1:07:54.2) and Hungary (1:07:54.9). The U.S. (Denigan, Ivan Puskovitch, Brooke Travis and Dylan Gravley) was fifth in 1:08:02.0.

In the 3 km Knock-Out Sprints (1,500-1,000-500 m races in three rounds), Betlehem won again in 6:00.5, ahead of Olivier (6:04.0) and Fontaine (6:05.7). Olympic women’s champion Moesha Johnson (AUS: 6:24.1) won the women’s sprints, beating Boy (6:26.5) and Caroline Laure Jouisse (FRA: 6:30.7).

● Weightlifting ● The IWF World Championships concluded in Forde (NOR), with North Korea topping the medal table with nine, including five wins, all in the first five women’s weight classes.

Tokyo Olympic 109 kg champion Akbar Djuraev (UZB) won the new 110 kg class with a combined world record of 428 kg, ahead of Iran’s Alireza Nassiri (415 kg). Kolbi Ferguson was the top American 396 kg, in seventh.

The +110 kg class, also new, was won by Varazdat Lalayan (ARM), the Paris Olympic +102 kg silver winner, who won the Snatch and Clean & Jerk on the way to a 461 kg total. Gor Minasyan, who won a Rio 2016 Olympic silver at +105 kg, won a Paris Olympic bronze for Bahrain at +102 kg and was second here at 447 kg.

The women’s +86 kg class was a showcase for South Korean Hye-jeong Park, the 2023 Worlds +87 kg winner, who won both lifts and had a combined total of 283 kg. That was clear of Cuba’s Marifelix Sarria (275 kg), with American Mary Theisen-Lappen third at 269 kg, who was fourth in the Snatch but third in the Clean & Jerk and totaled 269 kg for the bronze. It’s her second Worlds medal, after a 2023 silver at +87 kg.

The U.S. ended with three medals (1-0-2) in the combined lifts table; only three countries won more.

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SWIMMING: World record for Gretchen Walsh, American records for Casas and Smith in Indiana at World Aquatics World Cup I

By
Rich Perelman
-
Unstoppable: American star Gretchen Walsh (Photo: USA Swimming).

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≡ WORLD CUP CARMEL ≡

Of course there was a world (short-course) record at the World Aquatics World Cup I in Carmel, Indiana, coming from the superstar of the 2024 World Short-Course Championships, American sprinter Gretchen Walsh.

She won three events, the 50 and 100 m Butterfly and 100 m Medley events, breaking her own world mark in the 50 m Fly, winning in 23.72, faster than her 23.94 last year and winning by almost a second over Alex Perkins (AUS: 24.64).

She did beat Perkins by more than a second in the 100 Fly, 53.69 to 54.93 and then swam the no, 3 performance in history to take the 100 m Medley in 55.91, ahead of teammate Kate Douglass.

That was Douglass’ only loss in four events, as she took home three individual wins, in the 100 m Free (50.83), 100 m Breaststroke (1:02.90) and 200 Breast – in which she is Olympic and World Champion – in 2:13.97, winning by almost four seconds!

Australia’s four-time Olympic Backstroke champion Kaylee McKeown renewed her rivalry with American star Regan Smith, the two-time World Champion, with Smith winning the 100 m Back, 54.92 to 55.05. That was Smith’s first win over McKeown since the 2019 World Championships 200 m Back final. But McKeown got to the touch first in the 200 Back in 1:58.86 with Smith second in 2:00.06. McKeown also won the 50 m Back over Freestyle teammate Mollie O’Callaghan, 25.42 to 25.80, in which Smith did not swim.

Smith was busy elsewhere, continuing her surge as a Fly star, taking the 200 m Fly in an American Record 2:00.28, moving to no. 3 on the all-time list! American Alex Shackell was second in 2:02.51. Smith won the Olympic silver in 2024 and Worlds silver in 2025 in this event.

Australian distance ace Lani Pallister won the 400 m Free in 3:54.38 and the 800 m Free in 8:02.02 to go with a second to Olympic 200 m Free champ O’Callaghan in the 200 Free.

American Alex Walsh – Gretchen’s older sister and the 2022 World 200 m Medley World Champion – won the 200 m Medley in 2:04.78 ahead of Britain’s Abbie Wood (2:05.14). Wood won the 400 m Medley in 4:27.15.

What about the men? There was an American Record there too, from Shaine Casas, the 200 m Medley Worlds runner-up in 2025, who won the 200 m Medley here in 1:49.43, smashing his own 1:49.51 mark from 2024 and beating French Olympic hero – and training partner – Leon Marchand (FRA: 1:49.73).

Casas stayed hot, winning the 100 m Medley, 50.86 to 51.13, over 2024 World (short course) champ Noe Ponti (SUI). Ponti won the 100 m Fly over Canadian Ilya Kharun, 48.53 to 49.82, but Kharun won the 50 m Fly over Ponti, 21.86 to 21.90 and also won the 200 m Fly in 1:50.65.

The men’s star was Hungary’s Paris 2024 200 m Backstroke winner Hubert Kos, who swept the Backstroke events. He won the 50 m Back in 22.65, the 100 m Back in 49.08 and beat Marchand and Casas in the 200 m Back, 1:46.84 to 1:47.68 and 1:49.81.

Carson Foster, the two-time Worlds runner-up in the 400 m Medley, won that event in 3:59.58 and also took the 400 m Free in 3:37.80, ahead of Australian star Sam Short (3:38.15), with Marchand third (3:38.25). Short won the 1,500 m Free in 14:30.00, with Foster second (14:41.33).

Caspar Corbeau (NED) doubled in the 100-200 m Breast events in 56.67 and 2:01.63, beating Marchand in the 200 (2:02.00). Corbeau was second to South Africa’s Chris Smith in the 50 m Breast, 25.75 to 25.78.

In the sprints, U.S. stars Chris Guiliano and Jack Alexy traded wins, with Guiliano taking the 50 m Free in 20.83 to 20.88 and Alexy winning the 100 m Free, 45.32 to 46.00. World 200 m Free champ Luke Hobson of the U.S. won the 200 m Free in 1:41.19 to 1:41.58 for Guiliano.

(Yes, you read right: Marchand won three silvers and a bronze. That was it, this time.)

The three-meet World Cup series – all short-course – continues at Westmont, Illinois from 17-19 October and finishes the week after in Toronto (CAN).

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LANE ONE: Did two IOC members just open the door to a potential 2028 Olympic shut-out of controversial countries?

By
Rich Perelman
-
From Michelangelo's immortal "The Last Judgment" (1535-41) in the Sistine Chapel in Rome.

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≡ ANALYSIS & OBSERVATIONS ≡

One of the core values promoted by former International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (GER) was this line, from his 2022 address to the Association of National Olympic Committees:

“Athletes should never be the victims of policies of their own government.”

In October 2023, the IOC, referring to the situation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, stated:

“[I]t cannot be up to the governments to decide which athlete can take part in which competitions. This would be the end of international sport as we know it.”

Now, just two years later, two IOC members seem to have forgotten this concept entirely:

● Indonesia’s Erick Thohir, the national Youth and Sports Minister, who joined the IOC in 2019 and backed the government’s decision to refuse visas to the six-athlete Israeli delegation for the FIG World Artistic Championships that start in Jakarta on 19 October.

He wrote on Threads:

“1. We express our appreciation to NOC Indonesia, Indonesia Gymnastics Association (Persani), and Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) as the world gymnastics federation that has understood this situation and taken the necessary steps to ensure that the World Gymnastics Championships can be run safely and orderly.

“2. Never doubt the commitment of the Government and Mr. President in building Indonesian sports to be able to stand in line with the nations of the world.

“3. Indonesia has no diplomatic relations with Israel, we in Kemenpora as part of the Government remain firm on that principle.”

● Japan’s Morinari Watanabe, the President of the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique, an IOC member since 2018 and a candidate for the IOC Presidency last March. His federation, faced with the decision by the Indonesian government to refuse entry to Israeli athletes, issued a pathetic statement of capitulation on Friday:

“The FIG takes note of the Indonesian government’s decision not to issue visas to the Israeli delegation registered for the 53rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics, which will be held in Jakarta from 19-25 October, and recognises the challenges that the host country has faced in organising this event.

“The FIG hopes that an environment will be created as soon as possible where athletes around the world can enjoy sports safely and with peace of mind.”

Both folded under threats of protests from anti-Israel forces in Indonesia, who has no diplomatic relations with Israel and refused to have Israeli teams compete there at the 1962 Asian Games and right up through 2023, when Indonesia had the FIFA U-20 World Cup revoked by FIFA for not allowing Israel to compete, and then pulled out as host of the ANOC World Beach Games in July with 32 days to go – over Israeli participation – leading to the event’s cancellation.

Indonesian officials didn’t care then and they don’t care now. The Times of Israel reported:

“Raja Sapta Oktohari, head of the national Olympic committee, said Indonesia was ready to accept any consequences for blocking the Israeli athletes from competing.

“‘We will review the consequences after the event,’ he said.”

Israel, for its part, is filing an urgent appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with the Israel Gymnastics Federation calling the ban “both outrageous and deeply troubling for the integrity of international sport,” and “We intend to challenge this decision with every means available.”

And the FIG has multiple options to try and correct its meek acceptance of Indonesia’s ban:

● It could turn around and order Indonesia to host all registered federations – Israel entered six athletes – or the Championships will be withdrawn and held elsewhere, in mid-November.

You would be amazed how quickly (1) a substitute host could be found, and (2) with Indonesia required to pay for all costs related to the change. FIG has plenty of money to absorb the immediate funding requirements.

● It could turn Bach’s approach to the Russian attack on Ukraine inside out and demand that Indonesia allow Israel to compete under a neutral flag, even though Israel was the country that was invaded on 7 October 2023 by Hamas, the ruling body of Gaza. Israel would probably not accept this, but it would save some face for FIG.

● FIG could turn the Indonesian ban around, and since they will not allow Israel to compete, then Indonesian athletes will not be allowed to compete in Jakarta.

But that’s punishing athletes for a governmental action, right? Well, Thohir and Watanabe don’t appear to remember much about that.

● FIG can suspend the Indonesian federation for its violation of FIG’s own rules as well as the Olympic Charter; a four-year ban would keep Indonesian gymnasts out of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

● FIG has awarded the 2026 Artistic Worlds to Rotterdam (NED) and 2027 to Chengdu in China. Why not award the 2029 Artistic Worlds right now to Israel – probably Tel Aviv – with Indonesia to pay all costs for the event. If it can’t stomach paying the Israel Gymnastics Federation directly, it can pay FIG and FIG will forward the money to the Israelis.

Those are just some of the possibilities.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) now has new problems on her desk, starting with members Thohir and Watanabe, who have conveniently forgotten the IOC’s policy on athletes and government.

Further, there is the question of what to do about the National Olympic Committee of Indonesia, which backed the government’s Israel ban. Do they get off scot-free?

But the biggest problem is the Pandora’s Box that has been opened – once again – by Indonesia and FIG.

Thohir’s own, tone-deaf statement on Threads specifically noted, “Indonesia has no diplomatic relations with Israel, we in Kemenpora [Youth and Sports Ministry] as part of the Government remain firm on that principle.”

How stupid is that?

What Thohir has done is open the door once again to governments saying they won’t admit countries they don’t want for sporting events. This is exactly what Bach warned about and looking ahead to the 2028 Olympic Games, there are four countries/territories which the U.S. does not have diplomatic relations with:

● Bhutan
● Iran (severed 1980)
● North Korea (severed 2018)
● U.N.-recognized territory of Palestine

Bhutan is a unique situation, with few formalized diplomatic ties by its own preference, but works with the U.S. through the Indian embassy. But is it now the right of the U.S. to follow the Indonesian lead and say it will not welcome Olympic athletes from Iran (40 athletes at Paris 2024), North Korea (16) or Palestine (8)?

The U.S. currently has suspended relations with Venezuela and does not formally recognize governmental entities in Afghanistan and Syria. And if the U.S. decided not to allow such countries to compete in Los Angeles, as Indonesia has done to Israel, a key U.S. ally?

That would be a horror for Coventry and the IOC would no doubt trigger serious discussions of boycotts by other countries sympathetic to those who might be refused entry.

So now, what Thohir, 55, and Watanabe, 66, have started could snowball into a much more dangerous situation for the IOC, for Indonesia, for gymnastics and for the Olympic Movement.

So now, what does Coventry and her IOC Executive Board, which meets next on 9-10 December in Lausanne, do about (1) gymnastics, (2) Indonesia, (3) Thohir and (4) Watanabe? Or how about right now, to try and diffuse the situation?

And it is not impossible that the Court of Arbitration for Sport could rule in Israel’s favor and tell the Indonesian National Olympic Committee and its gymnastics federation to allow Israel to compete.

If the Indonesian government refuses, then what?

There will then, no doubt, be a lot more “neutral” athletes in 2028. By the way, Indonesia sent 29 to Paris and won three medals. Will any be in Los Angeles in three years?

Rich Perelman
Editor

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ATHLETICS: Uganda’s Kiplimo rolls to easy Chicago Marathon win, Mantz shatters American Record, Feysa gets world-leading women’s title

By
Rich Perelman
-
An American Record for Conner Mantz at the Chicago Marathon? Yes! (Photo: Bank of America Chicago Marathon/Kevin Morris).

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≡ CHICAGO MARATHON ≡

There were multiple storylines at the 47th Chicago Marathon on Sunday, including whether Conner Mantz would get the American Record.

But Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, still just 24 and already an Olympic and Worlds bronze medalist at 10,000 m and the 2023 World Half Marathon champ, showed he will be a force in the marathon for years to come.

He ran his first marathon at London in April, finishing second in 2:03:37, moving into 29th place on the all-time list.

In Chicago, he was much better.

By the halfway (21.1 km) mark, he was in the lead group of five in a blazing 1:00:16 – world-record pace – with defending champion John Korir (KEN) in the lead. By 25 km, it was Korir, Kiplimo and 2022 London winner Amos Kipruto (KEN) alone in front and then Kiplimo took off.

By the 30 km split, he had a 12-second lead on Korir and 28 seconds on Kipruto and it was over. Korir dropped out shortly afterwards and Kipruto ran to the finish unchallenged – except by the hard pace – in 2:02:23, the no. 2 performance of the year and making him no. 7 on the all-time list. Very, very impressive; his second half was 1:02:07.

Behind him was Kipruto in second at 2:03:54, then Kenya’s Alex Masai, ninth last year (2:08:51) but now third in a lifetime best of 2:04:37!

In fourth was Mantz, who had been running with Masai since the 30 km mark. Looking to break the American Record of 2:05:38 by Khalid Khannouchi in 2002 in London, he crushed it, finishing in 2:04:43. That’s also better than the 2:04:58 “all-conditions best” by Ryan Hall in 2011 at the record-ineligible Boston Marathon.

New American citizen (as of 2 September) Wesley Kiptoo was 14th in 2:09:02, followed by Ryan Ford (2:09:37) and Galen Rupp (2:09:41), now 39, with his best time since 2023 and his eighth career sub-2:10 marathon.

But there was more drama, as the women were still on the course.

Paris Olympian Magdalena Shauri (TAN) and Ethiopia’s Hawi Feysa, third in Tokyo this year had built a six-second lead by the 10 km mark and were seven seconds up on Megertu Alemu (ETH) as they passed the half in a quick 1:07:30. Feysa finally shook free by 30 km, with a five-second lead and built her advantage steadily.

Shauri dropped back and by 35 km, Alemu was second, but 15 seconds behind. Feysa took off and had a 1:22 lead by 40 km and flew home in a world-leading 2:14:56, a lifetime best by more than two minutes!

That moves her to no. 5 all-time and she’s only 26. It was her second win in five career marathons.

Alemu and Shauri held second and third to the line, in 2:17:18 and 2:18:03 (lifetime best).

The U.S. had three in the top 10, with Natosha Rogers sixth in 2:23:28 (lifetime best), then Dakotah Popehn (2:24:21 lifetime best) and Gabriella Rooker ninth (2:26:32).

Prize money for the top five was $100,000-75,000-50,000-30,000-25,000, with bonuses for the top Americans of $15,000-12,000-10,000-7,000-5,000.

The marathon season continues as there’s one more World Marathon Major race on the calendar, the New York City Marathon on 2 November; plus the ultra-fast Valencia Marathon in Spain on 7 December.

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ATHLETICS: Brown’s sprint double highlights the Athlos NYC 2025 meet as Davis-Woodhall equals world long jump lead

By
Rich Perelman
-
U.S. sprinter Brittany Brown was a double winner at Athlos 2025! (Image: Athlos NYC).

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≡ ATHLOS NYC ≡

The second Athlos NYC meet came three weeks after the World Athletics Championships concluded in Tokyo, but there were stars – women only – who came to perform as well as to party at Icahn Stadium in New York.

At the top of the list was Brittany Brown, the 2024 Olympic 200 m bronze winner, who was only sixth at the USATF Nationals 200 m, but she won the 100 m in 10.99 (wind: +1.4 m/s) over fellow American Jacious Sears (11.01) and USATF runner-up Kayla White (11.22).

Now fully warmed up on a cool night, she blasted the turn from lane seven in the 200 and steamrolled the field with a lifetime best by 0.01 in 21.99 (+1.9)! That was well ahead of fellow American Anavia Battle (22.21) – fourth at the 2025 Worlds – and Cote d’Ivoire star Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith (22.65).

In the meantime, the long jump was underway, after Olympic and World Champion Tara Davis-Woodhall led the qualifying on Thursday night in Times Square at 6.81 m (22-4 1/4). In the final on Friday, she took the lead in the first round at 6.65 m (21-10), then extended to 6.82 m (22-4 1/2) in round two and blew up in round three, equaling her world-leading mark for 2025 at 7.13 m (23-4 3/4)!

That was well ahead of Olympic bronzer Jasmine Moore (6.64 m/21-9 1/2) and Jazmin Sawyers (GBR: 6.22 m/20-5).

The women’s 400 m was a win for Olympic champ Marileidy Paulino in 50.07, running away from Paris runner-up Salwa Eid Naser (BRN: 50.94) and Norway’s Henriette Jaeger (51.24). Olympic champ Keely Hodgkinson (GBR), relatively fresh after dealing with injuries most of the season, won in a speedy 1:56.53 in only her fourth meet of the season! She won from the front and ran away from teammate (and Worlds silver winner) Georgia Hunter Bell (1:58.33) and Shafiqua Maloney (VIN: 1:58.57).

Kenyan superstar Faith Kipyegon won the women’s mile as expected in 4:17.78, waiting patiently and finally taking over at 1,100 m and rolling home ahead of Ethiopian rival Gudaf Tsegay (4:19.75) and American champion Nikki Hiltz (4:32.51).

U.S. stars Masai Russell (Olympic champ), Grace Stark (Worlds bronze) and Olympic finalist Alaysha Johnson went 1-2-3 in the 100 m hurdles in wind-aided times of 12.52-12.60-12.66 (+2.3 m/s).

The meet was seen as more of a celebration of women’s track than any kind of championship, but paid well at $60,000-25,000-10,000-8,000-5,000-2,500!

Founder Alex Ohanian is promising a track & field “league” starting in 2026, but without any actual details as yet.

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PAN AMERICAN GAMES 2031: Asuncion wins close vote over Rio and Nitroi to host 2031 Pan American Games

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ PAN AMERICAN GAMES ≡

A determined push to be a regional power in sports has paid off for Asuncion, Paraguay, selected this morning as the host of the 2031 Pan American Games. Per Panam Sports:

“OFFICIAL! ASUNCIÓN WILL BE THE HOST OF THE XXI PAN AMERICAN GAMES 2031.

“Paraguay makes history by hosting the continental event for the first time.

“Its project includes the Pan American Village, an Athletics Stadium and a new Arena in the Olympic Park.

“Congratulations to all of Paraguay!

“The final vote: 28 votes for Asunción, 24 votes for Río-Niterói.”

Paraguyan President Santiago Peña has made sports a primary focus to raise Paraguay’s profile, both regionally and globally, with at least an opening “centennial” match (and perhaps more) at the FIFA World Cup 2030 and now the 2031 Pan American Games.

Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro and Nitroi bid planned to use many of the facilities for the 2016 Olympic Games, and Rio hosted the 2007 Pan American Games, a critical event in its candidacy for 2016.

Asuncion actually did two better, taking on the II Junior Pan American Games this past summer, from 9-23 August, successfully hosting 3,975 athletes from the 41 Pan American nations, competing in 336 events in 28 sports. That followed the October 2022 hosting of the South American Games, with 4,476 athletes competing in 36 sports. So it has shown its ability concretely.

At last week’s evaluation visit to Asuncion, Paraguyan Olympic Committee President Camilo Perez, also a member of the International Olympic Committee, told the delegation:

“Paraguay can offer the entire continent responsible work, the work of a team that has been working together for many years. We can offer a lot of peace of mind and a lot of responsibility in budget management. We have a very realistic, well-defined budget, but one that will help us hold giant Games like the senior Pan American Games.”

It will be the first time for Paraguay to host the Pan Ams, but the fourth in a row for South America, with Lima (PER) the host in 2019 and 2027, then Santiago (CHI) in 2023 and now Asuncion in 2031.

(Image above courtesy Panam Sports.)

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GYMNASTICS: FIG shrugs, will do nothing to challenge Indonesia’s ban of Israel from World Championships

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ FIG WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

The Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG), the governing body for gymnastics, issued a short statement on Friday concerning Indonesia’s ban of Israel from the 53rd FIG World Artistic Championships:

“The FIG takes note of the Indonesian government’s decision not to issue visas to the Israeli delegation registered for the 53rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics, which will be held in Jakarta from 19-25 October, and recognises the challenges that the host country has faced in organising this event.

“The FIG hopes that an environment will be created as soon as possible where athletes around the world can enjoy sports safely and with peace of mind.”

Translation: As governmental and religious groups threatened protests (and more) if Israel competed, the FIG is more concerned with having a calm event than making sure all of its member federations can compete.

And the Indonesian government, whose own gymnastics federation actually asked for visas for the Israeli team – in normal course – backed the decision to keep Israel out fully.

The Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir wrote in a Threads post:

“1. We express our appreciation to NOC Indonesia, Indonesia Gymnastics Association (Persani), and Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) as the world gymnastics federation that has understood this situation and taken the necessary steps to ensure that the World Gymnastics Championships can be run safely and orderly.

“2. Never doubt the commitment of the Government and Mr. President in building Indonesian sports to be able to stand in line with the nations of the world.

“3. Indonesia has no diplomatic relations with Israel, we in Kemenpora as part of the Government remain firm on that principle.”

The Times of Israel reported:

“Raja Sapta Oktohari, head of the national Olympic committee, said Indonesia was ready to accept any consequences for blocking the Israeli athletes from competing.

“‘We will review the consequences after the event,’ he said.”

From the FIG, it appears there will be none.

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LOS ANGELES 2028: L.A. City Cultural Affairs Dept. delivers own plan for 2028 Games, with funding options from $15-40 million

By
Rich Perelman
-
The Los Angeles City Hall, a 1928 Art Deco downtown icon (Photo: Tim Ahem via Wikipedia)

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≡ LOS ANGELES 2028 ≡

The required cultural program attached to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles has not yet been announced by the LA28 organizing committee, which promises more details by the end of the year.

The City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, however, is not waiting, as General Manager Daniel Tarica delivered a 21-page plan on Tuesday to the City Council and Mayor Karen Bass.

Included was a three-tier “Cultural Program Framework,” with the Department (abbreviated internally as “DCA”) “committed to implementing a program that builds on the City’s Olympic and Paralympic Games planning by supporting creative-sector jobs, free community programming, and youth arts and education opportunities.”

Tarica’s report notes the space between the organizing committee’s program and what it is proposing:

● “The term ‘Cultural Olympiad’ is often used broadly as a catch-all phrase to describe the range of arts and cultural activities associated with the Olympic and Paralympic Games. However, it is also a formal term owned by the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (LA28), referring specifically to the official series of cultural events and initiatives coordinated as part of the 2028 Games.”

