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TSX REPORT: Richardson and Kerley impress in Doha; IBA gives IOC 400 pages of replies; Bach all in to return Russia & Belarus

By
Rich Perelman
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World 100 m champ Fred Kerley of the U.S. zoomed to victory in the final 40 m of the Doha Diamond League men's 200 m (Photo: Marise Nassour for Diamond League AG)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Richardson’s 10.76 and six more world leads in Doha!
2. IBA sends 400-page reply to IOC’s questions
3. Sports ministers of 36 countries question IOC approach
4. Bach “undertaking all efforts” to return Russia and Belarus
5. Indonesia ban on Israel resurfaces for World Beach Games

The first Wanda Diamond League meet of the season was a good one in Doha, Qatar on Friday, with sizzling sprinting and seven world-leading performances, including a sparkling 10.76 women’s 100 m win for Sha’Carri Richardson of the U.S. and a come-from-behind finish by Fred Kerley in the men’s 200 m. The International Boxing Association sent a 400-page file to the International Olympic Committee to answer all of its questions about the federation. Will this actually help? Sports ministers from 36 countries issued their fourth statement on Russia and international sport, asking the IOC to ensure that only truly “neutral” athletes compete, noting state funding as an important question to be answered. IOC chief Thomas Bach, on a visit to China, said the IOC is “undertaking all the efforts” to return Russian and Belarus to competition, “so that we can really unify the whole world.” Meanwhile, the governor of Bali in Indonesia continues to assert that Israel will not be allowed to compete in the ANOC World Beach Games this summer, and the Israel Olympic Committee has taken the matter up with the IOC. The governor has already cost Indonesia the FIFA men’s U-20 World Cup by refusing to allow Israel to compete.

● World Championships: Judo (Garrigos and Tsunoda win opening weights) ●
● Panorama: Artistic Swimming (Inui stars in World Cup in France) = Athletics (3: Hot 5,000 at Mt. SAC; Holloway world lead in Atlanta; Davis-Woodhall 23-2 1/2 in Arkansas) = Curling (Champions Cup) = Cycling (2: Giro d’Italia starts; van Vleuten repeats at La Vuelta Femenina) = eSports (ticket sales start for IOC’s Esports Week) = Fencing (2: Kiefer wins Foil World Cup; Epee Grand Prix) = Gymnastics (Griskenas second in Rhythmic World Cup) = Rowing (Swiss and Spain lead World Cup winners) = Sport Climbing (Miroslaw wins Speed World Cup) = Swimming (Chinese nationals produce six world leaders) = Wrestling (U.S. sweeps team titles at Pan Am Champs!) ●

1.
Richardson’s 10.76 and six more world leads in Doha!

The opening Diamond League meet of the season in Doha, Qatar was expected to produce hot marks, and it did not disappoint, with world-leading times and distances in seven events, led by a taut battle in the women’s 100 m.

There was no doubt about Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson, the incoming world leader at 10.82 and the 200 m World Champion from 2022. But beside her in the blocks were Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, the 2019 200 m Worlds winner and mercurial American Sha’Carri Richardson, now 23, who wasn’t right in 2022, but ran a startling 10.57w in April.

Off the gun, it was Asher-Smith running best, but with Jackson in close attendance and Richardson close. Jackson accelerated in the middle and as Asher-Smith faded slightly, Richardson came on. And kept coming on, taking over in the final 30 m for a world-leading 10.76 win (wind: +0.9 m/s), her fastest in two years and her fourth-fastest ever.

Jackson was close at 10.85, with Asher-Smith at 10.98 and American TeeTee Terry fourth at 11.07. Said the winner, “I’m so blessed and thankful, I feel at peace. All I do is the best I do and I’m excited to do it.”

The world-leading performances:

● Men/3,000 m: 7:26.18, Lamecha Girma (ETH)
● Men/Triple Jump: 17.81 m (58-5 1/4), Hugues Fabrice Zango (BUR)
● Men/Javelin: 88.67 m (290-11), Neeraj Chopra (IND)

● Women/100 m: 10.76, Sha’Carri Richardson (USA)
● Women/1,500 m: 3:58.57, Faith Kipyegon (KEN)
● Women/Steeple: 9:04.38, Winfred Yavi (BRN)
● Women/Vault: 4.81 m (15-9 1/4), Katie Moon (USA)

The men’s 200 m was also much anticipated, with 100 m World Champion Fred Kerley of the U.S. against countrymen (and Worlds medal winners) Kenny Bednarek and Michael Norman, plus Kyree King, and Canada’s Tokyo 200 m gold winner Andre De Grasse and teammate Aaron Brown.

Bednarek was best on the turn and into the straight and looked like a winner until the final 40 m, when Kerley just jetted to the finish, winning in 19.92 (+0.3) to 20.11, with Brown third in 20.20 and Norman last in 20.65. This was amazing; said Kerley:

“I was comfortable, but I know I still got work to do. The most important thing was to win, and I did. I was happy with the competition, it was a good one, the guys gave me a fight. Next is Japan [21 May in Tokyo], open up my season in the 100.”

Wow. On an 81 F evening at the nearly-full Qatar Sports Club, Ethiopian Steeple star Lamecha Girma may want to consider more flat races, as he took control of the race at the bell and then ran away from countryman Selemon Barega – the 2022 World Indoor Champion – to win in a meet record of 7:26.18, with Barega at 7:17.16 and Berihu Aregawi (ETH) third in 7:27.61.

Olympic and Worlds silver medalist Rai Benjamin looked like an easy winner in the men’s 400 m hurdles, but slowed in the home straight and had to fend off a challenge from fellow American C.J. Allen over the final hurdle to win in 47.78 to 47.93, a lifetime best for Allen, now the 57th man (and 24th American) to break 48.

The men’s field events were intriguing, with JuVaughn Harrison of the U.S. clearing seven straight bars to win the high jump at 2.32 m (7-7 1/4). Home hero Mutaz Essa Barshim was third at 2.24 m (7-4 1/4) and the stadium emptied after he went out.

Olympic and World Champion Pedro Pablo Pichardo of Portugal was sensational, taking the lead at 17.65 m (57-11) in the first round, then riding a barely-illegal wind of 2.1 m/s out to 17.95 m in round two (58-10 3/4). That was enough to win, but Burkina-Faso’s Hugues Fabrice Zango ended with a legal jump of 17.81 m (58-5 1/4) to grab the world lead.

World Champion Kristjian Ceh won the discus with his first throw of 70.89 m (232-7), moving him to no. 2 in the world for 2023, and Olympic champ Neeraj Chopra (IND) also caught his big throw on the first try at a world-leading 88.67 m (290-11), with Olympic silver winner Jakub Vadlejch (CZE) just short with his second-round toss of 88.63 m (290-9).

Favored Marileidy Paulino (DOM) won the women’s 400 m over Shamier Little of the U.S., 50.51-50.84, and Olympic champ Jasmine Camacho-Quinn grabbed the 100 m hurdles in 12.48 (+1.1), taking control after the sixth hurdle. Americans Alaysha Johnson and former Worlds winner Nia Ali were 2-3 in 12.66 and 12.69.

The women’s 1,500 m was a master class given by Olympic and World Champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya, who led at the bell and then blasted away from the field on the turn for home, winning in a world-lead of 3:58.57, over Diribe Welteji (ETH: 3:59.34) and Freweyni Hailu (ETH: 4:00.29). Same for the 3,000 Steeplechase, with Winfred Yavi (BRN: 9:04.38) running away from Sembo Almayew (ETH: 9:05.83). American Emma Coburn fell early in the race and finished 10th in 9:29.41.

The U.S. was 1-2 in the women’s vault, with Olympic and Worlds gold medalist Katie Moon sailing over 4.81 m (15-9 1/4) for the world lead and the win over Slovenia’s Tina Sutej (4.76 m/15-7 1/4) and Sandi Morris of the U.S. (4.71 m/15-5 1/2).

2.
IBA sends 400-page reply to IOC’s questions

The International Boxing Association promised a thorough response to the International Olympic Committee’s continuing concerns over finances, governance and refereeing and judging, and delivered on Friday.

Said IBA Secretary General George Yerolimpos (GRE):

“The IBA has sent all the requested responses and documents to the IOC totalling over 400 pages.

“We are open to continued dialogue and cooperation for the sake of our core values and duty to protect our athletes, and the sport of boxing itself. We hope this helps to ensure a fair evaluation of the IBA and its progress done and will lead to a full reinstatement of the organization in the Olympic movement and production of the boxing events in the lead-up and during Paris 2024.”

The federation, previously known as AIBA, has been on suspension since June 2019, when it was headed by Uzbek businessman Gafur Rakhimov, who removed himself that year, replaced by Moroccan Mohamed Moustahsane on an interim basis. Russian Umar Kremlev, the Secretary General of the Russian Boxing Federation was elected in December of 2020, and the federation changed its name in December 2021.

The IOC has continued to be unhappy with the IBA’s finances, especially a two-year, $50 million deal with Russian energy giant Gazprom which paid off the IBA’s debts. That deal has not been re-signed. A scheduled election for President in 2022 turned into a farce as opponent Boris van der Vorst (NED) was disqualified just prior to the vote and then, after being reinstated by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, a vote to not hold an election was passed.

Kremlev also reinstated Russian and Belarusian boxers without restrictions in 2022, ignoring the IOC’s recommendations to the contrary in view of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

For its part, the IOC has made it clear that it has no issues with boxing or the boxers, but with the federation, which is not involved in the Olympic qualifying process, or the operation of the Olympic tournament in Paris. Further, boxing is not currently on the program for Los Angeles in 2028.

Observed: The IBA’s announcement of the filing with the IOC was odd. Not so much that the documentation was sent as promised, but in how it was delivered.

Kremlev has taken great pride in saying, over and over again, that the IBA is “an open and transparent organization.” Strange, then, that the 400 pages of documentation sent to the IOC was not made available publicly, if not in full, then with some redactions of material which may – for some reason – need to be protected.

An open filing of this type is an old and trusted public relations tool to bolster confidence in the organization being investigated, saying “we have nothing to hide.” Odd that the IBA did not do so.

Have no doubt that the IBA is on a charm offensive, naming a “Communication Committee” of which Kremlev is not a member, to continue the discussions with the IOC. Instead, the heads of the five continental associations, two other Board members and Yerolimpos are the designees to try and win back the IBA’s place as the sport’s governing body for the Olympic Games.

They have an uphill fight ahead of them.

3.
Sports ministers of 36 countries question IOC approach

In their fourth announcement on Russia and sport, ministers from 36 countries, including the U.S., questioned the IOC’s approach – especially the details – on reintegration of Russian and Belarusian athletes into international sport. The four-paragraph statement includes:

“We, as Ministers and equivalent senior representatives for sport of our like-minded countries, have noted the recommended conditions of participation for individual neutral athletes and support personnel with a Russian or Belarusian passport in international sports competitions, and the accompanying press statement, published by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on 28 March 2023. We maintain that the Russian state, which has broken the Olympic Truce twice, must not be allowed to use sport to legitimise its barbaric and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, nor should the Belarusian state be able to use sport to legitimise its complicity in Russia’s war of aggression.

“On the IOC recommendations, we are clear that while some aspects of the strong concerns we raised in our collective statement of 21 February 2023 have been addressed by the IOC, there are substantial issues remaining, not least around military connections of athletes, state funding, the definition of what constitutes teams, and on enforcement mechanisms.

“We underline again that our position is not one of discrimination against individuals on the basis of their passport, and we respect the rights of all athletes to be treated without any discrimination in accordance with the Olympic Charter. We are focused on fair sporting competition as well as on ensuring that Russian and Belarusian athletes are in no way appearing as representatives of their states, as the IOC is also seeking to ensure through its recommendations.

“While fully respecting the autonomy of sporting organisations, we will closely watch the implementation of the recommendations by the IOC and international sports federations over the coming weeks. If these issues are not addressed, we would expect the IOC to reconsider its approach.”

The second-paragraph notice of “state funding” for athletes was raised earlier by British minister Lucy Frazer and could be a key pivot point on whether governments and the IOC fall in line together, or the relationship becomes icy. Lee Satterfield, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, was the U.S. signatory.

4.
Bach “undertaking all efforts” to return Russia and Belarus

During a visit to China and meetings with the Chinese Olympic Committee, IOC President Thomas Bach (GER) told the Xinhua state news agency:

“Now we are undertaking all the efforts to accomplish the mission … of the Olympic Movement by having athletes with Russian or Belarusian passports back into the international competitions.

“We are in a very close cooperation and exchange with the International Federations who at this moment are responsible for running their competitions, and we hope very much that this mission then can be accomplished under the conditions which have been established that the athletes from these two countries must take part in a neutral status, so that we can really unify the whole world with the [view] to the Olympic Games in Paris.”

As usual, Bach insisted that a Ukrainian boycott would solve nothing and pushed back against government intrusion in sport:

“You know the statements of governments who want to decide the people who can participate in the Olympics, the international sports competition, and who not. We have to be very firm that these decisions have to be taken by the responsible sports organizations.

“I see that the governments, it’s their right to express their position. But that they also realize that any kind of boycott would only punish their own athletes and would deprive their people to be proud of their athletes of their Olympic performances.”

He reiterated that no decision has been made about Russian and Belarusian participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

5.
Indonesia ban on Israel resurfaces for World Beach Games

The Association of National Olympic Committees has insisted that Israel will compete in its World Beach Games in Bali, Indonesia from 5-12 August.

But the governor of Bali, citing the Indonesian government’s pro-Palestinian stance, continues to say Israel is not welcome.

The issue flared up again this week, with Bali governor Wayan Koster reiterating on Friday:

“It has been agreed when I received a visit by the youth affairs and sports minister and Indonesian Olympic Committee Chairman Mr. Raja [Sapta Oktohari] that the ANOC World Beach Games in Bali will be held without Israeli participants.

“The list of participating countries has been released and no Israel on it.”

Koster is quite wrong about the country list, especially since qualifications are still going on. Israel did not attend the Chef de Mission meetings in Indonesia, but that’s quite different from not participating in the event. The ANOC announcement on the meetings included:

“Representatives from nearly 70 National Olympic Committees attended the seminar in person with more than 30 joining the meetings remotely. With qualification for the Games ongoing, the final list of NOCs will be finalised on 8 July, but it is expected more than 100 NOCs from all five Continents will compete at the Games.”

For their part, the Israelis are getting irritated. The Israel Olympic Committee issued a statement last week that included:

“After many conversations with the chairman of the International Olympic Committee in recent months, a letter was sent to the President and CEO of ANOC clarifying that Israeli athletes will participate in ANOC only if given the same conditions as those of other countries.

“It should be noted that the IOC is in constant contact with us on this matter, and we are confident that they will uphold the equality and right of the State of Israel to compete in any competition around the world, as it has done throughout the year.”

This is an issue of importance for the IOC. Koster’s anti-Israeli comments already cost Indonesia the hosting opportunity for the 2023 FIFA men’s U-20 World Cup, which will not be held in Argentina this month. FIFA withdrew the tournament in March, moved it and is now considering sanctions against the Indonesian football federation.

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Judo ● The 2023 IJF World Championships opened in Doha (QAT) with 19 entries from Russia and Belarus as “neutral” athletes and Ukraine boycotting the event in response.

So much for bringing the world together.

Japan’s Natsumi Tsunoda won her third straight World Championships gold in the women’s 48 kg class and her fourth career Worlds medal overall. She defeated France’s Shirine Boukli in the final, with fellow Japanese Wakana Koga taking a bronze medal. It was Boukli’s first senior-level Worlds medal.

Spain’s Francisco Garrigos was the upset winner of the men’s 60 kg division, beating Uzbek Dilshodbek Baratov in the final, after taking out Tokyo Olympic champ Naohisa Takato (JPN) in the semis. Baratov also made some history, winning his first career Worlds medal, at age 25.

The Worlds continue through the 13th.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Artistic Swimming ● The Artistic World Cup moved on to Montpellier (FRA), with reigning World Champion Yukiko Inui (JPN) claiming wins in both the Solo Technical and Solo Free finals.

Inui, now 32, won the Solo Technical convincingly, scoring 282.2583 to 262.1833 for Ukraine’s Marta Fiedina and 254.6542 for Spain’s Iris Tio Casas. She was even more dominant in the Solo Free, scoring 389.3583 to 334.6709 for Vasiliki Alexandri (AUT) and 260.8376 for Slovak Viktoria Reichova.

World Champion sisters Luiyi Wang and Qianyi Wang (CHN) won the Duet Technical at 285.4041 over Japan’s Moe Higa and Mashiro Yasunaga (276.7250) and Austria’s sisters, Anna-Maria Alexandri and Erini-Marina Alexandri (273.3468). Americans Megumi Field and Calista Liu finished fourth (254.5458).

Ukraine’s Maryna Aleksiiva and Vladyslava Aleksiiva won the Duet Free, 370.2791 to 334.0125 over Japan’s Higa and Yashunaga.

Spain’s Fernando Diaz won the men’s Technical (214.4959) and was second to Gabriele Minak (ITA, 16) in the Free final, 224.2291 to 193.2875.

A close Mixed Duet Technical final went to China’s Haoyu Shi and Yiyao Zhang (246.3042) over Tomoka Sato and Yotaro Sato (JPN: 244.5167). Sato and Sato won the Mixed Duet Free at 273.5708 to 267.8917 for Spain’s Diaz and Mirela Hernandez.

China won the Mixed Team Technical and Japan won the Mixed Team Free.

● Athletics ● Distance running was the focus at the Sound Running On Track Fest at Mt. SAC on Saturday evening, with world-leading marks in the men’s Steeple and the expected fireworks in the women’s 5,000 m.

BYU’s Kenneth Rooks won the Steeple in 8:17.62, ahead of George Beamish (NZL; 8:20.62), fellow American Hillary Bor (8:20.67) and Jean-Simon Desgagnes (CAN: 8:20.68), now the top four performers of the year.

The women’s 5,000 m was set for hot times and did not disappoint.

Josette Andrews took over after the pacesetter was done at 3,000 m and then turned out laps of 70.9, 69.9, 71.8, 68.4 and 64.5 to win with a huge lifetime best of 14:43.36, the 2023 world leader and moving her to no. 7 all-time U.S. Only Venezuela’s Joselyn Brea was really close, four-tenths back at the bell and finishing with a national record of 14:47.76, a lifetime best by more than 17 seconds!

Mexico’s Laura Galvan was third in 14:49.34, another national record, and American Emily Infeld was fourth (14:50.90), also with a lifetime best.

In seventh was North Carolina State junior Katelyn Tuohy, 21, who crushed her prior lifetime best of 15:14.61 with a time of 15:03.12, the fastest ever recorded by a collegian outdoors. Colorado’s Jenny Simpson ran 15:07.64 in 2009, but also had a 15:01.70 performance in 2009 indoors. But it’s a collegiate outdoor best for Tuohy, steadily moving up.

In the men’s 5,000 m, American Cooper Teare won in 13:21.73 with a 54.82 last lap, ahead of Morgan Beadlescomb (13:12.95) and Ben Flanagan (CAN: 13:13.97). Places 1-12 are now ranked 2-13 on the year list. South Africa’s Adriaan Wildschutt ran away with the men’s 10,000 m to win in 27:23.10.

At the Atlanta City Games, a street meet with an elevated track, emphasized the sprints and hurdles, with a world-leading mark from hurdles World Champion Grant Holloway of the U.S.

Running in his second meet of the year, Holloway – already the world leader at 13.03 from mid-April – won his heat in 13.15 and then stormed away in the final to win in 13.01 (wind: 0.0), ahead of Robert Dunning’s lifetime best of 13.09 and Jamal Britt (13.14).

Tia Jones won the women’s hurdles in 12.50 (+0.4), ahead of Keni Harrison (12.53).

The women’s 100 m went to U.S. star Aleia Hobbs in 10.99 (+0.2), her ninth meet without a loss this season (60 m x 5; 100 m x 4), beating Mikiah Brisco (11.02). The men’s 100 m was a tight finish between Oblique Seville (JAM: 9.99; wind -0.2), Akani Simbine (RSA: 10.01) and Zharnel Hughes (GBR: 10.01).

Noah Lyles was the dominant winner of the 150 m sprint in 14.56, beating teen star Erriyon Knighton (14.85) and Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala (14.89), while Tamari Davis of the U.S. won the women’s race in 16.44.

In Fayetteville, Arkansas, Tara Davis-Woodhall took the world lead in the women’s long jump at the Arkansas Twilight meet with her second-best jump ever, 7.07 m (23-2 1/2). She got out to a windy 6.91 m (+4.3) in the first round, another windy 6.91 m (+3.0) in the second, and after a foul, a legal 6.85 m (22-5 3/4 +1.9) in the fourth. Then she exploded out to 7.07 m with a just-legal +1.9 m/s wins before passing in round six.

● Curling ● The season-ending Grand Slam of Curling Champions Cup in Regina (CAN) came down to all-Canadian finals in both the men’s and women’s divisions.

Turin Olympic champ Brad Gushue’s team won the Beijing 2022 Olympic bronze and the 2023 Worlds silver, but it was Brendan Bottcher’s rink that scored two in the sixth and one in the eighth end to get a 5-3 win. It’s the second Champions Cup win for Bottcher – also in 2019 – and his fifth Grand Slam tournament title.

Defending Champions Cup winner and two-time Worlds medalist Kerri Einarson got off to a 4-0 lead in the women’s final after three ends against 2017 World Champion Rachel Homan, a three-time winner of this tournament. But Homan mounted a charge, scoring once in ends 4-5-6 and twice in the eight to force an extra end at 5-5. And Homan completed the comeback, scoring once to win, 6-5, with scores in five of the final six ends.

For Homan, it’s her 13th Grand Slam win and fourth Champions Cup title.

● Cycling ● The 106th Giro d’Italia got underway Saturday with one of the overall favorites, Remco Evenepoel (BEL) immediately taking charge with a win in the 19.6 km Individual Time Trial.

He dominated the flat course along the Abruzzo Coast to Ortona, winning in 21:18, well ahead of former World Time Trial champ Filippo Ganna of Italy (+0:22) and another of the contenders, Portugal’s Joao Almeida (+0:29).

Sunday’s hilly 202 km stage from Teramo to San Salvo was set for a mass sprint finish, but was hampered by a bad crash with 4 km left. The peloton reformed and the dash for the line was won by Italian Jonny Milan, 22, his biggest win ever. He timed 4:55:11, ahead of 43 more with the same time. Second was David Dekker (NED), ahead of Kaden Groves (AUS), with Evenepoel retaining the pink jersey and a 22-second lead on Ganna.

The ninth women’s La Vuelta Femenina concluded in Lagos de Covadonga in the Asturias region in northwest Spain, with Dutch superstar Annemiek van Vleuten – two-time World Road Champion – taking control after the sixth stage and leading into Sunday’s final ride.

Fellow Dutch master Marianne Vos, 35 – a three-time World Road winner – had the lead from the second stage through the fourth, winning both the third and fourth stages. But Dutch star Demi Vollering, the best rider so far in 2023, won the climbing fifth stage to take over the race lead, with van Vleuten just three seconds back on the day and five seconds back in the overall race.

Italy’s Gaia Realini beat van Vleuten to the line in the final sprint on Saturday, but both were more than a minute ahead of the field and that gave van Vleuten the lead by a hefty 1:11 over Vollering.

Stage 7 was no picnic, a 93.7 route with a major climb in the middle and then an uphill finish going from 65 m to 1,106 m in the final 22 km. Vollering, Realini and van Vleuten were all in contention on their way to the finish, but Vollering broke free and won in 2:43:02, ahead of Realini (+0:11) and van Vleuten (+0:56). That gave van Vleuten the overall title at 19:00:11, just nine seconds ahead of Vollering and Realini (+2:41).

That’s three in a row for van Vleuten in this race, who has also won three editions of the Giro Donne, four total UCI World Championships golds and the Tour de France Femmes in 2022. At 40, she can claim to be the best women’s road rider of all time.

● Diving ● China won all nine events at the World Cup opener in Xian. At the second Diving World Cup in Montreal (CAN), it was the same: nine for nine.

Current World Champion Zongyuan Wang won the men’s 3 m Springboard – as he did in Xian – scoring 556.75, with teammate Shixin Li second at 465.25. Xian winner and two-time Worlds medalist Hao Yang took the 10 m Platform gold in 580.25, followed by Rikuto Tamai (JPN) at 513.45. American Brendan Loschiavo was seventh (439.55)

Wang teamed with Daoyi Long to win the men’s 3 m Synchro title, scoring 492.18 for a decisive win over Anthony Harding and Jack Laugher (GBR: 443.10). Americans Tyler Downs and Greg Duncan finished sixth at 395.64.

In the 10 m Synchro, reigning World Champions Junjie Lian and Yang were not challenged, winning by 456.72 to 412.74 over Ukraine’s Kirill Boliukh and Oleksii Sereda.

The women’s sweep featured 2022 World Champion Yiwen Chen on the 3 m Springboard and Olympic gold medalist Hongchan Quan on the 10 m Platform. Chen won for the second time this season, scoring 404.70 to 365.40 for Canada’s Pamela Ware and 357.85 for American Sarah Bacon. Hailey Hernandez of the U.S. was sixth at 315.25.

Quan, who was second in Xian, won this time with 458.20, ahead of teammate and 2022 World Champion Yuxi Chen (438.90).

In the women’s 3 m Synchro, the 2022 World Champion duo of Yani Chang and Yiwen Chen won, but were pressed – 329.43 to 315.09 – by the U.S.’s Bacon and Kassidy Cook.

The women’s 10 m Synchro team of Yuxi Chen and Quan won easily, 378.60 to 316.68, for Britain’s Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix and Lois Toulson. Americans Jessica Parratto and Delaney Schnell were seventh at 281.52.

In the mixed team event, China won by 489.25 to 454.90 for Canada, with the U.S. eighth at 343.60.

That’s 18-for-18 for the Chinese; the World Cup Super Final will take place in Berlin (GER) in August.

● eSports ● The IOC announced the opening of ticket sales for the four-day Olympic Esports Week in Singapore from 22-25 June 2023. A sport-shooting game developed by the International Shooting Sport Federation with Fortnite has been added to the program.

Single-day general admission tickets are SGD 10 for 23 June and SGD 15 for 24-25 June, with three-day passes for adults at SGD 30. (SGD 1 = $0.75 U.S.).

● Fencing ● The Epee Grand Prix in Cali (COL) offered contrasting finals of well-knowns and unknowns.

The women’s championship matched pitting world no. 2 Man Wai Vivian Kong (HKG) against no. 3 Marie-Florence Candassamy of France, both looking for their first career Grand Prix gold. It was Kong in charge, winning 15-8, now with three career Grand Prix medals (1-1-1). Candassamy won her second career Grand Prix silver (0-2-4).

The men’s final had no. 27 Davide Di Veroli, 21, of Italy facing 114th-ranked Jiri Beran (CZE), now 41! And Beran won it, in a 9-8 defensive struggle to win his first Grand Prix gold and first Grand Prix medal since 2010! Di Veroli won a Grand Prix bronze last year and has now moved up to silver.

The women’s Foil World Cup scheduled for Tauberbischofsheim (GER), but returned by the German federation in protest against the FIE Congress vote to allow Russian and Belarusian fencers to compete as neutrals was held instead in Plovdiv (BUL).

Tokyo Olympic champ Lee Keifer of the U.S. collected her fifth career World Cup gold (and 21st medal) with a 15-11 win in the final over France’s Ysoara Thibus, the 2022 World Champion.

The U.S. team of Lauren Scruggs, Maia Weintraub, Zander Rhodes and Jacqueline Dubrovich finished third, with France defeating Italy, 45-41, for the gold.

Keifer’s husband, Gerek Meinhardt, was competing at the men’s Foil World Cup in Acapulco (MEX) and reached the semifinals against Tokyo Olympic winner Ka Long Cheung (KOR), but fell 15-7 and settled for a bronze medal. Cheung faced Egypt’s 22-year-old Mohamed Hamza – born in Houston, Texas! – in the final, with Hamza winning, 15-10, for his first career World Cup gold.

The U.S. team of Meinhardt, Alexander Massialas, Nick Itkin and Miles Chamley-Watson won gold, defeating Italy in the final.

● Gymnastics ● The FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics Challenge Cup series was in Portimao (POR), with 2022 Worlds All-Around silver medalist Darja Varfolomeev taking the All-Around at 125.200 from American Evita Griskenas (121.950) and Aibota Yertaikyzy (KAZ: 118.400).

It was the third career World Challenge Cup medal for Griskenas (0-2-1), and she wasn’t done.

Varfolomeev dominated the apparatus finals, winning with Hoop (33.800) over Griskenas second (30.450); with Clubs (33.150), with Griskenas second again (30.950) and on Ribbon (31.200), with Griskenas fifth (29.850).

Kazak Elzhana Taniyeva won with Ball (32.500) with Varfolomeev third (31.600) and Griskenas fourth (31.450).

● Rowing ● At the opening World Rowing World Cup in Zagreb (CRO), Switzerland picked up three wins in the full-weight classes and Spain won twice.

The star power was in the men’s races, with two-time World Champion Oliver Zeidler (GER) winning the Single Sculls, 6:46.82 to 6:49.40 over 2020 European Champion Sverri Nielsen (DEN).

The Croatian Sinkovic brothers – Martin and Valent – the Double Sculls gold medalists at Rio 2016 and then the Pairs winners at Tokyo 2020, won in Double Sculls in Zagreb, 6:16.74 to 6:20.53 against Spain’s 2022 Worlds runner-ups, Aleix Garcia and Rodrigo Conde. The Czech Republic won the Quadruple Sculls over Ukraine, 5:50.08 to 5:51.39.

In the men’s Pairs, Swiss Roman Roeoesli and Andrin Gulich won by daylight in 6:30.98 against Spain’s 2022 Worlds silver medalists, Jaime Canalejo and Javier Garcia (6:33.21). The Swiss Fours also won in 5:59.70, well in front of South Africa (6:02.12).

Spain got a win in the women’s Single Sculls, as Virginia Diaz eked out a 7:33.93 to 7:33.95 victory against Swiss Aurelia-Maxima Janzen. The Swiss took their third win in the Double Sculls, with Fabienne Schweizer and Lisa Loetscher finishing in 7:04.75, well clear of Katharina and Magdalena Lobnig (AUT: 7:08.32). Ukraine won the Quadruple Sculls, 6:24.43-6:37.48, over the Swiss.

Spain’s second win came in the women’s Pairs, as Aina Cid and Esther Briz Zamorano managed a 7:16.49 to 7:17.22 win over Czechs Radka Novotnikova and Pavlina Flamikova. Chile won the Fours final over Spain, 6:46.34 to 6:50.93.

The second World Cup comes from 16-18 June in Varese, Italy.

● Sport Climbing ● The IFSC Speed World Cup in Jakarta (INA) was much anticipated after the men’s and women’s world records has been shattered the week before in Korea.

Poland’s Aleksandra Miroslaw claimed four world-record performances in Seoul, and led the qualifying in Jakarta, but had a tough time in the final against home favorite Made Desak, winning by 6.43 to 6.52.

In the men’s final, Indonesian stars Kiromal Katibin (5.03) and Veddriq Leonardo (5.09) led the qualifying, but when the final came, it was the third Indonesian entry, Raharjati Nursamsa who won in 5.11, defeating China’s Xinshang Wang (5.14) with Katibin winning the bronze.

● Swimming ● A very fast Chinese Nationals concluded in Hangzhou, with world-leading marks in six events:

● Men/100 m Free: 47.22, Zhanie Pan (CHN)
● Men/200 m Free: 1:44.65, Pan
● Men/100 m Back: 52.26, Jiayu Xu (CHN)
● Men/100 m Breast: 57.93, Haiyang Qin (CHN)
● Men/200 m Medley: 1:55.55, Shun Wang (CHN)

● Women/100 m Fly: 56.48, Yufei Zhang (CHN)

Pan’s time in the 100 m Free is a national record and moves him to no. 11 all-time, at age 18. His 200 m win was a lifetime best and moves him up to a tie for 13th all-time.

Qin exploded to a national record in the 100 m Breast and his 57.93 makes him no. 3 ever and only the third man to break 58 seconds! His prior best had been 58.66 from the Chinese Spring Nationals in March!

● Wrestling ● The U.S. was expected to dominate the Pan American Championships in Buenos Aires (ARG), and left no doubt, winning all three teams titles and grabbing wins in a total of 20 classes!

The wins started in the Greco-Roman division, with golds for Dalton Duffield (55 kg), Dalton Roberts (60 kg), Justus Scott (72 kg), Kamal Bey (77 kg), Spencer Woods (82 kg) and Joe Rau at 97 kg. Cuba won the other three classes: Luis Orta (67 kg), Daniel Gregorich (87 kg) and three-time Worlds medalist Oscar Pino at 130 kg.

The U.S. piled up 175 points for the team title, ahead of Cuba (114) and Mexico (78).

The American women picked up five golds, with Tokyo bronze winner Sarah Hildebrandt winning at 50 kg; Xochitl Mota-Pettis at 59 kg, two-time Worlds medalist Mallory Velte at 65 kg, Forrest Molinari at 68 kg (her third PanAm gold) and World Champion Amit Elor at 72 kg. Alisha Howk took the silver at 55 kg and Kayla Miracle won bronze at 62 kg.

The U.S. women won the team crown with 178 points to 135 for Canada and 93 for Ecuador.

The men’s Freestyle finals started with seven straight wins for the U.S.: 2021 World Champion Thomas Gilman at 57 kg, Vito Arujau at 61 kg (his second PanAm gold), Yianni Diakomihalis at 65 kg (second PanAm gold), Worlds silver winner Zain Retherford at 70 kg; a sixth Pan American Champs gold for Jordan Burroughs, this time at 79 kg, and Michael Macchiavello at 92 kg.

Kyle Dake won at 74 kg, his third PanAm title; Kyle Snyder won his sixth at 97 kg and Dominique Bradley won at 125 kg to give the U.S. nine wins in 10 weights. At 86 kg, Cuba’s Yurieski Torreblanca won his fourth PanAm title, with Mark Hall of the U.S. third.

The American men won the Freestyle title by 240-136 over Canada, with Puerto Rico third at 123.

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TSX REPORT: Valieva hearing not until August; Russia fine with funding “neutral” athletes; UCI to review transgender rules again

By
Rich Perelman
-
Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin (Photo: FISU)

★ 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 ≡

1. Valieva doping appeal at CAS not coming until August?
2. Russian minister sees no issues funding “neutral” athletes
3. UCI to consider transgender rules again
4. Diamond League starts in Doha; Giro d’Italia starts Saturday
5. USATF publishes Road Worlds selection procedures

The Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed that a hearing on the appeal of the sanctions against Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva won’t be held until at least August. The Team event medals from the Beijing 2022 Winter Games continue to hang in the balance. Russian sports minister Oleg Matytsin said that government funding of “neutral” Russian athletes is fine as far as he is concerned. Others have cited state funding as a reason to disqualify such athletes from any return to international competitions. The Union Cycliste Internationale will review its transgender rules, deciding to look into the issue again a couple of days after an American transgender, Austin Killips, won the Tour of the Gila stage race in New Mexico. The Wanda Diamond League in athletics and the first of the Grand Tours in cycling, the 106th Giro d’Italia, start on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Neither will be shown live on U.S. television. USA Track & Field published selection procedures for its team for the inaugural World Road Running Championships in Latvia in September, focusing on results from the U.S. nationals in the mile and 5 km and World Athletics world rankings in the half marathon.

● Panorama: Paris 2024 (300,000+ volunteer applications received) = Shooting (Italy tops medal table at ISSF Shotgun World Cup) = Swimming (18 swimmers file suit vs. University of California over McKeever abuse) ●

1.
Valieva doping appeal at CAS not coming until August?

The seemingly unending saga of the Kamila Valieva doping positive from December 2021 will continue well into the summer.

The Russian news agency TASS reported a statement from the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which included:

“The exchange of written submissions is ongoing. All parties have agreed to extend the usual time limits for this phase.”

“The hearing date will be determined at a later stage, once the lists of witnesses and experts will have been filed.

“It is unlikely that the hearing will take place prior to August 2023. Once it has been set, the hearing date will be announced officially on the CAS website.”

The CAS hearing is a consolidated appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency, the International Skating Union and the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (!) against the independent Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency, which held that Valieva did, in fact, did return a positive test for the banned substance trimetazidine from her test on 25 December 2021. It held that she bore no fault for this positive and gave her a one-day sanction, instead of the four years sought by WADA.

Valieva was suspended by RUSADA in advance of the Beijing 2022 Winter Games, but this was overturned by the Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee, allowing her to compete. She was a member of the winning Russian squad in the Team event, but as her doping positive was revealed, the results have never been certified and no medals awarded.

2.
Russian minister sees no issues funding “neutral” athletes

One of the questions which has been raised about the International Olympic Committee’s 28 March recommendations for the re-admission of Russian and Belaursian athletes to international competitions is about state funding of such athletes.

British Minister Lucy Frazer has specifically called out athletes funded by the Russian or Belarusian state to be ineligible in the same way that the IOC has specified that athletes involved in the military or national security apparatus of their countries cannot compete.

But Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin told TASS he sees no problems:

“We will do everything necessary to ensure the participation of our athletes in international competitions, for us they were, are and remain our athletes, members of national teams.

“I don’t see any difficulties in terms of financing.”

“But we will look at the conditions that will be determined by the international federations. We are carefully working on these issues from a legal and financial point of view, I think that we will find a way out, because our main task is to ensure the participation of our athletes, subject to respect for our rights.”

Matytsin also noted, however, that re-admission as neutrals may be as much as Russia can hope for at this stage:

“Unfortunately, it is difficult to challenge these decisions legally, because one way or another, international federations are the governing organizations in their sports and determine the rules, which are also supported by decisions of the relevant bodies, the executive committee or congress.

“From a legal point of view, it is difficult to challenge them, although of course, there is a certain red line that neither leaders, nor athletes, nor coaches will cross.

“It’s too early to talk about it, we need to wait for specific requirements. So far we see recommendations and a neutral status, and everywhere the requirements are quite different. In each specific case, our All-Russian federations need to work with international federations, because in many ways the position and regulations depend on how persistent and reasoned the arguments of the Russian side will be.”

TASS quoted the International Golf Federation as allowing Russian and Belarusian players to compete in IGF events (of which there are very few outside of the Olympic Games and continental multi-sport games):

“The Board considered the recently published recommendations of the International Olympic Committee for international federations and organizers of international sporting events on the participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport in international competitions and determined a number of conditions for IGF events.

“Athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport shall compete only as Individual Neutral Athletes. Any such Individual Neutral Athlete, as well as all other participating Athletes, must comply with all applicable anti-doping requirements set forth in the IGF Anti-Doping Rules.”

Russian and Belarusian golfers are not significant factors on the PGA or LPGA Tours, or in the Olympic rankings.

3.
UCI to consider transgender rules again

Just a couple of days after American transgender rider Austin Killips won the Category 2.2 Tour of the Gila in New Mexico, the Union Cycliste Internationale Management Committee convened in Cagliari, Sardinia and announced a review of its standards:

“The Management Committee decided to analyse the current situation by reopening consultation with the athletes and National Federations. Members therefore agreed to debate and take an eventual decision at its next meeting, in Glasgow, in August. The UCI’s objective remains the same: to take into consideration, in the context of the evolution of our society, the desire of transgender athletes to practise cycling. The UCI also hears the voices of female athletes and their concerns about an equal playing field for competitors, and will take into account all elements, including the evolution of scientific knowledge.”

Cycling’s current standards were considered fairly stringent, with a maximum serum testosterone level for women of 2.5 nmol/L maintained for two years, but this did not address the question of changing genders after the onset of male puberty. This was identified as an important factor by World Aquatics in its regulations issued in June 2022 and the World Athletics regulations from March of this year.

The UCI finally equalized race distances in track cycling, with the women’s Individual Pursuit increased to 4 km, the 500 m Time Trial increased to 1 km, and the Scratch event changed to 10 km for both. These changes will come into force on 1 January 2025.

The financial report showed an “expected operating loss” of CHF 4.0 million, but there was also an investment loss of CHF 9.1 million. However, reserves remain healthy at CHF 30.3 million, and “The financial plan up to the end of 2024 continues as planned, and the UCI remains in a good position to face the end of the current Olympic cycle.” (CHF 1 = $1.13 U.S.)

4.
Diamond League starts in Doha; Giro d’Italia starts Saturday

The Wanda Diamond League is back, beginning once again in Doha (QAT) on Friday.

There are lots of good match-ups (U.S. athletes unless otherwise indicated):

● Men/200 m: World 100 m champ Fred Kerley, Olympic and Worlds silver winner Kenny Bednarek and World 400 m gold medalist Michael Norman.

● Men/3,000 m: Kenyan 1,500 star Timothy Cheruiyot (3:28.28 1,500 m) will try the 3,000 m, with strong contenders in steeplechase stars Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR: Tokyo gold) and Lamecha Girma (ETH: Tokyo silver) and Getnet Wale (ETH). Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi (7:26.81) and Australian Stewart McSweyn (7:28.02) are the ones with the experience in this race, but look out for Selemon Barega (ETH), the Tokyo 10,000 m winner.

● Men/400 m hurdles: Olympic silver winner Rai Benjamin (47.74 already this year) leads this field, with fellow Americans Trevor Bassitt (2022 Worlds bronze) and C.J. Allen (48.17 best) ready to challenge.

● Men/High Jump: All eyes on home favorite Mutaz Essa Barshim, the Tokyo Olympic and 2022 World champ, who will be challenged by Americans JuVaughn Harrison and Shelby McEwen, and Canada’s Django Lovett.

● Men/Triple Jump: Is two-time Olympic champ Christian Taylor recovered from his injuries? Is Olympic and World champ Pedro Pablo Pichardo (POR) in shape? Same questions for Cubans Andy Diaz and Lazaro Martinez and Burundi’s Tokyo bronzer Hugues Fabrice Zango.

● Men/Javelin: World Champion Anderson Peters (GRN), Olympic champ Neeraj Chopra (IND), Olympic runner-up Jakub Vadlejch (CZE) and even 2015 World Champion Julius Yego of Kenya are here.

● Women/100 m: World leader and 200 m World Champion Shericka Jackson (JAM) is pitted against Americans Sha’Carri Richardson, TeeTee Terry, Abby Steiner, Teahna Daniels and Melissa Jefferson. Is 2019 Worlds runner-up Dina Asher-Smith (GBR) in shape yet?

● Women/1,500 m: Olympic and World champ Faith Kipyegon (KEN) is here, but who will challenge her? Ethiopians Hirut Meshesha, Axumawit Embaye, Freweyni Hailu and Diribe Welteji will try. American Cory McGee (4:00.34 best) could break four minutes here.

● Women/100 m hurdles: Olympic champ Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR) will face a U.S. contingent of former Worlds winner Nia Ali, Tonea Marshall, and Alaysha Johnson, as well as Jamaican Worlds bronze winner Megan Tapper.

● Women/Steeple: Olympic champ Perth Chemutai (UGA), 2017 Worlds winner Emma Coburn of the U.S., world-record holder Beatrice Chepkoech (KNE) are all in, as is 2022 Worlds bronze winner Mekides Abebe (ETH).

● Women/Vault: Olympic and World champ Katie Moon and 2019/2022 Worlds silver winner Sandi Morris are both in as are Olympic bronzer Holly Bradshaw (GBR) and Worlds bronze winner Nina Kennedy (AUS).

As far as television is concerned, the meet will be streamed live on NBC’s peacock subscription service beginning at noon Eastern time, with delayed cable coverage on Sunday on CNBC, also at noon.

The first of the three Grand Tours in cycling begins on Saturday with the 106th Giro d’Italia, departing with an individual time trial along the Abruzzo coast and finishing with the 21st stage in Rome on 28 May.

The 3,448.6 km (2,142 mile) route includes three Individual Time Trials, three flat stages, four modestly hilly stages, five hilly stages and six mountain stages, including three in the final week!

Among the favorites:

● Remco Evenepoel (BEL) ~ 2022 La Vuelta winner; 2022 World Road champ
● Primoz Roglic (SLO) ~ La Vuelta winner 2019-20-21; Giro 3rd in 2019
● Tao Geoghegan (GBR) ~ 2020 Giro winner; La Vuelta 19th in 2022
● Joao Almeida (POR) ~ Giro 4th in 2020, 6th in 2021; La Vuelta 5th in 2022
● Geraint Thomas (GBR) ~ 2018 Tour de France winner; Giro DNF in 2017-20

Evenepoel, 23, has been on fire this season, winning the seven-stage UAE Tour in February, second in the seven-stage Volta a Catalunya and then winning the historic Liege-Bastogne-Liege race in April. He’s only tried the Giro once, in 2021, and did not finish.

The race will not be shown on U.S. television; it’s being streamed on the subscription-based Global Cycling Network site.

5.
USATF publishes Road Worlds selection procedures

The first World Athletics Road Running Championships this fall in Riga, Latvia, could be the start of something big. USA Track & Field published its six-page team selection procedures last week, starting with team size:

● In the mile and 5 km, teams can bring three, but only two can start, so USATF will select two per event.

● In the half marathon, teams can bring five, but only four can start, so USATF will select four.

The selection of the mile and 5 km entries will come from the USATF National Championships from 6-9 July in Eugene, Oregon, in the “rank order of finish” in the 1,500 m and 5,000 m for men and women.

The half-marathon entries are more complicated and will be based on the World Athletics world rankings for the Half Marathon-10 km grouping as of 1 August 2023. At present, the top four Americans are:

● Men: Conner Mantz, Abbabiya Simbassa, Sam Chelanga, Leonard Korir
● Women: Keira D’Amato, Emily Sisson, Sara Hall, Emily Durgin

Further, there will be some interesting choices to be made, with the U.S. Nationals from 6-9 July, the same 1,500 m and 5,000 m qualifiers going to the World Athletics Championships in Budapest from 19-27 August and then the World Road Champs on 30 September and 1 October, two weeks after the Diamond League Final at the Pre Classic in Eugene and a week after the USATF 10 km Championships and Berlin Marathon!

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Paris 2024 ● The French newspaper Le Monde reported that the Paris 2024 organizers have received more than 300,000 applications for volunteer positions at the Games, from which 45,000 are expected to be chosen.

The organizing committee projects 30,000 volunteers will be needed for the Olympic Games and 15,000 more for the Paralympics. The report noted that 55% of candidates are women, and about a third are under the age of 25.

● Shooting ● At the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Cairo (EGY), Italy led the leader board with five medals (1-3-1), starting with a good showing in the men’s Skeet final.

Rio 2016 Olympic champ Gabriele Rossetti won the event with 39 points to 38 for teammate Elia Sdruccioli, with Tokyo Olympic silver winner Jesper Hansen (DEN: 42 years old!) third (26).

Simona Scocchetti, 37, the 2013 Worlds runner-up almost claimed another win, but ended up second in the women’s Skeet final to China’s 18-year-old Yiting Jiang, 35-33, who claimed her first ISSF World Cup individual medal.

The Mixed Team final was a 6-0 win for India (Mairaj Khan and Ganemat Sekhon) over Mexico.

Tokyo Olympic champ Jiri Liptak (CZE), 41, won the men’s Trap final, 32-28 over Italy’s 42-year-old Massimo Fabbrizi, the London 2012 silver medalist. Portugal’s Maria Coelho de Barrios defeated Chun Lin Yi (TPE: 41 and the 2002 World Champion in Double Trap!) in the women’s final, 30-27.

● Swimming ● The University of California was sued by 18 former members of the Cal women’s swimming team on Monday, alleging abuse by former coach Teri McKeever, dismissed by the university for abusive conduct and violations of school policies.

The plaintiffs include Rio Olympic 4×200 m Freestyle gold medalist Cierra Runge (now Cierra Burnell) and numerous other All-American swimmers for incidents dating back to 1994. McKeever won four NCAA team titles over 30 years at Cal and was the U.S. head women’s coach at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: Cycling to allow Russians, Belarusians in June; van de Vorst to focus on World Boxing; sprint star Bowie found dead at 32

By
Rich Perelman
-
Dutch Boxing Federation President Boris van der Vorst (l) and IOC President Thomas Bach of Germany, two men who will influence the future of boxing in the Olympic Games. (Photo: Boris van der Vorst Twitter page)

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. UCI authorizes Russian and Belarusian re-entry as of 1 June
2. Van de Vorst to leave Dutch fed, focus on World Boxing
3. U.S. Olympic star sprinter Bowie dies at 32
4. Paris 2024 would-be “un-volunteers” detail possible acts
5. Perurena re-elected as World Games head, 30 sports in ‘25

The Union Cycliste Internationale approved the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to competition as soon as 1 June as neutral athletes, after a check of their public communications, of any type, about the Ukraine invasion since its inception in February 2022. The UCI is also taking heat for its transgender regulations, with American Austin Killips – a transgender woman – winning the women’s Tour of the Gila in New Mexico on Sunday. Dutch boxing federation chief Boris van der Vorst will step down as federation chief at the end of this month in order to concentrate on the development of the new World Boxing group in an attempt to keep boxing on the Olympic program. The International Boxing Association, which says it champions the right of all athletes from any country to compete, was rebuked by the Kosovo Olympic Committee after it said that Uzbek authorities would not issue visas for their fighters to compete in the ongoing men’s World Championships in Tashkent. Sad news of the passing of 2016 triple Olympic medal winner Tori Bowie, found dead in her Florida home, at age 32. The continuing turmoil in France over the increase of the retirement (pension) age from 62 to 64 has created an underground of “un-volunteers” who will seek to damage the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris – if they are selected – as a continuing protest against French President Emmanuel Macron. Spain’s Jose Perurena was elected to a third term as the head of the International World Games Association; also approved were 30 sports for the program of the 2025 World Games in China.

● Panorama: World University Games (remembering the 1923 origins of the concept) = Athletics (Amos suspended for three years) = Fencing (Ukraine files at CAS against FIE allowing Russian return) = Snowboard (U.S.’s Diebold retires at 36) = Volleyball (Brazil’s Wallace suspended five years for inciting violence) = Weightlifting (IWF releases doping control figure for 2022) = Wrestling (Mensah-Stock retires, joining WWE) ●

1.
UCI authorizes Russian and Belarusian re-entry as of 1 June

The Management Committee of the Union Cycliste Internationale announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes may be allowed back into international competitions as neutrals as of 1 June 2023. In specific, the UCI decided:

“To authorise, under strict conditions, the participation of athletes of Russian and Belarusian sporting nationality in events on the UCI International Calendar, including UCI World Cup and UCI Nations Cup events and UCI World Championships, as ‘neutral individual athletes’, without them having any involvement or association with the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus, their National Federation or National Olympic Committee. Any person wishing to obtain the status of ‘neutral individual athlete’ will have to apply to the UCI within the framework of a procedure which will lead, if the conditions are met, to the issue of this status by the UCI. The possibility of participating in international competitions as a ‘neutral individual athlete’ will become effective from 1st June.”

A supplementary document outlines the neutrality requirements, which include the now-familiar “No link with the Russian or Belarusian military or with any other national security agency” and “No active support for the war in Ukraine,” there was this regarding communications:

“Riders and support personnel must refrain from any activity or communication, either verbal, non-verbal or written, associated with the national flag, anthem, emblem or any other symbol of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, their National Federations or NOCs, or from any support for the war in Ukraine in any official venue or in the media (including interviews, social media, retweets and reposted messages on Twitter, forwarded messages, etc. ) at any time since the beginning of the military aggression in Ukraine by the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus.

“Riders and support personnel must not make any public statements or comments or take any action or behave in any way that may prejudice the interests of the competition, its integrity or the participant’s neutrality required as a condition for participation.”

This will requite research on athlete and staff applicants going back to February 2022, when the invasion started. The UCI’s regulations state that it will “confirm if the status of Individual Neutral Athlete can be granted within a deadline of 30 days.”

The UCI’s opening to Russian and Belarusian athletes and support personnel also applies to race officials, who can now also apply to return to working at cycling events.

The UCI’s actions are hardly unexpected, given that it has allowed Russian and Belarusian riders for road cycling teams to continue to participate on a neutral basis, but has outlawed teams organized or sponsored by Russian or Belarusian companies.

The federation included the usual condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and pledged further assistance to Ukraine cycling, including CHF 100,000 to the Ukrainian Cycling Federation, and continuing credits of up to CHF 600,000 for technical support.

The UCI is also under pressure after American transgender racer Austin Killips came from 12th to first by winning last Sunday’s fifth and final stage of the Tour of the Gila in New Mexico.

The Tour of the Gila, held for women beginning in 2000, is an important American stage race, on the fourth level of the UCI calendar (category 2.2). The organizers posted a notice that reads in part:

“This race marks the first time an openly trans athlete (Austin Killips from Amy D Foundation) has won a UCI Women’s Stage Race. Tour of the Gila is a UCI sanctioned and regulated race; as such, Tour of the Gila is required to follow the rules and regulations set forth by UCI. All rules and regulations on racer eligibility and classification are set forth by the UCI and USA Cycling and must be followed by event organizers.

“Tour of the Gila recognizes the passionate debate regarding rider eligibility and classifications of riders set by UCI and USA Cycling and encourages UCI and USA Cycling to host an open discussion on the matter. All comments regarding rider eligibility should be directed to UCI and USA Cycling.”

According to a statement sent to CNN by the UCI:

“The UCI acknowledges that transgender athletes may wish to compete in accordance with their gender identity. The UCI rules are based on the latest scientific knowledge and have been applied in a consistent manner.”

The statement implies that Killips, 27, originally a skier who has been riding as a female since 2019, meets the UCI’s requirements for transgender participation, with serum testosterone levels of 2.5 nmol/L or less for at least 24 months prior to competing.

Her win has been met with substantial criticism, including from Canadian Alison Sydor, a three-time World Champion in Mountain Bike:

“The current UCI rules that allow males to compete in female cycling events are not fair to female athletes. Time for UCI to admit this current rule situation is unsustainable and leaving a black mark on cycling as a fair sport for females.”

Killips plans to continue on.

2.
Van de Vorst to leave Dutch fed, focus on World Boxing

Boris van der Vorst announced that he will conclude 10 years as the President of the Nederlanse Boksbond – the Dutch national boxing federation – on 29 May at the General Assembly. The future of Olympic boxing is the reason. He explained in a posted letter, reading in part:

“So why have I decided to say goodbye? This has to do with the fact that in recent times, I had to increasingly focus on international developments. After the judging scandals at Rio 2016, the international association was under a magnifying glass of its partners and stakeholders, including the IOC. The leadership culture within the [International Boxing Association] caused great concern for the IOC, as well as for many National Federations, particularly in the areas of sports integrity, governance, and financial management. The election of the controversial AIBA President, Gafur Rahimov [UZB], lead to the suspension of AIBA’s recognition by the IOC in 2019.

“Since then, the situation has only deteriorated, and that is why a group of like-minded representatives of National Federations from around the world, have been trying to change the leadership culture within the IBA. Unfortunately, we have not succeeded until now and I am concerned that the Olympic recognition of the IBA is about to be permanently lost. This would be a doomsday scenario, an outright nightmare for our sport. For this reason, World Boxing was presented to the global sports community on April 13, where I am among the Interim Executive Board Members, together with leaders from GB Boxing, USA Boxing, and others.

“World Boxing aims to save the Olympic-style boxing for the future generations by securing its place within the Olympic Family. That requires an immense investment of time and attention. For that reason, I have decided to step down as the President of the Dutch Boxing Federation and allow others to stay focused on driving Dutch boxing forward.”

USA Boxing announced on 26 April that it was leaving the IBA and applying for membership in the new World Boxing group. The IBA has reacted furiously, but continues on suspension by the IOC.

Boxing’s situation within the Olympic Movement remains precarious. The sport is on the Paris 2024 program, but is being managed by the IOC, without input from the IBA, which has told its registered officials not to become involved in the Paris 2024 qualifying events run by the IOC. Further, the sport is not on the program for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, with its fate to be decided this year. The IOC has been clear it has no qualms with the sport, but with the IBA.

The next expected actions will be the withdrawal of additional federations from the IBA and affiliation with World Boxing, but there is no established timetable for this.

The IBA is also being embarrassed during its current men’s World Championships in Uzbekistan by the apparent refusal of the Uzbek government to allow fighters from Kosovo to compete.

IBA President Umar Kremlev (RUS) told a news conference on Monday, “I don’t have the right to prohibit anything for the athletes. All I have to do is to provide money, if needed, and assistance for athletes to come and participate in tournaments.”

But the Kosovo National Olympic Committee tweeted the same day:

“For the third time in a row, #Kosovo’s boxing team lost the World Boxing Championships, due to politics.

“This time, Uzbekistan did not issue visas for our team.

“We lost: Serbia [men’s World Champs] 2021, India [women’s World Champs] 2023 & Uzbekistan [men’s World Champs] 2023.

“Are you @IBA_Boxing or IBA Politics?”

The Kosovo issue has been watched closely by the International Olympic Committee, which recognized Kosovo in 2014, and could be another problem for the IBA in its continuing struggle to obtain re-integration into the Olympic Movement.

3.
U.S. Olympic star sprinter Bowie dies at 32

Startling sad news that three-time Olympic medal winner Tori Bowie has passed at just 32 years old.

The Associated Press reported that police in Orlando, Florida were called Tuesday afternoon “for a well-being check of a woman in her 30s who had not been seen or heard from in several days.”

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office stated that Bowie “was found dead in the home. There were no signs of foul play.”

Bowie, the NCAA indoor and outdoor women’s long jump champion in 2011 for Southern Mississippi, exploded on the international scene in 2013 and led the world 100 m list in 2014 at 10.80 for 100 m.

Originally a basketball player, she won the Worlds 100 m bronze in 2015, the Olympic 100 m silver and 200 m bronze in 2016 and ran on the gold-medal-winning U.S. 4×100 m team, won the 100 m and 4×100 m golds at the 2017 Worlds. She suffered a bad leg injury at the 2018 Pre Classic and was never the same, although she was fourth in the long jump at the 2019 World Championships.

She won three U.S. national titles, in the 100 m in 2015-17 and the 200 m in 2016. Bowie competed in just four meets in 2021, with little success, and one meet in 2022, a 200 m race in Florida in June. She had lifetime bests of 10.78 for the 100 m in 2016 (no. 17 all-time) and 21.77 for the 200 m in 2017 (no. 18).

After her Olympic success in Rio, she was an in-demand fashion model, and was known for her bubbly, positive personality. No cause of death was provided.

4.
Paris 2024 would-be “un-volunteers” detail possible acts

The Associated Press posted an interesting story on Wednesday about the so-far loosely organized, mostly underground group that wants to join the Paris 2024 organizing committee as members of the 45,000-strong volunteer corps, and then sabotage the Games.

Bernard Gauvain, 68, was noted as one member of the anti-Games group; the story included:

“They’re considering an array of possibilities: not turning up to leave organizers short-handed; turning up but working badly and slowly; unfurling banners inside the Olympic perimeter; sabotaging equipment; using the opportunity to lobby other volunteers; or going to a labor court afterward to argue they should have been paid for their help. Gauvain even mentioned that some suggest gluing venue doors shut.”

He has been highly active on Twitter, so he knows he will not be selected as a volunteer, but plans to make trouble any way he can:

“The Olympic Games are Macron’s pride and joy. So it’s a way of stinging him.”

The Paris organizers announced that more than 200,000 applications have been received for the expected 45,000 positions, and an interview process will be part of the selection effort.

Most of the animus about the Games is related to the change in retirement age in France from 62 to 64 pushed through by President Emmanuel Macron on funding concerns, which has caused considerable turmoil in the country.

There are also civil liberties worries concerning the use of advanced surveillance technologies which were approved by the French legislature for the Games, but will also remain in place in 2025.

The Paris 2024 organizers have had budget worries for some time, but the Games project has generally been popular in France. But as a major public spectacle, the Games is also a long-standing target for those airing their favorite political issues.

5.
Perurena re-elected as World Games head, 30 sports in ‘25

Spain’s Jose Perurena was elected unopposed for a third term as the President of the International World Games Association (IWGA) during its Annual General Meeting in Madrid.

Perurena, 78, also served as the head of the International Canoe Federation from 2008-21 and was first elected to lead the IWGA in 2014.

The next World Games will be held in Chengdu (CHN) in 2025 and will include a maximum of 5,000 athletes spread across at least 30 sports, to include:

Air Sports, Archery, Billiards Sports, Boules, Canoe, DanceSport, Finswimming, Fistball, Floorball, Flying Disc, Gymnastics, Beach Handball, Ju-Jitsu, Karate, Kickboxing, Korfball, Lacrosse, Life Saving, Muaythai, Orienteering, Powerlifting, Racquetball, Roller Sports, Sambo, Softball, Sport Climbing, Squash, Tug-of-War, Waterski and Wushu.

The Chengdu organizers could also ask for the inclusion of additional sports, to be chosen from Flag Football, Cheerleading, Dragon Boat, Duathlon, and Freestyle Inline skating.

The 2022 World Games was held in Birmingham, Alabama. The World Games has been an important demonstration platform for sports that would like to be considered for the program of the Olympic Games.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● World University Games ● The 100-year anniversary of the event which eventually led to the World University Games came on Wednesday, 3 May, exactly a century after the first “Jeux Mondiaux Universitaires” in Paris.

The International University Sports Federation (FISU) noted the anniversary of the concept championed by French sports leader Jean Petitjean.

The four-day event included only track & field (18 events) and fencing (2), with American Olympic star Charley Paddock winning the 100 m (10.4) and 200 m (21.0). Dutch runner Adriaan Paulen, who later went on to head the IAAF from 1976-81, won the 400 m in 51.2 and was second at 800 m in 1:57.2.

The World University Games as known today and under the governance of FISU – established in 1949 – was first held in 1959 in Turin, Italy.

● Athletics ● Botswana’s Nijel Amos, the 2012 Olympic silver medalist at 800 m and still the equal-third-fastest man in history at 1:41.73, has been banned by the Athletics Integrity Unit for three years.

A three-time Olympian at 800 m, Amos’ sample from a test on 4 June 2022 turned up evidence of GW1516, a prohibited hormone modulator. The test of his “B” sample confirmed the positive and he approved an “Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations and Acceptance of Consequences Form” on 10 April 2023, which reduced his sanction from four years to three.

Now 29, he was a finalist at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021 (8th), and will be eligible again on 11 July 2025.

● Fencing ● The FIE Congress may have approved the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals, but the Ukrainian Fencing Federation is not amused and has registered an appeal:

“The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has registered the procedure CAS 2023/A/9522 Fencing Federation of Ukraine v. International Fencing Federation (FIE). The arbitration is at an early stage. No further information is available at this time.”

In April, Mykhailo Ilyashev, head of the Ukrainian federation, explained that the FIE Congress decision “was adopted with numerous violations of the FIE Statutes, which raises many questions about its legality.”

● Snowboard ● Sochi 2014 Olympic Snowboard Cross bronze medal winner Alex Diebold announced his retirement from competitive snowboarding at age 36.

He wrote on his Instagram page on Monday:

“After almost 20 years on the @ussnowboardteam I still don’t really know what to say other than thank you. Thank you to my family. Thank you to my teammates, coaches, team managers, trainers, doctors, and physios. Thank you to my competitors. To the people that tore me down and to the people who built me back up – you have taught me things I couldn’t learn anywhere else. And for all of this, I am grateful. I love snowboarding now was much as I did in 1990 when I started, and I can’t wait to see what new riding adventures await. I’m both terrified and excited for whatever is next.”

In addition to his Sochi Olympic bronze, he appeared in five World Championships, with a best finish of 15th in the individual SnowCross event and seventh in the Team event. He won six World Cup medals: three silvers and three bronzes between 2013-20.

● Volleyball ● Wallace de Souza won an Olympic silver as an Opposite on the Brazilian team in London 2012 and a gold in front of adoring home fans at Rio in 2016, plus three Worlds medals in 2014-18-22 (0-2-1). Now he is suspended.

De Souza, 35, was banned for five years by the Brazilian Olympic Committee for inciting violence. In February:

“Wallace posted stories on Instagram that featured guns and shooting clubs. In one of the posts, he asked his followers if he should use one of the guns to shoot [Brazilian] President Lula. The post had huge negative repercussions and generated criticism not only in the world of sport, but also in politics.

“Wallace deleted the post and apologized the next day.”

He supported prior president, Jair Bolsonaro, who was beaten by Lula in the last election.

● Weightlifting ● The International Weightlifting Federation posted a graphic which summarized its anti-doping results from 2022, as provided by the International Testing Agency.

In short, 2,725 tests were collected from 1,333 athletes from 124 countries. Of these, 65 adverse findings were returning, with one doping positive confirmed so far.

Without clarity on the 64 adverse-finding cases, it’s impossible to know how good or bad the doping situation is in the sport, which is trying to recover from decades of drug-use problems. It has been left off the 2028 Los Angeles Games program, but could be returned this year.

● Wrestling ● With nothing left to conquer in the Olympic wrestling world, American star Tamyra Mensah-Stock confirmed that she has retired and signed with the WWE.

Mensah-Stock, 30, won the women’s 68 kg gold in Tokyo in 2021 and also won two World Championships golds, in 2019 and 2022, plus bronzes in 2018 and 2021. ESPN reported:

“The Texas resident will start in WWE’s developmental program. Mensah-Stock reported Monday to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, she told ESPN. Her goal is to make WWE’s main roster within one year.”

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For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: IBA’s choice for a new U.S. federation might not matter; FIFA won’t show Women’s World Cup in Europe without more money!

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Stevens Act will control IBA plan to pick new U.S. governing body
2. FIFA asks more for 2023 Women’s World Cup, or won’t show it!
3. Johnson home designation approved by L.A. City committee
4. IJF refuses eight of 18 Russian World Championships entries
5. Russia projecting team of 180 for Paris if allowed to compete

International Boxing Association President Umar Kremlev of Russia told a Monday news conference the federation plans to accredit a new member federation in the U.S. in the aftermath of the withdrawal of USA Boxing. He says he has multiple applicants, but may be unaware that by U.S. law, the selection of a sport’s national governing body has much more to do with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee than any international federation. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand may be blacked out in Europe if broadcasters do not pay more for the rights. In Los Angeles, a City Council committee approved a request for Historic-Cultural Monument status for the Cornelius Johnson home and Olympic Oak; the matter goes now to the City Council for final approval, which must be made by 12 May. The International Judo Federation approved Russian and Belarusian athletes for competition as neutrals, but has rejected eight of 18 Russian entries for the upcoming World Championships in Qatar that start this weekend. This could be a precedent. The Russian sports minister projects that if allowed to compete in qualifying events and without any team-sport entries, Russia could send a team of 180 to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. That would be the fewest since the Russian Empire sent 159 to the Stockholm Games in 1912!

● Panorama: Athletics (3: AIU April sanctions report led by five Vietnamese, three Russians; Atlanta 1996 400 m hurdles bronze winner Davis passed at 51; first-ever ban for online abuse leveled at British T&F official) = Swimming (Dressel to return to competition on 12 May; ex-Soviet swimmer and Moscow 1980 silver medalist arrested for drug sales in India) ●

1.
Stevens Act will control IBA plan to pick new U.S. governing body

At Monday’s International Boxing Association news conference at its men’s World Championships in Tashkent (UZB), President Umar Kremlev (RUS) was asked about the withdrawal of USA Boxing. According to the Russian news agency TASS:

“The American association has left, but we already have more than five applications from the USA from organizations that are ready to develop boxing in the country. We have created a special commission that will study which of them we accredit. But the decision [to leave] was not made by boxers, but by officials who decided to break the faith of athletes, American boxers write to me, complaining that they are not allowed [to compete].

“Only hyenas or jackals do this, you can’t call them otherwise. They should be pointed to their place, shown that they are outcasts of society and cleanse the sport of such people. The functionary’s task is to ensure the participation of the athlete, and not to tell them where to go.”

Regardless of Kremlev’s view of the U.S. federation, the IBA’s “accreditation” of a U.S. member association is not completely up to him or the IBA. The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee also has a substantial say.

That say is codified in the U.S. Code in Title 36, Chapter 2205, also known today as the Ted Stevens Olympic & Amateur Sports Act, first passed in 1978 and amended in 1998, 2006, 2018 and 2020.

It’s quite specific on National Governing Bodies, including:

● Sec. 220521, requiring that the USOPC “may not certify more than 1 national governing body.”

● Further, sub-section (c) notes that once a National Governing Body for a sport has been selected, the USOPC “shall recommend and support in any appropriate manner the national governing body to the appropriate international sports federation as the representative of the United States for that sport.”

So, it’s the USOPC which tells the International Federations who their national federation is, not the other way around.

● Sec. 220522 specifies the requirements for an NGB, including, among other items:

“the managerial and financial capability to plan and execute its obligations, including the ability to provide and enforce required athlete protection policies and procedures”

and

“demonstrates that it is a member of no more than one international sports federation that governs a sport included on the program of the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games, the Pan-American Games, or the Parapan American Games.”

Big problem for the IBA here. It has been suspended by the International Olympic Committee since 2019 and is not the governing body of boxing insofar as it concerns the Olympic Games – controlled by the IOC itself – or the 2023 Pan American Games, which will be a Paris 2024 qualifier, also overseen by the IOC’s “Paris Boxing Unit.”

Without the designation as the federation which “governs a sport included on the program” of the Olympic Games or Pan American Games, the IBA cannot be an “appropriate” International Federation for a U.S. national federation to belong to.

(The 12-page USA Boxing qualifying procedures for selection for the Paris 2024 Games never mentions the IBA, only the IOC and its process.)

The Stevens Act enumerates the purposes for which the USOPC is authorized and a major aspect listed in §220503 is:

“(4) to obtain for the United States, directly or by delegation to the appropriate national governing body, the most competent amateur representation possible in each event of the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games, the Pan-American Games, and the Parapan American Games.”

Can’t do that if you’re on suspension by the IOC. And the USOPC’s authority in this area is clear, as §220503 (3) includes:

“exclusive jurisdiction, directly or through constituent members of committees, over—

(A) all matters pertaining to United States participation in the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games, the Pan-American Games, and the Parapan American Games, including representation of the United States in the games” and much more.

Moreover, the road to even challenge USA Boxing as the U.S. national governing body can’t begin until 6 November of 2023. Section 220528, concerning “Applications to replace an incumbent national governing body” states:

“An amateur sports organization may seek to replace an incumbent as the national governing body for a particular sport by filing a written application for certification with the [USOPC] … within one year after the final day of—

“(A) any Olympic Games, for a sport in which competition is held in the Olympic Games or the Paralympic Games, or in each of the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games, the Pan-American Games, and the Parapan American Games; or

“(B) any Pan-American Games or Parapan American Games, for a sport in which competition is held in the Pan-American Games or the Parapan American Games, as applicable, but not in the Olympic Games or the Paralympic Games.”

The 2023 Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile end on Sunday, 5 November. No application to the USOPC can even be filed until then. If one is filed, the procedure requires a public hearing within six months, with USA Boxing also invited to present. Any new body must show that

“the applicant more adequately meets the criteria of section 220522 of this title [eligibility], is capable of more adequately meeting the criteria of sections 220524 [duties] and 220525 [sanctioning] of this title, and provides or is capable of providing a more effective national program of competition than the national governing body in the sport for which it seeks certification.”

A tall order, for sure.

The crux of the matter will be whether the IBA once again becomes the governing body of Olympic boxing, or some other association – perhaps the new World Boxing group – is so designated.

Right now, the IBA’s choice for a “new” U.S. national federation won’t mean much to the one group that – under U.S. law – counts, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

2.
FIFA asks more for 2023 Women’s World Cup, or won’t show it!

The 32-team 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup begins on 20 July in Australia and New Zealand, but FIFA chief Gianni Infantino (SUI) said in a Monday Instagram post and during a women’s trade conference in Geneva (SUI) that the tournament may be blacked out in England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and elsewhere in Europe! Here it is:

“Today, I have repeated my call for broadcasters to pay a fair price for FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023? media rights. We did our part: FIFA has raised the prize money to USD 152 million, treble the amount paid in 2019 and ten times more than in 2015 (before I became FIFA President).

“However, the offers from broadcasters, mainly in the ‘Big 5’ European countries, are still very disappointing and simply not acceptable, especially considering that:

“1) 100% of any rights fees paid would go straight into women’s football, in our move to promote actions towards equal conditions and pay;

“2) public broadcasters in particular have a duty to promote and invest in women’s sport;

“3) the viewing figures of the FIFA Women’s World Cup are 50-60% of the men’s FIFA World Cup (which in turn are the highest of any event), yet the broadcasters’ offers in the ‘Big 5’ European countries for the FIFA Women’s World Cup are 20 to 100(!) times lower than for the men’s FIFA World Cup; and

“4) concretely, whereas broadcasters pay USD 100-200 million for the men’s FIFA World Cup, they offer only USD 1-10 million for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. This is a slap in the face of all the great FIFA Women’s World Cup players and indeed of all women worldwide.

“So, to be very clear, it is our moral and legal obligation not to undersell the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Therefore, should the offers continue not to be fair (towards women and women’s football), we will be forced not to broadcast the FIFA Women’s World Cup into the ‘Big 5’ European countries.

“I call, therefore, on all players (women and men), fans, football officials, Presidents, Prime Ministers, politicians and journalists all over the world to join us and support this call for a fair remuneration of women’s football.

“Women deserve it! As simple as that!”

Infantino did not disclose the bids from any of the broadcasters from these countries. It is worth noting that schedule shows most of the matches will be held in the late morning in the European time zones – Australia is eight hours and New Zealand in 10 hours ahead of Central European Time – not the most favorable for a large audience.

Infantino, of course, does not agree:

“It doesn’t make any economic sense because the viewing figures are there. Maybe, because it is in Australia and New Zealand, it’s not played on prime-time in Europe, but still, it is played at 9am or 10am, so it is quite a reasonable time.”

There isn’t a lot of time remaining, but a sale even weeks before would allow for broadcasting in the European markets since the feed of the matches is being produced by FIFA. This will be interesting.

3.
Johnson home designation approved by L.A. City committee

The long and winding path of the Cornelius Johnson home and Olympic Oak in Los Angeles moved slightly forward on Tuesday with a committee approval of its designation as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments.

The property, originally built by Johnson’s father in 1903 at 1156 South Hobart Avenue in midtown Los Angeles, includes a very special “Olympic Oak,” grown from a seedling given to Johnson for winning the men’s high jump at the Games of the XI Olympiad in Berlin, Germany in 1936.

This was the Nazi Games and Johnson, who had finished fourth in the 1932 Los Angeles Games, won at 2.03 m (6-8) on the first day of track & field on 2 August. It was Johnson whom German leader Adolf Hitler snubbed, not wanting to congratulate a Black athlete after seeing two Germans and a Finn win the prior events on that day.

As with all of the gold medalists in Berlin, Johnson was given a “Olympic Oak” seedling to take with him and plant at home. He did so and the tree grew spectacularly from 1936 until recent years when it was essentially abandoned.

Today, it is one of six believed to be remaining in the U.S. and one of 25 worldwide still living (out of 130 given).

Johnson passed away in 1946, but his home remained in the family until its sale in 1994. The family who followed the Johnsons maintained the tree in good shape, but it fell into distress since the sale in 2019 to KLD Investment, LLC, which had plans to develop the property, but now wants to sell it.

The property continues to be for sale, listed at $1.09 million; it was purchased by the current owner on 1 May 2019 for $927,000. The prior sale was in 1994 for $175,000. The tree is now being watered through an intervention by the Huntington Gardens.

Community interest in the tree and the Johnson home led to an application to the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission for Historic-Cultural Monument status, which was approved in August 2022.

To obtain the designation, the matter then had to come to the Los Angeles City Council’s Planning & Lane Use Management (PLUM) committee and finally made it on Tuesday (2nd). Only three of the five committee members were present: Marqueece Harris-Dawson (District 8), John Lee (12th) and Heather Hutt (10th, in which the property is located).

Two public speakers commented in favor of the designation and neither owner KLD Investments or the original proposers – Susan Anderson of the California African American Museum, and architect and preservation advocate Christian Kosmas Mayer – spoke during the discussion. The entire matter was concluded in just 3:47 with a unanimous vote for designation. Said Hutt:

“As the Planning Department has noted, this is a historical tree and home. It was certainly the ‘west side’ [of Los Angeles] when the Johnson family built the home, which was an unusual place for Black people to live with the [racial] covenants then on.

“And then for this man to be a two-time Olympian is really important. I feel like we need to protect this space. When the Olympics come here in 2028, that it will be a destination for all the comers to Los Angeles.”

The Historic-Cultural Monument designation now goes to the City Council for final approval, which must be completed by 12 May under the City’s timeline requirements.

There has been talk of a purchase of the property by a non-profit, but no one has come forward yet. While the Historic-Cultural Monument designation could come soon, the future of the property is anything but assured.

But Johnson’s Olympic Oak, now 88 years old, is still hanging in there.

4.
IJF refuses eight of 18 Russian World Championships entries

The International Judo Federation confirmed Saturday that it would allow “athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in IJF events as individual neutral athletes,” as it had done since the middle of 2022.

However, it also qualified the approval with a procedure, based on the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee:

“The Executive Committee has decided to engage an independent, reputable company to perform background checks on all the individuals proposed for participation, including social media content, with specific reference to possible war propaganda. Only those athletes and support personnel who are cleared during this verification process will be eligible and considered for participation in events by the IJF Executive Committee.”

By Monday, the entry list for the 2023 IJF Worlds in Doha, Qatar from 7-13 May showed 20 “Individual Neutral Athletes,” with 18 Russians (nine men, nine women) and two from Belarus (1+1).

On Tuesday, that number was reduced by the IJF:

“The IJF Executive Committee has received the list of proposed participants and has commissioned independent background checks on the athletes and delegates to ensure both their place of employment and any social media interactions regarding pro-war propaganda. …

“Only athletes employed at the Federal Training Sport Center of the representative teams of Russia and athletes for whom no information was identified suggesting support for or views on the Russian invasion of Ukraine have been approved to compete at the World Judo Championships 2023 and in IJF competitions. After conducting thorough background investigations, eight members of the delegation were rejected from participation following the Executive Committee vote. …

“The International Judo Federation will continue to monitor the situation and conduct further investigations to ensure that all athletes are participating ethically and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the sport and the judo values.”

The eight athletes removed were not identified, but the announcement indicates that members of the famed CSKA or Dynamo sports clubs were not permitted to compete. It appears the two Belarusians – Yahor Varapayeu in the men’s 90 kg class and Darya Kantsavaya in the women’s 78 kg class – were approved.

This is a precedent for other federations, none of which have been this fast in bringing Russian and Belarusian athletes back into competition.

Ukraine announced on Monday that it would not compete at the 2023 Worlds with Russian or Belarusian athletes present and competing. The IJF Worlds begin on Sunday.

5.
Russia projecting team of 180 for Paris if allowed to compete

“If our athletes successfully pass the qualifying tournaments and the conditions are not significantly changed, then the maximum number of participants from the Russian side in the Olympic Games will be about 180 athletes. …

“In total, international federations in 12 Olympic and 13 non-Olympic sports supported the admission of Russian athletes to international competitions. But nine organizations have not yet given clear criteria for admission to competitions.”

That’s Russian sports minister Oleg Matytsin, speaking after a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the prospects for Russian participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

That’s way below the athlete totals from prior Games this century:

● 2000: 435
● 2004: 446
● 2008: 455
● 2012: 436
● 2016: 282 (reduced due to doping sanctions)
● 2020: 335 (reduced due to doping sanctions)

In fact, a total of 180 athletes would be the smallest number from a Russian team since 159 competed for the Russian Empire in 1912 in Stockholm. As the USSR, a team did not compete until 1952 (295).

Matytsin said the decision on Russian participation in Paris will not be made before 26 July 2023 and probably much later.

Meanwhile, Putin was reported to have told Matytsin and others:

“You and I are well aware that the main problems of modern high-performance sports are related to the excessive commercialization of sports. Hence both corruption and political dependence. But as the multipolarity of the modern world strengthens, the situation will change in international sports as well. It will change for the better. In any case, I really hope so.”

In this regard, Matytsin said that plans for a new multi-sport competition are emerging, with a 2024 target date:

“The situation today confirms the importance and necessity of further strengthening the sports agenda within the framework of interstate associations, such as the [Commonwealth of Independent States], [Shanghai Cooperation Organization] and BRICS, which are not subject to sanctions and restrictions from international sports structures. In 2024, under the Russian chairmanship of the BRICS association, we propose to hold the BRICS Games in our country, we consider this to be especially relevant, given the prospect of expanding the BRICS format in terms of the number of countries.”

(BRICS refers to Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.)

Russian access to qualification competitions remains at issue. While at least some Russian entries will be allowed at the upcoming Judo World Championships, the Russian Fencing Federation says it is being stonewalled by the International Fencing Federation (FIE), which approved Russian and Belarusian participation as neutrals back in March. Said Russian Fencing Federation (FFR) President Ilgar Mammadov:

“The FIE office does not respond to our letters, the release on athletes and specialists has not yet been received. Today our colleague from Belarus also called their office, where he was told that they were not authorized to answer these questions. Judging by everything, there is no international law in sports anymore, as there are ethical norms of behavior… If for some reason the FIE office was offended by the FFR, why don’t they respond to the Belarusians as well?”

Mammadov explained this means no Russians will compete at the Epee Grand Prix in Cali (COL) this weekend, or the men’s Foil World Cup in Acapulco (MEX):

“We are definitely missing the next two tournaments. Today we sent a corresponding letter to the Russian Ministry of Sports so that these tournaments were removed from the plan. We do this at the very last moment, but, I hope, the Ministry of Sports understands that we have to wait until it stops in the hope that something will happen after all.

“My foreign colleagues from the United States, who were waiting for us in Acapulco, were very surprised that we would not come, and they cannot understand how the FIE office can simply not respond. It turns out that they can.”

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● The Athletics Integrity Unit published its sanctions recap for April, with 19 individuals listed:

● 5: Vietnam
● 3: India and Russia
● 1: Germany, Italy, Kenya, Morocco, New Zealand, Trinidad & Tobago, Uzbekistan and the U.S.

The American was shot put star Raven Saunders, suspended for 18 months for whereabouts reporting failures.

Sad news of the passing of 1996 Olympic 400 m hurdles bronze medalist Calvin Davis on Sunday, 1 May, at just 51 years of age.

Davis ran 47.91 in his Olympic semi in Atlanta for his all-time best, then no. 7 in American history. He was the 1993 NCAA champion at 400 m for Arkansas (45.04), then won the NCAA Indoor 400 m title in 1994 before switching to the hurdles and making the U.S. Olympic team just two years later.

At the time of his death, he was an assistant track and field coach at Springdale Har-Ber High School in Springdale, Arkansas.

Britain’s Athletics Weekly reported that an athletics official was banned from the sport by UK Athletics for online abuse:

“[Paul] Baxter, a former member of City of York AC, has been given a three-and-a-half year ban from the sport for online bullying and harassment of Katey Ross, a former athlete who acts as an administrator on the popular Facebook group ‘I Was, Or Am A Runner!’

“Baxter was charged by England Athletics with ‘making a number of inappropriate, threatening, bullying or harassing online posts’ toward Ross, who waived her anonymity in the case.”

It’s believed to be the first instance of a ban imposed for online actions. It will not be the last.

● Swimming ● Five-time Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel of the U.S. has been absent from the pool since leaving the 2022 World Championships after a couple of days last June. But he appears ready to re-emerge and is expected to compete in the Atlanta Classic on 12 May.

If fit, the 26-year-old can qualify for the 2023 Worlds at the USA Swimming nationals from 27 June-1 July in Indianapolis.

SwimSwam.com reported that 1980 Olympic 200 m Breaststroke silver medalist Svetlana Varganova was arrested for involvement as part of a drug cartel in Goa, India.

An Indian Narcotics Control Bureau said that Varganova, 58, sold drugs only to foreigners and have been uncooperative. She was arrested along with a former Russian policeman known as Andre and reportedly the head of the drug ring.

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: IBA to identify new U.S. boxing fed; remembering long jump superstar Ralph Boston; Ukraine aths will not compete with Russians

By
Rich Perelman
-
IBA President Umar Kremlev (RUS, at right) and Secretary General George Yerolimpos (GRE, left). (Photo: IBA video screenshot)

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Kremlev: IBA looking to select new U.S. national federation
2. Remembering long jump great, analyst and activist Ralph Boston
3. Canoe federation agrees to Russian and Belarusian re-entry
4. Ukrainian fencers and judokas ready to skip events with Russian entries
5. Russia continues to protest all sports sanctions

International Boxing Association President Umar Kremlev employed his usual colorful style to declare at a news conference in Uzbekistan that the IBA has no problems, is working to answer all the issues posed by the International Olympic Committee, is unconcerned by the new World Boxing group and has a committee reviewing five applications from possible replacement federations for the now-departed USA Boxing. Even casual track fans know the names Jesse Owens and Bob Beamon, but they set one world record each. Ralph Boston, who passed away on Sunday at age 83 was the one who broke Owens’ mark after 25 years and was credited with six world marks in his career and won three Olympic medals. The International Canoe Federation dropped into line with the International Olympic Committee on Russian and Belarusian re-entry, but noted that national federations running events would be allowed to exclude them if desired. In separate situations, Ukrainian fencers and judoka said they will not compete against Russian or Belarusians, with the Ukrainian Judo Federation announcing a boycott of the upcoming IJF Worlds in Qatar. Russian criticism of any and all restrictions against them due to Russia continuing war on Ukraine now includes a statement by the Athletes Commission of the Russian Olympic Committee, which called the sanctions “a gross violation.”

● Panorama: Athletics (3: Brooks wins GardaStars, Allen returns at Penn; Sawe now no. 5 all-time at 10 km) = Canoe-Kayak (U.S. star Liebfarth wins two in PanAm Slalom Champs) = Cycling (2: Andersen wins Eschborn-Frankfurt; U.S.’s Hoehn takes Tour of the Gila) = Modern Pentathlon (Korea wins World Cup mixed relay) = Rowing (Kohler win highlights U.S. National Selection Regatta) ●

● Errata: Some readers saw a version of Monday’s post which showed Ireland as part of the field for the 2023 FIBA men’s World Cup. Iran, ranked 22nd, will compete; not Ireland. Thanks to Olympic statman Hilary Evans (GBR) for the sharp eyes. ●

1.
Kremlev: IBA looking to select new U.S. national federation

During a nearly-90 minute news conference in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on the second day of the International Boxing Association men’s World Championships saw federation chief Umar Kremlev maintain his well-rehearsed lines about how well the IBA is doing and rejecting any challenge from the new World Boxing group. But there were some new twists:

● Asked about the withdrawal of USA Boxing from the IBA, Kremlev replied, according to the Russian news agency TASS:

“The American association has left, but we already have more than five applications from the USA from organizations that are ready to develop boxing in the country. We have created a special commission that will study which of them we accredit. But the decision [to leave] was not made by boxers, but by officials who decided to break the faith of athletes, American boxers write to me, complaining that they are not allowed [to compete].

“Only hyenas or jackals do this, you can’t call them otherwise. They should be pointed to their place, shown that they are outcasts of society and cleanse the sport of such people. The functionary’s task is to ensure the participation of the athlete, and not to tell them where to go.”

● Asked about the new World Boxing group, Kremlev said (transcribed from the English-language interpreter online):

“You know, we say that there’s always a black sheep in a family. There are always people who go their own ways. We need to keep our dignity, and as for this situation, yes, I heard about it, but I don’t think it’s worth discussing this matter here. So let’s not make a mountain out of a molehill.

“Someone just decided in their garage to register an international association. Why should we even pay attention to that? Our only concern are critical remarks, that we can handle and that we can improve.

“I am fine with any criticism, it gives motivation for development, but today the IBA is the only international association that manages boxing. Those who want to leave or move on, must understand that all the rules of boxing belong to the IBA, and we have the right to govern boxing. No one else decides [whether] IBA has the right to organize tournaments.”

● About the concerns of the International Olympic Committee and boxing’s future in the 2028 Olympic Games and beyond (transcribed interpretation):

“As of today, there are no problems at IBA. …

“Basically, I don’t see the reason or the point to explain anything. I am sure that they don’t like me. They didn’t like the fact that I’m not licking anyone’s ass – sorry for saying it such a straightforward way – but indeed. Maybe they don’t like us providing and giving prize money, which is even greater than the prize money at the Olympics. This is all their own problem.