● “Within this context, the City’s 2028 Cultural Program for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Cultural Program) represents a complementary but distinct framework led by the DCA to activate local artists, cultural organizations, and community partners citywide. The Cultural Program is designed to amplify Los Angeles’s diverse cultural ecosystem through inclusive, accessible, and sustained creative engagement before, during, and after the Games.”

● “DCA’s vision is clear: to showcase LA’s local artistry to a global audience; to exemplify the strength of diverse cultural experiences; and to broaden opportunities for the arts and cultural sector and access to the arts for residents and visitors alike.”

The Framework report specifies five broad actions arenas:

(1) Showcase local arts and culture
(2) Community engagement and inclusive access
(3) Build partnerships and cultural diplomacy
(4) Catalyze economic and creative sector growth
(5) Promote sustainability

In terms of funding and production:

“From 2026 to June 2028, the DCA will allocate at least $4 million in combined public and private grant funding to support Olympic and Paralympic-themed programming and community activations led by under-represented groups, artists, arts organizations, and cultural institutions.

“Planning, fundraising, and partnership cultivation will begin in 2026, followed by grant distribution and project production throughout 2027. Funded projects will be presented during the lead up to the 2028 Games, generating more than 250 additional paid opportunities for Los Angeles-based artists and cultural workers, and leaving a lasting economic impact on the City’s creative sector.”

The Cultural Affairs program is further complicated by the requirement from the City Council that activities take place in all 15 Council districts, further stretching resources. So:

“The Cultural Program will activate the City’s 15 City Council Districts and areas surrounding Games venues, utilizing existing infrastructure like DCA-managed and partner facilities.

“In collaboration with the Department of Recreation and Parks, Los Angeles Public Library, Department of Transportation/LA Metro, and other City departments, as well as arts and cultural organizations, DCA will program Cultural/Neighborhood Hubs and Community Celebrations, and work with Council Offices to identify community activation locations in each Council District with local partners.

“Additionally, the Cultural Program will activate the valuable resource of volunteers, integrating their support to enhance programming and community outreach efforts citywide. DCA will also collaborate with LA28 and LA County to ensure a consistent and cohesive ‘look and feel’ across all sites.”

Potential themes were also offered:

● “LA: Where Arts and the World Meet”
● “LA: From our Streets to the World”
● “LA: Where Arts Go Global”
● “The Art of the Game, The Heart of LA”
● “Celebrating the World in One City”
● “Viewing the World through the LA Lens”

Finally, the report unveiled three Framework levels, ranging in cost from $15 to $40 million:

Framework A: Base level ($15 million: 8 components):
● 15 Council District-specific cultural festivals
● Arts development fee projects
● Mural conservation and legacy enhancement
● Mural works: new-conservation-apprenticeships
● New community activation grant category
● Community arts celebrations and exhibitions
● Youth arts education and engagement
● Make Music LA

Framework B: Expanded level ($30 million) adds (7):
● New Olympic & Paralympic murals
● Community celebrations-activations-viewing parties
● Cultural/neighborhood hubs and activations
● Disability arts and Paralympic celebration
● LA-Brisbane cultural exchange
● Transit corridor cultural programming
● Games venue cultural activation

Framework C: Full level ($40 million) adds (3):
● Olympic-Paralympic arts festival (seven weeks)
● International artist exchange
● LA River cultural activation

Descriptions of each of these programming concepts was included, and while not called out as such, the Framework B community celebrations project opens the door to be the “fan festivals” the City Council members are asking for to allow residents and visitors without tickets to the Games to watch the competitions in their neighborhoods.

It is not yet clear to what extent LA28 will support such Council District fan gatherings and who will pay for what (and who can sponsor). This will be an area which will get close attention from the Council members, who may or may not want the Cultural Affairs Department to be involved.

The report also noted that the International Olympic Committee partnered with the City of Paris to commission a gift sculpture for the 2024 Games and that the Department would be happy work with the IOC on such a program for Los Angeles.

This first outline is a significant step forward for the City, but at least $11 million must be raised outside of the Cultural Affairs Department’s umbrella to deliver the lowest-level program concept, up to another $36 million to stage the highest-level program.

So, there is a lot to do, waiting to see what LA28 will and won’t do with its own cultural effort.

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PANORAMA: Shiffrin to focus on two events en route to Olympics; Spoelstra to coach U.S. men in ‘28? Italian swimming shoplifters get 90-day bans

By
Rich Perelman
-
American skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin (USA)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● It was reported that Chris Grover, head of the U.S. cross country ski program, told the “Race Ready” podcast that if the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) allows Russian athletes to compete next year:

“If admitted, Russia’s Olympic quota will be two people – a man and a woman.”

This only concerns cross country and not the other five FIS disciplines on the Olympic program.

● Mediterranean Games 2026: Taranto ● A meeting between the Taranto 2026 organizers and the International Mediterranean Games Committee (CIJM) on Wednesday in Rome (ITA) was attended by the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) and Taranto City officials. In the end, the Italian side reiterated its guarantees that the event would take place and that a solution to the issues over contracted services would be found.

The 20th edition of the Mediterranean Games is scheduled for 21 August to 3 September in 2026.

● Alpine Skiing ● U.S. superstar Mikaela Shiffrin, the winningest World Cup skier ever, said in a media session hosted by Atomic, her ski sponsor, that she will concentrate on her two premier events, the Slalom and Giant Slalom, in the run-up to the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

She ruled out any Downhill races, where she has suffered injuries, and may also skip Super-G racing until after the Milan Cortina Games. As for the future, she was asked about whether this might be her last Winter Games:

“I’m not really a numbers girl. I’m so uncertain. To be honest, I don’t know. You can say 50-50.”

● Athletics ● The Rome daily Il Fatto Quotidiano reported that the Italian track & field federation’s disciplinary tribunal has banned Giacomo Tortu – brother of sprint star Filippo Tortu – for three years for “espionage” against Tokyo 2020 Olympic men’s 100 m champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs.

Giacomo Tortu paid to try and have Jacobs’ phone and other devices hacked, to try and find information that would indicated that Jacobs was doping. The 36-month ban will prevent him from serving “in corporate roles, carrying out federal activities, or accessing training and competition facilities.”

● Basketball ● The Associated Press reported that long-time Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is in line to be named as the head coach for the U.S. teams at the 2027 FIBA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games.

Spoelstra served as an assistant coach with the Paris 2024 U.S. team that won the gold medal for the fifth straight Games.

● Bobsled & Skeleton ● Aaron Gulliver, a push athlete on the Great Britain Four-Man sled that won silver at the 2023 Worlds and bronze in 2025 – driven by Brad Hall – was banned for two years by the International Testing Agency for use of the prohibited substance ostarine.

His out-of-competition sample from 2 March 2025 turned up positive. Gulliver showed that the positive was not intentional and is suspended from 24 March 2025 to 24 March 2027, missing the Milan Cortina Winter Games.

The U.S. sled, driven by Frank del Duca, finished fourth at the 2025 Worlds Four-Man on 15 March 2025, and as Gulliver was disqualified from 2 March forward (the date of the positive test), the Americans could be advanced to the bronze medal.

● Cycling ● The amazing Tadej Pogacar (SLO), coming off of victories in the UCI World Road Championship, the European Road Championship, the Tour de France and six other races this season, is the favorite to win his fifth Il Lombardia in a row at Saturday’s 119th edition.

The route is a challenging 241 km from Como to Bergamo, with five major climbs and two minor ascents, including the 1,058 m Passo di Ganda just 40 km from the finish.

Pogacar is trying to win his third “Monument” race this year – the ancient events that go back before World War I – having taken the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Liege-Bastogne-Liege and finishing third at Milan-Sanremo and second at Paris-Roubaix.

His primary challenger is expected to be Belgian Remco Evenepoel once again, the Worlds and European runner-up and the three-time Worlds Time Trial gold medalist. They finished 1-2 last year.

Chinese track cyclist Junhong Lin, a four-time Worlds medal winner from 2010-16 was provisionally suspended by the International Testing Agency as a re-test of a January 2016 test showed the presence of anabolic steroids.

Now 34, Lin won Worlds silvers in the Team Sprint in 2010 and 2014, the women’s Sprint in 2016 (possibly now in danger) and a Sprint bronze in 2014.

● Football ● The Round-of-16 playoffs at the FIFA U-20 World Cup saw four traditional powers advance in the upper bracket, as Mexico defeated Chile, 4-1; Argentina sailed by Nigeria, 4-0; Spain edged Ukraine, 1-0, and Colombia beat South Africa 3-1. Mexico and Argentina, and Spain and Colombia will meet in quarterfinal matches on the 11th.

In the lower bracket, Norway edged Paraguay, 1-0, in extra time, as did France, with a 1-0 win over Japan. Their quarterfinal will be on the 12th.

The U.S. got a goal from midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi in the 15th to lead Italy, 1-0, at half, and then fellow midfielder Nico Tsakiris scored in the 79th for a 2-0 lead. Cremaschi also scored at 90+3 for the final score.

The Americans will play the winner of Morocco and South Korea in the quarters on the 12th, in Rancagua.

● Swimming ● The Italian swimming federation gave 90-day suspensions to swimmers Benedetta Pilato and Chiara Tarantino for shoplifting in Singapore airport shop after the World Aquatics Championships in August. The federation statement included:

“Considering the facts revealed during the investigation and the willingness of the athletes who pleaded guilty to cooperate, the prosecutor’s office has ordered their suspension from public and state activities for a period of 90 days.”

The two swimmers left Singapore for a vacation after the meet, and were caught shoplifting when they returned to the Singapore airport on the way back to Italy. Both will miss the European short-course Championships in Poland in December.

● Weightlifting ● At the IWF World Championships in Forde (NOR), the home team got a gold medal as women’s Olympic 81 kg champion Solfrid Koanda triumphed in the women’s 86 kg class. She was second in the Snatch, but won the Clean & Jerk and took the combined title with 272 kg, just ahead of Snatch winner Yudelina Mejia (DOM: 271 kg). Arveta McElderry of the U.S. was 11th at 235 kg.

In the men’s 94 kg class, Paris Olympic 89 kg champion Karlos Nasar (BUL) won his third Worlds gold, winning the Clean & Jerk with a world record of 222 kg and taking the combined title at 395 kg. Iran’s Alireza Moeini won the Snatch with a world record 182 kg and finished second overall at 391 kg. It’s Nasar’s third Worlds gold at three different weights: 81 kg in 2021, 89 kg in 2024 and now at 94 kg.

The tournament will conclude on Saturday.

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GYMNASTICS: Indonesia to ban Israel from World Gymnastics Championships that starts on 19 October

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ GYMNASTICS WORLD CHAMPS ≡

Following a long-time practice of refusing to allow Israeli athletes to compete in Indonesia, a Muslim-majority country, government officials said they will not be allowed to compete at the 2025 World Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta, which will begin on 19 October:

● On Wednesday, Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung Wibowo said, “Regarding athletes from Israel, as the Governor of Jakarta, under current circumstances, I will not allow their presence.

“There’s no benefit in having Israeli gymnasts compete in Jakarta right now – it would only spark anger.”

● Indonesia’s senior minister of law, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, said Thursday, “The government will not grant visas to Israeli gymnasts who intend to attend the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta.”

The Associated Press reported, “Mahendra acknowledged that the Indonesian Gymnastics Federation had previously submitted a sponsorship letter for six Israeli athletes to obtain visas, but that ‘the federation has withdrawn the sponsorship letter.’”

As recently as July, the Israel Gymnastics Federation expected to be able to compete:

“We are in direct contact with the organizers and believe that extraneous considerations will not overshadow the sport.

“We expect the competition organizers to approve the entry of the delegation as well as the security requirements for the delegation’s safe participation in the championship.”

Indonesia’s history against Israel has been clear since 1962 and any assurances it has made about allowing any qualified athlete to participate have been meaningless since it refused visas to Israeli and Taiwanese athletes for the 1962 Asian Games. More recently:

● In March 2023, FIFA withdrew its men’s U-20 World Cup from Indonesia over its refusal to allow Israel to compete, and moved the tournament to Argentina in the same May-June timeframe. Israel won the bronze medal.

FIFA said it would consider sanctions on Indonesia, but handed the country its men’s U-17 World Cup two months later, held in November and December 2023.

● In April 2023, Indonesian officials again said they would not allow Israeli athletes to compete at the ANOC World Beach Games from 5-12 August. Under pressure from the Association of National Olympic Committees over their promise to host all athletes for the World Beach Games, the Indonesian government revoked funding for the event and on 4 July 2023, ANOC had to cancel it:

“It is with great surprise and extreme disappointment that ANOC has learnt that the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) has withdrawn from its commitment to host the ANOC World Beach Games and the ANOC General Assembly in August 2023.

“With the Games scheduled to take place in one month, the decision at such late notice prevents ANOC from being able to find an alternative host and so there is no option but to cancel this year’s edition of the Games in Bali in August as well as the ANOC General Assembly.”

No word from the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG), whose President, Morinari Watanabe (JPN) spoke about the record number of national federations – 86 including Israel – slated to compete in Jakarta:

“Such a record number of participants is a wonderful reward for gymnastics and the Local Organising Committee and a real testament to the unifying power of sports.”

That statement apparently has less meaning now. FIG has posted no statement on Israel’s exclusion as of the time this story was posted.

Israel won one medal at the 2023 Worlds, a men’s Floor Exercise gold by Artem Dolgopyat, also the Tokyo 2020 Floor gold medalist and Paris 2024 runner-up and who was ready to defend his title.

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PANORAMA: World records and repeat Worlds gold for U.S.’s Reeves; L.A. City Council OKs fast-track permitting for 2028; 72 FIFA World Cup sanctions!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Record-setting Olympic and World Champion lifter Olivia Reeves of the U.S. (Photo: IWF).

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≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

● Weightlifting ● Lots of world records and more North Korean gold at the IWF World Weightlifting Championships in Forde (NOR), plus a sensational U.S. win on Wednesday.

In the women’s 69 kg class on Tuesday, North Korea scored its fifth win in a row, with Kuk-hyang Song winning both lifts and the combined title, with world records in the Snatch (120 kg), Clean & Jerk (150 kg) and the total (270 kg). All three marks had been set by American Olivia Reeves in Colombia in July. Colombian Julieth Rodriguez was a distant second at 241 kg combined.

On Wednesday, the women’s new 77 kg class debuted, with new records available for performances over the challenging minimums of 122, 154 and 274 kg combined.

The U.S.’s Reeves, the 71 kg gold medalist at Paris 2024, moved up in weight and dominated, not just taking her second Worlds gold – also in 2024 at 71 kg – but grabbing all three world records at 123 kg (Snatch), 155 kg (Clean & Jerk) and 278 kg combined.

Egypt’s Sara Ahmed was a distant second at 252 kg combined and Mattie Rogers of the U.S. was fourth overall (247 kg), but took third in the Clean & Jerk.

The world records continued in the men’s new 88 kg class, with Colombia’s Yeison Lopez, the Paris 2024 89 kg silver winner, getting a world record in the Snatch (177 kg) and the overall (387 kg) to win his first Worlds gold. North Korean Kwang-ryol Ro got the world mark in the Clean & Jerk (215 kg) and was second overall (377 kg). Brandon Victorian of the U.S. was 10th (340 kg).

The tournament continues through Saturday.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● As expected, the Los Angeles City Council confirmed without comment on Tuesday the amended draft ordinance from its Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) committee:

“The draft ordinance provide a planning and zoning exemption for temporary projects and land uses that are sanctioned projects, cleared by the Mayor’s Office of Major Events, City Administrative Officer (CAO), and the Chief Legislative Analyst (CLA), in consultation with other governmental agencies and/or LA28, directly tied to the successful delivery of the Games.”

The intended temporary project definition includes:

● “Any supporting facilities, installations, uses, and/or activities that serve athletes, officials, spectators, visitors, and/or residents at approved competition venues or non-competition venues necessary to host Olympic and/or Paralympic events, including but not limited to, training facilities, security perimeters, broadcast and media centers, transit infrastructure, live sites and fan zones.”

● “An Olympic and/or Paralympic Project seeking planning and zoning exemption built or implemented solely for the Games and dismantled and/or removed after the conclusion of the Games and no later than February 27, 2029.”

Next up is the review of the ordinance itself, now to be drafted and returned for approval to the Los Angeles City Planning Commission and if approved, to the Council.

The ordinance plan is in parallel to an ordinance passed in 1984 to assist the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee in staging the Games of the XXIIIrd Olympiad that year.

Give the Dutch credit for getting organized early, as nearly 30 national sports federations sent staff to Mission Viejo to check on facilities to be used for their Olympic and Paralympic Games teams for pre-Games training in 2028. And:

“[T]he City and TeamNL officially signed a cooperative working agreement between both organizations for the next four years resulting in a significant investment in our City for the benefit of Mission Viejo hotels, restaurants, facilities, stores and other businesses.”

In terms of the visit itself, the tours included “the Marguerite Aquatics Complex and Tennis Pavilion, Saddleback College, Trabuco Hills High School, Mission Viejo High School, Santa Margarita Catholic High School, Lake Mission Viejo, Oso Creek Golf Course, the Storm MMA Training Center, Norman Murray Senior and Community Center plus numerous athletic fields and running trails throughout Mission Viejo.”

● Aquatics ● World Aquatics broke ground on its new headquarters in Budapest (HUN), which will include offices, a training center with pools and athlete housing.

Scheduled to be opened in mid-2028, the project is part of a larger development by Southblaze Ltd., that will include residential housing, a park and additional office buildings.

● Athletics ● Jamaican sprint star Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce formally announced her retirement in an Instagram post on Tuesday, writing in part:

“This sport has given me joy beyond measure. It has shaped me, disciplined me, and carried me to heights I could only dream of as a young girl in Waterhouse. …

“I know my race is not finished; it is simply a lane change. This new chapter is about passing on the lessons the sport has given me, using my voice to advocate for others, and helping the next generation shine even brighter.”

She also paid tribute to her home country’s passionate fans:

“To my fellow Jamaicans – thank you for your unyielding love, loyalty and pride that have propelled me year after year. It has been the greatest honor to carry our flag across the world. We may be small, but we are mighty, and I am humbled to have represented the strength of our nation on the global stage.”

Now 38, she retired as a five-time World 100 m champion, two-time Olympic women’s 100 m champion and the winner of eight Olympic medals (3-4-1) and 17 World Championships medals (10-6-1). Her 100 m best of 10.60 from 2021 ranks her no. 3 all-time.

Ugandan distance runner Belinda Chemutai (15:23.48 for 5,000 m in 2023) was hit with a second doping violation and another three-year sanction. She was initially banned from 11 April 2025 to 10 April 2028 for a positive test from 1 October 2023, for testosterone. On 28 February 2025, she gave an out-of-competition sample and that came back for testosterone as well, resulting in another three-year ban starting on 11 April 2028! In both cases, she earned a one-year reduction from the normal four-year suspension by admitting her drug use.

● Cricket ● As part of its response to its suspension by the International Cricket Council, USA Cricket filed last week for bankruptcy:

“USA Cricket, the National Governing Body (NGB) for the sport, today announced it has voluntarily filed for financial reorganization under Chapter 11, Subchapter V of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. This aggressive, but necessary legal move is the best path forward to ensure the future of American cricket.”

In significant part, the filing reflects the 21 August 2025 termination of the federation’s 50-year contract with American Cricket Enterprises (ACE) from 2019, which was stated to be causing “financial strain and operational interference.” USA Cricket’s statement noted that ACE promised to deliver six (6) ICC grade stadiums by 2025, but has provided one so far.

In July, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee reportedly asked all of USA Cricket’s independent directors to resign, or it will not open applications for USOPC recognition of a National Governing Body for cricket (for which the USOPC has none currently).

● Football ● Bad behavior was all over the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying matches in September, with the new FIFA disciplinary report listing 72 violations, with nine warnings and 63 fines from CHF 1,000 up to 80,000, the latter against the Football Association of Serbia for its 9 September loss (0-5) in Belgrade vs. England for:

“Discrimination and racist abuse, Failure to ensure that law and order are maintained in and around the stadiums and that matches are organised properly, Use of laser pointers or similar electronic devices, Use of gestures, words, objects or any other means to transmit a message that is not appropriate for a sports event, Causing a disturbance during national anthems, Lack of order or discipline observed in or around the stadium”

The Serbian federation also received a 20% reduction in fan attendance for its next match and a prevention plan for the future.

Penalized federations or countries whose players were sanctioned included (44): Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Cabo Verde, Costa Rica, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, El Salvador, Georgia, Greece, Haiti, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Kosovo, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malta, Montenegro, Nicaragua, Niger, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Scotland, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, and Zambia.

Warnings were issued to Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, Cyprus, England, Equatorial Guinea, Latvia, Morocco and Portugal.

Volunteer interest for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. is high, with more than a million applications for the 65,000 volunteers expected to be needed next year. From the minimum age of 18, applications have been received from individuals as old as 92.

The volunteer application window will end on 10 October.

● Skating ● Although the International Skating Union has agreed to allow Russian and Belarusian “neutrals” to compete in qualifying events for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, it is not ready to head to either country.

In response to reports that the Russian Skating Union wanted to apply to host ISU World Cup competitions in 2026, the ISU replied to the Russian news agency TASS:

“There will be no international competitions in Russia and Belarus until further notice.”

● Wrestling ● American referee Casey Goessi was honored as one of the top officials worldwide during the UWW World Championships in Zagreb (CRO), selected to receive a United World Wrestling “Golden Whistle Award.”

It was Goessi’s ninth Worlds, this time as a lead referee, concerned with jury review and quality control. The other winners were Zaza Jibladze (GEO) and Marius Cimpoeru (ROU). It’s the eighth time a U.S. official has been awarded a Golden Whistle.

Goessi started officiating at the national level in 1996 and as an international official in 2004.

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LOS ANGELES 2028: Google signs on with LA28 as top-tier Founding Partner for AI and Cloud with 2028 Games, USOPC and NBC

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ GOOGLE TIE-UP WITH LA28 ≡

The LA28 organizing committee scored a major addition to their sponsor ranks with technology giant Google signing on as a top-tier Founding Partner:

“Google joins LA28 as a Founding Partner, delivering consumer and enterprise solutions that will enhance the Games time experience for millions of fans, athletes and more than 70,000 volunteers and members of the workforce who will help welcome the world to Los Angeles.

“By integrating Google technologies across Google Search, Google Cloud and more – including advanced AI tools like Gemini – this partnership will seamlessly connect fans, staff and athletes to the LA28 Games.”

It was only a matter of time for an Olympic sponsorship featuring artificial intelligence was signed and LA28 is the first, along with another major technology category: cloud storage. The deal includes Google Cloud as be the Official Cloud Provider of the LA28 Games.

Further, Google will be involved with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, “supporting Team USA with advanced tools” and with domestic rights-holding broadcaster NBC, “transforming how fans in the US discover information during NBCUniversal’s coverage.”

For the LA28 organizers, this is another key sponsorship piece and a significant strike in the technology sector:

● It’s the fifth top-level Founding Partner-level deal, with Comcast and Delta joining before the pandemic and Honda, Starbucks and now Google in 2025.

● The Google agreement shows LA28’s ability to attract highest-level support in the high-tech sector, after signing software giant Salesforce as a Founding Partner in 2021, only to see it withdraw in 2024 (at a parting cost of $124.93 million).

● LA28 previously signed networking equipment giant Cisco as an Official Partner (second-tier), in June of 2024, and Official Supporters from the tech sector in Autodesk, CDW and Snowflake.

The organizing committee has a $2.517 billion budget for domestic sponsorships for 2028 and has said it is confident that it can achieve the $2.0 billion level by the end of 2025. This will certainly help.

This sponsorship may well reverberate all the way to Washington, D.C.

On 10 September, the U.S. House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party sent a letter to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about the Olympic role of the Chinese communications giant Alibaba Group, an IOC TOP sponsor:

“We write to express serious concern about the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) ongoing partnership with Alibaba Group and the implications of allowing a People’s Republic of China (PRC)-based cloud provider to support the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.”

The concerns were clearly stated:

● “[T]he presence of any PRC-controlled technology company in operational roles for LA 2028 creates an unacceptable risk. Alibaba’s provision of cloud infrastructure, e-commerce, ticketing, and broadcasting services in prior Olympics has already given the company substantial access to systems and personnel. This risk is heightened by the nature of the CCP’s influence over PRC-based companies and the increasing geopolitical tension surrounding critical technology platforms.”

● “Given the CCP’s clear strategic interest in exploiting foreign data systems, we believe that no PRC-controlled provider should be given any operational role unless the U.S. Government can verify the implementation of robust and demonstrable security controls – if such controls are even possible.”

Alibaba has been an IOC sponsor since 2017 and French authorities were extremely concerned about its role at Paris 2024 Games; an agreement on data handling and storage was ultimately reached. Alibaba hosts IOC Web sites, its e-commerce platform and other functions.

Will Google now take on the “Olympic Cloud” program for worldwide broadcasters, pioneered by Alibaba, for 2028?

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ATHLETICS: Semenya says she is not done in court and will continue her fight against World Athletics sex-test requirements

By
Rich Perelman
-
South Africa's Olympic and World women's 800 m Champion Caster Semenya.

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≡ SEMENYA vs. WORLD ATHLETICS ≡

South Africa’s two-time Olympic women’s 800 m champion Caster Semenya told the German DW news agency that her fight in the courts against World Athletics sex regulations is not over. Referring to comments by her attorney to The Associated Press last week:

“It’s not about stopping, it’s never the end. They didn’t understand what my legal team was saying. It’s not the end, it’s just the beginning of making sure that we fight the right cause. World Athletics is constantly changing its policies. With the new policies, we are forever fighting. We want to make sure that athletes are protected.

“[Court appeals are] not necessarily over. I’m still yet to decide if we still go on with the courts. I’m still waiting for my legal team to finalize everything.”

Semenya, as she has done consistently, blasted World Athletics:

“Regulations like this are not safe for the sport. It questions the quality of the leaders that we have now. That’s weak leadership because you can’t impose rules that you know are not in favor of some of the nationalities, where in their countries, those are illegal.

“If you’re going to regulate, you have to regulate fairly for everyone. That’s what we need to promote, rather than promoting mediocre. It’s got nothing to do with regulation, it’s about people imposing power over other people.”

After a partial win at the European Court of Human Rights, which called a more “rigorous” review of her case, her next step is a return to the Swiss Federal Tribunal.

Observed: Semenya has now positioned herself as a permanent activist, because her next appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal is not likely to win:

● The Court of Arbitration’s key holding in April 2019 was that she was – in fact – discriminated against by the then-in-place testing rules, but that such discrimination was justified by the greater good of fair play in the women’s category:

“[T]he majority of the Panel accepts that the IAAF has discharged its burden of establishing that regulations governing the ability of female athletes with 46 XY DSD to participate in certain events are necessary to maintain fair competition in female athletics by ensuring that female athletes who do not enjoy the significant performance advantage caused by exposure to levels of circulating testosterone in the adult male range do not have to compete against female athletes who do enjoy that performance advantage.”

● The European Court of Human Rights decision in Semenya’s favor acknowledged that the issues she raised were very carefully considered already:

“The Court’s task is therefore to verify whether the examination of the case by the Federal Supreme Court, within its competence to review the compatibility of the award with substantive public policy, fulfilled the requirement of particular rigour called for by the circumstances of the case and given the nature of the mandatory and exclusive sports arbitration which had led to the award. It will precede its assessment with details of the CAS’s examination and award, which the Swiss Federal Supreme Court was required to review.

“The Court would begin by pointing to the length of the CAS award (163 pages, of which 46 concerned the examination on the merits), and of the Federal Supreme Court’s judgment (70 pages, of which 38 were dedicated to legal reasoning). This appears to demonstrate the attention that both the CAS and the Federal Supreme Court accorded to the examination of the applicant’s
dispute.

“The Court also notes that the CAS took into account statements from around 30 medical, scientific and legal experts called by the parties, including around 15 by the applicant.”

But the Court was unhappy with the “limited review” of the Swiss Federal Tribunal of one aspect of the case.

● On another review of the case, the Swiss Federal Tribunal has several options beyond simply a lengthier discussion, which could include calling Semenya’s case moot, since the regulations under which she filed in 2018 have been changed multiple times.

Or, it could acknowledge the continuing scientific exploration of the question of women with differences in sex development (DSD) or transgender women participating in the women’s category and throw out the entire case and ask Semenya to start all over again, based on the current World Athletics requirements for a yes-or-no cheek swap or blood test for the SRY gene.

Or, if Semenya’s logic to “regulate fairly for everyone,” then the entire question of whether a separate category for women is even called for. Equestrian is a mixed-gender sport and certainly shooting or archery could be questioned as to whether there is a need for separate gender competitions.

Semenya says she will continue to pursue her goals. World Athletics will continue to pursue its views as well. This could go on for a long time.

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TSX SPECIAL: It’s here! Our updated, 850-event International Sports Calendar for 2025, 2026 and more now posted!

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

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≡ TSX CALENDAR ≡

The 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan Cortina is coming and the most comprehensive schedule anywhere of winter-sport World Cups and qualifiers is now available … all in one place! It’s all in the latest update to our TSX calendar – an exclusive 850-event listing – for 2025, into October 2026 and a few of the larger events beyond to 2034.

Our updated International Sports Calendar focuses on sports and events on the Olympic and Winter Games program for 2026 and 2028, plus a few other meetings and multi-sport events.

Please note: this listing will change! However, this edition is a good place to start for following many of the events coming up in the rest of a busy year ahead.

Two calendars are included in the single PDF download: an 18-page listing in chronological order and a 19-page listing by sport (and in date order within each sport).

It’s free! Get your download right now here!

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THIS WEEK: One more track meet coming in New York; Chicago Marathon on Sunday, swimming in Carmel and Pan Am Games 2031!

By
Rich Perelman
-
An American Record for Conner Mantz at the Chicago Marathon? Yes! (Photo: Bank of America Chicago Marathon/Kevin Morris).

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≡ LOTS OF U.S. ACTION ≡

Perhaps the most impactful event this week is not on the track or in the pool, but the selection of the host for the Pan American Games in 2031.

The choices are Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro and nearby city Nitroi, and Paraguay’s Asuncion.

Both candidates have large-event experience, as Rio hosted the 2007 Pan Ams and 2016 Olympic Games, and Asuncion successfully held the Junior Pan American Games this past summer and has made a major push to use sports as a lever to raise its profile. This will be the fourth consecutive Pan Ams to be held in South America.

The decision comes on Friday, 10 October at 10:00 a.m. in Santiago (CHI) during the Panam Sports Extraordinary General Assembly, which will be shown on the Panam Sports site.

Then there are the competitions:

● Athletics: Athlos NYC ● This women-only program returns to New York, expanded by a day to introduce the long jump in Times Square on Thursday, headlined by World Champion Tara Davis-Woodhall, plus World Indoor winner Claire Bryant, Paris Olympic bronzer Jasmine Moore, three-time U.S champ Quanesha Burks and others.

The main meet is at Icahn Stadium on Friday (10th), with a six-event program in the women’s 100-200-400-800 m, mile and 100 m hurdles. The best event is the mile, with 1,500 m World Champion Faith Kipyegon (KEN) hunting her own world record of 4:07.64, challenged by Olympic silver winner and Worlds bronze winner Jess Hull (AUS) plus World Indoor 1,500 m winner Gudaf Tsegay (ETH), American champ Nikki Hiltz and more.

The 800 m has Olympic champ Keely Hodgkinson (GBR), Worlds silver winner Georgia Hunter-Bell (GBR), 2023 World Champion Mary Moraa (KEN) and 2019 World Champion Halimah Nakaayi (UGA), and others.

The 400 m is next best, with Olympic champ Marileidy Paulino (DOM), Worlds bronzer Salwa Eid Naser (BRN), Americans Alexis Holmes, the World Indoor runner-up, and Lynna Irby-Jackson. The 200 has Worlds runner-up Amy Hunt, Olympic bronze winner Brittany Brown of the U.S. and Worlds finalists Anavia Battle and McKenzie Long.

The 100 has Americans Kayla White and Jacious Sears and Worlds finalist Marie-Josee Ta Lou Smith (CIV), and the 100 m hurdles features Olympic champ Masai Russell, Worlds bronze winner Grace Stark of the U.S., sixth-placer Devynne Charlton (BAH) and U.S. stars Alaysha Johnson and Tonea Marshall.

The Friday meet is slated to be shown on ION Television starting at 7 p.m. Eastern, also on ESPN+ and on the Athlos social channels.

● Athletics: Chicago Marathon ● The annual Chicago Marathon, with its fast, flat (and record-eligible) course, is back on Sunday (12th), for its 47th edition, with a strong professional field (listed by lifetime best):

Men:
● 2:02:44 (2024) John Korir (KEN) ~ defending champion
● 2:02:55 (2024) Tim Kiplagat (KEN) ~ 2024 Tokyo runner-up
● 2:03:13 (2023) Amos Kipruto (KEN) ~ 2022 London winner
● 2:03:22 (2024) Cybrian Kotut (KEN) ~ 2024 Berlin runner-up
● 2:03:36 (2021) Bashir Abdi (BEL) ~ Paris Olympic silver, Tokyo bronze

● 2:03:37 (2025) Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) ~ London second in debut
● 2:04:01 (2025) Philemon Kiplimo (KEN) ~ Hamburg 2025 second
● 2:04:23 (2023) Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) ~ 2017 & 2019 New York champ
● 2:04:39 (2024) Mohamed Esa (ETH) ~ 2024 Chicago runner-up
● 2:05:08 (2025) Conner Mantz (USA) ~ Paris Olympic 8th-placer

Mantz has said he wants to try for the American Record of 2:05:38 by Khalid Kannouchi in 2002 in London.

Women:
● 2:16:34 (2024) Megertu Alemu (ETH) ~ 2023 Chicago third
● 2:17:00 (2025) Hawi Feysa (ETH) ~ 2025 Tokyo third
● 2:18:27 (2025) Bedati Hirpa (ETH) ~ Dubai and Paris 2025 winner
● 2:19:17 (2025) Hailu Desse (ETH) ~ London 2025 fourth
● 2:20:22 (2022) Mary Ngugi-Cooper (KEN) ~ 2021 Boston second

The top American entry is Natosha Rogers, who ran 2:23:51 in 2025 at Nagoya (JPN).

The race will be televised only locally.

● Swimming ● The first of the three-meet World Aquatics World Cup series is back in the U.S. for the first time since 2022 and before than, in 2006. The three stages – all at 25 m (short course) – are in Carmel, Indiana (10-12 October), then Westmont, Illinois (17-19 October) and Toronto (CAN) from 23-25 October.

The meet in Carmel features a lot of stars from the Paris Games and the Singapore World Championships, including, but certainly not limited to:

Men:
● Thomas Ceccon (ITA) ~ 2024 Olympic 100 m Back champ
● Hubert Kos (HUN) ~ 2024 Olympic, 2025 World 200 m Back champ
● Josh Liendo (CAN) ~ Paris Olympic 100 m Fly silver medalist
● Leon Marchand (FRA) ~ Paris 4x and Singapore 2x gold medalist
● Noe Ponti (SUI) ~ 2025 Worlds 50-100 m Fly runner-up

Women:
● Kate Douglass (USA) ~ Olympic and World 200 m Breast champion
● Summer McIntosh (CAN) ~ Paris 3x and Singapore 4x champ
● Kaylee McKeown (AUS) ~ Paris and Singapore 100-200 m Back champ
● Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS) ~ Olympic and World 200 m Free champion
● Regan Smith (USA) ~ Paris 2x and Singapore 3x Backstroke silvers
● Gretchen Walsh (USA) ~ Singapore 50-100 m Fly champion

The total prize purse for the entire series is $1.2 million, plus bonuses for world (short course) records. The meet is to be shown on NBC’s Peacock streaming service.

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PANORAMA: IOC signs deal with Sonic the Hedgehog; U.S. State Dept. to staff up for World Cup ‘26 visa demand; almost no doping in football

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ 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 finishes 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.

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LOS ANGELES 2028: The temporary Olympic track in the L.A. Memorial Coliseum will surely send USC’s football team elsewhere in 2028

By
Rich Perelman
-
Artist’s rendering of track & field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at the 2028 Olympic Games (provided by LA28)

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≡ LA28’s BIGGEST HEADACHE ≡

Following the close of the 1932 Olympic Games on 14 August, where the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was the scene of the opening and closing ceremonies, track & field and other events, the defending national champion University of Southern California “Trojans” opened their football season before 35,000 fans with a 35-0 shutout of Utah on 24 September.

After the 1984 Olympic Games closed in the Coliseum on 12 August, the Trojans won their season opener before 45,067 with a 42-7 win over Utah State on 8 September, just three weeks later.

That’s not likely to happen in 2028. In fact, it is unlikely that USC will play football at all in the Coliseum – its home since it opened in October 1923 – in 2028.

The reason is the temporary track that must be installed for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Here’s the set-up:

● The Coliseum sat 75,144 when it opened in 1923, and was enlarged to hold the 101,022 attending the 1932 Olympic opening ceremony, and then 92,655 for the opening of the 1984 Games.

● The seating bowl was continuously modified with multiple renovations, including in 1993 when the 1984 Olympic track was removed to install 14 rows of seats – about 8,000 – closer to the football field.

● From late 2017 to mid-2019, the University of Southern California, which operates the facility now, invested $315 million to remake the seating and install a Rose Bowl-like pavilion on the south side; those improvements reduced the seating capacity to 77,500 today.

There is simply not enough room on the field to accommodate a world-class running track in 2028:

● American football playing field dimensions are 120 yards long by 53 yards wide, plus sideline spaces for the teams.

● A World Athletics-regulation track of eight lanes is much bigger at 194 by 102 yards, plus at least a small space around the ends and more width on the straightaways. If a preferred ninth lane is added, it’s even bigger.

So, to create an Olympic-regulation track – again – in the Coliseum, a new track will have to be installed, “undoing” the 1993 field-lowering by installing stilts to hold a temporary floor at the level where the track was in 1984.

This was done for the first time for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, where Hampden Park – normally home to Queens’s Park FC – was converted into a track & field stadium, as shown in this amazing 90-second video:

How long did this take? Here’s the timeline:

● 03 Dec. 2013: Field removal begins
● 25 Mar. 2014: Mondo S.p.A. access to field surface
● 15 May 2014: Track installation completed
● 04 Jun. 2014: Track unveiled to public
● 27 Jul. 2014: Commonwealth Games track & field (to 3 August)
● 28 Nov. 2014: 50% of track placed at Grangemouth Stadium and Crownpoint
● 03 Jan. 2015: 1st Queen’s Park FC home match in return, vs. Clyde FC

The project included installation of 1,000 panels (total of 18,000 sq m) on 6,000 stilts to raise the floor by 1.9 m (6 feet, 3 inches, removing eight seating rows). The seating capacity was reduced from 52,000 to 44,000 and the project cost – then – £27 million ($36.4 million U.S. in 2014 dollars). The track was removed and re-installed at Grangemouth Stadium and Crownpoint for training purposes.

From the start of the field removal to the unveiling of the track took six months. If the Coliseum can be done that fast, work would start at the beginning of December and would be completed by the end of May. LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman said the project could cost as much as $100 million to complete.

The ceremonial opening of the 2028 Olympic Games will take place in part in the Coliseum on 14 July, so it is possible that the U.S. Olympic Trials could be squeezed into the Coliseum in June. This was done at Hampden Park with a Diamond League meet on 11-12 July 2014, with the Commonwealth Games track events starting on 27 July (the opening ceremony was elsewhere).

It’s worth noting that the NCAA Division I Championships for 2028 have already been scheduled for Eugene, Oregon from 7-10 June. So perhaps a shortened U.S. Trials in the Coliseum from 17 to 25 June? It’s hard to imagine the LA28 organizers allowing anyone into the Coliseum after that.

Interestingly, the 1984 Olympic Trials in the Coliseum were held from 16-24 June, but the Olympic Games didn’t open for another month, on 28 July. It’s a tight timetable.

Because of all of the seats lost to the track, the Coliseum will downsize for the Games; LA28 has listed 68,000 as its projected capacity of the Coliseum for now on documentation seen by The Sports Examiner.

Let’s get back to the Trojans.

USC’s final home football game in 2027 will be at the end of November, and then the digging will start. It has its 2028 home opener already on the books for 9 September against Fresno State, just 13 days after the close of the Paralympic Games on 27 August!

Considering it took 13 months for Queens F.C. to play their first match on the restored field, there is – barring an engineering miracle – no chance that USC will play any of its 2028 home schedule in the Coliseum.

USC has options, of course. It could work with arch-rival UCLA and the City of Pasadena to book some games at the famed Rose Bowl, which will be the site of football during the 2028 Games. More likely will be a deal with SoFi Stadium, which is already host to the Rams and Chargers.

Asked for comment, USC Senior Associate Athletic Director for Strategic Communication and Brand Advancement Cody Worsham said in a statement, “USC and LA28 are working in lockstep on all logistics for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. We will share details with the public when they are finalized.”

Rest assured, the rental agreement between USC and LA28 is taking the displacement of the football team into account.

In a Games that will not see any new, permanent venues built for the event, the Coliseum project and its return to pre-Games status will be – along with the L.A. Convention Center expansion – the construction tightrope stories of 2028.

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PANORAMA: Coe sees out-of-stadium T&F events at L.A. 2028 and cross-country at 2030 Winter Games; star skier Diggins to retire in 2026?!

By
Rich Perelman
-
American cross country skiing star Jessie Diggins (Photo: Dustin Satloff/U.S. Ski Team).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● World Athletics President Sebastian Coe (GBR) told the British news site The Guardian:

“I want to see more events out of the stadium. I had this discussion with the new IOC sports director, Pierre Ducrey [SUI], the other day, and I said: ‘Look, we are very open to this.’

“We wanted to see more of our events outside of the stadium in Paris. They were keen at first, and then, I think they looked at the cost and all sorts of things. But if you do it properly, I think it’s additive, I really do. And I know L.A. is more open to taking some of our disciplines outside of the stadium.”

In general, field events have been the prime out-of-stadium candidates, especially those that can be set up in a close-in environment, such as the pole vault, long jump, triple jump and shot put. Costs will be a concern, however, another possible choice is to create a smaller facility of perhaps 10-20,000 seats around a tight infield – or use an indoor arena – that would bring spectators close … and allow for the sale of thousands of additional seats (!!!) for the events.

● Olympic Winter Games 2030: French Alps ● Coe is also, in concert with UCI President David Lappartient (FRA), leading the charge with the International Olympic Committee to add traditional winter sports that are now held on snow or ice, to the Winter Games.

The top candidates would be cross country running and cyclo-cross; Coe told The Guardian:

“I think there’s a good chance it’ll happen. And I think it’s come at the right moment, because [IOC President] Kirsty [Coventry (ZIM)] is certainly prepared to think differently about the programme, and what could go out of the stadium, and that mix between winter and summer. …

“I’ve always wanted to see cross-country back in for all sorts of reasons. Some are emotional. But it also gives Africa a proper presence in the winter Games, which, if we are being honest, it doesn’t really have.

“And sharing the same course in 2030 with cyclocross is really where our thinking is going. We’ve already had good conversations.

“David’s up for it. I’m up for it. Obviously with the IOC there would have to be a variation in the Charter, because it has to be with snow and ice, and there’s not been an obvious abundance of that recently. But it is, ostensibly, a winter sport, and cross-country would make more sense in the winter.”

This is being looked at by Coventry’s new IOC working group on the program of future Olympic and Winter Games; Coe thinks a position decision could come in a year or so.

● Anti-Doping ● The World Anti-Doping Agency announced Friday that despite the WADA Executive Committee’s 25 September decision to move the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) to non-compliant status … has been postponed.

Citing “significant and demonstrable progress was made by ADAK, including the development of a corrective action plan outlining how it intends to address, within a four-month period, the outstanding critical requirements identified through the [May 2024] audit,” WADA’s management has sent the situation back to the Compliance Review Committee “for further consideration.”

Kenya leads all countries with a staggering 142 ineligible persons on the Athletics Integrity Unit’s global list, but has only one person (in a different sport) on the International Testing Agency list of ineligibles (ITA does not do athletics testing). The WADA decision is essentially creating some breathing space for ADAK to correct its (undisclosed) issues.

● Memorabilia ● Teresa Edwards was a four-time Olympic gold medalist in women’s basketball, as a member of the 1984-88-96-2000 U.S. teams and also won a 1992 Olympic bronze.

Now 61, Edwards is offering her first gold – Los Angeles 1984 – at auction with the Heritage Auctions Fall Sports Auction, which will close from 24-26 October (in stages). The medal itself shows some oxidation, but it is otherwise in good shape and is estimated to bring $40,000.

● Television ● “Later this fall, NBCUniversal will be launching the new NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), which will be available on YouTube TV, allowing fans to enjoy a broad range of NBCUniversal’s robust sports programming. NBCSN will complement the prominent sports properties presented year-round on the NBC broadcast network.”

The old NBCSN was on from 2012-21, and was the home of a lot of Olympic sports coverage, which went to CNBC and USA Network in recent years (in far diminished quantity). However, with Comcast placing CNBC, USA, E!, MSNBC, Golf Channel and others into a separate company – Versant – those options are no longer available.

Thus the new NBCSN. No further details were announced as to programming.

● American Football ● “We’re committed to creating a women’s professional league, and a men’s professional flag league. We’ve had a great deal of interest in that and I expect that we’ll be able to do that, launch that, in the next couple of years.

“The demand is there. We’re seeing colleges in the states and universities internationally also that want to make it a part of their program.

“If you set that structure up where there’s youth leagues, going into high school, into college and then professional, I think you can develop a system of scale. That’s an important infrastructure that we need to create.”

That’s NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, speaking last week at the Leaders in Sport conference in London, underscoring the leverage provided by having flag football as a first-time medal sport at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

It’s the best opportunity the NFL has ever had to have women as full-fledged players and to have football in the spring and summer, after the NFL season concludes with the Super Bowl in early February.

● Cross Country Skiing ● American star Jessie Diggins will retire at the end of this coming season, according to Simon Caprini (FRA), the FIS Cross Country Race Director.

He told the “Nouvelles Traces” podcast that the March 2026 season-ending races in Lake Placid, New York, would be her last as a competitive skier, although Diggins has not said so herself.

Now 34, to say that Diggins is the greatest U.S. cross-country skier ever is simply obvious. She and Kikkan Randall won the first-ever U.S. Olympic gold in the sport at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games in the Team Sprint and Diggins won an Olympic silver in the 2022 women’s 30 km Freestyle and a bronze in the women’s Sprint. Even more impressively, she won the FIS women’s World Cup seasonal titles in 2021, 2024 and 2025 and could do so again in 2026.

● Football ● FIFA began selling tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday, with tickets reported to be priced from $60 up to $2,735 for group-stage matches. Tickets for the final in East Rutherford, New Jersey were priced at $2,030-2,790-4,210-6,370.

Who plays who and where won’t be known until after the Final Draw on 5 December in Washington, D.C.

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Bobsled & Skeleton ● At the USA Bobsled & Skeleton Push Championships for Skeleton in Lake Placid, New York, the 2025 Worlds women’s runner-up Mystique Ro won the women’s competition with a two-test total of 10.281 seconds, ahead of Sara Roderick (10.447).