“Our organization exists for us to provide all the money to the athletes. We don’t want to pay for five-star hotels, for travels of functionaries or sports officials. No, we would like dedicate all money to athletes. I can’t see any hurdles or difficulties in our communications with the IOC. I do not see any problems or any hurdles.”

Kremlev once again blamed all of the IOC’s issues at his predecessor as federation president, C.K. Wu (TPE), who he pointed out was an IOC Executive Board member: “So all the questions, they should be raised from C.K. Wu.”

The IBA has set up a committee to work on a reply to the IOC’s inquiries; Secretary George Yerolimpos (GRE) explained:

“The fifth of May, or a few days after, the IBA will present to the IOC a package of all the answers, and what we did in all this period, and I feel very proud to be part of this as a member of the IBA. …

“Olympics is a very nice and beautiful tree. We would like to be very close to this tree. But also, IBA must deal with other trees we have around. We want to deal with our forest, the boxers. We love this tree, but we need to take care about also the forest, the boxing.”

Yerolimpos explained that the prize money for the women’s Worlds ($2.4 million) and men’s Worlds ($5.2 million) came from the license fees paid by the host associations (India and Uzbekistan). He also said that additional sponsors would be announced by the IBA during the summer, to help fund the IBA office and its development projects.

Kremlev said that the sponsorship agreement with the Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom has run out and has not been renewed, at least not yet. The Gazprom agreement has been a sticking point for the IOC, given its state ownership and the sanctions on the Russian state amidst its continuing invasion of Ukraine.

2.
Remembering long jump great, analyst and activist Ralph Boston

Olympic icon Jesse Owens of the U.S. set the world long jump of 8.13 m (26-8) on his day-of-days in Ann Arbor, Michigan on 25 May 1935. Although today’s fans remember Bob Beamon’s astounding jump of 8.90 m (29-2 1/2) at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, in-between was another all-time great: Ralph Boston.

Boston passed away on Sunday at age 83 at his home in Peachtree City, Georgia.

But he is the man who moved Owens out of the record books and took over the event until Beamon’s Mexico City miracle.

A Tennessee A&I grad, Boston was the 1960 NCAA champion after finishing third in 1959, then won the AAU Nationals and the U.S. Olympic Trials. But it was what he did next that made him famous: a win at a pre-Olympic meet at Mt. San Antonio College on 12 August of 8.21 m (26-11), taking Owens’ record for himself.

He went on to the Olympic gold in Rome, then became the dominant figure in the event for the next six years. He won the AAU Nationals from 1961-66 and set five more world records:

● 8.24 m (27-0 1/4) on 27 May 1961 in Modesto
● 8.28 m (27-1 3/4) on 16 July 1961 in Moscow (URS)
● 8.31 m= (27-3=) on 15 August 1964 in Kingston (JAM)
● 8.34 m (27-4 1/4) on 12 September 1964 in Los Angeles
● 8.35 m (27-4 1/2) on 29 May 19865 in Modesto

So, five outright records and a tie with Soviet Igor Ter-Ovanesyan, who was the first to jump 8.31 m, in 1962, and equaled Boston’s 8.35 m at altitude in the pre-Olympic meet in Mexico City in 1967. Only Boston (6) and Ter-Ovanesyan (2) have set the men’s world record more than once.

(In 2022, World Athletics recognized American Phil Shinnick’s 8.33 m [27-3 3/4] mark from the Modesto Relays in 1963 as a world record, which technically negates Boston’s 8.31 m equaler in 1964.)

Boston finished second to Britain’s Lynn Davies on Tokyo in 1964, 8.07 m to 8.03 m (26-5 3/4 to 26-4 1/4), with Ter-Ovanesyan third.

Beamon came on a strong competitor in 1967, then lost his scholarship at UTEP because he would not compete against BYU in 1968 in the aftermath of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boston reportedly helped Beamon, his direct competitor on an unofficial basis, with both qualifying for the U.S. team for Mexico City.

At the 1968 Games, Beamon made history on his first jump, with Boston the first to explain that 8.90 m was 29-2 1/2 and Beamon falling to the ground in disbelief. The competition went on and East Germany’s Klaus Beer ended up second with Boston third, but with the 16 other finalists all shattered by what Beamon had done.

Boston retired after the ‘68 season, but became even more well known as a member of the CBS broadcast team for U.S. and European meets in 1969-70-71-72, with host Jack Whitaker and analysts Dick Bank (1969-70) and Bill Toomey (1971-72).

His day job was as coordinator of minority affairs and assistant dean of students at the University of Tennessee from 1968-75 and later president and chief executive officer of ServiceMaster Services in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Boston was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1974 and into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1985.

He was a fierce competitor, an activist who made his views known more with quiet and dignity than with public outbursts, an excellent lecturer and speaker and a knowledgeable and relatable broadcaster. A special, 50-year celebration of his 1960 world record at Mt. SAC (and others set at that meet) was held there in 2011.

His athletic ability is often underrated; he also had bests of 9.6 for 100 yards, 13.7 for the 120-yard hurdles, 4.16 m (13-8) in the vault, 15.89 m (52-1 1/2) in the triple jump and even 51.51 m (169-0) with the javelin!

Said four-time Olympic long jump champ Carl Lewis on Twitter:

“I’m devastated about Ralph Boston’s passing. As a child I idolized him and he was a major influence in my life. I’ll miss his voice and support. He changed the game as an athlete, advocate and mentor. Jumpers, Know his name!!! Rest with the greats.”

3.
Canoe federation agrees to Russian and Belarusian re-entry

The International Canoe Federation is the latest to bow to the International Olympic Committee’s recommendations on Russian and Belarusian athlete re-entry into international competitions. A statement issued Saturday read in part:

“In view of the current circumstances, the ICF Executive Board fully backs the IOC Executive Board recommendations of 28 March 2023 and has decided to lift the protective measures against Russian and Belarusian athletes and highlighted the following key strict conditions ahead of appointing an independent panel. …

“The ICF will continue to collaborate closely with the IOC, [Association of Summer Olympic International Federations], and the [International Testing Agency] to determine the necessary anti-doping measures and neutral athlete status criteria. Furthermore, the appointment of an independent assessors to the Individual Neutral Athlete Eligibility Panel will be subject to a consultation process with important stakeholders and service providers before being confirmed by the ICF Executive Committee.”

There was also a list of six points that the ICF stressed, including a unique twist to accommodate individual countries in part:

● “Individual Neutral Athletes and support personnel who are contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies will not be able to participate as an individual neutral athlete.”

● “Only athletes who have not supported the war in public, on social media or on other occasions will be eligible to compete.”

● “In order to protect the implementation of ICF events and the safety of athletes the ICF will respect any position and decision of a National Canoe Federation as host of an ICF event not to include Individual Neutral Athletes. However, the ICF calls on all hosts of ICF competitions to respect the Olympic Charter and to establish conditions that guarantee unhindered access to competitions for all athletes. …

● “Athletes who want to compete as neutral athletes will have to declare in writing that they meet all the criteria set by the ICF before their individual evaluation. Any violation of these conditions will result in the withdrawal of their Individual Neutral Athlete status.”

The statement did not set out any timetable for the decision-making process on Russian or Belarusian athletes. Canoeing has multiple races in Sprint and Slalom disciplines coming in Poland and Germany, which have shown little interest in having Russian or Belarusian entries.

4.
Ukrainian fencers and judokas ready to skip events with Russian entries

“People in my country die every day. Militaries fighting for our freedom. We will not compete against Russians. They should not take part because it is unfair and impossible in a civilized world.”

That’s 20-year-old fencer Svitlana Sopit, speaking with Agence France Presse on the sidelines of a training camp in Paris for the Ukrainian Foil squad, adding “It was a really shocking decision for all fencing family because nothing changed since the war started.

“The athletes who stay in Ukraine live in really hard conditions for training but they never stop. No electricity, no heating but they continue to work.

“We keep working, we never stop because we believe in fair decision. There are things much more important than sports competitions.”

Her twin sister Olga explained:

“We still compete sometimes in Ukraine. We start to fence, hear the alarm, hold for a second, go to the shelter, wait for three hours, then you come out, fence again. At some moment, the lights turn off. You wait another two hours. Competition can last 11 to 12 hours.

“It is quite difficult to be in these conditions and then you realize, this is the life, you can adapt and can live.”

Alina Poloziuk, a FIE Grand Prix bronze medalist from February, has been training in a war zone. She told AFP:

“I come from Mykolaiv in the south of the country. It was bombed today by Russians.”

Ukrainian judoka, who include two-time World Champion and Tokyo Olympic women’s 48 kg bronze winner Daria Bilodid, are also ready to skip the upcoming World Championships in Doha (QAT) from 7-14 May if Russian or Belarusians are included. The Ukrainian Judo Federation statement of 1 May included:

“The Judo Federation of Ukraine informs that it is forced to withdraw the application of the national team of Ukraine to participate in the World Judo Championship in Doha (Qatar), which will be held from May 7 to 14.

“This is due to the fact that on Friday, April 28, the International Judo Federation IJF allowed the teams of Russia and Belarus to participate in the world championship as individual neutral athletes. Subsequently, the application of the ‘Individual Neutral Athletes’ team appeared on the Judobase website.

“The majority of the team are athletes who are active servicemen of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, part of the army that attacked Ukraine on February 24, 2022 and is still waging a brutal full-scale war on our territory, which is shelling Ukrainian cities and civilian homes every day, destroying peaceful citizens, children Instead, more than 250 Ukrainian athletes gave their lives defending the country. There are judo representatives among them.

“We do not see the neutrality, equal conditions and ‘bridge to peace’ mentioned in the IJF Resolution regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian teams in the World Cup in Doha.

“Moreover, we see here a decision that contradicts the latest recommendations of the International Olympic Committee of March 28, 2023, where the IOC says that the status of neutral athletes can only be granted to those athletes who are not military personnel.”

Said Bilodid in an Instagram post:

“I think that it is unacceptable to allow military personnel of a terrorist country who every day kills Ukrainians to participate in international competitions. This is not at all about sports values.”

5.
Russia continues to protest all sports sanctions

The Russian position on all of the “re-entry” discussions is that they are all politics and no restrictions should be in place, regardless of the war against Ukraine.

For example, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin told reporters Friday:

“Our principled position is that this issue must not be politicized and athletes must not be denied participation in sports events on political grounds. Unfortunately, this takes place. We certainly condemn this.”

The Athletes Commission of the Russian Olympic Committee has now joined the chorus, with a statement issued by the Russian Olympic Committee on Friday:

“We believe the proposed reintegration and admission criteria are excessive and discriminatory – by nationality and by passport, by discipline and sport, and by affiliation to certain entities developing sports for decades in most post-Soviet states.

“Similar systems of athlete support are a common thing in many other countries, but in this particular case it is only used as a ground to exclude athletes with Russian and Belarusian passports.

“Depriving athletes of their national identity, of an opportunity to compete in team and group events, as well as sanctioning them just because of a contract with a sports club providing legal labor guarantees: all of this constitutes a gross violation of the principle of equality, which is fundamental not only to the concept of Olympism, but also in humanitarian, universal sense, in the International Law.”

Meanwhile, the Kremlin is deciding on its next move, according to Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, also commenting on Friday:

“As for the IOC recommendations, they are now being thoroughly analyzed, and we are currently working out our approach regarding this issue.”

Rest assured, the response will not be complimentary.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● Another American world leader, this time in the women’s heptathlon at the annual GardaStars meet in Desenzano del Garda (ITA) over the weekend.

Taliyah Brooks, 28, who had to be carted off the field with heat stroke at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, got a lifetime best of 6,330 to win and take the world lead for 2023. She finished with a flourish, getting personal records in the javelin and 800 m to end the competition, her first completed heptathlon since the 2021 Texas Relays! Britain’s Jade O’Dowda was second at 6,178 and American Chari Hawkins was third with 6,036.

The men’s decathlon winner was Karel Tilga (EST) at 8,482, no. 2 on the 2023 world list, followed by Fredrik Samuelsson (SWE: 8,070) and American Devon Williams (7,956).

In his first race back since the NFL season ended, Olympian Devon Allen won the 110 m hurdles at the Penn Relays in 13.46, just out-leaning Rafael Pereira (BRA: 13.46) into a 1.0 m/s headwind.

In a hot Adizero Road to Records 10 km race in Herzogenaurach (GER), Sabastian Sawe led a Kenyan sweep in the nos. 2-3-4 times of the year ahead of 2020 World Half Marathon runner-up Kibiwott Kandie and Tokyo Olympic 5,000 m fourth-placer Nicholas Kipkorir in 26:49, 26:53 and 26:54!

The time moved Sawe, who broke away at the 7 km mark, to no. 5 on the all-time list.

● Canoe-Kayak ● Host Brazil picked up two wins to highlight the Pan American Slalom Championships in Tres Coroas (BRA) over the weekend.

Three-time Olympian Ana Satila of Brazil won the women’s C-1 in 119.20 seconds (no penalties), to win ahead of Canada’s Lois Betteridge (139.61). Brazilian Neta Estancia took the K-1 title in 111.34, beating Florence Maheu (CAN: 119.84).

The men’s winners included Argentina Olympian Sebastian Rossi in C-1 in 108.47, ahead of Alex Baldoni (CAN: 113.26) and American Zachary Lokken (114.44). Olguin Echevarria (CHI) won the K-1 final in 103.23, ahead of Pedro Goncalves (BRA: 106.81).

Tokyo Olympian Evy Leibfarth of the U.S. won the women’s Kayak Cross final and took the women’s U-23 division K-1 gold.

● Cycling ● The 60th edition of the one-day Classic Eschborn-Frankfurt was held on Sunday, with Danish star Soren Kragh Andersen getting his first career one-day-race win in 4:51:27 over the hilly 204.8 km course.

Although there were two significant climbs early in the race, the last section was downhill into Frankfurt and ended with the expected mass sprint, with nine given the same time at the finish. Andersen got to the line first, ahead of Patrick Konrad (AUT) and Alessandro Fedeli (ITA).

In the U.S., the 35th Tour of the Gila concluded in New Mexico on Sunday, with American Alex Hoehn getting the overall win by two seconds over Oscar Sevilla (ESP) at 13:11:20 across five stages.

Hoehn didn’t win any stage, but finished 14-3-3-9-2 to move up to 1:03 behind Dane Torbjorn Roed after the fourth stage. On Sunday, Sevilla beat Hoehn in a duel to the tape some 2:37 ahead of the pack and with Roed seventh and 3:20 behind, Hoehn moved up to get the overall victory.

● Gymnastics ● The Russian news agency TASS reported that Yuri Korolyov, a nine-time Worlds Championships gold medalist, but never an Olympian, passed away at age 60 on Saturday (29th).

Korolyov was dominant from 1981-87, winning the Worlds All-Around in 1981 and 1985, Floor in 1981, Rings in 1985 and 1987, Vault in 1985 and as part of the Team winners in 1981-85-87. He missed the 1984 Los Angeles Games because of the Soviet boycott and then was injured at the time of the Seoul Games in 1988. He is considered perhaps the best-ever gymnast never to have appeared at an Olympic Games.

● Modern Pentathlon ● The Mixed Relay that concluded the UIPM’s Budapest World Cup saw Korea’s Changwan Seo and Mexico’s Manuel Padilla coming off the final shooting set even, but as Padilla got tangled and Seo ran away for the win in 12:29.60, fastest in the final.

Seo and Sunwoo Kim finished with 1,382 points to 1,374 for Mariana Arceo and Padilla, with France’s Rebecca Castaudi and Jean-Baptiste Mourcia third (1,368), moving up from seventh during the Laser Run. Seo and Kim started in fifth place, about 14 back of Mexico (which started second), but made up the ground quickly in the final event.

Americans Tristen Bell and Phaelen French finished 12th with 1,255.

● Rowing ● The U.S. Rowing National Selection Regatta in Chula Vista, California saw Olympic and Worlds medal winner Kara Kohler – at age 32 – back into contention for another trip to the World Championships.

A 2011 World Champion for the U.S. in the Fours, Kohler won a London 2012 bronze in the Quadruple Sculls and seven years later took a Worlds bronze in the Single Sculls. Ninth in the Tokyo Olympic Single Sculls, she won another U.S. title in 7:42.25, ahead of Michelle Sechser (7:47.15) and Savannah Prija (7:52.72). The winners all earned the right to compete for the U.S. in the second World Rowing World Cup in Italy, set as a qualifier for the Worlds for American entries.

Tokyo Olympian Kristi Wagner and Lauren O’Connor won the women’s Double Sculls in 6:54.35 against 6:54.80 got Sophia Vitas and Emily Kallfelz. Molly Reckford and Mary Jones Nabel finished third in 7:04.95.

In women’s Pairs, Olympic veterans Meghan Musnicki (a two-time Olympic gold winner in the U.S. Eights) and Alie Rusher barely edged Claire Collins and Mollie Bruggeman, 7:11.62 to 7:12.42. Mary Mazzio-Manson and Emily Froelich were a close third in 7:14.80.

In the men’s Single Sculls final, Jacob Plihal was a decisive winner, 7:06.57 to 7:09.49 over Andrew LeRoux and Eliot Putnam (7:10.59). In Double Sculls, Ben Davison and Sorin Koszyk won in 6:23.56, comfortably ahead of Kevin Cardno and Dominique Williams (6:29.26).

Michael Grady and Liam Corrigan won the men’s Pairs in 6:30.78 over Henry Hollingsworth and Pieter Quinton (6:33.46).

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: U.S. wins Curling Mixed Doubles Worlds, gets tough draw in FIBA World Cup; Utah no. 1 in U.S. volunteerism!

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. U.S. swamps Japan, 8-2, for first Curling World Mixed Doubles gold!
2. U.S. gets no favors, faces Greece in Basketball World Cup
3. IJF approves Russia and Belarus as “neutrals” (again)
4. New university study shines positive light on Utah Winter bid
5. IBA taunts Euro Games organizers, IOC with “eligibles” list

Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin won the U.S.’s first-ever World Mixed Doubles gold with a solid, 8-2 win over Japan in the final in Korea. The draw for the 2023 FIBA men’s World Cup to be held in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia was on Saturday, with the Americans in a tough group with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece, plus New Zealand and Jordan. The International Judo Federation surprised no one by approving Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals – they had done so previously in 2022 – but this time with outside verification of “athlete neutrality.” A expanded study from the University of Utah showed new factors in demographics, social capital and carbon control in favor of the Salt Lake City bid for the 2030 or 2034 Olympic Winter Games. The numbers showed Utah to be the no. 1 U.S. state for volunteerism! The International Boxing Association, shut out of the qualification process for the Paris 2024 Games, nonetheless issued a list of “eligible” boxers for the European Games in Poland in June, including Belarusian and Russian athletes, none of whom will be allowed to compete at the event in Krakow and Malopolska.

A sad note as Olympic long jump great Ralph Boston of the U.S. passed away on Sunday, at 83. A full remembrance will feature in Tuesday’s post.

● World Championship: Ice hockey (U.S. wins IIHF men’s U-18s) ●
● Panorama: Athletics (3: Four world leaders in Botswana, Crouser and Ealey win at Drake; big marks for Kovacs, Alekna, Burks) = Badminton (Canada sweeps PanAm Championships) = Beach Volleyball (U.S.’s Nuss & Kloth win in Brazil!) = Cycling (Yates wins Tour de Romandie) = Fencing (Korea’s Oh wins Sabre Grand Prix at home) = Gymnastics (Kovtun on fire in Apparatus World Cup) = Modern Pentathlon (Jun wins, Guzi surprises at World Cup) = Sailing (three wins for France at Semaine Olympique Francaise) = Sport Climbing (six Speed world records in Seoul!) = Wrestling (2: Steveson dominates U.S. Open in return; no 2023 World Cups!) ●

1.
U.S. swamps Japan, 8-2, for first Curling World Mixed Doubles gold!

The United States had appeared in exactly zero finals in the first 14 editions of the WCF World Mixed Doubles Championship that debuted in 2008. That ended with a first-ever gold medal in 2023 as Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin defeated Chiaki Matsumura and Yasumasa Tanida of Japan, 8-2 in the final in Gangneung, South Korea on Saturday.

The U.S. did have some experience on its side, with Thiesse (then Cory Christensen) and John Shuster winning the Worlds bronze in 2019. Dropkin had been in two prior Mixed Doubles Worlds, in 2015 and 2018.

In Gangneung, Thiesse and Dropkin were great, finishing round-robin play in Group B with a 7-2 record, behind only Matsumura and Tanida (8-1). The Japanese won their round-robin match vs. the U.S. by 7-5.

In the playoffs, the U.S. squeezed by defending champ Scotland, 8-6, in the play-in match to the semifinals. As a group winner, Japan was automatically in the semis and got past Norway, 5-4, to reach not just its first-ever gold-medal game, but its first medal match!

Tiesse and Dropkin faced Canada’s two-time Worlds Women’s gold medalist Jennifer Jones and Brent Liang in the semis, and moved on with a 6-2 win powered by four unanswered points in the fifth, sixth and seventh ends.

In the final, the U.S. got on top quickly, with a point in the first end and two in the second for a 3-0 lead. Japan got one back in the third, but the Americans put up another point in the fourth and two in the fifth for a commanding 6-1 lead on the way to the 8-2 final. It was the fifth time in 11 matches that the U.S. scored eight or more points.

Said Thiesse:

“I can’t even believe it, I’m definitely still speechless right now. It definitely hasn’t sunk in yet, but it’s incredible. I’m just so proud of my partner, we had a great week and it’s just incredible.”

Norway won the bronze, 6-2 over Canada, moving up from fourth in 2022 and claiming their third medal in tournament history (0-1-2).

2.
U.S. gets no favors, faces Greece in Basketball World Cup

A pretty tough draw for the United States in the draw for the FIBA World Cup coming up in August, with arguably the toughest group in the tournament:

● Group A: Angola (41), Dominican Republic (23), Italy (10), Philippines (40)
● Group B: China (27), Puerto Rico (20), Serbia (6), South Sudan (62)
● Group C: Greece (9), Jordan (33), New Zealand (26), United States (2)
● Group D: Egypt (55), Lithuania (8), Mexico (31), Montenegro (18)
● Group E: Australia (3), Finland (24), Germany (11), Japan (36)
● Group F: Cape Verde (64), Georgia (32), Slovenia (7), Venezuela (17)
● Group G: Brazil (13), Cote d’Ivoire (42), Iran (22), Spain (1)
● Group H: Canada (15), France (5), Latvia (29), Lebanon (43)

The U.S. will open with New Zealand in Pasay, the Philippines on 26 August, followed by ninth-ranked Greece – and the Antetokounmpo brothers – on the 28th and Jordan on 30 August, The top two teams in each group will advance to a second pool-play round with the top two in the second-round groups advancing to the quarterfinals.

Group A will play in the Philippines, in Bocaue and Quezon City; Group B only in Quezon City, Group C and Group D in Pasay.

Groups E and F will play in Okinawa City, Japan and Groups G and H will play in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The second-round groups will play in Quezon City and Pasay, Okinawa and Jakarta. All of the elimination playoffs will be at the 15,000-seat Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

This will be the 19th Basketball World Cup, with Spain the defending champ from 2019. The U.S. won the prior World Cups in 2011 and 2015, and has won the tournament five times, ties for the most with Yugoslavia. France won the bronze medals in both 2015 and 2019.

USA Basketball noted that Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors) will serve as head coach of the 2023 USA World Cup Team. He will be assisted by Erik Spoelstra (Miami Heat), Tyronn Lue (Los Angeles Clippers) and Mark Few (Gonzaga University). The 12-man USA roster will be selected by USA basketball National Team Director Grant Hill and announced at a later date.

FIBA announced that the 32-team 2027 FIBA World Cup will be played in Doha, Qatar, another in a steady stream of events to be held there, using existing facilities, with dates to be announced.

The federation awarded the 16-team 2026 Women’s World Cup to Germany, to be played in September in Berlin, at the Arena Berlin and the Max-Schmeling-Halle. The Germans previously hosted the event in 1998,

3.
IJF approves Russia and Belarus as “neutrals” (again)

As it had already allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals in June of 2022 – but with both countries staying away – there was no surprise in Saturday’s announcement of the same:

“The IJF Executive Committee has decided to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in IJF events as individual neutral athletes.”

What is different is the follow-on actions based on the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee:

“The Executive Committee has decided to engage an independent, reputable company to perform background checks on all the individuals proposed for participation, including social media content, with specific reference to possible war propaganda. Only those athletes and support personnel who are cleared during this verification process will be eligible and considered for participation in events by the IJF Executive Committee.”

And the IJF’s last line continues the IOC’s push to have athletes treated specially, against all others:

“Sport is the main bridge for dialogue and reconciliation.”

Russia has had success in judo in the recent past, winning four medals each in the 2017, 2018 and 2019 World Championships, but did not compete in 2022. Russia sent 13 entries to the Tokyo Olympic Games and won three medals, all bronzes (two men’s, one women’s).

4.
New university study shines positive light on Utah Winter bid

An expanded study from the University of Utah’s Gardner Policy Institute paper that projected an economic impact of $3.9 billion and 30,000 job-years of employment in May 2022, shows a 2030 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City to be well positioned for success based on non-pecuniary factors.

The new paper, titled “2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Utah: Demographic, Social, and Environmental Factors,” highlights positives for the bid, now looking more toward 2034 than 2030:

● Demographic Trends: “Utah continues to be a fast-growing, youthful, and rapidly diversifying state that attracts new migrants.”

● Social Factors: “Utah maintains its stature as a volunteer state with significant civic pride, nation-leading social capital, and high levels of well-being as measured by physical health, active lifestyles, healthy behaviors, and access to recreational activities.”

● Environmental Factors: “Utah remains well positioned to host an environmentally positive Games. A future Games will not require any Olympic-specific new construction projects, greatly reducing the environmental footprint. The Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games commitment to a ‘climate positive’ Games demonstrates the high priority of environmental outcomes.”

The specifics are interesting, as the research showed Utah population growing at a rate of 18.4% from 2010-20, compared to just 7.4% for the U.S. as a while. Statistics on volunteerism were remarkable, reporting that Utah ranked “first in volunteerism” in the U.S. at 116 hours per person per year vs. 90 hours for the U.S. as a whole, with 51.0% of all Utahns involved in some type of volunteer work (vs. 32.6% of the U.S.).

The volunteerism numbers are important as the report notes:

“In 2002, nearly 70,000 people applied for approximately 21,000 available Olympic Games volunteer positions. Utah’s spirit of volunteerism contributed an estimated 4.6 million hours and between $69 and $92 million in savings to the 2002 Games, playing a significant role in the Games’ economic success and financial surplus.”

The report projected 25,000 volunteers to be engaged for 2030 (or 2034), of which 6-7,000 would be new, meaning an impressive 18-19,000 would be repeat staff from 2002! This is a potentially critical positive for Salt Lake City as a permanent site – in a rotation – for future Winter Games.

The “climate positive” pledge for a 2030 or 2034 Games is significantly based on building no new facilities, whether for competition, training or athlete housing, and the existing and forthcoming environmental initiatives of local and statewide agencies.

Aside from the volunteerism numbers, there were no knock-out revelations in the report update, but the study adds to the “soft power” profile of the Salt Lake City bid in areas where the International Olympic Committee has shown increased concern.

5.
IBA taunts Euro Games organizers, IOC with “eligibles” list

In a continuing effort to annoy and/or embarrass the organizers of the 2023 European Games and the International Olympic Committee, the International Boxing Association released a list of “eligible” boxers for the event.

As this is not a federation competition, but a multi-sport Games, this would normally not be of much interest. But, the IOC has designated the European Games in June as its first qualifier for the Paris 2024 Games, a process that does not include the IBA, and which the IOC is managing on its own, as it did for the Tokyo Games.

The 27-page IBA list includes, in a rather hard-to-read format, boxers who will clearly not be part of the 2023 European Games:

● Belarus: 9 boxers (4 men/5 women)
● Russia: 13 boxers (7 men/6 women)

Ukraine is, of course, listed, in all 13 classes (seven men and six women) and is expected to compete, but not necessarily with the boxers listed.

The IBA explained the announcement as

“a move to ensure its ranked athletes have a fair chance to compete at the European Games, has released the official list of eligible boxers based on the internationally recognized IBA ranking system for the European Games 2023 boxing tournament.

“The IBA stresses the importance of a fair selection criteria for the continental event, where IBA rankings reflect the most up-to-date situation in the sport of boxing with the most important events outcome included.”

The Polish organizing committee, in concert with the Polish government, has stated that no Russian or Belarusian athletes will be allowed to compete in the 2023 European Games.

In the meantime, the 2023 IBA men’s World Championships opened on Sunday in Tashkent (UZB), that will run through the 14th of May. As of 6 April, 104 countries were reported to have registered, with multiple countries absent – including the U.S. – as a protest against the IBA’s governance, finances and procedures.

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ≡

● Ice Hockey ● The 23rd IIHF men’s U-18 Worlds in Switzerland concluded with a rematch of the 2022 final between defending champion Sweden and the U.S., but with the outcome reversed.

In the semifinals, the U.S. stomped Slovakia, 7-1, while Sweden sailed past Canada, 7-2, leaving the tournament’s two best teams in the final. The Swedes came in 6-0 with a 31-6 goals-against total, while the U.S. was also 6-0 and scored 48 goals to just eight for its opponents. William Smith and Cole Eiserman both had nine goals for the U.S. to lead all scorers coming into the final.

Sweden got on top in Sunday’s gold-medal match, with a first-period goal by Elliot Stahlberg and a second-period, power-play goal from Noel Nordh for a 2-0 lead. But the U.S. got going in the third, with Danny Nelson cutting the deficit to 2-1 at 9:44 of the final period, then getting a power-play equalizer from Carey Terrance at 16:44.

The match went into overtime, and after just 2:20, Ryan Leonard scored to give the Americans a 3-2 win and their 11th World U-18 title. It’s the 19th U.S. medal in 23 editions of the tournament, but the first win since 2017 and first win in their last three finals. Sweden earned its 13th medal in this event, now with two wins, six silvers and five bronzes.

In the third-place match, Canada defeated the Czechs, 4-3, also in overtime.

Smith won the scoring title with 20 points (9+11) and was named the Best Forward in the tournament. Sweden’s Axel Sandin Pellikka was selected as Best Defenseman and Noah Erliden as the top goalkeeper.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● Big marks from the Botswana Golden Grand Prix in Gaborone (BOT), including world-leading outdoor marks in four events:

● Men/200 m: 19.87, Letsile Tebogo (BOT)
● Men/400 m: 43.91, Muzala Samukonga (ZAM)
● Men/4×100 m: 38.26, Kenya
● Women/Long Jump: 6.77 m (22-2 1/2), Ese Brume (NGR) (later surpassed)

Tebogo, still just 19 and the two-time World Junior Champion at 100 m, came in with the fastest outdoor 200 m time in the world at 20.00, but crushed that with ease as he came off the turn fighting for the lead and then strode away from Canada’s Aaron Brown (20.00) and Joseph Fahnbulleh (LBR: 20.14) to win in 19.87 (wind -0.3 m/s).

That’s a lifetime best by 0.09 for Tebogo and moved him to equal-9th all-time in African history.

Tebogo was second in the 100 m behind Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, who ran the fastest time in the world in 2023 in 9.76, but with wind just over the allowable limit (+2.3 m/s). American Kenny Bednarek was third in his first 100 m of the season (10.02) and Kyree King fifth (10.06).

Maybe the shock of the day was Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga, 20, winning the 400 m in a world-leading 43.91, holding on in the straight to lower his all-time best from 44.66 in 2022. He finished ahead of 2012 Olympic champ Kirani James (GRN: 44.76) and Botswana’s Leungo Scotch (44.76). Samukonga now ranks no. 17 all-time and no. 3 in African history.

Americans won the women’s sprints, with TeeTee Terry edging Bassant Hemida (EGY) from 11.05 to 11.09 (+0.4), with American Kiara Parker third (11.16). Kayle White won the 200 m from Sha’Carri Richardson, 22.38-22.54 (-0.5), with Hemida third (22.75).

The long jumps were strong, with Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Brume taking the world outdoor lead at 6.77 m, beating Burundi’s Marthe Koala (6.69 m/21-11 1/2). American Marquis Dendy, 30, the 2016 World Indoor Champion, jumped up to no. 2 on the world outdoor list with his winning jump of 8.34 m (27-4 1/2), well in front of Ingar Bratseth-Kiplesung (8.21 m/26-11 1/4).

American Trevor Bassitt, the 2022 Worlds 400 m hurdles bronze medalist, won his specialty in 48.43, with Sokwakhana Zazaini (RSA) second at 48.58.

Kenyan Mary Moraa set a national record with her 50.44 wun in the women’s 400 m and Ethiopia’s Habitam Alemu jumped up to no. 5 on the world outdoor list with her 800 m victory in 1:59.35.

Despite cold and rainy conditions at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, Olympic and World Champion Ryan Crouser of the U.S. won the men’s shot with what was thought to be a world-leading outdoor mark of 22.28 m (73-5 1/4).

That made Crouser a five-time Drake Relays winner and he grabbed the meet record from Christian Cantwell, who reached 22.10 m (72-6 1/4) in 2006. Tripp Piperi was second at 21.49 m (70-6 1/4), for sixth on the outdoor world list. (Both were moved down by Joe Kovacs in Nashville at about the same time; see below).

Fellow American World Champion Chase Ealey moved up to no. 5 on the world outdoor list for 2023 with a win at 19.12 m (62-8 3/4), well ahead of Maggie Ewen (18.76 m/61-6 3/4).

On the track, American Tia Jones won the women’s 100 m hurdles in a swift 12.44, the no. 2 mark in the world for 2023 (wind: -1.1 m/s), over Tonea Marshall (12.61), former World Champion Nia Ali (12.67) and world-record holder Tobi Amusan (NGR: 12.69).

The men’s 400 m hurdles went to C.J. Allen (48.78), with Anna Cockrell winning the women’s race in 55.52.

Nikki Hiltz completed a women’s road mile-track 1,500 m double, winning in 4:09.02.

That wasn’t all. At the Cal-Stanford dual in Berkeley, Cal star Worlds discus silver medalist Mykolas Alekna (LTU) won his event with a lifetime best and world-leading 71.00 m (232-11), moving to no. 18 all-time. He’s also now no. 6 this century, but doesn’t have the family record yet. That still belongs to is father, Virgilijus, still no. 2 ever at 73.88 m (242-5) from 2000!

Two-time World Champion Joe Kovacs took the world lead in the men’s shot at the Music City Challenge in Nashville, winning at 22.69 m (74-5 1/2) on his third throw. He backed that up with 22.03 m (72-3 1/2) in the fifth and round and 22.22 m (72-10 3/4) in the sixth.

In Baton Rouge, Worlds fourth-placer Quanesha Burks won the women’s long jump at 6.95 m (22-9 3/4) – the outdoor world leader for 2023 – but was second to Tara Davis-Woodhall, who won with a wind-aided leap of 7.05 mw (23-1 3/4w) with a stout breeze of 5.9 m/s at her back. Davis-Woodhall had a best legal jump of 6.86 m (22-6 1/4).

At the Fresno State Invite, 2019 Worlds 4×1 relay gold winner Morolake Akinosun, 28, won the women’s 100 m in 10.95 (+1.1) – equaling her lifetime best from 2016! – ahead of hurdles star Keni Harrison (11.09). Same for Texas’ Julian Alfred at the Texas Invitational in Austin, 10.95 with an aiding wind of +1.8 m/s and both are now no. 5 this season.

Also at Texas was Gabby Thomas, the Tokyo Olympic 200 m bronze medalist, won the women’s 400 m in a sensational 49.68, ahead of Lynna Irby-Jackson (50.40). For Thomas, it was her first 400 m since 2019 and moved her to no. 2 in the world for 2023. She’s also now no. 18 all-time U.S. in what was apparently only her second-ever outdoor 400 m!

Olympic champ Valarie Allman, already the world leader, took the women’s discus at 68.20 m (223-9).

Sondre Guttormsen (NOR), the NCAA champ for Princeton, took the outdoor world lead in the men’s vault at 5.90 m (19-2 1/4).

At the University of North Florida East Coast Relays in Jacksonville, Olympic women’s 100 m hurdles champ Jasmine Camacho-Quinn screamed a 12.29 win, but with over-the-allowable wind of 3.2 m/s.

● Badminton ● Canada swept all five finals of the Pan American Championships in Kingston (JAM), including two wins in all-Canada matches!

Defending champion Michelle Li won the women’s Singles final from 2021 champ Beiwin Zhang of the U.S., 21-19, 21-9, and Brian Yang, the 2021 winner, earned a second victory by defeating Uriel Francisco Canjura of El Salvador, 21-10, 21-5.

The men’s Doubles was all-Canada, with Dong Adam and Nyl Yakura outlasting Kevin Lee and Ty Alexander Lindeman, 21-10, 16-21, 22-20. The Mixed Doubles final saw Joshua Hurlburt-Yu and Rachel Honderich win a tight match with Lindeman and Josephine Wu, 22-20, 18-21, 21-17.

The men’s Doubles final had Catherine Choi and Wu sweep aside Americans Francesca Corbett and Allison Lee, 21-14, 21-18.

● Beach Volleyball ● The third Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 tournament was in Uberlandia (BRA), with major upsets in both divisions.

In the women’s final, unheralded Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth (USA) came from behind to stun Australia’s Tokyo silver medalists Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Taliqua Clancy, 16-21, 24-22, 15-13.

Nuss, 25, and Kloth, 26, made a minor splash in March with a win in the La Paz Challenge tournament, but were underdogs against the Australian stars. This is their fourth win in FIVB tournaments, but by far their biggest win.

In the third-place match, Ana Patricia and Duda Lisboa (BRA) defeated Americans Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng, 21-16, 21-13.

The men’s final saw Ondrej Perusic and David Schweiner (CZE), the 2022 European silver medalists defeat Norway’s Olympic and World champs, Anders Mol and Christian Sorum, 21-19, 15-21, 15-11. The Czechs won their first Beach Pro Tour medal of the season and first FIVB event title since 2021 and their third ever; Mol and Sorum have now reached the final in all three Elite 16 tournaments in 2023, but have won only one and lost two.

Poland’s Bartosz Losiak and Michal Bryl won the bronze-medal match from Steven van de Velde and Matthew Immers (NED), 21-19, 21-23, 15-9.

● Cycling ● The 76th Tour de Romandie in western Switzerland saw the first five stages conclude with a different winner each time and the winner taking the race lead.

Czech Josef Cerny won the Prologue, a 6.82 km Individual Time Trial, but lost the leads the next day to Britain’s Ethan Vernon, who won the hilly “Stage 1″ in a mass-sprint finish.

The hilly second stage was a win for British star Ethan Hayter in another sprint finish and he ended the day with a six-second lead over Tobias Foss (NOR) and Remi Cavagna (FRA). Stage 3 was another Individual Time Trial, won by Juan Ayuso (ESP), who then had an 18-second lead on American Matteo Jorgenson.

The mountainous fourth stage was the third British win, this time for Adam Yates, who attacked with 4.3 km left and won by seven seconds over Thibault Pinot (FRA). That flipped the script again and now Yates had a 19-second lead on Jorgenson, going into the final day, a hilly 170.8 km route that ended in Geneva.

The long, slightly downhill descent to the finish was tailor-made for a mass sprint, but Colombia’s Fernando Gaviria got the jump on the field and got to the line for a clear win in 3:58:01. Niklas Arndt (GER) was second, followed by Hayter. Yates came safely home in 25th – with the same time, of course – and won the overall title, 19 seconds up on Jorgenson and 27 seconds ahead of Damiano Caruso (ITA).

This was the best finish ever for 23-year-old Jorgenson in a UCI World Tour race in what is starting out as an excellent year for the American. He was eighth at Paris-Nice and ninth in the Tour of Flanders. He’s aiming for the Tour de France in July, where he was 20th as a rookie in 2022.

● Fencing ● Korea’s 2019 World Champion Sang-uk Oh gave the home crowd a thrill at the FIE Sabre Grand Prix in Seoul with a gold-medal victory over Sandro Bazadze (GEO), 15-14, earning his fifth career Grand Prix title, but first since 2019!

The women’s title went to Greece’s Theodora Gkountoura, winning the final by 15-11 over Sara Balzer (FRA). The 2019 worlds bronze winner, Gkountoura won her first Grand Prix gold, in her second final in three years. It’s Balzer’s first career Grand Prix medal.

● Gymnastics ● The final FIG Apparatus World Cup for Artistic Gymnastics was held in Cairo (EGY), and Ukraine’s Ilia Kovtun was everywhere.

Still just 19, Kovtun was the 2021 Worlds All-Around bronze medalist, and had already won the first two Parallel Bars World Cups. In Cairo, he added the Floor Exercise, scoring 14.433 to best Aurel Benovic (CRO: 14.166).

Chih-kai Lee (TPE) won the Pommel Horse at 15.033 over Gagik Khachikyan (ARM: 14.733), with Kovtun in a tie for third (14.566).

Kovtun then took the Parallel Bars at 14.833 and Horizontal Bar (14.100) on Sunday to give him three wins and four medals over two days. Mohamed Afify (EGY) scored 14.066 on the Parallel Bars for second, and Nicolo Mozzato was third (14.033). Maxime Gentges (13.766) was runner-up on the Horizontal Bar, with Casimir Schmidt (NED: 13.533) third.

Nikita Simonov (AZE: 14.966) won on Rings, followed by Salvatore Maresca (ITA: 14.700) and Artur Avetisyan (ARM: 14.666). World Champion Artur Davtyan (ARM) won on Vault, scoring 15.166, well clear of Nazar Chepurnyi (UKR: 14.799).

American Joscelyn Roberson, 17, continued her ascent with a win in the Vault, 13.983 to 13.600 over Asia D’Amato (ITA), with Panama’s Hillary Heron third (13.599). D’Amato returned to get the gold in the Uneven Bars, 14.633 to 14.200 over Giorgia Villa (ITA), for her second win on Bars this season.

On Sunday, Villa scored a win on Beam (13.600) with Roberson second (13.233) and then the American finished with some spectacular tumbling to score 13.700 and win on Floor. D’Amato was second at 13.500.

● Modern Pentathlon ● Korea’s Woong-tae Jun was in control of the UIPM World Cup in Budapest almost from the start and won his ninth World Cup gold on Saturday.

Jun won the fencing round, was fourth in swimming and a modest 11th in riding, good enough for a five-second lead into the Laser Run. He had the eighth-fastest time and cross with the victory in 10:14.20 and 1,534 points. Just behind was Mohanad Shaban (EGY), a little faster on the course at 10:13.60 and 1,530 points. The fastest man on the course was Czech Vlach Martin in 9:44.80, which earned him the bronze medal with 1,525 points.

The women’s final was chaos, as world no. 1 Michelle Gulyas of Hungary started the Laser Run in the lead, but was quickly challenged by Egypt’s Salma Abdelmaksoud. But behind them, fellow Hungarian Blanka Guzi was racing toward the front, having started 26 seconds behind the leader.

Guzi’s final sprint brought her the first World Cup gold of her career, with the third-fastest time in the field of 11:06.50. Gulyas’s time of 11:34.90 was only 10th-best and she had to hold on to fend off Abdelmaksoud (11:36.10) with the final scores being 1,424-1,422-1,419.

Gulyas was fourth in fencing, second in swimming and won the riding, compared to Guzi’s ninth, fifth and 12th, but the Laser Run changed everything.

● Sailing ● With a year to go until the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the 2023 Semaine Olympique Francaise off Hyeres was an important stepping stone and attracted an excellent field in the Olympic classes.

The home team did well, leading all nations with three wins, including both in the Formula Kite classes. Axel Mazella won the men’s medal race over Singapore’s Maximilian Maeder, with Britain’s Connor Bainbridge third. Lauriane Nolot won the women’s, taking the medal race from American Daniela Moroz – the 2018 World Champion – and fellow French Jessie Kampman.

France’s Fabien Pianazza took the men’s IQ Foil gold, winning the medal race over Onur Cavit Biriz (TUR) and Mateus Isaac (BRA). The women’s IQ Foil final saw Czech Barbora Svikova defeat Rina Niijima for the gold, with Laerke Buhl-Hansen (DEN) third.

There were tight finishes in the ILCA classes. Eliot Hanson (GBR) and countryman Michael Beckett raced to the finish in the Laser class, with Hanson ending with 36 net points to 37 for Beckett, on the strength of a win in the medal race, where Beckett was fourth.

Canada’s Sarah Douglas just edged Tokyo Olympic champ Anne-Marie Rindom (DEN) in the women’s Laser Radial division, 74-75, with three top-three finishes to one.

Britain got a second win in the Nacra 17 mixed-crew races, with Tokyo Olympic silver medalists John Gimson and Anna Burnet finishing with just 32 points, to 70 for Mateo Majdalani and Eugenia Bosco (ARG).

Dutch stars Odile van Aanholt (two-time World Champion) and three-time World Champion Annette Duetz dominated the women’s 49erFX sailing, winning with just 50 net points (and eight top-three finishes) to 102 for Jana Germani and Giorgia Bertuzzi (ITA).

The men’s 49er class was a close win for Spain’s Diego Botin and Florian Trittel, ending with 78 net points after taking four races, against Jim Colley and Shaun Connor of Australia (87) and Poland’s Mikolai Staniul and Jakub Sztorch (90).

In the Mixed 470 class, Tokyo 2020 bronze winner Jordi Xammar and new partner Nora Brugman (ESP) won their first two races and got three more top-three finishes to end with 53 points to 61 for Lara Vadlau and Lukas Mahr (AUT).

● Sport Climbing ● Astonishing performances in the Speed section of the IFSC World Cup in Seoul (KOR), with six new world marks: four from Poland’s Aleksandra Miroslaw and two more from Indonesian star Veddriq Leonardo.

Leonardo crushed the mark in the qualifying, getting to the top of the 15 m wall in a startling 4.98 seconds, taking down the 5.01 by countryman Kiromal Katibin last July. He then won his quarterfinal in 5.19, screamed a world-record 4.90 (!) in the quarters, a 4.93 in the semis and won the final in 5.01 over China’s Jinbao Long (5.12).

Miroslaw had set the three prior records of 6.84, 6.64 and 6.53 in 2022, but got right to work in the qualifying, setting marks of 6.46 and 6.37! She won her round-of-16 climb in 6.56, then 6.38 in the quarterfinals, a third world mark of 6.35 in her semi and an outrageous world record of 6.25 in the final! Fellow Pole Natalia Kalucka was second in 6.67, but wasn’t close.

In the Bouldering events, heavy rains caused the semi-final results to become the final results, with France’s Mejdi Schalck winning (2t3z ~ 2/7) ahead of Japan’s two-time World Champion Tomoa Narasaki (2t3z ~ 6/10) and Korea’s 2018 Worlds silver winner Jong-won Chon (2t2z~ 2/2).

Japan’s 2016 Worlds silver medalist Miho Nonaka won the women’s title (2t3z ~ 20/22) over Oriane Bertone (FRA: 2t2z ~ 4/3) and American Brooke Raboutou (2t2z ~ 10/7).

● Wrestling ● Tokyo Olympic Freestyle 125 kg superstar Gable Steveson made a triumphant return to Olympic wrestling with a victory in the U.S. Open in Las Vegas.

Steveson, who had been training with the WWE, was completely dominant, winning the final by a 10-0 technical fall over two-time Worlds medal winner Nick Gwiazdowski.

Rio Olympic 86 kg bronze medalist and two-time 92 kg World Champion J’den Cox has moved up to 97 kg and defeated Isaac Trumble, 12-3, in his final.

The U.S. Open winners will compete for the right to go to the 2023 UWW World Championships against the seven U.S. medal winners from the 2022 Worlds. In the other three men’s classes where the U.S. did not medal, the U.S. Open winners will face the winner of a challenge tournament coming in May.

In the other men’s Freestyle finals, Zane Richards won at 57 kg; Vitali Arujau at 61 kg; Nick Lee at 65 kg; Tyler Berger at 70; Jason Nolf at 74; Chance Marsteller at 79 kg; Aaron Brooks at 86; and Michael Macchiavello at 92 kg.

In the men’s Greco-Roman division, seven wrestler who had won at least one prior national title triumphed again, including Dalton Richards (61 kg), Hayden Tuma (63 kg), Kamal Bey (fifth title at 77 kg), Spencer Woods (82 kg), Alan Vera (87 kg), Josef Rau (97 kg) and defending champion Cohlton Schultz at 130 kg.

First-time national winners were Brady Koontz at 55 kg; Robert Perez at 67 kg and Justus Scott at 72 kg.

The women’s Freestyle finals on Sunday saw a stunning upset as six-time World Champion Adeline Gray returned from a year away from the mat, but lost to rising star Kennedy Blades in the 76 kg final by 12-2. Blades, 20, a 2019 U20 World Champion and 2022 U.S. Olympic Trials runner-up, earned her first U.S. Open title and will wrestle in the Final X series for a berth at the UWW World Championships.

Two-time Worlds medal winner Alyssa Lampe also suffered a loss in her final at 50 kg, with Audrey Jimenez winning on criteria after a 10-10 tie. Jimenez, the 2022 World U-20 silver medalist, was down 8-0 in the second period before starting her comeback. Wow!

Forrest Molinari, the 2021 Worlds 65 kg bronze medalist, did win her final against Alexandria Glaude with a pinfall in 4:21.

Katie Gomez, a 2022 World U-20 bronze winner, won at 53 kg over Samara Chavez, 12-2, and 2022 World U-23 bronze winner Alisha Howk defeated top-seeded Lauren Mason, 8-3, at 55 kg. Last year’s World U-20 bronze winner at 62 kg, Adaugo Nwachukwu, won her final, 10-8, over no. 1 seed Jennifer Page.

Xochitl Mota-Pettis took a 10-0 win in the final over Alexandria Hedrick at 57 kg; Michaela Beck won at 59 kg, and top-seeded Macey Kilty won the 65 kg class over no. 2 Emma Bruntil, 5-1. Joye Levendusky won the 72 kg final over Rose Cassioppi, by a 10-0 technical fall in the second period.

United World Wrestling announced on Friday that both the Freestyle and Greco-Roman World Cups for 2023 have been canceled.

The Greco event was slated for 24-25 November in Tehran (IRI) and the men’s and women’s Freestyle discipline in Coralville, Iowa in the U.S. on 10 December. According to the UWW:

“The decision to cancel the World Cups was made after careful consideration and analysis of the challenges and complexities involved in organizing such high-profile events during a pre-Olympic year. With many countries focusing on preparing their wrestlers for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, the potential lack of participation in the World Cups in 2023 was a major concern for UWW. Additionally, the World Championships in Belgrade, scheduled for September 2023, would have added further pressure on countries.

“The lack of local support to host the events during November and December was also a contributing factor in the decision by the Bureau to cancel the World Cups. Finding local organizing committees to host the team competition has proven to be a significant challenge.”

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: Poland pushing to keep Russia, Belarus out; athlete “declaration” will be required; IBA threatens officials again

By
Rich Perelman
-
The new National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary, to be the site of the 2023 World Athletics Championships (Photo: World Athletics)

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Poland coordinating diplomatic push vs. Russian return
2. Ricci Bitti says ASOIF guidance will include a declaration
3. Pozdnyakov “surprised” by low motivation of Russian athletes
4. IBA notes USA Boxing withdrawal; threatens officials again
5. Sightseeing tour of Paris included in 2024 triathlon route

Polish sports minister Kamil Bortniczuk said he is working to coordinate a European government response to the International Olympic Committee’s recommendations on Russian and Belarusian re-entry into international sports. He’ll have support from members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, who sternly criticized the IOC’s idea to allow “neutral” Russians and Belarusians to compete again, while the war against Ukraine continues. The head of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) said that Russian and Belarusian athletes who want to return will have to sign a declaration of some kind, attesting to their “neutrality.” The complexities are substantial and the effort is a work in progress. The President of the Russian Olympic Committee said he does not understand why some Russian athletes are having trouble with motivation during this period of exile from international competition. The International Boxing Association noted USA Boxing’s withdrawal, blaming it on a referral for sanctions against its officials for helping to found the new World Boxing federation. That’s not what USA Boxing’s letter said, however. The IBA also issued a letter “reminding” its referees and judges not to participate in the IOC’s Paris 2024 Olympic qualifying events without IBA permission; that drew a strong rebuke from Dutch Boxing Federation chief Boris van de Vorst, who said the IBA “is attempting to treat them like property.” The triathlon course for Paris 2024 was announced, starting in the River Seine and including multiple landmarks in the city on the bike and run routes.

● Panorama: Athletics (2: 2023 Worlds track in Budapest unveiled; Guardian Life sponsors Michigan wheelchair-sports program) = Basketball (Griner speaks of captivity at news conference) ●

1.
Poland coordinating diplomatic push vs. Russian return

Polish Minister of Sport and Tourism Kamil Bortniczuk told RMF Radio on Thursday that Russian and Belarusian athletes will not compete at the European Games in Krakow and Malopolska in June and that he is working on further political pressure on the International Olympic Committee:

“We are in the process of formulating the next position of the coalition of 36 countries. On May 15, we have the EU Council for Sport, where we also plan to adopt a declaration that will clearly oppose the return of Russians and Belarusians to the international arenas.”

He also noted that while Poland has protested the IOC’s 28 March recommendations opening a pathway for “neutral” Russian and Belarusian athletes to re-enter international competitions, the Russians and Belarusians are also angry because so many of their athletes have ties with their military or national security agencies:

“There are competitions where almost one hundred percent of Russian personnel are formally soldiers of the Russian army.”

He also offered a small surprise, that in discussions with Ukrainian colleagues, there could be some Russian athletes who could be accepted back into competition:

“They indicated probably five Russian sportsmen who opposed the war so clearly that the Ukrainians would see the possibility of competing with them.”

Bortniczuk’s comments followed Tuesday’s hearing in Strasbourg (FRA) by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media on “Excluding the athletes and officials of the Russian Federation and Belarus from participating in the international Olympic Movement.”

In addition to a strident, eight-and-a-half minute video from British lawmaker Lucy Frazer outlining her concerns over the IOC’s recommendations, there were passionate comments from the floor in the same direction.

Britain’s George (Lord) Foulkes was especially pointed in his criticism of “special status” for athletes:

“With due respect to our [IOC] guests, I find the special pleading for sportsmen quite sickening. There are two arguments that you are putting forward. One is that there are other conflicts around the world. That’s no explanation at all.

“What we’re fighting here, as an organization that upholds democracy, we are fighting – we are supporting – Ukraine because they are fighting, they are dying on our behalf, fighting for democracy against totalitarianism.

“And how is this war going to end? It’s only going to end in one way, and that is Putin deciding to give up. And how can we make him give up? There is only one way, that the people of Russia need to put pressure on him. And just as the sanctions on businessmen, on oligarchs, is to make sure that they – to protect their fortunes – put pressure on Putin, we need the athletes to put pressure on Putin.

“And the only way to do that is to stop them participating in any way whatsoever in these international events. And we need to be firm on this. As an organization destined, designed to protect human rights and democracy, if we don’t do that, then we are failing in our duty.”

Denmark’s Mogen Jensen, twice a national minister, took aim at the Olympic Charter:

“Imposing a war on another country with all that mass destruction, lost lives, violence, has to have a clear consequence. And for me, it overrules the statues of the Olympic Movement.

“We have imposed sanctions on a lot of people in Russia. When you impose sanctions on companies which cannot trade, you impose sanctions on, you could say, innocent workers in Russia, who has nothing to do with this conflict.

“Why should this be different when it comes to people who exercise sports? Is there is special discrimination on sports people to impose sanctions and to exclude other, ordinary Russian citizens? I don’t think so.

“Sport has also to take their responsibility when it comes to countries that impose wars on other countries, so I think there’s only one clear signal, one clear message to send here from the Assembly and that is to exclude officials and athletes from Russia and Belarus for the Olympic Games and I think that the Olympic Movement should take down that message.”

2.
Ricci Bitti says ASOIF guidance will include a declaration

Russian and Belarusian athletes who want to come back into international competition will need to have a pen with them.

In an interview with the French all-sport newspaper L’Equipe, Francesco Ricci Bitti (ITA), the former head of the International Tennis Federation and now head of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), explained that the current thinking about the specific process of certifying athlete “neutrality” will require the execution of a declaration concerning the Russian war against Ukraine:

“The athletes will have a declaration to sign.

“But they will not be asked to say that they are against the war because that becomes a criminal matter in Russia. We are in the process of developing, with legal assistance, a model declaration. Formula 1 drivers already do that. Federations like swimming are already ahead and we will try to harmonize all that, but it is not easy.

“There is another delicate subject, it is the control [of the conformity of the athletes to the reinstatement criteria]. We are studying the possibility of entrusting this task to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. But it’s not official yet.”

In its detailed recommendations brief, the IOC noted that “Only those Individual Neutral Athletes and support personnel who have not acted against the peace mission of the Olympic Movement by actively supporting the war in Ukraine may be invited to participate in international sports competitions” and added some further specifics, including:

“In order to ensure a harmonised interpretation of these criteria, the IFs should consider creating a single independent panel under the umbrella of the IF associations (ASOIF, AIOWF, ARISF) to take the decisions.”

That’s where Ricci Bitti’s ASOIF comes in, endorsing its role in a statement on 30 March:

“ASOIF is ready to support and assist the concerned International Federations in their forthcoming discussions with the IOC given the complexity of the implementation and the serious implications on the qualification system for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.”

But, as Ricci Bitti said, “it’s not official yet.”

3.
Pozdnyakov “surprised” by low motivation of Russian athletes

“The sport of the highest achievements is a matter of special pride for both Belarusians and Russians. Our history is rich in sporting events, and continuity will be preserved. The sports of the highest achievements will live in our countries, today the conditions are difficult, but any athlete, if he is of a high level, can look for motivation in any particular fight.

“To be honest, I’m always surprised when they say that athletes lose motivation. How can you lose motivation if one of the main Olympic principles is the desire for improvement? To be the first always and everywhere, in all competitions. This is what the vast majority of our athletes strive for, and in this we will help them in every possible way.”

That’s Russian Olympic Committee chief Stanislav Pozdnyakov, a four-time Olympic fencing champion and 10-time World Championships gold medalist, from Wednesday in a rare joint appearance with Viktor Lukashenko, the head of the National Olympic Committee of Belarus and son of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, at the National Athletes Forum in Minsk.

Lukashenko added, “This has always been our top priority, and we have made great progress in this direction. We have created clusters, ranging from children’s to youth and adult competitions. CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States] Games, which will be held in August, should clearly demonstrate that the sport has not stopped in place. We have a number of ideas, we are constantly looking for serious competitions, we do not have any kind of stagnation.”

Both criticized both the 2022 IOC sanctions recommendations and the IOC’s 28 March initiative to explore a pathway for “neutral” individual Russian or Belarusian athletes to return to international competition. Lukashenko said:

“The question is not only about symbolism, there are a number of conditions. We all heard the statement of the International Olympic Committee, where there have been some kind of warming, movement, from our point of view, in the right direction. But the decisions were submitted to the judgment of international sports federations.

“As for the Olympics, there is no talk of qualifying yet, only about international competitions. There should be some definite red line that we cannot cross. Only with respect for our country, our athletes, we will be able to take part in these competitions. We don’t rush headlong into the pool . . . if only ours were allowed in. There are certain moments in which we will never step over ourselves.”

Pozdnyakov maintained his steady line against any sanctions:

“A month ago, the IOC put forward rather complicated and, I would say, too strict conditions. I called this situation a farce. The IOC went forward, heard criticism from the U.N., the Human Rights Council. Discrimination on the basis of nationality has been supplemented by discrimination based on the type of activity, membership in sports organizations by sports.

“Today, those unfair and legally insignificant conditions that are not spelled out in any of the sections of the Olympic Charter are arbitrariness on the part of the IOC. And we will seek to change these conditions.”

He said the Russian Olympic Committee was in the process of formulating re-entry recommendations of its own for its national sports federations.

4.
IBA notes USA Boxing withdrawal; threatens officials again

The International Boxing Association posted a statement with its own take on the withdrawal of USA Boxing:

“The International Boxing Association (IBA) acknowledges the resignation of the National Federation of the United States of America, USA Boxing, on 26 April 2023 that came as an immediate reaction to the filing of the official compliant to the Boxing Independent Integrity Unit (BIIU) for their involvement in the creation of a rogue boxing organization

“With this decision, the National Federation and all its members, including officials, coaches, and boxers, are prohibited from having any relationship with IBA and from participating in any of its, or any affiliated member competitions as enshrined in the IBA Constitution and IBA Technical and Competition Rules. The above-mentioned is an automatic mechanism triggered by the resignation email of USA Boxing received by the IBA yesterday.

“Not only did the USA Boxing’s decision hurt all their affiliates who will now not be able to take part in IBA’s or affiliated member competitions, but it also deprives the boxing community as a whole from competing together and increasing the level of the talent within the boxing family.”

This interpretation is, of course, quite different from the reasons listed by USA Boxing chief executive Mike McAtee in his five-page letter made available on Wednesday, which focused on the IOC’s continuing issues with the IBA on finance, governance and refereeing and judging.

Also on Thursday, Dutch Boxing Federation President Boris van der Vorst referenced a letter sent by IBA Development Director Chris Roberts (GBR) to all IBA technical officials which noted a rule which prohibits participating “in an International Tournament which is not approved in advance by IBA.”

This is a specific warning against participation as an official with the IOC’s Paris Boxing Unit, which is overseeing the qualification process for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. There was more:

“It is within our duty to remind all recipients of this instruction, that all Technical Officials who have responded to any communication presented by the [Paris Boxing Unit], should inform the IBA Development Department at [email protected] as to their proposed intention regarding Paris 2024 and participation in the event holistically. This would include selection for any events that are known to be in a qualifying capacity, or a selection procedure moving towards the end-state of the tournament.

“The process in terms of communication to IBA is clear, all qualifications/certifications met by each respective official are owned and directed by IBA. The pathway and education are appropriately managed by IBA, with extensive investment to support everyone through that process of both events and continuous professional development.”

The obvious intent is to try and keep existing IBA officials from working at the IOC’s Paris 2024 qualifiers, who will first include 2023-24 continental multi-sport events such as the African Games, Asian Games, European Games and Pan American Games. A final Paris qualifier will be held in 2024.

Van de Vorst tweeted:

“An IF, suspended from the Olympic Movement, in big part for failing to establish & implement effective management and development systems for their competition officials, is attempting to treat them like property. Not acceptable. Time for change.”

and

“To boxing competition officials around the world: an International Federation is not in a position to restrict your professional affiliation choices! Don’t fall for continued threats. Time to leave the corrupting & authoritarian regime behind!”

Van der Vorst’s Dutch federation is expected to join the new World Boxing federation, following the U.S. lead.

5.
Sightseeing tour of Paris included in 2024 triathlon route

The Paris 2024 organizers announced Thursday the route of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic triathlon courses, beginning in the River Seine and continuing on bicycle and foot through multiple Parisian landmarks.

The Olympic triathlon comprises a 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike phase and 10 km run. Swimming will be held in the River Seine, now undergoing a major cleaning effort to once again allow swimming, with a two-loop course of 910 m and 590 m, followed by a climb of 32 steps to the Pont Alexandre III bridge for the first transition zone.

The bike segment will be over seven laps of a 5.715 km route on the Avenue Winston Churchill, the Champs Elysees, Avenue Montaigne, the Boulevard Saint-Germain and the Rue de Bac, and include some cobbled sections.

The run phase will be four loops of 2.5 km, finishing on the Pont Alexandre III bridge.

The Grand Palais, the Petit Palais, the Quai d’Orsay and Quai Anatole France are all along the route. The men’s race will be held on 30 July 2024 at 8 a.m. and the women’s race at the same time on the following day. Each race will have 55 entrants.

The Mixed Relay will also be held on the 31st, with a 300 m swim, 5.8 km ride and 1.8 km run for two men and two women.

The Paralympic courses will include most of the same elements, but in a course of 750 m for swimming, 20 km of cycling and a 5 km run on 1-2 September.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● The new National Athletics Centre stadium in Budapest, Hungary was opened for inspection on Wednesday, just less than four months ahead of the 2023 World Athletics Championships from 19-27 August.

The facility was built to host the championships, but will be reconfigured for long-term use. Situated right on the iconic Danube River, it will seat 35,000-plus for the Worlds, but then reduced to a more suitable 14,000 for long-term use, allowing for the construction of a running path and a 26-acre sports park. About 160,000 tickets – perhaps 40% – have been sold so far.

As built for the 2023 Worlds, the facility includes press seating for 500, a news conference room for 110 and a workroom for 400.

The Mondo track has nine lanes and there is a six-lane indoor running track. And a change in the awards protocol:

“In contrast to previous world championships, the medal ceremonies will be held outside the stadium, in the adjacent Medal Plaza, before the evening sessions, instead of between the events, so that spectators arriving at the venue will be able to get up close to the world’s best athletes.”

An interesting sponsorship announcement came on Tuesday, with the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America stepping up in a new role in Paralympic sport with:

“a multi-year grant to the University of Michigan Adaptive Sports and Fitness (ASF) program for the creation of the Adaptive Student Athlete Program (ASAP). This national program significantly expands access to competitive opportunities in Para track and field, wheelchair tennis, and wheelchair basketball for collegiate student athletes with disabilities, paving the way for them to increase their participation and receive equitable recognition alongside their able-bodied peers.”

The project will immediately be showcased at this weekend’s Drake Relays, where the first National Collegiate Wheelchair Championships will be held in the 100 m.

Guardian is a leading disability insurer and financial services provider, and part of its funding will take care of the costs of the wheelchair races and athlete travel, lodging, and other costs.

Is this the start of more corporate sponsorship of Para programs at the collegiate level? In addition to the Drake Relays racing, the Wheelchair Tennis National Championships in Florida in May and a Michigan wheelchair basketball tournament in September.

● Basketball ● Two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner appeared at a Thursday news conference in Phoenix, describing in public for the first time some of her feelings during her wrongful detainment in Russia that ended with a prisoner swap last December.

“I’m no stranger to hard times,” Griner, 32, said, explaining that pictures of her family were of special comfort to her while imprisoned.

“Just digging deep. You’re going to be faced with adversities in life. This was a pretty big one. I just relied on my hard work to get through it.”

She has resumed training, readying to play for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury this season:

“I feel like I’ve hit the corner and just loving it now, but at first there was a point where it was like, wow, dang, I really want to do this this fast right now? But no, it was so worth it. So worth it.”

After being detained while going to play with her Russian club team, she also noted, “I’m never playing overseas again. The only time I would want to would be to represent the USA.”

She also thanked the news media for their coverage:

“Thank y’all for covering me and all the exposure you gave me, my family to help get me home. That coverage was much needed.

“I was aware of the efforts and everything that was going on. I know people were fighting for me and bringing awareness. That made me more comfortable there, and meant I had hope, which is a hard, dangerous thing to have because when it doesn’t work, it’s so crushing.

“No one should be in any of the conditions that I went through or they’re going through.”

Griner announced a new effort with the WNBA’s Mercury and the Bring Our Families Home campaign (BOFH) to raise awareness and support those impacted by wrongful detainment in other nations.

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: USA Boxing terminates IBA membership; Crouser and Ealey win at Drake; Russian return to fencing at standstill

By
Rich Perelman
-
Olympic and World Champion Ryan Crouser, winner of the Drake Relays indoor shot put on Wednesday (Photo by Luke Lu, courtesy Drake University)

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. USA Boxing leaves IBA, so IBA asks for sanctions
2. Crouser and Healy take Drake Relays indoor shot events
3. Frazer’s three concerns over Russian and Belarusian re-entry
4. Russian return to fencing not going as hoped
5. Hirono stops H.R. 734 transgenders-in-sports ban in Senate

USA Boxing resigned from the International Boxing Association and announced its intention to join the new World Boxing federation now in formation. The IBA, in response, referred the federation for sanctions, but what can the IBA do now that USA Boxing has left? At the Drake Relays indoor shot put, American stars Ryan Crouser and Chase Ealey won easily, Crouser with a mighty throw of 73-6 3/4 in the first round. More of the remarks of British sports minister Lucy Frazer from Tuesday’s committee meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, including the three specific issues she wants the International Olympic Committee to take up immediately concerning the re-entry situation for Russian and Belarusian athletes. Meanwhile, Russian officials reacted angrily to the PACE committee hearing. And there are more complications. Even thought the International Fencing Federation (FIE) approved the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals, none will compete in this week’s Sabre Grand Prix in Seoul, as the federation has not yet certified any athletes as neutrals, to the frustration of the Russian Fencing Federation. In the U.S. Senate, a motion to quickly pass the House-approved bill prohibiting transgender women from competing on women’s teams was stopped by Democratic Senator Maizie Hirono of Hawaii, a strong indicator it will get nowhere due to Democratic control of the chamber.

● World Championships: Curling (World Mixed Doubles) = Ice Hockey
(men’s U-18 Worlds) ●
● Panorama: Paris 2024 (“fake” volunteers may try for disruption) = Athletics (2: Albanian officials suspended over fake wind reading; USTFCCA names 14 to Hall of Fame) = Football (UEFA Champions League final may come to U.S.) = Weightlifting (U.S. to skip PanAm U-15/U-17 Champs in view of Venezuelan unrest) = Wrestling (nine Russian dopers from 2012 suspended) ●

1.
USA Boxing leaves IBA, so IBA asks for sanctions

“Later this morning, April 26, 2023, and after this communication is sent to you, USA Boxing will send a letter of termination to IBA’s Secretary General exercising USA Boxing’s right under Section 12 CESSATION (Termination) OF MEMBERSHIP. This means USA Boxing will no longer be a member of IBA effective immediately.

“USA Boxing will commit full support to World Boxing’s efforts to seek provisional recognition of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and as an International Federation (IF) for the sport of Olympic-style boxing, Paralympic Boxing (Adaptive) and Esport Boxing.

“On March 22, 2023, USA Boxing Board of Directors met in Executive Session and USA Boxing’s Board of Directors unanimously passed a resolution approving these actions.”

That’s how a five-page letter from USA Boxing chief executive Mike McAtee began on Wednesday, formally severing U.S. national federation ties with the International Boxing Association and moving toward the new World Boxing federation.

McAtee’s letter included a 20-paragraph explanation of the reasons for leaving the IBA (formerly known as AIBA), repeating the well-known concerns voiced by the International Olympic Committee over IBA’s financing, governance and refereeing and judging, under current President Umar Kremlev (RUS). This included:

● “IBA has failed to follow its stated Mission, ‘…to promote, support and govern the sport of boxing worldwide in accordance with the requirements and spirit of the Olympic Charter…’; has disregarded its own Constitution, policies, and published processes; has openly defied the ruling of the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS); and has continuously failed to prioritize the needs of boxers;”

● “USA Boxing remains committed to the Olympic movement by following the principles of proper governance, promoting neutral third-party oversight of the field of play, condemning false and misleading information from IBA leadership, demanding transparent financial management, and following the IOC requirements that prohibit athletes whose National governments are under current IOC sanctions from competing under their national symbols, flags, anthems, and colors;”

● “USA Boxing is committed to work tirelessly with World Boxing, like-minded National Federations and worldwide Olympic-style boxing community to earn the privilege to be part of the Olympic Movement now and in the years to come.”

The new World Boxing federation has begun accepting membership applications; its interim board includes representatives from Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Sweden and the U.S.

By removing itself from the IBA, U.S. boxers will suffer no penalty as regards qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, as the International Olympic Committee has taken over the process, as it did for the Tokyo 2020 Games. The first major qualifier for the Americas will be at the Pan American Games in Santiago (CHI) in October.

The IBA, of course, is not amused and, as expected, asked for sanctions against a federation which has left:

“The International Boxing Association (IBA) has filed an official complaint to the Boxing Independent Integrity Unit (BIIU) against individuals and entities involved in creation of a rogue boxing organization. The case was registered by the BIIU and will be reviewed as soon as possible.

“The IBA strongly condemns the efforts of individuals to damage the significant strides taken by the IBA over the last few years to secure boxers’ the best future possible. The International Boxing Association (IBA) reiterates that it will continue doing its utmost to protect the organization and all its member National Federations from any harm caused by individuals or entities within or outside of the IBA boxing family.”

Hard to see what recourse the IBA will have against an organization which is no longer involved with it.

2.
Crouser and Healy take Drake Relays indoor shot events

Billed as an attempt by Olympic and World Champion Ryan Crouser to try and better his own world indoor record of 22.82 m (74-10 1/2) from 2021 at the Drake University Fieldhouse, he won easily at 22.42 m (73-6 3/4) on his first throw at the Drake Relays, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Not a record, but the no. 3 indoor performance of 2023, behind his world-leading 22.58 m (74-1) and 22.50 m (73-10) at the Millrose Games, setting aside his 23.38 m (76-8 1/2) unratified world record at the Simplot Games in Pocatello, Idaho.

Crouser went 2.30 m (73-2) on his second throw, then a foul, 22.02 m (72-3) in round four and fouls in five and six. He was an easy winner over Tripp Piperi (21.45 m/70-4 1/2) and Nigeria’s Chuk Enekwechi, at 20.81 m (68-3 1/4).

The women’s shot saw American Maggie Ewen take the early lead at 19.45 m (63-9 3/4), just behind her indoor best, but passed in the fourth round by World Champion Chase Ealey of the U.S. at 19.54 m (64-1 1/4). That turned out to be the winner, but well behind her world-leading 20.03 m (65-8 3/4) from the Millrose Games.

Jamaica’s Danniel Thomas-Dodd got out to a national indoor record of 19.52 m (63-0 1/2) in the final round to move up to second, with Ewen third.

The unique team event, which paired up a male and female putter and scored for combined distance, was won by Ewen and Piperi at 40.90 m (134-2), ahead of Jessica Woodard and Crouser (40.52 m/132-11) and Ealey and Enekwechi, who combined for 40.35 m (132-4).

There will be a second shot competition outdoors, on Saturday, with Crouser and Ealey featured once again.

3.
Frazer’s three concerns over Russian and Belarusian re-entry

During her impassioned, pre-recorded address of eight and a half minutes during Tuesday’s meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media on “Excluding the athletes and officials of the Russian Federation and Belarus from participating in the international Olympic Movement,” British Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Lucy Frazer went in-depth on the International Olympic Committee’s 28 March recommendations for the re-entry of Russian and Belarusian athletes.

It’s worth reviewing, and somewhat surprising as she was in favor of Russian and Belarusian athlete re-entry, but only for true neutrals:

“The UK government has, from March 2022, been clear in our guidance to our own domestic sports bodies, that individual Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete as neutrals on UK soil. As long as they are really neutral, and not representing their states in any way.

“And we have been equally clear on what that neutrality looks like. These athletes must not, under any circumstances, express support for the war or the Russian and Belarusian regimes. This extends to athlete funding, to athletes funded by their states to compete in events, or who are in receipt of funding or sponsorship directly aligned with their states, such as from state-controlled companies like Gazprom, cannot be considered to be neutral. Athletes directly funded by their states to compete in sports competitions who would not be present at those events without that support are de facto representatives of those states. They are only there by virtue of being funded by, trained by, selected by, supported by, the Russian state.

“And in that sense, from the UK perspective, both ourselves and the International Olympic Committee … are both seeking the same outcome, ensuring that Russian and Belarusian states cannot be represented in international sport.

“We have seen the IOC start to address some of the concerns our brief of 35 nations raised in February, and that is to be welcomed. For the IOC’s recommendations do not go far enough for us, and they leave far too many unanswered questions.

“Our deep reservations extend across three areas.

“Firstly, there is no reference anywhere in the recommendations to state funding, which, I have said, is a breach of neutrality. That issue is simply too fundamental to be ignored and it strikes at the very heart of what neutrality is.

“Second, the provisions set out on military and national security agency links are currently minimal, especially when we know that the links between state, military and sport in Russia and Belarus are root and branch. And if you think that sounds like an exaggeration, consider the fact that the two leading Russian sport societies – the Central Sports Club of the Army [CSKA] and the Dynamo Sports Society – were founded by the Ministry of Defense, and Ministry of Internal Affairs, respectively.

“Athletes trained by those two societies consistently bring home by far the largest share of Russian Olympic medals. Many Russian athletes have been active in their support of Putin’s invasion.

“The limited focus of the IOC’s recommendations around people being currently contracted to the military, or national security agencies, really does not account for the intrinsic relationship between the military and security apparatus. Our concern also covers the potential for loopholes, with people being un-contracted before events and then re-contracted afterwards, to allow them to compete.

“In Belarus, the Lukashenko regime maintains close control of Belarusian sport, with the Belarus Olympic Committee and Presidential Sports Club – which provides direct financial support to Belarusian and other athletes – led by Lukashenko’s sons.

“The scenes at [the] pre-war rally at the Luzhniki Stadium [in Moscow] last year, where Putin used Olympic athletes to promote his aggression only served to underline this issue.

“Thirdly, we have ongoing, serious concerns about how these provisions will be implemented effectively, robustly and consistently. For example, there are issues around the definition of teams, and whether pairs of athletes could be allowed. This issue is one which needs further clarification.

“Let’s be clear on why this matters. You can’t compete in a team event in the Olympics other than by virtue of being the same nationality and representing your country. There are no options to pair up across country borders, so there can be no place for any teams of any numbers. We are already seeing a great deal of confusion across sport, as international federations take different approaches on the issue of allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes back into competition.

“And our fear is this will only escalate over the coming weeks, exacerbated by the current lack of clarity on future participation at Paris 2024 for those Russians and Belarusians, who may have qualified at events this summer.”

Numerous other speakers were not as generous and asked for a total ban.

In response to the PACE hearing, Russian officials reacted furiously, including:

● Russian Olympic Committee President Stanislav Pozdnyakov said Wednesday:

“We consider this to be a gross violation of the Olympic Charter and demand that the IOC react promptly to statements such as those made by certain Western governments.

“We are faced with blatant interference in the autonomous status of sports, which must be safeguarded by the International Olympic Committee. We hope to hear the toughest possible reaction on behalf of the IOC regarding this issue.”

● Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko added:

“We are moving away from the hegemony of the West, where countries, at the behest of United States, can simply rewrite laws for themselves [and their own selfish interests], justifying any aggression. This is exactly the same thing that we see happening now in the world of sports.”

“Unfortunately, global sports organizations are not adhering anymore to the fundamental principles of sports, which had been all about staying outside of politics and providing athletes with an equal playing field to let them demonstrate their personal best.

“But what do we see today? The International Olympic Committee issued a humiliating ultimatum to our athletes, as well as to the Belarusian Olympic team, stating that in order to participate in the Games we must actually betray our own Motherland, condemn it and reject it, and only then would we be allowed to participate, but only under a neutral flag and without national anthems being played.”

“We do not want this kind of Olympics.”

And there is pressure elsewhere in the government, with Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko telling Deputy Sports Minister Andrei Fedorov:

“Colleagues, somehow I want you to be more toothy, or something. They acted like fighters. It is impossible to give our athletes to be torn to pieces; it is generally a complete lawlessness that is happening in sports.”

4.
Russian return to fencing not going as hoped

In early March, the International Fencing Federation (FIE) agreed, at an extraordinary, online Congress to allow the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals in a decision which has still not been publicly posted by the federation.

It was widely anticipated that the first appearance of Russian and Belarusian fencers could be in Seoul (KOR) for this weekend’s FIE Grand Prix in Sabre, the last Grand Prix this season in that discipline. But it hasn’t worked out that way.

Russian Fencing Federation Ilgar Mammadov expressed his frustration to the Russian news agency TASS thus:

“We will not be participating in the Grand Prix in Seoul due to some bureaucratic snafus and foot-dragging on the part of the International Fencing Federation.

“We are sending a letter today requesting that all qualifying points of this tournament be cancelled since we are unable to take part in it.

“We did everything in due time, as they had instructed us previously. We repeatedly warned them, however, that it would be impossible for us to participate if they continued to drag the process out.

“We were assured, however, that everything was all right, that we should not worry and that we would be eligible by the deadline. However, we are now seeing the exact opposite result.”

Beyond Seoul is the 5-7 May Grand Prix in Epee, scheduled for Cali, Colombia; no word yet on whether Russian or Belarusian fencers will be able to compete there.

5.
Hirono stops H.R. 734 transgenders-in-sports ban in Senate

After the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023” passed the U.S. House of Representatives last week on a 219-203 party-line vote, the measure was sent to the U.S. Senate on Tuesday and came to the floor on Wednesday.

Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), who coached girls’ basketball early in his career before moving on to college football, asked for unanimous consent on the Senate floor to pass the bill without a roll-call vote. He noted:

“A few weeks ago, on Good Friday of all days, Joe Biden’s Department of Education issued a new rule completely reinterpreting Title IX. Biden’s rule says schools cannot ban boys from participating in women’s sports or else they’ll lose their funding.

“That means teachers and coaches will have to begin opening their girls’ and women’s teams, fields and locker rooms to biological males. It’s unfair, it’s unsafe and it’s downright wrong. To be honest, it’s moronic.“

An objection was raised by second-term Senator Maizie Hirono (D-Hawaii), meaning the bill was pulled from the floor and will now have to go through the regular Senate process. Hirono said:

“We shouldn’t be banning anyone from playing sports, we should be fighting the discrimination that all women and girls – trans, cis or otherwise – continue to face athletics, in the classroom and in the workplace. For these reasons, I object.”

Fox News reported, “That objection is a sign Senate Democrats will never consider the bill and will not schedule it at all for debate in the upper chamber.”

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Curling ● The 15th WCF World Mixed Doubles Championship is ongoing in Gangneung (KOR), still in round-robin play in both Groups A and B.

Each group has 10 teams and with 1-2 games left for most teams, Estonia and Canada are leading Group A at 7-1 and defending champions Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat at 6-2.

In Group B, Japan is 7-0 with the U.S. pair of Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin at 6-1, and Norway and the Swiss at 5-2. The top three teams in each group will advance to the playoffs, starting on Friday (28th). The championship match is on Saturday (29th).

● Ice Hockey ● The IIHF men’s World U-18 Championship finished pool play on Tuesday in Switzerland, with the U.S. men undefeated and top-seeded in the playoffs that begin on Thursday.

Defending champion Sweden won Group A at 4-0, with Canada at 3-1; the Swedes compiled a glossy goals-against mark of 18-3. The American men, runner-ups in 2022, won their four games in Group B, outscoring their opponents by 37-6 (7-1, 12-1, 8-4, 10-0). Finland was second at 3-1.

In the quarterfinals, Sweden will face Latvia and Canada will play Switzerland in the top half of the bracket. The U.S. will play the Czech Republic and Finland and Slovakia are matched in the bottom half.

The semifinals come on Saturday and the medal matches on Sunday (30th).

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● Reuters reported on an in-development plan to have protesters accepted as Paris 2024 volunteers and then try and disrupt the Games.

The concept, called Saccage 2024 or “Destruction 2024,” has been promoted on social media, but is only a concept so far as the Paris organizing committee has not yet selected its volunteer staff members yet. About 45,000 are expected to be utilized in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Political unrest in France has risen since the Macron government pushed through a change in the French retirement age from 62 to 64 on 15 April in view of declining funds to pay retirement benefits.

● Athletics ● The Athletics Integrity Unit imposed multi-year sanctions on President Gjergj Ruli and General Secretary Nikolin Dionisi of the Albanian Athletics Federation for falsifying a result that helped one of its athletes to be selected for the Tokyo Games.

Long jumper Izmir Smajlaj, the 2017 European Indoor Champion, was credited with a lifetime best and national record of 8.16 m (26-9 1/4 with +1.7 m/s wind) in Tirana (ALB) on 8 May 2021. This performance, which ranked 23rd on the world outdoor list for 20-21, helped him be selected for a “universality place” in Tokyo, where he finished 18th in qualifying. Per the AIU:

“The AIU had alleged that Ruli, Dionisi and Smajlaj conspired together and submitted falsified wind measurement readings relating to the Competition to World Athletics, and when requested for proof of wind measurement equipment being used at the competition, also submitted a falsified photograph to the AIU. The falsified photo showed Smajlaj standing at the long jump track in front of wind measuring equipment but Ruli, Dionisi and Smajlaj all ultimately admitted there was in fact no wind measuring equipment at the relevant Competition and that this photo was taken on a different day.”

Ruli was banned five years and Dionisi for four, but Smajlaj was apparently not involved in the conspiracy and his provisional suspension has been lifted. Now 30, he has not competed since March of 2022.

The U.S. Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced its Collegiate Hall of Fame inductees for 2023, with 14 athletes who won a total of 70 national collegiate championships, set 39 world records as collegians and claimed a career total of 14 Olympic medals:

● Dyrol Burleson (Oregon, 1959-1962)
● Michael Carter (SMU, 1980-1984)
● Joetta Clark (Tennessee, 1981-1984)
● Michael Conley (Arkansas, 1982-1985)
● Sheila Hudson (California, 1986-1990)
● Holli Hyche (Indiana State, 1991-1994)
● Edwin Moses (Morehouse, 1974-1977)
● Renaldo Nehemiah (Maryland, 1978-1979)
● Sonia O’Sullivan (Villanova, 1988-1991)
● Julie Shea (Northy Carolina State, 1978-1981)
● Seilala Sua (UCLA, 1997-2000)
● John Thomas (Boston University, 1959-1962)
● Wyomia Tyus (Tennessee State, 1964-1967)
● Dave Wottle (Bowling Green, 1969-1973)

The Olympic medal winners include Carter (1984 shot put silver), Conley (1984 triple jump silver, 1992 gold), Moses (1976-84 400 m hurdles golds, 1988 bronze), O’Sullivan (2000 5,000 m silver for Ireland), Thomas (1960 high jump bronze, 1964 silver), Tyus (1964-68 100 m golds, 1964 4×100 silver, 1968 4×100 gold), and Wottle (1972 800 m gold).

The Collegiate Track & Field Hall of Fame was established in 2022. The 2023 class will be inducted on 14 September at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Oregon.

● Football ● UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin (SLO) said on Tuesday’s “Men in Blazers” podcast that a Champions League final in the U.S. might be coming:

“It’s possible. We started to discuss about that but then one year it was the World Cup, ‘24 is Euro, this year is Istanbul, ’24 is London and ’25 is Munich and after that, let’s see.

“Football is extremely popular in [the] United States these days. Americans are willing to pay for best and nothing for the less. So they will follow European football as basketball lovers in Europe follow NBA.

“It’s a very important promising market for the future. The thing is that we are selling rights very well. Sponsorship is so-so for now from the U.S., but [in the US] commercialization is completely different than in Europe. They [Americans] are much more talented for that than us [Europeans].”

● Weightlifting ● USA Weightlifting issued a depressing notice last week (19th) concerning its decision not to send teams to the Pan American U-15 and U-17 Championships:

“After careful consideration USA Weightlifting announced today it will not send a delegation to the 2023 U17/U15 Pan American Youth Championships scheduled for August 12-17 because of safety concerns in the host city of Caracas, Venezuela.

“USA Weightlifting regularly monitors the safety and security of its destinations as part of its high-performance operations, and the current situation in Venezuela raises significant concerns.

“The U.S. State Department has issued a Level 4 (Do Not Travel) Warning for Venezuela due to the high risk of violent and serious crimes, terrorism, kidnapping, and wrongful detention of U.S. nationals.

“Furthermore, the U.S. government warns of shortages of food, electricity, water, and medicines in Venezuela.”

USA Weightlifting chief executive Matt Sicchio added, “We are committed to the safety and security of our athletes and the team that supports them.

“This isn’t a decision we take lightly. While we are disappointed, nothing is more important than the safety of our athletes, coaches, and staff.”