The men’s winner was Andy Whittier (9.500), beating R.J. Tenn (9.525) and Austin Florian (9.557).

● Canoe-Kayak ● France and Poland were the big winners of the individual finals at the ICF Slalom World Championships in Penrith (AUS).

Olympic champ Nicolas Gestin (FRA) won the men’s C-1 title in 97.13, ahead of 2018 Worlds runner-up Ryan Westley (GBR: 98.03) and Kaylen Bassett (AUS: 98.74). France won again with 2024 Olympic runner-up Titouan Castwyck in the men’s K-1 at 90.81, with Czech star Jakub Krejci (92.27) and Tokyo 2020 winners Jiri Prskavec (92.34) going 2-3.

Joseph Clarke (GBR), the 2016 Rio K-1 gold medalist, took the Kayak Cross title, beating Mathurin Madore (FRA) and Matyas Novak (CZE).

Poland’s Klaudia Zwolinska won both the women’s C-1 and K-1 titles, the first time since Jessica Fox (AUS) did it in 2018. She won the C-1 in 108.49, with American Evy Leibfarth in fourth (113.09), just behind bronze winner Ana Satila (BRA: 112.98/2 penalties). She won the K-1 from Olympic bronzer Kimberley Woods (GBR) and Kate Eckhardt (AUS). Leibfarth was ninth.

France’s Olympic silver medalist Angele Hug won the Kayak Cross, ahead of teammate Camille Prigent (FRA: 2023 silver winner) and Zwolinska.

● Cycling ● The next-to-last stage of the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Series was in Lake Placid, New York, with a big weekend for American home favorite Christopher Blevins.

The 2021 World Short Track champion, he won his sixth Short Track men’s race of the season in 21:37, out-leaning French riders Adrien Boichis (21:37) and Mathis Azzaro (21:38) on Friday.

He came back on Sunday to get his third Cross Country Olympic win of the season, finishing in 1:19:54 in a blur at the line to beat Boichis (also 1:19:54) and Mathis Azzaro (FRA: 1:19:56).

It was pretty much the same story in the women’s races.

Rio 2016 Cross Country gold medalist Jenny Rissveds (SWE) won the women’s Short Track race over 2021 World XCO champion Evie Richards (GBR), 21:22 to 21:24. Kate Courtney of the U.S., the 2018 World Champion, was the top American, in seventh (21:34).

On Sunday, Rissveds took the Cross Country Olympic win by 1:20:15 to 1:22:31 over Richards, with Samara Maxwell (NZL: 1:22:46) in third.

In the men’s Downhill, Luke Meier-Smith (AUS) won a tight race from American Luca Shaw, 3:05.946 to 3:06.659. Four-time World Champion Valentina Hoell (AUT) took the women’s race in 3:30.422, clearly ahead of two-time Worlds winner Myriam Nicole (FRA: 3:33.237).

● Football ● Pool play at the FIFA men’s U-20 World Cup in Chile finished on Sunday, with 16 teams advancing to the playoffs. The group winners included undefeated Japan (3-0) and Argentina, with the U.S. advancing at 2-1 as the winner out of Group E.

The round-of-16 playoffs will be on 7-8-9 October, with the quarters on 11-12 October. The Americans will face Italy (1-1-1), the Group D runner-up, on the 9th.

● Gymnastics ● The U.S. scored two wins at the FIG Trampoline World Cup in Antibes (FRA), with four-time Worlds gold medalist Ruben Padilla and 2023 World Team gold winner Aliaksei Shostak going 1-2 in the men’s final at 62.200 and 60.910. Then Padilla teamed with Ryan MacCagnan to win the men’s Synchro title at 52.580.

Japan’s Yuka Misawa won the women’s individual gold at 55.870 over Madaline Davidson (NZL: 55.800). Canada’s Sarah Milette and Paris bronzer Sophiane Methot won the women’s Synchro at 50.230.

● Sailing ● At the Formula Kite World Championships off Quartu Sant’Elena, Sardinia (ITA), Sunday’s medal races, the full-regatta leaders were rewarded with world titles.

The men’s leader through the qualifying and finals stages was Riccardo Pianosi (ITA), with a net of 39.0, trailed by two-time defending champ Maximilian Maeder (SGP: 40.4) and Gian Strangiotti (SUI: 49.0). That earned him a one-win marker in the finals against three challengers who made through a playoff, and in the first final race, Pianosi won over Maeder and collected the men’s gold.

It was his first win after a bronze in 2021 and silver in 2024. Maeder has now won a medal in four straight Worlds.

Jessie Kampman (FRA) completed the prelims and finals series with a net of just 24.0 points, to 51.0 for defending champ Lauriane Nolot (FRA) and 79.0 for Swiss Elena Lengwiler. In the final, seven-time champion Daniela Moroz of the U.S. won the first race, with Kampman third, but Kampman came back to win the second race and claim her first Worlds medal. Moroz was second and Nolot finished third.

● Table Tennis ● China swept all five titles at the World Table Tennis China Smash in Beijing (CHN), with World Champion Chuqin Wang defeating Paris Olympic bronze winner Felix Lebrun (FRA) by 11-7, 11-2, 11-5, 11-7 for a 4-0 sweep in the men’s final.

Manyu Wang, the 2021 World Champion, took the women’s title over top-seed and two-time World Champion Yingsha Sun, 4-2 (10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 11-5, 8-11, 11-2).

The all-China men’s Doubles final was won by Shidong Lin and Chuqin Wang by 3-0 over Qihao Zhu and Junsong Chen. Top-seeded Man Kuai and Manyu Wang won the women’s Doubles from Hina Hayata (JPN) and Cheon-hui Joo (KOR), 3-1, and Chuqin Wang and Sun took the Mixed Doubles over Youzheng Huang and Yi Chen (CHN), 3-0.

● Weightlifting ● North Korea is once again dominating the early weights at the IWF World Championships, ongoing in Forde (NOR), taking all four women’s weight classes with the same lifters who won in 2024!.

Defending World Champion Song-gum Ri repeated in the women’s 48 kg class, winning with a world record of 213 kg for the snatch and the clean & jerk. Hyon-gyong Kang repeated as winner of the 53 kg class (214 kg total), defender Il-gyong Kim won at 58 kg with a world record 236 kg combined, and Suk Ri dominated – for the second consecutive year – at 63 kg, also with a world record of 253 kg.

The three men’s classes so far have been competitive. Paris Olympic champ Hao Wang (CHN) won the 60 kg crown at 302 kg, his first Worlds medal. Muhammad Ozbek (TUR) claimed a world record of 324 kg combined to win the 65 kg gold, with American Hampton Morris – the Olympic third-placer in Paris – scoring bronze again at 311 kg.

Weeraphon Wichuma (THA) claimed the world record in the clean & jerk at 71 kg and powered to the gold at 346 kg, also a world record! It’s Wichuma’s second Worlds gold, also in 2023.

The tournament continues all this week.

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LOS ANGELES 2028: L.A. City Council continues to prep for 2028 Games, moving forward with an in-city construction moratorium and easier permitting

By
Rich Perelman
-
The Olympic and Paralympic flags on display at Los Angeles City Hall (TSX photo)

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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

While the headlines around Los Angeles City Hall and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games have mostly been about the $2.6 billion Los Angeles Convention Center expansion project, the City Council has been continuing the quiet work to ensure that the LA28 organizers can get their work done efficiently.

Last Wednesday, the City Council passed, by 14-0, a motion to enable the City’s Bureau of Engineering to figure out how to help LA28 by holding down construction activity in areas where the 2028 Games might be impacted:

● “DIRECT the Bureau of Engineering (BOE), in consultation with the Department of Transportation (DOT) and other City agencies, as needed, to establish and implement the 2028 Games Construction Moratorium, including its duration, boundaries, and exemptions.”

● “DIRECT the BOE to apply the 2028 Games Construction Moratorium onto any applicable permits issued for construction activities in the public right of way.”

● “DIRECT the BOE, DOT, [Bureau of Street Services], Department of Water and Power, and all other City construction and maintenance agencies to limit non-emergency construction activities to be consistent with the 2028 Games Construction Moratorium.”

● “DIRECT the BSS to implement a moratorium on special events within the 2028 Games Construction Moratorium area, with exemptions available for Games-related events and other special events that do not impact Games preparations or operations.”

This is a significant step by the City Council and will have real-world impacts in 2028. The next step is to be sure that this moratorium is enforced. So, the City Council directed:

“[T]he City Attorney, in consultation with the Office of Major Events, Department of Building and Safety (DBS), Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Department of City Planning (DCP), Board of Public Works, BOE, Bureau of Street Services (BSS), Bureau of Contract Administration (BCA), DOT, and any other relevant department, to prepare and present an ordinance imposing additional restrictions on construction activities that may impact the Games operations or experience within the 2028 Games Construction Moratorium boundaries, including but not limited to haul routes, noise levels, dust control, site runoff control, traffic, and parking, as necessary and appropriate.”

There will be exceptions, of course, for emergency services and operations, and an amendment was inserted late into the motion last week to exempt the fire-rebuilding efforts in the Pacific Palisades from any impact of the moratorium. Only one Olympic venue, Riviera Country Club – the site for golf – is near the fire zone and was not damaged.

However, the spread of the moratorium is likely to be well beyond the competition venues. City Engineer Ted Allen, in an April memo, explained an existing model – the Holiday Moratorium – that will be a model:

“The Holiday Moratorium is an annual restriction on permits for construction activities on certain public streets during the holiday season, in an attempt to minimize impacts on shoppers and retail businesses. Early notices are issued to all stakeholders, including utility companies, other users of the public right of way, and operators of public facilities, that certain streets should not be disrupted by construction activities during specific dates.”

As to the impacted sites and streets:

“BOE [Bureau of Engineering] will work with partner agencies to define 2028 Games impact zones where restrictions are necessary and appropriate, including a perimeter around each event venue, as well as the Games Route Network and other critical venue access routes. BOE may also include other areas with high visitation or visibility, such as major tourist destinations, hospitality locations, Cultural Olympiad sites, or remote fan zone locations.

“Given that event operational needs are still being determined, BOE will begin planning for potential impact zones that can be refined over time. BOE also anticipates that some activities may need to be restricted for a longer period of time closer to the event venues, with lighter restrictions in other areas. BOE’s overall objective is to support the operational needs of the Games while minimizing disruption to public and private infrastructure projects.”

So, next up will be a draft ordinance for the Council to review.

The flip side of the building moratorium is to allow the LA28 organizers to obtain permits for their construction needs in an efficient manner. A motion to speed up the process was originally introduced back in December 2024:

“Without action by the Council, certain elements of the 2028 Games could face significant delays due to compliance with existing City Planning approvals and zoning regulations, including but not limited to Conditional Use Permits (CUPs), Site Plan Review, height restrictions, setbacks, and specific plan limitations.

“It is in the best interest of the City and its residents to expedite the creation of the necessary infrastructure to host the 2028 Games while ensuring that these developments are in alignment with the overall vision of a sustainable, accessible, and world-class event.”

What this will mean in practice was spelled out:

● “The City cannot afford any delays in the approval process for the 2028 Games infrastructure, and these approvals must be expedited to ensure that Los Angeles is fully prepared to host the 2028Games on time.

“The City therefore should grant exemptions for all Olympic and Paralympic temporary and permanent venues, training facilities, security perimeters, broadcast and media centers, transit infrastructure, live sites and fan zones, and associated structures from the requirements of City Planning approvals, zoning regulations, and permitting processes, including but not limited to: Conditional Use Permits (CUPs) and conditions tied to such permits, Site Plan Review requirements, height restrictions, setback requirements, limitations imposed by specific plans, and any other planning or zoning regulations that could delay or impede the rapid construction and deployment of essential facilities.”

● “This approach is consistent with actions taken by the City of Los Angeles during the 1984 Olympic Games, where similar exemptions were granted to ensure the swift construction of the necessary infrastructure and venues. This ordinance should utilize the CEQA [California Environmental Quality Act] exemptions provided in state law for Olympic-related infrastructure, ensuring that the City can effectively expedite the environmental review process and avoid unnecessary delays while complying with state requirements for environmental protection.”

A state law passed to assist the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles is still on the books as California Code of Regulations Title 14 Statutory Exemption Section 15272- Olympic Games, including “CEQA does not apply to activities or approvals necessary to the bidding for, hosting or staging of, and funding or carrying out of, Olympic Games.”

This motion has been the subject of considerable discussion and concern about community groups, having nothing to do with the LA28 Games, but other projects that could be approved under this umbrella, for example, the controversial Union Station-to-Dodger Stadium “gondola.”

The L.A. City Planning Department provided a 51-page review of the motion concept and a proposed ordinance on 24 September 2025, which was amended by the City Council’s Planning and Lane Use Management committee on 30 September and forwarded to the full City Council. The Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games waived consideration.

The item is slated for the City Council meeting on Tuesday, 7 October.

Taken together, these two ordinances will be of considerable assistance to LA28’s efforts to plan and proceed with its needed construction projects to get the 2028 Games ready for prime time. But it will also be noted by watchdogs to see if the CEQA exemption – especially – is used for something other than the intended Olympic and Paralympic uses.

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ATHLETICS: Semenya drops case against World Athletics sex-testing as time (and circumstances) have run past her

By
Rich Perelman
-
South Africa's Olympic and World women's 800 m Champion Caster Semenya.

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≡ SEMENYA vs. WORLD ATHLETICS ≡

South African attorney Patrick Bracher told The Associated Press on Thursday that two-time Olympic women’s 800 m champion Caster Semenya will no longer pursue her claims against World Athletics sex-screening regulations in court:

“Caster’s legal challenge reached the highest possible court with a highly successful outcome and will not be taken further in the circumstances.”

Thus ends a seven-year, unsuccessful attempt to force World Athletics to change its handling of athletes with “differences in sex development” (“DSD”) in women’s competitions, but one in which she raised consciousness of the issue significantly (Semenya is not transgender).

After having lost twice, starting with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Semenya turned to the European Court of Human Rights. In a closely-watched case in July, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights granted her a “more rigorous review” at the Swiss Federal Tribunal, but she is now abandoning that effort.

In brief:

● CAS rejected the case in a lengthy opinion in April 2019, with the outcome summarized as:

“[T]he majority of the Panel accepts that the IAAF has discharged its burden of establishing that regulations governing the ability of female athletes with 46 XY DSD to participate in certain events are necessary to maintain fair competition in female athletics by ensuring that female athletes who do not enjoy the significant performance advantage caused by exposure to levels of circulating testosterone in the adult male range do not have to compete against female athletes who do enjoy that performance advantage.”

● Semenya appealed to the Swiss Federal Tribunal in May 2019, which decided in August 2020 that it “dismissed the appeal, concluding that the impugned award was not incompatible with substantive public policy.”

● Semenya then filed an appeal with the European Court of Human Rights in May 2021, summarized as:

“It would therefore appear that, as formulated in her application, the applicant’s complaint, based without distinction on Article 6 § 1 and Article 13, concerns the alleged insufficiency of the Federal Supreme Court’s review of the CAS award.”

● In July 2023, a deeply-divided ECHR ruling held for Semenya in one area:

“The Court found in particular that the applicant had not been afforded sufficient institutional and procedural safeguards in Switzerland to allow her to have her complaints examined effectively, especially since her complaints concerned substantiated and credible claims of discrimination as a result of her increased testosterone level caused by differences of sex development (DSD).”

● Switzerland appealed in October 2023, asking for a Grand Chamber hearing in front of a panel of 17 judges. A hearing was held on 15 May 2024 and the 15-2 decision was issued on 10 July, including:

“238. In sum, the specific characteristics of the sports arbitration to which the applicant was subject, entailing the mandatory and exclusive jurisdiction of the CAS, required an in-depth judicial review – commensurate with the seriousness of the personal rights at issue – by the only domestic court having jurisdiction to carry out such a task. The review of the applicant’s case by the Federal Supreme Court, not least owing to its very restrictive interpretation of the notion of public policy, which it also applied to the review of arbitral awards by the CAS, did not satisfy the requirement of particular rigour called for in the circumstances of the case. In these circumstances, the Court concludes that the applicant did not benefit from the safeguards provided by Article 6 § 1 of the Convention [for a fair and public hearing].”

So, Semenya’s next step would have been a return to the Swiss Federal Tribunal to request a “more rigorous review” of her case.

She has declined to do so and there are good reasons for this:

● The Swiss Federal Tribunal already issued a 71-page review of her prior case, and would have been highly likely to have come to the same conclusion – in agreement with the Court of Arbitration for Sport – but at greater length and with more discussion and citations.

● Although she was granted €80,000 (about $94,940 U.S.) for expenses, she had asked for €482,514 (~$566,592), and another appeal would cost more.

● The World Athletics regulations that she contested have been changed considerably and are much more stringent, to the point of now requiring all athletes who wish to compete as women to take a once-in-a-lifetime, yes-or-no, SRY-gene test via cheek swab or blood sample. If the Y-gene is found, it is now considered near-certain ineligibility to compete in the women’s classification.

● The research and scientific data about DSD athletes (and transgender women) competing in the women’s category has increased considerably, to be point where International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) has empaneled an undisclosed panel to consider “protection of the women’s category.”

Time, research and concern over even small advantages in ultra-competitive sports like track & field, have caused many International Federations to adopt strategies similar to World Athletics.

Semenya’s all-time best was 1:54.25 from 2018, still no. 4 on the all-time list. If her naturally-occurring DSD condition was worth even a 1% advantage, that’s 1.14 seconds. That would reduce her best to 1:55.39 … or 17th on the all-time list.

It’s that close. And that 1:55.39 would have kept her out of the medals at the women’s 800 m final at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

There is an important postscript to Semenya’s case and it was stated by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in its lengthy 2019 summary of its original holding in the case:

“In its Award the Panel expressly pays tribute to Ms. Semenya’s grace and fortitude throughout this process. The Panel expresses its profound gratitude for her dignified personal participation and the exemplary manner in which she has conducted herself throughout the proceedings.

“The Panel also stresses that while much of the argument in this proceeding has centered around the “fairness” of permitting Ms. Semenya to compete against other female athletes, there can be no suggestion that Ms. Semenya (or any other female athletes in the same position as Ms. Semenya) has done anything wrong. This is not a case about cheating or wrongdoing of any sort. Ms. Semenya is not accused of breaching any rule. Her participation and success in elite female athletics is entirely beyond reproach and she has done nothing whatsoever to warrant any personal criticism.”

In a world going crazy, day by day, there is a need to honor class, dignity and fortitude. Semenya, now 34, has shown those in both her athletic career and in her activism. Both indicate we will hear more from her, in other arenas, in the years to come.

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ATHLETICS: Grand Slam Track paying half its bills; USATF resurrecting NYC and L.A. Grand Prix events in 2026?

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ U.S. SCHEDULE 2026 ≡

Front Office Sports reported that Grand Slam Track, which staged three of its four planned meets during its first season this year and owes as much as $19 million to athletes and suppliers, has received added capital of about $10 million.

Money for about half of the athlete appearance and prize money from the three meets that were held – in Kingston (JAM), Miramar, Florida and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – was sent on Friday. Winners Alliance, the sports marketing arm of the Professional Tennis Players Association, apparently stepped in with assistance and helped obtain support from other investors.

A message to the athletes and agents who received payments included:

“Today is the beginning of Grand Slam Track’s reboot.

“We apologize for frustrations and hardships caused by the payment delays to date. Over the next 60 days, we will be working hard to make things right with everyone who helped make 2025 a success, to best position GST for 2026 and beyond. This is a critical step in that delicate and difficult process, but know there is a path. Our appreciation of your grace and support as we walk that path cannot be overstated.“

Grand Slam Track founder Michael Johnson has said that the circuit will pay off its 2025 debts before commencing with a 2026 schedule.

In the meantime, USA Track & Field, trying to rebound from financial constraints, with its December 2023 financial statements showing net asserts of –$4.934 million, did not hold any of its “Grand Prix” events in 2025:

● Bermuda Grand Prix: held in 2022-23-24 was not held
● L.A. Grand Prix: held in 2023-24 was not held
● NYC Grand Prix: held in 2005-15, 2022-23-24, was not held

The USATF events calendar does not show any of these events for 2026, but the World Athletics Continental Tour calendar shows meets in New York and Los Angeles:

● 06 June 2026 (Sat.): Continental Tour Gold ~ USATF N.Y. Grand Prix
● 14 June 2026 (Sun.): Continental Tour Gold ~ USATF L.A. Grand Prix

The timing of these meets is interesting, with a crowded calendar shaping up for 2026, even with no World Athletics Championships, so no U.S. team to be selected. So far:

● 23 May: Diamond League Xiamen (CHN)
● 27-30 May: NCAA Division I Regionals
● 31 May: Diamond League Rabat (MAR)

● 04 June: Diamond League Rome (ITA)
● 06 June: USATF N.Y. Grand Prix
● 07 June: Diamond League Stockholm (SWE)
● 10-13 June: NCAA Division I Championships
● 11 June: Diamond League Oslo (NOR)
● 14 June: USATF L.A. Grand Prix
● 20-21 June: National championships window I
● 26 June: Diamond League Paris (FRA)

● 04 July: Diamond League Eugene
● 10 July: Diamond League Monaco
● 18 July: Diamond League London
● 25-26 July: National championships window II

● 11-13 Sep.: World Athletics Ultimate Championships

USATF has not announced the date or place of its 2026 national championships, but the early date is right in the middle of the Diamond League season, highly inconvenient for American stars trying to make some money on the circuit. The later window is easier.

But none of this figures in Grand Slam Track, which held meets from 4-6 April (Kingston), 2-4 May (Miramar) and 31 May and 1 June (Philadelphia) and planned for a 28-29 June meet at UCLA’s Drake Stadium that was not held. So it could get even more complicated. 

Interestingly, where the L.A. Grand Prix one-day meets in 2023 and 2024 sold about 2,600 tickets for the first year and just 2,200 for the second year, the canceled 2025 Grand Slam Track meet had sold – with still about three weeks to go – more than 5,000 tickets for each day!

That demonstrated that there is a market for track & field in Los Angeles, but one which was reached by Grand Slam Track and not USATF in its two prior meets in L.A. That will make the 2026 U.S. meet schedule all the more fascinating.

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PANORAMA: Caylor wins USA Gym women’s Worlds selection A-A; FIFA V.P. says only FIFA moves World Cup games; Russian skater Valieva returns!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Dulcy Caylor will lead the U.S. women at the FIG World Artistic Championships after winning the selection camp All-Around (Photo: USA Gymnastics).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Mediterranean Games 2026: Taranto ● The Rome daily Il Fatto Quotidiano (“The Daily Fact”) reports that a clash between the International Mediterranean Games Committee (CIJM) and the Taranto 2026 organizers has reached a boiling point and a meeting will be held on 8 October in Rome to try to find the way forward.

The story says that while CIGM has sponsors which are service providers for the events – such as the timing service MicroPlus and broadcaster EuroVision – who are required to be used by the organizing committee, the costs proposed are too high. Moreover, the Taranto 2026 Games are funded primarily by the Italian government, which prefers that the spending remain with Italian companies.

The CIJM is also highly concerned about delays in the organizing effort; the CIJM General Assembly will meet in Athens (GRE) on 28 November and could possibly decide on a postponement, cancellation or other measures.

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ● Part of the 2025 U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Assembly in Salt Lake City, Utah was the annual USOPC Awards Reception, held at Rice-Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah.

Among the recipients was longtime International Olympic Committee member Anita DeFrantz, who received the Olympic & Paralympic Torch Award for her impact on the Olympic and Paralympic movements.

Rings of Gold Awards for helping children through sport were long-time wrestling supporter Andy Barth and the BlazeSports America Youth Programs. The Jack Kelly Fair Play Award was presented to the 2022 U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team and the 2025 U.S. men’s National Ice Hockey Team.