● Wrestling ● The International Testing Agency posted sanctions for long-ago doping abuses by nine Russian wrestlers from samples taken in 2012! Eight had their results annulled from 20 November 2012 to 20 November 2014, and one from 6 April 2012 to 2 March 2022:

● Dariya Leksina: ineligible to 1 March 2023
● Elena Vostrikova: ineligible to 1 March 2023
● Margarita Fatkulina: ineligible to 18 November 2023
● Elena Getta: ineligible to 18 November 2023
● Anzhela Kataeva: ineligible to 18 November 2023
● Elena Kulikova: ineligible to 18 November 2023
● Alevtina Lisitsina: ineligible to 18 November 2023
● Anastasiya Shchavlinskaya: ineligible to 18 November 2023
● Aleksey Shchekov: ineligible to 1 March 2024

All but Shchekov admitted doping and received reduced bans; Shchekov’s ban included nullification of his results to 2 March 2022. The ITA explained:

“The cases are based on investigations conducted by WADA’s Intelligence & Investigations Department (WADA I&I) and by Professor Richard McLaren into allegations of systemic doping practices in Russian sport as well as Moscow Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) data retrieved by WADA I&I over time. The evidence was provided by WADA I&I to the ITA in 2021 and 2022 for further assessment. In particular, these investigations uncovered LIMS data indicative of the presence of banned substances in samples provided by the athletes in 2012.”

None of these wrestlers were Olympic medal winners in 2012 or World Championships or European Championships medalists in 2011-12-13-14-15.

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TSX REPORT: Britain’s Frazer shares U.K. view of “neutrality”; shooting fed follow IOC lead; Davis-Woodhall loses U.S. LJ title to marijuana

By
Rich Perelman
-
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe President Tiny Kox (NED) at Tuesday's meeting concerning Russian and Belarusian participation in international sport. (Photo: PACE 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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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. British Minister Frazer defines “neutrality” at PACE hearing
2. Shooting federation follows IOC lead on Russian re-entry
3. Paris 2024 and Atos worry about cyberthreats to Games
4. Airbnb offers 1,000 athlete travel grants
5. Tara Davis-Woodhall loses U.S. indoor LJ title for marijuana

During a two-hour committee hearing of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, British minister Lucy Frazer defined her country’s view of Russian and Belarusian neutrality, excluding not only security-service affiliates, but all athletes receiving funding from state sources or state-controlled companies. She called on the International Olympic Committee to share this view. The International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) announced it will follow the IOC’s recommendations on Russian and Belarusian re-entry, and waiting for guidance on what “neutrality” means. At the inauguration of a new data center, the Paris 2024 head of technology and the head of the Atos team for the Paris 2024 Games detailed their shared concerns over cyber attacks against the event, expected to increase dramatically from those seen for the Tokyo Games in 2021. IOC partner Airbnb announced a new round of travel grants – 1,000 of $2,000 each – to be made available on application from Olympic and Paralympic-candidate athletes with a deadline of 25 May. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced a one-month suspension of long-jump star Tara Davis-Woodhall for the use of marijuana, which wipes out her win at the U.S. Indoor Nationals in Albuquerque earlier this year.

● Panorama: Paris 2024 (more than 200,000 volunteer apps so far) = Los Angeles 2028 (Games Energy Council motion advanced) = On Screen (reasonable cable TV audience for early-morning Boston Marathon) = Aquatics (World Aquatics scholarship program opens) = Athletics (2: Herb Douglas, ‘48 LJ bronze winner, passes at 101; Prakel and Hiltz win USATF Road Mile titles) = Football (2: Crocker new USSF Sporting Director; FOX schedule for Women’s World Cup) = Swimming (new world leaders in eight events) ●

1.
British Minister Frazer defines “neutrality” at PACE hearing

The Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) held a high-profile, two-hour hearing in Strasbourg (FRA) on Tuesday on the topic of “Excluding the athletes and officials of the Russian Federation and Belarus from participating in the international Olympic Movement.”

Remarks were made on tape, by video and in person, with British Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Lucy Frazer directly addressing not only the issue, but the International Olympic Committee’s recommendations of 28 March to allow re-entry of individual Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals. In pertinent part:

● “Any change in our position on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes representing their states in international sport would be incompatible with that commitment and incompatible with our values as a country. …

“Russia has shown nothing but contempt for the values of the Olympics Movement and its flouting of the rules has extended beyond the current-front conflict as we saw with its involvement in doping programs.”

● “Our common goal is for sporting bodies to minimize the ability of Russia and Belarus to use sport for political gain. We recognize and want to maintain the autonomy of sport and we support those national and international sports bodies who’ve shown moral clarity and exceptional leadership in this area.”

● “This is not about punishing individual Russian or Belarusian athletes. These individuals have dedicated their lives to sport. What we stand against is athletes competing to represent the state of Russia and Belarus. There is a fundamental difference.”

● “The UK government has, from March 2022, been clear in our guidance to our own domestic sports bodies, that individual Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete as neutrals on UK soil. As long as they are really neutral, and not representing their states in any way.

“And we have been equally clear on what that neutrality looks like. These athletes must not, under any circumstances, express support for the war or the Russian and Belarusian regimes. This extends to athlete funding, to athletes funded by their states to compete in events, or who are in receipt of funding or sponsorship directly aligned with their states, such as from state-controlled companies like Gazprom, cannot be considered to be neutral. Athletes directly funded by their states to compete in sports competitions who would not be present at those events without that support are de facto representatives of those states. They are only there by virtue of being funded by, trained by, selected by, supported by, the Russian state.”

● “And in that sense, from the UK perspective, both ourselves and the International Olympic Committee … are both seeking the same outcome, ensuring that Russian and Belarusian states cannot be represented in international sport.”

She concluded that “[T]he IOC’s recommendations do not go far enough for us, and they leave far too many unanswered questions.”

The opening remarks by Tiny Kox (NED), the President of PACE, framed the issue this way:

“The Assembly noted that the International Olympic Committee and the sports movement at large currently seems to change the position it held since the 24th of February last year and to favor the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions while other stakeholders strongly objected to this. …

“However, taking a decision to allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the 2024 Paris Games in the context of the ongoing, large-scale war of aggression of Russia against Ukraine, is considered by many as such that it would not only go strongly against the mission of Olympism to promote peace, but instead widen divisions and serve the propaganda purposes of the aggressor.

“For many, the participation of Russian athletes, a considerable number of whom are members of the Russian military of security services, is totally unthinkable and unacceptable, given the tragic loss of thousands of Ukrainian lives, serious war crimes committed by the Russian army in Ukraine and the pain and the suffering which this aggression continues to cause today.”

The IOC and the international federations were strongly represented, by Armenian wrestler (and 2012 Olympic 74 kg silver medalist in Greco-Roman) Arsen Julfalakyan, Chair of the United World Wrestling Athletes Commission, and Namibian shooter Gaby Ahrens, Chair of the Association of National Olympic Committees Athletes Commission. In addition, Francesco Ricci Bitti (ITA), Chair of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations and European Olympic Committees Athletes Commission Chair (and 2008 Olympic discus champ) Gerd Kanter (EST) also appeared.

All supported the IOC’s recommendations, using much of the same language from the 28 March news conference (and subsequent news release) announcing the Executive Board action.

2.
Shooting federation follows IOC lead on Russian re-entry

The International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) is the latest to fall in line with the IOC’s position on the re-entry of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competition. Tuesday’s announcement followed a 24 April meeting of the ISSF Executive Committee:

“First, and foremost the ExCo members reiterated their unlimited solidarity with the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian Shooting community, whose pain and suffering are beyond imagination. The ExCo members therefore, fully support all measures and sanctions imposed by the IOC against athletes and Officials from Russia and Belarus.

“At the same time, the ExCo supports the arguments mentioned by the IOC with respect to the proposed return of athletes, who are to no extend involved in the war.

“The ExCo agreed to create an Ad Hoc Commission to explore the timeline for the return of these athletes under strict conditions of eligibility.

“The ISSF will work in close collaboration with the IOC and ASOIF on drafting respective eligibility rules, defining the independent review process necessary to also ensure that only neutral athletes, who are not contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies may be considered.”

The ISSF position was not completely unexpected, given its heavy reliance on IOC funding from Olympic television rights sales. Further, it has joined several other federations in lining up behind whatever “rules” the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) umbrella group comes up with. ASOIF head Ricci Bitti said at the European Parliament hearing on Tuesday, “This has nothing to do with the Olympic Games. This is a sort of trial on the field of international competitions.”

3.
Paris 2024 and Atos worry about cyberthreats to Games

French sprinter Bruno Marie-Rose, now 57, understands speed. He won an Olympic men’s 4×100 m bronze in Seoul in 1988, a European Championships 4×100 m gold in 1990 and a World Championships 4×100 m silver in 1991.

Now, as Chief Information and Technology Officer for the Paris 2024 Olympic organizing committee, he is trying to slow down the millions of hacking attacks made against its systems:

“My counterpart at the Winter Games in PyeongChang [in 2018] saw systems turn off a few hours before the start of the opening ceremony. I especially wouldn’t want that to happen in Paris.

“The Olympics are a target for geopolitical propaganda. The war in Ukraine is accompanied by a cyberwar. We particularly fear state attacks. The worst would be attacks that cause competitions to be interrupted or disrupted.”

The organizers are working with IOC partner Atos, whose Chief Information Officer Christophe Thivet (FRA) said:

“At the Tokyo Games, we had 450 million attacks and 4.4 billion threats, or 800 per second. But there was no impact on the Games. In the event of threats, we were able to block all flows before impact. …

“Some hackers officiate for fame, others for money, but what Paris 2024 fears the most are cyberattacks given on the orders of a state. If, for example, Russian and Belarusian athletes were not reinstated.”

He added that their preparations for 2024 are already underway and include simulations of attacks to test the resiliency and redundancy of the systems. A test center in Madrid (ESP) has already been opened for this purpose.

4.
Airbnb offers 1,000 athlete travel grants

The IOC’s partner Airbnb announced a doubling of its $2,000 travel grants introduced in 2021:

“The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) have once again partnered with Airbnb to renew the Airbnb Athlete Travel Grants programme, providing athletes with the opportunity to apply for a USD 2,000 grant to cover their travel and accommodation expenses. This year, there are 1,000 grants available – double the number offered in previous years.”

This is $2 million worth of accommodations, with applications made through the IOC’s Athlete365 portal from 25 April to 25 May 2023. According to the announcement, “Airbnb has committed USD 8 million in funding to the programme, which will run for nine years.”

Both Olympic and Paralympic athletes can apply. The 2022 program offered 500 grants of $2,000 each, with 3,226 applications made from athletes in 196 countries.

This isn’t the direct athlete prize money that the IOC’s critics continuously call for, but it is pretty close in the accommodations area for training and competition travel, which is a significant burden.

5.
Tara Davis-Woodhall loses U.S. indoor LJ title for marijuana

“USADA announced today that Tara Davis-Woodhall, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, an athlete in the sport of track and field, has accepted a one-month period of ineligibility for an anti-doping rule violation.

“Davis-Woodhall, 23, tested positive for 11-nor-9-carboxy-tetrahydrocannabinol (Carboxy-THC), a urinary metabolite of ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, marijuana, and hashish, above the urinary Decision Limit of 180 ng/mL, as the result of a sample collected in-competition at the 2023 USATF Indoor Championships on February 17, 2023. …

“Davis-Woodhall’s period of ineligibility was reduced to one month because her use of cannabis occurred out-of-competition and was unrelated to sport performance, and because she successfully completed a substance of abuse treatment program regarding her use of cannabis.”

Davis-Woodhall, 23, won the U.S. Nationals with an indoor lifetime best of 6.99 m (22-11 1/4) in Albuquerque, New Mexico and ranked third in the world indoors in 2023, but her results from 17 February through 21 April have been nullified under the sanction.

Her disqualification from the U.S. Nationals elevates Rhesa Foster to national champ, with a jump of 6.63 m (21-9, a lifetime best), followed by Tiffany Flynn (6.67 m/21-6 3/4) and Quanesha Burks (6.46 m/21-2 1/2). Davis-Woodhall’s indoor best reverts to her 6.93 m (22-9) best from 2021.

A marijuana positive at the U.S. Olympic Trials, of course, disqualified Sha’Carri Richardson from the U.S. Olympic Team in the women’s 100 m for Tokyo in 2021. The World Anti-Doping Agency continues to study the status of marijuana as a prohibited substance, but for now, it is still a cause for suspension.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The Paris 2024 organizers announced that more than 200,000 applications for volunteer positions have been received since the 22 March opening of the staffing portal.

The application period continues through 3 May. The volunteer target is 45,000; applicants will be informed of their status in the fourth quarter of 2023.

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● A motion to form a “Games Energy Council” was passed, 3-0, with two absences, by the Los Angeles City Council Ad Hoc Committee on the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, including:

“An important facet of the Games Agreement is the development of the Games Energy Council, which will bring together the City, LA28, and all other parties responsible for the delivery of power infrastructure and service to Games-related projects, venues, and events to facilitate decision-making and cooperation necessary to optimize and meet required levels of services, and develop plans to support the relevant elements of the Sustainability Plan, through the completion of the Games.”

The motion now goes to the City Council for approval.

● On Screen ● The ESPN national telecast of the Boston Marathon reached an average audience of 369,000 for its early-morning start. That’s a fairly good showing for a cable telecast, especially given the early hour in all time zones.

The USA-Mexico men’s football draw (1-1) in the first Allstate Continental Clasico last Wednesday at 10 p.m. Eastern time drew 437,000 on TBS.

● Aquatics ● World Aquatics announced its 2023-24 scholarship program designed to support 150 athletes for a year.

Launched in 2014, the new program includes 100 swimmers, 20 open-water swimmers, 20 divers and 10 from artistic swimming:

“Successful candidates will be placed at one of the five World Aquatics Training Centres for one or two years. In exceptional cases, an athlete may be offered a World Aquatics scholarship with an individual training option.”

Applications are due by 25 May 2023.

● Athletics ● Herb Douglas, reportedly the oldest living U.S. Olympic medalist, passed away at 101 years of age on Saturday, 22 April.

Douglas won an Olympic bronze in the London 1948 men’s long jump at 7.54 m (24-9) after reaching a lifetime best of 7.69 m (25-2 3/4) for second at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Born in 1922, Douglas was a University of Pittsburgh grad, he was the 1947 NCAA long jump runner-up and won three U.S. nationals titles: outdoors in 1945 and indoors in 1947 and 1948. He played football at Pitt and after earning a masters in education, joined the Pabst Brewing Company in sales, then moved in 1963 to join wine and spirits giant Scheiffelin & Co. (now Moet Hennessy USA) and rose to become a Vice President over the course of 30 years with the company.

He maintained a lifelong dedication to Pitt and became an important member of its Board of Trustees. During a 100th birthday celebration, the university announced that a new indoor track & field facility will be named for him.

At the USA Track & Field Road Mile Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, double U.S. indoor champion Sam Prakel (1,500 m and 3,000 m) sprinted to victory in the men’s division in 4:02, trailed closely by Casey Comber (4:03) and defending champion Vincent Ciattei (4:03).

U.S. indoor 1,500 m champ Nikki Hiltz won the women’s mile at the tape from the 2022 U.S. national 1,500 m winner, Sinclaire Johnson, with both timed in 4:28. Addison Wiley was third in 4:31.

● Football ● U.S. Soccer announced Welshman Matt Crocker as its new Sporting Director, responsible for all of the American national teams from youth through the elite level.

Crocker is 48 and will begin at the USSF on 2 August, while the FIFA Women’s World Cup is ongoing in Australia and New Zealand. He will immediately be tasked with hiring a head coach for the men’s National Team.

He has long experience in the game and comes from his second time with the English Premier League club Southampton and previously with the England Football Association, in charge of development from 2013-20. He has extended experience in player development as academy director for multiple clubs.

Fox Sports announced its television schedule for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, starting on 20 July in Australia and New Zealand, with 29 matches on the over-the-air FOX network and the remaining 35 on cable channel FS1.

There will be pre-game, post-game, between-games and end-of-day programming as was done with the FIFA World Cup from Qatar in 2022.

● Swimming ● Strong swimming in Germany, Hungary and Russia over the last 10 days, with world-leading times in six men’s events and two for women:

● Men/800 m Free: 7:42.14, Lukas Martens (GER)
● Men/1,500 m Free: 14:34.89, Florian Wellbrock (GER)
● Men/100 m Back: 52.54, Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS)
● Men/200 m Back: 1:55.50, Evgeny Rylov (RUS)
● Men/200 m Breast: 2:07.47, Kiril Prigoda (RUS)
● Men/200 m Fly: 1:52.58, Kristof Milak (HUN)

Martens and Wellbrock swam at the Berlin Open and Wellbrock’s 1,500 m win was a German national record and moved him to no. 4 on the all-time list.

The three Russian marks all came at the national championships in Kazan, while Milak’s mark came at the Hungarian nationals., and is the no. 15 performance all-time.

In addition to her world record of 2:17.55 in the women’s 200 m Breast, Russian Evgeniia Chikunova also took the world lead in the 100 m Breast, winning in 1:04.92, moving her to no. 7 all-time.

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: U.S. & Mexico among four bidders for FIFA Women’s World Cup ‘27; Mondo, Crouser, Allman at L.A. Grand Prix in May

By
Rich Perelman
-
Sweden's Olympic and World Champion Mondo Duplantis coming back to Los Angeles for the first time since 2017 for the USATF L.A. Grand Prix.

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Four candidates to bid for 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup
2. Jackson 10.82, Andersen 261-10 among weekend world leads
3. L.A. Grand Prix tickets now on sale for 26-27 May
4. Beijing will bid for the 2027 World Athletics Championships
5. Sports Minister assures Israel OK for World Beach Games

FIFA announced that the Women’s World Cup for 2027 received four bids, including a joint effort by Mexico and the U.S. A lengthy process of review will commence, with three to be shortlisted for a final vote in 2024. There were world-leading performances in six track & field events over the weekend, with Jamaican Shericka Jackson taking the women’s 100 m lead at 10.82 and women’s hammer world champ Brooke Andersen of the U.S. moving to no. 3 all-time at 79.80 m (261-10). The first announcement of entries and ticket sales for the L.A. Grand Prix at UCLA’s Drake Stadium surfaced on Monday, with stars such as Mondo Duplantis, Ryan Crouser and Valarie Allman scheduled to compete. Tickets are available in discounted packages for the Friday Distance Classic, Saturday Grand Prix and the Saturday evening music show. Beijing signaled it is a candidate for the 2027 World Athletics Championships, an event it hosted in 2015. There has been interest in placing the event in Africa, but the Chinese bid will be a formidable one, slated for the famous Bird’s Nest Stadium. The Indonesian minister for Youth and Sports said there will be no more “polemic” statements against Israel’s participation in this summer’s ANOC World Beach Games in Bali and the ANOC Secretary General assessed the statements as “noise.”

● Panorama: Beijing 2022 (Valieva appeals cases joined into one) = Paris 2024 (116 boats already reserved for opening ceremony) = Russia (2: rower, two swimmers seeking new national affiliations; archery fed ready to compete now!) = Anti-Doping (new, upper-arm blood collection device at Boston Marathon) = Athletics (London Marathon organizers may help cash-strapped UK Athletics) = Wrestling (Sydney gold star Gardner, 51, returns for U.S. Open!) ●

1.
Four candidates to bid for 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup

FIFA announced that it had received for letter of intent to bid for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, including:

● Belgium-Germany-Netherlands
● Brazil
● Mexico and the United States
● South Africa

Per the announcement:

“FIFA will now send the Bidding Agreement – a document necessary to ensure that the key principles of the bidding process are observed – to the interested MAs, which will have until 19 May 2023 to return it and confirm their involvement. …

“The appointment of the host(s) is due to be made by the FIFA Congress via public voting on 17 May 2024.”

U.S. Soccer further explained:

“FIFA will establish a Bid Evaluation Task Force to evaluate all bids submitted for the tournament. The composition of the Bid Evaluation Task Force will be approved by the FIFA Council following confirmation of the bidding member associations. The FIFA Council will select up to three bids with the FIFA Congress then appointing the host(s) through an open vote.”

The requirements for the bid require at least 10 stadiums to be offered, but without specific minimums for seating.

Just two of the bidding countries have hosted the Women’s World Cup previously: the U.S. in 1999 and 2003, and Germany in 2011. Brazil, of course, has hosted the men’s World Cup as recently as 2014 and South Africa hosted the World Cup in 2010, the first time it was held in Africa.

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be held in Australia and New Zealand from 20 July to 20 August.

2.
Jackson 10.82, Andersen 261-10 among weekend world leads

There was a lot of action over the weekend on the track and in the streets with world-leading outdoor marks in six events:

● In Cape Town (RSA), Ryan Mphahlele won the men’s 1,500 m in 3:32.90, a lifetime best and the best in the world outdoors this year.

● Argentina’s Federico Bruno won the men’s 5,000 m at the Payton Jordan Invitational at Stanford in 13:11.57, a national record and the outdoor world leader for 2023.

● Jamaican star Shericka Jackson, the World 100 m runner-up in 2022, took the world lead at the Velocity Fest 13 in Kingston, Jamaica at 10.82 (wind -0.1 m/s). She took over from American Aleia Hobbs, who ran 10.86 (+1.9) earlier in the day, ahead of Tamari Davis (10.91).

● Venezuela’s Joselyn Brea won the women’s 5,000 m at the Payton Jordan meet in 15:05.56, also an outdoor world leader.

● At the South Carolina Open in Columbia, two-time U.S. Olympian Keturah Orji took the outdoor world lead at 14.36 m (47-1 1/2).

● At the Virginia Challenge in Charlottesville, 2022 World Champion Brooke Andersen reached 79.80 m (261-10), moving to no. 3 all-time and no. 2 all-time in U.S. history. She threw a world-leading 78.90 m (258-10) on her second throw before unloading the big one in the fifth round. She then threw 79.72 m (261-6) in the final round, the no. 4 throw all-time U.S.

Back on 16 April, former American Alex Rose (now throwing for Samoa) hit a world-leading discus throw that has been variously reported as 70.39 m (230-11) or 70.42 m (231-0) in what was apparently a wind tunnel in Ramona, Oklahoma. Wow.

On the roads, there was some hot race walking at the Japanese Championships in Wajima on 16 April, with Tomohiro Noda, ninth at the 2022 Worlds, winning the men’s 35 km in 2:23:13, moving him to no. 3 all-time.

China’s five-time World 20 km Champion, Hong Liu, won the women’s 35 km in 2:38:42 competing as a guest, the no. 2 performance of all time.

In addition to the fabulous 2:01:25 London win by Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum, there was excellent marathoning in Hamburg (GER) by Kenyan Bernard Koech, winning in 2:04:09, ahead of countryman Joshua Belet (2:04:33). In Vienna (AUT), Kenyan Samwel Nyamae won in 2:05:08, beating fellow Kenyan Bethwei Yegon (2:06:57).

Dorcas Tuitoek won the women’s race n Hamburg in 2:20:09, just ahead of Tiruye Mesfin (ETH: 2:20:18).

3.
L.A. Grand Prix tickets now on sale for 26-27 May

The first athlete announcements are out for the L.A. Grand Prix meet being staged by USA Track & Field at UCLA’s Drake Stadium on 26-27 May, with tickets now on sale. The athletes advertised to compete include (U.S. unless otherwise indicated):

● Men/Sprints: Former World 100 m champ Christian Coleman, World 400 m champ Michael Norman, Olympic 200 m silver medalist Kenny Bednarek

● Men/1,500 m: World Champion Jake Wightman

● Men/Hurdles: Olympic 400 m hurdles silver medalist Rai Benjamin, World 400 m hurdles bronze medalist Trevor Bassitt

● Men/Pole Vault: Olympic and World Champion Mondo Duplantis (SWE)

● Men/Shot Put: Olympic and World Champion Ryan Crouser, former World Champion Joe Kovacs

● Women/Sprints: Olympic 200 m bronze medalist Gabby Thomas, World 400 m silver medalist Marileidy Paulino (DOM), two-time U.S. national champion Aleia Hobbs

● Women/100 m hurdles: Olympic champ Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR), World champ and world-record holder Tobi Amusan (NGR), former world-record holder Keni Harrison

● Women/Pole Vault: Olympic champ Katie Moon, 3-time World silver winner Sandi Morris

● Women/Discus: Olympic champ Valarie Allman

The specific events and time schedule has not been released, and, of course, the small type says “athlete roster subject to change.”

There are actually two meets, with the “USATF Distance Classic” slated for Friday, 26 May at 2 p.m. and the “USATF Grand Prix” on Saturday at noon. There is a “Legends Jam” concert at the adjacent L.A. Tennis Center at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Tickets are now on sale at varying price levels, currently at discounted prices:

● $40: General Admission Bundle for all three events
● $110: Family (4) General Admission Bundle for all three events
● $33: General Admission for the USATF Grand Prix only

Regular prices are $20 for the Distance Classic, $36 for the Grand Prix and $25 for the concert.

● $165: Platinum Bundle for all three events (trackside seats)
● $80: Gold bundle for all three events (excellent seats)
● $55: Silver bundle for all three events (good seats)

The Platinum and Gold packages include an athlete meet-and-greet and a souvenir program. Regular prices are $35-30-25 for the Distance Classic (Premium-Gold-Silver) and $200-90-50 for the Grand Prix.

A major meet of this type has not been held at UCLA since 1990, the final year of the Jack in the Box Invitational, originally known as the Pepsi Invitational, promoted by the late Al Franken. Entertainment giant AEG held two world-class, nationally-televised invitationals at the then-new Home Depot Center (now Dignity Health Sports Park) in nearby Carson in 2003 and 2004, with the meet sold to adidas in advance of the 2005 edition, which operated it for two more years, in 2006 and 2007.

4.
Beijing will bid for the 2027 World Athletics Championships

The Chinese Athletic Association announced that Beijing will apply to be the host of the 2027 World Athletics Championships.

This would be the second time for the Worlds in Beijing if successful; it was held there in 2015, using the Bird’s Nest Stadium built for the 2008 Olympic Games. Only Helsinki (FIN) has hosted twice so far, in 1983 and 2005, with Tokyo (JPN) set to be the second, in 1991 and 2025. Budapest (HUN) will host the 2023 Worlds.

Tokyo was selected over Singapore and Nairobi (KEN) in view of the new National Stadium that was built in advance of the 2020 Olympic Games, finally held in 2021. There has been considerable talk about having a World Athletics Championships in Africa, but the federation was clear that stadium upgrades will be needed to hold the meet in Nairobi as suggested.

Beyond the 2008 Olympic Games and 2015 Worlds, Beijing has not been a frequent site for major international meets and no Diamond League meets have ever been held there. The Diamond League schedule for 2023 had Shanghai and Shenzhen listed, with Shanghai now dropped.

5.
Sports Minister assures Israel OK for World Beach Games

“That’s all right, one thousand percent enthusiasm, no polemic.”

So said the Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister on Saturday, as reported by Tempo.co, which explained:

“The Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora) Dito Ariotedjo ensured that there would be no more polemics regarding Israel’s participation in the 2023 ANOC World Beach Games (AWBG) in Bali. He guaranteed the safety of the Israeli contingent after meeting Bali Governor Wayan Koster and Chair of the Indonesian Olympic Committee Raha Sapta Oktohari.”

Koster has repeatedly said that he will not allow Israel to compete and his refusal to allow the Israeli men’s U-20 football team to compete in Bali forced FIFA to remove next month’s FIFA men’s U-20 World Cup to Argentina!

Association of National Olympic Committee (ANOC) Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg of Sweden also dismissed concerns, telling reporters at the Oceania National Olympic Committees meeting in Brisbane (AUS):

“They have a new Sports Minister and he has gone out saying that everybody who has qualified is welcome and so has the President of the country.

“This Governor made noise in the media but so far we have not been approached at all so we continue to prepare as if nothing is happening and hopefully nothing is happening.”

The ANOC World Beach Games in Bali is scheduled to be held from 5-12 August 2023.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2022: Beijing ● As expected, the Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed to the Russian news agency TASS that the appeals of the World Anti-Doping Agency, International Skating Union and the Russian Anti-Doping Agency against the decision of the Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee of RUSADA will be considered as a single action.

No timeline has been given, and the matter is not listed on the latest calendar of CAS hearings.

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● A total of 160 boats are expected to be used for the unique opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games over 6 km of the Seine River through the middle of the city. With about 15 months to go, the organizing committee announced that 116 boats had already been reserved.

Commitments have come from 42 companies that have boats working on the river, and additional help will come from regional tour operator Batorama, which works outside of the Paris area.

● Russia ● A small number of Russian athletes are now claiming citizenship in other countries in view of the continuing restrictions in many sports.

The Russian news agency TASS reported that rower Hanna Prakatsen, 30, announced her transfer to Uzbekistan. Originally from Belarus, she changed allegiance to Russia in 2016 and won the 2020 Olympic silver in women’s Single Sculls in Tokyo.

Said Alexei Scirin, President of the Russian Rowing Federation:

“[Hanna Prakatsen] intends to play for the national team of Uzbekistan. Of course, her departure for our team is a serious loss, but every athlete is free to choose his own destiny. Now our top athletes are having a difficult time, it is very difficult to find motivation in the conditions of suspension.”

Last week, distance freestyler Anastasia Kirpichnikova announced her intention to transfer to France, and backstroker Mark Nikolaev to Australia. Said All-Russian Swimming Federation chief Vladimir Salnikov:

“Their decision was not a big surprise. Kirpichnikova has been living in France for a long time, and Nikolaev in Australia. They expressed their desire to change sports citizenship, the All-Russian Swimming Federation does not see any problems with this. We have no claims against athletes, we do not consider this a betrayal.”

Kirpichnikova won the 400-800-1,500 m European short-course titles in 2021 and a World Short-Course silver in the 800 m Free in 2021. Backstroker Nikolaev, who competed for Grand Canyon University in the U.S., has been a medal winner in the Russian championships and competed in the International Swimming League.

Although World Archery announced only that it would “explore a timeline for the return of these athletes under strict conditions of eligibility,” the Russian Archery Federation is ready to go.

RAF president Vladimir Yesheev told TASS:

“We expected this decision and are now waiting for an official letter from the international federation asking us to send them the lists of the national team: who works where, who studies, who is a soldier.

“The nearest event at which our team can have time to perform will be the World Cup in Shanghai, which starts on May 18. We are starting work on preparing documents and obtaining visas.”

Really? That might be a little quick.

● Anti-Doping ● Fascinating advance in blood collection announced by the Athletics Integrity Unit and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which used a new device to more easily obtain samples at the Boston Marathon:

“The Tasso Button sticks to the skin with a light adhesive. When the button is pressed, a vacuum forms and a lancet pricks the surface of the skin. The vacuum draws blood out of the capillaries and into a compatible container attached to the bottom of the Tasso Button. …

“Some people refer to Tasso Devices as a needle-free system since it does not use a hollow venipuncture needle to enter a vein.”

The U.S.-made devices collect blood from the upper arm. The USADA announcement noted it was well received:

“The needle-free device collects approximately 500 microliters of blood, which is six times less than a standard blood draw. Participation in the trial was voluntary during pre-competition testing and was widely welcomed by athletes, leading to an 80 percent voluntary participation rate and the successful collection of the target number [90+] of required samples.”

● Athletics ● The operator of the highly-successful London Marathon has said it will assist the financially-struggling UK Athletics national federation with its events. Race Director Hugh Brasher said:

“We have a responsibility to the sport and absolutely we are talking to UK Athletics about how we can help.

“I’m not going to go into what it might be or what it might not be. It is a very early stage of conversations. This isn’t just us. There are other ones looking at it.”

One concern is for the scheduled Diamond League meet in London on 23 July, considered exceptionally costly to stage.

● Wrestling ● Comebacks are one thing, but this?

Sydney 2000 star Rulon Gardner, who shocked everyone with a stunning, gold-medal upset of Russia’s three-time Olympic champ Alexander Karelin to win the 130 kg Greco-Roman gold, has entered the 2023 U.S. Open, coming up this week in Las Vegas.

Now 51, Gardner also won the 2001 World Championship gold in that class and came back from a fearful snowmobile accident to win a bronze in the Greco 120 kg class in 2004. He toyed with a comeback in 2012, but did not wrestle at the Olympic Trials.

Also back on the mats will be Tokyo Freestyle 125 kg gold medalist Gable Steveson, now a member of WWE, but returning to chase a chance to defend his title in Paris in 2024. He has received the top seed for the U.S. Open in his class.

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: Strong poll for Sweden as 2030 Winter host; not so much for Brisbane 2032; suspended sentences in Tokyo 2020 bribery case

By
Rich Perelman
-
American Brooke Raboutou won her first career IFSC World Cup Bouldering title in Japan! (Photo: IFSC via Twitter)

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Poll: strong Swedish support for low-cost, no-build 2030 Games
2. New poll shows drop in enthusiasm for Brisbane 2032 Games
3. Suspended sentences in first Tokyo 2020 sponsorship bribery cases
4. Russian teen swim star Chikunova crushes 200 m Breast world record
5. Rare Grenoble ‘68 torch brings $200,000 at auction

The possible Swedish bid for the 2030 Olympic Winter Games is looking a lot better after a comprehensive poll showing 74% for a project with no new venue construction and no use of public money. A poll in Queensland, Australia is showing a drop in enthusiasm for the 2032 Brisbane Games, with 59% “not that excited” at this point, likely due in part to reports of major cost increases in the government’s signature renovation of the Gabba stadium and the surrounding district. Russian teenager Evgeniia Chikunova destroyed the world record in the women’s 200 m Breaststroke on the final night of the Russian national championships, lowering the mark from 2:18.95 (in 2021) to a stunning 2:17.55. Wow. A large auction of Olympic memorabilia saw a torch from the 1968 Grenoble Olympic Winter Games – one of only 33 made – sell for $200,000!

● Panorama: Munich 1972 (Germany forms commission to revisit Munich Massacre) = Paris 2024 (four million applicants for second-round ticket sale) = Alpine Skiing (1994 U.S. Olympian Nobis dies in Utah jail) = Archery (2: U.S. wins Mixed Team title at World Cup; World Archery to allow Russian re-entry after study) = Athletics (2: Kiptum 2:01:25, Hassan 2:18:33 win London Marathon; Black groups complain of being blocked off at Boston Marathon cheer zone) = Cycling (3: Evenepoel and Vollering win Liege-Bastogne-Liege; Pan American road champs; Richardson and Archibald star at third track Nations Cup) = Football (FIFA U-20 World Cup draw) = Golf (Vu wins first major at Chevron) = Gymnastics (Nikolova takes Rhythmic All-Around in Baku) = Sport Climbing (U.S.’s Raboutou wins World Cup opener) = Swimming (Grimes doubles in U.S. Open-Water Champs) = Table Tennis (Wang and Wang earn WTT Champions wins) = Water Polo (Dutch top U.S. women in World Cup Div. I) = Weightlifting (World records for Nasar at Euro Champs) ●

1.
Poll: strong Swedish support for low-cost, no-build 2030 Games

Sweden has won 166 Olympic Winter Games medals, but never hosted a Winter Games, losing a bid for the 2026 Winter Games to Milan-Cortina in 2019. But it may now be the favorite for 2030.

A new poll by Kantar Public, released by the Swedish Olympic Committee (SOK) showed new enthusiasm for a Winter Games in Sweden … if it is held without public funding and using only existing venues.

The survey was of good size, with “roughly 3,300 interviews” between 4-12 April. It found:

● 66% said Sweden should bid for 2030, with 21% against and 11% undecided.

● 74% said they were in favor of a Games with no new venues; 18% were against, 8% undecided.

● 74% said they favored a Games with no public spending; 16% were against; 9% undecided.

● 80% had a high opinion of Sweden as an organizer of major championship events; 10% said no and 10% were undecided.

● 89% thought Sweden could organize a good Winter Games, regardless of their view towards the Olympics and Paralympics themselves. 6% thought not, 4% were undecided.

It’s a very good survey for a Swedish bid, far better than the 55% positive responses that the IOC saw from its poll in front of the bid for the 2026 Winter Games, won by Milan Cortina.

Next?

“Further status updates regarding the preliminary study will be provided in connection with [Swedish Paralympic Committee] annual meeting on 13 May and around the National Sports Meeting 26-28 May. The feasibility study must be completed by July 1 at the latest.”

Fraser Bullock, the chief executive of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games bid, told the Deseret News that the poll was good news for its bid as well:

“We are hoping there is a strong, viable host for 2030, which would allow us to focus exclusively on our bid for 2034, our preferred choice. Sweden, or perhaps another bidder, could be a great 2030 host.”

There is talk of a Swiss bid for 2030 and the other, announced 2030 bids are all floundering, in Vancouver (CAN) and Sapporo (JPN). The Japanese may move their bid to 2034 in view of the continuing news of Tokyo 2020 scandals and Vancouver has not been able to secure government funding support, necessary for their project.

The IOC has indicated it will select a 2030 host in 2024 and might be open to a selection for 2034 at the same time as well.

2.
New poll shows drop in enthusiasm for Brisbane 2032 Games

The 2032 Brisbane Games are still nine years off, but the bloom is at least a little off the rose according to a new poll of Queensland residents.

SkyNews Australia reported Sunday on a YouGov poll that showed 59% of respondents “not that excited” about the 2032 Games, vs. 34% who were somewhat or very excited and 7% who were not sure.

A big part of that response might be from cost concerns. Asked about their confidence that the event will be held on time and on budget, 25% were fairly or very confident, 17% did not know and 58% were not confident about cost containment.

Observed: This should not be a total surprise, since all the noise in recent months has been about how expensive the remodel of the Gabba Stadium and the surrounding district will be, moving up from a loosely-projected A$1 billion to A$1.7 billion or more. (A$1 = $0.67 U.S.)

Queensland’s brilliant bid effort took advantage of the International Olympic Committee’s new “dialogue” approach and offered a detailed, tailored bid using mostly existing facilities that was so good it was an easy selection. The opportunities that the Games can bring are nowhere in the headlines and for now, the in-formation Olympic organizing committee has been quiet.

This is similar to the approach of the Los Angeles 2028 organizers, who have funded – with monies advanced by the IOC – a $160 million youth-sports program through 2028, but have been otherwise reserved. Whether this approach will work for Brisbane is yet to be seen, especially in a country where high enthusiasm is often the norm.

3.
Suspended sentences in first Tokyo 2020 sponsorship bribery cases

A Tokyo court handed down the first sentences in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic sponsorship bribery scandal, handing out jail terms of more than a year to all three defendants, but suspending the sentences. Three men from Aoki Holdings, a large business-suit retailer with hundreds of stores throughout Japan, were sentenced:

● Former Chair Hironori Aoki, 84, sentenced to 2 1/2 years, with the sentence suspended for four years.

● Former Vice Chair Takahisa Aoki, 77, sentenced to 18 months; sentence suspended three years.

● Former Executive Director Katsuhisa Ueda, 41, sentenced to one year; sentence suspended three years.

The ruling found that Aoki Holdings paid Tokyo 2020 Executive Committee member Haruyuki Takahashi, 79, a bribe of ¥28 million (about $209,000 U.S.) to help obtain a lower-level sponsorship with the organizing committee, allow them to sell suits with the Olympic logo on them. Per Kyodo News:

“The ruling was the first in a series of bribery cases involving Takahashi, who has been charged with accepting bribes from Aoki and others in return for helping companies to be selected as Olympic sponsors or marketing agents. …

“According to the ruling, the former officials approached Takahashi to ensure that their company was selected as an Olympic sponsor and quickly got a contract that included the rights for providing the uniforms for the Japanese team’s athletes.”

Takahashi has been arrested four times on bribery charges with the total well over $1 million in all. He was actually paid ¥51 million in bribes by Aoki (~$380,129 U.S.) beginning in 2019 but was only charged with ¥28 million due to statute of limitations issues. He is yet to come to trial; he has said that he received payments, but that they were compensation for legitimate consulting work.

4.
Russian teen swim star Chikunova crushes 200 m Breast world record

South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker became the first to break the 2:19 barrier in the women’s 200 m Breaststroke with her Tokyo Olympic triumph in 2:18:95. Her mark was shattered at the Russian National Championships in Kazan on Friday, where teen Evgeniia Chikunova blistered the final 100 m to finish in 2:17.55!

Chikunova, 18, improved her lifetime best from 2:20.41 from 2022 and became the first to break 2:18. She had been on fire during the meet already, winning in the 50 Breast in a lifetime best of 30.54 and then taking the 100 m Breast in another lifetime best of 1:04.92, moving to no. 7 all-time.

Her prior claim to fame was a silver in the 200 m Breast in the 2021 Short-Course Worlds.

Although Russian and Belarusian athletes are not allowed by World Aquatics to compete internationally, they are eligible to set world records, provided the rules are followed, including post-event drug testing.

This is starting out as a pretty hot season in the pool, as Chikunova’s mark is the fourth long-course world record in 2023, after Canadian Summer McIntosh’s sensational 400 m Free (3:56.08) and 400 m Medley (4:25.87) swims and Australia’s Kaylee McKeown in the 200 m Back (2:03.14).

5.
Rare Grenoble ‘68 torch brings $200,000 at auction

The star attraction of the Ingrid O’Neil Olympic Memorabilia auction 94 that closed Saturday was an ultra-rare, 1968 Olympic Winter Games torch used in Grenoble, France.

The exceptional rarity of this item is that only 33 were made and that’s all there were to support some 5,000 torchbearers who carried it through France and into the opening ceremony on 6 February 1968. The opening price was set at $200,000 and was met. Wow!

There were seven other items that went for $10,000 or more:

● $35,000: 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter torch
● $28,000: 1972 Sapporo Olympic Winter torch
● $20,000: 1956 Cortina Olympic Winter torch
● $18,000: 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Winter bronze medal
● $15,000: 1928 St. Moritz Olympic Winter silver medal
● $15,000: 1968 Grenoble Olympic Winter gold medal
● $12,000: 1964 Innsbruck Olympic Winter gold medal

Also of note was a Lake Placid 1932 Olympic Winter Games participation medal sold for $6,000. A magnificent bust of Nike from the 1896 Athens Games, presented to foreign gold medalists, and only the second known of its type, was up for $95,000, but did not sell.

Maybe the most unusual item was a pair of ashtrays with a raised center in the form of a sombrero, made as a promotional item (by someone) for the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles! The pair went for $90.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 1972: Munich ● German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announced an eight-member commission to inquire into the circumstances and aftermath of the massacre of 11 Israeli team members during the 1972 Olympic Games:

“We can never undo the immeasurable suffering which the family members of the victims of the 1972 Munich Olympics attack have experienced. The attack has left deep wounds. It is shameful that agonising questions were left unresolved for far too long. For too many years, there was a lack of understanding or reappraisal of the events, transparency about them or acceptance of responsibility for them.

“We as the current Federal Government are keenly aware of this, and it has informed our actions, especially when it comes to supporting the family members and finally conducting a thorough reappraisal of what happened. To this end, today I appointed a commission of eight superb and internationally renowned researchers.

“The commission will also rigorously examine the period before and after the attacks. It is particularly important to me for their work to also thoroughly address the treatment of the family members after the attack as well as issues related to the culture of remembrance. Because we want to learn from this history, and we must learn from it. We must treat people whose lives have been dramatically altered by attacks with greater empathy and support.”

Reuters reported that “The project is part of a larger government approach to seek reconciliation with the families affected, including a compensation offer of 28 million euros ($30.67 million).”

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The Paris 2024 organizers announced Friday that four million applicants filed for a time slot to purchase tickets in the second round of sales beginning 11 May.

The first round of sales “packs” saw 3.25 million tickets told, with 1.3 million tickets hoped to be sold in the next round.

● Alpine Skiing ● Jeremy Nobis, 52, a 1994 U.S. Olympian in the Giant Slalom (ninth) and Slalom (did not finish), died on Wednesday (19th) in his Iron County Jail cell in Cedar City, Utah.

He was arrested in 2019 for a rollover crash and had a blood-alcohol content of 0.42, but was released from jail three days later. He failed to appear in an online hearing in 2021 and was jailed on 11 February 2023 and was awaiting sentencing after a guilty plea to drunk driving in March. A statement from officials said that foul play was not suspected, but is being investigated.

● Archery ● The first leg of the Hyundai Archery World Cup was held in Antalya (TUR), with two first-time Recurve winners in Moldova’s Dan Olaru and Britain’s Penny Healey.

Olaru, a two-time Olympian in 2012 and 2020, faced France’s Rio 2016 silver medalist Jean-Charles Valladont in the men final, the first time a Moldovan archer had reached a World Cup championship match. Olaru won the first and third ends, Valladont the second and they tied, 29-29 in the fourth and 28-28 in the fifth for a 6-4 win for Olaru.

Dhiraj Bommadevara (IND) defeated Ilfat Abdullin (KAZ), 7-3, for the bronze medal.

Healey, just 18, sailed through her final with a 6-0 win over German Elena Idensen, while China’s Qixuan An took the bronze by 7-3 over Laura van der Winkel (NED). Said the winner, “I will be honest, I was so nervous. My legs were shaking and so were my arms but having [coach] Nicky Hunt in the box singing and dancing with me helped a lot.”

China won the men’s team title, 5-4, over India, and Mexico breezed to a 6-0 over China in the women’s team event.

The U.S. pair of Olympic medalist and former World Champion Brady Ellison and 2021 Worlds runner-up Casey Kaufhold won the Mixed Team title, 5-3, over Yi-Ching Chiu and Chih-Chun Tang of Chinese Taipei.

World Archery announced Friday that its executive board took the first steps towards re-entry by Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competition:

“The board expressed its support and agreed to explore a timeline for the return of these athletes under strict conditions of eligibility, permitting only the reintegration of individuals able to prove neutrality through an independent review process. Further information on this procedure will be provided to delegates at the next World Archery Congress. …

“A working group, which will include independent representation, will be established to develop and implement the timeline for this procedure.”

No timeline was given for the review process, or when Russian and Belarusian athletes might be able to compete again.

● Athletics ● Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum and Dutch star Sifan Hassan won Sunday’s London Marathon in dramatic fashion, but in very different circumstances.

Kiptum, 23, is now a star to be reckoned with, having won his marathon debut in Valencia (ESP) last December in a sensational 2:01:53, making him the no. 3 performer of all time. He did better in his second try.

He led a group of eight at the halfway mark in a speedy 1:01:40, trailed by two-time New York Marathon winner Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN), 2019 Worlds bronze medalist Amos Kipruto (KEN), 2022 World Champion Tamirat Tola (ETH) and more.

But Kiptum ran away after 30 km and had an enormous, 28-second lead by the 35 km mark and won by almost three minutes (!) in a sensational 2:01:25, the no. 2 performance of all time, behind only fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge’s world mark of 2:01:09 from 2022 in Berlin.

Kiptum ran the second half of the race in a startling 59:45! Kamworor was second in a lifetime best – by a full minute – of 2:04:23 and wasn’t close. Tola was third (2:04:59), his sixth-fastest marathon ever. British star Mo Farah, running what he says is his last London Marathon, finished ninth in 2:10:28, with Frank Lara the top American in 11th at 2:13:29.

Hassan, 30, the Tokyo Olympic 5,000 m and 10,000 m winner, was running her first marathon and had a crazy race, thinking she would stop after about 20 km due to a hip problem that left her 12 seconds behind the leaders. She was 10 seconds back at the half, then fell back again, trailing by 28 seconds at 25 km. But she was just three seconds down by 30 km after a 16:03 5 km split, then was 14 seconds back at 35 km (16:33), but was in the lead group at 40 km after a 17:02 split.

If Hassan is close near the end, she will run you down and that’s what happened in the final meters, as she sprinted away to win in 2:18:33, ahead of Alemu Megertu (ETH: 2:18:37) and Tokyo Olympic champ Peres Jepchirchir (KEN: 2:18:38). Susanna Sullivan was the top American at 2:24:27 for 10th. Hassan’s time places her no. 4 on the 2023 world list.

During Monday’s Boston Marathon, police in Newton, Massachusetts were called to a location in the 21st mile after the race organizers “alerted them to spectators crossing the rope barrier and ‘impeding’ runners on the course.”

The officers formed a line with bicycles between the spectators and the runners on the course, blocking the view from a cheer zone of predominantly Black spectators, including from the Pioneers Run Crew and TrailblazHers Run Co.

Boston Athletic Association chief executive Jack Fleming said in a statement that he met with both groups on Wednesday and

“They expressed to us their deep concerns that they were not given the chance to enjoy the day and celebrate their friends, families and all participants as they approached Heartbreak Hill – that is on us.

“It is our job, and we need to do better to create an environment that is welcoming and supportive of the BIPOC communities at the marathon.”

More meetings are to be scheduled with the Pioneers and TrailblazHers and city officials, including the police.

● Cycling ● Last year, Dutch star Remco Evenepoel won the famed Liege-Bastogne-Liege – which dates back to 1892 – with a 14 km solo to the finish, leaving the field 48 seconds back.

On Sunday, he defended his title in the 109th edition of Liege Bastogne-Liege with an even more powerful attack, storming away with 30 km left and riding all alone at the finish of the hilly, 258.1 km course in 6:15:49.

More than a minute later came Tom Pidcock (GBR) and Santiago Buitrago (COL), both 1:06 back, then Ben Healy (IRL: +1:08).

Still just 23, Evenepoel won the seven-stage UAE Tour in February, was second at the seven-stage Volta Ciclista a Catalunya in March and now a second Liege-Bastogne-Liege title. Next up will be the Giro d’Italia.

Slovenian star (and race favorite) Tadej Pogacar, the two-time Tour de France winner and the 2021 Liege-Bastogne-Liege winner, suffered a crash at the 85 km mark, fell heavily and suffered a broken left wrist, which will require surgery.

In the women’s Liege-Bastogne-Liege over 148.2 km, it was Dutch star Demi Vollering facing off against Italy’s Elisa Longo Borghini in a final sprint, both finishing in 3:50:47 and Vollering winning her third straight race and fifth on the season. In her six Women’s World Tour events in 2023, she has won four, been second once and 17th once. It’s her second Liege-Bastogne-Liege title, after winning in 2021.

The two broke free of the rest of the field with 13.3 km remaining; Marlen Reusser (SUI) captured third, 22 seconds back, outsprinting three others.

At the Pan American Championships in Panama City (PAN), American Skylar Schneider led a mass sprint to the finish line in the women’s road race, winning the flat, 102.4 km ride in 2:48:08. The first 25 riders received the same time; Canadian Alison Jackson was second, with Catalina Soto (CHI) third.

It was the first win for the U.S. since Tina Mayolo-Pic in 2007!

The men’s race of 204.8 km was won by Canada’s Pier-Andre Cote in 4:47:53, out-sprinting German Tivani (ARG), Charles-Etienne Chretien (CAN), Eric Fagundez (URU) and Ecuador’s Byron Guama.

At the Track Nations Cup III in Milton (CAN), Australian star Matthew Richardson and Britain’s Kate Archibald won two golds and three medals each to lead the field.

Richardson, the 2022 Commonwealth Games Sprint gold medalist, won the men’s Team Sprint and the Keirin, then finished third in the Sprint, won by Trinidad & Tobago’s Nicolas Paul. Paul also won a bronze in the Keirin.

France’s Donavan Grondin won the Scratch Race, Matthijs Buchli (NED) took the Elimination Race and the Madison went to Ivo Alves Oliveira and Iuri Leitao of Portugal.

Archibald, the Tokyo 2020 gold medalist in the women’s Madison with Laura Kenny, teamed with Neah Evans for a Madison silver this time, but won the women’s Team Pursuit and took the women’s Omnium. Italian star Elisa Balsamo finished second in the Omnium, ahead of American Jennifer Valente, the Tokyo 2020 gold medalist.

Balsamo won a bronze with Martina Fidanza in the Madison, while Valente won a silver in the Elimination Race, behind Norway’s Anita Stenberg.

Canada’s Olympic Sprint champ Kelsey Mitchell won her specialty, while Alessa-Catriona Propster took the women’s Keirin, with Colombia’s Martha Bayona Pineda second in both. Belgians Shari Bossuyt and Lotte Kopecky won the women’s Madison.

● Football ● With the tournament now relocated from Indonesia to Argentina, the FIFA men’s U-20 World Cup draw was held on Friday in Zurich (SUI), with the U.S. team slotted into Group B. The six groups:

● A: Argentina (host), Guatemala, New Zealand, Uzbekistan
● B: Ecuador, Fiji, Slovakia, United States
● C: Colombia, Israel, Japan, Senegal
● D: Brazil, Dominican Republic, Italy, Nigeria
● E: England, Iraq, Tunisia, Uruguay
● F: France, Gambia, Honduras, South Korea

The American men will open play on 20 May vs. Ecuador in San Juan, then play Fiji on the 23rd and Slovakia on the 26th. The top two teams in each group, plus the four best-ranked third-place teams will advance to the round of 16 playoffs.

● Golf ● At The Chevron Championship at The Woodlands, Texas, the first LPGA major of 2023, saw an all-American playoff with Lilia Vu winning with a birdie on the first extra hole over Angel Yin.

Both finished at 278 for four rounds (-10), with Vu shooting a four-under 68 to move up from 11th to first on Sunday and forcing the extra hole. Yin and Allisen Corpuz had the three-round lead at 206 (-10), but Corpuz shot 74 to finish in a tie for fourth while Yin shot 72 and tied for the lead with Vu.

Vu, 25, was a star at UCLA and joined the pro tour in 2019. She scored her first win in January at the LPGA Thailand and now her first major.

There was a three-way tie for third between Amy Yang (KOR), Swiss Albane Valenzuela and Megan Khang of the U.S. at -9 (207).

● Gymnastics ● The annual Rhythmic World Cup in Baku (AZE) for the AGF Trophy saw the second win of the season for Bulgarian star Stiliana Nikolova, 17, the 2022 Worlds bronze medalist.

She led the All-Around competition in Hoop, Clubs and Ribbon (and an eighth in Ball) to total 133.800 points to 129.700 for current World Champion Sofia Raffaelli of Italy. Bulgarian teammate Eva Brezalieva was third (126.300) for her first A-A medal of this season. American Eva Griskenas was 21st with 115.200 points.

Nikolova went on to take three of the four apparatus finals, winning Clubs (34.150), Hoop (34.650, with Rafaelli second at 34.400) and Ribbon (31.300, with Brezalieva second at 31.100). Germany’s Darja Varfolomeev won on Ball (33.150), ahead of Brezalieva (32.950).

● Sport Climbing ● Breakthrough win for American Brooke Raboutou, 22, at the season-opening IFSC World Cup in Hachioji (JPN), taking the Bouldering title for her first World Cup gold.

Raboutou had won three World Cup silvers, but hadn’t scored an international win since the 2018 World Youth Championships in Moscow (RUS). She finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympic combined climbing event, and dominated the final, reaching three tops and four zones.

German Hannah Meul managed one top and three zones for second, with Matsufuji Anon (JPN: 0 tops, 3 zones). Said Raboutou:

“It hasn’t really sunk in. I knew I had one when I topped the last boulder, but even then, I was like ‘are you sure?’. Most of all I just feel thankful and really happy with my climbing today.”

France’s Mejdi Schalck won his second career World Cup gold in the men’s Bouldering final, claiming two tops and three zones to one top and three zones for Belgium’s Hannes van Duysen, who won his country’s first-ever World Cup medal!

● Swimming ● Teen star Katie Grimes defended her 10 km title in the USA Swimming National Open Water Championships in Sarasota, Florida and will compete in the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka (JPN) in July.

Friday’s 10 km race, held on a 2 km rectangular course, saw Grimes claim a 15-second win over 19-year-old Mariah Denigan, 1:58:08 to 1:58:23, with 16-year-old Claire Weinstein third in 1:58:24 and 2017 Worlds 5 km open-water gold medalist Ashley Twichell fourth (1:58:25).

Grimes and Denigan both competed in the 2022 Worlds 10 km open-water, with Grimes fifth and Denigan 15th.

Spain’s Carlos Garach, 18, the men’s 10 km race, just edging Brennan Gravley, 1:51:05.68 to 1:51:05.78. Brother Dylan Gravley was third in 1:51:07.77, comfortably ahead of Joey Tepper (1:51:11.02). Brennan Gravley qualifies for the Fukuoka Worlds as the top U.S. finisher; a second selection will be made later.

In Sunday’s 5 km races, contested over a 1.66 km rectangular course, Gravley defended his 2022 men’s title in 55:10.65 to 55:12.21 for Taishini Minamide of Japan, with Ivan Puskovitch third, just 1/100th behind. Garach finished fourth (55:12.96).

Grimes won again for a 5k/10k sweep, this time just a couple of seconds ahead of Angela Martinez of Spain, 58:37.95 to 58:39.99, with Denigan third in 58:42.49.

● Table Tennis ● The WTT Champions Macao in China, the second in the 2023 series, saw all-Chinese finals in both the men’s and women’s singles events. And youth was served.

In the men’s final, defending Macao champion Chuqin Wang, 22, shut down two-time Olympic gold medalist Long Ma – now 34 – in four straight sets, 12-10, 11-1, 11-8, 11-7.

The women’s final saw 2021 World Champion Manyu Wang, 24, come from behind to edge 2019 Worlds silver winner Meng Chen, 29, 4-2, winning the final three sets: 11-13, 11-7, 8-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-8.

● Water Polo ● In the second round of the World Aquatics Women’s World Cup Division I in Athens (GRE), the U.S. women – reigning Olympic and World Champions – finished second to the Netherlands and will be seeded second at the World Cup Super Final in Long Beach, California (USA) in June.

The Dutch won their group (A) in the first round with a 3-0 record, while the U.S. won Group B with a 2-1 mark, losing to Spain on a penalty shoot-out. In Athens, the U.S. beat Hungary (10-8) and Italy (10-6) while the Dutch sailed past Italy (16-10) and edged Hungary, 12-11.

In their final game, the Dutch got out to a 3-2 lead at the quarter and 7-4 at the half, with the U.S. closing to 9-7 after three and 9-8 in the fourth, but couldn’t score again. Maddie Musselman had three scores for the U.S. and Bente Rogge led the Netherlands with three.

In Group 2 in Athens, Spain (3-0) and Greece (1-2) advanced to the Super Final as the top two finishers.

● Weightlifting ● Armenia was the big winner at the European Weightlifting Championships in Yerevan (ARM), with four wins, but the big news was a world record in the men’s 89 kg class.

Bulgarian teen sensation Karlos Nasar – 18 – the 2021 World Champion at 81 kg, claimed his first combined-weight world mark, lifting 174 kg in the Snatch (a World Junior Record) and then a world-record 221 kg in the Clean & Jerk for a combined 395 kg, breaking the 2022 total of 392 kg by Italy’s Antonino Pizzolato, also at the European Championships.

Armenia’s Andranik Karapetyan was a distant second with a combined total of 374 kg.

Georgian superstar Lasha Talakhadze won the +109 kg class for his seventh straight European super-heavy title, lifting a combined 474 kg.

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For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: BWF continues Russian ban, but UIPM allows re-entry; Israel to be banned from World Beach Games? Is Jacobs vs. Kerley a thing?

By
Rich Perelman
-
Russian star Kliment Kolesnikov: "If I wasn't a swimmer, I wouldn't watch swimming."

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Badminton says no, pentathlon says yes to Russians
2. Bali governor still wants to ban Israel at ANOC Beach Games
3. Chatter intensifies on Jacobs vs. Kerley 100 m showdown
4. Russian star Kolesinkov says swimming is boring
5. U.S. House passes transgender ban in sports bill, 219-203

The continuing drama over Russian and Belarusian re-entry into international competitions accelerated Thursday, with the Badminton World Federation continuing its ban on participation, but the modern pentathlon federation (UIPM) following the International Olympic Committee’s recommendations as stated. The governor of Bali, whose refusal to allow Israel to compete in the FIFA men’s U-20 World Cup cost Indonesia the event, now refuses to allow Israeli athletes to compete in August’s ANOC World Beach Games. No word yet from the Association of National Olympic Committees on what it will do about it. Online chatter about a rich match race between Tokyo Olympic 100 m champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs of Italy and 2022 World Champion Fred Kerley of the U.S. continues to percolate, but with no confirmation yet. Would anyone put up more than $200,000 to do this? Russian swim star Kliment Kolesnikov, a two-time Olympic medal winner in Tokyo, said “if I wasn’t a swimmer, I wouldn’t watch swimming.” And there was a lot more. The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives passed a short bill that bans transgender females from participating in women’s sports, but it is not expected to be considered by the Democrat-controlled Senate. But it is a growing political issue as 20-plus states have already passed such laws.

● Panorama: Paris 2024 (Marathon Pour Tous to be a night event) = World University Games (2025 Rhine-Ruhr WUG to have five host cities) = U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (first Collegiate Wheelchair champs to be held at Drake Relays) = Fencing (USA Fencing announces made-to-measure suit deal!) = Figure Skating (ISU to consider same-sex teams for at least Ice Dance next year) = Sport Climbing (Iran’s Elnaz Rebaki not entered in World Cup season opener) = Swimming (O’Callaghan upsets Titmus in women’s 200 m Free at Australia nationals) ●

1.
Badminton says no, pentathlon says yes to Russians

Two more Olympic-program International Federations have announced their stances on Russian and Belarusian re-entry into international sports, with the Badminton World Federation maintaining a ban and the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne in favor of admission.

The BWF statement Thursday noted, in pertinent parts:

“The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has maintained its suspension of Russian and Belarussian athletes and officials from participating at any BWF sanctioned international tournaments.

“The decision was made following a BWF Council Meeting on Tuesday.

“This position reflects BWF’s core intention to preserve the integrity of badminton competitions and ensure the safety of all athletes. …

“[I]n sight of risks to players and events that could arise by re-opening participation, plus steps to seek more clarity on IOC’s complex criteria for allowing participation, and any such repercussions this may have, including conditions related to Olympic qualification and potential participation in Paris 2024, BWF is not convinced there is satisfactory justification to lift the suspensions on Russian and Belarussian players and officials at this time.”

The Pentathlon statement included:

“The Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) today announces its full support for a structured return to UIPM Sports competitions for individual athletes with Russia and Belarus passports, based on the recommendations for International Federations published by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on March 28, 2023.”

The UIPM Executive Board decision on the 19th also referenced an upcoming review process to determine whether specific Russian and Belarusian athletes as sufficiently neutral:

“UIPM will set up an independent panel to review athlete eligibility based on criteria to be established by the EB in collaboration with the IOC, as well as timings for the opening of the pathway in respect of the UIPM Sports competition calendar, and any other relevant aspects.”

A consultation with the promised working group effort from the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) was also mentioned.

Observed: The BWF decision is interesting as Russian and Belarusian players are not contenders for major honors in the sport (and neither are Ukrainians). But it does recognize that tournaments are coming up in places where Russian and Belarusian entries may not be embraced, including Europe and North America, as well as some countries in Asia.

No less than Russian national coach Claudia Mayorova agreed:

“To be honest, we didn’t even hope that they would let us in. The fact is that European athletes do not want to play with us now. This situation is very uncomfortable for world badminton, so the international federation is determined not to make a decision on the return of the Russians to the their competitions, especially since there are a lot of representatives of Europe in the leadership of the BWF itself.”

The UIPM decision was widely expected, as the federation is working desperately to be returned to the program for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, and would surely follow the IOC’s lead.

2.
Bali governor still wants to ban Israel at ANOC Beach Games

Indonesia was awarded the FIFA men’s U-20 World Cup, only to have it promptly removed by FIFA after Bali governor Wayan Koster announced that he did not want to host Israel as a participating team.

Two weeks ago, he said the same thing about the ANOC World Beach Games, scheduled for 5-12 August: “I still reject the appearance of Israel in Bali, including in the upcoming ANOC World Beach Games,” citing Indonesia’s lack of diplomatic relations with Israel and the country’s support for Palestinian interests.

It appeared that things might be changing. Last Friday, Koster met with Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister Dito Ariotedjo and Raja Sapta Oktohari, Chair of the Indonesian Olympic Committee, and told reporters:

“We discussed how to make the World Beach Games run well in accordance with the constitution and good governance, and also continue to run smoothly, because there was an agreement in Bali to be the host.”

Ariotedjo said after the meeting, “Thank God there has been a meeting and also an agreement that the Bali Provincial Government and Governor support 1,000 percent of the holding of the second World Beach Games.”

However, a day later (15th), Koster said in a statement:

“My attitude remains consistent in rejecting the presence of Team Israel at the World Beach Games in Bali in 2023″ and that the event “will run smoothly and successfully as long as they are held without the presence of the Israeli team.”

The Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) has said nothing about the issue so far, but the Indonesian Olympic Committee is expecting to hear about the issue soon. The first World Beach Games was originally awarded to San Diego, but was withdrawn and held in Doha (QAT) instead in 2019.

A meeting of national delegation team leaders for the World Beach Games is set for 28 April-1 May, with 69 countries scheduled to attend, but not Israel.

The Israelis sent three athletes to the first Beach Games, held in Doha (QAT) in 2019, and have qualified for 2023 in 3×3 basketball and open-water swimming.

3.
Chatter intensifies on Jacobs vs. Kerley 100 m showdown

One-on-one match races are pretty rare in track & field, but the online chatter is increasing about a possible – maybe – match-up – perhaps – between Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist Lamont Marcell Jacobs of Italy and American Fred Kerley.

Their Olympic match-up was a thriller, with Jacobs (who was born in the U.S.) winning in a lifetime best of 9.80 to 9.84 for Kerley, but Jacobs has been sidelined by injuries since then, while Kerley went on to lead an American sweep at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

They’ve only met twice at 100 m, with Jacobs finishing third in the 2021 Diamond League race in Monaco (9.99) to sixth for Kerley (10.15) about a month before the Tokyo Games.

Now Rae Edwards, 41, a retired sprinter (10.00, 9.98w in 2009) who made the 2009 U.S. World Championships team, then transferred allegiance to Nigeria in 2014 and effectively retired in 2016, has been stoking the rivalry and trying to set up a match race via his Twitter feed under the handle @RaesTake:

● 17 April: “@fkerley99 and @crazylongjumper

“F all the back and forth. What’s the ticket cost for y’all to race each other head up? How much y’all want? F all the tweets and retweets…

“How much is it going to cost for y’all to race each other head up?”

● 19 April: “I’ve spoken with @fkerley99 and been in contact with @crazylongjumper [Jacobs] and his camp this morning.

“Both parties have given a soft yes as long as their demands are met!

“Now lets see what company is willing to role out the check to sponsor their asking prices!”

● 19 April: Asked what the asking prices were, “That’s information I’m not allowed to put out publicly as there is no agreement in place but I can tell you’ll they not racing for less than 6 figures each.”

The response has been all over the lot, with one observer suggesting:

“Wb this type of setup

“SP: Crouser v Kovacs
“200mH: Holloway v Benjamin v Warlhom [sic]
“4×1: USA v Jamaica v GB
“40y d time trials: CC [Christian Coleman], Bromell, Norman, Knighton & Bracy
“800m: Hodgkinson v Mu
“100m: Kerley v Jacobs

“I saved some other good matchups for a different time”

Retired U.S. sprint star Bianca Knight (11.07 ‘08, London 2012 Olympic 4×100 m gold) tweeted:

“No offense but… why would anyone risk putting up any type of money for someone known for pulling out of races?” and “What’s stopping him from asking for guaranteed bread to commit, then pull out bc of some unknown reason… or come and lay an egg? It’s a cute lil back & forth but [yawn emoji]”

What about Kerley and Jacobs?

● Kerley, who is famous for his abbreviated tweets, posted on 17 April: “Talk to the agent if you don’t got 6 figures plus we ain’t talk”

● Jacobs put up a photo of the Tokyo 100 m final on Instagram, with an added caption: “Whenever you want and wherever you want, but remember that when it mattered more it ended like this.”

Track fans with longer memories have seen this before, when Atlanta 1996 Olympic winners Donovan Bailey (CAN: 100 m) and Michael Johnson (USA: 200 m) met in a 150 m indoor face-off around a turn at the Skydome in Toronto in June 1997. There were 48,000 people there and the race was televised to 50 countries, with Bailey getting a great start and winning in 14.99 as Johnson pulled up with a strained left quad as he entered the straightaway.

The money was good: $500,000 appearance fee for both and an additional $1 million to Bailey for the win. The hype was great, but it translated into nothing for the sport, given the anti-climatic finish.

Talk is cheap enough, but fun. Let’s see if anyone wants to pay for something like this. Good for Edwards for stoking the fire.

4.
Russian star Kolesinkov says swimming is boring

Twenty-two-year-old Russian swim star Kliment Kolesnikov won two medals in Tokyo in the 100 m Free (bronze) and 100 m Back (silver) and four golds at the 2021 World Short-Course Championships. But he’s hardly a promoter of his own sport.

In an interview with the Russian news agency TASS, Kolesnikov explained:

“I’ll tell you straight out: if I wasn’t a swimmer, I wouldn’t watch swimming; for me it’s not as spectacular as any team sport. Whatever you do, a team sport will be more interesting, because there is an element of improvisation there, it’s interesting to watch. There is improvisation in such individual sports as tennis or even chess, while ours is a monotonous, cyclical kind, and even more monotonous than skiing or cycling, where overtaking and contact [or even] wrestling are possible. We don’t have that. Therefore, the issue of attracting an audience is difficult. There are well-established sports, such as football, hockey and basketball, which are interesting to people, but I think it is still possible to increase interest in swimming. …

[W]e need a good promotion that would do all this, because you can’t lure people with posters alone. …

‘Take the same bare-knuckle [MMA] fights. They have been working on this for a long time, and as a result, they are already gaining popularity in America. All this takes money and time, there are a lot of nuances. The main thing is that people who suddenly want to do this, understand that the effect will not be achieved immediately.”

Kolesnikov was also asked about the current situation, in which Russian athletes are banned from international competitions. He said he doesn’t follow it too closely, getting his information from coaches or other athletes. He has his own ideas:

“Unfortunately, everything rests on a situation that does not take into account the opinion of athletes. We have one goal – just to swim, but others are trying to get something out of it. Unfortunately, nothing depends on us.

“If [an athletes meeting] had taken place, it would have been much easier – everything would have been decided directly through the popular vote of athletes. This was the case at the International Swimming League, where round tables with the participation of athletes were held, various pressing issues were discussed there. It’s cool when athletes themselves can raise topics of concern to them and discuss them.”

He does not see an alternative to the Olympic Games:

“I think it’s almost impossible to come up with an alternative to them, I can’t imagine how it can be organized. I came to this conclusion after having been there once, having seen and felt what it was like. I don’t even know how to replace such global competitions. Another thing is that the current situation thickens the colors over the Olympic Games. But for me they still remain the number one for the realization of a sports career.”

5.
U.S. House passes transgender ban in sports bill, 219-203

A short bill that would prohibit males to compete against females in sports was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday by 219-203 in a party-line vote.

The measure, H.R. 734, was introduced by Republican Congressman Greg Steube on 1 February and is only three paragraphs long, amending Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972:

“(1) It shall be a violation of subsection (a) for a recipient of Federal financial assistance who operates, sponsors, or facilitates athletic programs or activities to permit a person whose sex is male to participate in an athletic program or activity that is designated for women or girls.

“(2) For the purposes of this subsection, sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.

“(3) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit a recipient from permitting males to train or practice with an athletic program or activity that is designated for women or girls so long as no female is deprived of a roster spot on a team or sport, opportunity to participate in a practice or competition, scholarship, admission to an educational institution, or any other benefit that accompanies participating in the athletic program or activity.”

The issue of transgender participation in sports has been a hot-button issue in the U.S. as well as in other countries. The bill is not expected to be taken up in the Democratic-controlled Senate and the Biden Administration said earlier this month it wants to create administrative rules that would not allow categorical bans on transgender participation, but could recognize restrictions based on competitive advantage.

Also on Thursday, North Carolina’s Senate passed a similar bill, prohibiting transgender females from playing on girl’s or women’s teams. A slightly different version passed the North Carolina House and the measure is expected to become law. If so, North Carolina would be at least the 21st state to pass such regulations concerning transgender participation.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Paris 2024 ● One of the signatures of the Paris Games will be the first mass-participation events included within an Olympic Games, the “Marathon Pour Tous.”

The organizing committee announced that the mass-marathon will be held on the evening of Saturday, 10 August 2024, using the same route as run by the men in the morning and just hours prior to the women’s race on 11 August. The mass-marathon will start at 9 p.m. local time for ages 20 and over, with a 10 km race held for those 16 and over, beginning at 11:30 p.m.

Entries are obtained only by completing a series of online contests and challenges over months; the number of entries to be allowed has not yet been confirmed.

● World University Games 2025: Rhine-Ruhr ● The latest event to undertake the regional approach to hosting is the 2025 WUG in the Rhine-Ruhr area of Germany, which announced its host cities on Thursday: Bochum (2 sports), Duisburg (3), Düsseldorf (8), Essen (6) and Muelheim an der Ruhr (1).

Up to 10,000 athletes from as many as 170 nations are expected to compete in 18 sports, with primary funding from the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ● Another small step in the integration of Paralympic sport comes on 29 April with the first National Collegiate Wheelchair Championships to be held inside the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa.

Two races will be held, both at 100 m with seven qualifiers from two regionals, from the University of Illinois (3), Arizona (3) and Michigan (1). The men’s 100 m final includes eight entries, with five from Arizona and three from Illinois.

Said Drake Relays Director Blake Boldon, “Crowning the first-ever collegiate national champions in wheelchair track and field is an exciting next chapter in the history of our event, and we’re all proud of the partnerships that have brought it to life.”

● Fencing ● Given the nature of their sport and that the implements of competitions are weapons – swords – fencers are covered from head to toe with protective gear, almost always completely in white.

Now, USA Fencing is helping its athletes look better off the piste with the announcement of a partnership with Dallas-based licensed, made-to-measure clothier Reveal Suits. As “Official Suit Partner” of the federation, it will “provide tailored outfitting (suit and shirt) to USA Fencing’s most active officials who work at the national or international level.”

Reveal Suits will also have the rights to a special lining with the USA Fencing logo, with a discount for USA Fencing members that includes a donation to the USA Fencing Federation. Gives a whole new meaning to being “sharp” in this sport, right?

● Figure Skating ● Slate.com was the latest to report on discussions in the figure skating world about the possibility of having Pairs and Ice Dance couples be of the same gender, instead of the currently-required one man and one woman.

Writer Talia Barrington explained that the issue has been discussed among athletes and with the International Skating Union’s Ice Dance Technical Committee:

“ISU technical committee chair Shawn Rettstatt [USA] responded that yes, there were plans forming to propose a wider rule change in favor of same-sex pairs in competition. If the issue passes an internal review and becomes an official proposal, it’ll likely be voted on next year at the ISU’s International Congress in Las Vegas, a sprawling biennial event billed as an opportunity to make ‘major decisions about the future and direction of the ISU.’

“It’ll need a two-thirds majority of votes to win. In an interview later, Rettstatt seemed cautiously upbeat about its chances.”

He was clear that how the proposal would be treated is unknown: a loosening of the current rules, a new competition category or something else. And Rettstatt was clear that he was speaking about Ice Dance and not Pairs, a different event with a different ISU technical committee.

● Sport Climbing ● Great concern was expressed late last year for Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi, whose loose wearing of her headscarf at the Asian Championships in Korea in October exposed her to possible criminal penalties under Iranian law. In December, it was reported that the International Federation for Sport Climbing was in touch with her and that she was selected for a coaching advancement program supported by Olympic Solidarity.

It is not clear whether Rekabi, 33, is retired from competition, but she is absent from the entries for this week’s IFSC World Cup opener in Boulder in Hachioji (JPN). Two Iranian men are listed, but no women. Rekabi’s last competition was at the Asian Championships in Seoul in October 2022, where she placed eighth in Boulder and ninth in Lead.

Where is she?

● Swimming ● World Championships 100 m Free gold medalist Mollie O’Callaghan, 19, pulled off a stunning win in the 200 m Free on the final night of the Australian nationals in Gold Coast.

She went out hard in the final to get away from the fearsome kick of Tokyo Olympic 200 m Free champion Ariarne Titmus and made it work, touching first in 1:55.15 to move to no. 3 in the world in 2023, trailed by Titmus (1:55.28, no. 4 in 2023) and sprinter Shayna Jack, who scored a lifetime best of 1:55.37 (no. 5).

O’Callaghan scored a triple at the nationals, winning the 50-100-200 m Frees, along with an unexpected silver in the 100 m Back!

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TSX REPORT: Basketball confirms Russians out for Paris; surfing shows the way for others to deal with them; U.S. draws Mexico, 1-1

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 ≡

1. Russians out of Paris ‘24 in basketball (expected) and surfing (wow)
2. USA Fencing approves Russian and Belarusian entries, with conditions
3. Milan Cortina 2026 settles on Fiera site for speed skating
4. Pogacar, Vollering rocket to La Fleche Wallonne victories
5. Ferreira’s late goal gives U.S. 1-1 draw with Mexico

The question of Russian and Belarusian participation in international sports and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games continues to dominate the headlines. The International Basketball Federation (FIBA), as expected, barred Russia and Belarus from qualifying events for Paris, in line with the International Olympic Committee’s suggestion. But the International Surfing Association told the Russian news agency TASS that it would also bar Russia and Belarus under the same concept, offering an insightful twist into the “team” concept, even for what appears to be an individual sport. USA Fencing’s Board also allowed Russian and Belarusian participation in its events, but with conditions that essentially limit entry to Russian and Belarusian passport holders living in the U.S., who renounce any support for the Russian invasion. The question over the speed skating venue for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina – and another fight on costs – was resolved with the events to be held in two halls of the Fiera Milano exhibition center, the simplest and most cost-effective solution. In the high-profile La Fleche Wallonne races in Belgium, Slovenian superstar Tadej Pogacar won his third straight race on the UCI World Tour with a final surge to the uphill finish, while Demi Vollering of the Netherlands attacked with 200 m to go and no one could follow. Coming up Sunday is the fourth “Monument” race of the season, Liege-Bastogne-Liege. In Arizona, the U.S. men fell behind Mexico, 1-0, in the first Allstate Continental Clasico, but a goal by Jesus Ferreira in the 81st minute was the key to a 1-1 final.

● Panorama: Beijing 2022 (no date set yet for Valieva doping hearing) = Paris 2024 (2: French labor chief says no 2024 interference; Olympic law appealed by leftist political parties) = Russia (2: 19th EPO suspension imposed; Duma passes law to bring RUSADA into compliance) = Los Angeles (two Olympians indicted into L.A. City high school Hall of Fame) = Athletics (Kipchoge apologizes for poor Boston Marathon showing) = Football (U.S. and Mexico announce 2027 Women’s World Cup bid) = Modern Pentathlon (Turkey wins World Cup Mixed Relay for home fans) = Shooting (China dominates ISSF Rifle & Pistol World Cup) = Swimming (2: USA Swimming to debut new online television network; Short claims world-leading 400 m Free in Australian Champs) ●

● Errata: Yesterday’s Lane One comment on the 2022 World Athletics Championships was corrected to show 65% of those surveyed liked the “food and beverage” quality instead of “foot and beverage” quality. Thanks to sharp-eyed reader Mike Navarro for the correction.

1.
Russians out of Paris ‘24 in basketball (expected) and surfing (wow)

The International Basketball Federation announced on Tuesday that its program for Paris 2024 Olympic qualifying will not include Russian or Belarusian teams:

“The FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournaments field will be comprised of the 28 countries that participated in the Second Round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Qualifiers and did not qualify for the 32-team World Cup to be staged this summer in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia. …

“Following the IOC recommendations on the participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport in international competitions published on 28 March, the FIBA Executive Committee has decided to not allow the registration of the Russian men’s national team in the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournaments 2023. Bulgaria, as the next-best-ranked European team, will be the final team to participate to the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournaments.”

This was no surprise, as FIBA noted the IOC’s suggestion against any Russian or Belarusian teams.

With the IOC’s team ban likely to be enforced by all of the International Federations, Dmitry Svishchev, Chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports says the lawyers should get involved:

“Representatives of federations in team sports should think about the possibility of a class action lawsuit. Any adequate court will take their side in a dispute over suspension due to IOC recommendations. What is the difference between an athlete in a team sport and an individual? and by decisions to suspend our teams, the international federations are simply violating human rights.

“Therefore, I would not rule out the possibility that our federations in team sports will go to court.”

The only proper venue for such a suit would be the Court of Arbitration for Sport, although filings could be made with jurisdictional questions to the European Court of Justice – where Russia’s prospect would be questionable at best – or a similar venue with at least some jurisdictional claim over France and the Paris 2024 organizing committee.

A similar reply came from the World Baseball-Softball Confederation, whose sports are not on the program for Paris 2024, but could be for Los Angeles in 2028:

“The latest recommendations of the IOC executive committee dated March 28, 2023 do not apply to baseball and softball, since they provide that teams of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport cannot be considered for participation in international sports competitions.”

Same from the International Hockey Federation, which told the Russian news agency TASS:

“So far, we continue to monitor the situation and, if necessary, we will make appropriate decisions in accordance with these recommendations.”

The International Surfing Association, responding to a TASS inquiry, gave a highly technical and brilliantly subtle declaration:

“The ISA noted the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Executive Board recommendation on 28 March 2023 to enable International Sports Federations to implement their own policies regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian competitors as neutral athletes in events under specific conditions.

“This IOC recommendation on neutral athletes does not apply to team sports nor team events. ISA events are competitions with qualified teams who are entered by their National Surfing Federations.

“There is no provision in the ISA Rule Book for the participation of individuals outside their national teams, including for World Surfing Games and other events that play a part in athlete qualification for the Olympic Games via their National Olympic Committees.”

Observed: This is a staggeringly brilliant reply by the ISA, whose Executive Director, Bob Fasulo (USA) is a 30-year veteran of Olympic sport. On a purely technical level, all of the International Federations work with “teams” at the regional and world championship level, as the ISA notes, since entries are made by national federations; for the Olympic Games, entries can come only from National Olympic Committees, except for the Olympic Refugee Team.

By seizing on this procedural fact, the ISA makes the case that although its Olympic competitions are contested by individuals, those athletes are part of formalized teams through the entry process, at both the International Federation and IOC level.

The same is true for sports seen as essentially for individuals such as athletics, judo, swimming and so on, and could be applied more broadly to keep Russian and Belarusian athletes out altogether from both single-sport world championships, regional events such as the European Games or Pan American Games, and the Olympic Games.

Interesting and impressive, it will be fascinating to see if this concept is applied more broadly.

2
USA Fencing approves Russian and Belarusian entries, with conditions

The USA Fencing Board of Directors issued a new policy concerning the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in USA Fencing events, with some interesting twists. The announcement noted:

“[T]he Board amended the policy on Russian and Belorussian participation in USA Fencing competitions, now allowing them to participate if they meet certain criteria, including No. 1 and either No. 2 or No. 3 below:

“1. They display no physical manifestation of Russian or Belorussian affiliation within the venue, including but not limited to uniforms, warm-ups, equipment bags, or accessories.

“2. For the previous three years, they have not held an FIE license indicating Russian or Belorussian sport nationality, unless they have officially been approved for a change of sport nationality from the FIE.

“3. For the previous one year they have not competed in USA Fencing competitions or functions and have renounced their support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine by executing a declaration to that effect.”

Why?

“The rationale behind this decision is to include at USA Fencing events those individuals who may be Russian or Belorussian and reside in the United States and contribute in positive ways to the USA Fencing community. As long as they have denounced the actions of Russia and Belarus, these individuals will be permitted to return.”

Again, quite clever, and it includes a written statement that renounces any support for the Russian invasion.

3.
Milan Cortina 2026 settles on Fiera site for speed skating

One more uncertainty in the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games has been removed.

The speed skating events, originally slated to be held in a renovated outdoor rink in Baselga di Pine, will be held in a temporary facility at the Fiera Milano Rho Exhibition Centre instead.

A roof was planned to be added to the Baselga di Pine site, but proved to be much more expensive than projected – more than $80 million vs. the original estimate of $54 million – requiring a different solution. One option was to take speed skating to Turin, site of the 2006 Winter Games, but this was also a costly solution as new refrigeration equipment would be needed, as well as accommodations and other support.

By using a portion of the massive Fiera Milano Rho Exhibition Centre, the sport stays within the existing Games footprint. Moreover, the projected €20 million cost ($21.9 million) will not require government funding; the technical details include:

“The project involves the unification of pavilions 13 and 15 in a single space for a total of over 35,000 square meters (~377,000 sq. ft.) of covered area capable of hosting the 400-metre speed track, a grandstand with around 6,500 seats, as well as a training rink, changing rooms and further structures necessary for the organization: an air conditioning and humidity control system capable of guaranteeing the most suitable conditions for maintaining the frozen surfaces according to the requirements of the International Skating Federation (30-40% humidity and 15 degrees [C] at ice level).”

The site for the athlete village for the Cortina – mountain – area for 2026 has been located, in Fiames, a tiny hamlet within the city area of Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Cortina Mayor Gianluca Lorenzi said the facility will be temporary, with 1,200-1,300 beds and the necessary support facilities. Lorenzi said the organizers will need to plan not only for the athletes, but for the “security sector, police, finance guards and Carabinieri: we have to understand how to involve them in the situation because they are fundamental in the execution of the Olympics.”

The project is expected to cost €36 million, or about $39.4 million U.S.

This is in contrast to the under-construction athlete housing in Milan, where a former rail yard is being converted into housing that will eventually be used for university students, with 1,027 rental units across six main buildings of eight stories each.

4.
Pogacar, Vollering rocket to La Fleche Wallonne victories

If you follow the Tour de France at all – and it’s the only cycling event most people know about – you are familiar with Slovenian star Tadej Pogacar, the winner in 2020 and 2021 and runner-up in 2022.

Still just 24, he has started the 2023 season on fire, winning the famed, eight-stage Paris-Nice race, then posting two top-four finishes in major one-race races in Italy and Germany before posting three straight wins in major one-day classics: the iconic Tour of Flanders on 2 April, Amstel Gold Race on 16 April and now, Wednesday’s 87th La Fleche Wallonne (“The Flemish Arrow”).

He ran away with the win in Flanders by 16 seconds, then 38 seconds in the Amstel Gold Race, but he had to race to the line on Wednesday at the end of the 194.3 km ride from Herve to the Mur du Huy, a final uphill climb of 120 m in the final 1.3 km of the race.

Pogacar was with perhaps a dozen riders on the final climb, then simply exploded with about 200 m to go and raced away, clear to the finish, although Mattias Skjelmose (DEN) and Mikel Landa (ESP) were given the same time. Eight others finished three seconds back.

Dutch star Demi Vollering is having almost as good a season as Pogacar in the UCI Women’s World Tour, winning three of her five World Tour races, with a second in the Tour of Flanders and a win in the Amstel Gold Race.

She did it again in the 26th La Fleche for women, attacking with 200 m to go on the final Mur de Huy climb of 115 m in the final km. No one could follow and she won the race for the first time after being third in 2020 and 2022, finishing the 127.3 km course in 3:29:25.

Liane Lippert (GER) finished five seconds back and Gaia Realini (ITA) was seven seconds off the pace in second and third. Veronica Ewers was the top American, finishing 14 (+0:27).

Next up: the fourth “Monument” race of the season: Liege-Bastogne-Liege, on Sunday,

5.
Ferreira’s late goal gives U.S. 1-1 draw with Mexico

The first “Allstate Continental Clasico” was held in front of a good house at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, with the U.S. and Mexico meeting for the 75th time in a rivalry that now spans 89 years.

The match was offensively challenged, but the U.S. came back from a 1-0 deficit to equalize in the 81st minute and take away a 1-1 draw.

The first half was an end-to-end affair, with both sides getting chances to score, but missing the net. A charge through the middle by U.S. striker Jordan Morris in the fifth minute resulted in a deflected shot that went wide; Mexico’s Luis Chavez had powerful strokes go wide in the 19th and 28th minutes. Mexico had the better offensive play, but the American defense was well organized. The Mexicans had 57% of possession, and the only two shots-on-goal in the half.

The second half started the same way, but in the 55th, midfielder Uriel Antuna created a turnover at midfield and sprinted down the right side on a breakaway. U.S. keeper Sean Johnson came out to cut down the angle, but Antuna slid it past him and just inside the right post for a 1-0 lead from 10 yards out. It was Mexico’s first goal against the U.S. in four games.

The game settled down into a defensive slog, with Mexico showing some offense, with the U.S. doing almost nothing. Striker Carlos Rodriguez smashed the U.S. crossbar from outside the penalty area in the 81st, but suddenly the American offense came alive.

A pass out of the U.S. zone by defender Sergino Dest found midfielder Alan Sonora at midfield and he left-footed a cross to Morris on the left side, with help coming down the middle. Morris advanced, took his time and then made a perfect left-to-right pass to the charging Jesus Ferreira past a defender and he re-directed the ball past Mexican keeper Carlos Acevedo and into the net for a 1-1 tie in the 81st minute.

With the clock winding down, both sides upped the pressure and there was a late challenge against U.S. defender Kellyn Acosta that brought the sides together briefly, but it ended 1-1. Mexico had 53% of possession and a final edge of 9-4 on shots.

The tie extends the U.S. unbeaten streak against Mexico to 3-0-2 over 2021-22-23. In the all-time series, Mexico leads 22-36-17, with the U.S. 17-9-8 in the 21st Century. The two sides will meet again on 15 June in Las Vegas in the semis of the CONCACAF Nations League.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2022: Beijing ● The Russian news agency TASS reported that the hearing date in the Court of Arbitration for Sport appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency of the Kamila Valieva doping sanction has not been set yet.

The long-running dispute over Valieva has held up the confirmation of the results of the Team Figure Skating Event at the Beijing Games, where the results on the ice had Russia first, the U.S. second and Japan third.

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The FrancsJeux.com site reports that the French Democratic Confederation of Labour (known as the CFDT) is unlikely to call for any labor actions that would affect the Paris 2024 Olympic Games related to the continuing national turmoil over the French government’s pension reforms.

CFDT Secretary General Laurent Berger said in an interview Monday:

“The Olympics must be a party, it must be a magical moment for those who love sport and therefore, it is out of the question to make neither this type of threat nor this type of action during the Olympics.

“Trade unionism has an image that was restored during this [recent] period, it assumed its share of responsibility, we said things frankly, sometimes a little roundly, we never crossed the yellow line. We emerge rather grown from this period, I am not for us to bother the proper functioning of the Olympics.”

Protests are continuing over the “Olympic law” recently passed that allows for specific kinds of surveillance prior, during and after the Olympic period in 2024. Two leftist political groups, La France Insoumise (socialist) and the Europe Écologie-Les Verts (EELV, ecological socialists) have filed with the French Constitutional Council to void the law, complaining specifically of:

“The legalization of algorithmic video surveillance, the possibility of carrying out the examination of genetic characteristics without the consent of the person, the creation of new offenses related to entry into sports venues or the additional mandatory penalty of stadium ban.“

The Paris Paralympic Games will end on 8 September, but the surveillance permitted by the law continues to 31 March 2025. The appeals are considered a long shot to succeed. 

● Russia ● TASS reported that triathlete Svetlana Kamarasheva has been suspended for eight years – through 16 June 2029 – for the use of erythropoietin (EPO) to increase red blood cell mass.

The story further noted that there are now 19 Russian athletes on suspension for EPO, including Kamarasheva:

“For the use of EPO, athletes Oleg Ilyin, Sofya Grabrova, Ksenia Savina, Anastasia Bazdyreva, Maxim Alexandrov, Maxim Krasnov, Vadim Ulizhov, Alexei Dorofeev, Valentin Smirnov and Andrey Grigorov, rower Oleg Zhestkov, cyclists Evgeny Kudryavtsev, Sergey Nikolaev and Alexander Budaragin, triathletes Igor Polyansky, Vladimir Turbaevsky, Andrey Alypov and Alexander Bryukhankov.”

In addition, the story added:

“Over the years, Olympic champions in cross-country skiing Larisa Lazutina, Olga Danilova, Yulia Chepalova, Evgeny Dementiev, biathletes Albina Akhatova, Ekaterina Yuryeva, Dmitry Yaroshenko, Irina Starykh, Alexander Loginov were caught on EPO or its modifications.”

Oy.

The Russian State Duma adopted a bill which allows the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) authority over anti-doping rules in the country, rather than the government’s sports ministry.

This is an important development in the Russian quest to have RUSADA declared to be in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency. Because of this legal-authority issue and other items, WADA still does not consider RUSADA compliant, despite the two-year sanctions against the agency having expired last year.

● Los Angeles ● The seventh class of the Los Angeles City Section Hall of Fame was inducted last Sunday, honoring 23 athletes, coaches and contributors for their achievements as high school greats.

Included were two athletes and a coach who went on to the Olympic Games. Fremont High student Anne Vrana-O’Brien competed for the U.S. in Amsterdam in 1928 in the women’s 100 m, and then made the U.S. team again for the 1936 Berlin Games in the 80 m hurdles. Monroe High grad Charles Lakes was the first Black American to compete for the U.S. in artistic gymnastics, in Seoul in 1988, finishing 19th in the All-Around.

Don Gambril graduated from Wilson High in 1951 and became one of the best-known swimming coaches in the country. Head coach at Long Beach State, Harvard and then for 17 years at Alabama, Gambril was an assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic men’s teams in 1968-72-76-80 and the head coach in 1984 in Los Angeles. He retired from Alabama in 1990 and is a 1983 inductee into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

● Athletics ● Following a disappointing sixth-place finish in Monday’s Boston Marathon, Kenyan great Eliud Kipchoge appeared briefly at the Tuesday news conference, noting that he suffered an upper left leg injury at the 20-mile mark and fell off the lead:

“I tried to do what was necessary but it wasn’t working. So I put my mind just trying to cope with the pace and just to finish. A lot of thought was going on in my mind but I said, ‘Hey, I can’t quit.’ I’ve been in this sport for a long (time). They say it’s important to win, but it’s great to participate and finish.

“I don’t think it’s the weather. Maybe there was an underlying problem, but it’s just a problem of the leg. What can I say? I’m not a doctor.”

He apologized to those who expected more from him, explaining, “I promised that I would run a fruitful race. So I am sorry. Most of you were expecting me to win.”

Now 38, he did not say when his next race would be; he has stated his desire win all six of the World Marathon Majors races, with Boston and New York the two remaining. “The outcome for yesterday actually destabilized everything, and I need to go back, rearrange again, and come back with a solid program.” But he added that he plans to return:

“Absolutely yes, and to win the Boston Marathon.”

● Football ● U.S. Soccer and the Mexican Football Federation announced a joint bid to host the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, a year after the 2026 men’s World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.

No details were provided, but are expected in mid-May when a plan is due to FIFA.

● Modern Pentathlon ● In the Mixed Relay at the UIPM World Cup in Ankara (TUR) last Sunday, the home favorites scored a victory, with Bugra Unal and Ilke Ozyuksel forging a solid lead to start the Laser Run with a six-second edge over the field.

Although only sixth-fastest in the relay, they crossed first, ahead of Mexico’s Mariana Arceo and Manuel Padilla, who had the fastest Laser Run in the field (12:42.0). But that was not enough to offset the strong Turkish performance in fencing (1st), swimming (8th) and riding (6th); Arceo worked her way up to second on her three laps and Padilla was able to maintain that position.

Turkey finished with 1,347 points to 1,341 for Mexico; Great Britain, with Jessica Varley and a fast-charging Myles Pillage, got up for third (1,317).

● Shooting ● The ISSF World Cup for Rifle and Pistol in Lima (PER) concluded on Wednesday, with China the big winner with 10 medals (4-3-3), with Hungary (2-2-0) and the Czech Republic (1-1-2) next-best at four.

China triumphed in the women’s 10 m Air Rifle, with Zhilin Wang, 19, winning, 17-9, over 20-year-old Eszter Meszaros (HUN) and went 1-2 in the women’s 50 m Rifle/3 Positions, with Siya Xia, 20, beating Tokyo Olympic ninth-placer Mengyao Shi, 16-10.

Tokyo bronze medalist Ranxin Jiang won gold in the women’s 10 m Pistol, 16-12, over Poland’s Klaudia Bres, and the 25 m Pistol final with World Junior Champion Sixuan Fang, 20, out-lasting Ukraine’s Anastasiia Nimets, 28-26.

Serbia’s Damir Mikec, 39, the Tokyo silver medalist, won the men’s 10 m Air Pistol, 16-10, over China’s Bowen Zhang, and Mikec and Zorana Arunovic teamed to win the Mixed Team 10 m Air Pistol final from Jiang and Zhang, 17-13.

Zalan Pekler won for Hungary in the men’s 10 m air Rifle, defeating Naoya Okada (JPN) in the final, 16-10, and in the Mixed Team event, with Pekler and Eszter Denes taking the final, 16-8, from France.

The lone gold for the Czechs came in the men’s 50 m Rifle/3 Positions for 22-year-old Jiri Privratsky, who won over Hungary’s Tokyo Olympic 10th placer, Istvan Peni, 16-10. It’s Privratsky’s second career World Cup gold.

France’s Clement Bessaguet, the 2022 Worlds runner-up, won the men’s 25 m Rapid-Fire Pistol over Czech Matej Rampula, 32-30, hitting his final eight shots.

● Swimming ● USA Swimming announced a new program, its USA Swimming Network, moving beyond streaming on its own Web site to a free video-on-demand program on “Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox and select Smart TVs utilizing the Google Play store. In the coming months, the Network will also be available on PlayStation, Apple TV, the remainder of Smart TVs and on all mobile phones and tablets.”

There will also be a significant source of historical footage as well:

“By 2024, the Network will add the Michael McCaffery Swimming Archive channel to its suite of content channels. The archive will feature decades of archived race footage from USA Swimming competitions. Users will be able to browse 50 years of race footage, or search by athlete and keyword to view a personalized selection of race clips.”

That could be epic. The success of this new, ambitious project will depend in part on how easy it will be to find a specific video among a rapidly-expanding collection.

At the Australian National Championships in Gold Coast, 19-year-old distance star Sam Short won his third event with the no. 2 time in the world this season in the men’s 800 m Free in 7:42.96.

Short had already won the 400 m Free in a world-leading 3:42.46 and the 1,500 m Free in 14:58.90.

The other top marks came in the women’s events, with sprinter Shayna Jack taking the 50 m Free in 24.45, just behind her seasonal best of 24.26. She finished ahead of Meg Harris (24.45), who moved to no. 6 in the world in 2023.

Tokyo Olympic 400 m champ Ariarne Titmus won the 400 m Free in a seasonal best of 4:00.49, making her no. 3 for 2023, behind new world-record holder Summer McIntosh (CAN) and Katie Ledecky of the U.S.

Kaylee McKeown, the Tokyo 100-200 m Back winner, won the 100 m Back in 57.90, behind her 57.84 world leader earlier in the season, but the equal-second performance of 2023 with Regan Smith of the U.S. Freestyle sprinter Mollie O’Callaghan, the 2022 World Champion in the 100 m Free and already the 50-100 m Free winner, was second in 58.42, a lifetime best and no. 3 in 2023!

Lizzie Deckers, 18, won the 200 m Fly in 2:06.55, now no. 2 in 2023 and Jenna Forrester moved to no. 3 in the world with her 4:35.05 win in the 200 m Medley.

The meet concludes on Thursday.

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LANE ONE: Oregon22 report shows 2:1 return in media exposure for Oregon’s $40 million cash investment

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 fascinating Nielsen Sports post-event report on the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, demonstrated a direct and induced economic impact of $153.4 million, but included a wealth of other information to answer the question: was it worth it?

Possibly yes, with plenty of surprises shown in the data. For example, that the event was most strongly viewed on television in Africa and the Middle East! Yes, really.

Nielsen cited a Publicis survey that stated some 1.117 billion hours of the Oregon22 meet were seen on television worldwide, but with a surprising distribution (figures do not add due to rounding):

● 39% or 429.8 million hours: Africa and Middle East
● 33% or 368.1 million hours: Asia Pacific region
● 20% or 219.3 million hours: Europe
● 9% or 95.5 million hours: Americas

Among individual countries, the U.S. was only fifth:

1. 254.1 million hours: Japan
2. 102.5 million hours: China
3. 47.3 million hours: Great Britain
4. 35.5 million hours: Nigeria
5. 35.4 million hours: United States

NBC reported last year that its total viewership comprised an estimated 18.7 million viewers across its network and cable broadcasts of Oregon22. Also in the top 10 countries by hours viewed were France (24.2 million hours), Poland (23.4 million hours), Sweden (21.3 million hours) and Finland (21.3 million hours).

This is good intermediate-term news for World Athletics, which is headed to Tokyo for the 2025 Worlds, but also makes the case for placing a future World Athletics Championships in Africa, which showed so much interest in the 2022 meet. Kenya bid Nairobi for 2025, but the facilities and supporting infrastructure were not in Tokyo’s class, given the new Olympic Stadium delivered for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

But now there is an even better reason to go there.

The report noted that the total television exposure across all broadcasters was 3,913.5 hours and, based on regional ad rates, generated $188.1 million in broad exposure (TV time) for “affiliated brands” such as World Athletics sponsors TDK, Qatar National Bank, Seiko and so on. The biggest winner in terms of exposure during the meet was the State of Oregon, which provided $40 million in cash and grants to the organizing committee, about 53% of its total budget of $75 million.

Oregon’s return on television exposure alone was $59.3 million, followed by TDK’s $43.8 million for being the primary name on athlete identification bibs.

The report also claimed a online media value of $50.1 million, with 79,100 mentions tracked. The State of Oregon received exposure value equivalent to $19.3 million in advertising. Print media (newspapers) generated another $5.5 million in value, with the State of Oregon getting another $3.45 million.

Social media tracking showed 37.2 million “engagements,” and a $7.24 million total value. “Sentiment” was found to be mostly neutral (61%), but 34% positive against only 5% negative.

So, for its $40 million investment, the State of Oregon received – according to the report – at least $82.05 million in equivalent ad exposure, or a 2:05 to 1 return. Look for those figures to be cited frequently in the future.

There was also the in-person exposure to the 150,000 attendees, of whom 84% were from the U.S. Of the 16% who came from outside the U.S., 35% were making their first visit to the United States. But the meet was highly localized: 49% of all spectators came from Oregon, with 32% from the Eugene area!

Of the visitors who needed accommodations, only 3% did not stay in the Eugene area and the largest group, 43%, used Airbnb and Vrbo to find housing. Only 32% stayed in hotels. Combining all 34.577 attendees, including athletes and accredited personnel, the 2022 Worlds generated an estimated 222,583 room nights and $45 million in direct, local spending. That’s where the money was.

The attitudes of spectators towards the event was generally positive:

● 97% liked the look and feel of the new Hayward Field.
● 88% liked the security situation in the stadium.
● 80% thought the WiFi and mobile phone coverage was good.
● 65% thought the food and beverage quality was good.
● 54% thought the variety of merchandise was good.

There were negatives, however:

● “The ticket prices were ridiculous”
● “The stadium needs to be covered; it was too hot”
● “Hard to hear in-stadium announcements”

Transportation was also interesting: 41% got to the meet in a personal car, but 26% walked! Only 14% took public transit.

The Oregon22 organizers made a big effort on sustainability, but barely made a dent in the estimated emissions caused by air travel of athletes and spectators to Eugene: 75,537 tons of carbon dioxide.

This was reduced somewhat by low-emission power generation on-site and 5,200 pounds of leftover food that was donated to a local foodbank system. But, in all, the event generated 97,095 tons of CO², with the environmental initiatives reducing the total by 2%. Using the cost-conversion formulas for carbon credits, the Oregon22 carbon footprint had a net cost of $7.4 million.

There’s no doubt that the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene was an enormous success on the track, with spectacular performances. Except for those folks who sat in the lower rows and were exposed to the sun, Hayward Field was well received, as were most services.

The 1,585 volunteers, who contributed 152,160 hours of service, were highly appreciated and respected.

Travel Oregon and the state government can point to more than $82 million in media exposure (ad equivalencies), more than double their $40 million investment and there was additional government tax revenue not calculated in the report from accommodations, food sales and merchandise.

That’s more than a 2:1 return in media exposure for the cash invested, which has traditionally been a winner for Oregon, drawing tourism attention to an area of the U.S. not that well known to foreign visitors. Whether future U.S. cities or state will be willing to put up that much cash to bring an event like the World Athletics Championships back – especially to a larger, already-well-visited metropolitan area – is an open question.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: Kenya’s Chebet and Obiri sweep Boston Marathon; ex-IBU chief indicted in Norway; IIHF says Russia returns when war ends

By
Rich Perelman
-
Kenya's Evans Chebet winning his second straight Boston Marathon on Monday (Photo courtesy BAA; by Errol Anderson)

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Chebet and Obiri win third straight Kenyan Boston Marathon sweep
2. Former biathlon president Besseberg indicted for corruption
3. Ukraine sanctions 80 more Russian athletes and officials
4. IIHF’s Tardif says Russia and Belarus come back when war is over
5. Argentina confirmed as FIFA men’s U-20 World Cup host

At the 127th Boston Marathon, Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge was the center of attention, but it was defending champ Evans Chebet of Kenya who won again. The women’s race was won by Kenya’s track superstar Hellen Obiri, her first marathon win in her second try. Former International Biathlon Union President Anders Besseberg was indicted for corruption in his native Norway, related to favors he did for Russia over a 10-year period. The Ukrainian government imposed a new round of sanctions on 80 Russian athletes and officials, including at least 11 Olympic medal winners, past and present. The International Ice Hockey Federation President said he would welcome back Russian and Belarusian teams … as soon as the war was over, and praised the improving level of women’s hockey. Argentina was formally awarded the FIFA men’s U-20 World Cup, beginning in May, replacing Indonesia, which did not want to allow Israel to play.

● Panorama: Russia (3: European Games refuses Russian and Belarusian entries; Norway withdraws from fencing events; 2029 World Aquatics Champs in Kazan?) = Anti-Doping (testing reports from aquatics and volleyball) = Artistic Swimming (2: U.S. nationals; new U.S. gender equity policy) = Athletics (more world leaders in California and India) = Gymnastics (U.S. team members Chiles, McCallum, Carey and Wong medal at NCAA Champs) = Swimming (new world leaders in Sweden and Australia) ●

1.
Chebet and Obiri win third straight Kenyan Boston Marathon sweep

All of the hype surround the 127th Boston Marathon on Monday was focused on Kenya’s two-time Olympic champ Eliud Kipchoge, but it was 2022 victor Evans Chebet cross the line first once again, and track star Hellen Obiri winning her first marathon in the women’s race.

The conditions were part of the story, with an overcast, rainy and windy morning, with temperatures in the high 40s (F). A large group of 11 men formed the lead pack and moved through the halfway mark in 1:02:19, which closed to seven by 30 km.

Now the attacks started, including Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay, whose charge to the front dropped Kipchoge by 20 miles (32 km) and he was not a factor again. By the 35 km mark, it was 2021 champion Benson Kipruto (KEN), Chebet and Geay breaking away from all others and they would race for the medals.

They ran together through 35 km, but Kipruto could not keep up by the 38 km mark and dropped a few seconds back. Geay kept challenging Chebet, who stayed steady and smooth, unmoved by the damp conditions. But Kipruto charged to join them at 40 km and then it was Geay who dropped back a bit.

With a mile to go, Chebet had the lead and broke away with just more than a half-mile to go, running alone to the finish in 2:05:54, the sixth-fastest time in Boston Marathon history. He’s the first men’s repeater since Robert Cheruiyot won his second, third and fourth Boston wins in 2006-07-08. Although he placed high in his first eight marathons from 2013-17, Chebet, 34, has won six of his last seven from 2019-23, including Boston twice, Valencia in 2020 and New York in 2022.

Geay regained second place on the run-in in 2:06:04, with Kipruto at 2:06:06, and Kipchoge in seventh at 2:09:23. In his 18th career marathon, it’s his second-worst finish; he was eighth in London in 2018, also on a rainy, cold day.

Scott Fauble was the top American finisher, in seventh for the second year in a row and third time in his Boston career, in 2:09:44. Matthew Mcdonald was 10th (2:10:17) and Conner Mantz was 11th (2:10:25).

The women’s lead pack also had 11 runners together at the halfway point, in 1:11:29 and stayed together through 35 km! By 37 km, though, only six were with the lead group and the final five contenders – Obiri, Lonah Salpeter (ISR), Ethiopians Amane Beriso and Ababel Yeshaneh and American Emma Bates, the 2021 Chicago Marathon runner-up – were set by the 39 km mark.

Bates was dropped by 40 km and Salpeter fell back shortly after that. That left Obiri and the two Ethiopians, who took turns leading, with Yeshaneh falling back first and then Obiri – the 2017 and 2019 World Champion at 5,000 m – taking off for good with about 800 m remaining and ran to the line alone in 2:21:38, the no. 10 time in Boston Marathon history.

Beriso stayed second (2:21:50), Salpeter came on to pass Yeshaneh for third (2:21:57 to 2:22:00) and Bates was fifth in a lifetime best of 2:22:10 as the top American. Aliphine Tuliamuk, the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials winner, was the next American, in 11th (2:24:37), with Nell Rojas in 14th (2:24:51).

Chebet’s win was the fourth in a row for the Kenyan men and Obiri scored the third straight for the Kenyan women. Her victory was especially gratifying after her debut in New York last November ended with a sixth-place finish; she was simply stronger than everyone else in the final mile.

Said Kipchoge afterwards, “Today was a tough day for me. I pushed myself as hard as I could, but sometimes, we must accept that today wasn’t the day to push the barrier to a greater height.”

Obiri noted, “After New York, we learned some things we did not know. I learned to be patient.” Chebet revealed that he and Kipruto worked together: “It was a mutual agreement that we would keep pace together. And this is what worked out well.”

2.
Former biathlon president Besseberg indicted for corruption

Norwegian Anders Besseberg, 77, the President of the International Biathlon Union from 1993 to 2018, was indicted Monday for corruption related to favors he received during his lengthy term in office. The announcement included:

“The Norwegian National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime (Økokrim) has indicted a Norwegian man who was president of the IBU for trial on charges of aggravated corruption. The offences took place during the period 2009 to 2018.

“The charges include accepting bribes in the form of watches, hunting trips and trophies, prostitutes and a leased car which he enjoyed the use of from 2011 to 2018 in Norway.

“Økokrim believes there is sufficient evidence to prove that he accepted bribes continuously over a ten-year period. The seriousness of the matter is emphasised by the breach of trust his actions represent in light of his position as president of the IBU, says the prosecutor in charge of the case, Senior Public Prosecutor Marianne Djupesland.”

Okokrim has been involved with the Besseberg case since early in 2020, when it was asked to take over the corruption aspects of an investigation by Austrian authorities dealing with doping in sport and fraud.

Okokrim acknowledged additional assistance from authorities in Canada, the Czech Republic and Liechtenstein. Besseberg was forced out of office in 2018 based on reports of corruption and possible doping cover-up assistance for Russian athletes.

The International Biathlon Union’s statement noted that in 2018:

“Following an exhaustive investigation, the [IBU External Review Committee] concluded that Mr Besseberg had a case to answer for breach of the IBU’s rules, based on their apparent protection of Russian interests, particularly in the anti-doping context, without good justification.”

3.
Ukraine sanctions 80 more Russian athletes and officials

On Saturday, Ukraine issued another round of sanctions against more than 80 Russian athletes and officials, which a ban on the issuance of a Ukrainian visa and a ban on entry into Ukrainian territory for 50 years.

The sanctions list includes, among others, Olympic gymnastics medalists Svetlana Khorkina (1996-2004), Maria Paseka (2012-16), Victoria Listunova (2020) and Artur Dalaloyan (2020); swimmer Anton Chupkov (2016); wrestler Varteres Samurgashev (2000-04); biathlon medalists Dmitry Vasiliev (1984-88), Svetlana Ishmuratova (2002-06); figure skater Nikita Katsalapov (2022); hockey player Andrei Kovalenko (1992-98), and Nikolai Gulyaev, head of the Russian Skating Union and 1988 Olympic speed skating gold medalist.

Russian Gymnastics Federation coach Valentina Rodionenko told TASS:

“The decision of the leadership of Ukraine to impose sanctions on our gymnasts can be called complete insanity. People no longer know how else to hurt us.

“I was not going to go to Ukraine, and these sanctions cannot in any way prevent our participation in foreign competitions if the international federation decides in early May on the return of Russians and Belarusians.”

In December 2022, the Ukrainian government sanctioned 55 athletes and officials over their support for the Russian invasion, including teen figure skater Kamila Valieva, still at the center of a doping inquiry from the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

A BBC commentary last Saturday noted:

“[W]hy is the Russian state so keen to keep winning in the sporting arena?

“Popular newspaper Vedomosti argued that the Russian government wants to use athletic achievements to keep Russians happy and united when things are not going well elsewhere.

“‘We need victories as a way of doping patriotism,’ it said. ‘Victories are part of state policy.’ …

“According to Vyacheslav Fetisov, formerly a famous ice hockey player, two-time Olympic champion and now member of parliament for the ruling United Russia party: ‘We are the most disgraced country in the history of international sport.’”

4.
IIHF’s Tardif says Russia and Belarus come back when war is over

The International Ice Hockey Federation President, Frenchman Luc Tardif, was asked about Russian and Belarusian re-entry into competition at a news conference before the final match of the 2023 Women’s World Championship. He was clear:

“First, I hope Russia and Belarus return to the IIHF very soon because that would mean that the war is over.

“But we will make a final decision about those countries for Milano in March 2024 because soon after we will begin Olympic qualifications, and Belarus would need to be a part of that.”

Tardif also praised the organization of the tournament, held in Brampton, Ontario, Canada and the continuing improvement in women’s hockey:

“There has been great improvement in the women’s game, and there is a simple reason. The top 20 federations now have dedicated women’s programs. These are important for developing players and growing the game. You see here the number of close games. Maybe teams aren’t ready to beat Canada and the U.S. yet, but it’s getting there. It won’t happen over night. It takes some time. But it’s getting better and better.”

The tournament, won by the U.S., 6-3, in the final over Canada, was notable on multiple levels. The American women continued a remarkable streak of appearing in the final of all 22 women’s Worlds, and winning 10. The win broke a two-championships win streak for the Canadians and the amazing Ann-Renee Desbiens, the star Canadian keeper who suffered a loss for the first time in Worlds and Olympic play. She had been 16-0 in the World Championships (2015-21-22-23) and 6-0 in Olympic play (2018-22).

Canadian forward Sarah Fillier was named Most Valuable Player, with Fillier recognized as the best forward, American Caroline Harvey as the best defender and Desbiens as the top keeper.

Harvey led all scorers in the tournament with 14 points (4+10) in seven games, while American Hilary Knight led all goal-scorers with eight (Fillier had seven).

Knight won her ninth Worlds gold, tying the record held by Canadian forward Danielle Goyette, who won her nine between 1992-2007.

5.
Argentina confirmed as FIFA men’s U-20 World Cup host

“The Bureau of the FIFA Council has confirmed Argentina as the host of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023.

“The decision follows the removal of the original tournament host, Indonesia, as well as a subsequent bid submitted by the Argentinian Football Association (AFA) and an on-site inspection by a FIFA delegation to the South American country last week.”

Monday’s announcement was hardly a surprise, after the Argentine federation made an immediate bid after FIFA took the event away from Indonesia following government requests to not allow Israel – with which Indonesia has no diplomatic relations – to play in the tournament.

The anti-Semitic rhetoric from Indonesia will likely result in sanctions, which have not yet been announced. One result of the transfer is that the Indonesian team, which would have played in the tournament as the host nation, will not compete and Argentina will play instead.

The draw will now be held on Friday (21st) and the tournament starts on 20 May.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Russia ● A spokesman for the organizers of the 2023 European Games in Krakow, Poland, said they would rather lose the hosting rights to the event – to begin on 21 June – than to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete there.

Dawid Glen told Germany’s Deutsche Welle that some sports could be removed from the event as Olympic qualifiers because of this stance:

“Yes, we are concerned that there is such a risk. We see what kind of decisions are made internationally. This does not change our position.

“We hope that this is not going to happen, but we would sooner resign from organizing competitions in a given discipline than allow Russians and Belarusians to stand on the starting line. …

“A year ago, Poland spearheaded the decision to expel the Russians from the sport. At present, we see no reason to change our position on this issue. The bloody war continues.”

Clearly at issue will be fencing, in which the International Federation (FIE), and taekwondo, where World Taekwondo has also allowed Russian and Belarusians to return as neutrals. The International Boxing Association, which has been suspended by the International Olympic Committee, has also pushed for removal of the boxing events, but the European Games was selected by the IOC as a qualifier for Paris 2024.

On Friday, the Norwegian Fencing Federation announced that it would not be competing in FIE events in which Russian and Belarusian athletes were allowed to take part:

“After the decision on the admission of Russians and Belarusians was made at the congress of the International Fencing Federation, the board of directors of the Norwegian Fencing Federation decided not to send their athletes to competitions with their participation. In addition, the World Cup stages will not be held in Norway. Instead of the World Cup, we must organize competitions in cooperation with Finland and Sweden, which have taken appropriate measures.”

The head of the Russian Swimming Federation, four-time Olympic gold medalist Vladimir Salnikov, told the Russian news agency TASS that the federation is preparing to host the World Aquatics Championships in 2029.

The event was awarded to Kazan for 2025, but removed by World Aquatics in view of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But, say the Russians, the award was postponed, not canceled. Said Salnikov:

“I don’t see any reason why it won’t take place that year. I think that the tournament will take place within those terms.”

● Anti-Doping ● The World Aquatics Integrity Unit announced its testing figures for 2022, with 5,835 samples collected from 1,428 athletes across 101 national federations. This includes swimming (and open water), diving, artistic swimming and water polo. In terms of distribution:

● “Europe accounted for 56.6% of tests followed by America (21.6%), Asia (10.9%), Oceania (7.7%) and Africa (3.17%).”

● “With regard to testing across World Aquatics sport disciplines, swimming accounted for 66% of all tests, followed by water polo (14%), open water (9%), artistic swimming (5%) and diving and high diving (4%).”

The AQIU also noted that testing in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine was not significantly disrupted in 2021.

Overall, about 35% of the tests used blood samples, with the remainder using urine collection.

The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) released its 10-year testing statistics from 2013-22, with 4,269 samples collected for beach and indoor volleyball and less than 1% in positives. The federation has now delegated its anti-doping program to the International Testing Agency.

● Artistic Swimming ● The 2023 U.S. nationals concluded in Oro Valley, Arizona over the weekend, with Janneke Dirven winning the women’s Solo Technical final (183.4083) and Maya Schweikert taking the Solo Free title (235.1458).

The Duet winners were Kennah Burdette and Luz Portilla-Vollota (175.9500) in the Technical final, and Hannah Lin and Karen Wang (225.6250) in Duet Free. The Mixed Duet Free winners were Sarah Farmer and Chris Leahy (102.8250), and Leahy won the men’s Solo Free (116.1750, only entrant).

U.S. Artistic Swimming announced a new gender inclusion policy with no restrictions at all:

“Athletes of all gender identities have the choice to participate in all USAAS sanctioned and owned events in the category which they feel most closely aligns with their gender identity. Participants do not need to and will not be asked to provide evidence of hormone treatment or surgical intervention.

“Solo Categories: Girl/Woman Solo (athlete who identifies as a girl/woman), Boy/Man Solo (athlete who identifies as boy/man), Gender Inclusive Solo (open to athletes who do not identify as girl/woman or boy/man)

“Duet Categories: Girls/Women Duet (both athletes identify as a girl/woman), Boys/Men Duet (both athletes identify as a boy/man), Mixed Duet (one athlete identifies as boy/man, one girl/woman), Gender Inclusive Duet (one or more athlete(s) who do not identify as girl/woman or boy/man)

“All other categories (i.e. Team events) are open (no gender restriction).”

Implementation will begin this summer. The policy is in conflict with the strict World Aquatics gender policies, which will determine allowable entries into the World Aquatics Championships.

● Athletics ● A few more world leaders from the torrent of competitions over the weekend, including two more at the Brian Clay Invitational in Azusa, California. Cooper Teare won the men’s 1,500 m a 2023 world outdoor best of 3:34.96, while Brian Fay (IRL-Washington) won the 5,000 m in 13:21.99 for the world outdoor lead.

At the nearby Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Harrison Williams of the U.S. won the decathlon with a world-leading 8,492 points, a lifetime best.

At the Indian Grand Prix in Bengaluru (IND), Prakasha Manu grabbed the world lead in the men’s javelin at 84.33 m (276-7) and Shalili Singh won the women’s long jump with a world-leading 6.76 m (22-2 1/4).

● Gymnastics ● Members of the U.S. Olympic and World Championships team were familiar faces on the podium of the 2023 NCAA women’s championships held in Ft. Worth, Texas, that concluded on Saturday.

Jordan Chiles of UCLA, a Tokyo Olympic Team silver medalist, 2022 Worlds Team gold medalist, and Worlds Vault and Floor silver winner, won the NCAA title on the Uneven Bars (10.0000) and on Floor (9.9875). She finished second in the All-Around (39.7125) to Utah’s Maile O’Keefe (39.7625), who also won on Beam (10.0000).

Grace McCallum (Utah), a member of the Tokyo 2020 silver-medal team, was part of a five-way for second on the Uneven Bars; Tokyo 2020 Floor gold medalist Jade Carey (Oregon State) was in a second-place tie on Beam, and 2021 Worlds All-Around runner-up Leanne Wong (Florida) was in a two-way tie for second on Floor.

● Swimming ● Four more world-leading marks over the weekend, but this time at the Swedish Open in Stockholm. Twenty-one-year old Daniel Wiffen of Ireland won the men’s 800 m Free in a national record 7:44.45, and then the 1,500 m in another record effort of 14:34.91.

Swedish star Sarah Sjostrom won the women’s 50 m Free in a world-leading 23.92 and the 100 m Free in 52.99, also the best so far this season.

The Australian Championships began in Gold Coast on Monday, with two world leads on the first day. Sam Short won the men’s 400 m Free in a lifetime best of 3:42.46, tops on the seasonal list, and 2022 Worlds sprint star (and 100 m Free World Champion) Mollie O’Callaghan won the women’s 100 m Free in a tight finish with Shayna Jack, 52.63-52.64, the top two marks so far in 2023.

Tokyo Olympic triple gold medalist Kaylee McKeown won the women’s 200 m Medley in 2:08.16, moving to no. 2 in the world for 2023. The meet continues through Thursday.

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: Oregon22 Worlds delivered $153.4 million impact; Australia cuts down Paris ‘24 swimmer partying; Kipchoge runs in Boston!

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Oregon22 Worlds created $153.4 million economic impact
2. Australia wants to tone down Paris ‘24 athlete partying!
3. Kipchoge headlines Monday’s Boston Marathon
4. How shot stars Crouser and Ealey make their annual schedules
5. Irvine will build new aquatics center, but not in time for LA28

A post-event report on the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon showed a $96.8 million direct impact and $153.4 total economic impact, but the attendees were overwhelmingly American and mostly from Oregon. The event cost $75 million to produce and generated $89.3 million in media exposure. The Australian Olympic Committee will require its athletes to leave the Paris 2024 Olympic Village two days after their competition ends in order to keep things quiet for the remaining athletes, an unpopular stance with many swimmers who spend the second week of the Games having a good time! Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, the greatest marathoner in history, runs at his first Boston Marathon on Monday, starting at 9:37 a.m. Eastern televised live on ESPN. Putting together a seasonal schedule isn’t easy in track & field; U.S. shot put stars Ryan Crouser and Chase Ealey – the 2022 World Champions – explained their approaches prior to their appearance in two competitions at the Drake Relays. The City of Irvine, California will build its promised aquatics center, to be used in part by USA Water Polo, but not until after the 2028 Olympic Games has come and gone.

● World Championship: Ice Hockey (Knight’s hat trick keys U.S. win at women’s Worlds) ●
● Panorama: Los Angeles 1984 (Photographer Paul Slaughter passes) = Archery (Mirich and Kaufhold win Arizona Cup) = Athletics (5: three world leads at Mt. SAC Relays; seven at Tom Jones Memorial; Abdi wins Rotterdam Marathon; McPherson gets drug suspension; Crumpacker passes at 67) = Curling (Koe and Wrana take Players Championship) = Cycling (Pogacar, Vollering win Amstel Gold Races) = Diving (China sweeps World Cup) = Figure Skating (U.S. wins ISU Team Trophy) = Football (men’s CONCACAF Gold Cup draw) = Gymnastics (Rafaelli sweeps Rhythmic World Cup) = Modern Pentathlon (Shaban leads Egypt 1-3 in men’s World Cup) = Sailing (World Sailing to study Russia readmission) = Ski Mountaineering (World Cup season finishes in Norway) = Swimming (Smith and Marchand win four each at Tyr Pro Swim) = Table Tennis (China sweeps WTT Champions) = Water Polo (U.S., Dutch win women’s World Cup qualifier) = Weightlifting (Azerbaijan flag burned at Euro Champs ceremony) ●

1.
Oregon22 Worlds created $153.4 million economic impact

A post-event analysis of the Oregon22 World Athletics Championships held at the University of Oregon in Eugene showed a total economic impact of $153.4 million and a total impact – including media exposure – of $237.4 million.

The study was received in January, prepared by Nielsen Sports for Travel Oregon, but had not been publicly released. It showed five drivers of direct spending impact on the Eugene-Springfield community:

● $45.0 million: Accommodations
● $29.8 million: Net organizing committee spend
● $10.0 million: Food & Beverage
● $7.4 million: Retail and Leisure spending
● $4.3 million: Local transportation

That’s $96.8 million, and with a multiplier of 1.59 for the counties impacted for induced economic impact, for an added $56.9 million, and a total of $153.4 million.

The report stated that the Oregon22 organizing committee budget was for $75.0 million on the event; the largest budgeted expenses were for:

● $14.0 million: Athlete experience
● $14.0 million: Broadcasting
● $9.9 million: Administration and staff
● $7.7 million: Event management
● $4.9 million: Event services
● $7.0 million: Contingency

Of the $75.0 million total, an estimated $47.6 million (73%) was spent in the local, Oregon economy. Nielsen removed $17.8 million in ticket sales, leaving a net local organizing spend of $29.8 million. Please remember that the State of Oregon subsidized or obtained $40 million in funds for the event.

Worldwide media exposure, a major reason for Oregon’s spend, came in with a total of $89.3 million in value:

● $59.3 million: television exposure
● $19.3 million: online exposure
● $7.2 million: social media exposure
● $3.5 million: print media exposure

Nielsen calculated that the state of Oregon received $19.3 million worth of direct exposure from its many commercials on broadcasts in various countries.

The report noted athlete and team officials approval of the event at 70%, lower than the 78% for the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade (SRB) earlier in 2022. Only 30% were able to visit local tourist attractions during the meet; they were busy at the track.

There were 150,000 ticketed spectators, of which 84% came from the U.S.; 49% of all spectators were from Oregon and 17% from the rest of the U.S. Of the 16% from outside the U.S., the majority were from Canada, but there were visitors from 37 nations.

The event had 1,585 volunteers, who provided an estimated 152,160 hours of services, worth about $2.1 million.

There’s a lot more to unpack from the report; stay tuned for more.

2.
Australia wants to tone down Paris ‘24 athlete partying!

“The learnings from Tokyo were absolutely positive that for the athletes who are competing in the second week, reducing the load on the village by athletes who have finished was positive for both their preparation and their health.

“We want all of the athletes to be able to perform at their best, whether they have a medal chance or not, so it doesn’t matter what sport you’re in. … This is about performance. It’s not for the wowsers, we’re actually doing it for the athletes who are still competing.”

That’s Australian Olympic Committee chief executive Matt Carroll, explaining new regulations for the Paris 2024 Games that Australian athletes must leave the Olympic Village after their events conclude, essentially the same rules in place due to Covid-19 restrictions in place in Japan for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

There was plenty of criticism, for example from swimmer James Magnussen, the 2011 and 2013 World 100 m Freestyle Champion and the London 2012 100 m Free silver medalist:

“The moment we’re finished, rather than letting our hair down and relaxing and celebrating and feeling like we’re part of the greater Australian Olympic team, you get kicked out of the village and on your bike.

“What they’re really doing is making the Olympics feel like just another competition rather than the special once-in-a-lifetime experience that generations of Australian athletes have had before.

“That’s missing out on a big part of the mystique of the Olympics and being able to support your teammates and meet athletes from other countries.”

Ken Wallace, a three-time Olympic medalist in canoeing, is the deputy chair of the AOC Athletes’ Commission and said that “the athlete voice was heard,” but was in favor:

“I agree that being in the Olympic Village is a part of the whole Olympic Games experience but I don’t agree that it should outweigh performance. We all love a good larrikin, but we also want to be a respectful team.”

One group that won’t complain will be the track & field athletes, who will be competing in the final week of the Paris Games and won’t have to deal with the sounds of the swimmers.

3.
Kipchoge headlines Monday’s Boston Marathon

The greatest marathoner in history, Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge will compete in his first Boston Marathon on Monday, which also marks the 10-year anniversary of the terrorist bombing which caused three deaths and 281 injuries, which included 14 amputations.

Memorial events were held on Saturday. Monday’s race, the 127th Boston Marathon, features outstanding elite fields, including a dozen men with lifetime bests under 2:06:

● 2:01:09 (2022), Kipchoge ~ 2016 and 2020 Olympic gold
● 2:03:00 (2020), Evans Chebet (KEN) ~ Boston winner 2022
● 2:03:00 (2022), Gabriel Geay (TAN)
● 2:03:40 (2019), Herpasa Negasa (ETH)
● 2:04:24 (2022), Benson Kipruto (KEN) ~ Boston winner 2021
● 2:04:45 (2013), Lelisa Desisa (ETH) ~ Boston winner 2013-15
● 2:04:49 (2018), Shura Tola Kitata (ETH)
● 2:05:01 (2022), John Korir (KEN)
● 2:05:13 (2017), Norbert Kigen (KEN)
● 2:05:34 (2022), Ghirmay Ghebreslassie (ETH) ~ 2015 World Champion
● 2:05:45 (2022), Andualem Belay (ETH)
● 2:05:49 (2015), Mark Korir (KEN)

The women’s field includes nine with bests under 2:20:

● 2:14:58 (2022), Amane Beriso (ETH)
● 2:17:29 (2022), Sheila Chepkirui Kiprotich (KEN)
● 2:17:43 (2021), Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN)
● 2:17:45 (2020), Lonah Chemtai Salpeter (ISR)
● 2:17:57 (2021), Angela Tanui (KEN)
● 2:18:11 (2022), Gotytom Gebreselassie (ETH) ~ 2022 World Champion
● 2:18:11 (2022), Fancy Chemutai (KEN)
● 2:19:10 (2022), Hiwot Gebrekidan Gebremaryam (ETH)
● 2:19:50 (2012), Edna Kiplagat (KEN) ~ Boston winner 2021

Kipchoge is continuing his tour of the six World Marathon Majors, having run Berlin and London five times each, Chicago once (2014) and Tokyo once (2022). After Boston, he still has New York to go.

He’s run 17 career marathons, winning 15, with one second and one eighth; he’s won four in a row, and owns two Olympic golds, but has never contested the World Championships.

The race record is the famed 2:03:02 “wind-aided” race from 2011, when Kenyans Geoffrey Mutai and Moses Mosop (2:03:06) went 1-2; the next best time from any other race is 2:05:52 by Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot (KEN) from 2010. Kipchoge’s top-10 marathon times – on flat courses, to be sure – average 2:03:08!

The race will be shown live in the U.S. on ESPN, with the men’s field designated to start at 9:37 a.m. Eastern time and the women at 9:47.

4.
How shot stars Crouser and Ealey make their annual schedules

“Track & field, being a relatively fragmented sport, we don’t have a league, so to say, like the NBA or NFL that sets our schedule, so if I do 10 meets throughout the year, that’s 10 essentially independent contract negotiations. And 10 independent decisions on figuring out whether I do those meets.”

That’s Olympic and World Champion shot putter Ryan Crouser of the U.S., explaining in an online interview at the end of March how he determines which meets to compete in. It’s pretty complex:

“[I]t comes down to a number of factors. The most important, for me, even above money, is the scheduling in terms of training. So pretty much, the way I approach it, I look at the major championship for the year, because that’s the thing that matters the most to me in terms of performing at my best at World Championships.

“And so, I backtrack from there and get an idea of which meet will have the least impact on (a) my base training, of laying that foundation in the weight room, really taking a lot of throws volume, because that all knocks the performances down. So I need to get in my base training and my volume and (b), what will impact my taper.

“So I need about 3-4 quality weeks to taper down, to start doing more dynamic movements in the weight room, really get in focus, adding a lot of double throwing sessions, and competing during that time really throws a wrench into the taper. And so, number one thing for me is performing really well at the major championship and limiting hindrances to that preparation.”

What about money?

“Money is a part of it for sure, but a lot of the time the highest-paying meets are the ones that know they are at an unfortunate time and so there’s always a temptation to kind of chase the money, and that is one thing that I’ve really tried to limit and I think that my performances at majors has really reflected that.

“So at the expense of not earning quite as much, I feel like I’ve performed well in the majors. And, yeah, traveling is also a big part of it. It’s unrealistic to do a high-paying meet in Tokyo and expect to compete in Europe the following week. And so if I can string together a number of meets in a European trip, that’s what I am trying to do right now. But once again, they are independent negotiations, so you like have three meets planned and – shoot, this just happened earlier in the week – I’m not going to name the meets, but had a three-meet tour planned out and one meet didn’t come through like we thought and we have to juggle and re-arrange, and see if that trip is even worth it now that instead of doing three, is it worth it to go over for two because, still, going overseas, you miss a couple days of training, you compete for two meets, it usually takes about a week, but that’s 10 days of training that, if I had just stayed home, that’s a lot of swing in terms of what I am giving up.

“So, there are really a lot of factors. The biggest thing is planning and sticking to that plan, but also remaining flexible in terms of working around the meets. I could also do a one-hour TED Talk, so to say, on how to put together a professional schedule because I feel like that’s a really, really important part of being a professional and performing well, but there’s a lot of factors that come into it at the end of the day.

“My agent gets a little bit frustrated with me at times because he comes through with some good deals that I just can’t sometimes work into my training schedule and my proper preparation for World Champs or Olympics.”

Women’s World Champion Chase Ealey was asked the same question, in advance of both she and Crouser competing in an indoor and an outdoor competition at the forthcoming Drake Relays from 26-29 April:

“That’s really funny that you asked this, I was talking to my coach and my agent today, because official schedules [are now] coming out, of what the meets are and what events are in each meet. And so I really hammered down on what I think my schedule is going to be. I think I’m scheduled right now for 13 meets, I think, including championships and USAs.

“It’s a bit more difficult, kind of gauging where I want to go, now that I am over here [she lives now in England for training purposes], because there are meets I want to do at home, but like you said, it’s a lot of travel, so I have to be careful. So I think my agent and my coach really helped me with that a lot. We try and do things and grab things that might keep me in the same place for a while, so like when I’m going to the U.S., for instance, I kind of want to see if there’s more meets than one within like a week’s span.

“And I try and do that, and it’s kind of about like balancing my energies. So, obviously, there’s going to be a tier system. So Diamond Leagues are going to be at the top of my attention, and then Gold-level meets, and Silver and so on. I think I’d try and go first to where I’m absolutely going to go, which is usually going to be Diamond Leagues, then I try and base it off of the levels, and the timing.”

Obviously, coming back to the U.S. was an attraction for her:

“Drake was one of the meets where there’s multiple meets going on, and one of the big, deciding factors is that my family is from Illinois as well and so they are about five hours away from Des Moines, and so when I talked to my agent – with me living over here – I don’t get to see my people a lot.

“So it was pretty easy to kind of lean more towards going to Drake to start the season so I can see my family. So there’s a lot of different factors that play into it as well now, so most of my U.S. campaign, you’re going to see me do multiple meets, but also kind of, stick around so I can see my family.

“So if I’m going to have to travel that far, when they said there was two meets, I kind of like, that’s even better, because if I can get like all that under my belt, because I like to throw and compete and really feel myself out throughout the season. So, to be able to get two and be in the U.S. for longer, that’s always going to be a plus for me.”

Like most things, it isn’t easy. Crouser was remarkably candid about the timing of training vs. traveling vs. competing, but when you’re obsessed with the major championship of each year, that’s what it takes.

5.
Irvine will build new aquatics center, but not in time for LA28

A new training facility for USA Water Polo has been on the drawing board for years for the Great Park in Irvine, California as part of a larger aquatics center, one of a host of projects that have been delayed for some years.

In March, it appeared that the aquatics center would be built first, but the Irvine City Council, in a 3-2 re-vote, decided to prioritize the “Heart of the Park” programs, which include a “Great Meadow,” an amphitheater, lakes, a botanical garden and other items. A special tax fund was set up for Great Park projects and while the aquatics center will be built, it is now expected to be completed between 2029-32.

The aquatics facility is priced at $80 million, with USA Water Polo contributing $12 million to cover the portion of the project that will used for its training programs.

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ≡

● Ice Hockey ● The 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship ended in Brampton (CAN) the same way as 20 of the 21 prior tournaments: with a Canada vs. U.S. gold-medal final.

Canada came in having won 12 of the 20 and was the two-time defending champions after the American women had reeled off five straight between 2013-19. In the semis, the U.S. clubbed the Czech Republic, 9-1, with Amanda Kessel getting two goals, Hilary Knight scoring twice within 1:35 of each other in the second period and Tessa Janecke scoring twice just 4:21 apart in the third.

Canada out-shot Switzerland by 14-2 in the first period of the second semi, but the game remained scoreless. Sarah Fillier finally put Canada up, 1-0, at 11:06 of the second, and then got a second goal almost six minutes later (37:06) for a 2-0 lead at the second intermission. After a Jamie Lee Rattray goal early in the third period, Fillier got a hat trick with 4:56 to play and a 4-0 lead and it ended at 5-1. The Canadians finished with 59 shots to nine for the Swiss.

Sunday’s championship match was hardly a repeat of the taut, endless shoot-out in the group stage after a 3-3 tie. Canada had a 3-2 lead after two periods, with Brianne Jenner scoring twice in the second period, at 5:03 and 9:39, around a Knight goal for the U.S. The Canadians had a 19-14 edge on shots through two periods.

But the U.S. dominated the third period, with Caroline Harvey tying the game at the 5:40 mark, and Canadian penalties created a 5-on-3 situation with 3:52 remaining in the game. Knight got her second goal at 3:10 to play and then, with a 5-on-4 edge, she scored her third goal of the game with 2:43 left.

That put the U.S. up by 5-3 and Canada removed star keeper Ann-Renee Desbiens for an extra attacker and the Americans took advantage with an empty-net goal by Cayla Barnes with 1:58 left for the 6-3 final. Both teams had eight shots in the period, but the U.S. scored four goals to none for the defending World Champions.

For Knight, the three goals were the 99th, 100th and 101st World Championship points in her career, and as the U.S. won its 10th Worlds gold; she has medals from nine of them!

In the third-place match, the Czech Republic had a 2-1 edge at the end of the first period, but the Swiss tied it in the second period, 2-2, before Denisa Krizova got her second goal of the game at 17:16 of the second period for the 3-2 win and the bronze medal. It’s the second straight year for a bronze for the Czechs.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 1984: Los Angeles ● Sad news that Paul Slaughter, who served as the staff photographer of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee for the 1984 Games, has passed away at his home in New Mexico.

He passed away on 6 April after a long illness, according to a message from his wife, Inee, from Santa Fe. Slaughter joined the LAOOC in 1983 and was an accomplished photographer, known especially in the jazz world. His work was heavily included in the LAOOC’s Official Report of the Games of the XXIIIrd Olympiad, published in 1985.

● Archery ● A huge field of more than 800 archers gathered for the AAE Arizona Cup, which also doubles as the first stage (of three) in the USA Archery selection process for the 2023 World Archery Championships.

The Worlds selection process concerned only the 72-arrow qualification round at 70 m, led by triple Olympic medalist and 2019 World Champion Brady Ellison at 690 points, followed by Jackson Mirich (668) and Tokyo Olympian Jack Williams (660).

Fellow Tokyo Olympian Casey Kaufhold, the 2021 Worlds silver medalist, led the women’s round at 657 points, with Jennifer Mucino-Fernandez (639) and Catalina GNoriega (639).

In the elimination rounds on Sunday, London 2012 Olympian Jacob Wukie of the U.S., now 36, upset Ellison in the semis, 6-5, but was defeated in the final by rising star Mirich, 22, 6-2. Ellison took the bronze, 6-0, over Gabe Anderson.

Kaufhold stormed through the elimination rounds, winning 6-0, 6-0, 6-0, 7-1, 6-0 in her semi and then 7-3 in the final over Gabrielle Sasai. Mucino-Fernandez won the bronze, 7-3, over Eunice Choi.

● Athletics ● At the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, California, Tokyo Olympic runner-up Rai Benjamin of the U.S. grabbed the world lead in the 400 m hurdles, winning in 47.74, the fifth straight year in which he has run under 48 seconds.

Italy’s Emmanuel Ihemeje won the triple jump at 17.47 mw (57-3 3/4w: +2.8 m/s), but also grabbed the world lead at 17.29 m (56-8 3/4 legal).

American Will Williams won the men’s long jump at 8.23 m (27-0), moving to no. 2 on the world outdoor list for 2023, with Kemonie Briggs (USA) just behind at 8.22 m (26-11 3/4). Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna, the Worlds silver winner in 2022 and a soph at Cal, won the men’s discus at 68.35 m (224-3), second only to his world leader of 68.39 m (224-4) earlier this year.

American Vashti Cunningham, the 2016 World Indoor Champion, won the women’s high jump at 1.98 m (6-6) to equal the world outdoor lead, and Canada’s Camryn Rogers, the 2022 Worlds silver winner, improved her world-leading mark to 77.84 m (255-4).

In a widely-anticipated men’s 100 m, Cravont Charleston of the U.S. won in a wind-aided 9.87 m (+3.0 m/s), over Kyree King (9.98) and 400 m World Champion Michael Norman (10.02).

At the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida, Arkansas’ reigning NCAA champ Britton Wilson grabbed the world lead in the women’s 400 m hurdles in 53.23 on Friday, then won the women’s 400 m Saturday in a collegiate record of 49.51. That’s 0.06 faster than Olympic 800 m champ Athing Mu (USA) ran for Texas A&M in 2021. Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke (Texas) was second in a national record of 49.90. Wilson is no. 7 all-time U.S., but has already run 49.48 indoors in 2023!

In the men’s 110 m hurdles, World Champion Grant Holloway of the U.S. won in 13.03, the best in the world so far in 2023.

Texas star Julien Alfred (LCA) took the world lead in the women’s 200 m at 21.91, a national record (wind: +1.8 m/s), while men’s 100 m winner Terrence Jones (BAH-Texas Tech) took the men’s 100 m world lead. Alfred also won the women’s 100 m in a sensational 10.72, but with an aiding wind of +2.4 m/s, just over the allowable limit of 2.0.

World 200 m champ Noah Lyles of the U.S. won his race in 20.16 (-1.2), but Uganda’s Tarsis Orogot – competing for Alabama – won his section in 19.60, which was also wind-aided at +2.9 m/s. Lyles also won his section of the 100 m in 9.95 (+1.6), the earliest he has ever run that fast!

Claire Bryant of Florida was third in the women’s long jump, but took the outdoor world lead with a legal mark of 6.75 m (22-1 3/4), while Thea LaFond (DMA) won the women’s triple jump with an outdoor world leader of 14.13 m (46-4 1/4).

Belgium’s Bashir Abdi won Sunday’s Rotterdam Marathon in a swift 2:03:47 to take the world lead in the event for 2023. It was his second win in the event, and only slightly slower than his European Record of 2:03:36 from 2021. He had to run that fast to beat Timothy Kiplagat (KEN) by three seconds (2:03:50). Tokyo Olympic runner-up Abdi Nageeye (NED) was third in 2:05:32.

Eunice Chumba (BRN) won the women’s race in 2:20:51.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced a 16-month suspension of American high jump star Inika McPherson, after an arbitration hearing. Per the USADA:

“McPherson, 36, tested positive for furosemide as the result of an out-of-competition urine sample collection on June 3, 2022. Furosemide is a Specified Substance in the class of Diuretics and Other Masking Agents and is prohibited at all times …

“McPherson’s violation resulted from her use of another person’s [grandmother’s] prescription furosemide medication under the mistaken belief that it was a permitted anti-inflammatory medication. The independent arbitrator found that McPherson’s reduced degree of fault warranted a reduced sanction of 16 months from the default two-year period of ineligibility.”

Her suspension began on 22 July 2022; she will be eligible once again on 23 November 2023, meaning she could compete in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials for the Paris Games. McPherson was a 2016 Olympian (10th) and made four U.S. Worlds teams, in 2011-13-17-19; she has a best of 1.96 m (6-5) from 2014 and 2017. This is her second doping positive; she was previously suspended for 21 months from July 2014 to April 2016.

Another passing, this time of talented sportswriter John Crumpacker, who enthusiastically covered football and track & field, most memorably for the San Francisco Examiner. He died last week at his home in Bullhead City, Arizona, at age 67, according to a story by his long-time friend Jeff Faraudo on SI.com.

Originally from Southern California, Crumpacker was a Cal alum (‘77) and became a fixture for years at the U.S. nationals, Olympic Trials, the Olympic Games and many more meets. He founded – really – the Miruts Yifter Fan Club in the 1970s and proudly wore the T-shirts he produced for the club members.

He loved track and tried to get to as many meets as possible, sending back reports to the Examiner even when he was not on assignment. The sport needs more reporters like him today.

● Curling ● The Grand Slam of Curling Players Championship in Toronto (CAN) had plenty of drama and upsets in both the men’s and women’s finals.

The men’s tournament saw Swiss Yannick Schwaller’s rink, fresh off its Worlds bronze medal in Ottawa, advance to the final with a 4-1 win over Italian Joel Retornaz’s squad in a repeat of the Worlds bronze-medal match. Canadian Kevin Koe, a two-time World Champion, somehow found three points in the eighth end to pull out a 7-6 semifinal victory over 2023 Worlds silver winner Brad Gushue (CAN).

Schwaller had the best record in the Worlds round-robin, but was tripped up in his semi. In Toronto, he had a 3-1 lead after four ends, but Koe came back with one in the fifth to close to 3-2, then Schwaller scored in the sixth to lead by 4-2. But Koe’s last end magic came through again, with another three points in the eighth for a 6-5 win, his first Grand Slam victory since the 2018 Players Championship!

The superstar Swiss women’s team, skipped by Silvana Tirinzoni and four-time defending World Champions, got to the final by beating Korea’s Eun-ji Gim, 4-2, while Sweden’s Isabella Wrana’s squad took a 7-0 lead and cruised in with a 10-3 victory over Canada’s Kerri Einarson.

In the final, Wrana – skip on the 2017 World Junior Champions – scored three times in the fourth end for a 4-1 lead and twice more in the sixth to go up, 6-2. The Swiss closed to 6-4 in the seventh, and got a point in the eighth, but it ended with a 6-5 upset for the Swedes. It’s the first Grand Slam victory for Wrana’s rink, which had reached the semis twice prior in Grand Slam tournaments this season.

● Cycling ● Sunday saw the 57th Amstel Gold Race for men and another win – his third on the UCI World Tour already this season – for two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia.

The men’s route covered a hilly, 253.6 km from Maastricht to Berg en Terblijt. After a group of 11 riders broke away with 90 km remaining, then Pogacar attacked again and whittled the lead group down to five and finally broke away for good with 28 km to go. He won in 6:02:02, 38 seconds up on Ben Healy (IRL) and 2:14 ahead of Tom Pidcock (GBR), Andreas Kron (DEN) and Andrey Lutsenko (KAZ).

Pogacar won Paris-Nice, was fourth at Milan-Sanremo, third at the E3 Saxo Classic and now has won the Tour of Flanders and Amstel Gold; he’ll next try two more Classics this week: La Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. He’s amazing.

The ninth women’s edition was 155.8 km from Maastricht to Valkenburg, but was not decided until close to the end. The field was still bunched with home favorite Demi Vollering attacked and held on from about 1.8 km out, winning in 4:06:54. Another 14 riders were within 10 seconds, led by Lotte Kopecky (BEL), Shirin van Anrooij (NED) and Pole Kasia Niewiadoma, all eight seconds behind.

Vollering is also having a big year with two wins (also Dwars Door Vlaanderen) and a second (Tour of Flanders) in her four World Tour races this season.

● Diving ● China underscored its dominance of the sport at the opening World Aquatics World Cup for 2023, in Xi’an (CHN), winning all nine events, usually by wide margins.

Reigning World Champion Zongyuan Wong won the men’s 3 m Springboard final by more than 100 points, 553.15 to 442.95 for Britain’s two-time Olympic medalist, Jack Laugher, and 438.70 for Germany’s Moritz Wesemann. Two-time Worlds medal winner Hao Yang took the 10 m Platform by 574.40 to 518.30 for Ukraine’s Oleksii Sereda, with Japan’s Rikuto Tamai third (433.80).

In the Syncho events, Wang and Daoyi Long (CHN) won the men’s Springboard final with 484.74 points to 414.75 for Laugher and Anthony Harding (GBR); Wesemann and Lars Rudiger (GER) finished third at 389.34. The 2022 World Champions, China’s Junjie Lian and Yang, won the 10 m Platform final, scoring 457.23, with 2022 Worlds runner-ups Matthew Lee and Noah Williams (GBR) second at 418.98.

China went 1-2 in the women’s 3 m Springboard final, with World Champion Yiwen Chen (392.70) an easy winner, ahead of teammate (and Worlds bronze winner) Yani Chang (336.55), with Sayaka Mikami (JPN: 302.30) third. Olympic and World Champion Yuxi Chen won a tight battle with teammate Hongchan Quan in the 10 m Platform, 431.20 to 423.50, with Andrea Spendolini Sirieix (360.30) third.

World Champions Yiwen Chen and Chang overpowered the field in the Springboard Synchro gold at 329.52, with Scarlett Mew Jensen and Yasmin Harper (GBR) second at 281.43. In the Synchro Platform final, it was China’s World Champions, Yuxi Chen and Quan. scoring 373.70 to 310.44 for Britain’s Spendolini Sirieix and Lois Toulson.

China won the Mixed Team event, scoring 469.35 to 425.35 for Germany and 420.15 for Great Britain.

● Figure Skating ● The United States won its fifth ISU World Team Trophy title in Tokyo on Saturday, piling up 120 points to easily skate past Korea (95) and Japan (94).

The eighth edition, in 2023, saw the U.S. get overall wins in Pairs (Worlds runner-ups Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier: 230.12) and Ice Dance (World Champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates: 232.32). Ilia Milanin (279.54) and Jason Brown (279.04) went 2-4 in the men’s Singles and Isabeau Levito (213.87) and Amber Glenn (195.01) finished 3-6 in the women’s Singles.

Korea swept the Singles titles with World Championships runner-up Jun-hwan Cha taking the men’s gold at 289.15, and Worlds silver winner Hae-in Lee winning the women’s division at 215.47 over World Champion Kaori Sakamoto (JPN: 218.44).

Chock and Bates were on fire, receiving world-best scores on the Rhythm Dance of 92.91 (old best, 93.73, Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron [FRA] in 2022) and then 138.41 in the Free Dance, eclipsing the 137.09 by Papadakis and Cizeron last year. The total of 232.32 was more than two points up on the 229.82 for Papadakis and Cizeron at the 2022 Worlds.

The U.S. (5-2-1) and Japan (2-1-5) are the only nations to win a medal in all eight editions of the event.

● Football ● The draw for the 16-team 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup was completed, with the defending champion U.S. to compete with Jamaica, Nicaragua and the winner of a qualifying competition in Group A beginning on 24 June (schedules to come later). The groups:

● A: Jamaica, Nicaragua, United States, qualifying winner 9
● B: Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Qatar
● C: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Panama, qualifying winner 8
● D: Canada, Cuba, Guatemala, qualifying winner 7

Mexico has won the Gold Cup eight times, and the U.S. has won seven. Matches will be held at 13 U.S. venues and in Toronto.

● Gymnastics ● All-Around World Champion Sofia Raffaeli returned to the top of the podium in the All-Around at the Rhythmic World Cup in Tashkent (UZB).

Uzbekistan’s home favorite, Takhmina Ikromova was second, with Germany’s Margaret Kolosov getting her first medal of the season.

Raffaeli went on to sweep the apparatus finals in Hoop, Ball, Clubs and Ribbon, with Kolosov second in Hoop and Ball and third in Ribbon. German teammate Darja Varfolomeev won silvers with Clubs and Ribbon.

● Modern Pentathlon ● The second UIPM World Cup was in Ankara (TUR), with the 2019 World Junior Champion, Egypt’s Mohanad Shaban winning his second career World Cup with 1,527 points, defeating the Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist, Korea’s Woong-tae Jun (1,510), and Egyptian teammate Ahmed Elgendy (1,500).

Shaban’s consistency got him through: he won the fencing, was sixth in swimming, third in riding and started with a 12-second lead over Jun in the Laser Run, Even with the no. 7 time, it was good enough to win. Jun was sturdy – third in fencing, fifth in swimming, fourth in riding, but was only 12th overall in the Laser Run, 4.7 seconds slower than Shaban.

Lithuania’s Ieva Serapinaite won a very narrow women’s contest, 1,386-1,384, over German Rebecca Langrehr. Serapinaite was seventh in fencing, seventh in swimming and won riding, meaning that her 10th-place finish in the Laser Run (12:04.0) was enough to win. Langrehr was fifth in the Laser Run (11:44.90) and won the silver ahead of Mexico’s Mariana Arceo (1,380), who was third in the Laser Run (11:39.50).

● Sailing ● World Sailing made a statement on Friday that following the new IOC recommendations, it is taking up the issue of Russian and Belarusian re-entry:

“Given the broad diversity of sailing and given the strong views held by World Sailing’s Member National Authorities, the Board’s position is that the wider decision on the return to international sailing events will be made in consultation with the World Sailing Council at the Mid-Year Meeting, to be held on 18 May 2023. Following the Council meeting, the Board intend to make a decision, subject to World Sailing’s policies and regulations.”

● Ski Mountaineering ● The final race of the season-ending ISMF World Cup in Tromso (NOR) was the Sprint, with Swiss Arno Lietha winning the men’s division in 2:05.40, ahead of Oriol Cardona Coll of Spain (2:05.67) and Swiss Matteo Favre (2:10.76). It was Lietha’s fifth Sprint win of the season!

The women’s gold went to fellow Swiss and 2023 Worlds silver medalist Marianne Fatton in 2:35.03, beating Emily Harrop (FRA: 2:38.66) and Deborah Chiarello-Marti (SUI: 2:40.21). It was Fatton’s first win of the season and seventh in her career. Harrop’s silver followed her wins in the Vertical and Individual races in Tromso

● Swimming ● American Regan Smith and French star Leon Marchand won four events each to highlight the Tyr Pro Swim Series in Westmont, Illinois that concluded on Saturday.

In fact, the meet had 11 swimmers who were responsible for winning 27 of the 34 events (all from the U.S. unless noted):

Men (6):
● Hunter Armstrong: 100 m Free, 50-100 m Back
● Shaine Casas: 50-100 m Fly
● Nic Fink: 50-100 m Breast
● Bobby Finke: 800-1,500 m Free
● Leon Marchand (FRA): 200 m Breast, 200 m Fly, 200-400 m Medley
● Kieran Smith: 200-400 m Free

Women (5):
● Leah Hayes: 200-400 m Medley
● Lydia Jacoby: 50-100 m Breast
● Leah Smith: 400-800 m Free
● Regan Smith: 100-200 m Back, 100-200 m Fly
● Abbey Weitzeil: 50-100 m Free

Marchand, who trains at Arizona State with legendary coach Bob Bowman, won the NCAA 200-yard Breast and the 200-400 yard Medleys in March and won the 200 m Breaststroke, both medleys and the 200 m Butterfly in Westmont. He claimed world-leading marks in the 200 m Medley at 1:55.68 and at 4:07.90 in the 400 m Medley.

The other men’s world leaders were Armstrong of the U.S. in the 100 m Back (52.59), beating training partner (and Rio 2016 Olympic champ) Ryan Murphy. Hungarian Hubert Kos, who also swims at Arizona State, took the world lead in the 200 m Back at 1:55.95.

No world leaders for the women, but Smith was sensational in the backstrokes, taking the 100 in 57.90, no. 2 in the world for 2023 and the equal-12th performance all-time. She won the 200 m in 2:04.76, the equal-10th fastest performance ever and also no. 2 on the 2023 world list.

U.S. sprint star Weitzeil’s 100 m Free win in 53.36 brought to no. 3 on the 2023 list.

● Table Tennis ● China swept to both the men’s and women’s titles at the WTT Champions tournament in Xinxiang (CHN), with Zhendong Fan and Yingsha Sun coming out in top.

The Tokyo silver medalist, Fan is ranked no. 1 and defeated Korea’s Jong-hoon Lim in a 4-3 thriller in the semis and then steamed past Chinese teammate Jingkun Liang in the final, 4-1. Sun, also ranked no. 1, defended her WTT Champions win from 2022 with a 4-1 win over Chinese teammate Yidi Wang. American entry Lily (Beiwen) Zhang was eliminated in the first round.

● Water Polo ● The U.S. and the Netherlands won their groups in the World Aquatics Women’s World Cup Division I in Rotterdam (NED) and advanced to the World Cup Super Final to be held in June.

The American women, the Tokyo Olympic and 2022 World Champions, suffered a rare loss in their opener against Spain, losing 17-15 in a penalty shoot-out, after a 12-12 tie in regulation. However, Spain then lost to Italy, 13-9, while the U.S. beat China, 12-5, and then got by the Italians, 14-13 in their final match to end at 3-1 and seven points. Italy ended 2-1, with six points, and the Spanish placed their at 2-1, but with a penalty win, for five total points.

The Dutch women had less trouble, winning all three of their games, including the group decider against Hungary (2-1), 12-11. Greece (1-2) finished third.

● Weightlifting ● Another clash between politics and sport came on Saturday at the European Weightlifting Championships in Yerevan (ARM), as the Azerbaijani delegation withdrew following an incident during the opening ceremony. Per The Associated Press:

“[A] man ran onto the stage at the competition’s opening ceremony, seized an Azerbaijan flag and set it on fire.

“Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Youth and Sports said the incident Friday night in Yerevan showed that ‘when such an atmosphere of hatred reigns in Armenia, security is not ensured, the normal participation of Azerbaijani athletes in competitions is impossible due to psychological pressure.’”

The flag-stealer was apparently an Armenian public television staff member; he was released by police after questioning. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been arguing over “ethnically Armenian region of Nagorno-Karabakh within Azerbaijan” and the main access road to it, increasing tensions between the two countries.

The European Weightlifting Federation posted a statement that included:

“The European Weightlifting Federation strongly condemns the incident that happened during the Opening Ceremony of the European Weightlifting Championships in Yerevan on April 14, 2023, in which a person set fire to the flag of Azerbaijan …

“We regret the fact that the delegation of the Republic of Azerbaijan had to leave the competition, but at the same time respects it. We were directly involved in ensuring all security conditions for the delegation until it left Armenia.”

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TSX REPORT: Civil wars have started or continue in boxing, pentathlon and tennis; WTA caves to China on Peng Shuai

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Civil War I: New World Boxing federation breaks away from IBA
2. Civil War II: Modern pentathletes and UIPM continue tug-of-words
3. Civil War III: Ukrainian tennis players slam WTA’s Simon
4. WTA folds, will hold tournaments in China again
5. French Olympics minister says Paris 2024 budget steady

Internal dissension struck boxing on Thursday as a new International Federation – World Boxing – was formed to challenge the International Boxing Association for control of the sport within the Olympic Movement. The IBA announced a sanctions process to expel the breakaway federations, which includes USA Boxing. In modern pentathlon, UIPM President Klaus Schormann (GER) cited improved harmony within the federation, but a Pentathlon United poll continues to show wide dissatisfaction. And the re-admission of boxing, pentathlon and weightlifting to the LA28 program may also depend on what added sports the Los Angeles organizers are interested in. The Ukrainian players in the Women’s Tennis Association sent an angry message to the WTA leadership, demanding that any Russian or Belarusian athletes playing on the tour renounce the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, the WTA announced it would resume staging tournaments in China as its protests of the treatment of former Chinese doubles star Peng Shuai got nowhere. In Paris, the French Sports and Olympics minister said in a radio interview that the Paris 2024 organizing committee and public construction budgets are on track.

● World Championship: Ice hockey (Canada and U.S. win in women’s quarters) ●
● Panorama: Russia (3: Triathlon OKs Russian re-entry; Int’l Paralympic Committee will make up its own mind; elected FIE chief Usmanov sanctioned by U.S. and Britain) = Ski Mountaineering (Bonnet and Harrop win in World Cup finale) = Swimming (Armstrong and Marchand get world leads at Tyr Pro Swim) ●

1.
Civil War I: New World Boxing federation breaks away from IBA

It’s on now. As described by GB Boxing, the national federation for the sport in Great Britain:

“GB Boxing has welcomed the creation of a new international federation, World Boxing, which aims to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement.

“It has been created in response to the persistent issues surrounding Olympic-style boxing’s existing international governing body, whose failure to address the IOC’s longstanding concerns over sporting integrity, governance, transparency and financial management has placed boxing’s future as an Olympic sport in doubt.

“World Boxing will seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and plans to work constructively and collaboratively to develop a pathway that will preserve boxing’s ongoing place on the Olympic competition programme.”

The new federation includes representatives from the same countries which have been at odds with the International Boxing Association and its Russian President, Umar Kremlev. The next steps:

“World Boxing will hold its inaugural Congress in November 2023. In the period between the launch of World Boxing and the inaugural Congress it will be led by an interim Executive Board made-up of representatives from boxing organisations in Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Sweden and the USA. It will be overseen on a day-to-day basis by Interim Secretary General, Simon Toulson [GBR], who has extensive experience in international sport having previously led the International Canoe Federation (ICF) and the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF).”

The new federation is based in Switzerland and unveiled a Web site heavy with governance documents and procedures and is inviting member federations to apply, with the first members to be announced in May.

This success or failure of this effort to displace the International Boxing Association as the international governing body of boxing with regard to the Olympic Games will, inevitably be up to the International Olympic Committee.

Withdrawal of recognition of an existing International Federation can only be done by the IOC Session, which will meet in October in Mumbai (IND).

The IBA, of course, issued a furious statement later in the day, which included the expected sanctions procedures:

“As there is no other reason of establishing a rogue organization, other than to attempt to destroy the integrity of the International Boxing Association[, the] IBA strongly condemns the efforts of individuals to damage the significant strides taken by the IBA over last years to secure boxers’ the best future possible. Ambitions of individuals will never serve as a solid foundation for a successful organisation nor the destructive motives that have led to the creation of this rogue organization.

“Consequences for the following breaches of the IBA Constitution, IBA Membership Policy, IBA Disciplinary and Ethics Code, and Technical and Competition Rules can be found below:

● “Participation in another international boxing association will lead to the exclusion of the National Federation concerned from the IBA membership.

● “Officials of the National Federation joining another international boxing association will be declared non-eligible by the IBA.

● “Officials, Confederations, or National Federations who join another international boxing association will be sanctioned by the [Boxing Independent Integrity Unit] Tribunal.

● “National Federations, their teams, individual Boxers or the Competition Officials participating in the competitions of another international boxing association will be sanctioned by the BIIU Tribunal.”

Just a few hours earlier, the IBA slapped the IOC in the face, posting a statement which demanded that the IOC revoke Paris 2024 qualifying status from the upcoming European Games in Poland in view of the refusal to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate.

The IOC chose this competition as the first European qualifier, while the IBA has adopted rules that allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete without any restrictions at all, far apart from the IOC’s new recommendations requiring neutrality.

The IOC may also announce at its Executive Board meeting in June whether boxing will be part of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic program, along with weightlifting and modern pentathlon.

2.
Civil War II: Modern pentathletes and UIPM continue tug-of-words

In an interview with Reuters, Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne President Klaus Schormann (GER) proclaimed that the removal of riding and replacement with obstacle-course racing will assure the sport’s future on the Olympic program for 2028:

“Thanks to the global popularity of shows like SASUKE and Ninja Warrior, we’re giving this consumer group a new reason to engage with the Games while providing networks with a broadcast-friendly format that works well for commercial partners.”

He also said that the divisions within the sport were healing nicely:

“We’re constantly in touch with the athlete community, with the UIPM Athletes Committee involved in all meetings and we talk to athletes on the ground in every competition.

“I can’t summarise the view of every athlete but I feel strongly there’s more harmony now … and that’s because our union has done so much in the past year to answer the concerns of anybody who had doubts about the path we must take.”

Maybe not.

In response, the athlete activist group Pentathlon United conducted a poll from 5-12 April, asking whether they thought the sport would be included at LA28 and whether the current UIPM leadership “are the right people to safeguard the sport for the future.”

There were 198 replies from 18 nations, self-identified as athletes (58.1%), coaches or officials (14.1%) and parents or fans (27.8%). Of the athlete and coach respondents, 70.3% felt it was unlikely that the sport would be re-admitted for 2028 (74.2% overall), and 87.4% had little or no confidence in the current UIPM leadership (89.4% overall).

That’s not a big sample size, but it’s worth remembering that the 115 or so athletes who replied is more than the total quota for an Olympic competition of 72!

Former British pentathlete Olympic Kate Allenby, the Sydney 2000 bronze medalist, explained in an online interview that the Pentathlon United group was formed to give those athletes who were not being listened to a voice:

“Pentathlon United was born out of a lack of representation of the athletes by official athlete bodies. But we don’t have a seat at the table, and we are a vehicle to give a voice to the athletes that feel they can’t speak. …

“The athletes within pentathlon, we know, have been shut down, and so they are not allowed to use their voice. They’re sanctioned, or there’s the threat of sanction, so Pentathlon United is a really important voice because we can speak on their behalf. We have athletes contacting us all the time [about this].”

She further explained that the athlete resistance to removing riding wasn’t simply a reaction to the infamous horse-punching incident at the Tokyo Games, where the horse Saint Boy refused to jump with German pentathlete Annika Schleu aboard and was hit by Schleu’s coach. It had a much longer build-up:

“I think, if you listened to what the athletes wanted, they felt that there was – over the last 20 years – the riding event has been dumbed down and dumbed down and dumbed down, until you have the disaster that was in Tokyo. They feel that the riding hasn’t been addressed, there hasn’t been an attempt at addressing the issues that come through the riding phase – the horse welfare, the athlete safety – and they wanted an effort put in on that side.

“And the reforms that Pentathlon United pushed out are the reforms that the athletes want.”

And as for the UIPM’s insistence that horses cannot be found for the sport, she observed, “They’re not embedded in the [equestrian] community, so they can’t find the horses. … The equine welfare standards in our sport, compared to the FEI, are two different galaxies apart.”

The IOC Executive Board will likely announce in June its recommendation for whether the sport will be included in Los Angeles in 2028. Allenby considered the impact of both options:

“If pentathlon gets in, what does ‘getting in’ mean? Is it secure for LA28, is it secure for Brisbane? What is the security the IOC gives it in the first instance? So that’s a question I’m going to bat straight back.

“If it’s in, then it needs to have ticked all the IOC criteria, to show reduction in cost and complexity, to show accessibility, universality, and those numbers need to be demonstrated by UIPM, and if they’ve done that, then brilliant. … It will be a different sport, it will be different athletes coming into the sport.”

And if modern pentathlon is out of the 2028 Games?

“If the sport’s out, then the big question is – you throw the question back out there – why did you get rid of riding? And what’s happening to the sport now, what’s happening to the leadership, because that will be unsustainable to stay in that position and to have led the sport down this pathway, to a disaster.

“So the question has to be asked, what is modern pentathlon now? And who’s going to run it?”

Observed: The questions surrounding modern pentathlon and the 2028 Los Angeles Games have dimensions outside of whatever reforms the UIPM has made. The forthcoming IOC Executive Board decisions on 2028 will be made in concert with the LA28 organizers, not only on boxing, modern pentathlon and weightlifting, but also on whatever additional sports that LA28 would like to include.

Recognizing the 10,500 athlete limit now in force, by not including modern pentathlon, LA28 would get 72 places back to use – perhaps – for baseball and softball or other sports. Not re-admitting boxing would provide 248 more places. Weightlifting for Paris in 2024 was allocated 120; the three together total 440 athlete quota slots.

IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell (NZL) has been clear that the Pentathlon United voice has been heard and that the lack of unity in modern pentathlon community will be taken into account in the IOC Executive Board’s deliberation on a recommendation for the remainder of the 2028 program. Lamented Allenby:

“We tried and tried to meet with Schormann last year and it just was a sham. And it was so disappointing, because the IOC came out and said, you’ve got to involve these athletes, and they didn’t.”

A third way might be to look to the future beyond 2028. The IOC could fund the UIPM as if it were held in Los Angeles – the amount was $12.98 million for Tokyo, a rounding error for the IOC – and insist that the federation come together and unify for a 2032 slot in Brisbane with new leadership (Schormann has said he will not run for another term, having been the head of the UIPM since 1993). That’s essentially what wrestling did when it was thrown off the program, and weightlifting is undergoing a similar transformation now. It might work for pentathlon, too.

3.
Civil War III: Ukrainian tennis players slam WTA’s Simon

The promised call between the Women’s Tennis Association leadership and Ukrainian players over Russian and Belarusian participation took place last week, with considerable consternation on the part of the players on comments made by chief executive Steve Simon (USA).

The men’s and women’s tennis tours have had the position since the Russian invasion of Ukraine started in February 2022 that Russian and Belarusian players would be allowed to compete, but as neutral athletes. This has caused well-publicized issues on the women’s tour and the Ukrainian players posted a two-slide statement about last week’s meeting on Twitter on Wednesday, which included:

● “You [WTA] must clearly and unequivocally determine whether his words – ‘players from Russia and Belarus have a right to support the war. It’s their own opinion and they shouldn’t be punished for it” is it WTA policy or is it his personal view and not in line with company policy.”

● “We need a clear and understandable public position of each player from Russia and Belarus regarding the invasion of Ukraine by the armies of Russia and Belarus, regarding the genocide of the Ukrainian people by Russia and Belarus.”

● “Every player from Russia and Belarus who supports the invasion of our country or shares the views of the leadership of his country regarding Ukraine should be suspended from all tournaments in which Ukrainians participate.”

● “Every player from Russia and Belarus who condemns the invasion of Ukraine, the actions of the Russian and Belarusian armies on the territory of Ukraine, and the policy of the state leadership in relation to Ukraine, can continue to compete in all tournaments without exception.”

● “Every player from Russia and Belarus, who for some reason cannot publicly express his attitude to the events in Ukraine or the policies of the leadership of his country, receives a protected ranking and returns to the tour only after the war is completely over.”

● “Your option.”

The statement asks for a reply in five days, which would be next Monday. A later tweet noted a report of a meeting between former Russian tennis star Shamil Tarpischev – an IOC member – and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Tarpischev said:

“Regarding the ATP and WTA tournaments, we do not see any problems.”

4.
WTA folds, will hold tournaments in China again

On Thursday, the WTA issued a statement, capitulating to China on its demands for a direct meeting with China’s former doubles star Peng Shuai and an investigation of her allegations of sexual harassment by a former Vice Premier:

“In 2021, when Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai bravely came forward, the WTA took a stance and suspended its operation of events in China out of concern for her safety and the safety of our players and staff. When we moved forward with this decision, we were not sure if others would join us. We received much praise for our principled stand and believe we sent a powerful message to the world. But praise alone is insufficient to bring about change.

“After 16 months of suspended tennis competition in China and sustained efforts at achieving our original requests, the situation has shown no sign of changing. We have concluded we will never fully secure those goals, and it will be our players and tournaments who ultimately will be paying an extraordinary price for their sacrifices.

“For these reasons, the WTA is lifting its suspension of the operation of tournaments in the People’s Republic of China (‘PRC’) and will resume tournaments in China this September.”

The statement further explained:

“We have not been able to achieve everything we set out for, but we have been in touch with people close to Peng and are assured she is living safely with her family in Beijing. We also have received assurances that WTA players and staff operating in China will be safe and protected while in the country. The WTA takes this commitment seriously and will hold all parties responsible.”

Simon told The Associated Press:

“We’ve got players from over 80 countries, so there’s no shortage of different views of the world and positions on issues and topics we have.

“Through reach-out to us, as well as our reaching out to athletes to find out their positions, the great majority of the athletes were supportive and wanted to see a return back to the region and felt it was time to go back. … There’s certainly some that didn’t agree but the great majority did.”

Simon’s last sentence says a lot.

5.
French Olympics minister says Paris 2024 budget steady

Amelie Oudea-Castera, France’s Minister of Sports and the Olympic Games, appeared on FranceInfo radio on Wednesday and explained that the cost of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games is on track.

“There is no slippage,” she said, noting the “Organizing Committee’s budget is 4.4 billion euros, 96% financed exclusively by private funds” and “the budget of [Olympic construction authority] Solideo is 3.8 billion euros.” That’s $4.87 billion and $4.20 billion U.S., or $9.07 billion together.

She added that the original forecasts were changed by a “cost increase of 10% on the budget of the Organizing Committee, including 5% for inflation.”

As for the question of Russian and Belarusian athletes, she re-stated her position, that “Russian athletes who have directly or indirectly supported the war, who are more or less affiliated with the Russian army, will not have their place in the 2024 Games.” She also repeated that while the International Olympic Committee has the last word in the matter, but that French President Emmanuel Macron will inject his own view “in good time, in the last part of the year.”

She explained that in the continuing planning for the Opening Ceremonies on the Seine River, the question of the total number of spectators is not yet set:

“Work is continuing with the police headquarters, the Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin, and the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, to properly fix what we are going to do on the part of the high quays, but there will in any case be several hundred thousand people who will be able to benefit from this parade of athletes along the six kilometers of the Seine.”

Oudea-Castera also touched on the complaints about the pricing of Olympic tickets, noting “The Olympic Games are every four years and ours are the standard prices. We don’t ask ourselves these questions when we pay to go see a Madonna show.”

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ≡

● Ice Hockey ● The favorites advanced through Thursday’s quarterfinals of the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship, being played in Brampton (CAN).

Top-seed Canada had a tough time with Sweden, only winning a 3-2 decision in overtime, with forward Sarah Nurse getting her second goal of the game after 4:26 of extra play, despite out-shooting the Swedes by 54-14!

The U.S. shut out Germany, 3-0, on goals by Amanda Kessel (first period), Hannah Bilka (second) and Abbey Murphy (third). Aerin Frankel got the shutout for the Americans, who piled up a 52-18 edge on shots.

The Czech Republic skated past previously undefeated Finland, 2-1, with Katerina Mrazova getting the game-winner in the second period. The Czechs scored twice in 49 seconds and won despite being out-shot, 42-22. The Swiss hammered Japan, 5-1, in the last quarterfinal, with Rahel Enzler getting two goals.

On Saturday, the U.S. will meet the Czechs in one semifinal, with Canada and Switzerland in the other. The medal matches will be on Sunday.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Russia ● No end to the news on Russian and Belarusian eligibility, with World Triathlon announcing Thursday that its Executive Board “approved its support, in principle, for the IOC’s recommendation” on a return for neutral individual athletes from those countries.

As with most of the other federations, it has no procedures in place for this, so:

“World Triathlon will in consultation with the IOC and ASOIF work towards developing the necessary independent review processes to allow and plan for the return of these individuals to our competitions and events.”

Andrew Parsons (BRA), the President of the International Paralympic Committee told Japan’s Kyodo News:

“Our position on Russia and Belarus hasn’t changed. The IOC issued a recommendation to the international sports organizations, but it doesn’t apply to the Paralympic movement.

“We always like to be aligned and have strong unity in the world of sports, but this is not something that will be more important. More important is that every single sports organization makes the right decision according to its governance structure and engaging in dialogue with its membership.”

The IPC suspended both the Russian and Belarusian national Paralympic committees and any change will require a vote of the IPC General Assembly, later this year.

Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, the long-time elected head of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) “stepped away” from that office to try to clear himself from sanctions imposed by the European Union. On Thursday, additional sanctions were added by both Great Britain and the United States.

The British Foreign Office announced sanctions on two Cypriot executives who had been helping Usmanov and others hide assets in complex corporations and trusts, and some holding companies in which Usmanov is believed to have interests.

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions against 25 individuals and 29 companies across 20 countries for their roles in financial networks that support Usmanov and his interests. The nations involved include Armenia, China, Malta, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Syria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan.

● Ski Mountaineering ● The final ISMF World Cup of the season is ongoing in Tromso (NOR), with Swiss star Remi Bonnet and France’s Emily Harrop winning the Vertical races.