● Anti-Doping ● The Court of Arbitration for Sport handed down four-year suspensions to four Georgian athletes, who had been cleared by a Georgian court of doping positives in 2023 for ostarine, a prohibited muscle-building drug. The athletes claimed that their drinking water had been spiked during training sessions at a sports camp.

The athletes are weightlifters Gurami Giorbelidze (23: 2024 European Junior 109 kg silver) and Revaz Davitadze (26: four-time Worlds medalist at 89 & 96 kg), and wrestlers Dato Piruzashvili (28: Freestyle 97 kg) and Nika Kentchadze (28: 2021 Worlds Freestyle 79 kg bronze).

The World Anti-Doping Agency appealed all four cases and won. The wrestling decisions noted:

“The CAS arbitrator carefully considered the alleged spiking scenario and found that the Tbilisi City Court Judgement lacked the factual investigation necessary to support the sabotage theory and was contradicted by scientific evidence. It is scientifically proven that ostarine is not soluble in water, which undermines the alleged method of administration. The Arbitrator concluded that the Athletes were unable to establish that the ADRVs were not intentional.”

All four are suspended as of 30 September.

● Boxing ● The World Boxing Congress, at which the next President of the organization will be elected, has been moved from New Delhi (IND), where it was to follow the World Boxing Cup finals, to Rome (ITA) on 23 November.

Boxing Federation of India President Ajay Singh said in the statement: “After positive discussions with our colleagues at World Boxing, we have mutually agreed to relocate the Congress to Italy. The decision was guided by logistical factors – such as travel-processing timelines – so that all delegates can participate smoothly.”

● Canoe-Kayak ● France (men) and the Czech Republic (women) won the ICF Slalom Worlds Canoe team events on Wednesday and repeated on Thursday with wins in the K-1 team finals!

The French men, with a completely different team from the C-1 final, won in 95.30, with Japan a very close second in 95.36. The Czech women, with one holdover from the C-1 winners (Gabriela Satkova), won in 103.22, with Germany at 106.48 (2 penalties) for silver. For Satkova, still just 23, it’s her fourth career Worlds Team gold!

The U.S. women’s team finished sixth (110.35/0); the U.S. men were 17th (108.92/6).

● Fencing ● Carolina Stutchbury, a 19-year-old British Foil fencer who was the 2025 European Championships silver winner, is transferring allegiance to the U.S.

Currently a sophomore at Columbia University, she said in a statement, “I have lived in the U.S. for much of my life and plan to remain here long term; the upcoming L.A. Games is a unique opportunity to realize my ambition to fence as part of a team in the Olympics.”

Interestingly, British Fencing chief executive Georgina Usher noted:

“We understand that, at this time, the USA provides senior athletes with a level of support and host-nation opportunities to compete at the next Olympic Games which are not currently available to GBR athletes … In the meantime, we wish Carolina success in achieving her goals and ambitions.”

● Figure Skating ● Russian skater Kamila Valieva, famously disqualified for doping from a positive test on 25 December 2021, before she won the 2022 European Championships and as a member of the Russian squad which won the Team event on the ice at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing (CHN), will come off of suspension on 26 December 2025.

Still just 19, she is allowed to practice formally as of 26 October 2025 and has announced that she will join Tatyana Navka‘s school in Svetlana Sokolovskaya‘s training group. She had previously worked with Eteri Tutberidze.

● Football ● FIFA Vice President and CONCACAF Victor Montagliani (CAN) said at a Leaders Week London 2025 session that FIFA – not U.S. President Donald Trump – is responsible for where FIFA World Cup 2026 games will be played.

“If I have to react every time a politician makes a statement, whether it’s a president, a senator, a congressman or even in my country and Mexico, then I wouldn’t be doing my job. We’re focused on the 16 venues and making sure they’re ready to go.

“He is the president, fair enough, and words are a little heavier when it’s a president, but from an operational perspective it wasn’t really taken into consideration.

“At the end of the day it’s FIFA’s tournament, FIFA makes those decisions. Even in the early days when we were deciding on the cities, it was our decisions based on the standards. If FIFA wanted to, for whatever reason, move a knockout game, it is ultimately their jurisdiction.”

Here’s what the U.S. Soccer Federation expects out of hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup:

“Hosting the World Cup next year is projected to drive a transformational spike in U.S. soccer fandom, with fandom expected to surge to over 154 million people, a 48% increase compared to pre-tournament levels. Participation follows a similar trend, growing from a baseline of 20 million in recent years to an estimated 29 million in 2026 and 34 million in 2031.”

The projection was part of an announcement of the “Soccer Forward Foundation,” the prime 2026 World Cup legacy project, designed to spread the accessibility and impact of the sport.

● Gymnastics ● Dulcy Caylor, 17, won the 30 September women’s All-Around at the USA Gymnastics selection camp at Crossville, Tennessee for the 2025 World Championships, scoring 55.250. She co-led on Floor and was second on Vault, third in the Uneven Bars and third on Beam.

She was followed by Leanne Wong (55.05), Joscelyn Roberson (54.90), and Ashlee Sullivan (54.25). Wong and Roberson were named to the U.S. Worlds team along with veteran Skye Blakely, with Sullivan and Jayla Hang as non-traveling alternates. Wong, Roberson and Blakely all have gold-medal-winning World Championships experience.

In the apparatus competition on Thursday, Wong had the highest average on Vault (14.40), Blakely was the clear winner on Uneven Bars (14.45) and Beam (14.05) and Sullivan was the only performer on Floor (13.55). U.S. Championships A-A winner Hezly Rivera is out due to injury.

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ATHLETICS: AIU worldwide ineligible list grows 39% (!) over nine months; Kenya and India both increase, but Russia’s list shortens

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ DOPING IN ATHLETICS ≡

The Athletics Integrity Unit published its 30 September list of doping violations during the month, with a heavy 34-name roster, including 12 from India and four from Russia, and three each from China, Kenya, and the U.S.

The “Global List of Ineligible Persons” was a lot longer, with a total of 669 persons listed and some familiar countries at the top of the list (includes athletes and support personnel):

● 142: Kenya
● 129: India
● 65: Russia
● 35: China
● 21: Turkey

● 20: South Africa
● 19: Italy
● 16: Ethiopia
● 16: Ukraine
● 15: United States

● 12: Kuwait
● 12: Morocco
● 11: Nigeria
● 10: France
● 9: Brazil

With three-quarters of the year now completed, this has not been a good year in terms of shrinking the number of doping ineligibles as the roster has increased DRAMATICALLY. Consider the current totals vs. the same list as of the end of 2024:

● 31 Dec. 2024: 481 listed from 75 national federations
● 30 Sep. 2025: 669 listed from 70 national federations

That’s 188 more or a 39.1% increase over nine months! The top five at the end of 2024 vs. the end of September:

● 119 vs. 142: Kenya = +23
● 108 vs. 128: India = +20
● 65 vs. 73: Russia = –8
● 26 vs. 35: China = +9
● 20 vs. 21: Turkey = +1

Kenya, India and China accounted for 52 more ineligibles, more than a quarter of the additions, but the Russian total has continued to come down.

Comparing to the year-end total for 2022, almost three years ago, and 2024, to now:

● Kenya: 54 for 2022 vs. 119 for 2024 vs. 142 at 30 Sep. 2025
● India: 65 for 2022 vs. 108 for 2024 vs. 128 at 30 Sep. 2025
● Russia: 92 for 2022 vs. 73 for 2024 vs. 65 at 30 Sep. 2025

This is dramatic: in three years, Kenya’s presence on the list of ineligibles has risen from 54 to 142 and for India, from 65 to 128! The reverse is true for Russia, down from 92 to 65.

The Kenyan government pledged more support for anti-doping in 2022, with a $5 million program for each of five years ($25 million) total, and AIU chief executive Brett Clothier (AUS) told the BBC in mid-2023:

“Everyone has to be prepared because there are going to be a lot more doping cases in Kenya in the next few months and years.

“I’m trying to tell everyone: ‘Don’t be surprised. Don’t be shocked’. This is what needs to happen to get this under control. It’s now or never.”

He looks like a prophet now, but the added funding also runs out in 2027. What then?

India is vying hard to be the host of the 2036 Olympic Games, but its doping record – noting that track & field is just one sport on the Olympic program – is a mark against it, as was shoddy organization of its last multi-sport hosting, the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

When does all of this turn around?

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SKIING: FIS environmental emissions reports underscore there is really only one key element: transportation

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ FIS EMISSIONS REPORTS ≡

The International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) governs Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Freestyle Skiing, Nordic Combined, Ski Jumping and Snowboard. The federation president, Johan Eliasch (GBR) is obsessed with environmental protection and conservation.

So, it was interesting to examine two reports offered by the FIS on Monday, for the FIS events worldwide and for the FIS organization itself.

For the FIS World Cup and World Championship events, the report showed an increase vs. 2023-24:

● 2023-24 season (177): 58,600.0 tons of CO2 emissions (5 categories)
● 2024-25 season (159): 63,547.9 tons of CO2 emissions (9 categories)
● Change: +4,947.9 tons, or 7.8%

FIS Sustainability Director Susanna Sieff (ITA) explains, however: “With the FIS CO2 Calculator, the accuracy of the data is now much more detailed. Therefore, the apparent increase in operational emissions for events observed in 2024/25 is due to this improved accuracy, not an actual rise in activities or environmental impact.”

Taking a closer look at the data, it’s clear that there is one overriding factor in the emissions total related to FIS events. That’s transportation:

2023-24 season:
● 177 events and 58,600.0 tons of CO2 emitted
● 88.9% from participant transportation
● 11.1% from everything else

2024-25 season:
● 159 events and 63,547.9 tons of CO2 emitted
● 62.5% from participant transportation
● 16.0% from stadium use
● 7.6% from energy use
● 13.9% from everything else

But if you look beyond the competition itself, spectator travel dwarfed everything else:

● 2023-24: 465,637.6 tons of CO2 emitted (World Cup)
● 2024-25: 421,846.3 tons of CO2 emitted (World Cup)
● 2024-25: 15,089.5 tons of CO2 emitted (World Championships)

So the question for FIS, whose prior President, Italian Gian Franco Kasper, used to say that the federation was in the ski tourism business, is what to do about spectators?

There are no answers for that yet.

There was also a study done on the FIS organization itself and its emissions:

● 2023: 2,161.7 tons of CO2 emitted
● 2023: 67.6% from transportation (all modes)

● 2024: 1,999.2 tons of CO2 emitted
● 2024: 91.6% from transportation (all modes)

A little lower in 2024, but wow. The main issue is clear and while FIS has worked assiduously to measure emissions, the question is now what to do about it.

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LANE ONE: New Senate bill offers new TV rights approach for football, basketball and Olympic sports, but it still falls short

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ “SAFE” ACT TO BE INTRODUCED ≡

The newest idea to bring some sanity to collegiate sports and try to maintain national participation in non-revenue Olympic sports such as swimming, track & field and wrestling was announced by Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) on Monday.

The Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement (SAFE) Act, co-sponsored with Democratic Senators Cory Booker (New Jersey) and Richard Blumenthal (Connecticut) would crucially amend the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961:

● “Allows colleges and universities to lawfully negotiate their media rights as a group to increase their value – just like the NFL, NBA and NHL are able to do, without violating antitrust laws. The bill accomplishes this by amending the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 to include college sports.”

● “The Act creates a Committee within the NCAA to help maximize revenue for all schools and conferences.

“It charges the Committee with determining fair distribution of media rights to ensure that schools can maintain scholarship and roster slots at 2023-2024 levels for women’s and Olympic sports. Each school shall receive more media rights revenue than they received in the 2024-2025 academic year.”

● “The Committee will represent Division 1 schools broadly and will not be controlled by the biggest conferences. Members of the Committee will be chosen by university presidents and include members across the college sports ecosystem. It will not be subject to NCAA’s weighted voting rules.”

The bill (which has not yet been posted on the Congressional legislative site), would also regulate media distribution of football, basketball and other sports:

● “The legislation requires, just like the NFL, that content be made available for each college athletic competition for football and basketball on a non-exclusive basis for not less than one local outlet” and that “[l]ocal content is not behind a pay wall.”

● For all other sports, the bill would require “broadcast networks, streaming media platforms, or other distributors who control streaming media rights to reconvey those rights back to schools if the entity does not use or materially underutilizes the streaming media rights,” with the idea to allow schools to stream all of their events.

The proposal also includes a raft of regulations for players and on name-image-likeness payments, including a 10-year scholarship guarantee, five years of post-playing career medical coverage, NIL contract requirements, a cap on agent fees at five percent, a “valid business purpose” for NIL deals, and leaves the House vs. NCAA revenue-sharing program in place.

Transfers without sitting out for a year are limited to a career total of two.

The bill is a Democrat attempt at regulating the ongoing collegiate sports turmoil, as the Republican-led H.R. 4312, the “Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements Act” (SCORE Act), has floundered. But with Republicans in control of the Senate as well as the House, the future of Cantwell’s program is questionable.

Observed: The SCORE Act in the House and this new bill coming in the Senate still do not bring true stability to football, basketball or other sports. Cantwell’s bill still has two immediate transfers, so a football player could go to Auburn as a freshman, Baylor as a sophomore and Clemson as a junior, but would have to stay there for a fourth year … or could sit out for a year and head to Oregon for a final, fifth year.

The other problem for the schools is that the terms of engagement with their own players is still not settled since there is no comprehensive contractual relationship with the players. At the end of the day, there will have to be some sort of agreement between players and teams via collective bargaining. The SCORE Act and the Cantwell bill still do not solve the problem.

There is also the underlying belief that television-video rights will continue to go up and by significant margins. In fact, the four large conferences already have long-term deals in place:

● 2029: Big 10 with CBS-NBC-FOX-Big 10 Network
● 2030: Big IX with ABC-ESPN-FOX
● 2033: SEC with ABC-ESPN
● 2035: ACC with ABC-ESPN

So where do the increases come from and when? For now, the assumption is that live sports is so valuable that the rights fees will continue to skyrocket. But as time goes by and the Boomer and Gen X cohorts age, the next-in-line, younger viewers are watching highlights, not whole games. Will collegiate sport go the way of late-night television talk shows, now money-losers for the legacy networks?

Quite possible. Since April 2024, the TSX solution is to treat college football as the professional, U-23 league that it is, form a true league structure governed as an independent business, with the intellectual property and football facilities at the schools licensed to the business entity for collective annual payments of more than $1 billion a year (maybe much more).

That money would then be used for support the other sports, with men’s and women’s basketball the next to break off. Each of these fully-professional leagues – no more student-athletes – would have standard, collectively-bargained agreements with a player organization, supported by dues.

Good for Cantwell for trying. But stop treating college football – at least – as a college sport. It isn’t any more.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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PANORAMA: Milan Olympic Village formally handed to organizing committee; Hill’s leg injury ends Lyles challenge; no UEFA ban on Israel

By
Rich Perelman
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The Milan Cortina 2026 slogan: "IT's your vibe!" (Photo: Milan Cortina 2026)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● The Milan Olympic Village, expected to house 1,700 athletes and officials in February, was formally handed over to the Milan Cortina organizing committee on Tuesday.

Now, the race is on to finish out the rooms and support service spaces for athletes and teams over the next four months, with the Olympic Winter Games to start on 6 February. The housing units are contained in six buildings of eight stories each, which will be converted to student housing afterwards, in time for the start of classes in September.

Actual construction was completed in June, about a month ahead of schedule.

● Transgender ● The massive, March 2024 suit against the NCAA, University of Georgia and other schools by ex-Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines and 15 other athlete plaintiffs on Title IX and equal protection grounds and asking for injunctive relief against transgender women competing in women’s sports was slimmed down last Friday by Judge Tiffany R. Johnson of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, in Atlanta.

Johnson noted that as the NCAA has now committed to following Executive Order 14201 issued in February, calling for transgender women not to be allowed to compete in the women’s division, the request for an injunction is now moot.

The request to ban transgender women from competing in women’s events in the state of Georgia is also moot, due to the “Riley Gaines Act” signed into law in April. The 14th Amendment equal-protection arguments were dismissed against the NCAA as it has been ruled not to be a “state actor” – a government – which is required for actions under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

However, the Title IX claims survived for now, as the suit promotes the idea that the NCAA – in a way – receives some Federal funding for research projects, and that, therefore, Title IX applies to it for the purpose of the suit. Johnson let that go for now. The parties will now collect information and seek documents to try and prove their view on the Title IX issue.

● Athletics ● Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill suffered a season-ending left leg injury early in the third quarter of Monday night’s 27-21 win over the New York Jets.

He tore multiple ligaments, including the anterior cruciate, and is out for the season and possibly the start of the 2026 season, and underwent surgery on Tuesday.

All of that essentially ends his sprint feud with 2023 World 100 m champ Noah Lyles of the U.S., who won his fourth straight Worlds 200 m gold (and a 100 bronze) in Tokyo earlier in September.

That should not take away from what Hill showed earlier in the year. Now 31, he hadn’t run a competitive 100 m since 2013 at Garden City Community College in Kansas, with a legal best of 10.23 (9.98w); he ran 10.19 in high school in 2012.

But in 2025, he ran in the heats of an all-comers sprint meet in Los Angeles on 13 June and won his heat in a lifetime best of 10.15. He then ran 10.10w (+2.7 m/s) at the ATX Sprint Classic in Georgetown, Texas on 28 June, finishing fourth in heat two.

Not bad at all. He wasn’t going to challenge Lyles, but a PR after 13 years? Impressive, but probably his last race.

● Canoe-Kayak ● At the ICF Slalom World Championships in Penrith (AUS), France won the men’s C-1 Team title, 99.97 to 100.76, with Slovenia a close third at 100.86.

The Czech Republic was a clear winner in the women’s C-1 Team event, at 109.57 and Germany a distant second at 112. 93. Britain was third in 115.61.

● Curling ● It’s not all camaraderie and beers on the world curling circuit, as Canadian star Brad Gushue explained, announcing in mid-September he will retire after the 2025-26 season.

Now 45, the 2006 Olympic men’s gold medalist, 2017 World Champion and a five-time Worlds medal winner, said on the “Inside Curling” podcast:

“A big part of it is I achieved a lot of the things that I want to achieve, and I think what I’ve found over the last year is a lot of the things that I didn’t like about being on the road and being away from family have now become, ‘I dislike them even more.’

“The winning and being on the road with the guys and playing the games, I still enjoy all that, but the other stuff is just starting to outweigh the good things. I think at that point, you probably need to look at moving on.”

He said he really knew his time was up last season, but only made the decision now. He’s looking forward to his next big thing … which he hasn’t decided on yet.

● Football ● Britain’s Sky News reported that no UEFA vote on excluding Israel from its competitions will be held in view of the peace plan promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:

“There is a belief among leaders in European football now that imposing sporting sanctions on Israel would not be the right move in the middle of peace talks.

“While some hoped for a UEFA executive committee vote on Israel, an emergency meeting is not understood to have been called.”

In FIFA World Cup qualifying, understood not to be under UEFA control, Israel has Group I matches on 11 October in Norway and 14 October in Italy, both of which will require extra security, as anti-Israel protests are expected.

● Sport Climbing ● How should a champion celebrate?

Japan’s Sorato Anraku, the Paris 2024 Olympic combined silver medalist, won his first IFSC Worlds gold in Bouldering on his final climb at the Seoul Worlds, rolling right to the top to win with 99.2 points. But after that?

“I don’t know what I’ll do to celebrate. I think I do nothing.”

He has time to learn; he’s still just 18.

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SPOTLIGHT: Seven-medal performances by Katie Kubiak, Leanne Smith lead U.S. Para Swim Team at Singapore Worlds

By
Karen Price
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Four-time World Para Swimming Championships gold medalist Katie Kubiak of the U.S. (Photo: Ralf Kuckuck/USOPC)

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Team USA’s 18 gold medals tied Italy for the most, while the Americans’ 35 total medals ranked second.

By Karen Price
Red Line Editorial

Katie Kubiak could think of only one way to describe her first experience at the Para swimming world championships.

“Honestly, it’s been such a dream,” she said.

The 22-year-old from Mequon, Wisconsin, was one of the breakout stars in Singapore, where Team USA capped off the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships with an impressive haul of 18 gold, six silver, and 11 bronze medals. That tied Italy for the most golds of the meet and ranked the Americans second overall in total podium finishes.

Kubiak was at the heart of the world title action. In her first major international meet, she stormed to four gold medals and smashed three world records.

“Every kid dreams of representing Team USA when they first get into whatever sport they choose to pursue, and that was definitely true for me,” she said. “To have the dream realized this way has been so special, and I definitely didn’t want to take the opportunity for granted in any way. I’ve been living in the moment as much as I can.”

Kubiak is still relatively new to Para competition, having made her national championships debut less than a year ago. But after Singapore, she’s no longer a rising star in the S4 class but a star, period. Her dominance was remarkable, winning world titles in the 200-meter freestyle, 50-meter freestyle, 50-meter backstroke and 100-meter freestyle, and setting world records in the 50 free, 50 back (twice) and 50-meter butterfly. She also won silver in the fly – an event she swam in the S5 classification – after pushing through one of the tightest fields of the week.

“I’m really proud of the 50 fly because I did swim that one up and it was a tough race, a tight race,” said Kubiak, who also won two bronze medals in relay events. “The 50 free was another tough field, really competitive, and all the women really pushed me to swim as fast as I did. And I have a soft spot for the 200 free; I love that one, so swimming that on the last night and finishing on that note was special.”

Kubiak’s brilliance was part of a team-wide surge.

Two-time Paralympian Leanne Smith matched Kubiak’s team-leading seven medals. The reigning Paralympic gold medalist in the 50-meter S4 and 100-meter freestyle S3 was the undisputed queen of the S3 class in the freestyle in Singapore with world titles in the 50, 100 and 200. She now holds 13 world titles.

Mallory Weggemann, who made her world championships debut in 2009, electrified the crowd with a sprint finish in the 50-meter freestyle S7, winning by just four one-hundredths of a second. It was her 17th world title and came just days after winning gold in the 200 IM at the world championships for the first time since 2010. With her husband and young daughter cheering her on from the stands, Weggemann has now won 21 world championships medals in 21 career races.

“I’ve said it all week,” she said, “there is so much pride in getting to represent Team USA still, to do it with my family in the stands and still be on this journey.”

Olivia Chambers was a breakout star of the 2023 world championships, winning six medals in six races. She won her first Paralympic title in the 400-meter freestyle S13 in Paris last year but came into Singapore lacking a world championship title.

No longer. Chambers not only won the 400 free but also added titles in the 100-meter freestyle S13, 100-meter breaststroke SB13 and 200-meter IM SM13.

She wasn’t the only star of the S13 classification, either. Two-time Paralympian Gia Pergolini won gold in the 50-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke, and Grace Nuhfer, making her world championships debut, delivered Team USA’s first medal of the meet – just as she did in Paris last summer – by winning her first world title in the 100-meter butterfly.

Morgan Stickney capped off Team USA’s gold rush in Singapore with dominant wins in the 100- and 400-meter freestyle S7 races. The 400 free is her signature event – she’s now a three-time world champion and a two-time Paralympic gold medalist – and she blew away the field, winning by an astonishing 20 seconds.

“There were so many moments that were so incredible,” Kubiak said of Team USA. “There was a lot of really strong swimming this week across the board, and it elevated all of us, pushed all of us, to want to be the best we could be in and out of the water. It helped us to have the success that we did.”

Karen Price is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has covered Olympic and Paralympic sports for various publications. She is a freelance contributor to USParaSwimming.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.

For more, please visit the USOPC Paralympic Educational Hub.

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LOS ANGELES 2028: Culver City embraces 2028 Olympic “New Zealand House” and fan zone project in 5-0 City Council vote

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ TEAM NEW ZEALAND TIE-IN ≡

At 11:05 p.m. Monday evening, the Culver City City Council voted 5-0 to go ahead with a Term Sheet and a follow-up contract with the New Zealand Olympic Committee for a “New Zealand House” and public fan zone in the city.

The meeting came three weeks after the City Council turned away the NZOC, represented in person by chief executive Nicki Nicol and marketing officer Jonny Errington, who had come across the Pacific to execute a non-binding “Term Sheet.”

But the situation was far different on Monday, with 20 of 22 public speakers vociferously in favor of the project, with only one against (one was off-topic). The Term Sheet presented Monday, again a non-binding document that is designed to lead to a long-form contract, described the planned program as:

● “A collaboration between the parties utilising the Culver City Town Plaza and Culver Steps to deliver a New Zealand House experience during LA28.”

● “The Event Concept will be focused on bringing athletes and supporters of the New Zealand Team together with the Culver City community in one unique location. The NZOC will lead and co-ordinate all programming and activation in the Town Plaza if other parties are interested in involvement e.g. Culver City High School Band.”

● “The Town Plaza and Culver Steps would remain open to the public as a free open-air event for the wider Culver City community, the public and friends of the New Zealand Team.”

Two large viewing screens, showing Olympic competitions would be set up by the NZOC at its expense, as well as a stage with the requisite sound and lighting support. Programming is projected from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and could include “include Maori cultural exhibitions (poi dancing, song, haka); local cultural and music events; medal celebrations with athletes and teams; interviews with athletes and coaches, sharing insights of their Olympic journeys.”

The City’s staff report noted that larger events already staged draw up to 3,000 people and so a 19-day NZOC program could draw 57,000 people into the fan zone. The much-more-limited New Zealand House at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games drew 20,000 for 70 events and 27 cultural performances, and much more interest is expected for 2028.

As to who does what:

● “NZOC would be the National Olympic Committee who would lead on activation within the Town Plaza. It is likely NZOC would invite and partner with Oceania NOCs if they had interest as part of the event, in some capacity to be involved. Any other NOC interested would require NZOC and CCC permission to be included in the content.”

● “NZOC and Culver City Cultural Affairs will partner on additional programming for Culver City cultural performances and activations at the Town Plaza.”

The Term Sheet notes that the project is conditioned on “NZOC securing complementary arrangements for accommodation to ensure NZOC can deliver a full New Zealand Team stakeholder experience.”

The NZOC plan is to spend about $1.4 million on the program, with Culver City’s costs now self-limited to $800,000, assuming $225,000 in new City revenues related to the project, $250,000 in fund-raising and advertising, $75,000 in city “Special Event” funding in fiscal year 2028-29, and $250,000 from the Culver City General Fund in fiscal year 2028-29. If the projected costs were to go beyond this, the NZOC and the City would work to reduce the overall size, scope and cost.

Culver City’s costs include $490,000 for police and fire support and $185,000 for fencing rentals and portable restrooms. The New Zealand project would reduce possible city spending of $452,000 if the city would mount its own fan zone at its own cost.

The spending cap and spending details were significant developments since the 8 September meeting. Moreover, the Culver Arts Foundation had agreed to act as the receiver of privately-raised funds, but during the meeting, committed to leading the fund-raising effort, which it believes can significantly exceed the budgeted target of $250,000.

Culver City Vice Mayor Freddy Puza summarized the Council feeling now:

“There is a lot of obvious excitement for the Olympics – a little skepticism – but mostly excitement and this project will be an exciting opportunity. As part of the sub-committee that brought this forward, I understand the concerns about the budget and we need to be mindful of that. …

“As I said at the last meeting, I think we’ll get even more sponsorships than we anticipate and it’s a great opportunity for local businesses and the community.”

NZOC chief executive Nicol was tuned into the meeting online, with many others, from Auckland – at 7 p.m. local time on Tuesday (!) – and offered thanks for the unanimous support to go forward:

“We do really appreciate the partnership and the rest of the decision that you’ve just made. I’d also like to thank the Council staff … I’d like to acknowledge the community support that we’ve seen here this evening, and also over the last few weeks. All the messages of support that we’ve received, to me personally and also through our office here at the New Zealand Olympic Committee.

“We’ve just been overwhelmed the excitement and the energy that we’ve seen tonight, but also heard over the last few weeks. … We really look forward to building a really deep relationship with the Culver City community over the next three years, and together, we know that we can create something really special. …

“Thank you for trusting us.”

This is the largest national “house” and fan zone project surfaced so far, with hospitality centers for Greece in Long Beach and Croatia in San Pedro also announced; other National Olympic Committees have already identified pre-Games training sites, such as The Netherlands in Mission Viejo and Great Britain at Stanford University.

There will be more to come, but Culver City’s early tie-in with New Zealand is sure to draw more attention to similar projects, or to also consider other possible options with Culver City.

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PANORAMA: National auditors say 2024 Games cost France €10 billion at most; Court of Arbitration chair Coates retires; U.S.’s Lenard takes over

By
Rich Perelman
-
Michael Lenard (USA), Acting President of the International Council of Arbitration for Sport (Photo: Marquette University).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The French Court of Auditors reported that the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games cost the national government €3.02 billion on staging and €3.63 on infrastructure costs for a total of €6.65 billion or about $7.80 billion U.S.

“The overall result is a success but with lessons to be learned,” adding that the total does not include €2.0 billion on security costs – €1.7 billion for the Games and €300 million for longer-term projects – and another €1.35 billion for “Games-related transport spending.” That’s €10 billion (~$11.73 billion U.S.) all in, according to the report.

Government receipts from taxes related to the Games totaled €293.6 million, but does not include future receipts from indirect and induced spending.

The report noted that the government construction agency Solideo delivered its 70 projects on time and within the €1.68 billion budget allocated.

In terms of overall impact on economic growth, the effect of the Games was “modest,” and “estimated, when indirect effects are taken into account, at + 0.07 points of GDP.”

The Paris 2024 organizing committee, now closed, criticized a similar report in June, noting significant amounts for long-term projects were attached by the auditors to the Games.

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● The LA28 organizers announced another Official Supporter-level (third tier) commercial partner in Massachusetts-based Highland Electric Fleets, to be the Official Electric School Bus Provider:

● “North America’s leading provider of Electrification-as-a-Service for school bus fleets, Highland Electric Fleets, will partner with LA28 to repurpose electric school buses from local districts to help transport the network of accredited stakeholders essential to the delivery of the LA28 Games.”

● “Highland will oversee the operation of its school bus fleet, coordinating daily logistics and charging, managing depot activity, and providing on-site technical support to keep services running smoothly throughout the event. This hands-on role will keep buses ready for a demanding schedule and support seamless service across venues.”

This 500-bus program will be used to support LA28’s transportation requirements for athletes, officials, news media and other Olympic and Paralympic stakeholders. It will not be part of the spectator or workforce transportation project, undertaken by the L.A. Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

School buses – without electrification – were widely used for athlete, competition official and media transit for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, using 838 school buses in all.

● International Olympic Committee ● IOC chief Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) attended the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week and gave interesting remarks at a U.N. forum on non-communicable diseases and mental health, underlining sport as a cost-effective solution for many. She explained that she knows this from personal experience:

“At a young age, I was diagnosed with asthma and my parents did not want to put me on to the number of drugs that had been recommended. We went to another doctor who suggested swimming.

“And it worked. It taught me how to control my breathing. It taught me how to grow my lung capacity. And I never had to go on the level of dosage that was previously recommended when I was two years old. So sport works.”

She went on to win seven Olympic medals in 2004 and 2008, including two golds in the women’s 200 m Backstroke.

● Court of Arbitration for Sport ● Australian attorney and administrator John Coates, 75, a leading figure in the development of the Court of Arbitration for Sport system, has stepped down as the President of the International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS) and the Court itself, “with immediate effect for health reasons.”

Coates has been receiving treatment for cancer, and after serving on the ICAS board since its formation in 1994 and as President from 2010 for four terms (re-elected in 2015-19-23), is no longer able to travel. So now:

“In accordance with ICAS Statutes (Article S6), Mr Michael Lenard, ICAS senior Vice-President, shall exercise the functions and responsibilities of the President until an election. The next presidential election is scheduled for May 2027, unless ICAS decides to hold one earlier.”

Lenard, who was a U.S. Olympian in Team Handball in 1984, has also been with ICAS since 1994 and has been the ICAS Vice President since 2010.

● Athletics ● Another talented Kenyan marathoner has been banned: Cornelius Kibet, who ran 2:04:54 for second at the Barcelona Marathon on 16 March, for five years for the presence of “Erythropoietin (‘EPO’) and methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta (‘CERA’)” from an out-of-competition test on 29 July 2025.

Kibet took both, not knowing they were prohibited, and acknowledged this in interviews with the AIU. Because he took multiple substances, he was hit with “aggravated circumstances” and a six-year ban, reduced by one year for his admission of the violations.

● Biathlon ● US Biathlon unveiled a new logo, created in conjunction with Colorado-based design and branding agency Walden Hyde. It incorporates the key elements of the sport, including red skis and a silhouette of a .22-caliber rifle:

● Canoe-Kayak ● At the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships in Penrith (AUS), Spain’s David Llorente scored an upset win in the men’s Kayak Cross final in 55.21, ahead of Paris silver medalist Joe Clarke (GBR: 56.33), Czech Jakub Krejci was third in 56.89.

Swiss Alena Marx, the 2024 European champ, won the women’s Kayak Cross individual title in 62.09, ahead of Ajda Novak (SLO: 63.07) and Brazil’s 2018 World Champion Ana Satila (63.23). Olympic champ Noemie Fox (AUS) was fifth in 63.35; Evy Leibfarth, the 2021 Worlds bronze winner in this event, was the top American, in 11th (64.23).

● Football ● The Israeli news site Ynet reported that the UEFA Executive Committee will not hold a meeting this week on Israel’s continued place in European competition, meaning Israeli teams will continue to play.

A report in The Times (London) earlier indicated that a vote would be taken to exclude Israel this week.

● Rowing ● The World Rowing Congress unanimously re-elected Jean-Christophe Rolland (FRA) for a fourth terms as President on Monday, in Shanghai (CHN). He ran unopposed and received all 115 votes.

The Congress agreed to stage the 2028 World Rowing senior, U-23 and U-19 championships in Sarasota, Florida, to take place a few weeks after the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Sarasota previously hosted the Worlds in 2017.

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ATHLETICS: Court of Arbitration for Sport doping decision against Erriyon Knighton focuses on steroids used to fatten cattle

By
Rich Perelman
-
Erriyon Knighton at the 2023 Diamond League meet in Oslo (Photo: Thomas Windestam for Diamond League AG)

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≡ KNIGHTON DOPING BAN ≡

“[A]lthough the oxtail contamination scenario brought forward by the Athlete to explain the AAF [doping positive] is not, per se, scientifically impossible, the Panel finds that one of the main premises of this hypothesised scenario, i.e. that the ingested oxtail contained enough trenbolone residues to have caused that AAF, does not, in light of the factual evidence submitted in the present matter, seem plausible and certainly not more likely than not.”

That was the key finding in the 36-page Court of Arbitration for Sport opinion published on Friday (26th), agreeing with the appeal by the Athletics Integrity Unit and the World Anti-Doping Agency and imposing a four-year ban on 21-year-old U.S. sprint star Erriyon Knighton, a two-time World Championships medalist at 200 m and a two-time Olympian.

Knighton returned a positive for epitrenbolone, related to the steroid trenbolone, which is prohibited under the World Anti-Doping Code, from an out-of-competition test on 26 March 2024. Knighton believed the doping positive was the result of eating meat – oxtail – on 22-23 March at a Brandon, Florida restaurant, the Moreno Bakery.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency pursued a suspension, but Knighton was cleared by an independent arbitrator on 19 June 2024, deeming he bore “no fault or negligence” for the doping positive, caused by consumption of contaminated meat. Thus, Knighton was able to compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials, where he made the U.S. team and finished fourth at Paris 2024.

The AIU and WADA appealed the no-fault ruling, and sought a four-year suspension. Its case was essentially:

● “This meat contamination scenario put forward by the Athlete cannot explain the concentration of trenbolone found in the Athlete’s sample. The concentration found in the meat analysed by USADA is 0.1 ng/g, i.e. a concentration within the legal frameset applicable in the USA. Such concentration is far too low to cause the AAF.”

● “Indeed, according to [WADA expert witness] Prof. Christiane Ayotte, the meat contamination scenario is statistically impossible as the concentration of trenbolone in the Athlete’s Sample exceeded the concentration that was present – if any – in the oxtail dish consumed three to four days prior to the collection of that Sample.”

● “Further, a report and a study by [WADA witness] Prof. Brad Johnson establishes that it is highly unlikely that the Athlete consumed meat contaminated with a concentration of trenbolone required to cause the AAF. There is no evidence that meat could be contaminated to such a level to make the contamination scenario put forward by the Athlete work.”

Knighton’s defense pointed to multiple facts in his favor, not only as to the contamination of the meat he ate, but also the unintentional nature of the circumstances:

● “[B]y objectively establishing that (i) he consumed oxtail from Moreno Bakery; (ii) Moreno Bakery’s oxtail was sourced by [provisions company] Sukarne; and (iii) Sukarne produces oxtail that contains detectable levels of trenbolone residue and sells this contaminated oxtail to Moreno Bakery, the Athlete has brought forward more objective evidence that contaminated meat was the source of his AAF than any athlete in any published no-fault meat contamination case.

“This case is very similar to CAS 2019/A/6313 and it is worth noting that the Appellants have not cited a case where (i) the athlete adduced concrete evidence to establish that he ingested meat; (ii) the athlete identified the source of the meat; (iii) a sample of the same cut of meat from the same producer (different shipment) was analysed for residue; and (iv) the sample tested positive for the anabolic agent identified in the athlete’s positive test.”

● “Regardless of how much the Appellants argue about the concentration estimates for the urine sample and the Oxtail samples tested by USADA, the undisputed fact is that there is no reliable concentration measurement of trenbolone in either. Anti-doping agencies cannot routinely perform qualitative tests that fail to provide accurate concentration level measurements and then attempt to disprove an athlete’s explanation based on such inaccurate tests.”

● “[T]he evidence indicates the plausibility of the Moreno Bakery oxtail from Sukarne consumed by Mr. Knighton being contaminated with trenbolone at levels higher than the USDA’s maximum residue limit of 2 ng/g.”

As to the unintentional nature of the incident, which would reduce Knighton’s maximum punishment to two years and not four, Knighton’s counsel argued:

“If the Panel were to find that the Respondent failed to establish the source of the trenbolone, he would still be able to establish, on a balance of probability, that the ADRV was not intentional. Indeed, according to the legal literature and CAS jurisprudence, the source of the prohibited substance does not have to be established in order to establish lack of intent.”

However, the three-member arbitration panel didn’t buy Knighton’s arguments:

● “[T]here is no evidence before the Panel that would support the conclusion or the inference that oxtail from cattle imported by Sukarne (or any other big producer) into the USA would be likely to contain trenbolone residues at the level required to have caused the Athlete’s AAF.”

● “[T]here is no evidence showing that the levels of residues of trenbolone or trenbolone acetate necessary for causing an AAF at the levels detected has, ever since the allowed maximal residue levels have been reduced to 2.0 ng/g in the USA, been found in a meat sample tested and analysed in the USA, Canada or even anywhere else.”

● “[A] reasonable estimation of the ingested dose to cause the AAF (estimated at 1,1 ng/mL after 72 hours) would be approximately 0.01 mg to 3 mg. For such a dose to have come from the oxtail dish bought at Moreno Bakery, and assuming that the Athlete ate most of the 2 pounds of oxtail contained in that dish, the oxtail should have, according to the Athlete’s expert Prof. [Pascal] Kintz, contained around 20 ng/g of trenbolone.

“According to the expert report of Prof. James T. Dalton, submitted by the Appellants, and which, in the Panel’s view, may also be considered as containing assumptions favourable to the Athlete, that oxtail dish would have had to contain approximately 38 ng/g of trenbolone.”

The panel further dismissed Knighton’s evidence of unintentional ingestion of a prohibited substance:

“In the present case, there were two negative anti-doping tests in proximity to the positive test date, from 1 March 2024 and 14 April 2024. These tests exclude that the Athlete applied – what his expert Prof. Kintz described as – a normal doping cycle, i.e. a daily intake of trenbolone over a period of 6, 8 or 10 weeks.

“However, accepting this conclusion, nothing else may be reasonably inferred from these two negative tests as they do not exclude the possibility of a voluntary ingestion of, for example, a single dose of 100 mg of trenbolone on 10 March 2024, as suggested in the report of Prof. Dalton, or repetitive microdosing.”

Thus, the panel imposed a four-year ban on Knighton:

“In light of all the above considerations, the Panel concludes that the Athlete, on the balance of probabilities, has not been able to rebut the presumption according to which his ADRV [doping violation] was intentional. The Panel emphasizes that this does not mean that the Panel is convinced that the Athlete intentionally ingested (or injected) trenbolone, but that the Athlete failed to establish, according to the relevant standard of proof, that his ADRV was not intentional.”

Barring a miracle appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, Knighton will miss the 2027 World Athletics Championships, 2028 Olympic Games and likely the 2029 World Championships as his suspension will end on approximately 5 September 2029.

He received strict treatment from the Court of Arbitration for Sport panel; the only positive out of the entire process is that he will still be just 25 when he regains eligibility.

The decision is also a warning to all athletes that however careful you are about doping, you are never careful enough.

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PANORAMA: IPC re-elects Parsons and reinstates Russia and Belarus; Pogacar dominated cycling World Road Champs; U.S. gets World Rowing gold!

By
Rich Perelman
-
The International Paralympic Congress at work in Seoul (KOR) (Photo: IPC).

★ 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 2024: Paris ● The unique, all-electric Olympic “cauldron” from the 2024 Paris Games drew more than 2.5 million visitors during its 86-day showing at the Tuileries Gardens from 21 June to 14 September, with a high of more than 60,000 on 26 July, exactly a year after the opening of the 2024 Games.

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt signed a memorandum of understanding on Friday, on the sidelines of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Fall Leadership Meeting, expressing a commitment “to hosting an inclusive Games.

“They will work to ensure that their cities share expertise in expanding economic opportunities for small businesses, women, minorities, veterans, and others. The mayors will also share best practices in promoting accessibility, health and wellness, youth sports, human rights, sustainability, small and local business success, and more.”

Oklahoma City will host slalom canoeing and softball in existing facilities in 2028.

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● The first six of 10,001 torchbearers for the Winter Olympic torch relay were named by the Milan Cortina organizing committee on Friday:

● Singer-songwriter Achille Lauro;
● Retired women’s tennis star Flavia Pennetta;
● Motorcycle World Champion Francesco Bagnaia;
● Father Franco Antonello and his autistic son Andrea Antonello;
● Dario Pivirotto, who carried the flame for the 1956 and 2006 Winter Games in Italy;
● Chef Lucia Tellone of Abruzzo.

The Olympic Flame will be lit at Olympia on 26 November 2025 and will arrive in Italy – in Rome – on 4 December. The relay will begin on 6 December, cover 63 days, 12,000 km (7.456 miles) and pass through 60 cities. The opening ceremony in Milan is on 6 February 2026.

● Pan American Games 2031 ● The race for the 2031 Pan American Games is coming down to the wire, with site visits to candidates Asuncion (PAR) and Rio-Nitroi (BRA) underway from 28 September to 3 October.

The vote will be on 10 October at the Panam Sports Extraordinary General Assembly in Santiago (CHI).

● International Paralympic Committee ● The IPC Congress in Seoul (KOR) reinstated the National Paralympic Committees of Russia and Belarus to full status.

A vote to fully suspend Russia – which has been partially suspended since 2022 – failed by 111-55 with 11 abstaining, and then a vote to continue the partial suspension failed by 91-77 with eight abstentions. A vote to fully suspend Belarus failed by 119-48 with nine abstentions and then a vote to continue the partial suspension of Belarus failed by 103-63 with 10 abstentions.

Ukraine’s Sports Minister Matviy Bidnyi told Agence France Presse, “We call on our European partners, who will host the upcoming Winter Paralympic Games, not to allow the flag of the aggressor state to be raised over the free and democratic space while the war of aggression continues.”

President Andrew Parsons (BRA) won a third and final term easily, winning re-election over Hyun-bae Dong (KOR) by 109-68. The IPC also admitted national committees from Bolivia and South Sudan, bringing its national federation total to 185.

Elections for the members-at-large on the IPC Board were not completed and will be taken up at a special session, to be arranged. American Paralympic star Brad Snyder is a candidate for an at-large position on the IPC Board.

● Bobsled & Skeleton ● U.S. Bobsled pilot Geoff Gadbois, whose Two-Man sled placed 12th in the 2025 World Championships and 18th in the Four-Man, has set up a GoFundMe page to try and raise $120,000:

“The United States Olympic Team does not receive government funding. Athletes rely heavily on sponsorships, federations, and secondhand jobs to fund their Olympic journey. The US Men’s Bobsled team is currently lacking funding to send the full World Cup team on tour this season. This lack of funding severely jeopardizes our ability to qualify a full Men’s Team at the Milan/Cortina Olympics. The Men’s Team now has to self-fund $120k in order to bring their 3rd men’s team and compete on the World Cup. Our team is more than capable of qualifying a 3 mens sleds and medaling at the Olympics this winter. We need your financial support to achieve our goals for USA.”

USA Bobsled & Skeleton is funding two men’s sleds for IBSF World Cup competitions, but not Gadbois’ third sled.

U.S. sledder Manteo Mitchell, now 38, who won a London 2012 Olympic men’s 4×400 m silver from the prelims despite breaking his left leg during his race, and then turned to bobsledding, has been suspended by an independent arbitrator for two years for an unintentional doping positive for the steroids oxymetholone and/or methasterone.

The result came from an out-of-competition test on 2 February 2025 and his suspension runs from 3 March 2025, eliminating him from contention for the U.S. team for the 2026 Winter Games.

● Gymnastics ● Indonesia’s Naufal Takdir Al Bari, 19, died in Russia from a fall off of the horizontal bar during training, injuring his neck while landing in the foam floor pit. He was training in Penza, 388 miles southeast of Moscow, and spent 12 days in intensive care, but died from his injuries.

He was slated to participate in the World Artistic Championships in October, in Jakarta (INA).

Olympic alternate Hezly Rivera, the 2025 USA Gymnastics national All-Around champion and 10th-place finisher Claire Pease, in her first senior nationals, are both out of the U.S. World Championships selection camp in Crossville, Tennessee on 30 September and 1 October.

Rivera wrote on Instagram: “I wanted to share personally that I recently rolled my ankle. After talking it through with my doctor and coaches, I’ve decided the best thing right now is to sit out of the Worlds Selection Camp. I’m definitely bummed about the timing, but I’m excited to cheer on my teammates and Team USA from home.”

Pease suffered the same injury, writing on her Instagram page, “While this is the absolute worst timing, my family, coaches and I decided it’s best to heal and come back for next season.”

● Swimming ● The 22nd annual USA Swimming Golden Goggles awards program and fund-raiser in Denver, Colorado, saw distance Freestyle superstar Katie Ledecky honored with her 10th “Female Athlete of the Year” award, after winning two more golds at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.

Luca Urlando, the men’s 200 m Butterfly World Champion, won the men’s athletes of the year trophy and Ivan Puskovitch took the Open Water swimmer of the year award.

Todd Desorbo, the University of Virginia coach, won coach of the year honors for the second straight year.

● Volleyball ● The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Board of Administration selected the U.S. and Canada as the co-hosts for the 2027 FIVB Women’s World Championship, the first time the event will be in either country.

The final will be at the 2028 Olympic venue: the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Four other cities in the U.S. and Canada will host pool play and the round-of-16 playoffs.

The 2029 Men’s Worlds was awarded to Doha (QAT) and the women’s to the Philippines.