Bonnet, the 2023 World Champion in both the Vertical and Individual races, won in Tromso in 21:24.4 over Belgium’s 2023 Worlds silver medalist Maximilien Drion du Chapois (22:31.6) and Paul Verbnjak (AUT: 22:52.4).

Harrop, a two-time Worlds relay gold medalist, won the women’s division in 27:20.3 from Sarah Dreier (AUT: 27:42.9) and Italian Giulia Murada (27:55.6). It was Harrop’s fifth World Cup win this season; Dreier was second just as at the World Championships in this race.

The Individual and Sprint races are scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

● Swimming ● Two world-leading marks highlighted the second day of the Tyr Pro Swim Series in Westmont, Illinois.

World-record holder Hunter Armstrong of the U.S. was the convincing winner in the men’s 50 m Backstroke in 24.30, best in the world for 2023. France’s Leon Marchand, who dominated the NCAA Championships, won the men’s 400 m Medley in 4:07.80, also fastest in the world this year.

Tokyo Olympic 100 m Breast gold medalist Lydia Jacoby won a tight race with Rio 2016 Olympic champ Lilly King, 1:06.09 to 1:06.39, with Jacoby moving to no. four on the 2023 world list. Four-time Worlds Backstroke gold medalist Regan Smith took the women’s 100 m Back in 56.92, and Leah Hayes won the women’s 400 m Medley in 4:39.58.

Nic Fink, the 2022 Worlds 50 m Breast winner, took the men’s 100 m Breast (59.95) and Shaine Casas, the reigning U.S. champion, won the men’s 100 m Fly in 51.05.

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: Russian anger, confusion and reprisals boil over; Asian Games costs now out-of-control in Japan; U.S.’s Ealey chasing records at Drake

By
Rich Perelman
-
The 2022 and 2023 World Athletics women's shot put champion, Chase Ealey of the U.S. (Photo: Diamond League AG)

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Confusion, anger, insults and reprisals from Russia
2. Ukraine’s Gutzeit: “We have not lost yet”
3. Cost causes cancellation of Asian Games Village in Nagoya
4. U.S. women defeat Ireland, 1-0, on Cook’s first international goal
5. Ealey chasing American Indoor Record at Drake Relays

The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and the International Olympic Committee’s recommendations to allow – under strict conditions – “neutral” individual Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete internationally again is creating mounting confusion and anger in Russia. No specifics have been issued and Russian fencers may miss the Sabre Grand Prix in Korea at the end of the month. There’s continuing anger at the IOC, at German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser over possible visa refusals and a ban on 42 retired Canadian Olympians who are demanding the IOC’s February 2022 ban be reinstated. Ukrainian Youth and Sports Minister Vadym Gutzeit says his country will continue to pressure the IOC on keeping Russian and Belarusian athletes out of competitions. In Japan, the cost of hosting the 2026 Asian Games in the Aichi prefecture and Nagoya has skyrocketed by 65%, causing the planned construction of a temporary athlete village to be canceled. The U.S. women footballers defeated Ireland, 1-0, on Tuesday to sweep the two-friendly series, but it was a much more tightly contested match than last Saturday’s 2-0 win for the Americans. The 2022 World Champion in the women’s shot, American Chase Ealey is looking forward to a possible American Record at the end of the month in the mixed-gender competition to be held indoors as part of the Drake Relays. And she’s thinking perhaps about the longest throw in the 21st Century!

● World Championship: Ice Hockey (Canada and U.S. on to playoffs) ●
● Panorama: Anti-Doping (Gabon suspended) = Athletics (3,900 hotel room nights for NVAA Indoor in Albuquerque) = Figure Skating (657,000 watch two-week-old rerun of Worlds!) = Football (Britain & Ireland, Turkey and Italy vie for Euro 24/28) = Swimming (Open water 25 km event out of Worlds for good) ●

1.
Confusion, anger, insults and reprisals from Russia

The International Olympic Committee recommendations to allow individual Russian and Belarusian competitors to re-enter international competition as neutrals under strict conditions has been poorly received in Russia.

Despite a partial lifting of the IOC’s requested ban on Russian and Belarusian participation, the mechanics and impact of the new policies are complex and time-consuming.

It appeared that the first Russian and Belarusian entries under the FIE decision to allow them to compete as neutrals might be the Sabre Grand Prix in Seoul (KOR) from 27-29 April. But maybe not, according to Russian Fencing Federation President Ilgar Mammadov:

“The lists have been sent, they are now being forwarded by the FIE [eligibility] commission to lawyers and cybersecurity specialists, but we have fewer and fewer chances to get to the Grand Prix stage in Seoul, there are practically no more of them, since the competitions start on April 27.

“Apart from that, we don’t even know what conditions will be put forward to us. So in words we were allowed to compete, but according to the documents we are not going anywhere yet. And I talked about this two months ago: not a single specific document, everything is just in words.”

In the meantime, angry statements are being made about everyone who is denying Russia’s free entry, without conditions, back into international sport.

Following German Interior Minister Nancy Faesar’s statement on Monday that “host nations are now powerless” in the question of Russian and Belarusian participation – especially in relation to granting entry visas into their countries – Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marina Zakharova fired back on Wednesday:

“This is yet another encroachment on the independence of sports, on the inadmissibility of political involvement in this sphere, against the backdrop of already total sanctions imposed on the Russian sports sector solely for political reasons. Such statements and actions of Western functionaries contradict the fundamental principles of the Olympic Movement.”

Russian Wrestling Federation head Mikhail Mamiashvili told TASS on Wednesday:

“I am inclined to believe that the IOC is trying to take steps to get Russia and Belarus back to international events, but how that all works out is a different issue. We have repeatedly stated our position on this issue: we cannot give in to demands that force our athletes to sacrifice their dignity.

“However, now we must stop and take a look at where we stand and what we stand for, to outline our priorities.”

And the head of the Russian Cross Country Ski Federation, two-time Olympic relay gold medalist (nine-time World Championships winner) Elena Vyalbe, unloaded on Wednesday. Asked if she is concerned that she may not be accredited by the International Ski & Snowboard Federation to attend competitions, even if Russians are allowed, she snapped back:

“I’m not going to adapt to the international federation and even to the International Olympic Committee.”

As for the IOC and President Thomas Bach (GER):

“Bach has already done so much bad for world sports that it is unlikely that any of the subsequent leaders will be able to surpass him. This sports official is completely dependent on sponsors, and therefore on the United States, which was evident from his very first steps as head of the IOC. I have doubts that he has ever even cracked open the Olympic Charter to read what it says, never mind being guided by this document in his work.”

And of the IOC’s demand for a neutral status for Russian and Belarusian athletes?

“And the guys who are now sitting in the trenches and fighting for us, will not be offended by the fact that we give up and go to the competition with a white rag? It really infuriates me when the same questions are constantly exaggerated. I think I’ve said enough about this. I am against a neutral status and I will convince my athletes that we should not be traitors to the motherland. In this difficult situation, they should not be people who split our country into those who will continue to love it and who will hate it. …

“At the moment, we all need to be patriots of our country more than ever. Like never before. During this competitive season, we very often hear the Russian anthem, which is played at our competitions in honor of the winner. For some reason, I had never listened to it with such enthusiasm before. A year ago, when the anthem was played at the national championship, tears did not well up in my eyes. And now they are. I am sure that all my athletes are well aware of the complexity of the situation. They are also not small children and were not born yesterday.”

In the reprisals department, the Russian Foreign Ministry banned 42 mostly-retired Canadian athletes who signed a petition supporting a ban of Russian athletes from the 2024 Olympic Games. TASS reported that among them are three-time Olympic Ice Dance gold medalist Tessa Virtue, two-time World Pairs Champion Megan Duhamel, four-time Olympic women’s ice hockey gold medalists Haley Wickenheiser and Jayna Hefford, Canadian (and American) triple Olympic bobsled gold medalist Kaillie Humphries and numerous other medal winners. According to TASS:

“On March 9, Canadian Olympic athletes signed a joint letter urging the national Olympic organization (the Canadian Olympic Committee) to keep Russian and Belarusian athletes barred from all international tournaments, despite recent recommendations on behalf of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).”

The Canadian athlete letter included:

“Refusing their participation in international sport is not simply a matter of denying athletes a choice to compete because of their passport, it is a rejection of an unlawful and inhumane war and a recognition of the role international sports plays in geopolitics.”

World Skate announced that it will follow the IOC’s recommendations on the re-entry of Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals. Of course, it has no procedure in place to do this, and also noted:

“Understanding the need to find a consistent approach across all World Skate disciplines, World Skate is now working to develop the necessary independent review processes to allow and plan a return of these athletes, in consultation with the IOC and [Association of Summer Olympic International Federations] ASOIF.”

2.
Ukraine’s Gutzeit: “We have not lost yet”

“We will have to bring together our federations and our athletes to decide which position to adopt. The decision will be difficult. The [Olympic] Games are the most important moment for every athlete. But the most important thing for us today is our victory in the war. Even if we don’t participate [in 2024], it’s just a competition.”

Vadym Gutzeit, a 1992 Olympic Team fencing gold-medal winner in Sabre, is now the Ukrainian Youth and Sports Minister, who continues to press the International Olympic Committee and the International Federations to keep Russian and Belarusian athletes out of international competitions, now and as long as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues.

He told Agence France Presse on Tuesday:

“It is necessary to continue to put pressure. And maybe the IOC will understand that, while there is a war in Ukraine, it is not the time for Russian and Belarusian athletes to return.

“We hope that the big and strong federations will show solidarity with the Ukrainians, and that they will not allow Russians and Belarusians to participate in international competitions. We have to defend our cause.

“[IOC] President Thomas Bach was in Ukraine, and assured President Volodymyr Zelensky that he will be helping in the future. What has changed?

“Nothing has changed, it has only gotten worse. So many cities have been destroyed, so many people – women, children – have been killed.”

He noted, however, that no decision on specific future actions have been taken: “We are not talking about a boycott now.”

The IOC has recommended that individual Russian and Belarusian athletes – no teams– could return to international competitions with a neutral status, and federations are considering their options. Ukraine and many other European countries have remained strongly against this; the IOC has stated that it has made no decision as yet on whether Russian or Belarusian athletes can participate in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, saying only that it will decide later.

3.
Cost causes cancellation of Asian Games Village in Nagoya

The heavy cost of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games continues to bedevil major international events in Japan, as the projected expense for the 2026 Asian Games has jumped by 65.3% and caused the cancellation of a proposed Games Village in Nagoya.

The Aichi Prefecture was awarded the Games, to be held primarily in the regional capital of Nagoya, in 2016. The Asahi Shimbun reported in February that the original cost estimate for the event of ¥85 billion (about $638.6 million U.S. today) had ballooned to ¥140.5 billion or about $1.06 billion U.S. now. In the original financial plan, the Aichi and Nagoya governments were to shoulder a cost of ¥60 billion (~$450.4 million), but now it could be much more.

In response, the Japanese organizers are asking the Olympic Council of Asia to reduce the number of sports from the planned 41 down to 32, the same number to be held at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, but has met resistance.

The planned to-be-constructed, temporary Athlete’s Village in Nagoya was reported to be downsized from a capacity of 10,000 athletes and officials to 2,000, with most of the entrants to be moved to hotels. Nikkei.com noted last week:

“The athletes’ village was to have been built on the former site of the Nagoya race track to accommodate about 10,000 people, or two-thirds of the athletic delegations. The athletes’ housing facilities would have been temporary, and were set to be disassembled after the games. At a meeting of the Organizing Committee’s directors on Monday, Aichi Governor Hideaki Omura, who chairs the committee, said that construction would be canceled.”

The Olympic Council of Asia will have a say in all of this, of course, but the cost increase is another headache not only for the Aichi Prefecture and the city of Nagoya, but also for the Sapporo 2030 Olympic Winter Games project, already increasingly disfavored by the local population. Polls concerning the event have repeatedly noted public disbelief that the event can be staged for the projected cost.

4.
U.S. women defeat Ireland, 1-0, on Cook’s first international goal

In a much tighter contest than last Saturday’s 2-0 victory, the U.S. got a surprise goal in the 43rd minute from defender Alana Cook and held on to beat Ireland for the second straight friendly, 1-0, on Tuesday evening in St. Louis.

The American women started well, with defender Becky Sauerbrunn hitting the crossbar with a header off of a corner, but could not get the ball into the back of the net. Finally, in the 43rd, and off a corner kick, Cook was just inside the midfield line and lofted a seeing-eye cross from 40 yards that sailed over the head of Irish keeper Courtney Brosnan and into the goal for a 1-0 lead. Brosnan got a hand on it, but was unable to swat it away.

Ireland played much more forcefully and kept pressure on the U.S., ending with 48% of possession and had nine shots against American keeper Casey Murphy, vs. 10 for the U.S. Murphy got her 10th career shutout for the U.S., but was busy during six minutes of stoppage time after 90 minutes as the Irish swarmed the U.S. goal.

The U.S. did get good news with the return from injuries of two experienced defenders: Kelley O’Hara, who had not played since mid-2022, and Tierna Davidson, who last appeared for the national team in February 2022. Midfielder Julie Ertz returned in the first Irish friendly and played the entire second half on Tuesday.

U.S. striker Mallory Swanson, 24, had surgery on her left leg on Tuesday to repair her patella tendon injured in the first Ireland friendly last Saturday. She has been the U.S.’s top scorer with seven goals in 2023, but had to be carried off the field near the end of the first half on Saturday.

The first U.S.-Ireland game last Saturday (8th) drew an average audience of 346,000 on TNT at 2:30 p.m. Eastern time.

5.
Ealey chasing American Indoor Record at Drake Relays

The mixed-gender, indoor shot put competition coming up on 26 April at the Drake Fieldhouse will feature both the men’s and women’s 2022 World Champions, Americans Ryan Crouser and Chase Ealey.

Crouser already owns the world shot records – indoor and outdoor – but his massive 23.38 m (76-8 1/2) toss in February in Pocatello, Idaho is not going to be ratified by World Athletics. So he has his motivation to surpass his existing (ratified) indoor mark of 22.82 m (74-10 1/2) indoors from 2021.

Ealey told reporters in an online news conference in late March that she’s looking forward to coming back to the U.S., as she now trains in England. But she also has records on her mind.

Asked about the American Indoor Record she shares with Rio 2016 Olympic champ Michelle Carter at 20.21 m (66-3 3/4) from 2016 (Carter) and 2021 (Ealey), she said she’s after it:

“I think it’s possible. I just threw, like I said, for the first time yesterday since outdoors and it felt really good. So I feel like I am in really good shape. I’m really healthy, the body’s feeling right and I really think I have some long throws in me and I’ve always kind of been an indoor kind of shot putter as well. …

“I think it’s definitely something that could happen. It wasn’t in the plan but it’s definitely a possibility . I said I was going to do it [at February’s World Indoor Tour Gold meet] in Madrid, and I didn’t, so it’s almost like I get that second chance as well.

“So that’s kind of lit a fire under me for sure.”

The Drake Relays program has the mixed-gender indoor event on the 26th and then Ealey will go outdoors to Drake Stadium for the women’s shot competition on the weekend. She’s not just thinking about Carter’s American Record of 20.63 m (67-8 1/4) from 2016, she got her sights set on the 21.24 m best (69-8 1/4) of New Zealand’s two-time Olympic gold medalist Valerie Adams:

“I have said that before: that is one of the stepping stones I would like to achieve is get the ‘clean world record’ first. So, like this season, I think it’s not out of my range. I’ve seen some things in training and stuff that show me I have some far throws in there. But, yeah, that’s definitely one of the stepping stones that I want. And Val knows that I’m coming for her as well.”

Ealey reached 20.51 m (67-3 1/2) in 2022, the no. 2 throw in U.S. history, and she has nine of the top 11 throws all-time by an American. Of course, that’s only no. 49 on the all-time outdoor list, with Russian, East German and other Eastern Europeans ahead of her from 1976-90, who were not subject to today’s drug-testing protocols.

Asked about passing Adams and perhaps claiming the 21st Century best, now 21.46 m (70-5) by Russian Larisa Peleshenko in 2000, she was hardly scared:

“Yeah, that’s really interesting. I like that. I hadn’t even thought about that being a number, but I do like that. …

“I just started rotating in 2019 and I’ve got a lot of technical changes that need to be made and can be made, and I’ve got a lot of upside to make and I’m pretty excited about it. So, I reckon there’s some far throws in my future.”

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ≡

● Ice Hockey ● The playoff round in the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship will start on Thursday, with Canada and the U.S. looking forward to a possible re-match in the gold-medal final.

The two teams dominated round-robin play in Group A, with the Canadians out-scoring their opponents – except the U.S.– by 14-1 and the U.S. scoring 22 goals to four against Japan, Switzerland and Czechia.

The undefeateds met in their final group game on Monday (10th), with Canada up 2-1 going into the third period. Canada went up 3-1 on an Laura Stacey score at 17:33 of the period, but the Americans stormed back with two extra-attacker goals in the final minute from Hilary Knight (49 seconds left) and Amanda Kessel with four seconds remaining!

The game finally went to a shoot-out that ran on and on for nine rounds, with Briane Jenner and Knight scoring on the first two shots and then 15 straight misses against Canada’s Anne-Renee Desbiens and American keeper Aerin Frankel. Forward Jamie-Lee Rattray scored on the 18th penalty try for the 4-3 Canadian win. Wow.

In the quarterfinals, Canada (4-0) will face Sweden (Group B: 2-2); the U.S. (3-1) will face Germany (B: 3-1); Czechia (1-2 + 1 overtime win) will play Finland (B: 4-0) and Japan (0-3 + 1 overtime loss) and Switzerland (1-3) will face off. The winners will be re-seeded for the semis on Saturday, with the medal matches on Sunday.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Anti-Doping ● The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced that the national anti-doping organization in Gabon has been declared non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code:

“The non-compliance is the result of its failure to implement the 2021 version of the Code fully within its legal system.”

The consequences include:

(1) “Gabon will not be awarded the right to host regional, continental and World Championships, as well as other events organized by Major Event Organizations; until reinstatement.”

(2) “The country’s flag will not be flown at regional, continental and World Championships, and other events organized by Major Event Organizations (including the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) until reinstatement.”

● Athletics ● A report by the Visit Albuquerque tourism bureau stated that the 2023 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships took up 3,900 hotel room nights and created direct spending of $2.3 million.

That’s quite a big higher than the expected 2,700 room nights and $1.6 million in direct spending; no information was offered on the impact of the Mountain West Indoor meet or the USATF Indoor Championships.

● Figure Skating ● Two weeks after the ISU World Figure Skating Championships concluded in Japan, NBC showed a re-run of its highlights program on Sunday (9th) at 3 p.m. Eastern – directly against the final round of The Masters golf tournament – and drew a respectable 657,000 audience.

NBC’s Saturday, 25 March telecast at 8 p.m. Eastern drew an average audience of 1.317 million, meaning the re-run had just about 50% as many viewers. Not bad for two weeks later!

● Football ● The 2028 and 2032 editions of the enormously popular UEFA men’s championship – Euro 2028 and Euro 2032 – have drawn two bidders each.

UEFA announced that a combined bid by Great Britain and Ireland has been submitted for 2024, as well as a bid by Turkey. For 2028, Turkey bid again (it is will to stage either edition), as did Italy.

The next steps are for a staff evaluation of the bid concepts, a report and then a vote by the UEFA Executive Committee in October 2023. England hosted in 1966 and Italy has hosted in 1968 and 1980; Germany will host in 2024.

● Swimming ● SwimSwam.com reported that World Aquatics has permanently dropped the men’s and women’s 25 km event in open-water swimming from its World Aquatics Championship program.

The event, by far the longest on the program, was originally held at the 1991 Worlds and had always been relatively lightly contested, with 13-22 women entered between 2005-22 and from 20-35 men. By comparison, the women’s 10 km open-water – an Olympic event – drew 61 entries in 2022 and the men’s 10 km had 62.

This leaves the 5 km and 10 km distances, but ends the Worlds win streak of Brazil’s amazing Ana Marcela Cunha at four (and five total).

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For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: New biography of coach John Chaplin shows him a stickler for rules, a coaching savant, and a one-man personal-support army

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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“One of the coaches that read an early version of this book said you need to explain how you handled us at a meet when we came screaming to you with a protest or a question on procedure, etc.

“So here goes.

“When a coach, the athlete’s manager, or anyone else the athlete has sent, came in to protest, I would first give them my speech: ‘Coach let’s understand the ground rules. I am a cynical, sarcastic, S.O.B. Now that we both know what I am, you don’t have to waste my mine and your time by you telling me that. Then I would say, what is your problem and let’s see if we can fix it.

“Then if things were got to the place where the coach is feeling sorry for him or herself and start talking about fairness, etc., I’d say, Coach ‘if you want love, get a puppy. The puppy will love you when you wife or husband or whoever may not.’ Then I would say, ‘I am here to make sure that the rules are followed, and my decision will be based on the facts, not on emotions.’ If this individual does get or does not like the answer or ruling, I’d suggest the coach or agent or whoever ‘go out and tell your wife or husband or your assistant coaches that I am a S.O.B., but do it quietly so as to not get on YouTube.’”

That’s former Washington State cross country and track & field coach John Chaplin, now 85, exactly as so many people know him. Direct, opinionated and relentlessly expert. In Man of the Oval, a new, 296-page hardcover biography, also available as an e-Book, author Bruce Blizard – himself a former track coach and teacher in eastern Washington – offers a dramatic look at Chaplin’s brilliant career as a coach, educator and track & field administrator.

All the controversies, all the abruptness and the heartwarming stories of how Chaplin supported his – and other – athletes are included. And best of all, mostly in Chaplin’s own words:

“‘If you don’t understand me, the rest is irrelevant,’ Chaplin said. ‘I am not complicated. If I say I will do something, I will do it. If I say I won’t, I won’t. But I’m not closed to reevaluating anything. If you say you can’t do something, I will listen, but if you say I won’t do something, it’s game over. I am a lot of things, but insecure is not one of them.’”

Chaplin’s story is hardly a straight line to success. Stocky, with a powerful, clipped cadence and known for coaching distance runners like Kenyan Henry Rono to greatness, Chaplin was a sprinter. He grew up in Los Angeles and attended Wilson High School, then Pasadena City College and graduated from Washington State with bests of 9.5 for 100 yards, 10.2 for 100 meters, 20.8 for 220 yards and 46.8 for 440 yards. Pretty good for 1963!

He had worked for a time at the now-defunct Los Angeles Examiner newspaper, but eventually ended up back in eastern Washington as the track coach and World Problems teacher at Wapato High School. After three successful years there – 50-4-1 in dual meets – he was thinking seriously of going to law school, but was hired instead as an assistant coach at Oregon State. For those who know him, can you imagine Chaplin as a career litigator in a courtroom? Generations of judges are grateful he stayed with sports.

His old Washington State coach, John Mooberry, hired Chaplin to be the head cross country coach in 1968 and Chaplin took over after Mooberry’s retirement, coaching the Cougars’ track & field team from 1974-94. He had a dual-meet record of 202-15, won the 1977 NCAA men’s Indoor team title and finished second four times at the NCAA Championships, in 1984-85-86-91. His WSU cross country teams were NCAA runner-ups in 1971 and 1975.

Chaplin reached star status thanks to the exploits of his athletes, most notably Rono, who set four world records in 81 days in the spring and summer of 1978, in the 5,000 m, Steeplechase, 10,000 m and 3,000 m. But his Kenyan connection didn’t start there:

“‘In the summer of 1971, I am sitting in my office playing with my paper airplanes with nothing to do,’ Chaplin explained, ‘when two Black gentlemen come into the office. One is a graduate student, and the other is a professor in political science at a small university in the Seattle area. Both gentlemen were from Kenya, and one was Dr. Jonathon Ngeno, who later became the Speaker of the House in Kenya and an advisor to the Kenyan president, Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi.’

“Dr. Ngeno told Chaplin he had a younger brother, also named John Ngeno, and his younger brother had a friend, also named John Ngeno. At first, Chaplin was confused, but he became intrigued when Dr. Ngeno told him a little more about the two young Kenyans. John Ngeno no. 1 [later known as Kip] was a 14.2 high hurdler, and John Ngeno no. 2 was a 13:45 5,000-meter runner. And both John Ngenos were looking for a place to go to school in the US. …

“Chaplin discovered later that Dr. Ngeno had also contacted coaches at the University of Illinois, Cal, Washington, ‘and several others,’ he said, ‘but none of them followed up, so I get to look good for a great recruiting job when in truth I did not do much.’”

The distance-running John Ngeno became a star, winning 13 individual NCAA cross country and track titles from 1972-76. That established WSU as a destination for Kenyans; 1968 and 1972 Olympic icon Kip Keino suggested future two-time NCAA 5,000 m champ Joshua Kimeto. Munich ‘72 Olympic Steeple silver medalist Ben Jipcho introduced future 10,000 m world-record holder Samson Kimombwa. Kimeto and Ngeno called Chaplin from the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal and turned Chaplin on to Rono, a steepler, who didn’t get to run due to the African boycott of the Games.

When Chaplin saw what Rono could do in workouts against stars Kimeto and Kimombwa:

“I brought Henry into my office and said, ‘Henry, I think that you could be the first man in history to hold the world record in all three Olympic distance races.’”

Rono wasn’t sure, but agreed to try. Chaplin continued, “But I told him first, we would have to look at the schedule … and then work out a program where he’d run a race in preparation, and in the next race, we correct any problems. And then, ‘You run for the record.'”

And that’s what happened. But there were controversies along the way, such as in mid-April of 1978:

“The story goes that Chaplin had Rono back off in the final 600 meters of the 3,000-meter steeplechase in a dual meet against the University of Oregon at venerable Hayward Field in Eugene. Chaplin has since been accused of wanting to deny the knowledgeable and enthusiastic fans in Eugene the satisfaction of seeing the world record set in their stadium. But the truth is either more complicated or more interesting, depending on your point of view. With a lap and a half left in the race, Rono was running close to the steeplechase world record of 8:08.02, held at the time by Anders Garderud of Sweden, but Chaplin believed the water jump pit at Hayward Field was too shallow.

“‘I didn’t want Rono to set the record there and then have it disallowed later,’ he explained, ‘so, I yelled at Henry to slow down.’ Rono did as he was instructed. He still finished in 8:14.75, a new collegiate record, and the fastest time ever on American soil at the time.”

But then Rono was unleashed, setting world marks of 13:08.4 for 5,000 m in a dual meet at California on 8 April, then 8:05.4 for the Steeple at the Northwest Relays in Seattle on 13 May, 27:22.5 for 10,000 m in Vienna, Austria, on 11 June and 7:32.1 for 3,000 m at the Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway, on 27 June.

Chaplin also noted the cultural differences in dealing with athletes from other countries, including this oft-retold classic:

“’An example comes to mind with John Ngeno,’ he said. ‘It was the second time that Ngeno competed in Modesto at three miles. John wins, and they give him another TV set. That night at the motel, I keep getting calls from the front desk. So finally, at 4:00 a.m., I go down to the office, and I pass a calf tied to a palm tree. The manager says, ‘One of your athletes brought this calf over to the motel and tied it to the palm tree. What are you going to do about it?’ So, a little later, as we are getting ready to go to the airport, I ask, ‘Do any of you know about that calf tied to the tree?’ John says, ‘Yes, Coach, I traded my second TV – one only needs one TV – to a farmer for the calf, and I want to take it back to Pullman.’

“I explain that United Airlines does not have the ability to carry the calf back to Pullman, nor did we have any other method to so do. So, I call Tom Moore, the meet director, and say, ‘Can you pick up this calf that Ngeno traded to a farmer for the TV you gave him for winning the three mile and send it to WSU?’ Tom laughs and says, ‘Yes.’ After talking to Ngeno, I realize that he figured if he could get the calf to Pullman and find a farmer to buy it, he can then take the money back to Kenya and buy himself a few cows with the cash. Rational behavior in a society in which cows are wealth. And just another day in the life of Cougar Track & Field.”

Chaplin finally left coaching in 1994, taking a position with the WSU Provost’s Office. “I stayed with the Provost’s Office and taught classes off and on from the summer of 1994 to the spring of 2002, when I turned 65 and retired from WSU. …

“‘If I had one regret about how the program was treated during my tenure of twenty-seven years at WSU,’ Chaplin said, ‘it was that in all that time, not one athletic director ever came into the track office and asked, ‘How can WSU and I help your program?’ In fact, I don’t remember more than a few times that a WSU AD was ever at a dual meet at Mooberry [Track & Field Complex].’”

But Chaplin did not leave the sport by a long shot. He was deeply involved in the U.S. National Governing Body for track & field, today known as USA Track & Field. He was the head referee for the 1996 Olympic track & field competition in Atlanta and the U.S. head men’s coach for the 2000 Sydney Games. He was the Chair of the USATF International Competition Committee for 24 years and the head of the Men’s Track & Field Committee. He is still sought out for his advice on technical issues and is a fixture at the U.S. nationals.

All of this masks the significant effort Chaplin made to ensure his athletes graduated as well as competed. Many less-famous athletes whose track & field careers were immeasurably helped by Chaplin, also testified in the book on his emphasis on academics, getting a degree and getting a good job.

Long jumper Gerald Edwards’s comments were typical: “He said, ‘Gerald, If I wasn’t on your ass all the time, that means I don’t give a damn. I’m on your ass because I do give a damn.'”

High hurdler Dominique Arnold, the 1996 NCAA champion, came from Compton, California and later set the American Record at 12.90. He said of Chaplin:

“’I came from gang-infested territory,’ Arnold said. ‘And seeing this white guy caring for me was different. We didn’t grow up with white figures caring for you. But he showed me something different. I’d do anything for Chappy. He was everything I wanted in a father that I didn’t have growing up.’”

There’s a lot more in the book, including excellent detail on Chaplin’s coaching and racing methods, his use of surges to break opponents, changing an athlete’s belief system in himself and the balance between aerobic and anaerobic workouts. And all the statistics you could want on the WSU program in a lengthy appendix.

Blizard includes heartwarming testimonials to Chaplin’s support for women’s track & field and the advancement of women in coaching and administration in the sport.

For anyone who saw Chaplin’s amazing teams – who earned 218 NCAA All-American certificates in cross country, indoor and outdoor track – and molding cohesive squads out of Americans, Kenyans, Australians, Chinese, Ivory Coasters, New Zealanders and others, Man of the Oval combines Chaplin’s play-by-play, a coaching classroom and a love letter from his athletes, who helped create an unforgettable character who has, and continues, to shape American track & field.

Rich Perelman
Editor

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: Sapporo may opt for 2034 Winter Games; Germany may refuse visas to Russians; Crouser says 24 m (79-2) shot put is possible!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Twice Olympic Shot Champion and World Champion: Ryan Crouser of the U.S. (Photo: Adam Eberhardt for Tracktown USA)

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Sapporo Winter Games bid may be pushed to 2034
2. Salnikov rips IOC restrictions again; Russian divers to try Asia
3. Germany’s Faeser: host nations “are not powerless”
4. Swimming: new world leads in 11 events this past week
5. Crouser thinks a 24 m (78-9) shot put is possible!

Although the pro-2030 Winter Games Mayor of Sapporo wad re-elected on Sunday, the Japanese Olympic Committee will discuss moving its bid focus to 2034 in view of continuing low support in polls about a 2030 Games bid. Russian Swimming Federation head Vladimir Salnikov again slammed the International Olympic Committee’s restrictions on Russian participation, calling it a “crisis of tje Olympic Movement” and predicting his swimmers will not compete internationally this year. Other Russian sports leaders were also dubious on the prospects for 2022. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said it would look at refusing visas to Russian and Belarusian athletes re-admitted under the IOC’s new regulations, to events being held in Germany. A statement against the IOC’s scheme was posted by European fencers, which said that allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes back into competition “makes the previously noble sport of fencing morally inferior.” In swimming, a torrent of national championships over the past week has created world-leading performances in 11 events, four by Japanese swimmers and three by British athletes. Several star U.S. swimmers are slated to compete this week in the Tyr Pro Swim Series meet in Westmont, Illinois that starts on Wednesday. American shot put superstar Ryan Crouser will compete twice in Des Moines, Iowa at the end of the month, including in a specially-staged, mixed-gender indoor event aimed at another world record at the 113th Drake Relays. Asked how far the shot record might go, he thought that 24 m (79-2) was possible!

● Panorama: USOPC (Team USA Community Champions announced) ●
● Errata ● Some readers saw an errant headline in yesterday’s post on FIFA’s suspension of financial support to the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI). The headline indicated that FIFA had stopped financial support to itself! Nope. Thanks to reader Paul Roberts for the sharp eyes! ●

1.
Sapporo Winter Games bid may be pushed to 2034

The International Olympic Committee’s hosting options for the 2030 Olympic Winter Games are getting more complicated by the day. On Sunday, voters in Sapporo, Japan, re-elected Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto for a third term.

Akimoto, 67, has been in favor of the Winter Games returning to Sapporo, which hosted in 1972. He received 56% of the vote and told the Asahi Shimbun:

“We will once again present citizens our plan to host a clean Games in Sapporo and will continue the discussion. Eventually, we would like to proceed [with our plan] after confirming the opinions of citizens.”

That sounds like a referendum on the Games might be coming, but the city’s assembly rejected a vote in June of 2022. Since then, interest in the Games has fallen, thanks to continuing revelations of sponsorship and bid-rigging scandals related to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and in December, Akimoto said:

“In the future we will conduct a survey of the pros and cons, not only in Hokkaido but also nationwide. We will respect the will of the people.”

An election exit poll in Sapporo by the Jiji Press showed 53% opposed the Winter Games bid, with just 27% in favor and 20% unsure or refused to answer. Even among those who voted for Akimoto, only 41% were in favor, with 31% opposed.

Also re-elected was Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki, also in favor of a second Sapporo Winter Games.

On Monday, however Japan Olympic Committee President Yasuhiro Yamashita – the heavyweight judo gold medalist at Los Angeles in 1984 – said that a delay might be best, with a bid for 2034 perhaps a better target. Kyodo News reported that Yamashita was concerned about the election, which “made it clear that many local residents are concerned and anxious. It’s hard to go ahead with the original bid plan without gaining people’s understanding.

“We have to do things carefully. Otherwise, we can’t move forward.”

Yamashita said that discussions with Sapporo will begin soon.

If Sapporo punts on 2030, it leaves the IOC with no committed candidates for 2030, with Salt Lake City preferring 2034, Sapporo not sure, Vancouver without provincial support and possible candidatures from Sweden and Switzerland, both in the study stage. The decision on the 2030 host is now expected in 2024.

2.
Salnikov rips IOC restrictions again; Russian divers to try Asia

The drumbeat of anger against any restrictions on Russia – regardless of what is happening in Ukraine – continues, once again from Russian Swimming Federation (and four-time Olympic gold medalist) Vladimir Salnikov. He said on Monday:

“We are witnessing a crisis of the Olympic Movement, we can’t go any further. Everything is written in the Olympic Charter, it speaks about uniting everyone in the name of peace, about the unacceptability of any discrimination. What we see now is a perversion of all the fundamental principles: everyone is equal, but we are ‘more equal.’

“Political decisions are at the forefront, now there is blackmail by the leaders of countries and governments. It makes sense to gather the international sports community and ask whether sport remains a factor of unification, or it will just disappear and everyone will do something in their own corners.”

As for Russian swimmers, he added:

“The decision rests with the World Aquatics Bureau, in July. It will be based either on the decision of the International Olympic Committee – which postponed the very fact of the possibility of participation in the Olympics for a longer period – or on the report of the [World Aquatics] commission. So until the end of the year, I think, through World Aquatics, we won’t participate anywhere.”

Also concerned was Russian wrestling chief Mikhail Mamiashvili, waiting for details from the review committee set up by United World Wrestling:

“The commission, represented by the members of the governing body of UWW, is determined to simplify the issue of admission of our athletes as much as possible. However, in its decisions, I think it will be guided by the main position of the IOC. But if this is a position in which athletes will have to sacrifice their civic honor, it will be unacceptable for us.”

“If we talk about our youth under 15 and 17 years old, who were allowed to participate in tournaments, then we are still in coordination of their performances with the UWW; we need to understand the details in order to build the preparation of the team.”

The situation is also grim for 2023 in diving, according to Russian Diving Federation President Stanislav Druzhinin:

“[W]e understood that it was unlikely that we would get to the World Championships in Japan, because even if we were allowed, we would have faced problems getting visas.

“This year, we have one more qualifying competition, the European Games in Poland, and we’re going to miss that as well. But we have a chance to qualify for the Olympics next year if we make it to the World Championships in Qatar in February. We really expect to compete in that tournament.”

Of course, there is also the possibility of competing in the Asian Games in China in September:

“We are negotiating with the Asian side, in particular with China, we will look for an opportunity to participate in their competitions. I personally plan to go to China in May, I will talk about the participation of their athletes in our competitions and our athletes in their competitions.”

3.
Germany’s Faeser: host nations “are not powerless”

The German Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser, said Monday that Russian and Belarusian athletes may be prevented from competing in events in Germany, regardless of what the International Olympic Committee says.

She told the Funke media group:

“Countries in which major sporting events take place are not powerless. We can influence through the visa departments whether Russians actually participate.

“If we organize international competitions in Germany, then we can act accordingly. We will always act with a clear stance here.

“Offering the warmonger Putin a propaganda stage would betray all values of the sport. It is completely unacceptable for Ukrainian athletes to face athletes competing for a country that is killing so many civilians in Ukraine.”

She also noted that she was not in favor of a boycott at Paris 2024, explaining, “[W]e will harm our own athletes, who have been preparing for this goal for a long time.”

Also protesting the IOC’s new policy to allow individual Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals were athletes of the European Fencing Confederation, which posted a statement on the Eurofencing.info site that included:

“We, as elite fencers, part of the European Fencing Confederation would like to share our disappointment by the recent decision of the International Olympic Committee to recommend the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals to international fencing competitions.

“Ideally, sports should be free from politics and conflict. However, given the well known function of elite sports as a tool of domestic propaganda in Russia, it makes absolutely no difference whether a Russian or Belarusian fencer participates under the term ‘neutral athlete’. Especially in fencing, as everyone knows, it is impossible to separate a fencer from their country of representation on the international level. …

“[A]s an indirect consequence of IOC’s decision several nationalities will not be able to participate in the World Cup competitions due to their state-mandated boycotts. Especially at the beginning of the Olympic qualifier year, this could very well mean the end of a fencer’s career. Allowing such makes the previously noble sport of fencing morally inferior, with long-lasting negative impact to the image of our dear sport.”

This follows a 28 March petition signed by 323 fencers, asking the IOC and the International Fencing Federation (FIE) to continue barring Russian and Belarusian fencers, insisting that the new policies “would be a catastrophic error.”

4.
Swimming: new world leads in 11 events this past week

A heavy schedule of national championships and selection meets has rewritten the world lists in swimming, with new world leaders in 11 events across the past week. At the top now:

Men (8):
● 50 m Free: 21.71, Ben Proud (GBR)
● 100 m Free: 47.61, David Popovici (ROU)
● 200 m Free: 1:44.83, Matthew Richards (GBR) ~ no. 18 all-time
● 800 m Free: 7:47,81, Daniel Jervis (GBR)
● 100 m Breast: 58.41, Ilya Shymanovich (BLR)
● 200 m Fly: 1:53.34, Tomoru Honda (JPN)
● 200 m Medley: 1:56.62, Daiya Seto (JPN)
● 400 m Medley: 4:07.91, Seto

Women (3):
● 100 m Free: 53.10, Marrit Steenbergen (NED)
● 100 m Breast: 1:05.89, Reona Aoki (JPN)
● 200 m Breast: 2:22.21, Tes Schouten (NED)

This does not include the sensational Canadian National Championships at the end of March, highlighted by Summer McIntosh’s world records in the 400 m Free (3:56.08) and 400 m Medley (4:25.87).

Some of the top U.S. swimmers will be back in the pool this week for the Tyr Pro Swim Series stop in Westmont, Illinois. Olympic stars Bobby Finke, Lilly King, Katie Ledecky and Ryan Murphy are all entered, with Wednesday’s finals streamed on the USA Swimming site, Thursday and Friday on Peacock and Saturday’s finals shown delayed on CNBC.

5.
Crouser thinks a 24 m (78-9) shot put is possible!

U.S. shot put superstar Ryan Crouser already owns the world record at 23.37 m (76-8 1/4) outdoors and 22.82 m (74-10 1/2) indoors, both from 2021. But he will be trying to extend those marks at a special, free competition on 26 April in Des Monies, Iowa, attached to the 113th Drake Relays.

Crouser will be part of a mixed-team, best-combined-distances event at the Drake Fieldhouse in advance of looking for his fifth straight Drake Relays title on the weekend. NBC Sports reported Monday that his 23.38 m (76-8 1/2) record mark in Pocatello, Idaho on 18 February of this year will not be ratified because the facility was not certified to be rules-compliant and a survey done afterwards showed unspecified issues. But Crouser thinks there are even further throws to come.

During an online news conference to promote the events, Crouser explained the development of his new technique, which he calls the “step-across,” but has been dubbed the “Crouser Slide”:

“I’m still working on it. I saw a really, really good spread the past two weeks in training, so it has me excited for it because I think to throw a truly huge throw, I can throw farther with the step-across – or the Slide – than I can from the static. So that has me really, really excited that if I can find that 60-75 cm spread that I’ve been seeing in training – from a static to the Slide – then if I can add 75 cm onto 23.38 that would be absolutely mind-blowing.”

That would be 24.13 m or 79-2! Asked whether a 25 m throw (82-0) is possible, he said:

“It’s really hard to put a cap on it. I think that 25 is just an absolutely insane number. Even 24 is an absolutely insane number. It’s tough to really say, simply because I have an idea of where I’m at, and the thing that makes it so difficult is, unlike the vertical jumps – the pole vault, high jump – where you kind of choose where you’re at, you’re constantly seeking that one, massive outlier.

“And I kind of look at the distances that I can hopefully be consistent at, and then every once in a while, you’ll throw a throw that’s 50-60 cm farther, kind of you’ll have a big outlier. So, you’re always chasing that one monster throw, that one massive outlier. So it’s hard to really put a top on it because if I can bump that consistency up and be consistent at my PR, then hope to chase that giant monster throw that’s kind of always lurking in the shadows, is that kind of keeps you going down the rabbit hole. …

“I do believe 24 meters is possible. I don’t know if 25 is. When you start adding a meter on to at that distance, it just becomes kind of an astronomical, the odds of it happening just get so much slimmer and slimmer. But down the road, you’re going to have somebody who’s bigger, faster, stronger, more athletic than I am. That’s just how the numbers go. I don’t know if it’s meant for me to do it, but I don’t want to say it’s impossible because, shoot, the athletes nowadays there are so many people that eventually somebody is going to come along that’s bigger, faster, stronger, better technically than I am, than the world has ever seen.

“If anybody throws 25 meters, I’d love to be there to see it.”

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ● The USOPC announced four winners of its Team USA Community Champions for 2022, with each to receive $12,500 grants, with another $12,500 to go to a charity of their choice. Presented in association with Comcast, the winners were chosen from among 22 finalists, chosen from nearly 100 applicants:

● Mary Cain, one of the greatest high school distance runners ever and now moving into triathlon. She founded Atalanta NYC, “a New York City-based nonprofit that employs and supports professional female runners so they can achieve their highest athletic goals while building their career skills.”

● Kelsey Dickinson of the Women Ski Coaches Association, working to advance women in ski coaching. Dickinson is a biathlete and is a Gender Equity Ambassador for the International Biathlon Union.

● Tyler Merren of the U.S. Goalball National Team, volunteers with the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes, with more than 20 years of service.

● Billy Mills is one of America’s most memorable Olympians, winning the men’s 10,000 m at the 1964 Tokyo Games in a huge upset that is well remembered to this day. He “co-founded Running Strong for American Indian Youth to meet the critical needs of Native communities, foster cultural identity development and support Native youth in pursuit of their dreams.”

This is the second edition of the awards, originated in 2021 as the Team USA Service & Hope Award. Applications for the 2023 Awards are being accepted through 17 April.

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: IOC says it will support Ukrainian athletes vs. Russians; new Olympic walk event; $200,000 torch highlights new auction

By
Rich Perelman
-
Amazing 1896 bust of Nike presented to non-American winners at the first modern Olympic Games. Now on auction, this one was won by American Ellery Clark (Photo: Ingrid O'Neil Auctions)

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. IOC pledges aid for Ukrainian athletes kept from competing
2. World Athletics announced new Olympic walk event
3. Indonesia loses FIFA Forward funding as U-20 World Cup removed
4. UCI’s 2022 economic impact: $43 million for road and track
5. Massive, 516-lot memorabilia auction includes $200,000 torch!

With the Ukrainian government forbidding its athletes to compete against Russians and Belarusians, the International Olympic Committee announced that it would support Ukrainian athletes who do want to compete, setting up a potential showdown that could have long-term implications. World Athletics revealed its format for the promised mixed-team walking event in Paris, a 42.2 km “marathon” relay with one man and one woman contesting two, non-consecutive legs each. After trying to remove Israel from the FIFA U-20 men’s World Cup, Indonesia saw the event removed by FIFA and now has lost its FIFA Forward development funding, for an undetermined period. The Union Cycliste Internationale published an independent report that showed an economic impact of about $43 million for its World road and track-cycling championships in 2022. This is an important marker ahead of the first UCI World Championships in Glasgow this year, with 13 disciplines and an expected $83.2 million economic impact. A new Olympic memorabilia auction includes one of only 33 Olympic torches used for the 1968 Grenoble Winter Games, with an opening bid of $200,000!

● World Championships: Curling (Scotland wins men’s Worlds) = Ice Hockey (Canada & U.S. unbeaten in women’s Worlds) ●
● Panorama: Athletics (4: Richardson 10.57w!; Hobbs 10.87 world leader; Jeruto suspended for doping; switching bibs gets six-month ban) = Badminton (USA’s Zhang reached Orleans Masters final) = Cycling (2: van der Poel, Julian win Paris-Roubaix; Vingegaard wins in Spain) = Equestrian (Bredow-Werndl, von Eckermann take World Cup Finals) = Football (U.S. women shut down Ireland, 2-0) = Golf (Rahm wins Masters) = Rugby (Kiwis win again in men’s Sevens) = Sailing (familiar winners at Trofeo Princesa Sofia) ●

1.
IOC pledges aid for Ukrainian athletes kept from competing

The Ukrainian government’s stated position that its athletes should not compete against Russians or Belarusians in view of the new International Olympic Committee recommendations in favor of “neutral” athletes could lead to the IOC funding Ukrainian competitors.

The IOC dealt with this issue in its latest update to its “Q&A regarding the participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport in international competitions,” which was revised last week to include:

● “If implemented, such a decision would … hurt only the Ukrainian athlete community and the National Sports Federations, and in no way impact the war that the world wants to stop, and that the IOC has so vehemently condemned. The IOC has always maintained that it is not up to governments to decide which athletes can participate in which international competitions.”

● “Therefore, if this was implemented, the athletes who want to compete and would lose the support of their National Sports Federation and their National Olympic Committee because of government interference, could count on the direct support of the Olympic Movement’s Solidarity Fund for the Olympic community of Ukraine and the athletes’ support programmes of the IOC.”

Observed: This places the IOC in the astonishing position of potentially paying Ukrainian athletes to compete against Russians and Belarusians in international competitions where international federations allow them to enter as neutrals, against the wishes of the Ukrainian government.

As has now been set in stone by President Thomas Bach (GER):

“The IOC has always maintained that it is not up to governments to decide which athletes can participate in which international competitions.”

Although there is no immediate threat of changes, this position will inevitably come to the attention of governments who fund athletes, coaches, national federations and National Olympic Committees that since they have no say in what their athletes do – according to the IOC – perhaps the IOC should fund them.

There is only one National Olympic Committee in the world – the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee – which does not receive direct government support, if not for its own operations, for the funding of elite athlete development, competitions, coaching, travel and so on. If the Russian invasion of Ukraine becomes a catalyst for governments to dedicate funding only to grass-roots and community sport and leave elite competition to the IOC, it could radically change the nature of international sport just as much as the IOC fears over government interference in who competes where and when.

It’s not happening yet. Yet.

In the meantime, the head of the All-Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation, Irina Viner, told Russian Channel One that their participation at Paris in 2024 is unlikely:

“The fact is that I don’t believe that [our athletes] will compete in these sports at the Olympic Games in Paris. I know that fencing was given permission, but immediately Germany canceled [their World Cup] competition. There was a complete rift in boxing, too.

“I think that the IOC strives to ensure that there are no restrictions, that gymnasts and other athletes speak for themselves. But I think such conditions will be set that they will not be able to perform.”

She is, however, in favor of having Russians compete as neutrals:

“We have already performed under a neutral flag. I think we need to perform anyway. The theory is dry, my friend, and the tree of life is luxuriantly green. Athletes should perform in any case, we will still work, everything is fine with us.”

2.
World Athletics announced new Olympic walk event

The race walking community has been in turmoil with massive changes to the discipline’s events, with the 50 km walk reduced to 35 km for both men and women and the men’s 50 km walk removed from the Olympic program after being first contested in 1932 (but not held in 1976).

The International Olympic Committee and World Athletics agreed to remove the 35/50 km walks altogether from the Paris 2024 program in favor of a new, mixed-team event that the IOC favors. The details were announced on Saturday:

“The Marathon Race Walk Mixed Relay will feature 25 teams, each comprising one male and one female athlete, who will complete the marathon distance (42.195km) in four legs of approximately equal distance.

“Each athlete will complete two legs of just over 10km each, alternating male, female, male, female.

“The marathon distance was selected because of its existing popularity in athletics and link to the traditions of the Olympic Games.”

This is an unusual format for track & field – with athletes coming back into a relay after already competing on once leg – but is well known in winter sports. The Single Mixed Relay in biathlon uses the same format, alternating one man and one woman across four legs.

The Paris 2024 schedule has the men’s and women’s 20 km walks on 1 August and the mixed relay on 7 August in order to allow adequate rest.

3.
Indonesia loses FIFA Forward funding as U-20 World Cup removed

The demand by Indonesia regional political leaders that Israel not compete in the FIFA U-20 World Cup cost the country the hosting rights to the event last week, and was a direct breach of the agreement with the federation to place the event in Indonesia.

FIFA announced late last week that the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) was also “provisionally recommended a restriction on the use of FIFA Forward funds until further notice.”

Indonesia was already recovering from the 1 October 2022 riot and resulting crowd crush at Kanjuruhan Stadium following a club match that ended up with 135 dead and 583 injured, the worst fan disaster in the history of Asian football.

PSSI President Erick Thohir presented FIFA with a strategic plan for Indonesian football, and a commitment of the government to further fund more football fields in the country. The plan will be reviewed before the development-funding sanctions are lifted.

The Argentine Football Federation has proposed to host the FIFA men’s U-20 World Cup instead, and on the same dates, beginning in May.

4.
UCI’s 2022 economic impact: $43 million for road and track

While the Union Cycliste Internationale staged 93 events in 22 countries last year, it chose to have Ernst & Young compile economic impact studies on only the two largest: its Road championships in Australia and its Track Worlds in France. The UCI Events Economic Impact Report for 2022 demonstrated the popularity of both.

The week-long UCI Road Worlds in Wollongong attracted unique 96,000 spectators, but most importantly, an estimated 40,500 from outside the area, who stayed an average of five nights and spent an average of €140, or €28.350 million (about $31.170 million U.S.).

The event had a total attendance of 236,000 — from those 96,000 uniques – with 58% of the attendance coming from the local community, 37% from elsewhere in Australia and 5% from visitors from other countries. That’s 95% from the host nation. Visitor spending was mostly concentrated on accommodations, food and drink and transportation

The event, in total, created a Gross Value Added of €35.60 million, or about $39.14 million U.S. Some 82% of this was directly due to visitor spending.

The UCI Track Cycling Worlds, at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome was a much smaller event, over five days, with 10,600 unique spectators and 17,000 total. Of these, 4,000 or 39% were from outside the local area and spent €3.7 million (about $4.1 million U.S.) About 9% of spectators were from outside France.

The Gross Value Added was €3.5 million (about $3.9 million U.S.).

The total is then €39.1 million (about $43.0 million U.S.) for these two events alone. It will be fascinating to compare this impact with the massive, new UCI World Championships in Glasgow (SCO), an 11-day event from 3-13 August. It will include road, track, BMX, freestyle, mountain biking, trials, gran fondo and para-cycling across 13 specific World Championships!

Some 8,000 cyclists are expected to enter, with an economic impact estimated at £67 million, or about $83.2 million U.S. If successful, it’s expected to be repeated in 2027.

5.
Massive, 516-lot memorabilia auction includes $200,000 torch!

A rare Olympic Torch from the 1968 Grenoble Winter Games, one of just 33 produced, highlights the Ingrid O’Neil auction no. 94, open now through 22 April.

Some 5,000 torchbearers were part of the Grenoble 1968 torch relay, sharing the 33 torches, and now one is available, with an opening bid of $200,000! Yowsah!

The auction includes plenty of medals (43) and torches (35), but also a remarkable victory statue from the 1896 Athens Games. That’s right: a victory statue!

It’s a 9 1/2-inch bust of the Greek goddess of victory – Nike – of which 21 were made by sculptor Georgios Vroutos to be given to non-Greek winners. Only one other is known to exist and is in the National Museum in Athens. The statue up for auction was given to American Ellery Clark, who won both the high jump and long jump and was inscribed to “E.H. Clarc.” The opening bid is set at $95,000.

There are 22 more items with starting bids of $10,000 or more:

● $65,000: 1992 Albertville Winter torch
● $50,000: 1956 Melbourne IOC President’s badge
● $35,000: 1994 Lillehammer torch
● $28,000: 1964 Tokyo torch
● $20,000: 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Winter gold medal
● $20,000: 1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter torch
● $20,000: 2016 Rio gold medal
● $19,000: 2016 Rio silver medal
● $18,000: 1932 Lake Placid Winter bronze medal
● $18,000: 2002 Salt Lake City Winter bronze medal
● $18,000: 2016 Rio bronze medal
● $15,000: 1928 St. Moritz Winter silver medal
● $15,000: 1964 Tokyo torch
● $15,000: 1968 Grenoble Winter gold medal
● $15,000: 1994 Lillehammer Winter silver medal
● $14,000: 1976 Innsbruck Winter gold medal
● $14,000: 1988 Calgary Winter silver medal
● $12,000: 1924 Chamonix Winter bronze medal
● $12,000: 1952 Oslo Winter bronze medal
● $12,000: 1960 Squaw Valley Winter bronze medal
● $12,000: 1964 Innsbruck Winter gold medal
● $12,000: 1984 Los Angeles gold medal

The 1956 Melbourne Games badge for the International Olympic Committee President – American Avery Brundage at the time – is noted as “Of utmost rarity, the only IOC badge from Melbourne available to collectors.”

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Curling ● The WCF men’s World Championship in Ottawa (CAN) was historic, with Scotland winning its first men’s gold since 2009 and skip Bruce Mouat his first in four tries.

Switzerland, with Yannick Schwaller as skip, was tops in round-robin play, compiling an 11-1 record, followed by Beijing 2022 Olympic runner-up Scotland and Norway (Magnus Ramsfjell) at 10-2. The U.S., with 2018 Olympic gold medalist John Shuster as skip, finished 5-7 and did not advance to the playoffs.

In the qualification matches to the semifinals, 2006 Olympic winner Brad Gushue and Canada ushered Sweden and six-time World Champion Niklas Edin out of the tournament with a 9-1 victory. Italy, with 2022 Worlds bronze medalist Joel Retornaz as skip, defeated Norway, 8-4.

On Sunday, Gushue’s rink broke a 3-3 tie with two points in the seventh end and then had to score in the 10th to eliminate the Swiss, 7-5. Mouat and Scotland overcame an early 4-2 deficit, scoring two points in the fifth, seventh and ninth ends to lead 8-6, only to be tied by Retornaz and Italy in the 10th. It took a point in the 11th for the Scots to advance to the championship match, 9-8.

The final was no contest, as Mouat’s Scots took leads of 4-0 and 6-1 in the way to a 9-3 win and Scotland’s fifth title and first since 2009. Mouat skipped his team to a Worlds bronze in 2018, a silver in 2021, the Olympic silver in 2022 and now the 2023 Worlds gold. Grant Hardie (third), Bobby Lammie (second) and Hammy McMillan Jr. (lead) were with Mouat for all four of these medal performances.

Gushue was in his fourth Worlds championship final and now 1-3, winning in 2017, but losing to Sweden’s Edin twice and now Mouat.

The Swiss scored in four straight ends to roll up a 8-0 lead on Italy and won the bronze medal, 11-3. It’s the fifth bronze for Switzerland since 2014.

● Ice Hockey ● The 25th IIHF women’s World Championship continues in Brampton (CAN) with pool play that will conclude on Tuesday and Canada and the U.S. rolling toward a showdown on Monday.

Two-time defending champion Canada sailed to its third win by defeating Japan on Saturday, 5-0, as forward Sarah Fillier got two goals. The Canadians have outscored their first three foes by 14-1.

The American women fell behind the Czech Republic, 2-1, in the first period, then got a goal from Hayley Scamurra to tie it with 3:49 left in the period. Then came more goals, with Lacey Eden and Tessa Janecke scoring for a 4-2 lead at the end of the second period, and Hilary Knight and Abby Roque both scoring in the first eight minutes of the third for a 6-2 lead and that’s how it ended. The U.S. has outscored its three foes, 22-4, and will play Canada for the top spot in the group on Monday.

Playoffs will begin on the 13th with quarterfinals, followed by semis on the 15th and the finals on the 16th.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● It was windy, but it was really fast, as Sha’Carri Richardson won the women’s 100 m at the Miramar Invitational in Florida on Saturday in 10.57 (!!!) with an aiding wind of 4.1 m/s.

Adjusting for wind, the 10.57w is worth +0.21 over a 0.0 reading (so, 10.78 at 0.0) or +0.10 over a 2.0 m/s reading, so 10.67! It’s the third-fastest time (all-conditions)  in history, behind the wind-legal marks by Florence Griffith-Joyner (10.49 ‘88) and Elaine Thompson-Herah (10.54 ‘21).

Richardson ran away from TeeTee Terry (10.83w), and Natasha Morrison (11.05w) in race two; Cambrea Sturgis won race one in 10.98w (+3.2).

Richardson won heat three in 10.75w (+2.8), with Terry winning heat one in 10.89w (+4.5). Wow.

U.S. women’s 200 m champ Abby Steiner claimed the world lead in 2023, winning in 22.23 (+1.8), beating Tamari Davis (22.31), a lifetime best. Shamier Little impressed in the 400 m, with the no. 2 mark in 2023 so far, winning in 50.73. Ajee Wilson won the 800 m in 2:02.95 and Tonea Marshall took the 100 m hurdles in a windy 12.62 (+2.2).

Jamaica’s Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake went 1-2 in the men’s 100 m in 9.91w and 9.93w (+2.2) in race two. Seville had a legal (+1.8) win in heat one in 9.95. American sprint star Christian Coleman won the 200 m at the line from Letsile Tebogo (BOT), with both in 20.00 (+1.9) and now sharing the world lead.

American Will Williams won the men’s long jump with a wind-aided 8.25 m (27-0 3/4).

More hot times, including a world-leading 10.87 in the women’s 100 m from American star Aleia Hobbs, with a legal 2.0 m/s wind at the Lloyd Wills Invitational on her home track at LSU.

In Los Angeles, at the Allice Trojan Invitational at USC, Tokyo 400 m hurdles silver medalist Rai Benjamin got a lifetime best in the flat 400 m, winning in 44.21, moving to no. 2 in the world for 2023. Former Trojan 800 m star Isaiah Jewett was second in 45.90, also a lifetime best.

For Benjamin, it was his first 400 m best since 2019 (44.31). In comparison to his prime hurdles rivals, Norway’s Karsten Warholm has a 400 m best of 44.87 from 2017 and Alison Dos Santos (BRA) has run 44.54 from 2022.

At the always-wind-friendly Triton Invitational in La Jolla, California, Tokyo Olympic champ Valarie Allman jumped her world lead from 67.80 m (222-5) at the Texas Relays to 70.25 m (230-5), her third-best throw ever. She owns all six throws ever made by an American over 70 m.

In Berkeley, California, two world throws leaders at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational, as World Champs silver medalist (and Cal soph) Mykolas Alekna (LTU) got the men’s discus out to 68.39 m (224-4) and former Golden Bear and Worlds runner-up Camryn Rogers (CAN) reached 77.30 m (253-7) with the hammer.

Norah Jeruto, the former Kenyan and now Kazakhstan distance star who won the 2022 World Athletics Championship in the women’s Steeple, was charged by the Athletics Integrity Unit on 5 April for “Use of a Prohibited Substance/Method” based on a review of her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP). No more details were posted.

Jeruto won the Worlds Steeple last July, but then only competed in the Kazakhstan 10 km national road championship in September (second) and in the Asian Indoor Championships 3,000 m in February (seventh).

The AIU imposed a six-month sanction on marathoners Camilo Santiago of Spain and Ivan Zarco Alvarez of Honduras for swapping race bibs at the Itelligence Citylauf Invitational Marathon in Dresden, Germany on 21 March 2021. The AIU noted:

“Mr Zarco’s and Mr Santiago’s accounts of events were directly inconsistent with other evidence and did not demonstrate an honest attempt to correct the Marathon results, particularly in circumstances where Mr Zarco must have known that the result in question would have been a Honduran national record …The fact that Mr Zarco and Mr Santiago swapped bibs at all and were caught out in a public forum demonstrates that their conduct was unreasonable and it brought the sport into disrepute …The bib swap was an intentional arrangement for the purpose of altering Mr Zarco’s Marathon results.”

Both admitted the swap and are suspended through 8 August 2023.

● Badminton ● At the Orleans Masters in France, there was a rare appearance by an American star in a BWF World Tour final: Beiwen Zhang.

Now 32, Zhang had appeared in three prior finals, all in 2018, and she was matched against Rio 2016 winner and top seed Carolina Marin of Spain. The first set was a marathon, with Marin winning, 25-23, only to have Zhang came back with a dominant, 21-9, win in the second set. But Marin had more left in the tank and took the third set, 21-10.

A three-time World Champion, Marin now has a career record of 6-2 against Zhang.

Priyanshu Rajawat (IND) took the men’s Singles final, 21-15, 19-21, 21-16 over Magnus Johannesen (DEN). Bo Yang Chen and Yi Liu (CHN) won the men’s Doubles over Muhammad Fikri and Bagas Maulana (INA), 21-19, 21-17 and Rena Miyaura and Ayako Sakamoto (JPN) edged Sheng Shu Liu and Ning Tan (CHN), 21-19, 16-21, 21-12 in the women’s Doubles final.

In the Mixed Doubles, Tang Jie Chen and Ee Wei Toh (MAS) swept, Hong Wei Yi and Chia Hsin Lee (TPE), 21-19, 21-17.

● Cycling ● The iconic Paris-Roubaix race – the 120th – was the third “Monument” race of 2023, over 256.6 km with 29 cobblestone sections that make this race so unpredictable.

It was no surprise that rivals Mathieu van der Poel (NED) and Wout van Aert (BEL) looked to be dueling for the victory, with van der Poel throwing in attack after attack in the final 60 km. The break finally came only in the final 15 km, as another cobbled section ended up causing Germany’s Jon Degenkolb to crash as Belgian Jasper Philipsen came though with van der Poel and van Aert going clear.

But a flat tire hampered van Aert and van der Poel’s breakaway saw him win in 5:28:41, with Philipsen and van Aert second and third, 46 seconds back and Mads Pedersen (DEN), Stefan Kung (SUI) and Filippo Ganna (ITA) following, all 50 seconds behind the winner.

Van der Poel won his second Monument in 2023 – also Milan-Sanremo – and owns four career Monument wins, having won Flanders in 2020 and 2022 (and second in 2023).

The third Paris-Roubaix for women was held on Saturday, over a flat, 145.4 km course – with lots of cobbled sections – that saw nine riders sprint for the line in the final kilometer. The winner was a shock: Canadian Alison Jackson, 34, in 3:42:56 for her first overall race victory on the UCI Women’s World Tour! She led a group of six at the line, just ahead of Katie Ragusa (ITA), Marthe Truyen (BEL) and Eugenie Duval (FRA).

A major crash with 37 km left eliminated many of the big names from contention, including defending champion Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA), Tour of Flanders winner Lotte Kopecky (BEL) and Ronde van Drenthe winner Lorena Wibes (NED).

The 62nd Itzulia Basque Country race in Spain finished on Saturday, with Danish star Jonas Vingegaard – the reigning Tour de France champion – winning three of the six stages on the way to the overall title.

Vingegaard won the third stage and took the overall lead and held it to the end. He won the hilly stage four and then the one true climbing stage on Saturday, in and around Eibar. His winning time overall was 24:45:24, some 1:12 ahead of Spain’s Mikel Landa and 1:29 up on 2019 winner, Ion Izagirre (ESP). American Brandon McNulty was seventh overall, 1:38 behind the winner.

Vingegaard moved up from second in 2021. Izagirre won his sixth medal in this race over the past eight editions (1-1-4).

● Equestrian ● The FEI World Cup Finals were in Omaha, Nebraska this year, with Germany dominating the medal standings.

In the Dressage Freestyle Final, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl defended her 2022 championship, scoring 90.482% (on TSF Dalera BB) to edge Nanna Skodborg Merrald (DEN: 87.164%, on Blue Hors Zepter) and the amazing Isabell Werth (GER: 85.671%, on Qyuantaz). American Steffen Peters, 58, the 2009 champion, finished fourth (83.921% on Suppenkasper). Anna Buffini of the U.S. was sixth (77.843% on Davinla La Douce), and Alice Tarjan was ninth (75.207% on Serenade).

Bredow-Werndl won her fifth career medal since 2015, with two wins and three bronzes. Werth, 53, won her 14th World Cup medal, including five titles, five silvers and now four bronzes; he’s won medals now in five straight World Cup Finals.

In the Jumping, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann (with King Edward), 41, got his first FEI World Cup victory to go along with his 2022 World Championships gold, totaling only five penalties across three rounds and none in the final competition. He had previously won two World Cup bronzes.

Harrie Smolders (NED, with Monaco N.O.P.) found himself in a familiar place – second – after compiling nine penalties for his third World Cup Final silver and second in a row. American Hunter Holloway (on Pepita Con Spita), 25, took the bronze with 11 penalties, her first World Cup medal.

Including the Dressage, Jumping and (non-Olympic) Vaulting competitions, Germany topped the standings with nine medals (5-2-2), followed by Austria, the Netherlands and the Swiss with two each.

● Football ● The U.S. Women’s National Team returned to play with a friendly against Ireland in Austin, Texas, with both teams getting ready to play in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The U.S. dominated play, with the Irish having a tough time getting the ball out of their own end for any meaningful possession time. But even with 8-9 players back, defender Emily Fox found room just beyond the top of the box, running to the right and then sending a right-footed laser toward the left corner and past Irish keeper Courtney Brosnan for 1-0 lead in the 37th minute. It was Fox’s first international goal in her 28th appearance, and that’s the way the half ended.

There was considerable concern with U.S. scoring star Mallory Swanson carried off the field after a left knee injury in the 41st minute; she did not return. She was diagnosed with a torn patella tendon and will receive further tests.

The Americans kept pressing, but could not score in the second half, despite multiple chances. Midfielder Julie Ertz returned to the field for the first time since August 2021 in the 67th and she sent a ball into the box in the 79th minute toward midfielder Lindsey Horan, who was dragged down by Irish defender Diane Caldwell for a penalty.

Horan pounded a right-footed shot from right to left and although Brosnan hit it, the ball popped behind her for U.S. and a 2-0 lead. Ireland got a couple of late chances in stoppage time, but U.S. keeper Alyssa Naeher was solid and the game ended at 2-0. The U.S. finished with 70% of possession despite 13 Irish fouls; The Americans ended with 25 shots to six for Ireland.

The U.S. improved to 14-0-0 all-time against Ireland, in their first meeting since 2019. The two sides will play again on Tuesday (11th).

● Golf ● Bad weather imploded The Masters on Saturday, with American Brooks Koepka leading Spanish star Jon Rahm by four strokes when play was called off. Better weather on Sunday allowed round three to finish with Koepka two up on Rahm, and Norway’s Viktor Hovland one shot further back.

The final round saw Rahm take the lead by two at the turn with birdies at three and eight and a bogey on nine, while Koepka suffered bogies on 4-6-9. The big charge was made by 52-year-old Phil Mickelson (USA), who birdied five of the last seven holes to card a 65 for the day and finish the tournament at -8 (280).

Rahm stayed strong and birdied two more holes on the final nine and finished with a four-stroke win at -12 (276). It’s his fifth finish in the top 10; had been fourth in 2018.

Koepka had three bogeys and three birdies on the last nine and ended up at -8, tied with Mickelson for second; he was also tied for second in 2019. Rahm and Hovland (tie-7th) were the only non-American players in the top nine; Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed and Russell Henley tied for fourth (-7). Cameron Young tied Hovland for seventh (-6) and Sahith Theegala was ninth (-5).

● Rugby Sevens ● The Rugby Sevens Series for men was in Singapore, with seasonal leader New Zealand whipping through pool play with a 3-0 record, as did Samoa and Argentina; France won Pool C at 2-0-1.

The playoff rounds were tightly contested, but New Zealand sailed past Great Britain (22-10) and Fiji (19-10) to reach the final. Samoa and Argentina met in the semis, with the Argentines managing a 24-19 win to advance. A taut final saw the Kiwis pull out a 19-17 victory and take their fourth win in the last five tournaments. Fiji won the bronze-medal match, 24-19, against Samoa.

After nine of 11 stops, the seasonal standings show New Zealand still in front with 164 points, to 140 for Argentina, 130 for Fiji and 122 for France. The U.S. sits eighth at 94.

● Sailing ● The 52nd Trofeo Princesa Sofia regatta drew 1,300 sailors from 67 nations for Olympic Class competitions off Palma de Majorca, with some familiar stars atop the podium once again.

Brazil’s Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze, Olympic winners in Rio and Tokyo, won the 49erFX class with 61 net points (three wins), over two-time World Champion Odile van Aanholt and three-time World Champion Annette Duetz (both NED: 76); Americans Stephanie Roble and Maggie Shea finished fifth (89).

Dutch star Marit Bouwmeester – four-time World Champion – won the Laser Radial class with 60 points and two wins, well ahead of Zoe Thomson (AUS: 87) and Maxime Jonker (NED: 90).

In the new mixed 470 class, Japan’s 2018 women’s Worlds winner Miho Yoshioka (JPN) teamed with Keiju Okada to win a tight battle, 56-63-66 against Luise Wanser and Philipp Autenreith (GER) and Spain’s Tokyo Olympic men’s bronze medalist Jordi Xammar and Nora Brugman Cabot. Americans Stuart McNay and Lara Dallman-Weiss finished eighth (100).

Two-time World Champions John Gimson and Anna Burnet won the mixed Nacra 17 class, with three wins and 43 points, just ahead of Italy’s Vittorio Bissaro and Maelle Frascari Diotallevi (47) and Gianluigi Ugolini and Maria Giubilei (ITA: 61). The third Italian entry, Tokyo Olympic champs Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti, finished fourth (76).

Britain’s Michael Bennett scored an impressive win in the Laser Class, with seven top-three finishes and just 44 net points, over George Gautrey (NZL: 72) and Croatia’s two-time Olympic silver medalist Tonci Stipanovic (73). Two-time World Champion Pavlo Kontides (CYP) also finished with 73 points, but was placed fourth due to being behind Stipanovic in the medal race.

New Zealand went 1-3 in the men’s 49er class, with Logan Dunning Beck and Oscar Gunn winning with 67 points, beating out 2016 Rio gold medalist Tom Burton, now sailing with Max Paul (AUS: 76), and Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie (NZL: 79).

Singapore’s 16-year-old Maximilian Maeder was the winner of the men’s Formula Kite event with just 19 points, over Connor Bainbridge (GBR: 33) and Axel Mazella (FRA: 38); France’s former World Champion, Max Nocher, also scored 38, but was placed fourth. Lauriane Nolot (FRA) won the women’s Kite (24), with Ellie Aldridge (GBR: 33) second; American Daniela Moroz, the 2018 World Champion, was fourth (37).

Sam Sills (GBR) won the men’s IQ Foil races with 32 points, beating Sebastian Koerdel (GER: 37) and Israel’s Tom Reuveny (70). Britain’s Emma Wilson took the women’s IQ Foil (54), well ahead of Lucie Belbeoch (FRA: 91).

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TSX REPORT: New poll shows only 38% favor Sapporo Winter bid; Salnikov doubts Russian entry in swimming Worlds; 29 Paris 2024 “test” events

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. New Sapporo poll shows 38% in favor of Winter Games
2. Salnikov says Russians will not compete at aquatics Worlds
3. Fencing federation has asked for Russian club affiliations
4. UEFA continues to allow Belarus to compete
5. Paris test-event program revealed for 24 of 32 sports

The Asahi Shimbun’s poll of Sapporo residents from 1-2 April showed only 38% in favor of a bid for the 2030 Olympic Winter Games and 47% opposed. Sunday’s mayoral election could decide whether the bids moves forward at all. Russian Swimming Federation chief Vladimir Salnikov said that even if World Aquatics re-admits its swimmers as neutrals in July, it will be too late for them to compete at the World Championships beginning on 14 July in Fukuoka, Japan. The head of the Russian Fencing Federation said the International Fencing Federation has asked for the club affiliations of its athletes in advance of determining whether they are “neutral” with regard to their military and national-security agency status. A key advisor to Russian President Putin said no Russian athlete will compete if a “receipt” must be signed. UEFA said it would review again later its current stance, allowing the Belarusian men’s team to compete in the qualifiers for the 2024 European Championship; Russia is banned, but Belarus is now 0-2 in Group I, losing to the Swiss and Romania so far. The Paris 2024 organizers announced a complex, tri-level “testing” program of 12 months and 29 events, some of which will be staged by the organizing committee, some done by others with some Paris 2024 elements included and others which will be limited, closed-door programs to evaluate specific operational concepts.

● World Championship: Ice Hockey ●
● Panorama: Paris 2024 (national government buying 400,000 tickets) = Transgender (U.S. Education Dept. proposing Title IX modification to prevent blanket ban) = Boxing (104 nations enter IBA men’s Worlds) = Gymnastics (FIG head Watanabe visits Ukraine, wants Russian re-entry) = Swimming (Court of Arbitration upholds World Aquatics power on Stabilization Committee for Mexico). ●

1.
New Sapporo poll shows 38% in favor of Winter Games

A new poll by the Asahi Shimbun newspaper in Sapporo showed that only 38% of respondents are in favor of having the 2030 Olympic Winter Games there, with 47% opposed and 15% in neither camp.

The poll comes just days before a municipal election with incumbent mayor – and heavy bid supporter – Katsuhiro Akimoto – trying for a third term, and facing two candidates – Kauro Takano and Hideo Kibata – who would like to see the Sapporo Winter Games bid ended.

The survey, made during 1-2 April, included 784 respondents selected by computer who answered a landline call. Some 56% of the respondents said that the Winter Olympics bid issue would factor into their decision on the mayoral campaign; 33% said it would not.

Perhaps most impressive was that 79% were in favor of a referendum on the issue of whether Sapporo should pursue a second Olympic Winter Games. It hosted in 1972.

The 2030 Winter Games situation has become exceedingly fluid in recent months. Sapporo appeared to be the front-runner, but continuing reports of scandals on sponsorship selection and the rigging of bids for test events and venue management contracts for the Tokyo Olympic Games have soured public opinion.

Salt Lake City’s bid has been uniformly praised and is highly popular in Utah, but the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee would prefer 2034 to give it more breathing space following the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Vancouver’s bid has been stilled by the lack of support from the Province of British Columbia, which also means that federation support will not be available.

Into this mess have come inquiries to the International Olympic Committee from Sweden (apparently for Stockholm) and Switzerland. The outcome of Sunday’s election could end Sapporo’s bid altogether, or give it new life.

2.
Salnikov says Russians will not compete at aquatics Worlds

The head of the Russian Swimming Federation, four-time Olympic gold medalist and former world-record holder Vladimir Salnikov, said that even if World Aquatics were to decide to re-admit Russians as “neutral athletes,” they will not compete at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Japan in July.

In the first place, he objects to the recommended conditions set out by the International Olympic Committee:

“I consider the conditions set unacceptable. There are certain expectations that the situation may change, so we will monitor the situation. Our plans include organizing our own competitions, so that athletes will not be left without starts. We will do our best to ensure that they are bright and interesting.”

As for the World Championships:

“The International Federation has extended the restrictions imposed last year on the participation of our athletes in its events.

“The issue of the possibility of returning our athletes to the international arena will be considered by a special commission, which will provide its proposals closer to July, which makes it unrealistic for us to participate in the upcoming World Championships even if a positive decision is made on the issue of admission.”

Russia competed in the 2019 Worlds in South Korea, and won 30 medals – third overall – with 16 in swimming (3-7-6), four in diving (0-3-1), nine in artistic swimming (9-0-0) and one in open water (0-1-0). It was barred from the 2022 Worlds due to the invasion of Ukraine.

3.
Fencing federation has asked for Russian club affiliations

On 10 March, the Federation Internationale de Escrime (FIE) voted to re-admit Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals, in conjunction with the International Olympic Committee’s recommendations. One of those was:

“Athletes who are contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies cannot compete. Support personnel who are contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies cannot be entered.”

This has raised questions within Russian sport about athletes competing for the famed CSKA or Dynamo sports clubs, which have long associations with military or law enforcement. On Thursday, Russian Fencing Federation President Ilgar Mammadov told the TASS news agency:

“We received a response from the International Fencing Federation to a letter dated April 3. The FIE committee advised that we must send an updated list of 110-120 of our athletes, coaches and referees with club and agency affiliations in order to comply with the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee.

“We will write as it is – CSKA, Dynamo – then the [review] committee of the International Fencing Federation will pass the information on to the executive committee of the organization. We hope that everything will go quickly, since the Grand Prix in saber fencing in Seoul is ahead of us, in two weeks.”

A first test of how the CSKA and Dynamo affiliations will be judged, although each of the International Federations can decide how they want to handle this issue on their own.

There are some Russian officials who are projecting that the IOC’s recommendations as written will keep its team out of competitions. Igor Levitin, the former President of the European Table Tennis Union and a long-time advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin told TASS:

“We definitely won’t go if they demand receipts from our athletes. This is a violation of human rights and is not written in any document. They did not take the signatures of the athletes of those countries that bombed Iran, Iraq.”

“Which international federations are the most problematic for us? I think it’s athletics. Because, in fact, it’s, let’s say, half a team. On the other hand, there are no team competitions in athletics. We hope that individual athletes will be selected.”

Asked when Russian athletes might be re-admitted to competitions, World Athletics Sebastian Coe (GBR) said when they “get out of Ukraine.”

4.
UEFA continues to allow Belarus to compete

The European Football Union (UEFA) has an unusual policy in that it has banned Russian participation, but allows Belarus to compete, but with no home games – all held at neutral sites – and without spectators.

On Wednesday, newly re-elected UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin (SLO) was asked about the status of Belarus in view of calls to treat it the same way that Russia is:

“I said the matter would be discussed and I also said that only the executive committee could make a decision and nobody else.

“We had a discussion, we have taken away the organisation of the Women’s Under-19 European Championship [in 2025].

“For the rest we will study the situation and we will see what we decide at the next executive committee meeting on June 28.”

Belarus is competing, so far, in the qualifying process for the 2024 European Championships. Assigned to Group I, it lost to Switzerland (5-0) on 25 March (in Serbia), and at Romania (2-1) on 28 March. Its next matches are scheduled for 16 June vs. Israel at a neutral site, and 19 June vs. Kosovo, also at a neutral site.

5.
Paris test-event program revealed for 24 of 32 sports

The Paris 2024 organizers unveiled a complex, three-tier “testing program” of events in 2023 and 2024. The announced purposes:

“While not intended to be an exact replica of the Games competitions, the tests are designed to ensure that Paris 2024 and all stakeholders involved in organising the Games are ready by summer 2024, when the eyes of the world will be fixed on France. They will enable the organisers to identify and carry out any modifications that may be necessary to make sure the Games run as smoothly as possible.”

Instead of organizing new events for each sport as a full-on rehearsal, three different types of events will be used:

● Competitions developed and staged by the Paris 2024 organizing committee.

● Events staged by others, such as local promoters, national federations or the International Federations, at which Paris 2024 can execute specific functions.

● Operational tests, without spectators and a small number of participants, to test specific elements of a venue or a system to be used.

The preliminary listing shows events planned in 24 of the 32 sports on the program:

In 2023:

● By Paris 2024 (3 sports): cycling (mountain bike), sailing, triathlon

● By others (6): aquatics (open water), archery, canoeing (slalom and sprint), golf, rowing, surfing

● Operating tests (10+): basketball, boxing, equestrian, fencing, handball, judo, table tennis, taekwondo, weightlifting, wrestling and the Place de la Concorde (site for basketball/3×3, breaking, cycling/BMX and skateboarding)

In 2024:

● By Paris 2024 (1): hockey.

● By others (2): aquatics (artistic swimming, diving, water polo).

● Operating tests (6): aquatics (swimming, water polo), athletics, cycling (BMX), gymnastics (rhythmic), modern pentathlon.

This is 29 events in all, across a roughly 12-month period. It does not include – yet – test events for badminton, football, rugby, shooing, volleyball or weightlifting, and none for artistic or trampoline gymnastics. It’s not clear whether the 2023 Place de la Concorde “venue test” will do for breaking and skateboarding, either.

There’s no doubt that having the organizing committee actually stage only four events will be a substantial money-saver, a key consideration for Paris 2024 and the IOC given the continuing pressure on European economies. But it simply transfers the burden of preparation to the Paris 2024 training program and the sport and functional-department managers who will have to get their projects ready without a full dress rehearsal.

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Ice Hockey ● The 2023 IIHF women’s World Championship is underway in Brampton, Canada, with two-time defending champion Canada opening with a 4-0 shutout of Switzerland and the U.S. spanking Japan, 7-1, in Group A.

Round-robin play will continue through the 11th, moving to playoffs on the 13th and the championship match on the 16th.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The French newspaper Le Monde reported that the French government is finalizing a plan to distribute up to 100,000 Olympic and 300,000 Paralympic tickets to young people (60,000 Olympic, 200,000 Paralympic) and sports volunteers in the country (100,000).

The national government expects to spend €11 million on the tickets (about $12.01 million U.S. today).

Most of the sports volunteer tickets will be distributed through national sports federations. Another 17,400 tickets will be provided to individuals with disabilities and their attendants; about 24,000 will go to nurses, police and administrators, “to reward all those who contribute to the organization and success of this event.”

Another 600,000 tickets for both the Olympics and Paralympic combined are expected to be purchased or received by local governments. The story noted figures for the City of Paris (50,000 tickets), the Sainte-Saint-Denis region (40,000: cost €1 million), the Ile-de-France region (50,000): cost €3.5 million and the Plaine Commune region (55,000).

● Transgender ● The U.S. Department of Education announced that it is proposing modifications to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 that would allow regulation, but not prohibition of transgender participation on sports teams:

“The proposed rule would establish that policies violate Title IX when they categorically ban transgender students from participating on sports teams consistent with their gender identity just because of who they are. The proposed rule also recognizes that in some instances, particularly in competitive high school and college athletic environments, some schools may adopt policies that limit transgender students’ participation. The proposed rule would provide schools with a framework for developing eligibility criteria that protects students from being denied equal athletic opportunity, while giving schools the flexibility to develop their own participation policies.”

The commentary also noted:

“[T]he Department expects that, under its proposed regulation, elementary school students would generally be able to participate on school sports teams consistent with their gender identity where considerations may be different for competitive high school and college teams.”

Multiple U.S. states have passed legislation banning transgender athletes from participation in divisions other than of their sex as birth. If adopted, this new rule is sure to be tested in courts at multiple levels.

● Boxing ● The International Boxing Association announced that 640 boxers from 104 countries have entered its men’s World Championships in Tashkent (UZB) from 30 April-14 May.

Multiple federations, including the U.S., are not competing in protest against the IBA’s policies and practices concerning Russian and Belarusian participation, finance and governance. The IBA lists 204 member federations; 65 federations entered the just-completed women’s Worlds in India.

● Gymnastics ● Federation International de Gymnastique (FIG) President Morinari Watanabe (JPN) left no doubt of his position on Russian and Belarusian re-entry – to be considered by the federation on 12-13 May – during a trip to Ukraine for the funeral of friend and rhythmic gymnastics coach Albina Deriugina. He also met with Ukrainian political and sports officials and stated:

“I understand and support Ukraine’s position on the political side. But sport is independent of politics. Sport must seek peace even when governments and soldiers are at war. That is the mission given to sports.

“President Zelensky protects the Ukrainian people like family. I am protecting all gymnasts in the world like family. That’s why I support Ukrainian gymnasts and why I defend the right of Russian and Belarusian gymnasts who are not involved in the war to participate in competitions.”

● Swimming ● World Aquatics posted a statement saying that the Court of Arbitration for Sport had upheld its authority to create a Stabilization Committee to try to cure governance issues at the Mexican Swimming Federation. World Aquatics Executive Director Brent Nowicki said:

“This is an extremely important judgement by CAS, as it clearly confirms the ability of the World Aquatics Bureau to install a Stabilization Committee when such action is required. In the case of the Mexican Swimming Federation, the CAS rightly confirmed that the action taken by the World Aquatics Bureau to protect Mexican athletes, clubs, and officials was justified given the repeated and blatant failures of the federation and its leadership.”

In view of the decision, World Aquatics suspended the former Mexican federation president, Kiril Todorov and the Aquatics Integrity Unit has opened a “disciplinary procedure.”

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TSX REPORT: Third fencing World Cup canceled over Russian re-entry; aquatics to study Russia question; a Kenyan criminal doping ring?

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 ≡

1. Third fencing World Cup canceled, as Poland exits
2. World Aquatics to study Russian & Belarusian re-entry
3. IOC’s Bach says “sport has the power to foster peace”
4. AIU concerned over criminal doping ring in Kenya
5. Paris 2024 “Team USA House” to be available to fans

The Polish Fencing Federation became the third national federation to cancel an International Fencing Federation World Cup over the re-entry of Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals, criticizing the “poorly controlled manner” in which such athletes will be able to enter. World Aquatics announced that a review committee will be formed to study possible Russian and Belarusian re-entry, with a decision not before July, when the World Aquatics Championships will be held in Japan. It is possible that some Russian and Belarusian swimmers could take part in the 2023 Worlds. International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach released a short video in advance of Thursday’s International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, saying that sport is a low-cost, effective way to promote understanding apart from politics. The Athletics Integrity Unit sounded the alarm that a controlled, criminal program of doping is in play in Kenya and that a task force will be formed to root it out. A panel which imposed an eight-year sanctions on distance runner Eglay Nafuna Nalyanya noticed the similarities of method, people and place to another sanctions case from January. The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee announced that the “Team USA House” in Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games will be at the ornate, neoclassical Palais Brongniat in the city center area and will be able to be accessed by fans – for the first time – who are part of official hospitality and travel packages.

● World Championship: Curling ●
● Panorama: Olympic Games 2024 (NBC says ‘24 ad sales going well) = Olympic Games 2036 (some Berlin politicians want 2036 Games) = Athletics (3: Lima cannot host 2024 World Juniors; Crouser irritated by measurement controversy; Bol’s lawyer wants doping inquiry dropped) = Equestrian (Russian and Belarusian ban maintained) = Football (2: Cerefin wins UEFA re-election; Ukraine still in Portugal-Spain-Morocco bid for 2030 World Cup) = Swimming (Swim England “Open” division may be confusing) ●

1.
Third fencing World Cup canceled, as Poland exits

The Federation Internationale d’Escrime (FIE) decided on 10 March via an online Congress to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to competition as neutral athletes beginning on 16 April, in line with whatever the International Olympic Committee came up with at its Executive Board meeting at the end of March.

Amazingly, no public announcement of the Congress, or the votes taken there has been made. But everybody knows.

The response so far has been three canceled World Cup events. The first was by the German Fencing Federation, which “returned” the 5-7 May women’s Foil event to be held in Tauberbischofsheim.

Next, the French Fencing Federation canceled the 19-21 May men’s Epee World Cup in St. Maur.

On Wednesday, the Polish Fencing Federation (“PZS”) joined in:

“The Polish Federation informs that due to the change by the Board of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) of the rules of qualifying for the [21-23 April] Women’s Foil World Cup in Poznan, for competitors and support staff holding Russian and Belarusian passports, the Board of PZS is forced to cancel this competition. …

“Introduced by the FIE on 4 April 2023, the procedure means that Ukrainian fencers will not participate in the competitions qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and on the other hand, there is a risk that a large number of competitors with Russian and Belarusian passports will be admitted in a poorly controlled manner.

“The Polish Fencing Association supports the Ukrainian Fencing Federation in its efforts to remove from the competitions and the world fencing environment people who support the brutal war in Ukraine and support the regime of Vladimir Putin, which is why, as the organizer of the World Cup in Poznan, we could not accept such a situation.”

The 2022-23 FIE World Cup season is heading toward the close, with post-15 April tournaments that could include Russian and Belarusian entries scheduled for Korea, Colombia, Mexico, Spain, Georgia, China and UAE.

2.
World Aquatics to study Russian & Belarusian re-entry

“The World Aquatics Bureau supports the statement made by the IOC Executive Board on 28 March 2023 and has approved a task force to explore a potential pathway for Russian and Belarusian athletes to be invited to compete at future international aquatics events.”

Wednesday’s announcement also included:

“The task force, made up of athletes and representatives from across the aquatics community and chaired by Maureen Croes, the President of PanAm Aquatics, will begin work immediately on developing a recommendation to the World Aquatics Bureau.

“The World Aquatics Bureau notes that the task force will need to take time to come to its conclusions, and will report back at the next Bureau meeting in July 2023.”

The timing is crucial, since the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in swimming, open water, diving, artistic swimming, water polo and high diving, will be held in Fukuoka (JPN) from 14-30 July. With the swimming racing not starting until 22 July, a World Aquatics decision to allow Russian and Belarusian entries prior to the start of the Fukuoka meet could allow these countries to send swimmers to compete there.

Or the decision could be to allow Russian and Belarusian entries after the Worlds, when less attention will be paid to them. The three-meet Swimming World Cup will be held in October, in Germany, Greece and Hungary.

Observed: The politics of this decision will be fascinating, especially since World Aquatics President Husain Al-Musallam of Kuwait is also the Director General of the Olympic Council of Asia.

The OCA is the group which first offered to admit Russian and Belarusian participation, during last December’s Olympic Summit in Lausanne. That action has been a catalyst for the IOC to get to its current position of allowing Russian and Belarusian participation as neutrals, and Al-Musallam has been noted as a proponent of Russian and Belarusian re-entry under a neutral status.

3.
IOC’s Bach says “sport has the power to foster peace”

In a short video marking Thursday as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach doubled down on his message of the importance of sport:

“Sport brings people together in peaceful competition. Like few other things, sport has the power to foster peace and understanding with our fellow human beings.

“At the Olympic Games, the athletes set aside all the differences that divide the world. They compete fiercely against each other, while living peacefully together under one roof in the Olympic Village. This makes the Olympic Games such a powerful symbol of peace. …

“This is where sport can make a positive impact. Sport is the low-cost, high-impact tool to support all countries – big or small, rich or poor – to build together a more peaceful, healthier, more equal and more sustainable world for everyone – 365 days a year. …

“This is the contribution to peace that sport can offer: opening a pathway to foster understanding between people and nations. Sport can open the door to peace in ways that exclusion and division do not.”

Interestingly, Bach’s comments on video and on the accompanying transcript included:

“With wars, division, confrontation and human suffering on the rise around the world, we need the unifying power of sport as a force for good more urgently than ever.”

But in the IOC news release, a different quote – not in the video – was used that doubled down on the IOC’s position that Ukrainians should not mind that Russian and Belarusian athletes could compete against them at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games:

“Due to the fact that there are unfortunately far too many wars, armed conflicts and crises in this world, we have seen in almost all editions of the Games athletes compete with each other – as a symbol of peace – despite the fact that their nations are at war or in conflict.”

Whose idea was that?

4.
AIU concerned over criminal doping ring in Kenya

“It seems that elite Kenyan athletes are being assisted by a person or persons, including someone with considerable medical knowledge, to commit what amounts to criminal conduct involving frauds on the AIU, and that this is not limited to a single case but evidences a pattern of behaviour. We regard this conduct as a matter of the greatest possible concern and urge the AIU to take all possible steps to establish how this is occurring.”

Announced in a 4 April 2023 news release, the Athletics Integrity Unit is sounding the alarm after a disciplinary tribunal saw parallels in two recent doping cases. A new, eight-year sanction was handed down against distance runner Eglay Nafuna Nalyanya (4:05.68 at 1,500 m) for steroid use in 2022 and tampering with the doping-control system and runner Betty Lempus, who was sanctioned for doping in January:

“Nalyanya and Lempus told the AIU they received intramuscular injections while being treated at the same Kenyan hospital and produced falsified medical documents to support their respective claims. In both instances, AIU investigations – in collaboration with the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) – discovered the documents were false; that the doctors listed were fictitious; and that neither athlete had received the respective injection though both women had attended the hospital on the respective days in question. In Nalyanya’s case, a hospital official testified the hospital has never stocked the medication (sustanon) which Nalyanya said she received.

“The Disciplinary Tribunal pointed out that comparisons of the falsified documents in the two cases showed distinctive likenesses.”

AIU Chair David Howman (NZL) said immediate steps are being taken:

“It is clear doping in Kenya is increasingly well organised and these cases underline the reality that medically-experienced personnel are involved. This is a serious threat to our sport. The AIU has been asked to work with the Kenyan Government, Athletics Kenya and the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya to attack this crisis. We have set up a Steering Committee to lead this special project and determine how best to use this funding, and the AIU’s expert advice will be utilised across various strategic areas, including testing, investigations and intelligence, and education outreach.”

Organized doping efforts are hardly new, but Kenya’s situation is especially grave, with 67 people listed on the AIU’s 1 April “Global List of Ineligible Persons.”

5.
Paris 2024 “Team USA House” to be available to fans

Introduced at Olympic Games in the later part of the 20th Century, most of the larger National Olympic Committee have a “team house,” which has been a gathering place for athletes, officials, sponsors, news media and guests. Mostly wiped out by the Covid pandemic, the concept is returning in a big way for Paris in 2024, with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee announces its location for 2024 on Wednesday.

The ornate, neoclassical Palais Brongniat, in the middle of Paris, originally completed in 1826 and then expanded in 1905 was, for many years, the Paris Bourse, or main stock exchange building. Today it’s a convention and meetings space and will house the “Team USA House” for Paris.

Up until now, the “USA House” – like most NOC facilities – was only accessible by invitation, but the USOPC is opening it to the public for 2024 … for a price. It’s included in a variety of travel packages offered by the official hospitality provider, On Location:

● 3-night Short Stays, from €4,140 to €7,145 per person, depending on the dates and events selected (about $4,515 to $7,791 U.S. today).

● 4-night Long Stays, from €11,660 to €15,230 per person, depending on dates and events (about $12,715 to $16,608 U.S.).

● 5- or 6-night Long Stays, from €15,650 to €19,445 per person, depending on dates and events (about $17,066 to $21,204 today).

Single-day packages are also available, tied in with tickets to specific events.

Typical programs include current and Olympic alumni athlete appearances, sponsor programs, food and drink and spaces to watch the Games on multiple, large screens.

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ≡

● Curling ● The WCF men’s World Championship is ongoing in Ottawa (CAN) with about two-thirds of the round-robin completed among the 13 teams. The top six will advance to the playoffs, to begin on Saturday.

So far, the top teams have been Switzerland (7-1; skipped by Yannick Schwaller), Norway (7-1; Magnus Ramsfjell) and Sweden (6-1), with six-time World Champion Niklas Edin back to try to win a fifth straight Worlds.

Canada (2017 World Champion Brad Gushue) and Scotland (Beijing 2022 silver winner Bruce Mouat) are at 5-2, with Italy (2022 Worlds bronze medalist Joel Retornaz) and Japan (Riku Yanagisawa) both at 5-3. The U.S., with 2018 Olympic champ John Shuster’s rink, is 3-5 so far, sitting eighth.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● NBC reported that its advertising sales for the 2024 Paris Games are going well and ahead of the pace of sales for the 2020 Tokyo Games.

It also noted Brand Asset Valuator research that showed advertisers for the Games received a 117% increase in fan association of attributes such as “authentic,” “daring,” “distinct,” “fun,” “high-performing,” “prestigious” and “social.”

Brands, on average, also saw substantial “equity” increases among viewers, such as purchase consideration (+6%), preference (+7%), pricing power (+40%) and loyalty (+40%).

● Olympic Games 2036 ● The unthinkable idea of a 2036 Olympic Games in Berlin on the centennial of the Nazi-themed Games of 1936 is being discussed by the Senate of the Federal State of Berlin in Germany.

The German Bild newspaper reported interest from some Berlin politicians; a statement from one party noted, “We consider this a great opportunity for Berlin, we want to take advantage of it. After the Games, renovated and modernized sports facilities would be available for different sports in Berlin.”

The German National Olympic Committee (DOSB) is studying the possibilities for Olympic or Winter Games in Germany, but has committed to nothing yet.

● Athletics ● Two days after Peru was removed as host of the 2023 FIFA men’s U-17 World Cup, World Athletics announced that Lima (PER) would not be hosting the 2024 World U-20 Championships, slated for 26-31 August 2024:

“The Peruvian Athletics Federation has informed World Athletics that recent political instability and social unrest, as well as natural disasters in Peru, have left the federation and the local organising committee unable to stage the event next year.”

World Athletics noted that it is “in discussion” with another host for 2024.

Shot put world-record holder Ryan Crouser of the U.S. indicated some frustration with reports that his 23.38 m (76-8 1/2) world-record throw in Pocatello, Idaho on 18 February may not be ratified.

French coach P.J. Vazel tweeted last Saturday: “No @WorldAthletics for @RCrouserThrows as his 23.38 in Pocatello won’t be ratified, from the videos it appears that the ring was probably above the sector exceeding the rule allowance.”

Crouser wrote on his Instagram page:

● “I’m confused by this ruling. The ring was a 3/4″ plywood on turf with rubber matting around but not under it. The rule is 1:1000 for a level field, meaning 1m drop at 1,000 m or less is legal. 3/4 inch = 1.9 cm = 0.019m elevation of the ring following the 1:1000 rule gives 19m. So a throw under 19m would not count but 23m > 19m so there is less than 1:1000 elevation change, so legal under the [World Athletics] rules.”

● “This isn’t a new issue, it’s the reason we have to put mats down to throw off a double plywood ring because then it is a 1.5 [inch] elevated ring and breaks the 1:1000 rule. So I really don’t understand were this ruling is coming from.”

Officially, World Athletics has said nothing.

Commonwealth Games runner-up Peter Bol of Australia (1:44.00 best in 2022) tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO) in January, but the test of his second sample came up negative. His attorney, Paul Greene, had samples tested at two independent labs, both with negative results, and has slammed Sport Integrity Australia in a television interview:

“They had no idea what they were doing. And the worst part of it now is, one, it was announced first of all which never should have been, I begged them not to announce it.

‘Two, now they just … obviously are wrong, they are refusing to drop this sham investigation. … They just need to say ‘we have no evidence, we have no evidence, we messed this up, this was a mistake’.”

Bol’s January suspension was lifted with the clean result of the second test, but the inquiry has not been concluded.

● Equestrian ● The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) confirmed a continued ban on Russian and Belarusian participation in a 4 April teleconference of the FEI Board.

Per FEI President Ingmar De Vos (BEL):

“While the IOC has not taken any decision regarding the participation of Russian and Belarussian [sic] Athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, it is the view of the FEI Board that at this stage neutrality cannot be defined and evaluated in a sufficiently satisfactory way.

“The Board agreed that the FEI does not have the necessary tools to evaluate in a fair and objective manner the conditions of participation for individual neutral athletes and support personnel as stipulated in the recommendations put forward by the IOC.”

It will be instructive to see which, if any, other federations agree with this viewpoint.

● Football ● Aleksander Ceferin (SLO) ran unopposed and was re-elected as President of the European football association UEFA, telling the delegates to the UEFA Congress in Lisbon (POR) to watch out for further encroachments on national club leagues, from FIFA and others:

“We’re faced with galloping globalisation and everything that implies. Benefits and risks as well. We shouldn’t forget that. There have been temptations, and even attempts, to create new models, but they conflict with the European model that we cherish so dearly.

“Our model is based on sporting merit. Where we come from, merit has no price. Merit can’t be claimed, and merit can’t be acquired. It can only be earned. Season by season. On and off the pitch. There’s no room for cartels on this continent.

“Domestic leagues must remain the foundation of football. They are the bedrock of our model.”

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa told the UEFA Congress that the joint bid for the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Morocco continues to include Ukraine: “We have ambitions, together with Spain, Morocco and Ukraine, to organize the 2030 World Cup in a unique bid that will link the two shores of the Mediterranean.”

● Swimming ● Further to our Tuesday note that Swim England has adopted an “Open” category for all competitors except those born as females, Olympic super-statistician Dr. Bill Mallon notes that this could lead to some confusion among other sports.

He explained that the authoritative Olympedia.org site – he’s a co-founder – and the IOC both recognize four competition categories now: men, women, mixed and open:

“Mixed is where men and women compete together – by mandate – pairs figure skating, mixed relays, mixed shooting team events, etc. Open is where men and women may compete together but it is not mandated. The only events at the Olympics that have this anymore are the equestrian events, although shooting and sailing used to be Open Class.

“So Swim England calling it an Open Class could cause some problems with semantics – perhaps they’ll need to change it.”

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LANE ONE: Bach and the IOC will not budge on Russia now, but that does not mean they will be in Paris in 2024

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

The International Olympic Committee and its President, former German gold-medal-winning fencer Thomas Bach, have decided – after some debate – to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete once again in international competitions, as “neutral athletes.”

Actually, the IOC can only recommend a policy stance to the International Federations, who it acknowledges have the “sole authority” to decide who competes and who does not. On Tuesday, United World Wrestling announced that it “unanimously favored the return of wrestlers to competition from Russia and Belarus under the conditions of participation set forth by the IOC.” Russian and Belarusian wrestlers in U-15 and U-17 competitions can return (as neutrals) immediately; in the senior division, an “independent panel” will be formed to figure out if the proposed wrestlers are sufficiently separated from the Russian invasion of Ukraine to be allowed to compete.

World Taekwondo adopted the same terms on Monday, joining the FIE, which voted to allow fencers to return after 15 April. The federations for cycling, judo and tennis already allowed Russians and Belarusians as neutrals. More will follow, as most Olympic-sport federations depend on the IOC for financial survival, so its recommendation is more like an instruction.

The IOC has been roundly criticized for its revised stance, not least by the athletes, federations, National Olympic Committee and government of Ukraine, continuing to fight against a Russian conquest of their country. But do not expect any change – whatsoever – in the position of the IOC, or Bach. Yet.

As he told reporters during a news conference on 4 March of 2020, after being asked repeatedly about the possible cancellation or postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games due to the spread of Covid-19, he said neither had been discussed, and

“I can assure you I will not get tired and to repeat the statement I made: the IOC is fully committed and we are not participating in any kind of speculation.”

Of course, the Tokyo Games was postponed, 20 days later.

That’s instructive when considering the ultimate decision on whether Russian or Belarusian athletes will be allowed to compete at the Paris 2024 Games. Bach specifically said that no decision on Paris has been made and will not be made until closer to the time of the Games, likely in 2024 itself.

To validate its stance, the IOC – and Bach – have relied heavily on references to exceedingly weak “authorities”: two volunteer Special Rapporteurs selected by the undistinguished United Nations Human Rights Council and now on a declaration that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has to be seen in context:

“The 70 other ongoing armed conflicts and wars around the world (source: Crisis Group, CrisisWatch Database) were also considered, including the situations in the Middle East, the Horn of Africa, and the southern Caucasus. It was noted that NOCs in the regions impacted by these armed conflicts and wars are following the principles of the Olympic Charter. They are not requesting the exclusion of athletes from the other party in the armed conflict or war, and they are allowing their athletes to compete in international sporting competitions without restrictions.”

Both underscore the IOC’s position as not just weak, but depressingly empty.

The position of the Special Rapporteurs was disassembled by German law professor Patricia Wiater, Chair for Public Law, Public International Law and Human Rights at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. Engaged by the German National Olympic Committee to evaluate the Rapporteur reports, she filed a 24-page response, summarized in English in a blog post for the European Journal of International Law.

She noted, in direct contravention to the U.N. Special Rapporteur letter on which the IOC places all its weight:

● “[T]he right not to be treated differently on the basis of nationality is not absolute. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is the competent UN body to decide on matters of racial discrimination, stated in General recommendation XXX as well as in General recommendation No. 32 that there can be an ‘objective and reasonable justification’ for a differential treatment based on nationality.”

● “[D]uring an ongoing war of aggression, an important legitimate aim is to protect the human rights of the most vulnerable group of athletes, that is, the human rights of Ukrainian athletes. This concerns their human right to mental health, the protection of their dignity, as well as their own right to undisturbed participation in sports as an expression of cultural life, and their right to work in international competitions with Russian and Belarussian participation.

“The president of the Russian National Olympic Committee, Stanislav Posdnyakov, was quoted saying that it would be an honour for every Russian athlete if he or she could contribute to the success of the war. This shows a close connection between sports and war propaganda. To uphold the Olympic postulate of peace that guides international sports (Fundamental Principle 2 of Olympism), the second legitimate aim is to prevent international sporting events from being (ab-)used for the purpose of Russian war propaganda.”

● “The IOC’s approach does not address the problematic issue of war propaganda. How can the IOC and IFs prevent that the victories of neutral athletes of Russian nationality are abused for propaganda and contribute to the escalation of the war? How do Ukrainian athletes feel about the proposed concept of neutrality? How did they feel in sports events in which Russian athletes have already participated? Does the confrontation with Russian athletes have a “chilling effect” on the exercise of their own human rights?

“There are many more open questions about the practicability of the IOC’s concept of neutrality. As long as the IOC and IFs cannot provide satisfactory answers to these pressing questions, everything argues for upholding the exclusion.”

As to the CrisisWatch listing of “ongoing armed conflicts and wars,” an actual review of the February 2023 Global Review cited by the IOC shows nothing of the sort. Not even close.

The February CrisisWatch post has 72 entries; here’s a complete list by continent with condensed versions of what it actually reports:

● Africa (24 entries re 24 countries):
Benin (jihadist insurgency), Burkina Faso (jihadist insurgency), Burundi (rights report published), Cameroon (jihadist and separatist insurgencies), Central African Republic (insurgent attacks), Chad (rebel trials began), Cote d’Ivoire (jihadist insurgency), Dem. Rep. of the Congo (jihadist and rebel insurgencies), Eritrea (no interference in Ethiopia), Ethiopia (Tigray peace talks continue), Guinea (opposition protests), Kenya (terrorist threats along borders), Mali (U.N. mission chief expelled; insurgent attacks), Mozambique (insurgent attacks), Niger (coup plotters sentenced; jihadist attacks), Nigeria (vigilante and insurgent attacks), Rwanda (border incident with Congo), Somalia (jihadist insurgency), Somaliland (insurgent attacks), South Sudan (insurgent attacks), Sudan (insurgent peace negotiations stalled), Togo (jihadist attacks), Uganda (corruption allegations), Zimbabwe (political violence).

● Americas (7 entries re 7 nations):
Colombia (peace talks with insurgents), El Salvador (gang violence, human rights issues), Haiti (gang violence, insurgencies), Honduras (Supreme Court judges elected), Mexico (criminal violence high), Nicaragua (political prisoners expelled), Venezuela (elections scheduled).

● Asia (15 entries re 13 countries):
Afghanistan (Taliban vs. Islamic State violence), Bangladesh (political clashes, refugee camp violence), China (Japan meetings), India 1 (China talks on borders, insurgent attacks), India 2 (Kashmir attacks “at low ebb”), Indonesia (rebels captured New Zealand pilot), North Korea (fires warning missiles), Myanmar (martial law, insurgent violence), Nepal (coalition government collapsed), Pakistan (Taliban and Baloch insurgent attacks), Philippines 1 (insurgent attacks), Philippines 2 (U.S. and Japan assistance, tension with China), Sri Lanka (political protests), Taiwan (China military presence), Thailand (separatist violence).

● Europe & Central Asia (14 entries re 13 countries):
Armenia (peace talks with Azerbaijan), Azerbaijan (peace talks with Armenia), Belarus (warns Ukraine, dissent repression), Cyprus (new president elected), Georgia (talks postponed on pro-Russian breakaway regions), Kosovo (improving talks with Serbia), Kyrgyzstan (activists detained), Moldova (new government formed, Russian threats on Transnistria), Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (Azerbaijan and Armenia debating blocked corridor), Russia (more sanctions from West), Tajikistan (Islamic State recruiter sentenced), Turkey (insurgent ceasefire, fighting in Iraq and Syria), Ukraine (continuing Russian invasion), Uzbekistan (trials of insurgents).

● Middle East and North Africa (12 entries re 13 countries):
Algeria (insurgency activist now in France), Egypt (fragile economy, jihadist activity in Sinai low), Iran (nuclear standoff continued), Iraq (Turks striking Kurds in north; also anti-jihadist operations), Israel and Palestine (West Bank raids by Israel), Lebanon (economic crisis), Libya (political deadlock), Saudi Arabia (regional cooperation meetings held), Syria (continued insurgent and jihadist violence amid earthquake damage), Tunisia (riots, violence vs. migrants), Western Sahara (Algeria and Morocco still in dispute over area), Yemen (Houthi-Saudi negotiations continue, with sporadic government-Houthi clashes).

Among these 72 entries are only 36 situations of actual violence (50%), of which all but six are insurgent or jihadist attacks over internal control (30 of 36 or 83%). The other six include a modest cross-border incident between Rwanda and Congo and four Middle East conflicts noted in specific areas: (1) Turkish fighting with the Kurds in northern Iraq, (2) the continuing Israel-Palestine violence, (3) fighting over internal control of Syria with government, rebel, Iranian, Israeli and U.S. involvement, and (4) the civil war in Yemen. No wonder there have been no National Olympic Committee complaints. 

There is only one conflict in which a sovereign nation has invaded another with the intention of destroying it: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This war is totally unlike any of the other conflicts listed – one out of 72 – and its unique nature is confirmed by the formalistic “annexation” by Russia of the Crimea in 2014 and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine in 2022.

That’s why the IOC is just wrong with its reference to the CrisisWatch list, and this is confirmed by reference to the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations Global Conflict Tracker, which shows one “war”: in Ukraine.

Bach said in an October 2020 news conference, “The unifying power of the Games can only unfold if everyone shows respect for and solidarity to one another.”

That’s not what Russia (aided by Belarus) is doing in Ukraine and with its threats to other neighboring countries. In the “Fundamental Principles of Olympism” listed in the Olympic Charter, let us again note that the second entry reads:

“The goal of Olympism is to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of humankind, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.”

Russia and Belarus have, are now and continue to violate this principle in their illegal territorial aggression against Ukraine, the only conflict of its kind in the world today. And on that basis, their National Olympic Committees are in violation of Rule 27.1 of the Charter:

“The mission of the NOCs is to develop, promote and protect the Olympic Movement in their respective countries, in accordance with the Olympic Charter.” (Emphasis added)

And that means that the National Olympic Committees of Russia and Belarus are open to suspension (under Rule 59) by the IOC Executive Board and, potentially, expulsion, by the IOC Session.

Bach knows this all too well. And the IOC has been here before. Canadian IOC member Dick Pound – now an Honorary Member – wrote in his 1994 book, Five Rings Over Korea, about the impact of the IOC’s expulsion of South Africa in 1970:

“It brought home, to every South African, in a direct way that could not be explained away by politicians, the total disapproval of the world of the fact of apartheid as a political system.”

A refusal to allow Russian or Belarus to compete in Paris in 2024 can make the same point.

And even as the IOC has opened the door for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete now in those federations that want to please the IOC, Bach has expressly reserved the IOC’s right to slam it shut next year.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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TSX REPORT: Swiss tiptoe into Winter Games talks; Taekwondo readmits Russians; Swim England creates “Open” class for all but women

By
Rich Perelman
-
The FIFA men's U-17 World Cup trophy

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Swiss cautiously enter Winter Games discussion with IOC
2. World Taekwondo readmits Russians; IOC’s proposal called “provocation”
3. Swim England creates Open category, UK Athletics bans trans
4. AIU lauds Kenya’s $25 million commitment vs. doping
5. Now FIFA removes men’s U-17 World Cup from Peru

The Swiss Olympic Committee announced its entry – maybe – into the Olympic Winter Games hosting derby, but has not even identified a specific Games yet. World Taekwondo voted to readmit Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals for its World Championships in May. The head of the Russian fencing federation said the whole IOC concept for Russian re-entry is a “provocation.” Swim England issued a new transgender policy, maintaining the female category for those declared female at birth and everyone else into an “open” category, including men and transgenders. A Canadian Powerlifting Union regulation allowing anyone to register as female was used by a man – with a full beard and a men’s uniform – to set an Alberta provincial record. Brett Clothier, the chief executive of the Athletics Integrity Unit, welcomed the Kenyan government’s commitment of $25 million over five years to combat doping, and asked athletes, coaches and officials for their help. FIFA removed another tournament from its host on Monday, taking the 2023 FIFA men’s U-17 World Cup from Peru; a new host will be named as the tournament is scheduled for November.

● Panorama: Paralympic Games (ABC Australia reports classification scandal) = Athletics (Tyra Gittens disqualified for six months for doping) = Cycling (Women’s Tour in Britain canceled) = Diving (Louganis medals from 1976-84-88 still on sale) = Gymnastics (Suni Lee’s kidney ailment ends Auburn career) = Modern Pentathlon (LA28 fate to be voted on in October) = Taekwondo (China wins four golds at Grand Slam Champions Series) ●

1.
Swiss cautiously enter Winter Games discussion with IOC

Last week’s announcement could not have been more tentative:

“Swiss Olympic is examining the general conditions for the Winter Games in Switzerland”

With the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee reiterating its preference for the 2034 Winter Games in order to allow some breathing room after the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the International Olympic Committee is looking for bidders for 2030. Sweden is doing a feasibility study, likely with Stockholm as the key site, and now the Swiss might be in. Maybe:

“[T]he Executive Council of Swiss Olympic decided to apply to the IOC as part of the ‘Future Host Process’ to move from ‘informal dialogue’ to ‘continuous dialogue.’ This makes Swiss Olympic the sole and sole point of contact for the IOC regarding a Swiss candidature and can thus bundle different projects and the forces behind them. This ongoing dialogue does not relate to a specific year. …

“For Swiss Olympic it is clear that a new Swiss application can only be considered after careful examination. An application concept only has a chance if it is sustainable and the staging of the Olympic and Paralympic Games leaves a legacy that goes beyond sport – to society, the economy and Switzerland as a location for innovation.”

There is good reason to go slow, as Switzerland has failed to land another Olympic Winter Games after hosting in St. Moritz in 1948. Swiss bids failed for the 1960, 1976, 2002 and 2006 Winter Games and possible bids for 2010 (Berne) and 2026 (Sion) were derailed by regional referenda. The Olympic capital of Lausanne did host a fiscally responsible 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games, with a budget of about $40 million U.S.

The situation for Salt Lake City appears very positive for 2034, but the IOC’s Future Hosts Commission for the Winter Games needs to report back to the IOC Executive Board on questions of a possible rotation of permanent host cities for the Winter Games. It is possible that the 2034 Games could be the first in a rotation plan, with a third Salt Lake City Winter Games coming again, perhaps, in 2046?

2.
World Taekwondo readmits Russians; IOC’s proposal called “provocation”

World Taekwondo announced Monday it would allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals, at least at the World Taekwondo Championships:

“[T]he Council decided to allow the participation of Individual Neutral Athletes and Support Personnel with Russian and Belarusian passport holders at the World Taekwondo-promoted Championships, starting from the Baku 2023 World Taekwondo Championships at the end of May.

“A decision on the participation of Individual Neutral Athletes and Support Personnel with Russian and Belarusian passports in other events not promoted by World Taekwondo will be made after the Baku 2023 World Taekwondo Championships.

“The Council also approved the establishment of a Review Committee and verification process to ensure strict neutrality of the participating Individual Neutral Athletes and Support Personnel.”

No problem for the Russians, with the national coach Vadim Ivanov telling the TASS news agency that his athletes meet the IOC’s criteria for not being associated with the military:

“I don’t know how this will be interpreted and by whom, but we are talking about the fact that we do not have contract soldiers. Our athletes have an agreement that they are athletes – instructors of CSKA.

“That is, among the Olympians who won medals, no one has a contract with the armed forces. Yes, we have several athletes – European champions and [European medalists] who have such contracts.”

Maybe, maybe not. The CSKA Sports Club has long been affiliated with the Russian military. World Taekwondo said its “review” would include a declaration by the national federation – already offered above – then a review by the European continental association and finally by a World Taekwondo committee.

Russia won four Olympic medals in the sport in Tokyo: two golds, a silver and a bronze.

Poland announced last week, in something of a surprise, that it would allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in the women’s Foil World Cup in Poznan from 21-23 April if they sign a declaration that they “do not support military actions and stand against war crimes.”

Russian Fencing Federation head Ilgar Mammadov was not impressed:

“In Europe, they are trumpeting about human rights and freedom of speech, but where is it here? Speaking against your country is freedom of speech? All this is pure provocation, because they don’t want to see us, that’s why they come up with such provocative conditions.

“Five days ago we sent a letter about our admission to the International Fencing Federation [FIE], the decision is up to it. Articles and comments from the International Olympic Committee – all this is clear – but it is FIE that gives admission to the events.”

Russian State Duma member Vladimir Drachev, a four-time World Champion in biathlon between 1996-2000, ripped the IOC’s recommendations for Russian participation and told TASS:

“I think this is a provocation. They play on the athlete’s ambitions – they seem to give him the opportunity to perform and show results, but only in exchange for betraying the country, the people, and the parents.

“Definitely, in the current situation it will be a vile betrayal, then he no longer needs to return to the country. You can go to perform, but you will only have a one-way ticket.

“By offering such criteria, Western experts either show their stupidity, or simply disguise themselves. We have almost all athletes connected with law enforcement agencies, how will they isolate them from this list? It’s not serious. It is clear that all this is a game in which they pose as providing an opportunity to perform at international competitions. But a normal, sane person in response to such conditions will laugh and spit in the face of these comrades. Apparently, they believe there that they can just [have athletes] betray the country.”

3.
Swim England creates Open category, UK Athletics bans trans

“All of Swim England’s disciplines – swimming, artistic swimming, diving and water polo – will see a new ‘open’ category introduced, which will be for athletes with a birth sex of male, trans or non-binary competitors.

“Only athletes who have declared a birth sex of female will compete in the ‘female’ category.

“This will apply for all licensed events, where times are submitted to official rankings or talent pathway competitions.”

Monday’s announcement by Swim England is the federation’s first update to its gender classification policy since 2015 and eliminates male-to-female trans athletes from competing in the women’s division.

The new rules will begin on 1 September. Mike Hawkes, the Swim England diversity and inclusion officer noted, “fair competition is considered the backbone of our aquatic sports and therefore must be prioritised.”

World Aquatics has introduced strict transgender regulations that prohibit males who have gone through puberty to compete in the female division and has begun examining the creation of an “open” category. The Swim England approach is simply to quality the women’s classification and have everyone else in the “open division.”

On Friday, UK Athletics published its statement on transgender eligibility, lining up behind the World Athletics position, which does not allow males who have gone through puberty to compete in the women’s division. It does allow transgenders competing under the 2021 UK Athletics policy to “remain eligible to compete in that event but may not accept any prize and their results will not count towards any record, qualifying time or mark, or team scoring.”

The new guidelines specifically noted that this change should not expose UK Athletics to legal liability, as “it has also received the required assurances from relevant bodies that the sporting exemption in the Equality Act 2010 applies to the Gender Recognition Act 2004.”

The federation also endorsed the World Athletics position on female athletes with Differences in Sex Development, setting a serum testosterone limit of 2.5 nmol/L for 24 months, across all events.

In situations where no regulations have been introduced, someone was eventually going to make a mockery of the transgender opportunity, and it happened in a powerlifting competition in Canada.

The New York Post (and many others) reported a 25 March incident at the Heroes Classic tournament in Lethbridge, Alberta, where bearded Avi Silverberg – the head coach of the Canadian Powerlifting team, and in a men’s competition singlet – registered to compete in the women’s division and

“He then casually bench-pressed nearly 370 pounds – beating the current Alberta women’s record by almost 100 pounds.”

The lift was recorded by the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS), which stated:

“[W]hat Avi so obviously points out is that policies allowing men access to women’s sports completely remove any integrity in women’s competitions.

“It doesn’t matter how Avi expresses himself or perceives himself. He clearly does not belong in women’s sport, and neither does any other male regardless of their motivation for wanting to participate.”

The Canadian Powerlifting Union regulations require only that an athlete “should be able to participate in the gender with which they identify.”

4.
AIU lauds Kenya’s $25 million commitment vs. doping

Kenya’s Anti-Doping Steering Committee, tasked with cleaning up the torrent of doping positives among track & field athletes, gave its first report to the national government in Nairobi, joined by Athletics Integrity Unit chief executive Brett Clothier (AUS). In short:

“[T]he Committee has indicated it will draw upon the extensive expertise of a multiagency team to investigate and prosecute doping matters. It will also increase testing among Kenyan athletes as well as enhance educational and integrity programmes for athletes and athlete personnel.”

Clothier noted that if the process is successful, it will likely create a short-term increase in doping positives as the cheaters are rooted out.

Noting the Kenyan government’s commitment of $5 million per year for five years dedicated to anti-doping effort, he told groups in Kapsabet and Iten – that totaled more than 300 athletes, coaches and officials – that they must be involved:

“It’s good to uncover the doping cases but we also need to educate athletes on the do’s and don’ts as one way of making sure the sport is clean.

“If you see something suspicious, you just need to talk to law enforcement or the federation [Athletics Kenya] as one way of protecting the sport. We are asking for your help.

“As a regulatory body, we are advocating for clean sports and Kenya has shown support by bringing in the ministry of sports, the poisons and pharmacy board, law enforcement, the anti-doping agency, among other stakeholders and we are glad that this will help in reducing the numbers [of doping cases] witnessed in the past. It’s a long road. It’s not going to be easy, but we have got the right platform.”

5.
Now FIFA removes men’s U-17 World Cup from Peru

Just days after the 2023 FIFA men’s U-20 World Cup was removed from Indonesia due to its unwillingness to host the already-qualified Israeli team, now FIFA has removed its 2023 men’s U-17 World Cup from Peru.

The tournament is scheduled for 10 November to 2 December 2023, but:

“The move was made given the inability of the host country to fulfil its commitments to completing the infrastructure required to stage the tournament. Despite a very positive working relationship between FIFA and the [Peru Football Federation], it has been determined that there is now not sufficient time to secure the required investment and complete the necessary work with the Peruvian government ahead of the tournament start date.”

FIFA awarded the tournament to Peru in 2019, with 24 teams from the six confederations scheduled to compete. Six stadia were expected to be used.

A new host for the tournament is expected to be announced in time for the event to take place as scheduled.

Anybody else?

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Paralympic Games ● The ABC Australia “Four Corners” news program called the Paralympic Games “in crisis,” reporting:

“Paralympic athletes are deliberately exaggerating their impairments in a bid to win medals, a Four Corners investigation has found.

“Speaking publicly for the first time about the scandal, the former head of the world governing body for Paralympic sport said it threatened the credibility of the Games.

“‘I cannot say that this doesn’t exist. It exists,’ said Xavier Gonzalez [ESP], who [was the chief executive of] the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) from 2004 to 2019.”

The classification of competitors into specific groups according to their disability is a complex, sometimes difficult-to-decipher program which is currently undergoing review by the International Paralympic Committee. Cheating on classification is an issue being discussed, with changes to the current not expected until after the Paris 2024 Games. But:

“Paralympians and senior classifiers from around the globe have told a current International Paralympic Committee (IPC) review how easy it is to exploit flaws in the current system and expressed their despair at the movement’s apparent impotence in the face of the cheating.”

As the Paralympic Games rises in popularity – and it is rising – there is grave concern that this problem will worsen, with calls now for an independent organization to be created to monitor classification in the same way that external groups for doping (World Anti-Doping Agency) and testing (International Testing Agency) have been formed.

● Athletics ● The Athletics Integrity Unit announced a six-month suspension of Tyra Gittens (TTO) – the 2021 NCAA heptathlon champ for Texas A&M – for the stimulant Methylphenidate, in a prescribed medication.

Gittens had a Therapeutic Use Exemption for the drug, but it had not been renewed when she failed a test on 26 June 2022. She admitted the fault and was assessed a six-month penalty from 26 September 2022 to 25 March 2023. Her results were nullified going back to 26 June 2022, including her results in the World Championships (19th in qualifying) and Commonwealth Games (11th). She returned to competition at the Texas Relays on 1 April, finishing fifth at 6.38 m (20-11 1/4).

● Cycling ● The ninth edition of the five-stage Women’s Tour, scheduled for 7-11 June and finishing in Birmingham (GBR) has been cancelled. The UCI Women’s World Tour event had been having financial difficulties and was short by £500,000 (~$620,373).

The organizer, England-based Sweetspot Group, noted:

“The Women’s Tour, the award-winning and trailblazing cycle race, will take a one-year hiatus in 2023. Owing to a combination of increased running costs (approximately 20% higher in comparison to the 2022 race), a reduced level of commercial support, and challenges in finding a vehicle partner to replace ŠKODA to help create a safe racing environment for riders and spectators alike, it has proved impossible to deliver the event that was proposed for June.”

● Diving ● Diving legend Greg Louganis ended up not selling the three medals he had up for auction and now has them for sale on his site, Still in the auction section, his 1976 Montreal 10 m Platform silver is available for bid at $750,000; his 1984 Los Angeles 3 m Springboard gold is offered at $1.5 million, as is his 1988 Seoul 10 m Platform gold.

● Gymnastics ● Tokyo Olympic All-Around gold medalist Suni Lee announced that she is ending her collegiate gymnastics career at Auburn early. She wrote on Twitter:

“I have been dealing with a non-gymnastics health related issue involving my kidneys. For my safety, the medical team did not clear me to train or compete over the last few weeks. … My focus at this time is my health and recovery.

“It’s been challenging to end my Auburn career early, but I am thankful for all the love & support. I will not stop pursuing my dreams for a bid to Paris in 2024. In fact, this experience has sharpened my vision for the future.”

Lee won the Tokyo All-Around, a team silver and a bronze on the Uneven Bars. At Auburn, she won the 2022 NCAA title on Beam and a silver in the All-Around.

● Modern Pentathlon ● In a commentary on the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne Web site, Secretary General Shiny Fang (CHN) wrote in pertinent part:

“Looking to the next stage of evolution that will determine our future, the International Olympic Committee finally announced the precise timeline of its decision-making around the Los Angeles 2028 sports programme.

“The decision will be made by the IOC session in October 2023 in Mumbai (IND). This means we have six more months to solidly and continuously demonstrate our improvement at multiple dimensions.”

Given that the Session will vote on items proposed by the IOC Executive Board, it has been expected that a recommendation on the Los Angeles 2028 program, including the future of boxing, modern pentathlon, weightlifting and any sports that the LA28 organizing committee wishes to add, will be made during the 20-22 June 2023 Executive Board meeting.

The UIPM probably has that long to influence its place in 2028.

● Taekwondo ● China dominated the World Taekwondo Grand Slam Champions Series in Wuxi (CHN) that concluded on Monday, winning eight medals (4-2-2), including all four golds in the women’s division.

World Championships runner-up Zuo Ju (CHN) won by 2-0 over Adriana Cerezo Iglesias (ESP) in the women’s 49 kg class; 2022 World Champion Zongshi Luo defeated Lijun Zhou, 2-0, in the all-China final at 57 kg; Jie Song won at 67 kg against Cecilia Castro Burgos (ESP), 2-0; and in another all-China final at +67 kg, Shunan Zhao scored a 2-0 win over Wenzhe Mu.

Uzbekistan won two of the four men’s classes, with Tokyo Olympic champ Ulugbek Rashitov taking a 2-1 decision against Iran’s Danial Bozorgishoob at 68 kg, and Jasurbek Jaysunov won at 80 kg over Mehran Barkhordari (IRI), 2-0.

Tokyo Olympic 80 kg winner Woo-hyeok Jung (KOR) defeated Tunisia’s Mohamed Jendoubi, 2-0, and Iran’s Arian Salimi defeated Turkey’s Emre Atesli, at +80 kg, 2-0.

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: Ukraine to boycott Paris qualifiers if Russians there; Covid hurts LA28-funded youth programs; McIntosh gets 400 Medley world record!

By
Rich Perelman
-
A supportive salute to Ukraine from the Federation Internationale de Luge

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Ukraine to boycott Paris qualifiers with Russians entered
2. Russia slams all restrictions, challenges IOC leadership
3. Argentina submits bid for FIFA U-20 World Cup
4. Covid hurts participation in LA28-funded L.A. City youth programs
5. Crouser’s 76-8 1/2 world record may not be ratified

In the aftermath of the International Olympic Committee’s recommendations that Russian and Belarusian athletes could return to international competition as neutrals, the Ukrainian government said that its athletes would not compete in events which include Russian or Belarusian athletes. The IOC was upset by this, but the French Sports Minister said that while the IOC has the authority to decide who participates in the Paris 2024 Games, the French government will be heard on the issue … loudly. In Russia, reaction to the IOC’s recommendations continued with condemnations of the recommendations and the IOC, as any restrictions are deemed inappropriate or worse. With FIFA removing its men’s U-20 World Cup from Indonesia in view of its desire not to have Israel compete in the country, Argentina has stepped up with a detailed bid for the event, still scheduled to open on 20 May. A report submitted to the Los Angeles City Council’s committee on the 2028 Olympic Games showed that participation in the PlayLA sports programs for the 2021-22 fiscal year, partially subsidized by the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic organizers, fell short of their 2018-19 levels by more than 23,500 enrollees, in part due to Covid-19 restrictions in Los Angeles County and vaccination requirements for staff. Happily, the amount spent was also down by 45% against the budgeted amount. Ratification by World Athletics of the sensational 23.38 m (76-8 1/2) shot put by Ryan Crouser in February may not happen. The federation has appended a notice of “irregular measurement” to the mark, possibly due to a technical issue with the way the shot put ring was installed at the fieldhouse in Pocatello, Idaho, where the performance took place.

● Panorama: Paris 2024 (140-170 boats for opening ceremony) = Athletics (3: World outdoor leads in 13 events at Texas Relays; Van Niekerk 44.17 at South African champs; Bor and Hill win USATF 10M) = Badminton (China wins two at Madrid Masters) = Basketball (six Olympians and a team among 2023 inductees) = Cycling (Roglic and Kopecky tops at Tour of Flanders) = Gymnastics (Nikolova dominates Sofia Rhythmic World Cup) = Judo (France wins four at Antalya Grand Slam) = Rugby (New Zealand sweeps Sevens Series in Hong Kong) = Shooting (U.S. earns silver in Mixed Trap) = Ski Jumping (Granerud wins seasonal World Cup) = Swimming (McIntosh sets 400 m Medley record) = Weightlifting (U.S. tops PanAm Champs with 15 medals) ●

1.
Ukraine to boycott Paris qualifiers with Russians entered

“Today at the government meeting a protocol decision was made based on the proposal of my colleague [Ukrainian Sports Minister and National Olympic Committee President Vadym] Gutzeit, that we participate only in the qualifying competitions where there are no Russians.”

That was Oleh Nemchinov, Ukraine’s Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers, in a television interview last Thursday, adding:

“Yesterday, I attended another funeral of a good acquaintance of mine, who gave more than 20 years to athletics and died in the Kharkiv area. He left behind three children. He volunteered for his second war. And he wasn’t a canteen cook, let’s put it that way. That is, he was serving in combat units.

“So, I want to tell our fellow athletes who are worried that because of the IOC’s decisions and the admission of Russians or Belarusians to the competitions, respectively, that Ukrainians will not be able to participate, that their careers will be ruined or something to that effect. But actually, you and your children’s lives will be saved.”

The International Olympic Committee, which announced on Tuesday that it recommends allowing individual Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete internationally as neutrals, but with considerable additional work to be done on the details, issued a very unhappy reply on Friday:

“If implemented, such a decision would only hurt the Ukrainian athlete community, and in no way impact the war that the world wants to stop, and that the IOC has so vehemently condemned. The IOC has always maintained that it is not up to governments to decide which athletes can participate in which international competitions.”

It also noted that Ukrainian tennis players are competing against “neutral” Russians and Belarusians on the ATP and WTA tours, although this has created a tense situation in at least the women’s tour.

The French Sports Minister, Amelie Oudea-Castera, said, “It’s the IOC that has the final say, it’s the IOC that determines the conditions under which athletes participate.

“On the other hand, it’s clear that the head of state of the host nation [French President Emmanuel Macron] will have a voice that will be heard in the IOC’s deliberations.”

There were further reactions to the IOC’s announcement last Tuesday, with the French Fencing Federation canceling an FIE men’s Epee World Cup set to be held from 19-21 May in St. Maur. The FIE had already voted to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to return after the middle of April, subject to the IOC’s guidelines. This is the second FIE World Cup to be canceled over the Russian and Belarusian issue; the women’s Foil World Cup scheduled for 5-7 May in Tauberbischofsheim (GER) was also “returned” to the FIE.

Other international federations began posting announcements or giving statements on their intentions. The UCI (cycling) and ITTF (table tennis) said they would discuss what to do later and the FIG (gymnastics) and FIVB (volleyball) also said more study is needed. The ITF (tennis) reiterated their stand, allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals in tour events, but not in ITF national-entry events, for which those federations are suspended (which apparently includes the Olympic Games in Paris). .

Federations which will apparently not be impacted are those in team sports, which the IOC suggested retain the ban: basketball, football, handball, hockey and rugby sevens.

Dependable IOC allies in the five continental associations of National Olympic Committees posted a statement of support for the IOC’s position on Friday. The Association of National Olympic Committees did the same.

The International Paralympic Committee, which suspended the Russian and Belarusian national committees last November, does not plan to review their status until their 2023 General Assembly in the third quarter of 2023.

The All-England Club announced Friday that it would allow Russian and Belarusian entries at Wimbledon in 2023:

“Our current intention is to accept entries from Russian and Belarusian players subject to them competing as ‘neutral’ athletes and complying with appropriate conditions. These will prohibit expressions of support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in various forms and prohibit entry by players receiving funding from the Russian and/or Belarusian states (including sponsorship from companies operated or controlled by the states) in relation to their participation in The Championships.”

Said Ian Hewitt, the All-England Club Chair:

“This was an incredibly difficult decision, not taken lightly or without a great deal of consideration for those who will be impacted.”

Wimbledon did not have Russian or Belarusian players in 2022 due to a government ban on their entry; the 2023 position was coordinated with the British government.

2.
Russia slams all restrictions, challenges IOC leadership

The reaction in Russia to the IOC’s recommendations was to continue its all-out rejection of any and all restrictions.

Despite being able to return, apparently, after 15 April to individual competitions according to the vote of the FIE online Congress last month, Russian Fencing Federation chief Ilgar Mammadov was livid:

“With such conditions, there is no chance. You have to sell your soul to the devil to go to Paris or remain a normal person. …

“In this matter, the IOC has shown that international federations are simply nobody and nothing. What is an international federation? There is a charter, there is a supreme governing body: this is the congress. Congress decides on admission. The IOC again gives some recommendations of its own. Why is it possible to perform in tennis, but fencers are not allowed when [the FIE] Congress has voted? The IOC simply restricts our rights as athletes, as people.”

He noted especially the restriction on athletes affiliated with the military:

“We have all the leading athletes from CSKA or Dynamo [sports clubs]; we have such a system, like the Italians, Hungarians, Germans, Chinese, Poles, Ukrainians, that is, we are all in this system to participate in the Military World Games. So it’s very simple, [the IOC] knew it perfectly well and knew where to hit. They made such a false attack, as if they want to return us.”

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday:

“We are convinced that the recommendations on the admission of Russian athletes to competitions in a neutral status without a flag and an anthem are dictated primarily by the desire to once again implement the strange, wild logic imposed by the West, to exclude us from world sports, attempts to exert pressure, as they say, ‘implement a policy of containment’ against our country.

“They are unacceptable when they disguise themselves as an imaginary protection of human rights, and at the same time the principles of Olympism are distorted beyond recognition.”

A Telegram post by the head of the Russian Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security, Viktor Bondarev included:

“The IOC has imposed a categorical taboo on the participation in competitions of Russian and Belarusian athletes who took part in rallies and concerts in support of the [invasion of Ukraine] and demonstrated the ‘Z’ symbol, as well as those who are on contract service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and law enforcement agencies, knowing full well that many of our athletes serve under contract in the Army, National Guard and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

“This means the automatic non-admission of entire clubs like CSKA and Dynamo to participate in international competitions. They want to force our athletes to make a choice between their homeland and a career in big-time sports, but from all this it is possible to benefit: in the development and formation of new, international sports competitions independent of the West.”

Dmitry Vasiliev, a two-time relay gold medalist in biathlon in 1984 and 1988, was outraged and told the Russian news agency TASS:

“We see calls, in particular, from Norwegian biathletes, not to allow our athletes, even those who have nothing to do with the [Ukraine invasion]. For this, thanks should be said to [IOC President] Thomas Bach, who destroyed everything. Athletes should compete, not speak out on political issues. It was he who involved them in this process, which destroyed the fundamental Olympic thesis that sport should be outside of politics.

“Tennis and overseas [NHL] hockey are exclusively commercial sports, the main thing there is money. They exist outside the framework of the Olympic Movement, which no longer exists: Mr. Thomas Bach destroyed it.”

3.
Argentina submits bid for FIFA U-20 World Cup

Just a day after Indonesia was removed as host for the FIFA men’s U-20 World Cup that will begin on 20 May, Argentina submitted a detailed bid.

FIFA chief Gianni Infantino said during a news conference during a visit to Paraguay:

“There have been other countries that have expressed an interest, but in terms of a formal proposal and all the government assurances that come with that, Argentina is in pole position.

“The decision will be made, I think, over the next two or three days – and as soon as possible because the [U-20] World Cup kicks off on 20 May, which is right around the corner. We all know about football in Argentina, it’s a country that I’m sure would be able to host a tournament of this magnitude.

“AFA’s proposal will be sent over to the FIFA Bureau [of the Council], which will ultimately make the decision as to who will host the U-20 World Cup. I would like to give my thanks, of course, to [AFA] President [Claudio] Tapia and to all of Argentina, as well as the government, for organising their proposal in such a quick fashion. It really makes our life a little bit easier.”

Indonesia was removed as host due to the Governor of Bali’s declaration that Israel – which qualified for the event for the first time – would not be welcome to play there, where it had been assigned. This is an obvious breach not only of FIFA’s rules, but of the covenants undertaken by Indonesia when it was awarded the tournament; Indonesia has no diplomatic relations with Israel.

4.
Covid hurts participation in LA28-funded L.A. City youth programs

Los Angeles County maintained some of the strictest masking rules in the nation well into March of 2022, a significant factor in the lowered level of participation in the City of Los Angeles Recreation & Parks Department’s Youth Sports Program funded by the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee.

LA28 pledged funding of $160 million into 2028 for allow participation costs to be reduced to $10 per person and get more young people playing sports. But the PlayLA annual report for the 2021-22 fiscal year show that the overall program has not reached the pre-pandemic levels from 2018-19 (ages 1-17):

● 65,708 enrolled in Rec Center programs: 126% of plan
● 24,424 enrolled in Signature programs: 40% of plan
● 90,132 enrolled total: 79% of plan (113,634)

The Signature programs include individual-sport programs in aquatics, golf, judo, tennis, track & field and adaptive sports.

Happily, spending on these program also was short of projections, leaving more money for the future:

● $5.281 million planned for Rec Center programs: 73% spent
● $3.104 million planned for Signature programs: 26% spent
● $1.250 million for SafeSport and marketing: 52% spent
● $9.635 million planned total: 55% spent ($5.317 million)

The Recreation & Parks Department report noted significant problems with hiring as one reason for the enrollment shortfall in Signature programs:

“There was difficulty securing specialized instructors in all Signature programs to cover classes at the recreation centers. Eight hiring fairs were conducted by PlayLA staff to address the issue. The vaccination requirement hindered potential instructors from applying for positions.”

Funding for these program was not solely provided by LA28 and included donations from Nike, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, the LA84 Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, L.A. Council District 14 (Kevin de Leon), Dick’s Sporting Goods, Angel City FC and Lids.

5.
Crouser’s 76-8 1/2 world record may not be ratified

American Olympic and World Champion Ryan Crouser extended his own world record in the men’s shot put on 18 February at the Simplot Games in Pocatello, Idaho, sending the 16-pound ball out fo 23.38 or 76-8 1/2.

That was one centimeter better than his 2021 mark of 23.37 (76-8 1/4) at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon. That mark was ratified by World Athletics, but doubt has crept in on the Pocatello mark.

Track & Field News surmised that Crouser’s 23.38 might not get approved because he used an indoor shot – with a rubber exterior coating – instead of the solid-metal shots used for outdoor competitions.

Now, French coach P.J. Vazel noticed a new issue and tweeted:

“No @WorldAthletics for @RCrouserThrows as his 23.38 in Pocatello won’t be ratified, from the videos it appears that the ring [height] was probably above the sector exceeding the rule allowance”

On the World Athletics Web site, Crouser’s 2023 results list the 23.38 m win in Pocatello, but also has the notation “IRM” for “irregular measurement.”

There has been no World Athletics announcement about Crouser’s mark, but Vazel’s observation that there are issues with it do not bode well for its ratification. Crouser met with reporters on Friday in advance of his appearance at the Drake Relays at the end of April, where he will compete indoors in a mixed-team event, as well as outdoors during the main meet.

And Crouser has no doubts that he can throw further. How much further? He wouldn’t say exactly, but he sounded confident when talking about a potential “outlier” at 24 meters (78-9)!

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● A detail of the unique Opening Ceremony on the Seine River was noted during a meeting of the Ile-de-France regional council. It was explained that 140-170 boats will be needed to transport the athletes on the Seine during the ceremony.

● Athletics ● Sensational marks at the Texas Relays, with world outdoor leaders in 13 events (including a tie):

● Men/200 m: 20.05, Terrence Jones (BAH/Texas Tech)
● Men/800 m: 1:45.31, Oussama El Bouchayby (MAR/Angelo State)
● Men/4×100 m: 38.08, United States
● Men/4×400 m: 2:58.82, USA/Georgia
● Men/High Jump: 2.33 m (7-7 3/4), JuVaughn Harrison (=)
● Men/Pole Vault: 5.86 m (19-2 1/4), Branson Ellis (USA/S.F. Austin) and Zach Bradford (USA/Texas Tech)
● Men/Javelin: 84.27 m (276-5), Keyshawn Strachan (BAH/Auburn)
● Men/Decathlon: 8,478, Leo Neugebauer (Germany/Texas)

● Women/200 m: 22.46, Gabby Thomas (USA)
● Women/100 m hurdles: 12.36, Masai Russell (USA/Kentucky)
● Women/4×100 m: 41.75, United States
● Women/4×400 m: 3:24.82, United States
● Women/Discus: 67.90 m (222-9), Valarie Allman (USA)

The speedy USA Red men’s 4×100 m team featured Christian Coleman, Kenny Bednarek, Kyree King and Marvin Bracy. The deepest men’s collegiate 4×400 m  ever saw the Georgia quartet of Matthew Boling, Caleb Cavanaugh, Will Sumner and Elija Godwin run the second-fastest 4×400 in collegiate history (2:58.82), followed by the no. 6 time by Alabama (2:59.15 by Chris Robinson, Demetrius Jackson, Tarsis Orogot/UGA and Khaleb McRae) and no. 8 by UCLA in 2:59.25 (Antonie Nortje/RSA, Myles Misener-Daley/CAN, Willington Wright [44.31] and Ismail Turner [44.49]). Wow!

In the men’s 800 m, El Bouchayby beat Bryce Hoppel of the U.S., 1:45.31-1:45.59, the top two outdoor marks in the world this year.

The women’s marks were highlighted by a collegiate record of 12.36 by American Masai Russell of Kentucky, slicing 0.03 off of Brianna McNeal’s 12.39 run for Clemson in 2013. Russell is no. 8 in U.S. history. Alia Armstrong, the 2022 Worlds fourth-placer, was second to Russell in 12.57.

Thomas, the 200 m Tokyo bronze medalist, won both of the women’s sprints in 11.09 (+1.5 m/s) and her outdoor world leader of 22.46 (+1.2).

The USA Gold 4×100 m winners (41.75) included Melissa Jefferson, Abby Steiner, Jenna Prandini and Aleia Hobbs, just ahead of the USA Stars team (42.10) of Javianne Oliver, TeeTee Terry, Teahna Daniels and Sha’Carri Richardson.

The winning 4×400 m in 3:24.82 was “Hurdle Mechanics”: Dalilah Muhammad, Alexis Holmes, Brittany Brown and Anna Cockrell, ahead of the USA Red team (3:25.65): Kyra Jefferson, Abby Steiner, Jenna Prandini and Raevyn Rogers.

The best team, however, had to be the Texas women, led by Julian Alfred (LCA), which ran wild:

● 4×100 m: 42.00 (collegiate record; old, 42.05, LSU, 2018), Alfred, Ezinne Abba, Lanae Thomas, Kevona Davis (JAM).

● 4×200 m: 1:28.05 (collegiate record; old, 1:28.78, Oregon 2017), Rhasidat Adeleke (IRL), Alfred, Davis, Thomas.

● Sprint Medley: 3:36.10 (collegiate record; old, 3:38.93, Texas A&M, 2022), Alfred, Davis, Kennedy Simon, Adeleke.

And Texas, with Adeleke, Simon, Alfred and Rachel Helbling, ran a world-leading 3:23.27 in the 4×400 m, but with a mixed team, so the U.S. “Hurdle Mechanics” team will get credit.

At the South African national championships in Potchefstroom, men’s 400 m world-record holder Wayde van Niekerk won in a world-leading 44.17, his fastest since 2017. Akani Simbine won the men’s 100 m in 10.14, but ran a world-leading 9.92 in his semifinal (wind: +0.6).

And Zeney Van Der Walt, 22, won the women’s 400 m hurdles in a world-leading 54.82.

Hillary Bor and Sara Hall won the U.S. 10 Mile Championships, held in cold conditions, in conjunction with the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile in Washington, D.C.

Defending champion Bor was in or near the lead the entire way and separated himself from Abbabiya Simbassa by the 6-mile mark and cruised home in an American Record of 46:11, two seconds faster than Greg Meyer’s venerable 46:13 mark from 1983!

Simbassa was second in 47:09, trailed by Jacob Thomson third in 47:30.

The women’s race saw seven in the lead pack at six miles, with Hall, Nell Rojas, Emma Hurley and Molly Grabill together with two miles left. Rojas attacked with a mile left, but dropped no one and the race came down to a final sprint of about 200 yards. Hall’s dash beat Rojas to the line, 52:37 to 52:38, for her fourth national 10-mile title. Hurley was third in 52:41 and Grabill had to settle for fourth at 52:42.

● Badminton ● Two wins for China highlighted the Madrid Spain Masters that concluded on Sunday. Both came in Doubles, as Ji Ting He and Hao Dong Zhou (CHN) defeated Fang Chih Lee and Fang-Jen Lee (TPE), 21-5, 21-12, and in the all-China women’s Doubles, it was Sheng Shu Liu and Ning Tan over Fang Hui Chan and Yue Du, 21-8, 16-21, 21-18.

Japan’s top-seeded Kenta Nishimoto won the all-Japan men’s Singles final over Kanta Tsuneyama, 15-21, 21-18, 21-19, while Gregoria Tunjung (INA) pulled a mild upset over India’s V. Sindhu Pusarla, 21-8, 21-8.

In the Mixed Doubles, Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Boje (DEN) were winners against Praveen Jordan and Melati Oktavianti (INA), 22-20, 21-18.

● Basketball ● The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced its 2023 inductees, including six Olympians and an Olympic team among the 12 members-to-be.

The Olympians include Americans Gregg Popovich (assistant coach, 2004 U.S. Olympic team; coach, 2020 U.S. Olympic team), Dwayne Wade (2004 Olympic bronze, 2008 Olympic gold) and Becky Hammon (controversially played for Russia in 2008, winning a bronze).

Also named were Spain’s Pau Gasol (2008-12 Olympic silvers, 2016 Olympic bronze), Germany’s Dirk Nowitzki (2008 Olympic tournament) and France’s Tony Parker (2012-16 Olympic tournaments).

The U.S. women’s Olympic team from 1976 was also named. The silver medalists were coached by Billie Moore and included Pat Summit, Nancy Lieberman and Ann Meyers in the first Olympic basketball tournament for women.

Induction ceremonies will be in August.

● Cycling ● The second of the five annual “Monument” races, Ronde van Vlaanderen – first held in 1913 – was another testimonial to Slovenian star Tadej Pogacar.

The winner of the Tour de France in 2020 and 2021, he won his third Monument – previously Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Il Lombardia – with a breakaway over the Oude Kwaremont on the hilly, 273.4 km route from Brugge to Oudenaarde. A big crash slowed down the peloton after 100 km, but a six-minute lead for the leaders was whittled down to a minute with 40 km left.

Pogacar’s attack with 17 km left was never matched and he finished in 6:12:07, followed by Mathieu van der Poel (NED: +0:16) and then a group of six led by Mads Pedersen (DEN: +1:12). Americans Neilson Powless (fifth) and Matteo Jorgenson (ninth: +1:19) both finished in the top 10.

The third Monument comes on 9 April with the running of Paris-Roubaix.

The women’s Tour of Flanders – the 20th – was a win for the home team as Lotte Kopecky defended her 2022 title over the 156.6 km route that began and ended in Oudenaarde. Lopecky attacked with 18 km left and dropped everyone, winning by 36 seconds over a six-member chase pack.

Dutch star Demi Vollering finished second, ahead of Elisa Longo Borghini and Silvia Persico from Italy. Megan Jastrab was the top American, in 46th (+5:00).

● Gymnastics ● A dominant performance for home favorite Stiliana Nikolova at the Rhythmic World Cup in Sofia (BUL)!

Nikolova, 17, won the All-Around, scoring 131.300, ahead of Italy’s 2022 World Champion, Sofia Raffaeli (128.750) and Uzbek Takhmina Ikromova (124.550). The top American finishers were Jaelyn Chin (112.000) and Alexandria Kautzman (109.150), in 24th and 25th.

Nikolova, the 2022 Worlds All-Around bronze medal winner, then won the individual finals in Hoop (33.800) over Adi Katz (ISR: 33.600) and Rafaelli (32.600); in Ball (35.000), ahead of Rafaelli (33.150) and Ikromova (31.750); and in Clubs (34.000), beating teammate Evy Brezalieva (32.700) and Rafaelli (32.150).

Ikromova won on Ribbon (30.900) on a tie-breaker with Elzhana Taniyeva (KAZ: 30.900), with Barbara Domingos (BRA) third at 30.650.

● Judo ● An outstanding showing by France, with five wins at the Antalya Grand Slam in Turkey.

French fighters won four classes on Saturday, with Luka Mkheidze in the men’s 60 kg class, Maxime Gobert in the men’s 66 kg, Blandine Pont in the women’s 48 kg division and Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Amandine Buchard in the women’s 52 kg class.

On Sunday, Rio 2016 silver medalist Audrey Tcheumeo won a t 78 kg, beating Tokyo Olympic champ Shori Hamada of Japan, for her ninth career win in a Grand Slam tournament.

Brazil won two women’s classes, with Tokyo Olympic champ Rafaela Silva taking the 57 kg class and Ketleyn Quadros at 63 kg. The Netherlands also collected two golds, first from 2019 World Champion Noel Van’t End in the men’s 90 class and then Jelle Snippe in the all-Dutch +100 kg final against 2021 Worlds bronze medalist Roy Meyer.

Manuel Lombardo (ITA), the 66 kg 2021 Worlds runner-up, won at 73 kg, and Belgium’s 2021 World Champion Matthais Casse won at 81 kg. Japan’s Saki Niizoe, the 2022 Worlds bronze medalist, defeated 2022 World Champion Barbara Matic (CRO) in the women’s 70 kg final.

The home team got a win in the women’s +78 kg class, with two-time Worlds bronze medalist Kayra Sayit defeating Milica Zabic (SRB).

● Rugby ● New Zealand swept the HSBC Rugby Sevens Series tournaments in Hong Kong and has the lead in both the men’s and women’s seasonal standings.

The New Zealand women – the Black Ferns – were 3-0 in their group, as were Australia and France. In the playoffs, the Ferns swamped Canada, 45-14, stomped Fiji, 31-5 and then outfought Australia, 26-17 to win their fifth straight tournament of the season.

After six of seven stages, New Zealand leads the standings with 118 points to 102 for Australia, 90 for the U.S. and 78 for France. All four of those teams are now qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic tournament.

In the eighth men’s tournament out of 11, New Zealand – the All Blacks – won for the third time in the last four. New Zealand, Fiji and France were all 3-0 in pool play, with the U.S. at 2-1 and winners of their group. In the quarters, the Kiwis, Fiji and France advanced, while the U.S. was beaten by Great Britain. The All Blacks beat France, 12-7, in one semis while Fiji overcame Great Britain, 19-14. It was a tight final, but New Zealand beat Fiji, 24-17, while France edged the British, 19-17.

With three legs remaining, New Zealand has a 142-121 lead on Argentina, with Fiji at 113 and France at 112. The U.S. is ninth at 91.

● Shooting ● The Trap events in the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Larnaca (CYP) saw Croatian Anton Glasnovic, 42, the 2013 Worlds silver medalist, win his third career individual World Cup title with a shoot-off win against Andreas Makri (CYP) after a 32-32 tie.

Britain’s Lucy Hall, 19, got her first World Cup win with a 29-27 victory over China’s Cuicui Wu.

In the Mixed Team final, Portugal’s Joao Azevedo and Maria Coelho de Barros scored a 7-3 gold-medal victory over the American duo of Walton Eller and Alicia Gough, the only U.S. medal of the tournament.

● Ski Jumping ● The FIS men’s World Cup for 2022-23 concluded with the annual ski-flying events – off a 240 m hill! – in Planica (SLO), with Norway’s Halvor Egner Granerud winning the seasonal title.

On Saturday, Austria’s three-time World Champion, Stefan Kraft, got his 26th career World Cup victory with 240.5 points in the one-round event, ahead of home favorite Anze Lanisek (234.7) and Poland’s Piotr Zyla (233.3). Granerud was fourth (228.4); American Decker Dean was 39th (162.3).

Sunday was a celebration for the home team, as Timi Zajc – who won the 2023 World Large Hill title in Planica earlier this year – used a huge second jump to move from fifth to first and score his third career World Cup win over Lanisek, 455.1 to 455.0, with Kraft third at 445.1.

Granerud finished with 2,128 points, ahead of Kraft (1,790) and Lanisek (1,679). It’s the second seasonal title for Granerud, who also won in 2021.

● Swimming ● Teen sensation Summer McIntosh continued her record-breaking Canadian Trials performances in Toronto, setting a world record in the 400 m Medley of 4:25.87 on Saturday, breaking Hungarian Katinka Hosszu’s 2016 mark of 4:26.36.

McIntosh, 16, had earlier set the world 400 m Free record at 3:56.08 – breaking Australian Ariarne Titmus’ mark of 3:56.40, and set world junior marks – and 2023 world leads – in the 200 m Medley (2:06.89) and 200 m Butterfly (2:04.70, no. 8 all-time).

She now owns three of the fastest six times in history in the 400 m Medley.

McIntosh finished up on Sunday with another Canadian national record, World Junior Record and world-leading time in the 200 m Freestyle, in 1:53.91, moving her to no. 5 all-time.

Tokyo Olympic champ Maggie MacNeil was overshadowed, but grabbed the world lead in the women’s 100 m Fly at 56.54, and came back to win the 50 m Free in 24.79, and the 100 m Free in 54.58.

If not for McIntosh, Josh Liendo would have been the story of the meet, with world-leading marks in the 100 m Fly (50.36, no. 5 all-time), then 21.80 in the 50 m Free and 47.86 in the 100m Free! He also set a Canadian Record in the 50 m Fly in 23.27.

● Weightlifting ● The U.S. performed impressively at the Pan American Championships in Bariloche (ARG), leading the medal table with 15 total and eight golds.

The U.S. got wins from Hampton Morris in the men’s 61 kg class (281 kg), Nathan Damron at 96 kg (340 kg), Ryan Sester at 102 kg (372 kg), Wesley Kitts at 109 kg (365 kg) and a gold-silver combo at +109 kg from Alejandro Medina (385 kg) and Caine Wilkes (384 kg).

Three American women won their classes: Jourdan Delacruz at 49 kg (lifting a total of 198 kg, with Hayley Reichardt second at 197 kg); Meredith Alwine at 76 kg (238 kg) and Mary Thiesen-Lappen at +87 kg (272 kg, with former World Champion Sarah Robles second at 271 kg).

Other U.S. silver medalists included Ryan Grimsland in the men’s 73 kg class (323 kg); Danielle Gunnin in the women’s 59 kg division (220 kg), and Katie Nye at 71 kg (248 kg, with Olivia Reeves third at 247 kg).

Venezuela won four classes, with Julio Mayora in the men’s 73 kg event (332 kg), Darvin Castro at 81 kg (324 kg), Kaydomar Vallenilla at 89 kg (379 kg), and Rosielis Quintana in the women’s 45 kg class (160 kg).

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For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: IOC now looking to solve abuse issues in sport; Bach rips government critics of IOC’s Russian position, but holds a weak hand

By
Rich Perelman
-
IOC President Thomas Bach (GER) at Thursday's news conference (Photo: IOC video screen shot)

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. IOC convenes conference to look for local safeguarding ideas
2. Bach calls government critics of IOC’s Russia stance “deplorable”
3. Observed: IOC anger trying to mask its 2024 vulnerabilities
4. Ukraine, Czech, German and Polish officials lambast IOC position
5. Russian star Dalaloyan says no one will leave their clubs

The International Olympic Committee helped create the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Testing Agency and now wants to find a system to help alleviate athlete abuse on the local and national level. An online conference will be held Friday to kick off the effort, to which the IOC has pledged $10 million as a start. IOC President Thomas Bach called government criticisms of the announced recommendations on Russian and Belarusian re-entry to international sport “deplorable” and accused the critics of double standards. Opinion: Bach’s protestations do not mask what is actually a very weak position for the IOC, which could get much worse. But nothing is going to be settled for many months yet. Those government criticisms came from multiple nations: Ukraine of course, but also the Czech Republic, Poland and especially from German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. Russian gymnastics star Artur Dalaloyan told Russian television that he will not change his club affiliation – closely tied in with law enforcement – in order to compete internationally.

● Panorama: Olympic Winter Games 2026 (Milan Cortina budget confirmed at €1.5 billion) = Athletics (IOC recognizes Demus and Qieyang Shijie as 2012 gold medalists) = Fencing (Polish sports minister will allow Russian who sign morality oath) = Shooting (Bartekova and Pittini win Skeet World Cup finals) = Swimming (McIntosh and Liendo win again) ●

1.
IOC convenes conference to look for local safeguarding ideas

The horrific Larry Nassar tragedy within American gymnastics that exploded in 2016 has led to the exposure of many other abuse issues in multiple sports and multiple countries. Now the International Olympic Committee is getting into the fight.

The IOC was the instigator of the creation of the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 1984, the World Anti-Doping Agency in 1999 and the International Testing Agency in 1999. On Thursday, IOC President Thomas Bach explained a new effort to explore solutions to abuse issues:

“A number of International Federations and National Olympic Committees to coordinate the approach with regard to safeguarding, given the successful work of the IOC has already done in these two areas and given the growing number of requests coming to the International Federations and the National Olympic Committees.

“For this reason, we have organized tomorrow [31 March] a conference with the Olympic International Federations, who all have responded to this invitation. This conference will have the task, how to identify the best approach to establish independent systems to strengthen safeguarding at the local and national level, in collaboration with all Olympic Movement stakeholders.

“And I would like to emphasize here, the local, and the national level, because these incidents , these tragedies, they’re all happening on a local level, in most cases, in a pretty close circle.

“And in order to get to the root of this danger, for sport and for society, we have to address these issues on this local level, on the roots, and directly. We cannot wait and trust that the concerned athletes or other people – the victims – that they have to go way up through different levels, then up to an international level or to the IOC, to present their case and to have justice being done.

“And in order to establish this independent system on the local and national level, the IOC is dedicating a budget of 10 million U.S. dollars for the next Olympiad.

“To coordinate this work, we have today established a working group, which will be chaired by IOC Executive Board member Prince Feisal [Al Hussein JOR], who has been working on safeguarding issues with great success for many, many years and tomorrow, we will invite the International Federations and then also the National Olympic Committees to take part in such a working group.”

It’s a start, and while the issue would appear to be one well beyond the IOC’s reach as a worldwide organization, no one thought much of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, WADA or ITA initiatives either. A potentially important initiative.

2.
Bach calls government critics of IOC’s Russia stance “deplorable”

IOC President Bach has called today’s fragmented geopolitics “aggressively divisive” and now he has enthusiastically joined in.

Eschewing his usual diplomatic tone, Bach ripped into critics – sampled below – of the IOC Executive Board’s recommendations for Russian and Belarusian re-entry into international competition during Thursday’s news conference from Lausanne:

“We have taken note of some negative reactions, by some European governments in particular. I can only reaffirm what the Olympic Movement and all the stakeholders have already made very clear before: that it is deplorable to see that some governments do not want to respect the majority within the Olympic Movement, and of all stakeholders, nor the autonomy of sport, which they are praising and requesting from other countries, in countless speeches, U.N. resolutions, European Union declarations and at every other opportunity.

“It is deplorable that these governments do not address the question of double standards, with which we have been confronted in our consultations. We have not seen a single comment from them about their attitude towards the participation of athletes whose countries are involved in the other 70 wars and armed conflicts in the world.

“It is even more deplorable that they grossly neglect the very clear statement of the two Special Rapporteurs from the U.N. Human Rights Council, while in other issues, they are always highlighting their firm requests for the respect of human rights.

“Discussions and reactions from the Olympic Movement are making it very clear that these government interventions have even strengthened the unity of the Olympic Movement. All stakeholders make it very clear again: it cannot be up to the governments to decide which athlete can participate in which competition. This would be the end of world sport as we know it today.

“And the Olympic Movement stakeholders are very concerned about this politicalization of sport. They are very concerned about the attitudes of these governments wanting to take over the participation, and the decision of participation in sports events in their country or even in other countries.”

Bach then noted messages of support from the continental associations of National Olympic Committees and the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), and the furious reaction from Russian officials, who complained bitterly about all of the restrictions. So:

“That both sides in this confrontation are not satisfied – to say it diplomatically – might indicate on the other hand, that we found some middle ground, on which we all can move forward to make a contribution to understanding and peace through sport.”

Asked why the IOC is treating the Russian invasion of Ukraine differently than the 70 other conflicts he mentioned, he replied: “Because this was a blatant violation of the Olympic Truce” and said that “solidarity efforts” were also being made in view of conflicts in Yemen, Ethiopia, Syria and elsewhere, and said that governments “were not dealing with the issues in the same way [as with the Russian invasion].”

He further defended the IOC’s approach, referring to the CrisisWatch list of 70 current armed conflicts:

“If you would say a country at war would not participate, we would not be alone in Paris, but there would be very few. … If you would exclude all of them, then what would be the meaning of such Games? And it would not be a universal, international competition any more.”

Bach later also noted, however, that “we will not interfere into the sovereignty of a government or a state.” He emphasized that the International Federations will have “sole authority” to decide their eligibility standards, although he has called on the summer-sport and winter-sport federations to come up “harmonized” standards.

With the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials involved in the military, the IOC Executive Board referred to the IOC Ethics Commission the question of what to do about the IOC members in Russia: Shamil Tarpischev and Yelena Isinbayeva.

3.
Observed: IOC anger trying to mask its 2024 vulnerabilities

IOC chief Bach’s well-prepared statement of outrage read at Thursday’s news conference was a time-honored response from someone in the IOC’s position, holding a weak hand.

In fact, if the French government enforces the position held by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo (Socialist Party), there will be no Russian or Belarusian athletes at the 2024 Olympic Games because the French government would simply not allow them to enter the country.

That’s real power, backed up by law enforcement and an army.

It would also be in complete contravention of the covenants made by the French in the Host City Agreement signed in 2017 and put the French in the position of breaking its promises, but leaving the IOC in an impossible position.

Bach indicated that the IOC’s decision on whether to have Russian and/or Belarusian athletes at Paris 2024 will be made at a later date, and based on his comments on Thursday, probably not until sometime in 2024 itself. At that stage, there is no way to find any kind of “emergency” host for 2024 or even 2025; even permanently-ready Los Angeles would not be an option as venues would have already arranged for events for the coming year. This is why Olympic Games are attributed so far ahead of time.

The experience of the International Paralympic Committee in Beijing in 2022 is instructive. By the time that event was ready to open, Russia had invaded Ukraine, but the IPC agreed on 2 March 2022 – two days prior to the Opening Ceremony – to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals. A day later, IPC President Andrew Parsons (BRA) announced:

“In the last 12 hours an overwhelming number of members have been in touch with us and been very open, for which I am grateful. They have told us that if we do not reconsider our decision, it is now likely to have grave consequences for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games. Multiple NPCs, some of which have been contacted by their governments, teams and athletes, are threatening not to compete. …

“With this in mind, and in order to preserve the integrity of these Games and the safety of all participants, we have decided to refuse the athlete entries from RPC and NPC Belarus.”

Russia had a team of 26 athletes in Beijing already. Said IPC spokesman Craig Spence (GBR), also on 3 March 2022:

“What we’ve seen in the 14 hours since is a move from letters of ‘We think you should ban’ to ‘Now we’re thinking of going home. We’re not playing.’ That threatens the viability of this event. So that’s a huge change. If we don’t act on that, then we’re crazy. So we have and we’ve acted and we’ve made again a decision based on the fact that the position of our NPCs has gone from one of, a recommendation or suggestion to one of a threat, almost. We’ve acted on that.

“The tensions are building in the Village. It’s better to act now than wait until something happens.”

Unlike the IOC, the IPC suspended the Russian and Belarusian national committees and is yet to determine what to do about them for Paris in 2024.

The IOC has plenty of time to change its approach. Olympic super-historian Bill Mallon, one of the founders of the Olympedia statistical site, explained on Twitter last year:

“At the 1971 IOC Session, the IOC ruled that Rhodesian athletes could compete, but only using British uniforms, the Union Jack as the flag, and with the British anthem. …

“Rhodesia, later Zimbabwe, practiced apartheid, however, including in sport. Shortly before the 1972 München Olympics, all the African nations threatened a mass boycott if Rhodesia was allowed to compete. …

“Two days before the Opening Ceremony, the IOC voted (36-31 with three abstentions) to withdraw the invitation to Rhodesia for the 1972 Olympic Games. Virtually the same situation just occurred at the Beijing 2022 Paralympics.”

One more note on Bach and the IOC’s unfailing allegiance to the United Nations. Russia will assume the Presidency of the U.N. Security Council this Saturday, 1 April 2023, for 30 days as per the rotation protocol. Not a joke. Really. The head of the country that will preside over the U.N. Security Council next month is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court, but will head the group that is responsible for international security. And to which the IOC has pledged its adherence.

4.
Ukraine, Czech, German and Polish officials lambast IOC position

There was no shortage of governmental reactions to the IOC’s Tuesday announcement of recommendations to allow individual Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to international competitions.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted, over a video of Russian athletes in military parades and events:

“Sports, state propaganda, and the army are indivisible in Russia. And now Putin has already introduced not only politics, but also war crimes into sports. There is no way for Russian or Belarusian athletes to compete in the Paris Olympics or any other major sporting event.”

The head of the Czech national sports agency, Ondrej Sebek, said in an interview:

“I was very surprised by the IOC decision. Our position on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes has been the same since the beginning of the war: as long as the war lasts, no athletes from the countries that provoked it should be allowed to participate in international sporting events, let alone the Olympic Games.

“Major international sports associations in football, hockey, basketball, athletics and biathlon continue to exclude Russian athletes because of the war. The IOC is going in the exact opposite direction and is actually encouraging sports federations to allow Russian athletes to compete. We find this unacceptable and will seek to change the IOC’s position.”

Poland’s Bureau of International Policy head Marcin Pszydach told Polish Television:

“I think that what the IOC is proposing at the moment is very disappointing for many of us, diplomatically speaking, we all understand that Russian aggression is connected with it. …

“Such a decision [on a boycott of Paris 2024] should be worked out in a broader coalition of states, and only then, if such a broad front could be taken, one can talk about hard decisions and hard recommendations.”

The most stinging rebuke came from Nancy Faeser, the head of the German Interior Ministry, in a multi-part Twitter thread:

“The IOC’s decision is a slap in the face for Ukrainian athletes. They deserve the solidarity of international sport. The least that Ukraine can expect is a clear stance. International sport must unequivocally condemn the brutal Russian war of aggression.

“This is only possible with a complete exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes. The fact that the IOC does not want to allow members of the Russian military or teams is only the absolute minimum and is not enough.

“There is no reason whatsoever for Russia to return to world sport. Putin is continuing his criminal war with appalling brutality against Ukrainian civilians.

“The Russian military kills countless Ukrainians every day, including numerous athletes. Olympic Games do not take place in a vacuum.

“Anyone who lets the warmonger Russia use international competitions for its propaganda harms the Olympic ideal of peace and international understanding.”

Bach was asked about the criticisms and noted, “We will not punish the athletes or an NOC for the behavior of their government. What counts for us is the decision of the National Olympic Committees.”

Marcin Nowak, the head of the organizing committee for June’s European Games in Poland, told RFM Radio, “Under no pretext and in any way, the athletes representing Russia and Belarus will not take part in our events.” In case an International Federation removes Olympic qualifying status from an event to this stance – the European Games is set to as as a qualifier in 18 sports – those events “simply will not take place.”

5.
Russian star Dalaloyan says no one will leave their clubs

With the IOC’s ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes who are “contracted” to the military or national security services of their countries, a lot of questions remain unanswered. Near the top will be whether “national security” also means local police units and affiliated organizations such as Russia’s famed Dynamo Sports Club.

If so, the cynical assumption, of course, is that athletes will simply switch clubs.

Russia’s Match TV asked gymnastics star Artur Dalaloyan, a Tokyo 2020 Team gold medalist and a World Champion in All-Around and Floor, if he would change clubs in order to be able to compete again:

“In fact, I believe that no one will succumb to these recommendations. We all have values. Yes, my club Dynamo represents the [governmental] power structure. The whole team around me is something valuable and important to me. It’s been built over the years. I appreciate the fact that I represent Dynamo and the power structure. I’m grateful that they helped me to train further. And because of some recommendations I will not go to leave the club I love, which I have represented all my life.

“I hope that most athletes will not be like these recommendations. I am sure that our Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Sports will challenge these recommendations and will do some work to change this framework somehow. …

“Every man in our country is obliged to serve in the army, one way or another everyone is connected to the law enforcement agencies! However, athletes also have contracts with the government. There are sports teams within these law enforcement agencies that help athletes at the most responsible and important time in their lives. This allows athletes to continue to do their thing while serving in the military. So that athletes are comfortable to reach the heights, the goals they set. That’s important. So these recommendations are nothing more than attempts to disrupt, to crack our system that has been developed over the years. I don’t know how to put it mildly.”

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2026: Milan Cortina ● The Milan Cortina organizing committee confirmed its “lifetime budget” of “around” 1.5 billion Euro (about $1.636 billion U.S.) – as stated in its bid – will remain in place.

Four new domestic sponsorship partners have been announced, with more coming, and the demolition of the Eugenio Monti bob and luge track from the 1956 Winter Games has begun, opening the way for construction of the new facility as dictated by the area’s development plan.

● Athletics ● The IOC Executive Board approved changes in results due to years-after doping disqualifications from the London 2012 Games, re-awarding medals in the women’s 400 m hurdles and 20 km walk.

In the hurdles, Russian Natalya Antyukh won in 52.70, but was disqualified. American Lashinda Demus is the new gold medalist (52.77), followed by Zuzana Hejnova (CZE: 53.38) and Jamaican Kaliese Spencer (53.66).

In the walk, Russian Elena Lashmanova won in 1:25:02 and Olga Kaniskina was second (1:25:09), but both have been disqualified for doping. That means China’s Qieyang Shijie becomes the winner (1:25:16), followed by teammates Hong Liu (1:26:00) and Xiuzhi Lu (1:27:10).

● Fencing ● An FIE women’s Foil World Cup is scheduled for 21-23 April in Poznan (POL), with the country’s sports minister, Kamil Bortniczuk saying the country will allow Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals – as the FIE will require as of 16 April – if they sign a declaration that they “do not support military actions and stand against war crimes.

“If a Russian athlete signs this declaration, it will serve as a certificate of morality, and then he or she will be able to participate in competitions. We will be demanding that this declaration be signed at all sports tournaments held on Polish territory.”

● Shooting ● At the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Larnaca (CYP), London 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Danka Bartekova (SVK) showed she is still going strong at 38.

She won the women’s Skeet final, 35-30, over China’s Jinmei Gao, hitting 22 of her final 24 targets, for her sixth career World Cup victory.

Italy’s Erik Pittini won the men’s Skeet, 38-35, against Finland’s Tokyo fourth-placer Eetu Kallioinen, for his first career individual World Cup gold. Germany defeated Cyprus, 6-4, in the Mixed Team Skeet final.

● Swimming ● New women’s 400 m Free world-record holder Summer McIntosh, 16, was back in the water at the Canadian Trials meet in Toronto on Thursday, winning the 200 m Medley in 2:06.89, fastest in the world in 2023 and a World Junior Record. She moves to no. 4 all-time, with the sixth-fastest time in history. She has more events to come.

Canadian sprint star Josh Liendo set the Canadian record twice in the men’s 100 m Fly, winning the final in 50.36, moving him to no. 5 all-time. He won the men’s 50 m Free final on Thursday in 21.80, fastest in the world in 2023.

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TSX REPORT: IOC still discussing strategy for future Winter Games; McIntosh sets 400 Free world record; Indonesia loses FIFA U-20 World Cup over Israel

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 ≡

1. IOC reports “new interest” in 2030 Winter Games
2. IOC to prepare report on IBA activities for further action
3. Teen McIntosh shatters Titmus’ 400 m Free world record
4. FIFA removes Indonesia as men’s U-20 World Cup over Israel
5. HELEN | BELIEVE documentary on Rio star Maroulis in theaters

At the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board meeting on Wednesday, no decision was reached on a timetable to elect the host of the 2030 Winter Games, as the IOC’s Future Hosts Commission works on the organization’s future strategy. But the number of parties showing new interest in 2030 has expanded and is increasing. The Executive Board also rejected criticisms by the International Boxing Association about “poaching its officials” for Olympic qualifying events and commission a thorough staff review of the IBA in advance of future actions with or to the federation. In Toronto, Canadian teen phenom Summer McIntosh smashed the world record in the women’s 400 m Freestyle at the Canadian World Championships trials, removing Australia’s Ariane Titmus from the list. Because of the stated unwillingness of the pro-Palestinian Governor of Bali to have Israel play in the FIFA World U-20 World Cup in Indonesia, FIFA took back the tournament and will play it elsewhere. Sanctions against the Indonesian federation were not announced, but will be coming later. On Thursday (30th), some 700 theaters nationwide will screen “HELEN | BELIEVE,” a documentary about the return of U.S. wrestling star and 2016 Olympic winner Helen Maroulis to the mat after suffering through a concussion and other injuries that looked like they would end her career before the Tokyo Games in 2021.