≡ RESULTS ≡

● Badminton ● Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, a three-time World Champion, disappointed the home crowd in Suwon-si (KOR) with a win at the BWF World Tour Korea Open over Korea’s Olympic women’s champion, Se Young An.

Yamaguchi swept the final by 21-18, 21-13 for a modest upset win over the top-seeded An. The top men’s seed, Denmark’s four-time Worlds medalist Anders Antonsen, was also upset, by Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie, 21-10, 15-21, 21-17.

The home crowd did cheer Korean wins in the men’s and women’s Doubles, while China won in Mixed Doubles.

● Beach Volleyball ● The all-Brazilian women’s final at the Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 in Rio de Janeiro (BRA) came down to a third set as new stars Thamela Galil and Victoria Tosta battled Carol Solberg and Rebecca Silva. Thamela and Victoria took the first set by 21-18, then lost the second by the same score. In the final set, Carol and Rebecca managed a 15-11 win for the match, their second Elite 16 win of the season and third medal.

Coming off of a silver-medal performance the week before, Americans Terese Cannon and Megan Kraft defeated last week’s winners, Molly Shaw and Kelly Cheng (USA), in the women’s bronze-medal match, 21-13, 24-22. It’s the third medal of the season for Cannon and Kraft (0-2-1).

The men’s final saw Qatar stars Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, the Tokyo 2020 bronze winners, slide past Jorge Alayo and Noslen Diaz (CUB), 21-14, 17-21, 18-16.

In the men’s third-place match, Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot (NED) defeated Martins Plavins and Kristians Fokerots (LAT), 17-21, 21-17, 15-11.

● Curling ● At the Grand Slam of Curling Masters in London, Ontario, defending men’s champion Ross Whyte (SCO) and his rink made it to the final, but it was Matt Dunstone (CAN) that managed a 6-4 win, scoring two points in the extra (9th) end. It’s Dunstone’s second Masters title, also in the 2019-20 season.

The women’s final pitted four-time World Champion Silvana Tirinzoni (SUI) against three-time Worlds winner Rachel Homan (CAN). Tirinzoni was up, 3-2, after four ends, but two points each in the fifth and sixth ends gave Homan a 6-3 lead and while the Swiss got one back in the seventh, Homan claimed a 6-4 win and her fifth Masters title in nine finals.

● Cycling ● Defending champion Tadej Pogacar (SLO) once again showed he is the best cyclist in the world at the UCI World Road Championships in Kigali (RWA), defending his 2024 Worlds gold with a sensational win by almost a minute and a half.

The hilly, 267.5 km course had Mt. Kigali in the middle of the race and Pogacar attack hard on the incline, with 100 km remaining. He broke up the peloton and sped away and prime challenger, 2022 World Champion Remco Evenepoel (BEL), had bike trouble with 76 km and had to swap to a new one.

He finally caught up to the chase pack with 64 km to go and pushed immediately, closing with Tom Pidcock (GBR), Ben Healy (IRL), and Dane Matthias Sjkelmose to within a minute of Pogacar with 45 km left.

But they could not get closer and even with a final attack by Evenepoel with 20 km left, Pogacar rode home with a win in 6:21:20, with Evenepoel at +1:28, then Healy (+2:16), and Sjkelmose (+2:53). Pidcock was 10th; the top American was Kevin Vermaerke at +10:16.

It’s the eighth win of the year for Pogacar, including the Tour de France and Monument races at the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. He’s slated to race the final Monument of 2025 – Il Lombardia – on 11 October.

In seven UCI Women’s World Tour one-day races in 2025. Canada’s Magdeleine Vallieras had a best finish of 14th at La Fleche Wallonne Feminine in Belgium in April. She was seventh at the Canadian national championships road race in June.

On Saturday, she attacked with 2.3 km to go and raced away to become a shock World Champion! She finished the hilly 164.6 km route in 4:34:48, 23 seconds ahead of Niamh Fisher-Black (NZL) and 27 seconds ahead of Mavi Garcia (ESP). American star Chloe Dygert was 17th at +1:54.

● Gymnastics ● Turkey’s Parallel Bars star Ferhat Arican claimed two wins at the FIG Artistic World Challenge Cup in Szombathely (HUN), the final event of the Cup season.

Now 32, he won the first-day Pommel Horse final at 14.000, then came back to win on the Parallel Bars – he was the Tokyo Olympic bronzer – at 14.250. Turkey got a third win from Mehmet Kosak on the Rings at 13.900.

Kazakhstan claimed two wins, from Dmitriy Patanin on Floor (13.900) and 2023 Worlds bronzer Milad Karimi on the Horizontal Bar at 14.750. The Vault went to Cyprus’ Neofytos Kyriakou, at 13.850.

The four women’s events had four different winners: Charlize Moerz (AUT: 13.625) on Vault, Zoja Szekely (HUN: 13.650) on the Uneven Bars, Flavia Saraiva (BRA: 13.800) on Beam, and Denisa Golgota (ROU: 12.750) on Floor.

At the FIG Trampoline World Cup in Varna (BUL), two-time World Champion Hikaru Mori (JPN) prevailed in the women’s final, scoring 56.60, while Russian “neutral” Dmitriy Nartov won the men’s final at 61.58. Americans Ruben Padilla (60.09) and Ryan MacCagnan (60.06) finished 3-4.

In the Synchro events, Mori and Saki Tanaka won at 50.330, with Maia Amano and Cheyenne Webster (USA: 44.510) in sixth. Yusei Matsumoto and Hayato Miyano (JPN: 54.730) won the men’s gold, with MacCagnan and Padilla third (52.140).

● Judo ● Japan dominated the IJF World Tour Qingdao Grand Prix in China, taking five wins and eight medals overall, with victories from Hayato Kondo (men: 60 kg), Yudai Tanaka (men: 73 kg) and Yoshito Hojo (men: 81 kg) and women’s titles from Rin Takeuchi at 52 kg and Momo Tamaoki at 57 kg.

● Rowing ● The U.S. scored an important win at the World Rowing Championships in Shanghai (CHN), with the women taking the Fours title as Camille Vandermeer, Azja Czajkowski, Teal Cohen and Kaitlin Knifton won in 6:27.71, comfortably head of Romania (6:28.44) and New Zealand (6:31.11).

It was the first U.S. gold in an Olympic-event final since American women’s boats won the Fours and Eights back in 2018! It was the second U.S. Olympic-event medal of the Worlds, after a bronze in Pairs earlier.

The Netherlands dominated the other women’s racing, taking the Double Sculls with Roos de Jong and Benthe Boonstra), the Quadruple Sculls, and the Eights, beating Olympic champs Romania. The Romanians already had a win in the Pairs from Maria Rusu and Simona Radis. Ireland’s Fiona Murtagh won the women’s Single Sculls for her first Worlds medal, in 7:12.27, edging Lauren Henry (GBR: 7:12.30).

The Dutch won the men’s Eights in 5:27.67, with the U.S. squad in third (5:30.09). Britain won in Fours, and New Zealand in Pairs. Greek Stefanos Ntouskos won the Single Sculls in 6:36.75, beating Olympic winner Oliver Zeidler (GER: 6:37.17). Poland won the Double Sculls and Italy took the Quadruple Sculls.

● Rugby ● Homestanding England, the top seed, won the World Rugby Women’s World Cup at Twickenham Stadium in London, crushing Canada, 33-13, in the final on Saturday. New Zealand won the bronze over France, 42-26.

The English women breezed through the group stage at 3-0 and 208-17 on the scoreboard, then won their playoff matches by 40-8, 35-17 over France and then 33-13 in the final. It’s the third World Cup win for England, previously in 1994 and 2014. Amazingly, it came in England’s seventh straight World Cup final, with a 1-5 record in the prior six. In the 10 editions of the tournament, England has been in every final except one!

Attendance for the 32 matches was 441, 356 for an average of 13,792.

● Sport Climbing ● The biggest star in climbing remains Slovenia’s Janja Garnbret at the IFSC World Championships in Seoul (KOR), as she sailed to wins in both the Lead and Boulder events.

In Lead, Garnbret reached the top in her final, ahead of Slovenian teammate Rosa Rekar (45), then Chae-hyun Seo (KOR: 44+) with Britain’s Erin McNeice in fourth (44) and Annie Sanders of the U.S. in fifth (42+). On Boulder, Garnbret was sensational in the final, scoring 99.5 points, way ahead of 2023 silver medalist Oriane Bertone (FRA: 85.0) and American Melina Costanza (59.8).

That’s four Worlds gold for Garnbret in Boulder and three in Lead.

The men’s Lead final was the first Worlds gold for home favorite Do-hyun Lee (KOR: 43+), ahead of Japan’s Satone Yoshida (43+), and teammate Taisei Homma (JPN: 42+). The men’s Boulder final had Paris 2024 combined silver medalist Soratu Anrako (JPN: 18 years old) an easy winner at 99.2, ahead of 2023 runner-up Mejdi Schalk (FRA: 84.5) and Korea’s 2023 Boulder third-placer Lee at 84.2.

● Triathlon ● Swiss Max Studer produced an unexpected win at the World Triathlon Championship Series in Weihai (CHN), taking control early on the 10 km run and winning by 20 seconds. German Henry Graf was second, following up on his win at Karlovy Vary (CE).

Britain’s 2023 World Champion Beth Potter (GBR) ran away with the women’s race on the run segment and won by more than 40 seconds over German Lisa Tertsch and Tanja Neubert (GER). Times were not available as the results reporting was in error.

● Volleyball ● Italy defended in 2022 FIVB men’s World Championship, this time in Pasay (PHI) by defeating upset-minded Bulgaria, 25-21, 25-17, 17-25, 25-10, on Sunday.

Ranked no. 5 coming in, the Italians were 2-1 in group play – losing to Belgium – then swept Argentina (3-0) in the round-of-16, swept Belgium in the quarters, swept no. 1 Poland in the semis and finished off with a 3-1 win in the final!

The Bulgarians, after their comeback from 0-2 down against the U.S., dispatched the Czech Republic by 3-1 to get to the final and win their first medal since 2006.

By winning, Italy continued a streak of multi-title winners, with victories at the 2022 and 2025 Worlds. They were preceded by two straight wins for Poland (2014-18), three straight by Brazil (2002-06-10) and three straight by Italy in 1990-94-98. The U.S. won in 1986, following two straight wins for the USSR in 1978 and 1982.

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FOOTBALL: Trump says he’ll move 2026 FIFA World Cup game cities in U.S., “If I think it isn’t safe”

By
Rich Perelman
-
U.S. President Donald Trump during his 26 September 2025 Oval Office news conference (Image: YouTube screen shot).

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

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≡ FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 ≡

FIFA is getting ready to start selling 2026 World Cup tickets in 16 host cities on Wednesday, 1 October, with more than 4.5 million people registered for a place in line for online sales.

But on Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump, who has a close relationship with FIFA chief Gianni Infantino (SUI) offering a stunning reply during an Oval Office news conference question about safety and the World Cup:

“You have a number of cities that are pushing back against your immigration-deportation move as well as your crime initiatives. Some of those cities have World Cup games – Seattle, San Francisco – could those games move if they don’t cooperate with your crime initiatives?”

Trump’s reply was, as is often the case, more of a sweeping commentary that also included a direct answer:

“We’re going to make sure they’re safe. They are run by radical left lunatics that don’t know what they’re doing.

“Look at Washington, D.C. I just got numbers, there’s like no crime in Washington, D.C. You, Jeff, will not be mugged walking down the street. You can walk down the street with your family, you can walk down the street with your wife, your daughter, your son, and you’re not going to be … we took out 1,700 career criminals that we’re not allowing back. And we have this city in great shape.

“You know, there was a time – not long ago – when every single week you would have at least one murder. And look what’s happening with Washington, it’s safe. I went to dinner in Washington, just to prove a point, I gave a press conference in the middle of the street. I wouldn’t say Secret Service was thrilled, but I did it and here I am.

“Look, Washington, D.C. is such a great example of what can be done. We did it in 12 days, we made it very safe in 12 days and now it’s mich safer than that. One other thing: I drove around Washington over the weekend and I said, look at the difference. The grass looked great, everything looked great. You know, we had our National Guard and we didn’t ask them to do it, they did it themselves. They’re proud. They’re great, and they were picking up paper, they were cleaning, the place looked really beautiful. So we have a great Washington, D.C. As you probably know, we’re going into Memphis, we’re going into some other cities, very soon we’re going into Chicago.

“It will be safe for the World Cup. If I think it isn’t safe, we’ll move it into a different city, absolutely. … It’s actually a very fair question. If I think it’s not safe, we’re going to move it out of that city.”

Trump then went on to talk about Illinois and specifically Chicago, but came back to:

“So no, if any city we think is going to be even a little bit dangerous for the World Cup or for the Olympics, you know, where they have Olympic overthrow, right? But for the World Cup, in particular, because they’re playing in so many cities, we won’t allow it to go to it. We’ll move it around a little bit. But I hope that’s not going to happen, yeah.”

Let’s start with this: there will be no World Cup matches in Chicago. But there are 11 stadia which will host 2026 World Cup matches in the U.S., six of which are not in the “name city,” but are in suburbs or close-by areas, where the security situation could be quite different. Further, of the “name city” locations, nine have Democratic mayors (* = mayoral election to be held in November):

Atlanta:
● 8 matches
● Mercedes-Benz Stadium
● Atlanta Mayor: Andre Dickens (D)

Boston:
● 7 matches
● Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts
● Foxborough Mayor: none (town manager)
● Boston Mayor: Michelle Wu (D)

Dallas:
● 8 matches
● AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
● Arlington Mayor: Jim Ross (D)
● Dallas Mayor: Eric Johnson (R)

Houston:
● 7 matches
● NRG Stadium
● Houston Mayor: John Whitmire (D)

Kansas City:
● 6 matches
● Arrowhead Stadium
● Kansas City Mayor: Quinton Lucas (D)

Los Angeles:
● 8 matches
● SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California
● Inglewood Mayor: James Butts, Jr. (I)
● Los Angeles Mayor: Karen Bass (D)

Miami:
● 7 matches
● Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida
● Miami Gardens Mayor: Rodney Harris (i)
● Miami Mayor: Francis Suarez (R)

New York/New Jersey:
● 8 matches
● MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
● East Rutherford Mayor: James Cassella (R)
● New York Mayor: Eric Adams (D)*

Philadelphia:
● 6 matches
● Lincoln Financial Field
● Philadelphia Mayor: Cherelle Parker (D)

San Francisco:
● 6 matches
● Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California
● Santa Clara Mayor: Lisa Gillmor (I)
● San Francisco Mayor: Daniel Lurie (D)

Seattle:
● 6 matches
● Lumen Field
● Seattle Mayor: Bruce Harrell (D)*

So Trump hardly will have cooperative local mayors in the major cities hosting World Cup matches next year. For the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, incumbent Karen Bass is running for re-election in 2026, and could be vulnerable.

Short of war or a natural disaster such as a major earthquake, moving any World Cup match after ticket sales have begun is a nightmare scenario for FIFA and any host community that would be affected, with lengthy, detailed contracts already in place and millions in prep costs already expended. Further, refusing Federal security support for the World Cup would be malpractice for any local mayor, regardless of party.

Thus, it’s not at all likely to happen. But Trump always leaves his opponents leery of any move he might make, which they are ready to oppose, regardless of what it is.

His expectation and therefore what is likely to happen, is that the 78 matches slated for U.S. venues will be played as scheduled.

But you never know.

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CYCLING: UCI Congress re-elects Lappartient as President, Trentino to host 2031 all-discipline Worlds and Durango gets 2030 Mountain Bike champs

By
Rich Perelman
-
Union Cycliste Internationale President David Lappartient (Photo: IOC video screen shot).

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

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≡ UCI CONGRESS ≡

A busy 194th Congress of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) re-elected French President David Lappartient to a third term on Thursday in Kigali (RWA) and showcased a highly successful 2024.

He ran unopposed and was elected by acclamation, and according to the UCI rules, can run for a fourth term in 2029 if the UCI Congress agrees to let him run in 2028, by a 75% majority. Said Lappartient:

“UCI Congress also saw the election of the members of the UCI Management Committee who will be key figures in the governance of cycling for the coming four years. I look forward to working with them for my third term as UCI President alongside the four UCI Vice-Presidents elected at the extraordinary session of the UCI Management Committee. Moreover, I sincerely thank the National Federations for putting their confidence in me with my election today through until 2029.”

The Congress also selected the hosts for 13 different World Championships into 2032, including:

● UCI World Championships 2031: Trentino province (ITA)

● UCI Mountain Bike World Championships 2029: Nove Mesto (CZE)
● UCI Mountain Bike World Championships 2030: Durango, Colorado (USA)

● UCI Track World Championships 2028: Asuncion (PAR)

This will be the fourth time for the Mountain Bike Worlds in the U.S. – all in Colorado – and second time for Durango. It hosted the very first Worlds in 1990, then Vail was the site in 1994 and 2001. The Purgatory Resort held the 1990 Worlds and will be the site again in 2030.

The UCI Annual Report for 2024 (previously published) was also approved, with strong finances (please note that CHF 1 = $1.25):

● CHF 70.080 million in operating revenue for 2024, compared to CHF 46.270 for 2023, thanks in part to CHF 24.756 million in IOC Paris Olympic television rights money (about $25.7 million U.S.).

● CHF 47.502 million in expenses, compared to CHF 51.277 million in 2023.

● CHF 25.908 million in surplus after some investment gains, vs. a loss of CHF 3.408 million for 2023.

It was a good year, and the UCI balance sheet has never looked better:

● Assets expanded to CHF 134.254 million, including CHF 38.716 million in cash.

● Consolidated reserves were at an all-time high at CHF 76.139 million, up from CHF 50.183 million at the end of 2023.

In terms of its competitions, the UCI gets most of its money from road racing. In 2024, competitions produced CHF 28.570 million in revenue, with road events accounting for CHF 14.576 million (51.0%), followed by Mountain Biking (CHF 4.980 million: 17.4%), then Track cycling at CHF 2.774 million (9.7%). BMX Freestyle contributed 5.4% and BMX Racing added 4.4%. There was 3.0% related to other items.

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PANORAMA: FIFA World Cup 2026 mascots unveiled; USA Volleyball bids for women’s Worlds; UEFA to consider Israel suspension?

By
Rich Perelman
-

★ 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 ≡

● Anti-Doping ● The World Anti-Doping Agency published its 2026 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods, which now notes “[t]he non-diagnostic use of carbon monoxide (CO) has been added to the Prohibited Methods.”

This has been an issue in cycling – used to optimize altitude training – and has been banned by the Union Cycliste Internationale since February 2025.

● Fencing ● The Federation Internationale de Escrime posted results of the Athletes Commission elections during the 2025 World Championships, with U.S. men’s Foil star Alexander Massialas one of the electees.

American Laura Decker was recognized as one of the “best referees” of the 2024-25 season, in the Sabre division.

● Figure Skating ● Women’s World Champion Alysia Liu of the U.S. wrote on Instagram on Wednesday:

“As many of you know, I recently debuted a new short program for the ‘25-‘26 season. However, in light of recent news, my team & I are confidently pursuing a different direction that aligns with my values & just my overall ethos. I’m eager to start brainstorming new ideas, & I want to ensure my creative process isn’t rushed. So, in the meantime, you may see some familiar programs. Thank you for your ongoing support!”

She had included “This is How it Feels” by singer D4vd (David Anthony Burke) and Icelandic artist Laufey in her short program, but is removing the music in view of an investigation into the death of then-14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez – who had gone missing in 2024 – found in the trunk of a Tesla sedan registered to D4vd, in an impound lot in the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles.

● Football ● A U.S. Department of State official told BBC Sport: “We will absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel’s national soccer team from the World Cup.”

The Associated Press reported that UEFA’s executive committee “is moving toward a vote to suspend” Israel, possibly next week, which if passed, would knock Israel’s national team out of World Cup qualifying.

Some European nations have been promoting a ban on Israel for its response to the 7 October 2023 massacre of civilians by Hamas, governing body of the Gaza Strip. Israel is in Group I in UEFA World Cup qualifying with nine points (3-2, three games left), with Norway at 15 and Italy also with nine. Only the group winner advances directly; others move into a series of play-offs.

Protests have regularly accompanied Israel’s qualifying games, with “home games” played in Hungary in view of the continuing conflict in Israel, with the next matches on 11 October in Oslo vs. Norway and 14 October in Udine vs. Italy.

FIFA introduced its mascots (pictured above) for the 2026 FIFA World Cup – “Maple the Moose” for Canada, “Zayu the Jaguar” for Mexico, and “Clutch the Bald Eagle” for the U.S. – designed to appeal to children.

● Rowing ● The first finals at the 2025 World Rowing Championships in Shanghai (CHN) included two Lightweight Double Sculls wins for the home team, but also four wins by four countries in the Olympic events.

In the men’s Quadruple Sculls, Italy’s 2024 Paris Olympic silver medalists moved up to gold in 5:48.08 over Great Britain (5:50.06) and Poland (5:51.34). The U.S. was fourth (5:55.61).

New Zealand’s Oliver Welch and Benjamin Taylor won in Paris in 6:37.87, their first Worlds wins, over Romania (6:42.85) and Switzerland (6:43.84).

Paris Olympic runner-ups Netherlands, with three new crew, took the women’s Quad Sculls in 6:32.92, over Olympic winner Great Britain (two of four back, 6:34.52), with Germany third (6:36.00).

In the women’s Pairs, Romania’s Maria Rusu and Tokyo Olympic Double Sculls winner Simona Radis won easily in 7:08.52, ahead of France (7:13.31) and the U.S. pair of Jessica Thoennes and Holly Drapp (7:13.93 for bronze).

The regatta continues through Sunday.

● Shooting ● Interesting pilot program from the International Shooting Sports Federation, offering media training for athletes via (1) an online course on 29 October and (2) an invitational, in-person program at the ISSF Rifle/Pistol World Championships in Cairo (EGY).

The online program will offer an introduction to media relations and “crafting your message,” while the Cairo event will focus on social media and branding.

This is an area where more education can be extremely helpful, especially for younger athletes emerging into public view as their careers progress. How many federations are doing this?

● Skiing ● With injury headlines in all disciplines continuing to pile up, the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) Council “emphasized the importance of establishing clear and consistent safety guidelines for all National Ski Associations” during its meeting on Wednesday in Switzerland.

Better safety equipment standards and safety protocol regulations are needed in all countries, the homologation of all training slopes (not just competition slopes) and increased safety awareness and education.

The 16 September death of 25-year-old Italian alpine skier Matteo Franzoso during a training session in La Parva (CHI) has been the latest shock, with three Italian skiers alone perishing in accidents over the last 12 months.

The Vermont-based Kelly Brush Foundation, which has worked since 2006 for better safety in skiing, has lobbied FIS for better safety standards, training hundreds of coaches and volunteers on best practices and supporting the use of more than 100 miles of safety netting, for more than 200 ski clubs across the United States. In a letter to the FIS, the Foundation wrote:

“We suggest that FIS thoroughly evaluate and audit the current training practices, procedures, and safety standards by establishing an audit committee before the upcoming ski season. This committee would examine current practices and prioritize educational initiatives, such as workshops and resources for coaches, athletes, and officials, to promote a culture of safety awareness.

“Importantly, protections and homologation procedures should extend beyond race courses to training venues, where athletes spend the majority of their time, ensuring comprehensive safety across all environments.”

FIS appears to be taking the first steps in that direction.

● Sport Climbing ● China’s Jianguo Long moved up from silver at the 2023 IFSC World Championships Speed final to gold in 2025, reaching the top of the 15 m wall in 4.80 seconds to defeat Leander Carmanns (GER: 4.99) in Seoul (KOR).

Zach Hammer of the U.S. won his first career Worlds medal, at 4.93 in the bronze final, just ahead of Iran’s 2018 World Champion Reza Alipour (4.94).