● Panorama: Paris 2024 (“Olympic law” passed by National Assembly) = American Football (IFAF recommended for IOC recognition) = Athletics (Mboma to take hormones to reduce testosterone levels) = Cycling (Laporte and Vollering win Dwars door Vlaanderen) = Fencing (323 fencers from 28 countries protest Russia-Belarus re-entry) = Figure Skating (ISU Worlds draw solid audience on NBC) = Football (big audience for Mexico-Suriname!) ●

● Errata: Apologies for an error in early versions in Wednesday’s post, mis-spelling the name of International Olympic Committee member and Paris 2024 Coordination Commission head Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant of Belgium. This has been corrected on the TSX site. ●

1.
IOC reports “new interest” in 2030 Winter Games

Wednesday’s meeting of the International Olympic Committee Executive Board featured a report from the Future Hosts Commission for the Olympic Winter Games, asked last December to provide recommendations on the future of the Winter Games with regard to climate and winter sports, on the advisability of a rotation among hosts and whether a double award should be made for 2030 and 2034.

The IOC’s Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi (SUI) told reporters that while the studies are ongoing, there is new enthusiasm among potential hosts for 2030 or later:

“These decisions from the [Executive Board] have created a true momentum and we have new interest – which are confidential at this stage – but we have a number of parties which have come to the table since those decisions, which is excellent news.”

Dubi did not disclose exactly who or how many inquiries have come in, but did acknowledge the ready-made bid from 2002 host Salt Lake City:

“We have to respect the willingness of Salt Lake City. I think they have clearly indicated that 2034 is their preference. They also said, time and again, that they stand ready – in case – for 2030.

“However, with the decision from the Executive Board, we have – as I said before – a true renewed interest and it is incredibly reassuring. We have a number of parties and I am sorry if I cannot reveal who at this stage, but we have to respect this confidentiality.”

So what now? Said Dubi:

“The question on the timing is interesting. First and foremost, the Future Host Commission has to respond to these three strategic questions that were posed to the Future Host. EB wants to know if rotation is a good idea, whether 2030 and 2034 makes sense, but also to look – and that’s slightly more complicated – the development of winter sports.

“This work is ongoing. I would anticipate that, first, a report would be made to the Executive Board, then to the Session in Mumbai [in October] … which leads us to a calendar after Mumbai for the election.

“Now if you look at to those parties that come to the table at this point in time, these are very mature, winter markets. So, I’m definitely not worried with the timing, knowing that we’re going to go to – as we have with Milano and Cortina – a region or a country that have the infrastructure and are used to organizing high-level events, being World Cups or World Championships. So, we’re not pressed by time for the election.”

Pressed for details, Dubi said that the number of “interested parties” has increased beyond Salt Lake City, Sapporo, Vancouver and Sweden and continues to expand to six and more. Asked why interest has picked up, Dubi cited (1) the new, heavy emphasis on the use of existing facilities which can be located in another region or even another country, and (2) the informal nature and low cost of the “continuous dialogue” process:

● “With Milano and Cortina, we demonstrate that we walk the talk. When we said we would use existing venues and existing capabilities, it truly works. … All those parties that come at the table, they do offer similar capacities. They are generally hosts of many World Cups and World Championships across the winter sports.”

● Explaining that in the confidential, continuous dialogue, with the IOC doing a significant amount of work, “in the end, if it doesn’t work, we don’t move to targeted dialogue, no damage done. This is OK. We have all invested in a project: it flies, it doesn’t fly. At least the parties can look across the table, in the eyes, and still remain good friends. So, no more losers as we painfully had at the time.”

But Dubi also noted, “I think that the notion of rotation is, indeed, very appealing. … With the climatic conditions, the way they are evolving, there will be a limit to who can host in the future. If you project yourself in 2050, you probably see a picture that is different than today.”

He confirmed that Vancouver remains in the discussions and that the Canadian Olympic Committee is readying another push for funding support from the Province of British Columbia and from the Canadian national government.

For Salt Lake City, more waiting, but still firmly positioned as the best bid currently on the table.

2.
IOC to prepare report on IBA activities for further action

The continuing war of words between the International Boxing Association and the IOC took an interesting off-ramp on Wednesday, with the IOC Executive Board taking no direct action, but setting the stage for the future.

No decisions were made, and the Executive Board sent a letter to the IBA leadership that “generally refuted” the accusations made by the IBA on 27 March over contacting referees and judges regarding working at Olympic qualifying events later this year.

Further, the IOC Director General, Christophe de Kepper (BEL) and Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer Paquerette Girard Zappelli (FRA) were asked:

“1. [T]o analyse all the elements available, in particular the Expert Reports, and determine whether there are still major concerns regarding IBA’s practice and activities;

“2. [I]n the event that there are still major concerns regarding IBA’s practice and activities, pursuant to the Olympic Charter, to take the following actions:

“a. notify IBA of the points of potential non-compliance and IBA’s right to be heard in writing;

“b. prepare a comprehensive report regarding IBA’s practice and activities on the basis of all available elements (including without limitation the Expert Reports and IBA’s response) to be presented at a next IOC Executive Board meeting.”

IOC spokesman Mark Adams (GBR) told reporters at Wednesday’s news conference:

“To make it absolutely clear, the IOC does not have any problem with the sport of boxing itself, nor with the boxers – clearly not with the boxers – but there are problems with this suspended federation. …

“It’s very clear to us that if the IBA pushes ahead with these proposals [for an investigation of the contact with officials], it will have quite some consequences.”

The IBA specifically asked that Zappelli not be involved further, but lost out on that. They did ask for de Kepper, who will now be involved. Adams indicated that there had been a good response to the IOC’s inquiries about officials’ interest in participating in the qualifiers.

Observed: The IOC Executive Board decided to take a light touch with the IBA for now, but it clearly setting up – as it has before – a process by which the IBA can be sanctioned, or even excluded in favor of a different group.

The process and timing are important. The request for a report, including IBA replies, will take several months, but could be completed by the time of the next IOC Executive Board meeting from 20-22 June, allowing a vote to be taken, if needed, on actions against the IBA at the IOC Session in Mumbai (IND) in October. There is also an Executive Board meeting right before the Session as well.

Only a vote of the Session could remove boxing from the Paris 2024 program.

National boxing federations which are in opposition to the IBA and its leadership were waiting for a signal from the IOC at this meeting about the projected future for Olympic boxing, but got little firm direction as the Executive Board essentially kicked the can down the road. Adams, however, did say that the IOC has no issues with boxing as a sport, a good sign for its future on the Olympic program.

A peaceful protest was held outside of Olympic House and then in front of the Olympic Museum on Wednesday by several hundred supporters of the IBA, but it is not clear that it had any impact.

3.
Teen McIntosh shatters Titmus’ 400 m Free world record

Everybody in the sport knew this was coming. But maybe not this quickly. Canada’s 16-year-old phenom Summer McIntosh is now a world-record holder.

Competing at the Canadian World Championships Trials in Toronto, McIntosh won the women’s 400 m Freestyle in a sensational 3:56.08, slashing 0.32 off of Ariarne Titmus’ 3:56.40 from the 2022 Australian national championships.

She won by more than 12 seconds over Ella Jansen (4:08.81).

This is no coming-out party, as McIntosh won Worlds golds in 2022 in Budapest in the women’s 200 m Butterfly and 400 m Medley, and was second to American star Katie Ledecky in the 400 Free (3:59.39). She was fourth in Tokyo in the 400 Free at age 14 in 4:02.42.

McIntosh flew through the first 200 m in 1:55.91 – no. 7 on the 2023 world list for that distance! – then slowed to 2:00.17 on the way home, enough to get the record. Ledecky now sits third on the all-time list at 3:56.46 from 2016.

Now training in Sarasota, Florida, McIntosh has entered the 200 m Medley (where she ranks equal-18th all-time), 200 m Fly (12th), 400 m Medley (3rd), and 200 m Free (8th) in the meet which concludes on Sunday.

4.
FIFA removes Indonesia as men’s U-20 World Cup over Israel

Indonesia’s implacable stance against Israel has caused it to be removed as the host of the FIFA men’s U-20 World Cup, set to start in May. Wednesday’s brief announcement gave few details, but included:

“Following today’s meeting between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and President of the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) Erick Thohir, FIFA has decided, due to the current circumstances, to remove Indonesia as the host of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023. A new host will be announced as soon as possible, with the dates of the tournament currently remaining unchanged. Potential sanctions against the PSSI may also be decided at a later stage.”

Thohir explained in a PSSI Web site post:

“Indonesia is a member of FIFA, so for international football matters, we must follow the rules that have been set. Even though I have conveyed everything to Gianni earlier, what was entrusted by the President, football lovers, the children of the U-20 national team, and also loyal football fans, but because we are members and FIFA considers that the current situation cannot be continued, we must submit.”

Indonesia had guaranteed to FIFA that it would host all qualified teams when it was awarded the tournament. Sanctions against the Indonesian federation are sure to follow.

Israel qualified for its first appearance in the U-20 World Cup by finishing second in the 2022 UEFA U-19 Championship Group B, eventually finishing second overall. But Wayan Koster, the Governor of Bali, wrote to the national sports ministry, stating “We, the Bali Province administration, reject Israel’s participation in Bali.” He told reporters last Friday, “We refuse because Israel is disrupting or occupying Palestine.”

Israel had been specifically placed in Bali as it is a Hindu-majority province, as opposed to the other five venues, all in Muslim-majority provinces. The head of the Bali Legislative Council commission overseeing tourism, Kresna Budi, said Tuesday he was in favor of hosting Israel:

“In our opinion, as representatives of the people, as hosts, we will respect any guests who come to Bali. It’s not a matter of agreeing or disagreeing. Moreover, as hosts, we will respect any guests who come. That is the character of Balinese culture.

“After all, Bali belongs to everyone. We cannot be on one side.”

The tournament is set to open on 20 May, with whispers of possible hosting by Argentina, Qatar or others.

5.
HELEN | BELIEVE documentary on Rio star Maroulis in theaters

The remarkable story of American Freestyle wrestler Helen Maroulis debuts on the big screen on Thursday only (30 March) in HELEN | BELIEVE, the story of her comeback from a concussion to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021.

Maroulis was one of the American sensations of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, becoming the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling, defeating heavy favorite Saori Yoshida of Japan, the three-time Olympic champ and 13-time World Champion, at 53 kg

Maroulis won the 57 kg Worlds gold in 2017, outscoring her five opponents, 52-0. But she suffered a bad concussion in a match in India in January 2018, which limited her training and led to a stunning defeat at the 2018 Worlds, losing by pinfall to Azerbaijan’s Alyona Kolesnik in her opening bout, in which she also sustained a shoulder injury that eventually required surgery.

She was really out of the sport until 2021 and made it back not just to competition, but to the Tokyo Games, where she won a bronze medal at 57 kg.

The story is documented by producer Chris Pratt, a wrestler himself in younger days, and written and directed by Dylan Mulick. The film runs 1:38 and the site to find a theater on Thursday is here.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The French National Assembly passed the “Olympic law” by 400-93, allowing specific kinds of monitoring and surveillance measures to be used on a temporary basis through the end of 2024.

The language has to be coordinated with a similar bill that passed the Senate for the measure to become law. The text includes anti-doping measures, administrative investigations, emergency measures and a polyclinic in the Athlete Village.

● American Football ● Flag Football took an important step forward in its effort to eventually become part of the Olympic program with the IOC’s announcement that the Executive Board recommended it for full status as a recognized International Federation:

“IFAF, which was granted provisional recognition by the IOC EB in 2013, has demonstrated that it has fulfilled all the necessary criteria in order to obtain full IOC recognition. …

“At present, IFAF can count on 74 affiliated National Federations on five continents, with an estimated number of almost 4.8 million registered athletes.” The sport was a popular feature of the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama last summer.

Full recognition requires a vote by the IOC Session in India in October.

● Athletics ● The coach of Namibian sprint star Christine Mboma indicated that the Tokyo Olympic 200 m silver medalist would begin hormone therapy to lower her serum testosterone level while the Namibian federation lobbies for a change in the new World Athletics rules for women with Differences in Sex Development (DSD). Mboma coach Henk Botha (NAM) said in a radio interview:

“I’m very optimistic that Christine will be 100% competitive on the track. Christine feels the same way. We know her situation, and we know that Christine has a tremendous amount of speed and that is not from testosterone levels.

“We’ve had disappointments and some obstacles in the past. There’s not a lot that we can do as Namibians, we’ll have to take this one on the chin and do our best to get Christine back on the track.”

Mboma ran 49.22 for 400 m as a 17-year-old in 2021 and moved to the 200 m when the World Athletics DSD rules did not allow women with high testosterone levels to run in events from 400 m to the mile. The new regulations, requiring levels of 2.5 nmol/L, come into effect this weekend and apply to all events. She owns the African women’s record at 200 m of 21.78 from 2021.

● Cycling ● France’s Christophe Laporte won his second straight on the busy UCI World Tour Classics circuit in Belgium on Wednesday, becoming the first Frenchman to win the Dwars door Vlaanderen in 15 years.

Laporte won the 77th Gent-Wevelgem race on Sunday right at the line from Jumbo-Visma teammate Wout van Aert (BEL), but was all alone after the hilly, 183.7 km route from Roeselare to Waregem. His final attack with 4 km to go broke away from the peloton and gave him a 15-second victory in 4:06:20 over the chase pack, led by runner-up Oier Lazkano (ESP) and American Neilson Powless, his second-best finish ever in a World Tour race.

Dutch riders had won the prior three editions of this race, but Laporte’s win was the first by a Frenchman since Sylvain Chavanel in 2008.

The women’s Dwars door Vlaanderen, a Women’s Elite Pro race (a level below the World Tour), was won by Dutch star Demi Vollering, who raced away with 10 km left and scored a 38-second win over Chiara Consonni (ITA) and Marianne Vos (NED), among others, in 2:53:08 over 114.9 km.

● Fencing ● The International Fencing Federation has still not published an official notice of its online Congress from 10 March at which it authorized Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete once again, in accordance with the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee.

However, some 323 fencers – 315 of whom signed their name – protested the outcome in an open letter posted on Monday. Addressed to IOC President Thomas Bach and Interim FIE chief Emmanuel Katsiadakis, it included:

● “In your roles as presidents of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Fencing Federation (FIE), we turn to you regarding your efforts to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete again in international sporting competitions. With complete disregard for athletes’ voices, you have permitted both Russia and Belarus back into FIE competitions, as well as a suspected tournament hosted on Russian soil.”

● “As long as Russia’s war of aggression, aided by Belarus, wages on, both states’ athletes and officials must remain excluded from world sport. Given the recent escalation of attacks against Ukrainian civilians, there should be no reason at this time to allow Russia and Belarus to be reintegrated into world sport. Integration would lay a precedent in which a nation can violate the values and rules of sport and international peace without fear of consequences.”

● “The international community is acutely aware that for Russian and Belarusian athletes, there is no distinction between the athlete and the state. Not only have these athletes been encouraged to fight in the war by the Russian Olympic Committee, with a large majority of them holding military and law enforcement positions, but they are also beneficiaries of state funding – drawing their pay from Putin’s war chest and thus making any separation between the state and the athlete implausible. Athletes were and will be instrumentalized for Putin’s propaganda. Competing under a neutral flag has not proven to be a suitable sanctioning instrument in the past and is not suitable now.”

● “Any suspension must reject the notion of neutrality and include the banning of all Russian and Belarusian athletes from international sport, including hosting events, qualifying for, and competing at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games until Russia withdraws completely from Ukrainian territory. We also expect an unequivocal commitment to support and protect peaceful anti-war protests and expressions of solidarity with Ukraine by athletes at international competitions.”

● “The FIE is not fulfilling its duty of care for athletes, especially for Ukrainians. Your insufficient leadership in completely banning Russia and Belarus is being called out by athletes and civil society across the globe. You have chosen Russian and Belarusian interests over the rights of athletes, notably Ukrainian athletes, and by doing so, you are failing to support the very people your organizations are meant to support. This egregious, unprovoked war and its breach of the Olympic Truce cannot be ignored or rewarded. Returning to business as usual would be a catastrophic error and thus we again urge you to uphold the suspensions of Russia and Belarus.”

The signees include U.S. Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Lee Keifer (women’s Foil) and U.S. men’s Foil Team bronze medal winners Alexander Massialas and Gerek Meinhardt. Fencers from 28 countries signed, including Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Puerto Rico, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United States.

● Figure Skating ● The ISU World Championships got a mixed reception on U.S. television last week.

The NBC highlights show on NBC last Saturday at 8 p.m. Eastern time drew a nice audience of 1.317 million viewers, well ahead of the usual 1.0 million audience for prior events this season.

On cable on USA Network – all starting at 6 or 6:30 a.m. Eastern – the men’s Short Program drew 133,000; the men’s Free Skate had 160,000 viewers; the women’s Short Program had 157,000 viewers and the women’s Free Skate had 110,000.

● Football ● Some interest in the U.S. men’s National Team match with Grenada in the CONCACAF Nations League last Friday, drawing 260,000 viewers on TNT.

On the other hand, the Nations League match with Mexico beating Suriname, 2-0, last Thursday drew 1.133 million on Univision! Wow!

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: IOC says Russians, Belarusian can return as neutrals; Russia fumes at restrictions, Bach leadership

By
Rich Perelman
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IOC President Thomas Bach (GER) at Tuesday's news conference (Photo: IOC video screen shot)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. IOC recommends individual Russian, Belarusian entries
2. Reaction: Russia fumes at restrictions, continued team ban
3. Observed: Slicing the sausage as thinly as possible
4. Ex-Huntington coach Johnson indicted for sexual battery
5. IBA Coaching Chair calls for demonstration at Olympic House

The International Olympic Committee Executive Board announced a lengthy set of recommendations to allow individual Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in international sport, but reserved any decision on Russian or Belarusian participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games or 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games until later. The Russian reaction was furious, as was expected in case of any restrictions; the IOC specifically recommended a continuing ban on all teams from either country. Opinion: the IOC’s efforts are a classic Thomas Bach production: diligent, thorough and sometimes contradictory, but taking a very carefully thought-out, narrow option that he believes will be best in the long term. Nick Johnson, the former Huntington University (Indiana) track and cross country coach who was fired after sexual abuse allegations and a civil lawsuit, was indicted by a grand jury and will face felony and misdemeanor charger. An ally of International Boxing Association President Umar Kremlev called for a peaceful rally in front of the IOC headquarters for Wednesday to support boxing’s inclusion in the 2024 and 2028 Olympic Games and for the IBA to once again run the sport. The federation faces possible expulsion by the IOC for a variety of issues related to finance, governance and refereeing and judging.

● Panorama: Swimming (2023 World Cup schedule) ●

1.
IOC recommends individual Russian, Belarusian entries

Following its carefully-prepared, carefully-staged pathway from December’s Olympic Summit, the International Olympic Committee Executive Board announced recommendations to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to be able to complete on an individual, neutral basis, in international sports competitions.

IOC President Thomas Bach (GER) began an hour-long news conference by reading the 1,748-word news release in its entirety, which began with a declaration:

“The [Executive Board] reiterates that the participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 was not considered either in the consultations or in its deliberations today. The IOC expressly reserves the right to decide about their participation at the appropriate time, even if they would be considered to have qualified according to the qualification criteria set by their respective International Federations (IFs).”

This was followed by comments about how the IOC “feels deeply for the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian Olympic community, whose pain and suffering are beyond imagination” and yet another statement of the IOC’s limits:

“It was also emphasised that the Olympic Games cannot prevent wars and conflicts. Nor can they address all the political and social challenges in our world. This is the realm of politics. But the Olympic Games can set an example for a world where everyone respects the same rules and one another.”

The statement then noted that the views of the “Ukrainian sports community” were considered and then dismissed them, explaining:

“The 70 other ongoing armed conflicts and wars around the world (source: Crisis Group, CrisisWatch Database) were also considered, including the situations in the Middle East, the Horn of Africa, and the southern Caucasus. It was noted that NOCs in the regions impacted by these armed conflicts and wars are following the principles of the Olympic Charter. They are not requesting the exclusion of athletes from the other party in the armed conflict or war, and they are allowing their athletes to compete in international sporting competitions without restrictions.”

The IOC then, again, pledged allegiance to the United Nations Human Rights Council Special Rapporteurs – on whom “the IOC has to rely” – who have urged the IOC to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to be able to compete, even to the point of soldiers who have not been directly implicated in war crimes.

The business end of the statement started with the IOC painting itself as simply responding to the requests of the sports federations and others:

“During the consultations with the Olympic Movement stakeholders, the vast majority of the stakeholders were clear that they want a pathway to be opened for the competitions under their sole authority. They requested from the IOC recommendations in order to harmonise their approach, in the event that they decide to admit athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport to their competitions. The IOC strongly recommends taking such a decision only with the provision that it can be revoked at the discretion of the IF concerned.”

The recommendations listed by the IOC primarily are:

“1. Athletes with a Russian or a Belarusian passport must compete only as Individual Neutral Athletes.

“2. Teams of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport cannot be considered.

“3. Athletes who actively support the war cannot compete. Support personnel who actively support the war cannot be entered.

“4. Athletes who are contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies cannot compete. Support personnel who are contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies cannot be entered.

“5. Any such Individual Neutral Athlete, like all the other participating athletes, must meet all anti-doping requirements applicable to them and particularly those set out in the anti-doping rules of the IFs.”

An accompanying, five-page document with additional detail was also issued, including:

● “The definition of team sports or team events shall follow the IF regulations.”

● “With regard to other active supporting measures, all relevant circumstances, in particular public statements, including those made on social media; participation in pro-war demonstrations or events; and the displaying of any symbol supporting the war in Ukraine, for example, the ‘Z’ symbol, have to be taken into consideration.”

● “In order to ensure a harmonised interpretation of these criteria, the IFs should consider creating a single independent panel under the umbrella of the IF associations (ASOIF, AIOWF, ARISF) to take the decisions.”

● “Athletes must participate in competitions as ‘Individual Neutral Athletes’ in English and ‘Athletes Individuels Neutres’ in French, and use ‘AIN’ as the acronym.”

● “IFs and international sports event organisers must ensure that spectators are prohibited from bringing flags of, and other items that nay be associated with, the Russian Federation or Republic of Belarus (current and historical) into the venue.”

Russian and Belarusian athletes are supposed to register themselves and not be registered by their national federations, and their uniforms and associated clothing “must be completely white or unicolor,” unless a sport’s rules require otherwise.

The regulations also apply to technical officials from Russia or Belarus, who are also now eligible to be part of competitions again as well.

Tuesday’s meetings were solely devoted to the Russian and Belarusian re-entry issue; the Executive Board will meet on Wednesday and Thursday to review other matters, including what to do about boxing and other sports issues dealing with Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028.

2.
Reaction: Russia fumes at restrictions, continued team ban

“The parameters announced are absolutely unacceptable. The neutral status is a violation of human rights, which a U.N. expert has pointed out. We consider the proposed conditions unreasonable, legally unsound and excessive. We strongly disagree with additional anti-doping procedures for the Russian athletes.”

That’s Russian Olympic Committee President Stanislav Pozdnyakov reacting to the IOC’s announcement on Tuesday, further noting:

“As for team sports, we are dealing with a clear passport-based discrimination. This prohibits almost 30% of athletes from competing. Such approach contradicts the Olympic Charter, to any norms.

“The current parameters will not facilitate the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to the competition. The decision is a farce, the basic principles of the Olympic Charter are violated.

“The position announced today on the non-admission to international competitions of Russian athletes who are registered in the military and law enforcement agencies or have contractual relations with them is no longer just another chapter in the list of gross discriminatory sanctions. We believe that this criterion lays the foundation for the internal conflict in the Russian sports, has the direct goal of splitting the community of Russian athletes, dividing them into acceptable and the rest.”

Reactions from Russian sports officials were uniformly negative, as expected in the case of any restrictions:

● Dmitry Svishchev, Chair of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports:

“Completely illegal recommendations. The IOC decided that it had made a mistake by announcing the possibility of admitting our athletes, and now it is going to correct it in this way. Bach declared that athletes are not to blame and it is necessary to defend their interests, but he does something completely different. It is a normal practice all over the world when leading athletes belong to clubs, that they are related to the [national federation]. Then apply this to all countries.”

● Vyacheslav Fetisov, a two-time ice hockey gold medalist in Sarajevo and Calgary who played in the National Hockey League from 1989-98, and now a State Duma Deputy (DeepL.com translation):

“It is clear that the lawlessness continues. The military can travel around the world, but they can’t perform, so what is this? In Germany, there are athletes who belong to the Ministry of the Interior, and sports there are under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior, and Thomas Bach knows about it like no one else.

“Such recommendations trample on sports principles, some pretexts that have nothing to do with sports were sucked out of their fingers. People’s dream was taken away from them, it’s a travesty of rights and of all human principles. The laws of the countries where athletes train should be respected.”

● Maxim Agapitov, President of the Russian Weightlifting Federation:

“It was impossible to expect anything else from the IOC today. This is all part of the strategy that the West organized against us. Bach is an absolutely dependent figure who perfectly understands that the best way out of the situation is a categorical acceptance of the position of one side or the other, but is not capable of taking this decisive step. And if you are guided by common sense in choosing, then the head of the IOC should have made completely different decisions, and not those that sounded today.

“Bach is forced to make some promises to both, and then refuse them and rush from one side to the other. Today we saw another act of the performance, the ending of which has long been clear to everyone. The sane have long drawn conclusions and do not expect anything. at least from the next Olympics.”

● Valentina Rodionenko, the national gymnastics coach:

“The conditions under which our athletes are offered to compete are absolutely unacceptable. I agree with the statement of the President of the Russian Olympic Committee, Stanislav Pozdnyakov, who said that the IOC recommendations violate human rights. Bach again spoke a lot, but what is he leading to? Everyone has known for a long time.”

Dmitry Vasiliev, a biathlon relay gold medalist in 1984 and 1988, was even more negative:

“It is not necessary to agree to such conditions, because they discriminate against our athletes. Moreover, on political grounds, although the IOC should be a sports organization and not be related to politics. But now the law enforcement officers themselves are violating it.

“But even if these conditions weren’t there, then you still don’t need to go to this Olympics, because no one can ensure security at it. Paris is now on fire, what will be there in a year, no one knows, maybe even more so; they will not miss the opportunity to arrange a provocation. Yes, and in subjective sports, the same story can turn out as in Tokyo with the Averina sisters in rhythmic gymnastics. … Why go there then?”

On Monday, a joint statement from the Foreign Ministers of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia called for the continued full ban of Russian and Belarusian athletes, which included a specific answer to the U.N. Special Rapporteurs:

“We wish to stress that it is not athletes’ nationality that determines their role, but the fact that they are sponsored/supported by their governments or businesses backing up the Kremlin regime, which continues its war of aggression against Ukraine, or even they are affiliated with the Russian military directly.

“We deem it necessary to remind that, day by day, the Russian military keeps attacking Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure including sports facilities and killing Ukrainians including Ukrainian athletes. Millions of Ukrainian citizens including athletes and their families were forced to leave their homes in the face of Russia’s occupation.

“Many athletes from Ukraine are still prevented from participating in sport events because of Russia’s attack on their country. There exists not a single reason to move away from the exclusion regime for Russian and Belarusian athletes set by the IOC more than a year ago, immediately after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion into Ukraine. …

“We remind that Russia and Belarus have at their disposal a way forward for their athletes to return to the international sports community, namely ending the war of aggression launched by Russia with complicity of Belarus and restoring respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within the internationally recognized borders.”

The IOC news conference announcing the Executive Board recommendations began at 4 p.m. Swiss time and there was very little reaction from the International Federations. No instant announcements, no “welcome back” messages for Russian and Belarusian athletes.

As Bach noted, Russian and Belarusian athletes are already engaged, on a neutral basis that will be updated by Monday’s regulations, in cycling, ice hockey and tennis. The International Fencing Federation (FIE) approved allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete after 15 April 2023, but no doubt will allow only individuals now.

Individual federations with individual events are now obliged to take a position one way or the other, in the coming days.

3.
Observed: Slicing the sausage as thinly as possible

“We will not be able to come up with a solution which pleases everyone. With this we may have to live.”

That’s IOC chief Bach from a Reuters story on the opening of Tuesday’s Executive Board meeting, projecting the impact of the IOC Executive Board’s recommendations on Russian and Belarusian re-entry into international competitions, but without any promises about the Paris 2024 Olympic or Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Games.

Bach said at his news conference that the Executive Board was “unanimous” in its agreement to the recommendations and regulations released on Tuesday. Of course it was.

The entire Russia-return program is the latest in a long series of Bach productions. He has completely reformed and re-formatted the IOC and the Olympic Movement in his 10 years as its chief, U-turning the way bidding, building and running an Olympic Games – and the rest of the Olympic Movement – is done.

For this, he has received considerable praise, often grudgingly, from long-time IOC critics.

He is diligent, precise, unflappable, conciliatory but also immovable once he finds the answer he is looking for. He is never off-message and always fully alert. There are no missteps.

And while there are contradictions in plain sight, he is willing to live with them once the pathway is determined. The new Russian-Belarusian “re-entry” recommendations showcase this:

● Remember the discussion before Tokyo 2020 about Olympic Charter Rule 50 and the freedom of athletes to demonstrate on the victory stand, or in ceremonies? There was a lengthy consultation period through the IOC Athletes’ Commission, polling which showed support for no demonstrations during awards or ceremonies, but no problem with opinions expressed in interviews or social media.

Tuesday’s recommendations tossed “support” for Russia’s war on Ukraine by Russians or Belarusians during interviews or on social media out the window.

● Bach has hammered the point that sports organizations need to be autonomous from governments. But then he slavishly insists that the IOC must follow the instructions of the U.N. Human Rights Council’s volunteer “Special Rapporteurs,” who praised the IOC’s re-entry idea for Russian and Belarusian athletes.

So, Bach then gives up autonomy to these “experts” – whose conclusions are NOT universally shared, and except for the IOC’s insistence on them would not even be recognized – except that when one Rapporteur said that any Russian solider not actually implicated in a war crime should be able to compete, the IOC ignored her.

● Bach said at the start of the Executive Board meeting on Tuesday that the inclusion of individual Russian and Belarusian athletes in sports such as road cycling, ice hockey – especially in the NHL – and tennis “works.”

Maybe he has missed the tumult in women’s tennis, where Ukrainian players are asking for more meetings with the Women’s Tennis Association board concerning Russian and Belarusian participation. Top-ranked Iga Swiatek (POL) said during the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California earlier this month:

“I feel more should be done to help Ukrainian players because everything we discuss in tennis is about Belarusian and Russian players, if they should be allowed, what’s going on with them.

“I don’t think that’s right, because we should focus more on helping Ukrainian players and providing them everything they need because they basically have to take care of all their families, and there’s a lot of baggage on their shoulders.”

The IOC’s very thorough preparation for Tuesday’s meetings and announcement shows a very sophisticated navigational effort through a cafeteria-style, confusing and conflicted stance, slicing the sausage as thinly as possible, completely confident that most – but not all – of the International Federations will do as they are told, since half or more are dependent on the IOC’s Olympic television rights shares for their continued existence.

What Tuesday’s announcement and the ultimate decision on Russian and Belarusian participation in 2024 and 2026 will also do is reset the dynamics of the IOC’s elections in 2025 for Bach’s successor.

Close observers have little doubt that Bach would like to see a female IOC member succeed him, perhaps Zimbabwe youth, arts and sports minister Kirsty Coventry (a seven-time Olympic medal winner in swimming) or Aruban lawyer Nicole Hoevertsz, head of the IOC’s Coordination Commission for Los Angeles 2028. But the Russian war on Ukraine and its tightening attachment with China will create new fissures in the IOC, possibly opening the door for experienced hands in sport and politics like World Athletics President (and double Olympic champ) Sebastian Coe, or someone with a heavier background in billion-dollar businesses such as Belgian Pierre-Olivier Beckers, former head of the Delhaize Group.

There are plenty of others who imagine themselves as the IOC President. But the IOC they strive to lead in 2025 may be very different than today, thanks to Bach’s intuition that his view of “Olympic values” is the right one against the backdrop of Russia’s continuing aggression.

4.
Ex-Huntington coach Johnson indicted for sexual battery

The Huntington University track & field coach accused of sexual assault and instituting a doping program, Nick Johnson, was inducted by a Huntington County (Indiana) grand jury on Monday.

He was charged with felony sexual battery and misdemeanor battery. If convicted, he could be imprisoned from six to 30 months and fined up to $10,000.

David Woods, who broke the original story for the Indianapolis Star, wrote for DyeStat.com that Johnson has already faced legal issues with an unrelated incident:

“Johnson was charged in December 2020 with felony accounts of child seduction, kidnapping and identity deception. He pleaded guilty to a felony charge of identity deception. In exchange, the prosecutor dropped other charges. He served 30 days in jail, followed by 150 days of electronic monitoring.”

There is a civil suit also underway, filed last September in Federal court by former Huntington University runners Hannah Stoffel, Emma Wilson and Erin Manchess. Johnson was fired in December 2020, with his wife, Lauren Johnson, named as his replacement. She was placed on leave in October 2022 and has left the program.

5.
IBA Coaching Chair calls for demonstration at Olympic House

Gabriele Martelli, an ally of International Boxing Association President Umar Kremlev (RUS), Chair of the IBA Coaches Committee and Secretary General of the Malta Boxing Federation, circulated a call for a “Peaceful demonstration by boxing community” outside of the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The announcement included:

“Join us on March 29 to raise the voice of the boxing community and demonstrate our strength and unity in what can surely be described as the biggest and most decisive fight – the fight to protect boxing and make sure it stays at the Olympics.

“Respect is what we have been taught by boxing, respect is what we call for when it comes to fair and transparent evaluation and monitoring of the boxing activities within the International Boxing Association (IBA).

“We are all witnesses of the profound transformation undergone by the IBA during the past 2 years on the road to compliance with the best international practices. It is high time this progress is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It is high time that the decisions on the future of boxing are made based on close
cooperation and open discussions with the IBA and boxing community.”

The IOC has made its displeasure with the IBA and Kremlev’s management of the federation clear and will discuss on Wednesday what to do about the IBA and boxing status at the Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

This is not the first time for such a demonstration, as Roy Jones, Jr. – a dual Russian and American citizen – led a protest at Olympic House on the same issue on 5 December 2022. The protesters were welcomed in by the IOC, but the federation was again slapped down and faces possible expulsion.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Swimming ● World Aquatics announced a three-stage, long-course Swimming World Cup program over three weeks in October 2023:

● 1. Berlin (GER): 6-8 October
● 2. Athens (GRE): 13-15 October
● 3. Budapest (HUN): 20-22 October

Prize money has not been announced; the three-meet series in 2022 had $1.2 million in prizes. The series is placed more-or-less midway between the 2022 World Championships (14-30 July in Japan) and the 2023 Worlds (2-18 February) in Qatar.

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MILLER TIME: On the Knife’s Edge

By
David Miller
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/It’s a pleasure to present this guest column by one of the most knowledgeable observers of the Olympic Movement, Britain’s David Miller. For more than 50 years, the former English footballer has covered the Olympic Games and the sports within it, including 15 years as the Chief Sports Correspondent of The Times of London, with stints at the Daily Express and the Daily Telegraph. Author of books on athletics, football and the Olympics, he was Official Historian of the International Olympic Committee from 1997-2018. His opinions are, of course, his own alone./

Yesterday’s stalling by the IOC Executive Board on eligibility of Russia/Belarus for participation at Paris ’24 leaves everyone on the precipice of emotional and administrative uncertainty: the host organisers, spectators, International Federations, National Olympic Committees, hostile Ukrainian and Russian rivals incensed either way. A constitutional answer is needed. Pronto.

On its own admission, the social IOC cannot legislate on war and peace, whatever its moral principle, any more than it can determine whether a husband and wife love each other; it can only administer Pierre de Coubertin‘s foundation within its Olympic Charter. This needs rapid adjustment, and eminently possible at the annual Session in Mumbai, India this autumn. Still searching for a ‘loop-hole’ for acceptable Russia/Belarus competitor qualification, wars are not an office-hours chess board for ad-hoc off-the-cuff ruling, but require statutory Charter implementation, shielding the executive.

Namely: that any nation invading another sovereign territory a) for longer than (say) three months forfeits Olympic participation for so long as that invasion might continue; b) its citizens should retain the right and freedom, upon attaining qualification, to be an individual entry, independent of NOC, but only on signature of a formal declaration that they have no personal involvement in the said invasion; c) in mutual war aggression beyond three months, both nations to forfeit participation.

Thus, individual athletes would not have been required to express opposition to governmental political action. Revelation of any subsequent such approval would cause instant retroactive deletion from Olympic competition records and/or medals – moral sense to any truthful non-Orthodox Church or Putin fanatic.

Competitor apparel would be an IOC-design uniform bearing the insignia Independent Olympian. Team sports would be excluded; the Olympic ensign flown for medal-winners; the Olympic anthem for champions.

Not only would this procedure protect the passport-free entry of individuals, but – perhaps prophetically valuable – reduce the ever-increasing nationalistic character of the medals table. Constitutionally, an Independent Olympian could still have been funded, long term, by his/her NOC, thereby granting indirect credit.

A Charter adjustment at Mumbai could be the ‘loop-hole’ resort by which the athletes, the host city and the IOC’s own future could be protected, with warring nations temporarily excluded from peaceful integration by a majority. As a would-be Olympian amateur eons ago, we must yearn for preservation of global sincerity and integration.

Comments are welcome here and or direct to David Miller here.

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

BULLETIN: IOC recommends allowing individual Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete internationally

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

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Following its well-prepared path that began last December, the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board issued a detailed set of recommendations to the International Federations to allow certain Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to competition.

After a lengthy recitation of how deeply it supports Ukrainian athletes, the IOC statement included:

“1. Athletes with a Russian or a Belarusian passport must compete only as Individual Neutral Athletes.

“2. Teams of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport cannot be considered.

“3. Athletes who actively support the war cannot compete. Support personnel who actively support the war cannot be entered.

“4. Athletes who are contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies cannot compete. Support personnel who are contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies cannot be entered.

“5. Any such Individual Neutral Athlete, like all the other participating athletes, must meet all anti-doping requirements applicable to them and particularly those set out in the anti-doping rules of the IFs.”

The IOC emphasized that nothing decided today applies to the Paris 2024 or Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Games, for which a decision will be made at a later date.

In the news conference that followed, IOC President Thomas Bach (GER) was asked why the situation was different now than in February 2022, when it issued a recommendation for a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes. He responded that the two main drivers were that Russian and Belarusian athletes were already competing – successfully, in the IOC’s view – in sports such as cycling, ice hockey and tennis, and that the volunteer U.N. Special Rapporteurs told the IOC that Russian and Belarusian athletes should be able to compete.

The IOC issued a long statement and accompanying regulations; more to come on this developing story.

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For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: IBA attacks IOC “integrity” prior to Exec Board meeting; Australia’s Carroll asks $2 billion government sport funding increase

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. IBA launches attack on IOC ahead of Executive Board meeting
2. Australia’s Carroll warns of A$2 billion sport funding shortfall
3. Panam Sports asks specific Russian/Belarusian inclusion details
4. Indonesia refusal to host Israel causes FIFA U20 World Cup draw delay
5. WTA agrees to Ukrainian players meeting over war strife

The International Boxing Association posted a letter ripping the International Olympic Committee for contacting IBA referees and judges without permission, asking for volunteers for the Olympic boxing qualifiers later this year. The fate of the IBA and boxing at Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028 will be discussed by the IOC Executive Board this week. Australian Olympic Committee chief Matt Carroll said Australian sport needs another A$2 billion in funding to 2032 to realize the potential for health benefits, tourism and national pride from the performances of elite athletes at the 2026 Commonwealth Games (Victoria) and 2032 Olympic Games (Brisbane). A short statement – in Spanish only – by Panam Sports supported the IOC’s exploration of possible avenues to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in international sports, but asked for specifics. A refusal by the governor of Bali, Indonesia to accept Israel as a team in the FIFA U20 World Cup has led to the postponement of the draw for the event and could cost Indonesia the tournament; reports say Argentina could be a possible replacement host for the event, slated to begin 20 May. Ukrainian players are asking for a meeting with the board of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) over the presence of Russian and Belarusian players as “neutrals.” A WTA spokesperson said a meeting would be arranged, as tensions on the tour are increasing over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

● Panorama: Athletics (Robertson explains doping that cost him eight years) = Baseball (World Baseball Classic profitable in 2023) = Biathlon (2: Reed sweeps U.S. women’s Nationals; Gierhart named US Biathlon chief) = Cycling (Reusser wins women’s Gent-Wevelgem over new U.S. star Jastrab) = Football (2: U.S. men; Belgium, Germany and Netherlands in for 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup bid) ●

1.
IBA launches attack on IOC ahead of Executive Board meeting

The International Boxing Association accused the International Olympic Committee of a “lack of transparency and cooperation” in an open letter published on Monday.

The notice accuses the IOC of using contact information for IBA referees and judges to ask for volunteers for the upcoming Paris 2024 boxing qualifiers without the IBA’s permission, alleging a breach of a November 2019 agreement for use of data only with regard to the Tokyo 2020 boxing tournament. The notice includes:

● “[T]he IBA Head Office received numerous complaints from our Competition Officials about this unsolicited communication from the IOC.

“Above all, the IBA is truly concerned about the source from which the IOC has obtained these contact details and regarding this, namely integrity, transparency, lack of continuous professional development, skill fade, and [European General Data Protection Regulation laws] as the starting point.”

● “The IBA who remains active in its governance reforms has asked that the relevant bodies of IOC, such as the IOC Ethics Commission, take the relevant measures to initiate an internal investigation against those individuals who breached the Agreement and leaked the contact details of our Competition Officials.”

The letter also complains of action or inaction of IOC officials such as Sports Director Kit McConnell (NZL), Ethics and Compliance Officer Paquerette Girard Zappelli (FRA), the boxing monitoring team from the PwC professional services firm and others.

Observed: The IBA is doing everything it can to slap the IOC in the face prior to the IOC Executive Board discussions concerning the IBA and boxing’s place on the program for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

There is a belief among some commentators that boxing is too popular to be kept off the program for 2024 or 2028, but this is hardly the case. Boxing has its own fan base, but the attraction of the Olympic Games is that it’s the Olympic Games.

Certainly, the IOC will not miss the IBA and could choose a variety of actions, including calling for a new international federation to be formed that it would recognize in place of the IBA. The obvious starting point would be the members of the Common Cause Alliance, with perhaps 18 federations already aligned.

The IBA’s just-completed Women’s World Championships in New Delhi (IND) raise multiple questions, such as why only 65 member federations competed, where the IBA reports having 204 national federations. Further, there were astonishing incidents at the Women’s Worlds, where IBA President Umar Kremlev (RUS) told the Russian news agency TASS:

“According to the results of DNA tests, we identified a number of athletes who tried to deceive their colleagues and pretended to be women. According to the results of the tests, it was proved that they have XY chromosomes. Such athletes were excluded from the competition.”

No further details were provided. Russian coach Albert Mutalibov told TASS:

“The procedure that the IBA has established is great, it allows you to catch unscrupulous athletes. But I want such tests to be carried out at the beginning of the tournament, and not during the competition. The representative of Algeria [welterweight Imane Khelif] has knocked out several athletes from the tournament before reaching the semi-finals. I’m watching the final now, our Azalea is stronger than both participants.”

Reuters reported that two-time World Champion Yu-ting Lin (TPE) was disqualified and lost a bronze medal at Featherweight “after she also failed to meet the IBA eligibility criteria.”

How can gender confirmation – or testosterone monitoring – not be done prior to the tournament? Mutalibov complained:

“I’m watching the final now, our Azalea [Amineva] is stronger than both participants.

“The Algerian had difficulties with our athlete, Azalea even scored a heavy knockdown. The Algerian had both physical strength and other speed qualities. In fact, she was an athlete with the qualities of a young man.”

Khelif defeated Amineva, 4:1, in the round of 16. Khelif won the 2022 IBA Women’s Worlds silver medal at Light Welterweight and was the 2022 African and Mediterranean Games gold medalist last year in that class.

A check of the IBA medical and eligibility rules found no regulations on the testosterone levels required for boxing in the women’s division, only a check to ensure that a female fighter was not pregnant. So on what basis were Khelif, Lin and others disqualified?

2.
Australia’s Carroll warns of A$2 billion sport funding shortfall

“Our analysis, undertaken in conjunction with our Member Sports, shows that based on the Federal Government’s forward estimates, there is a $2 billion shortfall in direct investment in Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games sports in the ten years leading to Brisbane 2032.” (A$2 billion = $1.330 billion U.S. today)

That warning bell was sounded by Australian Olympic Committee chief executive Matt Carroll, in a Monday speed to the Australian National Press Club, explaining:

“Without investment, what governments in Australia want sport to achieve for the community is not going to happen and, in all honesty, and openness, unless this situation is rectified, Australia will be staring failure in the face at the 2026 Commonwealth Games and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games because our home Teams will have been undermined by inaction.”

Australia, like every National Olympic Committee in the world except for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, has its activities partially supported by its national government; many are completely subsidized. Carroll noted that his call for investment is not so much for the AOC, but for athlete development, athlete training and sport’s role in the country:

● “As an industry sector, we are fiscal contributors to the nation’s wellbeing through the critical role Sport plays in our collective health, addressing the nation’s obesity crisis, chronic diseases, mental health, and personal development. All issues called out almost daily by government, media and industry as critical to the productivity of Australia’s economy. Sport can deliver.

“In addition, sport delivers economy building major events, tourism, hospitality, infrastructure, research, and something that is most important, sporting excellence, building national pride and international status.”

● “Investment in Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games Sports provides government with a highly structured national network of experienced and committed people, largely staffed by volunteers, that reaches all corners of the country. We have more than 13 million participants, more than 50% of the nation’s population.

“Such an investment will be far more productive and provide a bigger bang for the government buck than any bespoke specialised program or anti-obesity advertising campaign.”

He emphasized the need for a sports curriculum in schools, promotion of sport-for-life programs to increase health and “the ability of sport to harness a sense of national pride can unify the country.” As for money:

“This shortfall consists of half a billion dollars for participation and $1.5B for pathways and performance.

“Therefore, the investment required from the Federal Government, based on the work and analysis we have undertaken with our Member Sports, through to FY2032 is $2.7B in partnership with the $3.2B investment the Sports will be making directly from their own means.

“On an annualised basis, this is $200M per year, over 10 years to 2032.”

He also called for the various elements of the sports industry in Australia to be formed into a single government agency:

“For an industry that brings a return of positive economic contributions to the country, with a total economic value to the national economy of approximately $83 billion annually and a return to Australian communities of at least $7 for every $1 invested in sport, it is difficult to fathom why we don’t have a Department of Sport already. It is clearly an opportunity gone missing – thus far.”

The 7-to-1 claim was taken from a 2018 KPMG study on the value of community sport infrastructure in the country. A federal spokesperson noted that the next budget is due in May:

“It is premature to be making claims about a funding shortfall when this comprehensive process to model future investment is proceeding.

“National sport outcomes will be measured beyond medals while ambitious performance goals will be balanced with a culture that prioritises physical, mental, emotional, and cultural wellbeing.”

3.
Panam Sports asks specific Russian/Belarusian inclusion details

In advance of the IOC Executive Board meeting discussing possible Russian and Belarusian participation in international sport, Panam Sports issued a two-paragraph statement only in Spanish on Sunday (DeepL.com translation):

“The Executive Committee of Panam Sports expresses its full support to the athletes of Ukraine, who have been affected by the tragic invasion of their country. We believe in the principles of Olympism, in which sport is at the service of promoting a peaceful and harmonious society and we recognize the fundamental principles of the Olympic Charter which establish the inclusiveness, non-discrimination and political neutrality of sport.

“Guided by these principles, the Executive Committee of Panam Sports expects that there will be clear and specific criteria on the possible inclusion of neutral athletes with Russian or Belarusian passports in international sport.”

Observed: That’s about as neutral a position as can be constructed, giving support to the IOC’s current position while not slapping Ukrainian athletes with direct support – yet – for Russian and Belarusian re-inclusion.

Even so, it rings hollow to believe that the re-admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes, many of whom are “employed” by their governments in various capacities can, in any way, be taken as “promoting a peaceful and harmonious society.”

But that’s up to the IOC Executive Board on Tuesday.

4.
Indonesia refusal to host Israel causes
FIFA U20 World Cup draw delay

“The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) is calculating the negative impact that could occur on Indonesian football after the cancellation of the FIFA U20 World Cup Drawing in Denpasar, Bali. Initially, the drawing or division of the group of countries participating in the FIFA U20 World Cup will be held on March 31, 2023.”

This Sunday announcement by the PSSI concerns the first-time presence of Israel in the tournament, as noted in the statement:

“Previously, the Governor of Bali Wayan Koster refused the presence of the Israeli National Team at the FIFA U20 World Cup event. For PSSI, this can be a reason for FIFA to cancel the FIFA U20 World Cup Drawing. Because, for FIFA, the Governor’s refusal is the same as canceling the implementation guarantee that has been issued by the Provincial Government of Bali. …

“PSSI Executive Committee (Exco) member Arya Sinulingga revealed that PSSI would anticipate the worst possible outcome of FIFA’s decision. ‘We from PSSI are thinking about saving Indonesian football. Because FIFA sanctions can isolate Indonesian football from the world,’ he said.”

Beyond the draw, the event is scheduled for 20 May to 11 June in six different cities. Indonesia has no diplomatic relations with Israel, and the country’s politicians have consistently supported Palestinian positions.

There are reports that Argentina could be willing to step in to host the tournament on short notice, and would have its team included in place of Indonesia, which would lose its place as host. FIFA has made no announcement as of Monday evening.

The event is only modestly popular and therefore not impossible to stage on short notice. Average attendance at the 2019 U20 World Cup was 7,257 per match in Poland, and 7,900 in South Korea in 2017.

5.
WTA agrees to Ukrainian players meeting over war strife

The men’s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) have allowed Russian and Belarusian players to compete as neutrals in their tournaments, to the despair of Ukrainian players and their supporters.

The tension within the women’s tour has risen this year, with Belarus’s Aryna Sabalenka winning the Australian Open in January and multiple reports of bitterness between players over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, ranked 38th and an Australian Open Doubles semifinalist in 2023, told reporters after a loss to Russian Anastasia Potapova at the Miami Open last Thursday:

“We wanted to have the meeting with the [WTA] board and we didn’t get one. No reply, nothing, just silence.”

A WTA spokesperson said that a meeting would be held and that prior meetings had been held. In the meantime, top-ranked Iga Swiatek (POL) said during the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California earlier this month:

“I feel more should be done to help Ukrainian players because everything we discuss in tennis is about Belarusian and Russian players, if they should be allowed, what’s going on with them.

“I don’t think that’s right, because we should focus more on helping Ukrainian players and providing them everything they need because they basically have to take care of all their families, and there’s a lot of baggage on their shoulders.”

Russia’s Potapova wore a Spartak Moscow football club shirt prior to her third-round BNP Paribas match – interpreted as support for the war – and received a warning.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● Fascinating interview with New Zealand distance star Zane Robertson, the 2014 Commonwealth Games 5,000 bronze medalist, now serving an eight-year doping suspension. He explained on the “Runner’s Only” podcast:

“It’s been a pretty depressing and devastating day for me.

“There’s many reasons and it’s just not one particular reason. I hate it so much that it’s just a one-off hit and I got caught. It’s been building on me for a few years. Frustration and anger at the sport itself and any elite sports, I just believe it’s not a level playing field like they say.

“I started to ask myself this question: why do people like myself always have to be the ones to lose or suffer. In the end, lose our contracts, lose our income, lose our race winnings, and eventually give up not having the ability to have a family … that was one reason.”

Robertson, 33, said he also faced financial difficulties during the pandemic and was going through a difficult divorce.

“Some things led to another and a lot of stress was placed on me. I made some bad decisions in a really dark time.”

● Baseball ● More on the success of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, with the JohnWallStreet site reporting that revenue for this year’s edition was between $90-100 million, making the event profitable.

Contributing to that was the first-ever rights fee for U.S. television, from FOX Sports, which had excellent ratings, especially for the semifinals and finals in Miami. Prior editions had been seen primarily on the MLB Network and used as a way to help grow that channel.

● Biathlon ● The 2023 US Biathlon National Championships were held in Casper, Wyoming over the weekend, with Joanne Reid sweeping the women’s Sprint and Pursuit.

Reid, who had two top-30 finishes in the IBU World Cup, dominated both events, winning the 7.5 km Sprint by 22:36.1 (1 penalty) to 25:11.8 (3) for Anna French and then taking the 10 km Pursuit by 33:24.6 (6 penalties) to 35:26.3 (4) for Arana Woods.

Vincent Bonacci moved up from second in the national junior race in 2022 to the top of the 10 km Sprint podium in 2023, winning in 29:10.0 (0), ahead of Scott Lacy (30:21.1/1). They were reversed in the 12.5 km Pursuit, with Lacy winning in 39:10.0 (6) to 39:35.1 (8) for Bonacci.

With long-time US Biathlon chief Max Cobb now the Secretary General of the International Biathlon Union, the federation named Jack Gierhart as its new chief executive. He had been the interim head of the federation since September 2022.

He’s no stranger to the U.S. Olympic Movement, having served as the head of U.S. Sailing from 2010-20 and also a one-year term as interim chief executive of USA Fencing in 2021-22.

● Cycling ● Tokyo Olympic Time Trial silver medalist Marlen Reusser became the first Swiss rider to take the famed Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields for women, breaking away with 40 km to go on the mostly-flat 162.5 km course from Ypres to Wevelgem.

She won in 4:16:47, with 21-year-old American Megan Jastrab leading the pack for second, 2:42 back, in her best performance on the UCI Women’s World Tour so far.

● Football ● The U.S. men’s National Team faced El Salvador in Orlando with a spot in the CONCACAF Nations League final four at stake, and came away with a hard-earned, 1-0 win that moved them on to the semifinals in Las Vegas in June.

The U.S. men had the better of play in the first half, with good chances from Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna near the 30-minute mark, and a Weston McKennie header that missed in stoppage time at 45+4. But it ended 0-0, with the Americans holding 57% possession and a 6-1 edge in shots.

The home team came out on fire in the second half, with Reyna hitting the post in the first minute of play and then continuing to harass Salvadorian keeper Mario Gonzalez. Then the U.S. broke through on a brilliant lead pass from the American end by McKennie that found substitute striker Ricardo Pepi sprinting through the box and right-footing the ball into the net in the 62nd minute for a 1-0 lead.

Pepi had another chance in the 85th that was saved by Gonzalez as the U.S. kept the pressure on, and just would not let El Salvador get enough time with the ball to make a serious threat. The Americans ended with 58% of possession and a 17-4 advantage on shots.

The U.S. finished with a 3-0-1 record in the three-team Group A4 (10 points), ahead of El Salvador (1-2-1: 5) and Grenada (0-3-1: 1). On to the Nations League semis to defend their 2022 title; the U.S. now has a 20-1-7 record all-time vs. El Salvador and has a 22-match unbeaten streak since 1993.

The first public announcement of a bid for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027 has come from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands as a joint venture. FIFA opened the bidding last week and parties have until 21 April to express their interest.

Germany hosted in 2011, followed by Canada in 2015, France in 2019 and Australia and New Zealand this year.

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For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: Uno, Sakamoto, Chock & Bates take figure-skating golds; Russia’s Tutberidze wants a Bach apology; Mexico wants 2036 or 2040 Games

By
Rich Perelman
-
Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates on their way to an Ice Dance gold at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in 2023 (Photo: ISU)

★ 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 ≡

1. Uno and Sakamoto repeat; Chock & Bates win at Figure Skating Worlds
2. Medvedev: Russian exclusion is “politically motivated”
3. Mexico enters discussions on 2036 or 2040 Olympic Games
4. L.A. City asked to approve $18.5 million in LA28 youth funding
5. No need to worry about Paris 2024; the French can handle it!

Japan dominated the World Figure Skating Championships in front of a home crowd in Saitama, with Shoma Uno and Kaori Sakamoto repeating their wins from 2022 and Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara winning in Pairs. Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates finally won a gold in Ice Dance, in their 10th appearance, their fourth career Worlds medal. Ahead of Tuesday’s International Olympic Committee Executive Board meeting, former Russian President and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Russia’s exclusion from international competitions was “politically motivated” and said moving to Asian competitions for Olympic qualifying was fine with him. Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard presented a letter to IOC President Thomas Bach last Friday, declaring Mexico’s interest in hosting the 2036 or 2040 Olympic Games. In Los Angeles, the City Council will be asked to approve $18.5 million in spending for the 2023-24 fiscal for the City’s Recreation and Parks Youth Sports Program, funded by the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic organizers, with funds advanced by the IOC. A wild video from Paris shows diners at an outdoor café essentially ignoring an explosion and expanding street fire right next to them; is this proof that no doubts should remain that the Paris 2024 organizers will be cool under fire?

● World Championships: Boxing (India and China dominate women’s Worlds) = Curling (Swiss win fourth straight women’s World title) ●
● Panorama: Athletics (women’s 35 km walk record) = Badminton (Japan wins two at Swiss Open) = Beach Volleyball (Hughes & Cheng win again on Beach Pro Tour) = Cross Country Skiing (Klaebo and Weng win season World Cup titles) = Cycling (2: Roglic wins Volta in Spain; Classics wins for Philipsen, van Aert and Laporte in Belgium) = Fencing (3: Bardenet, Kun and Szilagyi World Cup winners) = Football (U.S. men pound Grenada, 7-1) = Freestyle Skiing (Ruud and Killi sweep Slopestyle seasonal titles) = Judo (Georgia tops Tbilisi Grand Slam with three golds) = Nordic Combined (more Riiber wins, but Lampartner seasonal champ) = Shooting (China win eight at Bhopal World Cup) = Ski Jumping (Pinkelnig wins seasonal title) = Snowboard (2: wins for Banks and Noerl in SnowCross, U.S.’s Marino & Henricksen in Slopestyle) = Volleyball (eight to go to USA Volleyball Hall of Fame) ●

1.
Uno and Sakamoto repeat; Chock & Bates win
at Figure Skating Worlds

The home crowd in Saitama (JPN) was ecstatic with wins at the 2023 ISU World Figure Skating Championships for men’s and women’s favorites Shoma Uno and Kaori Sakamoto, both of whom made history with repeat victories.

Uno came into the Free Skate with a 104.63-100.38 lead over American teen Ilia Malinin and did not let up, posting the top score of 196.51, just ahead of Korea’s Jun-hwan Cha (196.39), with Malinin third at 188.06. Uno’s program included five quad jumps and although not perfect, gave him a strong score that held up for a 301.14 to 296.03 victory over Cha, who became the first Korean man to win a Worlds medal!

Malinin had six quads in his program, but under-rotated on three and ended up with the bronze medal, his first at the senior Worlds, at age 18. He said afterwards, “I’m just very grateful for the performance I was able to put out. I put so much effort and work into the last couple of weeks and I’m glad I was able to pull it off.”

It’s the fifth Worlds in a row for a U.S. men’s medal, and Uno became the first Japanese skater to win back-to-back titles. Yuzuru Hanyu also won two Worlds golds, but not consecutively. Jason Brown of the U.S. finished fifth (280.04) and Andrew Torgashev was 21st (210.59). In Brown’s four Worlds appearance, he has been seventh (2017), ninth (2019), seventh (2021) and now fifth, at age 28.

Sakamoto successfully defended her women’s title, the first Japanese skater to win back-to-back women’s golds. After leading the Short Program by more than 5 1/2 points, she finished second in the Free Skate to Hae-in Lee, 147.32-145.37, but finished on top with 224.61 points to 220.94 for Lee.

American Isabeau Levito stood third after the Short Program, but suffered a fall and finished fifth in the Free Skate and ended up fourth overall – in her first Worlds – at 207.65. She was passed by Belgium’s 2022 runner-up, Leona Hendrickx, who also fell, but was fourth in the Free Skate and won the bronze at 207.65.

American Amber Glenn finished 12th (188.33) and Bradie Tennell was 15th (184.14).

In Ice Dance, Madison Chock and Evan Bates were poised to win, after medals in 2015-16-22, and took control in the Rhythm Dance, leading with 91.94 points, comfortably ahead of Italy’s Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri (88.21). Even with a fall in the Free Dance, Chock and Bates won again at 134.07, with Guignard and Fabbri second again (131.64).

That gave the Americans their fourth career Worlds medal, but first gold, scoring 226.01 to 219.85 for the Italians, with Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier (CAN) third with their second career Worlds bronze at 217.88. Said Chock:

“This has been the goal of us for such a long time, and it was such an experience here in Saitama with the crowd supporting us, cheering for us. It was incredible. This season has certainly unfolded in many unexpected ways, but all paths have led to this moment. We learned lot about ourselves and what we want to achieve.

“We had to dig very, very deep many times, but I know we would not be sitting here without all this experience.”

The U.S. pair of Caroline Green and Michael Parsons finished sixth (201.44) and Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko were 10th (190.10). Chock and Bates extended the streak of U.S. Worlds medals in this event to eight straight.

Japan’s three wins in four events was last done in 2021 by the Russians.

2.
Medvedev: Russian exclusion is “politically motivated”

“Obviously, the fact that [Russian athletes] do not participate in competitions is the result of politically motivated decisions of sports organizations. It’s a shame for them. For everyone, including, of course, the [International] Olympic Committee and its leadership.

“It’s a colossal test for athletes. It’s very difficult, because you get ready, get ready, and then for political reasons they cut you off. Therefore, I don’t judge anyone here strictly.”

That’s former Russian President and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, speaking to reporters on Friday, in advance of the IOC Executive Board meeting that will discuss possible re-entry conditions for Russian and Belarusian athletes on Tuesday.

Asked about Russian teams competing in Asian competitions, where they could be welcomed – on specific conditions – he was positive:

“Regarding the transition to Asian federations. If it is beneficial for athletes, why not? Somewhere it gives pluses, somewhere it gives minuses. But where the level of the Asian federation is high, we must move. If anything, we will return later or stay there.

“[Even China alone is] a worthy opponent in general in all sports. They still play hockey so-so, but I’m sure they will soon play very, very well.”

One Russian official who has not warmed to comments about re-inclusion from IOC President Thomas Bach is legendary figure skating coach Eteri Tutberidze. Bach commented on the treatment of teen skater Kamila Valieva after her free skate program at a Beijing 2022 news conference on 18 February 2022:

“When I afterwards saw how she was received by her closest entourage, with such, what appeared to be a tremendous coldness, it was chilling to see this. Rather than giving her comfort, rather than to try to help her, you could feel this chilling atmosphere, this distance.”

Tutberidze told the French all-sports newspaper L’Equipe:

“At that time, Kamila kept a short distance. You can’t hug someone who doesn’t want to, and the problem is not that she failed. On the other hand, we have no right to give up. I just asked her why she stopped competing after second element. She simply refused to fight to the end.

“In addition, the Olympic Games are a celebration, many athletes dream of being in her place. I can’t stand the tantrums of athletes. After that, we sat together in the locker room for a long time. This accusation of Thomas Bach is unfair, I expect an apology from him.”

As for Valieva’s failed doping test in December 2021, Tutberidze told L’Equipe: “My skaters have always been clean athletes, these accusations are offensive.”

Valieva’s case is now in front of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

3.
Mexico enters discussions on 2036 or 2040 Olympic Games

“I had the honor of presenting Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, with Mexico’s Letter of Intent to organize the Olympic Games in 2036-40. Mary José Alcalá, President of the Mexican Olympic Committee and 4-time athlete in the Olympic Games, was present.

“First visit by a Mexican Secretary of Foreign Relations to the International Olympic Committee in the last 55 years.”

Mexico Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard tweeted Friday about his visit, with Mexican Olympic Committee chief (and four-time Olympic diver) Alcala and others, to Olympic House in Lausanne and the presentation of a letter from the Mexican government that included:

“The purpose of this visit is to formally express to you and the IOC, Mexico’s interest in hosting the next Olympic Games in 2036-40.

“This initiative is motivated by the historical moment that Mexico is living, in which the best values and traditions of our people have been revalued and our society has become the most participatory since many decades ago, thanks to a process of regeneration of public life, known as the Fourth Transformation.”

The letter further notes Mexico’s excellent sports, economic and tourism infrastructure, to put on a Games “that are successful, austere and universal, and that promote the values of peace and fairness.”

It’s already a crowded field for 2036 and beyond, with possible bids already signaled from Egypt, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Qatar, South Korea and others. Mexico hosted the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City.

4.
L.A. City asked to approve $18.5 million in LA28 youth funding

The Los Angeles City Council is being asked to approve an $18.465 million youth sports program for the 2023-24 fiscal year for the Department of Recreation and Parks, funded by the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee.

This is a continuing program begun in 2020 and funded by funds advanced by the International Olympic Committee to the LA28 organizers, who in turn executed an agreement to fund Rec and Parks programs through the middle of 2028. In specific:

“The YSP supports youth participation in sport by providing financial subsidies to limit the cost of participation to not more than $10 per participant in YSP activities for all youth at prequalified City recreation centers and for all eligible youth at non-prequalified City recreation centers.”

For 2023-24, funding was increased by $0.9 million; the specifics:

“Compared to the 2022-23 Project Plan, the proposed 2023-24 Project Plan:

“● Increases funding for Recreational Leagues and Classes ($152,430);

“● Provides $561,194 in funding for new pilot sports including Archery, Karate, Climbing, Triathlon, and Fencing, for a net increase in 2023-24 ($189,794);

“● Increases funding for Signature Sports including Adaptive Sports, USA Swim Team, and Kayaking offset by a decrease in Aquatics and deletion of Tae Kwon Do ($887,529);

“o Within the Signature Sports program, increases funding for Adaptive Sports and adds two new sports including Adaptive Archery and Wheelchair Tennis($363,775); and

“● Decreases funding for Other Costs including marketing, branding, outreach, and professional services from the United States Center for Safe Sports [sic] ($297,392).”

Swimming is by far the largest sport in terms of spending with $1.83 million earmarked for aquatics programs and another $1.08 million for “USA Swim Team” programs Adaptive Sport programs in archery, athletics, aquatics, basketball, equestrian, skateboarding, soccer, surfing, tennis and volleyball are slated for $841,012 in spending. Judo and surfing programs are marked for increases to $432,600 and $428,792, respectively.

The recommendations will first go to the City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games for review and once approved, to the City Council.

5.
No need to worry about Paris 2024; the French can handle it!

OK, this isn’t a prediction about the 2024 Olympic Games, really, but after seeing the nonchalant reaction to a street trash fire going on a few feet away from a café in Paris, is there any doubt the French can handle it?

Check on this 45-second video re-posted by AD.nl columnist Ben Coates on Twitter. Wow.

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Boxing ● Host India and China dominated the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi (IND), winning four and three weight classes, respectively.

Nitu Ghanghas, the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medalist, won the Minimumweight class, 2022 Flyweight world champ Nikhat Zareen won the Light Fly gold, Lovlina Borgohain took the Middleweight title and 2022 Asian champ Saweety Boora won at Light Heavyweight.

That equals India’s all-time best at the women’s Worlds, with four wins in the 2006 Championships, also held in New Delhi!

The Chinese won three classes, and seven medals in all, the most of any country. Yu Wu won the Flyweight class, Chengyu Yang took the Light Welterweight gold and Liu Yang won at Welterweight, moving to the top of the podium after a 2019 Worlds silver.

Chinese Taipei’s Hsiao-wen Huang won her second World title at Bantamweight, also in 2019, as did Beatriz Ferreira of Brazil at Lightweight (also 2019). Two fighters moved up from silver in 2022 to gold in 2023: Irma Testa (ITA) in the Featherweight division and Morocco’s Khadija El-Mardi at Heavyweight.

Russian and Belarusian fighters competed in New Delhi, but did less than expected. Belarus won one bronze and the Russians, who won six medals (3-1-2) when last entered in 2019, won just three (1-1-1) with Anastasiia Demurchian taking the Light Middleweight class.

Winners received $100,000 each, with $50,000 for the silver medalists and $25,000 for both bronze winners for a total purse of $2.4 million. Some 19 national federations boycotted the event – including the U.S. and Ireland, which together won three of the 12 classes in 2022 – and Kosovo withdrew after the Indian government required that its fighter, 2022 Lightweight bronze winner Donjeta Sadiku, compete without national colors since India does not have diplomatic relations with Kosovo.

There was a minor incident during the awards ceremony for Demurchian, as the first few notes of Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s First Concerto were played, then stopped and the Russian anthem played. The Tchaikovsky piece had been used at the Tokyo Olympic and Beijing Winter Games in place of the prohibited Russian anthem, but somehow snuck into the Boxing Worlds.

The organizing committee apologized; said Russian coach Albert Mutalibov:

“The incident spoiled the mood, because I wanted the awards ceremony to go like everyone else, so that there would be no such mistakes. I don’t know how it happened, I think that they got it out of habit. just a misunderstanding. Now they played [the anthem] and awarded the athlete again. We got our bearings, and it’s good.”

IBA President Umar Kemlev (RUS) told the Russian news agency TASS:

“According to the results of DNA tests, we identified a number of athletes who tried to deceive their colleagues and pretended to be women. According to the results of the tests, it was proved that they have XY chromosomes. Such athletes were excluded from the competition.”

No further details were provided. Russian coach Mutalibov noted:

“The procedure that the IBA has established is great, it allows you to catch unscrupulous athletes. But I want such tests to be carried out at the beginning of the tournament, and not during the competition. The representative of Algeria [welterweight Imane Khelif] has knocked out several athletes from the tournament before reaching the semi-finals.”

Reuters reported that two-time World Champion Yu-ting Lin (TPE) was disqualified and lost a bronze medal at Featherweight “after she also failed to meet the IBA eligibility criteria.”

● Curling ● Switzerland was looking for a fourth win in a row at the WCF Women’s World Championship in Sandviken (SWE), and not only got it, but completed a perfect Worlds with a 14-0 record.

Skipped by Silvana Tirinzoni, the Swiss showed exquisite precision in the final, scoring single points in the second, fourth, seventh and ninth ends to take a 4-2 lead into the 10th, then scored twice to cap off a 6-3 victory.

Throughout the four-year win streak, Tirinzoni and Alina Paetz – a former Worlds-winning skip for the Swiss in 2015 – have been the key performers. Second Carole Howald won her sixth Worlds gold (!), including 2021-22-23 with Tirinzoni, the 2015 Worlds win with Paetz as skip and 2014-16 with Binia Feltscher as skip.

The Norwegians, skipped by Kristin Skaslien, won their first women’s Worlds medal since a bronze in 2005! They finished 10-4.

The Swiss ripped through round-robin play with a perfect 12-0 record – including a 6-1 win over Norway – and finished four games up on the second-place Norwegians (8-4), trailed by Canada, Italy, Sweden and Japan, all at 7-5. The U.S., skipped by Tabitha Peterson, finished 6-6 and did not advance to the playoffs.

Sweden had to beat Italy, 4-3, to advance to the semis, but were stopped by the Swiss, 8-4. Canada got past Japan, 6-4, to meet Norway in the semis, but the Norwegians advanced with an 8-5 victory, with three points in the ninth end to break a 5-5 tie.

In the bronze-medal game, Canada – skipped by Kerri Einarson – got out to a 3-0 lead after two ends and scored in three more ends to get an 8-5 win over Sweden and 2018 Olympic gold-medal skip Anna Hasselborg. It’s the second straight Worlds bronze for Einarson.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● Peru’s Kimberley Garcia Leon, the 20 km and 35 km World Champion from 2022, won the Dudinska 50 race on Saturday in Dudince (SVK), setting a world record of 2:37:44.

That was two seconds better than the 2022 mark of 2:37:46 by Russian Margarita Nikiforova and more than a minute-and-a-half quicker than her 2:39:16 winning in Eugene last year. Garcia Leon now owns two of the top six performances of all time.

She broke away early and won by more than two minutes over four-time World 20 km Champion Hong Liu (CHN: 2:40:06), now no. 7 on the all-time list. Ecuador’s Magaly Bonilla was third in 2:46:32.

Mexico’s Jose Doctor won the men’s 35 km in 2:26:37, moving to fourth on the 2023 world list. Brazilian Caio Bonfim was second in 2:27:30, no. in 2023.

● Badminton ● All Asian winners at the Yonex Swiss Open in Basel, with Japan getting two.

Unseeded Koki Watanabe (JPN) scored an upset in the men’s Singles final over third-seed Tien Chen Chou (KOR), 22-20, 18-21, 21-12, and Rena Miyaura and Ayako Sakuramoto got a walkover in their all-Japan women’s Doubles match vs. Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Horita.

Pornpawee Chochuwong (THA) defeated Mia Blichfeldt (DEN) in the women’s Singles final, 21-16, 21-18. Second-seeded Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty (IND) defeated Xiang Yu Ren and Qiang Tan (CHN) in the men’s Doubles final, 21-19, 24-22.

China did get a win in the Mixed Doubles, as Zhen Bang Jiang and Ya Xin Wei won a tense battle with Soon Huat Goh and Shevon Jemie Lai (MAS), 21-17, 19-21, 21-17.

● Beach Volleyball ● The second Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 tournament of 2023 was in Tepic (MEX), with the reunited American pair of Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng teaming for their fourth win in the last five months!

The women’s final was a re-run of the Beach Pro Tour Finals from January, with Hughes and Cheng facing 2022 World Champions Ana Patricia Ramos and Duda Lisboa (BRA). Hughes and Cheng, who teamed up for two NCAA beach titles when at USC, won in straight sets in January, but this time took the first set by 21-14, then lost the second, 21-15. They rallied for a 15-10 win in the third and another Beach Pro Tour title.

In the bronze-medal match, Tokyo silver medalists Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Taliqua Clancy (AUS) edged Valentina Gottardi and Marta Menegatti (ITA), 16-21, 21-17, 19-17.

The men’s final was yet another appearance by Norway’s 2020 Olympic and 2022 World Champions Anders Mol and Christian Sorum, this time against Sweden’s three-time Beach Pro Tour tournament winners David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig. 

But the Swedes were better, with an upset win in straight sets, 21-16 and 21-15.

Nils Ehlers and Clemens Wickler (GER) won the bronze-medal match, 24-22, 21-16 over Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot (NED).

● Cross Country Skiing ● Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo and Tiril Udnes Weng finished the FIS Cross Country World Cup as the seasonal champions after the final stop in Lahti (FIN) over the weekend.

Klaebo finished with a bang, winning the Classical Sprint on Saturday for his fifth win in a row in 2:48.58, ahead of Calle Halfvarsson (SWE: 2:49.33) and Norway’s Erik Valnes (2:49.51); Norway had five of six places in the final. Klaebo won the Sprint seasonal title with 1,261 points to 907 for Lucas Chanavat (FRA).

Klaebo then finished with another win – his 19th of the season – in the Sunday’s 20 km Classical Mass Start, in 44:13.0, trailed by Paal Golberg (NOR: 44:18.4) and Swede William Poromaa (44:19.0). Klaebo finished with 2,715 points to 2,243 for Golberg and 1,635 for Federico Pellegrino (ITA). American Ben Ogden was eight at 1,118.

The women’s Classical Sprint was the fourth win in a row for the sudden new star in tour, Norway’s 24-year-old Kristine Skistad (3:08.63), who edged Swede Jonna Sundling (3:08.76), with Weng third (3:15.18). Swede Maya Dahlqvist was fourth and wrapped up the seasonal Sprint title with 944 points.

Norway’s Anne Kalva got her fourth medal of the season – and first career win – in Sunday’s 20 km Mass Start in 51:04.3, ahead of Sundling (51:05.2) and Katharina Hennig (GER: 51:05.4). Americans Jessie Diggins and Rosie Brennan finished 22nd and 23rd in 52:19.5 and 52:30.2.

Weng won the seasonal title with 2,027 points, ahead of Diggins (1,867), Kerttu Niskanen (FIN: 1,840) and Brennan (1,546).

● Cycling ● The spring Classics season is fully underway in Belgium, with three races this week, won by home favorites Jasper Philipsen and Wout van Aert, and van Aert’s French teammate, Christophe Laporte.

Philipsen took the 47th Classic Brugge-De Panne on Wednesday, a flat 211 km route that came down to a three-way sprint with the Belgian getting to the line ahead of Olav Kooij (NED) and countryman Yves Lampaert, all in 4:38:52. Belgium’s Fredrik Frison was one second back for a 1-3-4 finish for the home team.

Friday’s 65th E3 Saxo Classic in and around Harelbeke (BEL) over a hilly, 204 km course, came down to another sprint between three stars: defending champion van Aert (BEL), 17-time World Tour winner Mathieu van der Poel (NED) and Slovenia’s two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar. It was van Aert getting the win and defending his 2022 victory in 4:44:59, with van der Poel second and Pogacar third. American Matteo Jorgenson was fourth, 33 seconds back.

On Sunday, the famed 85th Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields was a 261 km ride from Ypres to Wevelgem, with van Aert looking for a second career win. He and Jumbo-Visma teammate Laporte broke from the field for good with 53 kg to go and forged an enormous lead, with Laporte getting the win in 5:49:39 and van Aert in the same time. Fellow Belgian Sep Vanmarcke was third, leading a pack of four in a final sprint to cross 1:56 behind.

The 102nd edition of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya had Slovenian star Primoz Roglic – three-time winner of the Vuelta a Espana – in charge from the first stage.

Roglic won the hilly first stage, then finished second on the hilly stages 2-3 and won again on the uphill-finishing stage 5 to maintain a 10-second lead going into Sunday’s final ride in Barcelona. Only Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel – who won stage 3 in the Alps – was close at 10 seconds behind, with the rest of the field more than a minute in arrears.

Italian Guilio Ciccone won the uphill-finishing second stage from Roglic and Evenepoel, and Australia’s Kaden Groves won the sprint finishes in stages four and six.

Evenepoel tried to win it on Sunday, but Roglic stuck close and they finished 1-2 – both in 2:59:24 – giving Roglic a six-second win overall in 28:19:10. Portugal’s Joao Almeida was next best, some 2:11 back of Roglic (who is also a Jumbo-Visma rider!).

Roglic has now won three Vuelta a Espanas, two editions of the Itzulia Basque Country race and now the Volta, completing a Spanish multi-stage trifecta.

● Fencing ● A busy weekend of FIE World Cup action, with American Stephan Ewart winning a bronze in the men’s Epee World Cup in Buenos Aires (ARG), the first U.S. World Cup medal in men’s Epee since 2019.

Ewart made it to the semis, losing to China’s Minghao Lan (15-7), who then lost by 15-13 in the final to France’s Alexandre Bardenet, who beat countryman Romain Cannone, 15-12, in his semi. Bardenet won his first World Cup gold since 2019, and second of his career.

Hungary beat Venezuela, 32-26, in the team final.

The women’s Epee World Cup in Nanjing (CHN) was a win for Hungary’s Anna Kun, defeating Alexandra Louis Marie (FRA) in the final, 15-10. Kun, 27, earned her first career World Cup gold and third career World Cup medal.

Louis Marie did get a win, however, in the team event as the French defeated Korea, 45-35, in the final.

Hungary got a second win on the weekend with three-time Olympic champ Aron Szilagyi winning the men’s Sabre World Cup in Budapest (HUN), winning over 2022 European Champion Sandro Bazadze (GEO), 15-14, in the final.

Korea edged Germany, 45-44, in the men’s team final.

● Football ● The U.S. men, playing their first match since the 2022 FIFA World Cup, had no trouble with Grenada in CONCACAF Nations League play, taking a 7-1 victory on Friday in St. George’s.

The Americans had 68% of possession and a 19-7 edge in shots, taking the lead in the fourth minute on a Ricardo Pepi goal, followed up by scores from Brendan Aaronsen (20th) and Weston McKennie in the 31st.

Grenada got a goal in the 32nd minute on a Myles Hippolyte shot to cut the deficit to 3-1, but McKennie scored again two minutes later for a 4-1 halftime lead. The U.S. got three more goals in the second half, from Christian Pulisic (49th), Pepi again in the 53rd and Alejandro Zendejas in the 72nd for the 7-1 final.

The U.S. ended a nine-game winless streak in road games and set a U.S. record for most goals in an away match with seven.

The U.S. men will next face El Salvador on Monday in Orlando, Florida (7:30 p.m. Eastern) on TNT, Universo and Peacock, with a place in the CONCACAF Nations League Finals on the line. The U.S. had a 7-5 lead on points and needs a win or a draw to advance to the June finals in Las Vegas (USA)

● Freestyle Skiing ● The Slopestyle competition in Silvaplana (SUI) wrapped up the FIS Freestyle World Cup for 2022-23, with Norway’s Birk Ruud and Johanne Killi taking the seasonal titles.

Ruud, the Beijing 2022 Big Air winner and 2023 World Champion in Slopestyle, finished third in the season finale, scoring 92.50 behind Sweden’s 2022 Olympic bronze winner Jesper Tjader (94.25) and Canada’s Evan McEachran (93.00). American Alex Hall (91.75) and Konnor Ralph (91.50) finished fifth and sixth.

Ruud finished with 360 points to 300 for Swiss Andri Ragettli and ended the season with Crystal Globes for Slopestyle and Big Air.

Beijing Olympic Big Air silver medalist Tess Ledeux (FRA) won the women’s Slopestyle at 93.25, beating Sarah Hoefflin (SUI: 90.25) and Killi (89.25); Grace Henderson was the top American in eighth (72.75).

Killi medaled in all five World Cups (3-1-1) and won the seasonal title at 380 points, to 250 for Hoefflin and 205 for Ledeux.

● Judo ● A big field of 419 judoka from 61 nations contested the Tbilisi Grand Slam in Georgia, with the hosts getting three impressive second-day wins to lead the medal table.

Tokyo Olympic champ Lasha Bekauri defeated fellow Georgian, Luka Laisuradze, in the men’s 90 kg final, followed by a win for 2021 World Junior Champion Ilia Sulamanidze in the 100 kg class and Gela Zaalishvili, who won for the third straight time in the Tbilisi Grand Slam +100 kg final!

Serbia scored wins in the women’s 48 kg class with Milica Nikolic beating Andrea Stojadinov in an all-Serb final, and at 57 kg with Milica Perisic. Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Anna-Maria Wagner (GER) won the women’s 78 kg class. Tokyo 48 kg gold medalist Distria Krasniqi (KOS) got to the final of the women’s 52 kg division, but lost to Uzbek Diyora Keldiyorova.

● Nordic Combined ● The final FIS World Cup stop in Lahti (FIN) started with another win for the unstoppable Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR), who won his third straight World Cup race after taking both individual events at the 2023 World Championships!

Riiber finished the 130 m jumping and 10 km race in 23:58.0, trailed by Kristjian Ilves (EST: 23:59.7) and Jens Oftebro (NOR: 24:53.0).

Sunday’s events saw the same podium, but in a slightly different order. Riiber won again – six in a row including the World Champs – in 24:16.8, with Oftebro second (24:18.6) and Ilves in third this time (24:22.0).

Austrian Johannes Lamparter won his first seasonal title with 1,367 points, ahead of Oftebro (1,313), German Julian Schmid (1,217) and Riiber (1,123), whose injuries prevented a fifth straight seasonal title.

● Shooting ● China dominated the ISSF World Cup in Rifle and Pistol in Bhopal (IND), winning eight of the 10 events and scoring 12 medals overall (8-2-2).

Xue Li, 23, the 2022 Worlds fourth-placer won the 10 m Air Pistol final over German Doreen Vennekamp, 17-5, and Yuting Huang, 16, won her first World Cup gold with a 16-4 win over American Mary Tucker in the final of the 10 m Air Rifle.

China also won the 10 m Air Pistol Mixed Team event, 17-11, over India, and Huang got a second gold – with Lihao Sheng – in the 10 m Air Rifle Mixed Team final, 16-2, over Hungary.

Sheng, the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist, also won a second gold in the individual 10 m Air Rifle final for men, 17-13, in an all-China final against Linshu Du. But Du, 19, also got a gold in the men’s 50 m Rifle/3 Positions, defeating Hungary’s Istvan Peni, a three-time World Cup winner, 16-10.

China swept the 50 m Rifle/3 Positions events with a win by Qiongyue Zhang, 16-8 in the final over Aneta Brabcova (CZE).

Vennekamp, a two-time Worlds bronze medalist, got a gold as well, winning the women’s 25 m Pistol final, 30-29, over 15-year-old Ziyue Du (CHN), who won her first World Cup medal.

The men’s 25 m Rapid-Fire Pistol final was another win for China, as Jueming Zhang won his first World Cup event, 35-34, over France’s 2022 World Champs runner-up, Clement Bessaguet. Rio 2016 Olympic winner Christian Reitz (GER) was third (21).

India finished second on the medal table with seven (1-1-5).

● Ski Jumping ● The women’s 2022-23 FIS World Cup concluded in Lahti (FIN) with the second win of the season for Japan’s Yuki Ito, but with Austrian Eva Pinkelnig taking the seasonal title.

Ito scored 238.8 points for the win, with Anna Stroem (NOR) second at 237.6 and Germany’s 2023 World Champion Katharina Althaus third (236.9). It was Ito’s seventh career World Cup win, in her best season since 2017.

Overall, Pinkelnig finished with 1,662 points to 1,497 for Althaus, 1,281 for Ema Klinec (SLO) with Stroem fourth at 1,278.

The men will finish in Planica (SLO) next week, but on Sunday, Japan’s Ryoyu Kobayashi got his third win of the season, scoring 145.9, ahead of Stefan Kraft (AUT: 141.8) and German Karl Geiger (137.0). The competition had to be shortened to one round, but Kobayashi was able to get his 30th career win, moving to no. 7 all-time!

● Snowboard ● The SnowCross finale at Mont-Sainte-Anne in Quebec (CAN) started with another showcase win for Great Britain’s 2021 World Champion, Charlotte Bankes, her sixth World Cup gold in a row!

She beat Beijing silver medalist Chloe Trespeuch (FRA) and Beijing Olympic champ Lindsey Jacobellis (USA) to the line on Saturday, but had her streak stopped on Sunday. There, the win belonged to Australia’s Worlds silver medalist Josie Baff – who also won the season opener – crossing the line ahead of Pia Zerkhold (AUT) and Trespeuch.

Bankes took the seasonal title, however, 723-650-493 over Trespeuch and Baff.

Canada’s Eliot Grondin, the Beijing 2022 runner-up, took his first World Cup medal of the season in the men’s Saturday race, beating 2023 World Champion Jacob Dusek (AUT) and Spain’s 2021 World Champion, Lucas Eguibar. On Sunday, Germany’s Worlds silver winner Martin Noerl posted his third win of the season, ahead of American Jake Vedder (his second medal of the season) and Grondin.

That gave Noerl the seasonal Crystal Globe with 510 points, ahead of Eguibar (436) and Grondin (399).

In the Slopestyle finale in Silvaplana (SUI), American Julia Marino – the Beijing 2022 silver medalist – took her third straight World Cup gold to win the seasonal title by 313 to 153 over Japan’s Miyabi Onitsuka, the 2015 World Champion.

Marino scored 87.25 on Saturday to edge Beijing bronze medalist Tess Coady (AUS: 85.00) and Olympic Big Air champ Anna Gasser (AUT: 82.25)

On Sunday, Japan’s Taiga Hasegawa, 17, got his second career World Cup medal … and second World Cup win, but first in Slopestyle, scoring 92.00 to edge Canada’s Liam Brearly (89.00, his first World Cup medal in two years) and Swede Sven Thorgren (85.00).

American Dusty Henricksen, who won a gold and two silvers in the first three events of the season, won the seasonal title at 296, followed by Hasegawa (186).

● Volleyball ● USA Volleyball announced eight new members of the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame, who will be inducted on 24 May in Dallas, Texas, just prior to the 2023 USA Volleyball Open National Championship. The class includes:

● Men/Indoor: Ryan Millar and Clay Stanley
● Women/Indoor: Liane Sato and Logan Tom

● Men/Beach: Todd Rogers
● Women/Beach: Elaine Youngs

● Men/Sitting: Edgar Laforest
● Women/Sitting: Kari Ortiz

Millar and Stanley were both three-time Olympians, and were members of the gold-medal-winning 2008 team. Sato was a setter on the 1992 Barcelona bronze-medal team while Tom was a four-time Olympian as an outside hitter and won silver medals in 2008-12.