● Swimming ● The German Swimming Federation (DSV) posted a three-paragraph comment aimed at the Enhanced Games, not naming recent signee Marius Kusch (GER), but in obvious response. As translated on SwimSwam.com:

“The Enhanced Games are diametrically opposed to everything the sport stands for. They mock fairness, health, and the very raison d’être (reason or purpose for existence) of sport by not only tolerating doping but by presenting it as a supposedly autonomous option for self-optimization. The German Swimming Association condemns this in the strongest possible terms.

“For us, fairness, equal opportunities, and the clear rejection of any form of doping are unshakable fundamental values. Athletes – whether active or retired – have a special role model function.

“Anyone who consciously turns away from these values is saying goodbye to our sport of swimming. And: They are exposing themselves to serious health risks that can never be fully foreseen.”

● Volleyball ● Bulgaria came back from a two-set deficit and plowed past the U.S. at the FIVB men’s World Championship in the Philippines and will meet the Czech Republic in the semifinals.

In Pasay, the U.S. men won their first two sets by 25-21, 25-19, but then lost three straight sets by 17-25, 22-25 and 13-15. The Americans now have missed the medal round in seven of the last eight men’s Worlds, from 1998 on; Bulgaria moved into the semis for the first time since 2006, when it won bronze.

The Czechs defeated Iran, 3-1, in the other quarterfinal and will meet Bulgaria on Saturday. It’s the first time in the medal round for the Czechs since Czechoslovakia won gold in 1966!

The Sports Business Journal reported that USA Volleyball has partnered with Canada as a bidder for the 2027 FIVB Women’s World Championship, competing with Italy and Turkey.

The U.S. has never hosted before, with Italy hosting as recently as 2014; Turkey has not hosted this tournament. The North American bid offered 10 Canadian cities as possible sites with the U.S. offering 2028 Olympic site Anaheim, California, as well as Austin and Houston in Texas, Charlotte, North Carolina, Omaha, Nebraska, Orlando, Florida and Sacramento, California.

The decision is to be made in the coming days.

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PANORAMA: Dutch $1 million pre-LA28 deal done with Mission Viejo; ICC takes over USA Cricket; FIS goes for SRY-gene sex testing

By
Rich Perelman
-
Dutch women’s 400 m hurdles star Femke Bol will be prepping for the 2028 Olympic Games in Mission Viejo! (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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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● “Divers from Australia and France will join delegations from the Netherlands and Team USA to conduct their 2028 Pre-Games Training in the City of Mission Viejo as announced today by the Mission Viejo Nadadores Foundation (MVNF).”

That announcement came Wednesday, as the City of Mission Viejo voted 4-1 to approve a 19-page contract with the National Olympic Committee of the Netherlands (Nederlands Olympisch Comite) and the Netherlands Sports Federation to host the Dutch team for pre-Games training in 2028.

The Dutch have agreed to pay $1 million for facility usage, with payments increasing from $50,000 upon signing the agreement to $250,000 on 30 November 2027, with extra costs to be paid in 2028.

Training facilities for 20 Olympic sports and 11 Paralympic sports are promised – depending on which sports the Netherlands qualifies for – with pre-Olympic usage from 20 June to 10 July and pre-Paralympic usage from 20 July to 10 August. Committed facilities include high schools, community colleges, a golf course, swimming center and other sports facilities.

Although Mission Viejo – in Orange County, south of Los Angeles – has no Olympic or Paralympic competitions scheduled for 2028, it is in the forefront of working with National Olympic Committees to use its facilities prior to the Games. Culver City, which is in Los Angeles County, will discuss again the proposed plan to be the site of the national “house” and fan zone for New Zealand at its 29 September Council meeting.

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ● The annual USOPC General Assembly is underway in Salt Lake City, Utah, with meetings through Sunday.

The program for 2025 is concentrated on discussions, especially among the National Governing Bodies, on best practices and approaches to common issues. The Team USA Athletes’ Commission, and the U.S. Olympians & Paralympics Association will also have meetings.

No public events are scheduled.

● U.S. Center for SafeSport ● The Associated Press reported that the U.S. Center for SafeSport distributed a letter to athletes and sports organizations outlining changes based on discussions with stakeholders.

These are primarily better communications and better education about what the Center does, the processes involved and the “potential long duration of cases.”

The Center has been without a chief executive since Ju’Riese Colon was let go in April; a search is continuing.

● Enhanced Games ● Another swimmer, German Marius Kusch, has signed up with the doping-friendly Enhanced Games, to take place in Las Vegas in May 2026. He competed in the heats of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in the men’s 100 m Butterfly.

He won a 2022 Worlds Short-Course bronze in the men’s 100 m Fly. He is the seventh swimmer announced to join the program.

● Athletics ● The Boston Athletic Association announced that 24,362 have qualified for the 2026 Boston Marathon, out of 33,249 applicants. Per the statement:

“Qualifiers who were four minutes, thirty-four seconds (4:34) or faster than the qualifying time for their age group and gender have been accepted into the 130th Boston Marathon.”

The field will be completed with entrants running as part of charitable fund-raising programs. Of the accepted entrants now accepted, the field includes individuals from 120 countries, all 50 U.S. states, and 13,823 men, 10,429 women, and 110 non-binary athletes.

● Boxing ● World Boxing announced eight new members to take its federation total to 125: Kenya, Libya, North Macedonia, Nicaragua, Qatar, Senegal, Slovenia and Ukraine.

Formal approval must come from the World Boxing Congress, to meet in November.

● Cricket ● “The International Cricket Council (ICC), after a thorough review of affairs and extensive engagement with key stakeholders over the past year, today confirmed the suspension of ICC membership status of USA Cricket, with immediate effect.

“The decision, taken by the ICC Board during its meeting earlier, was based on USA Cricket’s repeated and continued breaches of its obligations as a ICC Member under the ICC’s Constitution. These include, but are not limited to, the failure to implement a functional governance structure, lack of progress toward achieving National Governing Body status with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), and significant actions that have caused reputational damage to cricket in the United States and around the world.”

The immediate effects of the Tuesday announcement:

● “The ICC Board has decided that USA’s national teams will retain their right to participate in ICC events, including preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games (LA28).”

● “The management and administration of USA national teams will temporarily be overseen by the ICC and/or its designated representatives to ensure continued support for the players and maintain momentum towards Olympic inclusion.”

This is a long-running governance dispute between USA Cricket and the ICC federation, but of special concern now as cricket is now included on the program of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Conflict-of-interest questions concerning USA Cricket board members and the USOPC has been in favor of a revamp of the board, but without success.

● Football ● The Argentine football site Ole reported that FIFA is likely to agree to a one-time-only further expansion of the FIFA World Cup to 64 teams for the centennial edition in 2030, after a presentation in New York on Tuesday.

The current plan calls for 48 teams, with single “centennial celebration” matches played in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. That has not satisfied the South Americans and Alejandro Dominguez (PAR), the head of the South American confederation CONMEBOL, has asked for the expansion.

If approved, each of the three South American hosts would have a full group to host, with six matches each. The other 13 groups of four will play in the tri-host countries of Morocco, Spain and Portugal.

At Monday’s annual Ballon d’Or awards in Paris, France’s Ousmane Dembele and Spain’s Aitana Bonmati were honored as the men’s and women’s players of the year. Dembele is the sixth French player to win; Bonmati won for the third straight year, with a Spanish player winning for the fifth straight year.

Yashin Trophy winners for the best keeper went to Gianluigi Donnarumma (ITA, second award) and Hannah Hampton (ENG).

Johann Cruyff Trophy winners for the top coaches were Luis Enrique (ESP) and Sarina Wegman (NED).

● Gymnastics ● USA Gymnastics announced that Noblesville, Indiana, about 26 miles from the federation’s existing office in Indianapolis, will be the site of its new “Training & Wellness Center” and official headquarters. Per the announcement:

“USA Gymnastics will launch a fundraising campaign to support the construction and operation of the TWC. The campaign will determine the scope and development of the project, which will bring together the sport of gymnastics from youth development through National Team camps.”

Noblesville already has a 4,000-seat arena which can be used for gymnastics events; the new facility is expected to break ground in 2026 and open in 2028.

● Skiing ● The International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) Council approved the use of screening for the “presence or absence of the so-called SRY gene, the sex-determining gene present on humans’ Y chromosome” with “only SRY-negative competitors may compete in women’s competitions.”

How this is to be done comes next: “FIS will engage with the National Ski Associations and other stakeholders to roll out an implementation plan.”

FIS joins World Athletics and World Boxing, which have instituted tests – by cheek swab or blood – for one-in-a-lifetime sex screening to determine eligibility for the female category.

● Sport Climbing ● Poland’s Aleksandra Miroslaw got a world record when she needed it and won the women’s Speed gold – the first final – at the IFSC World Championships in Seoul (KOR).

The Olympic Speed champ from Poland raced up the 15 m wall in 6.03 seconds, ahead of Olympic silver winner Lijuan Deng (CHN: 6.22), just as in Paris last year. Yafei Zhou (CHN) won the bronze over Jim-in Jeong (KOR: 6.38).

Miroslaw had the old record at 6.06 from Olympic final last year; she has now set 11 world records in a row from 2021-25, lowering the best time from 6.84 to 6.03!

● Table Tennis ● The complete written opinion of the International Table Tennis Federation’s independent tribunal was published, confirming the election result that re-elected Petra Sorling (SWE), 104-102, over Qatar’s Khalil Al-Mohannadi at the noisy Annual General Meeting in Doha (QAT) in May. Al-Mohannadi’s appeal was essentially that only votes in the room by those physically present were valid, but this was rejected. In specific:

“As already deduced by the Hearing Panel above, in accordance with Swiss Civil Code and the ITTF Constitution, absolute priority at the voting procedures shall be given to ensuring that each member association was granted the possibility to exercise its voting rights.

“Any member association registered to the general meeting has right to decide whether it intends to participate in such general meeting in full or in part, whether it intends to express its will on all items of the agenda or only part of them.

“Therefore, the Hearing Panel sees no issue in the fact that the number of the voters varied during the AGM 2025 within the maximum limit, neither does it see any legal issue in the fact that the Presidential Election took into account all the votes, physical (cast in presence) and electronical (cast remotely).”

and

“Having assessed the overall arrangements of the AGM 2025 and its outcome, the Hearing Panel remains of the opinion that none of the points referred to by the Appellants could constitute the grounds for the annulment of the Presidential Election.”

Al-Mohannadi has already appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which will review the detailed, 28-page opinion from the ITTF Tribunal.

● Volleyball ● The first quarterfinals were completed at the FIVB men’s World Championship in Pasay (PHI) on Wednesday, with no. 1-seed Poland sweeping Turkey, 3-0, and no. 5 seed (and defending champion) Italy sailing past Belgium, 3-0. The winners will meet in the second semi on the 27th (Saturday).

On Thursday, the third-seeded U.S. will face Bulgaria (19th) and the 18th-seeded Czech Republic will play no. 14 Iran for spots in the semis.

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LUGE: New Cortina d’Ampezzo sliding track will be ready for Milan Cortina 2026 and draws praise from current World Champions

By
Rich Perelman
-
The under-construction sliding track in Cortina (ITA) for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games (Photo: Simico).

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≡ FIL FORUM ≡

The question about whether the controversial, long-delayed, new bob, luge and skeleton track in Cortina d’Ampezzo (ITA) will be finished in time for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games has been answered.

Yes.

At the Forum Nordicum media briefing in Val di Fiemme (ITA), where ski jumping will be held, Federation Internationale de Luge Sports Director Matthias Boehmer (GER) explained the 1,404 m track is unique in its integration with the surrounding area:

“The track cannot be compared to the tracks in Pyeongchang [2018] or Beijing [2022]. It has everything you need for high-class competitions.”

He further explained that 10 of the 16 curves are covered in soil, which aids in cooling and reduces energy costs. Five weather stations are used for data collection to further control the cooling needs. A new lighting system allows only the track to be highlighted, keeping the surrounding areas dark.

The track follows, for the most part, the path of the 1956 Eugenio Monti Olympic track – initially used in the 1920s – that it replaced.

The quality of the track has received testimonials from the current World Champions:

● Max Langenhan (GER) said at the time of the March tests:

“Visually, the ice track is not as impressive as the track for the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing. It blends in very well with the natural surroundings. When I look at the tracks around the world, I believe that this will be one of the most beautiful tracks in terms of scenery. I don’t think any other track can compete with it in the end.“

● Lisa Schulte (AUT) explained:

”The upper section of the track is rather flat, but it does involve some technical difficulties. From curve nine onwards, there is more of a gradient and therefore more speed. The large, long curves in the lower section of the track are very cool; you can really let the sled run here. All in all, it’s a very cool track.”

Boehmer said that a 10-day training period will be held on the new track at the end of October; no FIL World Cup events will be held at the Cortina track. The IBSF World Cup for bobsled & skeleton has a full World Cup program slated for 17-23 November.

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RUSSIA: FIS postpones decision on Milan Cortina 2026; Peskov sees incremental progress on Russian returns across all sports

By
Rich Perelman
-

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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

The International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) Council made no decision at its meeting in Zurich (SUI) on Wednesday concerning the participation of Russian and/or Belarusian athletes for the Olympic Winter Games in Milan Cortina (ITA) in 2026.

According to a report from Norwegian state broadcaster NRK, “nothing was decided during Wednesday’s board meeting.”

Norwegian skiing federation chief Tove Moe Dyrhaug said, “It was discussed. There are of course different views, but there is no doubt about what I and Norway stand for.

“There are no sharp disagreements, but there are slightly different views, depending on where you come from, how involved you are and whether you are an organizer. It was a long discussion.”

The decision is now expected to be made at a meeting on 21 October. FIS banned Russian and Belarusian skiers in February 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. Other federations in biathlon, bobsled & skeleton, curling, ice hockey and luge have banned them; the International Skating Union has allowed very limited entries as “neutrals,” as has the federation for ski mountaineering.

Nevertheless, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that Russia is returning to the international sports world, a step at a time. In an interview with RBC radio:

“We have to negotiate, we have to defend our position. We must maintain our presence at major international competitions, and now our sports authorities are successfully continuing this dialogue. Little by little, our interests will be taken into account.

“It is very good that our sports authorities maintain dialogue with the [International Olympic Committee]. Yes, we do not agree with the IOC’s position, but we still believe that the politicized attitude towards us continues, the double standards are clear, but this does not mean that we should sulk, turn away and say that we won’t talk with them at all.”

As to whether Russian athletes should compete as “neutrals” as required by the IOC and nearly all of the International Federations:

“I believe it [the choice] is with athletes, and I believe that athletes should be encouraged in every possible way to maintain training schedules for the major international competitions and participate in them, in their best interests and those of the country.

“If [‘neutral’ figure skater] Adeliia Petrosian stands on the podium, she will still be ours.”

Russian “neutrals” are competing in the World Rowing Championships now underway in China and seven (out of 16 entries) have been cleared to compete in the weightlifting worlds next month.

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PANORAMA: “DSD” athletes “over-represented” in major T&F finals; Kenya bids for 2029 T&F Worlds; U.S. men’s volleyball into quarters at Worlds

By
Rich Perelman
-
Setter Micah Christenson (11) and hitter Jordan Ewert (29) celebrate as the U.S. beat Slovenia, 3-1, in the FIVB men’s World Championship playoffs (Photo: FIVB).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● International Paralympic Committee ● “The 22nd IPC General Assembly will begin on Friday (26 September) and one of the main discussion points for IPC members will be around the membership status of National Paralympic Committee (NPC) Russia and NPC Belarus. Both NPCs were partially suspended at the 2023 General Assembly and on Friday, NPCs, International Federations, and International Organisations of Sport for the Disabled will decide whether to fully suspend NPC Russia and NPC Belarus, partially suspend them, or not impose any suspension at all.”

The General Assembly will be in Seoul (KOR) and on Saturday (27th), elections will be held, including for President, with Brazilian incumbent Andrew Parsons being challenged by South Korea’s Hyun-bae Dong. There are 26 candidates, including American Brad Snyder, for seven Member-at-Large roles on the IPC board.

● Athletics ● At a scientific forum on Friday in Tokyo (JPN), World Athletics Health and Science Department Director Dr. Stephane Bermon (FRA) presented research that showed 135 entries in women’s major international finals had “differences in sex development” (DSD) from 2000-23.

This count includes athletes who made multiple finals and Bermon said this indicated 50-60 individual athletes with DSD in total. World Athletics had said in cases before the Court of Arbitration for Sport that this represented 140 times more DSD representation than its incidence in the general population. At the presentation, Bermon said it that DSD representation in finals was actually 151.9x more than in the general population.

On 30 July, World Athletics introduced “once-in-a-lifetime test for the SRY gene – a reliable proxy for determining biological sex,” and all entrants in the women’s category for the just-concluded World Athletics Championships were required to take the test. Bermon explained that the data collected by the federation indicates that DSD athletes were significantly “over-represented” in top-level finals and that the new regulations were needed.

The fight over DSD and transgender athletes in the women’s category is also being looked at by the International Olympic Committee with view toward some sort of “consensus” on the “protection of the female category.”

World Athletics reported that a total of 1,992 athletes took part from 193 different countries and the Athlete Refugee Team took part in the Tokyo Worlds, including 1,034 male and 958 female athletes.

World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe (GBR) confirmed that sex-screening tests were completed for all entrants in the women’s category.

Kenya’s national Sports Cabinet approved the submission of a bid to host either the 2029 or 2031 World Athletics Championships in Nairobi. Other bidders are expected to include Ethiopia, Great Britain, Italy, Germany, South Korea and India.

● Basketball ● USA Basketball announced Duke women’s head coach and 2008 Olympic gold medalist Kara Lawson as its women’s head coach for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Lawson was a U.S. assistant coach for the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. She takes charge of a program which has won 61 straight Olympic match-ups and eight straight gold medals, and the last four Women’s World Cups in a row, with a 30-game winning streak.

● Luge ● Austrian women’s star Madeleine Egle, the 2024 Worlds bronze medalist, has been suspended for 20 months by the International Testing Agency for “whereabouts” failures:

“Madeleine Egle committed three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period. The athlete did not challenge the ADRV and agreed with the consequences proposed by the ITA. Accordingly, the case was resolved via an acceptance of consequences.

“The athlete’s period of ineligibility is from 1 March 2025 until 31 October 2026.”

That keeps her out of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games; she had won Team Relay medals with Austria in 2018 (bronze) and 2022 (silver).

● Skiing ● The International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) took the next step in its centralized media-rights strategy, announcing that the Swiss-based sports marketing agency Infront has “exclusive distribution agreement for the international distribution of media rights to the FIS World Championships in the FIS Disciplines Alpine, Nordic, Snowboard, Freestyle & Freeski and Ski Flying for the period 2026 through to 2029.”

There are exceptions for specific rights in Switzerland and Austria (through the 2026-27 season), but otherwise combines worldwide rights for the Alpine, Nordic and Freestyle & Snowboard World Championships in 2027 and 2029.

FIS is expected to consider whether Russian and/or Belarusian athletes can compete in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games at a FIS Council meeting on Wednesday, 24 September. It has so far not allowed their participation in FIS events, such as World Cup competitions.

● Volleyball ● The third-seeded U.S. men rallied from a first-set loss to run the table against no. 4 Slovenia at the FIVB men’s World Championship, winning their quarterfinal in Pasay (PHI) by 19-25, 25-22, 25-17, 25-20. Opposite Gabriel Garcia led the U.S. with 26 total points, including 15 kills, outside hitter Ethan Champlin had 15 points (11 kills) and outside hitter Jordan Ewert added 14 (14 kills).

The U.S. will meet Pool E winner and no. 19 seed Bulgaria in the quarters, after a 25-19, 25-23, 25-13 win over Portugal.

The final round-of-16 games will be played Tuesday, with Tunisia facing the Czech Republic and Serbia playing Iran. The quarters will be on 24-25 September.

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ATHLETICS: U.S. track & field team sets wins record, “bats” .297 at Tokyo Worlds, but there were obvious gaps in performance

By
Rich Perelman
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Best when his best was needed: 2025 Worlds men’s 200 m gold medalist Noah Lyles of the U.S. (Photo: Mattia Ozbot 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 CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

The U.S. track & field team had a strong 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, far outdistancing the rest of the world with 26 medals and a record 16 golds.

That’s a performance to be proud of, including:

● 26 medals (16-5-5), more than no. 2 Kenya (11) and no. 3 (Jamaica) combined.
● 16 victories, more than next-best Kenya (7) and Canada (3) together.
● 308 points in the placing table (8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1), more than nos. 2-3 together.
● 63 finalists, with Jamaica second (21), then Kenya (20) and Great Britain (17).
● Five medals in five relays: four golds and a silver (by 0.07)!

(Thanks to Olympic stat king Dr. Bill Mallon for the count on finalists.)

The 16 golds was a record for the World Championships, surpassing the U.S. total of 14 in 2007, 2009 and 2019. At the same time, a record number of countries won medals – 53 – and 20 won golds. The world really is getting better, everywhere.

That the U.S. continues to be the most powerful track & field nation in the world is without doubt, but not every American athlete – there were 141 on the team! – did well.

The Sports Examiner exclusively calculated the performance of the U.S. team vs. the marks made at the USA Track & Field national championships to see how many athletes did better at the Worlds or Olympic Games in their last round of competition (final, semi or qualifying) against what they did to qualify in the USATF final (those who did not compete in the nationals finals, like Noah Lyles in the 100 m, are not counted.).

Over the years, it has been observed that a quality percentage of performances that are better at the Worlds or Olympics vs. the trials is – like in baseball – about .300. Better than that shows a strong overall team performance. Less shows more patchy evidence of quality.

What happened in 2025? The U.S. was pretty good, but not great at .297. Compare:

● 2025: .297 at Worlds = 26 medals (16-5-5)
● 2024: .306 at Olympics = 34 medals (14-11-9)
● 2023: .363 at Worlds = 29 medals (12-8-9)
● 2022: .362 at Worlds = 33 medals (13-9-11)
● 2021: .265 at Olympics = 26 medals (7-12-7)

So, while the gold-medal total was epic, the overall batting average and medal output was lower than in 2022-23-24 and the total medal count was the same as at the Tokyo 2020 Games – in the same stadium – held in 2021.

By event group:

Men:
● 2-11 in sprints
● 0-6 in middle distances
● 6-9 in distances
● 3-6 in hurdles
● 3-12 in jumps
● 2-11 in throws
● 1-3 in decathlon

This is 17-58 in the men’s events or .293 and brought home 11 medals (6-2-3), with 8 (5-2-1) in running events, two in the field (1-0-1) and the decathlon bronze.

Women:
● 3-10 in sprints
● 3-6 in middle distances
● 4-12 in distances
● 1-6 in hurdles
● 3-12 in jumps
● 3-14 in throws
● 1-3 in decathlon

The totals are 18 of 60 for the women or .300, yielding 14 medals (9-3-2) with seven in running events (5-1-1), five in the field (3-2-0) and two in the heptathlon.

There was also a gold in the Mixed 4×400 m relay.

With a year off from World Championships, next in 2027, this raises the question once again about how athletes can better refresh and recover between the USATF Nationals and the Worlds or Olympic Games.

Impossible? After all, only about 27-36% of U.S. athletes have been performing better at the Worlds or Olympics vs. the trials this decade.

However, within the last 10 years, the best performance was at the 2019 Worlds in Doha (QAT), held in late September and early October: .421 there, earning 29 total medals (14-11-4).

The 2027 Worlds in Beijing (CHN) will be held in a similar time period to this year, from 11-19 September, at the end of the season. Conversely, track & field at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles will start on 15 July, two weeks before the 2025 USATF Nationals were held!

That will create an interesting dilemma for coaches, getting their athletes ready for 2027 trials in late July and Worlds in September and then Olympic Trials in June 2028 and Olympic Games as quickly as three weeks later!

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