Rogers won an Olympic Beach gold with Phil Dalhausser in 2008, the FIVB World Beach title in 2007 and also competed in the 2012 Olympic Games in London; he played well into his 40s. Youngs won a Worlds bronze with Liz Masakayan in 1999 and an Olympic bronze in Athens in 2004 with Holly McPeak.

The late Laforest was an outside hitter on the U.S. team at the 2016 Paralympic Games and a three-time Parapan American Games medal winner. Ortiz was a three-time Paralympian as a libero, winning silvers in 2008-12 and the 2016 Paralympic gold.

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TSX REPORT: World Athletics reinstates Russia (sort of), tightens DSD and transgender rules; big WBC TV audiences for championship game

By
Rich Perelman
-
Americans Alexa Knierim (in air) and Brandon Frazier during their winning Free Skate, on the way to a Pairs silver medal at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Japan (Photo courtesy ISU)

★ 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 ≡

1. World Athletics reinstates Russia, with lots of conditions
2. World Athletics tightens DSD and transgender regulations
3. Strong World Baseball Classic final-round ratings
4. Matytsin lobbies for Russian re-admission by IOC
5. Miura & Kihara win Worlds Pairs, with Knierim/Frazier second

World Athletics ended its sanctions first imposed in November 2015 against the All-Russian Athletics Federation for “egregious” doping offenses and reinstated the federation, subject to a list of 35 conditions! However, this applied only to doping issues and Russian athletes are still barred in view of the country’s continuing invasion of Ukraine. World Athletics also adopted stricter rules for transgenders, eliminating any males who have undergone puberty before transitioning, and reducing the allowable testosterone level for women with Differences in Sex Development to 2.5 nmol/L, now applied to all events and not just from 400 m to the mile. The World Baseball Classic final set a new U.S. telecast record with more than 5.2 million watching Japan edge the U.S., while 42.4% of all Japanese households had the final on, beginning at 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning! Russian sports minister Oleg Matytsin says he wants the IOC Executive Board to allow Russian athletes to compete at Paris 2024 with full national colors and flags, at its meeting next Tuesday. At the ISU World Figure Skating Championships, Japan’s Rika Miura and Ryuichi Kihara won the country’s first-ever gold in Pairs, with defending champs Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier of the U.S. winning silver.

● Panorama: Paris 2024 (video surveillance bill debated in National Assembly) = Athletics (3: Coe to run for third term as President; Shanghai dropped from Diamond League; N.Z.’s Robertson hit with eight-year suspension!) = Football (2: FIFA starts 2027 Women’s World Cup bid process; U.S. defender Krieger to retire) ●

1.
World Athletics reinstates Russia, with lots of conditions

At the World Athletics Council meeting on Thursday, the nearly eight-year suspension of the All-Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) over its “egregious institutional doping violations” was ended, subject to nearly three dozen conditions imposed for the next three years

The Russia Task Force, chaired by Rune Andersen (NOR), reported that its recommendations were solely concerned with doping issues in Russia and not the status of Russian athletes due to the invasion of Ukraine. That’s a separate matter.

The reinstatement was approved, subject to multiple conditions – to be enforced for a minimum of three years – mostly aimed at trying to maintain a suitable anti-doping program going in Russia and being able to monitor developments in case more doping is detected:

● Russia is classified in “Category A” for anti-doping monitoring, meaning the Athletics Integrity Unit will conduct special oversight of testing of its athletes and where the samples are processed.

● A list of 35 “Special Conditions” were adopted, including heavy monitoring of RusAF governance; visits by experts every six months; sharing of internal documents and decisions made concerning elections; monthly reporting of anti-doping tests, education, coaching training and qualifications; ethics training; whistleblower programs; funding of the RusAF anti-doping programs, and public reporting of suspensions, doping positives and appeals.

● “If there is a minor breach of [World Athletics anti-doping rules] 15.4 and/or 15.5 and/or of the Special Conditions, the AIU shall decide what corrective action is required.”

● “If there is a material breach of WA ADR 15.4 and/or 15.5 and/or of the Special Conditions (whether a breach as to payment of costs owed or otherwise), the AIU shall report the breach to Council, who will decide upon the appropriate measures (which may include, if the circumstances so warrant, a proposal being put to Congress that RusAF be expelled permanently from membership of World Athletics), with the AIU making any recommendations it may see fit as to those measures.”

With the reinstatement, the need for an Authorized Neutral Athlete process for Russian athletes is over and the Doping Review Board is disbanded.

But that doesn’t mean any Russian athletes can compete, yet. The announcement also noted that sanctions remain in place by World Athletics regarding the invasion of Ukraine, including:

● “Athletes, Athlete Support Personnel, Member Federation Officials and Officials who are Citizens of Russia and Belarus are excluded from World Athletics Series Events for the foreseeable future.”

● “The Council recommends to the meeting organisers of the Diamond League, Continental Tour, Label Races and the various other Tours that they take the same approach and exclude Athletes and Officials from RusAF and the Belarus Athletic Federation.”

A working group will be created to recommend what conditions would be necessary for Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to competition. Said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe (GBR):

“The integrity of our major international competitions has already been substantially damaged by the actions of the Russian and Belarusian governments, through the hardship inflicted on Ukrainian athletes and the destruction of Ukraine’s sports systems. Russian and Belarusian athletes, many of whom have military affiliations, should not be beneficiaries of these actions.”

2.
World Athletics tightens DSD and transgender regulations

As expected, the World Athletics Council also adopted a tighter set of regulations concerning athletes wishing to compete as women as transgenders, or with Differences in Sex Development.

For athletes with Differences in Sex Development, the rules were tightened on serum testosterone levels and the number of events expanded, as of 31 March 2023:

“[T]he new regulations will require any relevant athletes to reduce their testosterone levels below a limit of 2.5 nmol/L for a minimum of 24 months to compete internationally in the female category in any event, not just the events that were restricted (400m to one mile) under the previous regulations.

“The principle of restricted events has been removed from the regulations.”

This is a significant change from the 5 nmol/L levels previously required for the 400 m-to-mile event group. An interim regulation was adopted for athletes in events not previously regulated (100-200-110 hurdles, events over a mile and field events):

“[A] requirement to suppress their testosterone levels below 2.5nmol/L for a minimum of six months, before they are eligible to compete again.”

For transgenders from male to female, the federation’s consultations with stakeholders changed the ultimate decision. The announcement noted:

“It became apparent that there was little support within the sport for the option that was first presented to stakeholders, which required transgender athletes to maintain their testosterone levels below 2.5nmol/L for 24 months to be eligible to compete internationally in the female category.”

So:

“[T]he Council has agreed to exclude male-to-female transgender athletes who have been through male puberty from female World Rankings competition from 31 March 2023. …

“However the Council agreed to set up a Working Group for 12 months to further consider the issue of transgender inclusion.”

This new regulation slams the door on post-pubescent transgenders in the same way that World Aquatics has done with its athletes. The reduction for DSD athletes to a serum testosterone level of 2.5 nmol/L adopts the tighter standard now in force in aquatics, cycling and rowing.

The announcement also reported “there are currently no transgender athletes competing internationally in athletics and consequently no athletics-specific evidence of the impact these athletes would have on the fairness of female competition in athletics.”

3.
Strong World Baseball Classic final-round ratings

The World Baseball Classic was an overwhelming success at the gate and now the television ratings are coming in for the semifinals and finals in Miami, setting new viewership records for the tournament in the U.S.

Fox reported total viewers on FS1, Fox Deportes and streaming:

● 2.25 million viewers (TV) for the USA-CUB semi
● 2.55 million viewers (TV) for the MEX-JPN semi
● 5.2+ million viewers (all) for the JPN-USA final

The U.S.-Japan final on Tuesday evening drew a peak audience on FS1 and Fox Deportes of 6.5 million viewers and the average of 4.5 million on FS1 made it the most-watched show on U.S. cable television that night.

The final (on cable) beat all but six games of the NCAA men’s Basketball Tournament on CBS and was larger than any game shown on TBS, TNT or TruTV. And the broadcast audience of 4.97 million was 63% higher than the old record of 3.05 million for the 2017 final between the U.S. and Puerto Rico. It was also higher than every regular-season game broadcast since 2011 excepting the “Field of Dreams” game from 2021.

In Japan, the numbers were astronomical. The country has about 55.7 million households as of 2020 and the impact of the Classic was enormous. The share of all households in the country watching the Classic on television for Japan’s games:

● 41.9% for pool-play vs. China
● 44.4% for pool play vs. South Korea
● 43.1% for pool play vs. Czechia
● 43.2% for pool play vs. Australia
● 48.0% vs. Italy (quarterfinal)
● 42.5% vs. Mexico (semifinal)
● 42.4% vs. U.S. (final)

The first five games were in Tokyo at 7 p.m., but the semi and final in Miami started at 8 a.m. in Japan on Monday and Tuesday. By contrast, about 38% of all U.S. households watched the Super Bowl in February. Wow.

4.
Matytsin lobbies for Russian re-admission by IOC

The Russian Sports Minister, Oleg Matytsin, decried lobbying by national governments against Russian participation in international sports in an interview on Thursday, then lobbied the International Olympic Committee:

“The Olympic Games are the main competitions for many athletes, and they continue to be. We hope that at the upcoming meeting of the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee, a decision will be made to recommend that international federations allow Russians to participate in all competitions under their auspices, for selection and participation of our athletes in the Olympic Games.

“We are actively working to develop elite sports together with the Russian Olympic Committee, we maintain a dialogue with international federations through the government. Today, one of our main tasks is to ensure the competitive activity of all our athletes. This is also indicated in the Strategy-2030, which was developed and was adopted long before the mass and unlawful removal of Russians.

“We consistently stand for the preservation of the principles of the international Olympic movement and the neutral position of the IOC. Because we see how the governments of some countries are trying to put pressure on the IOC and international federations. Lobbying threatens the principles of the development of the world sports. I note that we have always had, have and will have the Russian flag, we have no other. We will do our best to ensure that the Russians compete under their own flag at the Games.”

Meanwhile, another Paris 2024 qualifying opportunity will apparently be missed, this time by Russian and Belarusian weightlifters. Russian and Belarusians were not allowed to enter the European Weightlifting Championships in Armenia from 15-23 April. The Russian news agency TASS noted:

“If the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) allows Russian athletes to participate in Asian tournaments, then domestic weightlifters will have a theoretical opportunity to compete in the Asian Championship, which will be held in South Korea from May 3 to May 13 and is also a qualification for the 2024 Games.”

Everything will depend on the IOC Executive Board’s view of Russian and Belarusian participation, to be discussed next Tuesday (28th).

5.
Miura & Kihara win Worlds Pairs, with Knierim/Frazier second

At the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, the home favorites thrilled the crowd as Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara became the first Pairs gold medalists ever from Japan.

Already the leaders after the Short Program, Miura and Kihara were outscored in the Free Skate by defending champs Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier of the U.S., 142.84-141.44, but held on to win with final scores of 222.16 to 217.48.

It’s the second Worlds medal for the Americans, after last year’s victory, and a move up from silver for the Japanese from 2022. Italy’s Sara Conti and Niccolo Macci won the bronze (208.08), with Americans Emily Chan and Spencer Howe fifth (194.73) and Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea 12th at 175.59.

Said Knierim, speaking especially of coach Todd Sand, who suffered a heart attack on 2 March:

“This whole week, this whole time, this program, it was all for our coach, and that’s where our hearts are. …

“I was very proud of us. We never dreamed that we would have two World medals and for us this is an achievement and the color is beautiful.”

In the men’s Short Program, Japan’s defending champion, Shoma Uno, led the field at 104.63, with 18-year-old American star Ilia Malinin – the 2022 World Junior Champion – right behind with a lifetime best score of 100.38 and Korea’s Jun-hwan Cha third at 99.64.

Both Uno and Malinin executed two quads during their skates. American Jason Brown qualified sixth at 94.17 and Andrew Torgashev made it to the final in 22nd at 71.41. The Free Skate will be on Saturday.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The French National Assembly continued debate on new laws which will allow specific types of surveillance to be used on a temporary basis during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Interior Minister Gerard Darmanin explained, “It’s about having a decision-making tool for law enforcement, it is not a question of recognizing people, but situations.” Opponents, including Greens Party member Sandra Regol, counterclaimed: “You hide behind the argument that facial recognition will be banned to hide the fact that facial data will be processed by algorithms and archived. This law proposes to transform into guinea pigs the entire population on French territory.”

The law, with expiration set as of the end of 2024, passed the French Senate on its first reading. The debate is continuing in the Assembly.

● Athletics ● World Athletics President Coe told reporters after the World Athletics Council meeting that he would be running for a third term as head of the federation. He is most likely to be unopposed.

The 2023 Diamond League schedule was changed again, with the 29 July meet in Shanghai (CHN) canceled and the 3 August meet in Shenzhen (CHN) moved to 2 September.

New Zealand distance runner Zane Robertson, 33, the 5,000 m bronze medalist from the 2014 Commonwealth Games, was given an eight-year suspension for a positive test for erythropoietin (EPO) in 2022 and then giving a false statement about the circumstances.

Drug Free Sport New Zealand imposed the penalty after Robertson – who trains in Kenya – claimed that he had mistakenly been given the drug when trying to get a Covid-19 vaccination. But, according to the decision of the Sports Tribunal of New Zealand:

“[Anti-Doping Kenya]’s statement included an attached letter from the Vice President of the medical facility Mr Robertson claimed to have attended which stated that Mr Robertson was not administered EPO at the facility, that he had not attended the facility on the alleged date, that of the two doctors he claimed had treated him, one was a laboratory technician and the other was not employed at the facility, that the medical notes were not generated at the facility and the patient number on the notes was not Mr Robertson’s.”

His ineligibility runs to 20 September 2030, with the decision noting that in view of the evidence presented, he “no longer seeks to contest the sanction.”

● Football ● FIFA announced the opening of the bid process for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, to be decided by the FIFA Congress in May of 2024.

The final vote will be between up to three candidates, to be selected by the FIFA Council. National federations have until 21 April to signal their interest; the U.S. Soccer Federation is more likely to bid for 2031 than 2027 given the 2026 FIFA World Cup already being organized.

The event will include 32 teams and bidders are required to identify a minimum of 10 stadiums and 70 Team Base Camp training sites, two locations for Fan Festivals in each proposed stadium city and a raft of government guarantees.

Standout U.S. defender Ali Krieger, 38, said Thursday that she will retire at the end of the current NWSL season.

She finishes with 108 national team appearances and was on FIFA Women’s World Cup-winning teams in 2015 and 2019.

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TSX REPORT: Poll shows more in L.A. like Olympics than their city; sensational WBC explodes attendance record; Ukraine pressures IOC

By
Rich Perelman
-
A July poll said Americans like the 2028 Olympics being in Los Angeles by 78-4%!

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. New L.A. poll shows 57% like Olympics, more than like the city!
2. World Baseball Classic ‘23 shatters all records
3. Ukraine NOC letter makes legal case to keep IOC bans in place
4. Ukrainian fencers will not face Russians, join in protest
5. IIHF continues Russian ban; gym team misses Paris ‘24 qualifier

A new poll for the Los Angeles Times showed that 57% of City of Los Angeles residents think the 2028 Olympic Games will be good for the area, vs. 20% who don’t and 22% who think it won’t matter or don’t care. That’s actually better than city of L.A. residents think of Los Angeles generally, with 48% saying the city is a good or excellent place to live, 33% saying it’s just fair and 18% calling it “poor.” The 2023 World Baseball Classic rewrote the records for attendance and embarrassed the 2022 per-game average turnouts for Major League games at the home parks of the Miami Marlins and Arizona Diamondbacks. National-team baseball is a hit, but will it expand? The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine sent a 10-page letter to the other NOCs and sports federations, making their case for Russian and Belarus to continue to be excluded from international competition and savaging the opinion of two volunteer U.N. Human Rights Council “Special Rapporteurs” for supporting their re-inclusion, pointing out significant gaps in their analyses. The Ukrainian fencers declared they will not compete against Russians or Belarusians and called on the International Fencing Federation (FIE) members to reverse their recent vote to allow them in, subject to IOC edicts. They also protested at a conference in Germany at which IOC President Thomas Bach was the featured speaker. The International Ice Hockey Federation maintained a ban on Russian and Belarusian teams through the 2023-24 season, while the Russian artistic gymnastics teams are shut out of the European Championships, a necessary qualifying platform for qualifying for Paris 2024. Russia’s coach now hopes for admission to the Asian Championships in June to be able to qualify for the 2023 FIG Worlds (and then qualify for Paris 2024).

● Panorama: Anti-Doping (Steven Ungerleider passes at 73) = Aquatics (World Aquatics completes rules review) = Figure Skating (Sakamoto leads women’s Worlds Short Program) = Gymnastics (U.S. wins men’s & women’s team titles in Germany) = Modern Pentathlon (new brochure aims to recruit obstacle racers) ●

1.
New L.A. poll shows 57% like Olympics, more than like the city!

A new poll for the Los Angeles Times, coordinated by Suffolk University, published Wednesday, showed that 57% believe the 2028 Olympic Games “will be good” for Los Angeles, while 20% do not and 23% say it won’t matter.

The story on the poll offers only some of the data on the survey, with the Suffolk University Political Research Center site offering much more. This poll, taken by telephone of 500 respondents between 20-23 March 2023, was only for residents of the City of Los Angeles (3.85 million population in 2021), and not the much larger Los Angeles County area, which includes 88 cities (9.83 million) or the L.A, metro area (12.49 million).

The last two questions – out of 39 – were asked about the Olympic Games:

“38. The 2028 Summer Olympic Games will be hosted in Los Angeles. It’s estimated that the games will cost nearly 7 billion dollars in private funds and bring thousands of people to the city for a month of events. Do you think that hosting the Olympics will be good or bad for Los Angeles, or will it not matter?”

● 57.4%: Good
● 20.2%: Bad
● 16.2%: Will not matter
● 6.2%: undecided or won’t answer

So those who don’t know, don’t care or think it won’t matter much are ahead of those against the Games by 22.4% to 20.2%.

“39. How excited are you for the city to host the 2028 Olympics?”

● 56.8%: Very or somewhat excited
● 15.4%: Not very excited
● 25.2%: Not excited
● 2.6%: Undecided or won’t answer

About the same response as question 38.

These figures are down from a February 2022 poll by The Times and SurveyMonkey, but spanning a much larger area – 743 respondents from the Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties and the Inland Empire sections of Riverside and San Bernardino counties – that saw 76% in favor of hosting the Games and 16% opposed, and 8% who didn’t care or wouldn’t answer.

Interestingly, the figures for the 2028 Los Angeles Games are much better than Angelenos – City of Los Angeles residents – think about the City itself. Asked to rate Los Angeles “as a place to live”:

● 47.8%: Excellent or Good
● 33.2%: Fair
● 17.6%: Poor
● 1.4%: Undecided

New Mayor Karen Bass, in office barely 100 days, but who has made a push against homelessness a high-profile priority, also failed to excite respondents:

● 50.2% Approve
● 13.8% Disapprove
● 35.2%: Undecided
● 0.8%: Won’t answer

The undercurrent here is that people living in the City of Los Angeles itself aren’t all that happy with it and with what goes on there, now and in the future, including the Olympic Games in 2028. How that changes – for good or bad – in the future will continue to color how the 2028 Games are viewed.

Observed: From the outside, it would seem strange that 22.4% of the respondents said that the 2028 Games won’t matter, were undecided or didn’t answer. This reflects the state of the city today, but also in part a subtle strategy employed by the LA28 organizing committee.

Unlike some other Olympic organizing groups – Atlanta 1996 comes to mind – the LA28 folks have been quiet. They are selling sponsorships, funding millions of dollars worth of City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks programs for youth and not hiring much.

Yes, there are jobs being filled, but the entire organizing committee so far is only in the 150-plus range, a tiny fraction of the thousands who will be hired by the time we get to 2028. There are no bombastic news conferences, no gaudy advertising campaigns and even a muted selection of 61 items – mostly T-shirts and pins – offered online.

Isn’t this a problem? No. It’s the smart play for now.

First and foremost, the LA28 organizers are keenly aware – minute-by-minute – that the Olympic Games they expected to stage in five years is changing in front of their eyes, daily. What happens to Russia and Belarus going into 2024 and the response from democracies in Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas, will shape the 2028 Games just as the U.S.-led boycott of the Moscow 1980 Games impacted the Los Angeles Games in 1984.

Beyond the impact of the continuing Russian invasion of Ukraine, the questions of what happens to boxing, modern pentathlon and weightlifting, and any sports that the LA28 organizers want to add, are still to be decided, either by the International Olympic Committee alone or in concert with the LA28 organizing committee. That is going to impact the plans for the Olympic Village at UCLA, transportation, hiring, communications, broadcasting and other areas; the decisions are expected by the summer.

Moreover, the LA28 folks know this truth: every dollar they don’t spend on staff, office space and stuff today will be available when the detailed organizing effort is in full speed in 2026, 2027 and 2028.

The Paris 2024 organizers are under severe budgetary pressures brought on by a pandemic they didn’t foresee in 2017 and massive inflation and supply-chain issues that started in 2021. Waiting to see what the 2028 Games has to look like in view of the worldwide, national and local situation closer to 2028 is the right play right now. The time to spend will come and all too soon.

2.
World Baseball Classic ‘23 shatters all records

If you want the quickest possible snapshot of how great the 2023 World Baseball Classic was, just compare the attendance figures from the first edition in 2006 until now:

● 2006: 737,112 (18,900 per game for 39 games)
● 2009: 801,548 (20,549 for 39 games)
● 2013: 781,438 (20,037 for 39 games)
● 2017: 973,699 (24,342 for 40 games)
● 2023: 1,306,414 (27,796 for 47 games)

Looked at another way, the 47-game attendance in Taichung, Tokyo, Phoenix and Miami of 1.31 million topped the 2022 Miami Marlins seasonal total by 44% (907,497), and the per-game average of 31,685 for the 15 games played there was 2.82 times the Marlins’ average of 11,204.

By the way, the 10 Pool C games played in Phoenix averaged 24,265, 22% higher than last season’s average attendance of 19,817.

That’s spectacular.

On television, the 10 March pool-play match-up between Korea and Japan in Tokyo drew 62.3 million viewers in Japan alone (44.4% share of all TV on during the game) and 2.7 million in Korea; it has been pointed out that the 2022 World Series averaged 12.5 million viewers in the U.S.

The tournament’s Most Valuable Player was, of course, Japanese two-star star Shohei Ohtani, who ended with the most innings pitched (9.2), tied for the most runs (9) and was named to the All-Tournament team as both Designated Hitter and Pitcher.

The U.S.’s Trea Turner set a WBC record for the most home runs with five, and Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida set the runs-batted-in record with 13.

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, who has been involved with the tournament since before its 2006 debut, said the next edition is confirmed for 2026, just three years away instead of the normally-planned four, thanks to the pandemic.

The possibilities for national-team baseball are now obvious and it will be interesting to see if new discussions with broadcasters will take place that might change the format. Or if the concept of international baseball creates new showcases, for example, a U.S. vs. World All-Stars game during the All-Star break, or a series after the wild-card playoffs conclude and only eight of 30 teams are still playing.

It’s too good to ignore.

3.
Ukraine NOC letter makes legal case to keep IOC bans in place

The International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board will meet in Lausanne from 28-30 March next week, with a four-hour block on the first day devoted to:

“Discussion of the conclusions and review of the feedback from a series of consultation calls held with IOC Members, NOCs, IFs and athletes’ representatives on the topic of solidarity with Ukraine, the sanctions against Russia and Belarus, and the status of athletes from these countries.”

In advance of the meeting, a 10-page letter was prepared by the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, and sent to the heads of National Olympic Committees, International Federations and members of NOC Athlete Commission. The request is simple, but the implications are dramatic:

“[W]e strongly urged the IOC Executive Board to remain in force [the] Recommendation of the IOC Executive Board of February 28, 2022, to suspend Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in international sports competitions.

“However, should the IOC Executive Committee decide to allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes, all the members of the IOC Executive Board must undertake personal responsibility for all consequences of such decision, including responsibility for safety of all participating athletes and general public and restoration of global peace.”

The core of the three-page primary letter and a seven-page annex is a detailed explanation of why the U.N. Human Rights Council volunteer “Special Rapporteurs” position that Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials should be allowed to compete is so wrong, and that the IOC’s heavy reliance on their position is so badly misplaced.

In short, the U.N. volunteer opinions do not take into account the IOC’s responsibilities to holdings of the Court of Arbitration for Sport and the European Court of Human Rights. The Ukrainian letter cites a Court of Arbitration for Sport holding that “the right to participate in competitions is not absolute” in an appeal by the Russian Football Union to participate in UEFA events. The letter states that the European Court of Human Rights has “recognized the difference in treatment and limitation of individual’s rights and freedoms may be a justifiable measure if it pursues a legitimate aim, such [as] the aim of ensuring public safety, restoration of peace, protection of national security. In such cases, a measure is not considered discriminatory.”

The letter states:

“[T]he interests of the organizers of sports competitions in their smooth conduct and the general goal of ensuring the safety of all participants (both participants and the public) is a legal non-discriminatory measure that takes precedence over the right of Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in such competitions.

“It is appalling that the above-mentioned report of UN Special Rapporteurs, which served as a foundation of the IOC’s renewed position, did not take into account the relevant CAS and ECHR jurisprudence at minimum, ignored non-absolute nature of the rights involved and of the prevailing circumstances arising from the Russian aggression against Ukraine. It is therefore unacceptable that the fragmented and unsubstantiated conclusions of the UN Special Rapporteurs serve as a ground for any [of the] IOC’s further decision.”

4.
Ukrainian fencers will not face Russians, join in protest

“It was decided not only not to go to duels at competitions of any level directly with Russian and Belarusian athletes, but also for our athletes, coaches, judges not to participate in competitions in which Russian or Belarusian athletes will participate …

“The presidium decided to create a working group that will determine the specific plan and content of the active actions of Ukrainian athletes and coaches at the upcoming competitions at which an attempt will be made to return Russian and Belarusian athletes.

“In addition, specific actions aimed at challenging the illegal and shameful decision of the Congress of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) dated March 10, 2023 regarding the return of representatives of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus to international competitions under the auspices of the FIE were also discussed.”

A Monday meeting of the National Fencing Federation of Ukraine was held online, with a statement (partially quoted above) released to confirm a boycott of any competition which includes Russian or Belarusian fencers. The FIE Congress decision to potentially include Russian and Belarusian fencers after 15 April could be allowed or foreclosed by the IOC Executive Board next week.

A protest was staged by Ukrainian and German fencers on Wednesday in Essen (GER) at the Congress of the Ruhr Political Forum, with IOC President Thomas Bach (GER) the key guest in a discussion of the “Olympic Games in the zone of tension between sports and politics.”

A statement from the protesters included:

“Meanwhile, as Ukrainian defenders, including athletes, defend Ukrainian land and die at the hands of an aggressor, the IOC allows the participation of Russians and Belarusians in the Olympics in Paris under a neutral flag, thus tolerating the war. But we are against it and loudly declare it!”

Bach’s remarks at the Forum did not stray his from prior statements and included:

“If politics decides who can take part in a competition then sport and athletes become tools of politics. It is then impossible for sport to transfer its uniting powers.

“We must be politically neutral but not apolitical. We know well that politics rules the world. We know well that our decisions have political implications and we have to include that in our thinking.

“But we should not make the mistake to raise ourselves to referees of political disputes because we will be crushed by these political powers. …

“Ukraine wants, and this is a direct quote, ‘the total isolation of all Russians’.

“We are in a dilemma. We feel, suffer with and understand the Ukrainian people and athletes. On the other hand, we have, as a global organisation, a responsibility towards human rights and the Olympic Charter.

“Both do not allow such a total isolation of people with a specific passport.”

5.
IIHF continues Russian ban; gym team to miss Paris ‘24 qualifier

Against some movement in favor of Russian and Belarusian re-admission in other sports, the International Ice Hockey Federation announced Wednesday:

“Based on a detailed risk assessment from a renowned company that specializes in assessing risks due to various global challenges, the IIHF Council determined that it is not yet safe to reincorporate the Russian and Belarusian Teams back into IIHF Competitions, and that it will not be safe for the upcoming 2023/2024 IIHF Championship season. Therefore, the IIHF will move forward with the 2023/2024 IIHF Championship season without the Russian and Belarusian Teams.”

The Russian reaction included: “The removal of the Russian team from participation in world championships and other competitions for the far-fetched reason of ‘safety of the participants’ is a decision that is neither constructive nor beneficial to world hockey.”

NBC Sports reported that according to the Paris 2024 qualifying process for artistic gymnastics, the Russian men’s and women’s teams may be out:

“Gymnasts from Russia, and other European nations not already qualified, need to compete at next month’s European Championships to stay on the path toward Olympic qualification in the men’s and women’s team events.”

The deadline for inclusion for the 11-16 April event in Antalya (TUR) was Tuesday’s draw (21st), now completed, with Russia and Belarus not included.

However, according to Russian national team coach Valentina Rodionenko, it’s not over yet:

“We have long understood that we will not be able to compete at the European Championships, so the draw that took place without us was not a surprise.

“Let’s hope that we will be given the opportunity to take part in the June [10-18] Asian Championships in Singapore, which will be the only chance to qualify for a very important World Championships for us.”

The top nine team finishers at the 2023 FIG World Artistic Championships in Antwerp (BEL) – starting on 30 September – will qualify for Paris 2024.

The “Russian Olympic Committee” won both the men’s and women’s Team titles in Tokyo in 2021, but might be excluded from Paris in 2024. If so, and the ban on Russian and Belarusian gymnasts is lifted later, there may be time for individual gymnasts to qualify through the 2024 FIG Apparatus World Cup series.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Anti-Doping ● The author of a crucial book that described the workings of the state-sponsored East German doping machine, Dr. Steven Ungerleider, passed away on 18 March at age 73, after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Ungerleider, a gymnast in his youth, was a founder of the Foundation for Global Sports Development and co-founded its film-making arm, Sidewinder Films. Author of multiple books, he received wide praise for his 2001 work, Faust’s Gold: Inside the East German Doping Machine.

A sports psychologist by trade, he was the producer of the acclaimed “At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal” that appeared on HBO in 2019. He produced multiple films with Olympic and Paralympic themes, including “Munich ‘72 and Beyond” shown on PBS in 2016 about the families of the murdered Israeli team members, the 2020 PBS documentary “Positive All the Way” about International Paralympic Committee President Phillip Craven (GBR) and many others.

● Aquatics ● World Aquatics announced the completion of a comprehensive revision of its competition rules, including a regulation requiring a minimum of “three years of residence” to consider a change in national affiliation.

For swimming, the new rules allow full submersion under the surface of the water in the final 5 m of the backstroke. Something about this sound familiar? At the 2022 World Championships, Justin Ress out-touched fellow American Hunter Armstrong for the victory at 50 m, 24.12 to 24.14, but was disqualified for submersion at the finish. After a protest and a video review, Ress was reinstated, but now the issue won’t surface again (pun intended).

For Open Water swimming, the grueling 25 km distance has been eliminated from the World Aquatics Championships, leaving the 5 km and 10 km events.

● Figure Skating ● The first sessions of the 2023 ISU World Championships were completed in Saitama (JPN), with the home team taking charge of both the women’s and Pairs competitions.

Japan’s defending champion, Kaori Sakamoto, skated to a commanding lead in the Short Program with a score of 79.24, with Korea’s Haein Lee second (73.62). Mai Mihara (JPN) was third at 73.46, with U.S. champ Isabeau Levito fourth (73.03, in her first senior Worlds), Bradie Tennell eighth (66.45) and Amber Glenn 10th (65.5), all qualifying for the Free Skate.

In Pairs, Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara – the 2022 silver medalists – led the Short Program at 80.72, with a healthy lead over defending champs Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier (USA: 74.64) and Italy’s Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii (73.24). Two other U.S. entries advanced: Emily Chan and Spencer Howe in fifth (70.23) and Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea in ninth (63.40).

Skating continues through Sunday.

● Gymnastics ● Strong performance by the U.S. teams at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge in Stuttgart (GER), with the men’s and women’s senior teams both winning their competitions.

The men’s team, with familiar stars including Brody Malone, Yul Moldauer, Shane Wiskus, Asher Hong and Fred Richard scored 258.800 to win over Japan (253.950). The women’s squad of Nola Matthews, Zoe Miller, Joscelyn Roberson, Ashlee Sullivan and Lexi Zeiss routed the field, scoring 162.300 to 155.950 for runner-up Belgium.

● Modern Pentathlon ● Having made the change to eliminate riding and concentrate on an obstacle course discipline in its bid to remain on the Olympic program for Los Angeles in 2028, the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne created a 12-page brochure to try and entice obstacle-course athletes to expand to five events.

“Get Started With The New Modern Pentathlon” doesn’t flat-out promise that the sport will be contested in 2028, but says “Obstacle will be integrated into Modern Pentathlon for the first time in 2023, and the journey to Los Angeles 2028 starts HERE AND NOW!”

Page nine notes, however, “No, this doesn’t have to be all about LA28. If you already have Obstacle experience, you can choose any combination from the UIPM Sports Pyramid and take a longer-term approach to your Pentathlon journey(the Olympic is every four years, but the Pentathlon circuit is annual and we have opportunities for all ages.)”

The decision on whether Modern Pentathlon will be included in the LA28 program will be made later this year.

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For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: Japan edges U.S. to complete perfect WBC; boxing officials threatened by IBA; Women’s World Cup hospitality on sale

By
Rich Perelman
-
Japan won all five of its games at the Tokyo Dome before two more wins in Miami made it three World Baseball Classic championships (Photo: Wikipedia)

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

★ A revised edition of our exclusive calendar of 651 international and U.S. events for 2023 and beyond, is now available! Click here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Ohtani closes out U.S. as Japan sweeps to WBC title
2. Officials federation decries IBA blackball threats
3. Alberta’s Commonwealth Games bid “less risky” than Olympics
4. FIFA notes success of Social Media Protection Service at Qatar ‘22
5. FIFA Women’s World Cup hospitality packages on sale

Japan completed a perfect World Baseball Classic with timely hitting and excellent relief work to claim a 3-2 win over the U.S. in the championship game and win its third WBC title, with a 7-0 record. The head of the International Federation of Sports Officials decried a threat by the International Boxing Association that boxing referees and judges who participate in the International Olympic Committee’s boxing qualifier series for Paris 2024 may not be selected in future IBA events. In Canada, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said hosting a Commonwealth Games would be “less risky” than an Olympic Games, but wants to see the outcome of the bid group’s study plan in August before committing to seek the 2030 event. FIFA used the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to salute its Social Media Protection Service from the 2022 FIFA World on Qatar, which scanned more than 20 million messages and either intercepted or reported more than 300,000 tp help protect players on five major platforms. The hospitality program for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand has started, with a plethora of programs for single seats with food and drink service, group seating, seats with access to a lounge and private suites. But you have to get there on your own.

● Panorama: Paris 2024 (volunteer recruitment started) = College Sports (Study shows net gain in sports sponsored since pandemic started) = Bobsled & Skeleton (Vogt retires after U.S. Nationals win) = Cycling (Faulkner disqualified for using glucose monitor) = Fencing (Russia ready to host “returned” German World Cup) = Table Tennis (2: China sweeps Singapore Slam; U.S. star Jha suspended for a year) ●

1.
Ohtani closes out U.S. as Japan sweeps to WBC title

Another memorable World Baseball Classic concluded before a packed house at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida with Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani striking out his Los Angeles Angels teammate, Mike Trout, to seal a 3-2 win that gave Japan its third Classic championship.

The game started with a 1-0 U.S. lead after shortstop Trea Turner hit his fifth home run of the tournament off of Japan’s starter Shota Imanaga, but the Japanese countered with a home run by third baseman Munetaka Murakami off starter Merrill Kelly and later a ground-out by center fielder Lars Nootbaar to go up, 2-1, at the end of two. The lead was 3-1 after first baseman Kazuma Okamoto homered off Kyle Freeland in the bottom of the fourth, while the U.S. bats were quiet.

The Americans had four hits in the first two innings off of Imanaga, but then Shosei Togo, Hiroto Takahashi, Hiromi Itoh and Taisei Ota held the U.S. scoreless on just three hits over the next five.

WBC veteran Yu Darvish came in to pitch the eighth for Japan, and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber hammered foul after foul on inside pitches, then slammed a home run to the upper deck in center field on a 2-2 splitter to close to 3-2. U.S. relievers got through their fourth straight scoreless inning in the bottom of the eighth, then Ohtani came in to pitch the ninth to try and close it out. After a walk, he got right fielder Mookie Betts to hit into a double play and struck out Trout on a 3-2 sweeping curve.

Samurai Japan – as the national team is known – was the best in the world again.

The final was set up by a spectacular semifinal between Mexico and Japan that ended with a walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth.

Neither team could score early; Patrick Sandoval shut out Japan through 4 1/3 innings, while Roki Sasaki sailed through the first 4 2/3 innings, then gave up two singles and three-run home run by second baseman Luis Urias that pegged Mexico to a 3-0 lead.

Japan got two on in the fourth, and loaded the bases in the fifth and sixth, but couldn’t score. In the seventh, a single and a walk preceded a right-field blast by left fielder Masataka Yoshida that tied the game off of reliever JoJo Romero. Mexico fought right back, with a double from right fielder Alex Verdugo and third baseman Isaac Paredes’ single for a 5-3 lead in the top of the eighth, but first baseman Joey Meneses was thrown out at the plate by Yoshida to save a run.

Japan scratched back for a run in the bottom of the eighth and came on in the bottom of the ninth down 5-4. Designated hitter Ohtani doubled off of new reliever Giovanny Gallegos, Yoshida walked and then Murakami sent a long double to the wall in center that scored two and pushed Japan into the championship game, 6-5. Wow.

Japan finished with an 7-0 record in the tournament, only the second team to win all of its games, after the Dominican Republic (7-0) dominated in 2013. The win gives Japan three of the five World Baseball Classic titles (also 2006-09); the U.S. is now 1-1 in championship games after winning in 2017.

It was a special tournament and shows the promise of international play between national teams. But you likely won’t hear much about it again until the 2026 tournament gets close.

2.
Officials federation decries IBA blackball threats

Boxing officials are now between a rock and a hard place, as noted by Patrick Vajda (FRA), head of the International Federation of Sport Officials (IFSO). As reported by FrancsJeux.com, he defended referees and judges against a new action by the International Boxing Association, which has threatened sanctions against any officials who participate at any of the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic qualification tournaments. Wrote Vajda:

“Once again, we are attacking those who have no way to defend themselves, and who today find themselves in a very uncomfortable position, even impossible to manage …

“The World Championships of women’s boxing … will not count for the Olympic qualification, not more than the other events organized by the IBA until the Paris 2024 Games.

“But nobody cares about the judges and referees who also have to train and practice refereeing at the highest level. Today, severe threats are hanging over them. IFSO condemns this political decision of the IBA which unjustly punishes international referees and their possibility to develop in their officiating career.“

InsideTheGames.biz posted a copy of an electronic mail message from IBA Development Director Chris Roberts (GBR), which referenced an invitation from the IOC’s Paris 2024 Boxing Unit that included:

“Considering that the International Tournaments announced by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit are not approved by IBA … participation in these tournaments is forbidden, unless otherwise approved by the IBA Board of Directors. In order to grant approval, the IOC, must, and as a matter of courtesy, request assistance and support from IBA to approach any [Technical Official] in the first instance. Disappointingly, this has not happened to date. …

“The lack of respect of the general principles in terms of loyalty towards IBA … will be taken into account when IBA enforce its right to appoint or do not appoint the Competition Officials for further IBA Competitions.”

The IOC Executive Board will meet on 28-30 March and may have more to say about this.

3.
Alberta’s Commonwealth Games bid “less risky” than Olympics

“I felt like we needed to at least see what the pitch was and what the plan is. That’s part of the reason we’ve agreed to at least go to this next step and see what kind of package they can put together.”

That’s Province of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith telling a Saturday radio audience that a bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, to be spread across multiple venues is worth exploring. She added:

“The Commonwealth is a little bit different because it’s summer games and is less costly, less risky, I think. But it’s also going across more jurisdictions.”

As to a referendum on bidding, Smith said, “We’ll have a full public conversation. I don’t think the report is going to be available or the final decision needs to be made until August. So, there will still be lots of opportunity to have input.”

The initial concept is for the events to be held in Calgary (site of the 1988 Olympic Winter Games) and Edmonton (1978 Commonwealth Games host) with the Tsuut’ina Nation also hosting. Smith noted that the Enoch Cree Nation and Canmore could also be included.

The question, of course, is costs. The Commonwealth Games is an 11-day event, with the Alberta bid expecting to hold it in August, with about 4,500 athletes. The current format allows the bidder to specify which sports are included, as only athletics and swimming are required. A total of C$4 million (~$2.92 million U.S.) has been provided by the cities and the province for the study effort.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham (ENG) had 20 sports and 280 events. The 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria (AUS) has 21 sports on the program and is expecting 75 delegations to attend.

The British government’s short-term assessment of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, made by the KPMG accounting firm, showed:

“In net terms, taking account of expenditure and resultant economic activity which would have been incurred anyway had the Games events not taken place in the West Midlands, this equates to a net [Gross Value Added] impact of:

“– at least £200.9 million of net GVA in Birmingham;

“– approximately £396.9 million of net GVA in the West Midlands (including Birmingham);

“– approximately £764.7 million of net GVA to the UK economy (including the West Midlands and Birmingham).” (£1 = $1.22 U.S.)

4.
FIFA notes success of Social Media Protection Service at Qatar ‘22

More details are coming on the impact of the “Social Media Protection Service” (SMPS) at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, offered by FIFA in coordination with the player representative body FIFPro:

“During last year’s FIFA World Cup, the service scanned more than 20 million comments, replies and mentions across five major platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube). After two stages of review – by both artificial intelligence (AI) and humans – 19,636 posts were verified as abusive and were reported direct to the operator of the platform in question together with a request for further action, with a large number removed as a direct result of being flagged by FIFA.

“Additionally, all participating teams and players were offered access to a tool which allowed them to automatically and immediately moderate abusive and offensive replies, with 286,895 comments being hidden before the recipient and their followers could see their contents.”

The same service is being offered to players and teams for the forthcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand beginning in June.

In a Tuesday post, FIFA shared videos urging support for the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, 75 years after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

5.
FIFA Women’s World Cup hospitality packages on sale

The hospitality menu is out for this summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, with a variety of offers for individuals and groups:

● Match Place: a single seat at a package of matches with in-seat food and drink service; a package of one semifinal and the final starts at A$955 ($637 U.S.). A pack of four play-off round matches at Stadium Australia (including the final) is A$1,573 ($1,049 U.S.).

● Match Place Box: a block of seats – as few as six, but up to 15 – grouped together, with in-seat food and drink service, from A$1,582 ($1,049 U.S.)and up. A 12-seat block for the USA-Vietnam match on 22 July goes for A$3,861 ($2,576 U.S.).

● Match Club: a single ticket, with access to food service in a reserved lounge, with beers, wines and soft drinks before, during and after matches, plus a commemorative gift! Single match tickets start from A$327 ($218 U.S.) and you can buy tickets for all games at a specific venue, for a specific team or a final-round series – one semi and the final – starting at A$1,327 ($885 U.S.).

● Match Suite: a private suite, with dining included, for suites holding 8-20 people, offered by venue. The number of games varies; a five-match, group-stage buy at the Sydney Football Stadium costs A$61,364 ($40,941 U.S.). An eight-seat suite in Hamilton (NZL) for five group matches goes for A$20,957 ($13,982 U.S.).

A 20-seat package at Stadium Australia for a group match and each playoff round costs A$82,727 ($55,194 U.S.) , but the priciest is for a 20-seat suite at Eden Park in Auckland (NZL) goes for A$123,304 ($82,267 U.S.) or A$146,087 ($97,467 U.S.).

There are lots of other permutations, but you get the idea. It’s first-come, first-served, but no travel or accommodations are included. The program is being offered by Swiss-based MATCH Hospitality.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● The application process for volunteering at the Paris 2024 Games opens on Tuesday (22nd), in a drive to recruit and ultimately train and deliver 45,000 individuals to help stage the event. The requirements:

“The Paris 2024 volunteer programme is open to all, both in France and internationally, and there are only three conditions to apply: applicants must be over 18 years old on 1 January 2024, speak at least French or English, and be available for at least 10 days during the Olympic and/or the Paralympic Games.”

The application period will close on 3 May and the process is inclusive of both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Applicants will learn whether they have been chosen by the end of the year.

● College Sports ● St. Francis College of Brooklyn, New York, announced Monday that it was ending its intercollegiate athletic program at the end of the 2023 spring season, due to “increased operating expenses, flattening revenue streams, and plateauing enrollment in part due to a shrinking pool of high school graduates in the aftermath of the pandemic.”

The Terriers’ basketball program dates back to 1896 and the teams competed in the Division I Northeast Conference, which includes Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey.

They are the exception, not the rule. A study by longtime sports management professor and now Baldwin-Wallace Dean of the College of Education and Health Sciences, Steve Dittmore, showed that coming out of the pandemic that began in 2020:

● NCAA Division I: 57 sports have been added, 71 have been dropped for a net of -14 (not counting 42 sports that were dropped and reinstated!).

● NCAA Division II: 195 sports added, 101 dropped (+94), with 53 of the drops due to closure of athletic programs (or the entire school!).

● NCAA Division III: 220 sports added, 107 dropped (+103), with 105 drops due to closure.

● NAIA: 170 sports added, 94 dropped (+76), with 61 drops due to closure.

Across all four levels, there were 259 net program adds. More sports, not less. Dittmore’s analysis indicates that while the “Power 5″ conference schools have little to no interest in new sports, there are good reasons for smaller schools to do so:

“[T]he overwhelming majority of these additions are at what could be considered enrollment-driven institutions. It should be apparent by now to all higher education administrators that many high school students want to continue their athletic identity in college. Sponsoring sports teams can be a vehicle to sustain enrollment. Administrators at enrollment-driven institutions are acutely aware of the impending ‘enrollment cliff.’ If adding sports can help keep an institution afloat, it might be worth doing.”

● Bobsled & Skeleton ● The USA Bobsled & Skeleton National Championships were held last weekend in Lake Placid, New York, with a walk-off victory for Nicole Vogt.

Now 33, Vogt teamed with Emily Renna to win the Two-Woman race in 1:56.00 (two runs), then announced she was retiring: “Wrapping up my career on home ice as National Champions with Emily was really special. It’s been an honor to represent Team USA and USABS for the past 12 years.” She competed for the U.S. in two World Championships, in 2019 and 2023, finishing fourth in the Team Relay in 2019.

Riley Compton and Macy Tarlton finished second (1:56.97) and four months after giving birth to second son Noah, four-time World Champion Elana Meyers Taylor (now 38) teamed with Amanda Fay to finish fifth (1:57.66). Lauren Brzozowski won the women’s Monobob title in 2:03.70.

The Two-Man winners were Geoffrey Gadbois and Paul Rabin (1:54.39) and Frankie Del Duca drove the winning Four-Man sled, finishing in 1:54.29.

Austin Florian won the men’s Skeleton title (3:38.47), while Sara Roderick won the women’s crown in 3:44.40 for four runs.

● Cycling ● American Kristin Faulkner was disqualified after an impressive third-place finish in the UCI Women’s World Tour race, the Strade Bianche in Italy on 3 March for wearing a continuous glucose monitor (CGM).

You see these kinds of devices advertised on television for use by diabetics, but they are now making their way into sports use as a way to monitor nutrition status. Faulkner was careful not to use any data from the device during the race, but she was disqualified anyway; she noted later:

“I have never used glucose data in competition, which I provided ample evidence of to the UCI. I complied with all the UCI requests and sent them an honest, detailed explanation with evidence that no race data was ever transmitted during or after the race.

“I was under the impression that I could race with my device if it did not record any data, because there was no performance advantage whatsoever. The UCI holds the position that wearing a non-connected patch itself – even if there is no transmission of data and no performance advantage – is enough to disqualify me.”

The maker of the device that Faulkner used, Supersapiens, does not sponsor her and offered a statement defending its use, including:

“We request that the UCI start to see CGMs and Supersapiens as a tool for athletes to protect their bodies, not as some sort of performance enhancement device. This isn’t about going faster. This is about health.”

● Fencing ● The German Fencing Federation has “returned” the FIE women’s Foil World Cup scheduled to be held 5-7 May in Tauberbischofsheim due to the FIE Congress decision to readmit Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals (subject to future decisions of the IOC).

Not surprisingly, the Russians are ready to pick up the slack, with Dmitry Svishchev, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports, telling the Russian news agency TASS:

“We can host the World Cup stage. We have all the necessary opportunities and experience. Moreover, our athletes will be allowed to compete in international competitions. Therefore, I see no obstacles for us to host these competitions.”

Thus, a new test for the FIE leadership. The FIE’s elected President, Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, suspended himself from his office as he defends himself against sanctions from the European Union and elsewhere. Emmanuel Katsiadakis (GRE) has been serving as Interim FIE President.

● Table Tennis ● The International Table Tennis Federation has been reorganizing its commercial stance, with its Singapore Smash event one of the year’s biggest – with a $2 million prize purse – and now completed, with China winning all five events and taking the runner-up spot in three!

All four singles finalists were from China. In the men’s Singles final, 2021 World Champion Zhendong Fan defeated two-time Olympic champ, Long Ma, 4-1, and Tokyo Olympic runner-up Yingsha Sun crushed Tianyi Qian, also by 4-1.

In the men’s Doubles, China’s 2019 World Doubles Champion Chuqin Wang and Fan won over Koreans Woo-jin Jang and Jong-hoon Lim, 3-1, and the all-China women’s final saw two-time World Champions Sun and Manyu Wang edge Meng Chen and Yidi Wang, 3-2.

The Mixed Doubles was a third gold for Sun, with Chuqin Wang taking a second gold in a 3-1 victory over Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto and Hina Hayata.

Four-time U.S. national men’s champion Kanak Jha lost his arbitration case with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and was suspended for one year due to “whereabouts” failures:

“Within a 12-month period, Jha accrued three Whereabouts Failures: the first on March 18, 2022, the second on June 2, 2022, and the third on September 4, 2022.”

His sanction was deemed to start on 1 December 2022, the first day of his provisional suspension after missing three test dates.

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MILLER TIME: TYRANNY

By
David Miller
-

/It’s a pleasure to present this guest column by one of the most knowledgeable observers of the Olympic Movement, Britain’s David Miller. For more than 50 years, the former English footballer has covered the Olympic Games and the sports within it, including 15 years as the Chief Sports Correspondent of The Times of London, with stints at the Daily Express and the Daily Telegraph. Author of books on athletics, football and the Olympics, he was Official Historian of the IOC from 1997-2018. His opinions are, of course, his own alone./

In Britain, there is no cynical visit to the heart-rending grave of Sarah Everard, the 33-year-old victim of police rapist-murderer Wayne Couzens in 2021 … as outrageously perpetrated by Russian President and mass murderer Vladimir Putin of mothers and children in Ukraine’s ravaged city-wide cemetery of Mariupol last Saturday. Social universality and tyranny are hardly companionable philosophies: surely it is unconscionable for the International Olympic Committee, in proclaimed fidelity to its honourable Charter simultaneously to campaign for admission to the Olympic Games in Paris next year for any performance-qualified athlete including nominations from Russia? The International Criminal Court’s war crimes arrest warrant against Putin for deportation of over 16,000 children is the ultimate terrorist insult to the democratic world.

Since the twelfth-century’s geographic and strategic empire of Genghis Khan from the Sea of Japan to the Atlantic – whether physical, political or both, either military or bureaucratic – tyranny has manacled multiple European and Asian nations. Under the aegis of Tsar Peter the Great in the eighteenth century, all the Romanovs, then Lenin, Stalin and now Putin, myriad minor nations have been entrapped in cultural and intellectual submission. The rebellious lyricism of Rimsky-Korsakov and Rachmaninoff or authors Solzhenitsyn and Pasternak has served to emphasise the penury of the masses, whose self-less courage in wartime is evidence of their brutal betrayal during alleged peace.

Deportation of innocent Ukraine children for “re-naturalisation” in Russia with which Putin and his Kremlin commissar for children’s rights are now charged is surely an atrocity to cause the IOC pause for thought.

Prior to Berlin’s Olympic Games in 1936, Belgian banker and IOC President Compte Henri de Baillet-Latour quailed in the face of Hitler‘s despotic anti-semitism. Future president Avery Brundage, ex-Olympian and head of the American Olympic Committee, forced the expulsion of IOC’s American protestor, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Navy Ernest Jahnke. Six million Jews were condemned. Is the IOC impervious to Russian crime: denying no doubt some Ukrainian children who might have become Olympians for their birth nation? Or indeed being immune to the extinguished religious sovereignty of China’s Uyghur Muslims’ “re-education” under duress, or even alleged genocide?

Central to the IOC’s dilemma, critical to the equilibrium, even survival of Paris’s long-awaited third Olympics (post-1900/1924), is President Thomas Bach. The redoubtable German has ridden a string of crises: Russia’s doping scandal of Sochi ’14; near financial collapse of Rio ’16; North/South Korea ideological conflict in 2018; Tokyo’s COVID postponement of 2020; Beijing’s politically fraught Winter Games last year. Yet amid bureaucratic mayhem, reformist Bach perceptively rescued the IOC from its out-dated constitution, transforming host city election protocol to bypass damaging public campaigns. Voting scandals financially threatened the world’s foremost cultural festival, but now 90 per cent of the multi-billion-dollar IOC income is being re-invested back into sport.

Now, perhaps forlornly, Bach is attempting to harvest sufficient IOC votes to maintain Olympic universality: the right of all individuals to participate free of identity with national transgressions – he himself excluded from defending his Olympic fencing title at Moscow ’80 because of West Germany’s allegiance to America’s boycott.

Bach, whose fifty-year career I recorded in a recent biography, is an honourable servant of a unique institution: I sense he must now relent on his jurisprudence on behalf of Russia’s proposed “universality.” The cause is long-standing: traced by Mikhail Shishkin, exiled Russian novelist living in Switzerland, in his just published My Russia: War or Peace (2023).

Shishkin recalls Russia’s generic autocracy from the Middle Ages, “Princes behaved like occupiers in their own country, robbing citizens of their villages, people not slaves but selfless participants in a collective struggle.” The polemic was magnified by the Orthodox Church dialogue being conducted in Slavonic, “not the Latin of Europe’s Reformation and Enlightenment.” When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990, “the people yearned not to escape its prison but to build a new one.” Lenin revisited.

If Bach is to save a still precious institution, it will not be through geniality towards a nation in which every international athlete is an involuntary political tool. The only innocent Russians are that minority who have witnessed the outside world beyond domestic propaganda: some friendly zealots such as St Petersburg’s World War II siege hero Mikhail Bobrov, a personal acquaintance. The democratic world is largely ignorant of Russia’s manic empire lust, meekly encouraged in the Paris 2024 context by the Olympic Council of Asia. The IOC cannot ameliorate Russia’s war crimes through the gesture of sport. Tony Estanguet, Paris 2024 Olympic chief, anxiously holds breath for IOC’s decision: bleak for Paris should 40 Western nations stay away, worse still for IOC’s future – and all of us – if Russia (and China?) were excluded.

Comments are welcome here and or direct to David Miller here.

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For our updated, 651-event International Sports Calendar (no. 2) for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SPECIAL: Updated! Our revised, 651-event International Sports Calendar for 2023 now posted!

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ CALENDAR ≡

As the international sports scene returns to normal, it’s time for an update, so here’s our exclusive 651-event listing for the remainder of 2023, with a few of the larger events beyond to 2028.

Our updated International Sports Calendar focuses on sports and events on the Olympic and Winter Games program for 2024 and 2026, plus a few other meetings and multi-sports 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 14-page listing in chronological order and a 15-page listing by sport (and in date order within each sport).

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

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TSX REPORT: India says Russia in, but Kosovo out as IBA stands by; FIE tells U.S. fencers to remove Ukraine arm flags in Korea

By
Rich Perelman
-
From a post by Ukrainian (and Ohio State) fencer Dasha Myroniuk on the FIE requiring U.S. fencers to remove a Ukrainian flag patch at the Foil Grand Prix in Korea (Dasha Myroniuk Instagram post)

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. IBA’s “all flags welcome” policy shredded by India’s Kosovo ban
2. No Visit Saudi sponsorship of FIFA Women’s World Cup
3. U.S. fencers told to remove Ukraine patches at Grand Prix
4. German NOC wants continued Russian and Belarusian ban
5. U.S. slams Venezuela, drops Cuba and sails into WBC final

India refused to allow a Kosovo women’s lightweight boxer to appear under her own flag and in a national uniform in the IBA Women’s World Championships in New Delhi, showing its disregard for the International Boxing Association’s claim that all athletes must be able to compete under their own colors. This raises issues for the International Olympic Committee as well, which is scheduled to have its 140th Session in Mumbai in October. FIFA confirmed that Visit Saudi will not be a sponsor of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, to the relief of the host federations. At the FIE Foil Grand Prix in Korea, U.S. fencers wore a Ukrainian flag patch, but were told to take it off by FIE officials. A special FIE Congress voted to allow “neutral” Russian and Belrusian athletes in April (maybe), but has not published this result anywhere. The National Olympic Committee of Germany posted a notice that it does not want Russian or Belarusian athletes to be re-admitted to international competition and posted a 24-page report undercutting the view of the U.N. Human Rights Council volunteer “rapporteurs” who support the IOC’s view of Russian and Belarusian reinstatement as neutrals. At the World Baseball Classic in Miami, the U.S. won a wild quarterfinal from Venezuela, 9-7, then crushed Cuba, 14-2, in Sunday’s semifinal to advance to Tuesday’s championship game against the winner of Monday’s Japan-Mexico game. 

● Panorama: Alpine Skiing (Shiffrin wins World Cup finale) = Artistic Swimming (first World Cup) = Athletics (2: Kiplimo and Obiri wins NYC Half Marathons; Kejelcha missed 5 km record by 0:01) = Badminton (China and Korea win two at All-England) = Biathlon (Boe triple-sweeps final World Cup races) = Cross Country Skiing (Klaebo wins two more in Falun) = Cycling (3: van der Poel solos to Milan-Sanremo win; new star van Androoij wins at Trofeo Alfredo Binda; Lavreysen wins two in Nations Cup in Cairo) = Fencing (2: Kiefer and Foconi win Foil Grand Prix; Balzer wins Sabre World Cup) = Freestyle Skiing (4: Howden wins Ski Cross title; Kingsbury & Laffont win Moguls titles; Roth & Scott win in Aerials; Ruud and Gremaud take Slopestyle wins) = Gymnastics (Raffaelli takes first Rhythmic A-A World Cup) = Ski Jumping (Granerud and Pinkelnig clinch season titles) = Ski Mountaineering (Swiss stars Lietha and Bonnet wins men’s World Cup races) = Snowboard (2: Noerl and Bankes get SnowCross wins; Obmann and Zogg win season Parallel titles) ●

1.
IBA’s “all flags welcome” policy shredded by India’s Kosovo ban

The Russian head of the International Boxing Association, Umar Kremlev, has insisted that sports and politics are separate and that Russian and Belarusian fighters can compete for their countries. He told Reuters prior to last week’s opening of the IBA’s Women’s World Championships in New Delhi (IND):

“They should participate. It should not be some kind of privilege that is given depending on the circumstances. Each international association should have these standards.

“We, as an international association, must protect each athlete. And we must understand that for athletes the most important thing is when the anthem plays and when their country’s flag is raised.”

But that policy was vaporized by the Indian government, which refused to allow Kosovo lightweight (60 kg) fighter Donjeta Sadiku compete wearing her national colors because the Indian government does not recognize Kosovo’s independence from Serbia, declared in 2008.

The Kosovo President, Vjosa Osmani, tweeted a comment and included a video of Sadiku asking to compete in national colors:

“The decision to prevent Donjeta Sadiku from taking part in the World Boxing Championship is a blatant violation of int’l sporting standards.

“As an @IBA_Boxing member, Kosovo is entitled to participate under its flag & anthem. We urge India to reconsider their decision.”

Kosovo’s National Olympic Committee was recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 2014. Sadiku was granted an entry visa by India, but not allowed to compete under her own flag and wear the national uniform. Thus, she was withdrawn:

“Due to political reasons, Donjeta Sadiku will not attend at the Women’s World #Boxing Championships, in New Delhi, India.

“India has requested that our boxer can compete without national symbols such as the flag and anthem, which were rejected by #FBoxK, @NOCKOSOVO & @MKRS_KS”

The Times of India reported a statement from the IBA:

The IBA and [Boxing Federation of India] did their utmost to create the conditions for Kosovo athletes to participate.

“The Indian government was also very cooperative, and the team was granted visas for the competitions. It was unfortunate to learn that the athletes of Kosovo declined the opportunity to come to New Delhi.”

Observed: Through the Sadiku incident, there are multiple, important consequences for the IBA and for India.

First, the IBA’s supposed stand for the right of all athletes to compete under their own flag was shown to be a farce, and demonstrates how small International Federations – and the whole Olympic Movement for that matter – are, compared to governments. The IBA statement was also reported to include this:

“IBA stands for sports without borders and out of politics and accepts no discrimination on any basis and will continue to fight for its athletes’ rights to compete.”

This is a joke, and the Kosovo incident in New Delhi is hardly the first time the issue has been raised, including in European countries such as Spain. It should not have come as any kind of surprise to a competent IF or organizing federation that Kosovar entries could have been an issue. Far removed from the Russian-Ukraine conflict, the IBA’s “athlete’s rights” position was exposed as a charade, for the benefit of Russia and Belarus.

Further, it raises serious questions about India as a venue for international competitions that would include Kosovo, about India as a candidate for a future Olympic Games, and for the International Olympic Committee for choosing to hold its 140th Session in Mumbai in October.

The IOC already postponed the Mumbai Session once because the Indian Olympic Association was on suspension due to election issues and government interference. In its lengthy “Q&A” on the Russian and Belarusian sanctions, it included this passage:

“It is not up to governments to decide which athletes can participate in which international competitions. This would be the end of world sport as we know it today.”

Unlike Russia and Belarus, Kosovo is not under sanction by the IBA or by India or by the IOC or the United Nations. India does not recognize Kosovo and so a valid member of the IBA was told to compete essentially as a neutral.

What does the IOC do now about holding the 140th Session in Mumbai? The IOC Executive Board meets on 28-30 March and this will, undoubtedly, be added to the agenda.

2.
No Visit Saudi sponsorship of FIFA Women’s World Cup

FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed last week that the reported possible sponsorship of the Visit Saudi tourism agency for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand did not materialize.

“There were discussions with Visit Saudi but, in the end, these did not lead to a contract. So it was a storm in a tea cup.

“But, having said that, FIFA is an organisation made up of 211 countries. There is nothing wrong with taking sponsorships from Saudi Arabia, China, United States of America, Brazil or India.”

Infantino, however, didn’t leave it there and added:

“When it comes to Australia, they have trade with Saudi Arabia [worth] $1.5 billion per year. This doesn’t seem to be a problem?

“There is a double-standard, which I really do not understand. There is no issue, there is no contract but, of course, we want to see how we can involve Saudi sponsors, and those from Qatar, in women’s football generally.”

The complaints about the potential Saudi sponsorship came from the football associations of Australia and New Zealand, both of whom said they were not consulted about the possible agreement and were concerned about it. Football Australia Chief Executive Officer James Johnson released a statement last Thursday:

“We welcome clarification from FIFA regarding Visit Saudi.

“Equality, diversity and inclusion are really deep commitments for Football Australia, and we’ll continue to work hard with FIFA to ensure the Women’s World Cup is shaped in this light and it is a historic event for our nation, showcasing the world’s greatest female players and advancing the game globally.”

From New Zealand Football:

“New Zealand Football welcome the confirmation from FIFA that Visit Saudi will not be sponsoring the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.

“We believe it is critical for all commercial partnerships to align with the vision and values of the tournaments they are involved in.”

3.
U.S. fencers told to remove Ukraine patches at Grand Prix

American fencers had a good tournament at the FIE Foil Grand Prix in Busan (KOR), with Olympic gold medalist Lee Kiefer winning the women’s division and husband Gerek Meinhardt winning a men’s bronze.

But the International Fencing Federation (FIE) was not as happy. According to an Instagram post from Ukrainian (and Ohio State) fencer Dasha Myroniuk:

“Today at the Foil Grand Prix in Korea, the team of the USA put on Ukrainian bandages on the hand in a sign of disagreement with Russians participation in the competition [in the future]. FIE made them remove them and banned any Ukrainian signs on the form. It is unacceptable. Open your eyes. No one agrees!!!”

The FIE, whose elected President, Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, has removed himself from his office in order to concentrate on sanctions leveled against him by the European Union and others, has shown considerable irritation over the Russian and Belarusian ban.

Although in compliance so far, an extraordinary FIE Congress voted last week to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to competition in the second half of April, “subject to possible future IOC recommendations/decisions, and in compliance with conditions of neutrality and individual eligibility.”

While several national fencing federations – including USA Fencing – posted statements condemning the vote, the FIE itself has not yet posted any notice of the Congress on its Web site at all. No outcome, no details of the vote. Nothing on Twitter. Nothing.

4.
German NOC wants continued Russian and Belarusian ban

The Deutschen Olympischen Sportbundes (DOSB) – the National Olympic Committee of Germany – stated its continuing opposition to Russian and Belarusian participation in international sports in a post last Friday that included (translated from the original German):

“● We continue to advocate the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from international competitive sport.

“● We ask the IOC and the international sports federations to continue to closely involve the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine in the ongoing consultation process and to continue the active support of the Ukrainian athletes. The DOSB and its member organizations will also continue their solidarity with the Ukrainian athletes.

“● Russia and Belarus must not be given the opportunity to abuse the participation and successes of their athletes in international competitions for war propaganda purposes.

“● Regardless of the decision of the IOC and the international sports federations regarding the re-admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials, we reject a boycott of international competitions, in particular the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, for fundamental reasons. The only victims of such a sporting boycott are the athletes, who would miss what might be their only chance to realize their Olympic dream.”

The DOSB post also noted a study it commissioned by Professor Patricia Wiater, Chair for Public Law, Public International Law and Human Rights at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität in Erlangen (GER). She reviewed the “recommendations” of two volunteer “Special Rapporteurs” of the U.N. Council on Human Rights that supports the IOC’s position on possible re-entry, that the IOC treats as binding. Her 24-page report comes to the opposite conclusion as noted by German investigative journalist Jens Weinreich on Twitter:

“The exclusion of Russian athletes from international sports competitions cannot be classified as a violation of international prohibitions of discrimination and is therefore permissible, despite the associated unequal treatment on the basis of nationality.”

(Weinreich highlights some of Wiater’s report in a 13-tweet thread.)

The German Fencing Federation has “returned” the FIE World Cup in women’s Foil at the beginning of May to the FIE, refusing to hold it in view of the Congress vote. Two smaller competitions to be held in Sweden in September have also been canceled, by the Swedish Fencing Federation.

5.
U.S. slams Venezuela, drops Cuba and sails into WBC final

Getting better as the tournament has progressed, the defending champion United States (5-1) stormed into its second straight World Baseball Classic final with an overwhelming, 14-2 win over Cuba (3-3) in Miami on Sunday.

This was the first-ever meeting between the U.S. and Cuba in the Classic – in fact, Cuba’s first appearance in a U.S. park for the Classic since 2009 – and the U.S. got off to a hot start, taking 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first on a two-run homer from first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.

They kept scoring: a solo home run from shortstop Trea Turner in the bottom of the second and then a single from designated hitter Pete Alonso and a sacrifice fly by second baseman Tim Anderson in the bottom of the third for a 5-1 lead. A triple by third baseman Nolan Arenado scored Goldschmidt in the fourth, and Arenado scored on a wild pitch for a 7-1 edge. Pitcher Adam Wainwright scattered five hits and gave up just one run to the Cubans through four innings.

The lead was 9-2 after five, 12-2 after Turner hit a three-run shot to left in the sixth, 13-2 at the end of the inning and 14-2 at the end of eight after center fielder Cedric Mullins’ home run. That’s how it ended.

The stage was set for Sunday’s semifinal by a wild, 9-7 U.S. win on Saturday over previously undefeated Venezuela (5-0). The U.S. went up, 3-0, in the top of the first on run-scoring singles by center fielder Mike Trout, Goldschmidt and left fielder Kyle Tucker, but Venezuela got two back in the bottom of the inning on a two-time homer from first baseman Luis Arraez.

The U.S. extended to 5-2 with single runs in the fourth and fifth (Tucker home run), but then Venezuela exploded for four in the fifth to take a 6-5 lead. A wild pitch, a force-out, a double from catcher Salvador Perez and a sacrifice fly accounted for the scoring, and a second Arraez homer in the seventh made it 7-5.

Then cane the American eighth, in which a walk, a single and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for Turner, Off an 0-2 count, he smashed a grand slam home run to left off new pitcher Silvino Bracho and the Americans suddenly had a 9-7 lead.

Relievers Devin Williams and Ryan Pressly got the Venezuelans out in the eighth and ninth and the defending champion U.S. rolled into Sunday’s semi against the Cubans.

Undefeated Japan (5-0), which has outscored its opponents, 47-11, takes on Mexico (4-1) in the second semifinal on Monday. The championship final will be on Tuesday.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Alpine Skiing ● American superstar Mikaela Shiffrin seems to set or tie a record every time she races, and did she it again in the Slalom in the FIS Alpine World Cup Final at Soldeu (AND) on Saturday, finishing third (1:52.24) behind Olympic champ Petra Vlhova (SVK: 1:51.38) and Leona Popovic (CRO: 1:51.81). Fellow American Paula Moltzan finished 16th in 1:57.30.

Shiffrin’s bronze gave her a career total of 137 career World Cup medals, tying her with fellow American Lindsey Vonn for the most ever among women. Austria’s Marcel Hirscher is next at 138 and then Swedish legend Ingemar Stenmark with the all-time record at 155.

Sunday’s Giant Slalom brought Shiffrin into a tie with Hirscher for no. 2 all-time with her 138th medal and extended her career record for wins with 88 as she led the first run and won in 1:55.88. Norway’s Thea Louise Stjernesund finished second (1:55.94), Canada’s Valerie Greiner was third (1:56.08) and Moltzan was 15th 81:57.41).

Shiffrin finished the season with an amazing 14 wins and she took the overall World Cup title and discipline titles in Giant Slalom (2nd) and Slalom (7th). She finished with 2,206 points in all, ahead of Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI: 1,217) and Vlhova (1,125).

Swiss star Marco Odermatt had already clinched the seasonal men’s World Cup title, but he finished with a flourish in Soldeu, winning the Giant Slalom in 2:19.64 and setting an all-time record for points in a single season.

Odermatt won by more than two seconds over Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR: 2:21.75) and Marco Schwarz (AUT: 2:21.93). American Tommy Ford was 18th (2:24.49). Odermatt’s win gave him the Giant Slalom seasonal title as well, 840-660 over Kristoffersen; he also won the Super-G title.

It was Odermatt’s 13th win of the season and his total of 2,042 points, busting Austrian legend Hermann Maier’s total of 2,000 back in 1999-2000. He also joined Stenmark, Hirscher (AUT) and Maier as the only men to win 13 races in a single season!

On Sunday, it was Swiss teammate Ramon Zenhaeusern’s turn to win in the Slalom, timing 1:54.87 to just edge seasonal winner Lucas Braathen (NOR: 1:54.93) and Kristoffersen (1:55.50). Braathen took the seasonal Slalom title with 546 points to 494 for Kristoffersen.

● Artistic Swimming ● The first World Aquatics World Cup of the season was in Markham (CAN), with Spain (7) and Japan (6) leading the medal table.

Ukraine’s two-time Olympic bronze medalist Marta Fiedina (245.2917) won the women’s Solo Technical ahead of Japanese veteran Yukiko Inui (242.7917), but Inui came back to take the Solo Free, scoring 319.8291 and winning by almost 80 points!

The Israeli pair of Shelly Bobritsky and Ariel Nassee won the women’s Duet Technical in a surprise over Ukraine’s twins, Maryna and Vladyslava Aleksiiva, 233.4292 to 231.6543. Italy’s Linda Cerutti and Lucrezia Ruggiero won the women’s Duet Free over the Aleksiivas, 321.2667 to 291.6916, with Bobritsky and Nassee third at 281.5043.

China’s Wentao Cheng and Haoyu Shi won the Mixed Duet Technical (236.2292), with Spain’s Maria Bofill Strub and Dennis Gonzalez winning the Mixed Duet Free (227.7876). Gonzalez won the men’s Solo Technical and Italian veteran Giorgio Minisini won the men’s Solo Free (296.1209).

● Athletics ● Uganda went 1-2 in the men’s division of the New York City Half Marathon on Sunday, with 2020 World Half Marathon gold medalist Jacob Kiplimo striding away after 10 miles to win in 1:01:31, well ahead of Tokyo Olympic 5,000 winner and 10,000 m world-record holder Joshua Cheptegei (1:02:09). Ben True was the top American, in fourth, in 1:02:57.

The women’s race was closer, but not close either, as Kenyan star Hellen Obiri, 33, the two-time World 5,000 m Champion, attacked after 10 miles to win in 1:07:21, well ahead of 2015 World Cross Country champ Senbere Teferi (ETH: 1:07:55). Des Linden was the top American in fifth in 1:12:21.

Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, a two-time World Indoor 3,000 m gold medalist, nearly got the world 5 km road record on Sunday in Lille (FRA), but missed it by one second! He won in 12:50, just short of the 12:49 by Berihu Aregawi (ETH) in 2022. It’s the no. 2 performance of all time.

● Badminton ● The top-class All England Open in Birmingham concluded on Sunday, with China and Korea both reaching three finals, including two against each other.

The all-China men’s Singles final saw Shi Feng Li defeat Yu Qi Shi, 26-24, 21-5 and Korea’s Se Young An take the women’s title over Yu Fei Chen (CHN) by 21-17, 10-21, 21-19.

In the all-Korean women’s Doubles final, So Yeoung Kim and Hee Yong Kong (KOR) swept aside Ha Na Baek and So Hee Lee (KOR), 21-5, 21-12. China got its second win in the Mixed Doubles, as Si Wei Zhang and Ya Qiong Huang (CHN) scored a tight, 21-16, 16-21, 21-12 win over Seung Jae Seo and Yu Jung Chae (KOR).

The all-Indonesian men’s Doubles final went to top-seeded Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto (INA) over Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan (INA), 21-17, 21-14.

● Biathlon ● The 2022-23 IBU World Cup season finished up on Oslo’s famous Holmenkollen, with home favorite Johannes Thingnes Boe finishing up one of the most dominant seasons in history.

Boe had won 13 of the season’s 18 races coming into Oslo, then added more golds. He won the 10 km Sprint in 25:13.0 (1 penalty) over Martin Ponsiluoma (SWE: 25:36/9/0) and Germany’s Benedikt Doll (25:41.9/0), and then the 12.5 km Pursuit in 32:34.0 (1), ahead of Quentin Maillet Fillon (FRA: 33:06.7/0) and Sturla Holm Laegreid (NOR: 33:23.1/1).

American Sean Doherty was 29th in the Sprint (26:53.1/1), and 19th in the Pursuit in 34:50.1 (2).

Boe finished the season with another win in the final race of the season, the 15 km Mass Start, in 38:51.9 (2), ahead of Niklas Hartwig (SUI: 39:18.1/0) and Vetle Christiansen (NOR: 39:27.1/0). Doherty was 25th in 41:45.2 (2).

The final standings showed Boe with 16 wins in 21 races on the season and 1,589 points for his fourth career seasonal title. Laegreid finished second (1,098) and Christiansen (935) was third.

France’s Julia Simon clinched the seasonal title in the women’s division, finishing fifth in the 7.5 km Sprint that was delayed from Friday to Saturday because of heavy fog, and eliminating the planned Saturday Pursuit race.

Simon, 26, won her first IBU World Cup seasonal title, but it was Denise Hermann-Wick (GER), who had announced her retirement at the end of the season who won, in 21:06.5 (0). She finished just ahead of Swedes Hanna Oeberg (21:10.0/0) and Anna Magnusson (21:30.6/0). Joanne Reid was the top American in 22nd at 22:22.9 (0).

Sunday’s 12.5 km Mass Start saw 2023 World Champion Hanna Oeberg win again, beating two retiring stars – Marte Olsbu Roeiseland (NOR) and Anais Chevalier-Bouchet (FRA) – by 36:33.5 (1) to 36:56.1 (1) to 37:17.2 (3).

Simon finished with 1,093 points to 911 for Dorothea Wierer (ITA) and 882 for teammate Lisa Vittozzi (ITA).

● Cross Country Skiing ● The FIS World Cup season continued in Falun (SWE) with familiar results: wins for Norwegian star – and seasonal champ for the fourth time – Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, who had 14 wins coming into the weekend.

He added to his total with a victory in the 10 km Classical Individual race on Friday, winning in 23:55.3 at the head of a Norwegian sweep. Martin Nyenget was second (24:06.0) and Harald Amundsen third (24:16.0), with Ben Ogden the top American in 13th (24:44.8).

In Saturday’s Freestyle Sprint, Klaebo won in 2:52.73, beating teammate Erik Valnes (2:53.46) with Italy’s two-time Olympic runner-up Federico Pellegrino third (2:53.91). That’s 16 wins so far, and two more stops on this year’s circuit.

Finland’s Kerttu Niskanen won her fourth medal – and got her first win – of the season in the women’s 10 km Classical in 27:08.5, followed by Katharina Henning (GER: 27:24.4), Anne Kalvaa (NOR: 27:30.8) in third and American star Jessie Diggins in fourth (27:40.1). American Rosie Brennan was sixth (27:53.0).

Norway’s Kristine Skistad got her third win of the season in the Freestyle Sprint in 2:55.62, followed by Swedes Jonna Sundling (2:55.96) and Maja Dahlqvist (3:00.60).

Next up: more sprints on Tuesday in Estonia before the seasonal finale in Lahti (FIN).

● Cycling ● One of the great races of the year is the annual Milan-Sanremo in Italy, now in its 114th running and the first of the “Monument” races of the season. The 294 km ride from Abbiategrasso to Sanremo featured a huge climb and steep descent down the 549 m Passo del Turchino and then six smaller ascents and descents in the final 65 km.

In the end, it was Dutch star Mathieu van der Poel who broke free over the final climb on the famed Poggio de Sanremo with 5.5 km remaining and rode solo across the line in 6:25:23, 15 seconds up on Italy’s two-time Time Trial World Champion Filippo Ganna, 2020 Milan-Sanremo winner Wout van Aert (BEL) and Slovenian star Tadej Pocagar, the two-time Tour de France winner who just completed a victory in the Tirreno-Adriatico!

American Neilson Powless finished seventh in 6:25:49.

One of the most important women’s road races of the calendar is the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, with the 24th edition ending in Cittiglio. The hilly, 139 km route was conquered by Shirin van Androoij, 21, a new Dutch star, who attacked with 24 km remaining and was never headed. She won in 3:39:32, ahead of a chase pack of 10, led by defending champ Elisa Balsamo (ITA) and countrywoman Vittoria Guazzini, 23 seconds behind.

At the second UCI Track Nations Cup in Cairo (EGY), Dutch sprint star Harrie Lavreysen continued collecting medals, repeating his win in the men’s Sprint and taking another win in the Team Sprint with Jeffrey Hoogland and Roy van den Berg.

Those two wins give Lavreysen, the Tokyo Olympic Sprint champ, four golds and a silver in the first two Nations Cups.

Germans Roger Kluge and Theo Reinhardt repeated their Nations Cup win in the men’s Madison; new winners in Cairo included Shinji Nakano (JPN) in the Keirin, Thomas Boudat (FRA) in the Omnium and William Tidball (GBR) in the Elimination Race.

American Jennifer Valente, the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist in the Omnium, won the Elimination Race in Cairo. New Zealand’s Ally Wollaston, who won three events in the first Nations Cup, repeated in the Omnium in Cairo.

Japan’s Mina Sato, a two-time Worlds silver winner in the Keirin, won that event for the second Nations Cup in a row. Britain’s Emma Finucane won the women’s Sprint and 2022 Worlds silver medalists Clara Copponi and Valentine Fortin (FRA) won the Madison.

● Fencing ● Olympic champ Lee Keifer (USA) won the women’s division at the FIE Foil Grand Prix in Busan (KOR), to go along with a bronze by husband Gerek Meinhardt for the men.

Keifer stormed past Japan’s Sera Azuma, 15-3, in the final, winning her ninth career Grand Prix medal (4-3-2); she now has 29 career World Cup and Grand Prix medals combined! Azuma, 23, won her first career Grand Prix medal.

Italy’s Alessio Foconi out-lasted Hong Kong’s Yokyo Olympic silver medalist Ka Long Cheung in the men’s final, 15-13. Foconi, 33, the 2018 World Champion, won his three career Grand Prix gold. Cheung defeated Meinhardt, 15-12, in his semifinal, on the way to his third career Grand Prix medal.

Meinhardt’s bronze was his eighth career Grand Prix medal and second this year (1-0-1).

France’s Sara Balzer got her first career gold in the women’s Sabre World Cup in Sint-Niklaas (BEL), defeating China’s Yaqi Shao in the final, 15-13. It was Shao’s second World Cup medal, but first in four years, and her first final.

● Freestyle Skiing ● The FIS World Cup season in Ski Cross finished up in Craigleith, Ontario (CAN), with good results for the home team!

Canada’s Reece Howden won the Friday race over Florian Wilmsmann (GER), with Youri Kergomard (FRA) third. and then after teammate Brady Leman won Saturday’s final – in his last race – over Kergomard, Howden claimed his second career men’s seasonal title! Howden scored 725 points to 574 for David Mobaerg (SWE) and 508 for Wilmsmann.

Swiss Fanny Smith won her second straight race in Friday’s women’s final, beating Canda’s Courtney Hoffos and Marielle Thompson to the line. France’s Marielle Berger Sabbatel won on Saturday, with Thompson and teammate Brittany Phelan finishing third. On the weekend, Canada won two of the four races and six of the 12 medals!

Swede Sandra Naeslund was out again with a knee injury, but had long wrapped up the women’s seasonal title by winning the first nine races of the season! Naeslund ended with 900 points to 691 for Smith.

No surprises in the final Moguls competitions of the year, as Canadian star Mikael Kingsbury and France’s Perrine Laffont swept both the Moguls and Dual Moguls races in Almaty (KAZ).

Kingsbury won the Moguls final over home favorite Pavel Kolmakov, 85.67 to 78.72, and took the Dual Moguls against Olympic Moguls champ Walter Wallberg (SWE). Australia’s Worlds bronze medalist Matt Graham was third in both events.

The two wins increased Kingsbury’s record for career World Cup wins to 80 and he won the seasonal titles in Moguls, Dual Moguls and overall for a stunning career total of 24 FIS Crystal Globes!

Laffont had plenty of competition from American Worlds silver medalist Jaelin Kauf, who finished second in both Moguls (77.96 to 76.30) and Dual Moguls. Americans Olivia Giaccio (Dual Moguls) and Tess Johnson (Moguls: 73.35) took the bronzes.

Laffont won the overall Moguls title and the Dual Moguls title and was second to Australia’s Jakara Anthony for Moguls, for a career total of nine Crystal Globes for the 2018 Olympic Moguls gold medalist.

Also in Almaty was the Aerials final for 2022-23, with the man who won the season opener – Swiss Pirmin Werner – winning the last event. Werner led a Swiss 1-2 with 2023 World Champion Noe Roth, 123.00 and 118.55 to 96.83 for Canada’s Emile Nadeau.

Roth won the seasonal title at 429, with Ukraine’s Dmytro Kotovskyi second (371) and Werner third (302).

Two-time World Champion Laura Peel (AUS) won the women’s division over 2023 Worlds runner-up Danielle Scott (AUS), 110.36-97.99. Canada’s Marion Thenault was third (93.76), ahead of Americans Kaila Kuhn (89.18) and Winter Vinecki (79.69).

Scott took the seasonal title from Peel, 462-362, with Thenault (350) third.

The penultimate World Cup in Slopestyle was in Tignes (FRA), with 2023 World Champion Birk Ruud (NOR) winning his third World Cup of the season, scoring 96.00 to 94.00 for Jesper Tjader (SWE) and 92.50 for Swiss Andre Ragettli, the 2021 World Champion. Cody LaPlante was the top American, in eighth, scoring 85.00.

World Champion Mathilde Gremaud (FRA) took the women’s competition at 96.25, just ahead of Worlds bronze medalist Johanne Killi (NOR: 95.25) and Canada’s Worlds silver winner Megan Oldham (90.00).

Norway’s Ruud and Killi lead the seasonal standings heading into next week finale in Silvaplana (SUI).

● Gymnastics ● The season’s opening FIG Rhythmic World Cup – the Aphrodite Cup – in Greece was another showcase for World All-Around Champion Sofia Raffaeli.

She won the All-Around at 131.750, ahead of Worlds All-Around bronze winner Stilliana Nikolova (BUL: 129.550). Evita Griskenas was the top American in ninth at 120.250.

Raffaelli also won on Hoop (33.000), Nikolova won on Ball (34.340), with Raffaeli second (31.600) and Griskenas third (31.550) and Margarita Kolosov (GER) won on Clubs (31,800). The Ribbon final had Worlds bronze medalist Ekateriva Vedeneeva (SLO) winning at 29.850, with Griskenas sixth (28.000).

Israel won the Group All-Around (65.450), with the U.S. 12th (51.000). Israel also won the 5 Balls event (34.900) and Italy won the final of the 3 Ribbons + 2 Balls at 30.650.

● Ski Jumping ● The sixth Raw Air Tournament in Norway continued in Lillehammer and Vikersund, with seasonal World Cup leader Halvor Egner Granerud (NOR) the overall winner for the men and Ema Klinec (SLO) for the women.

The men’s competitions moved from Oslo to Lillehammer, with Granerud taking the 140 m final last Tuesday, 257.7-255.4-235.9 over Austria’s three-time World Champion Stefan Kraft and Manuel Fettner. Poland’s 2019 World Champion Dawid Kubacki won on Thursday in Lillehammer, outscoring 2021 Worlds bronze medalist Anze Lanisek (SLO), 283.1-275.7.

The jumping then moved to the giant, 240 m ski-flying hill in Vikersund, with Granerud winning on Saturday, 424.9-418.8 over Kraft, with fellow Austrian Daniel Tschofenig third (390.1). On Sunday, Kraft beat Granerud, 497.4-489.8, with Lanisek third (468.8).

Granerud won the tournament, 2,932.0 to 2,913.8 over Kraft, with Lanisek third (2,784.4). Granerud also clinched the seasonal World Cup title (his second): he has 2,058 points to 1,592 for Kubacki with just three events left.

The women’s Raw Air events in Lillehammer were won by Silje Opseth (NOR: 223.1) over German Selina Freitag (222.5) and Klinec (216.6) and then Katharina Althaus (GER: 251.1), beating Alexandria Loutitt (CAN: 242.9) and seasonal leader Eva Pinkelnig (AUT: 241.1).

In Vikersund on Sunday, Klinec won at 414.7, ahead of Opseth (373.7) and Yuki Ito (JPN: 352.6). The Raw Air standings showed Klinec at 1,859.6, beating Althaus (1,771.5) and Freitag (1,704.3). With only one more World Cup event to go, Pinkelnig has her first World Cup title, with 1,612 points to 1,437 for Althaus and 1,255 for Klinec.

● Ski Mountaineering ● The next-to-last World Cup of the season was in Schladming (AUT), with a Sprint and a Vertical race for both men and women.

Swiss Arno Lietha, the 2021 World Champion won the men’s Sprint in 2:31.56 over France’s 2023 Worlds runner-up Thibault Anselmet (2:32.78) and bronze medalist Robin Galindo (FRA: 2:33.83).

France’s Worlds Sprint bronze medalist Emily Harrop won the women’s division decisively in 2:54.01, beating Swiss Worlds runner-up Marianne Fatton (3:02.01) and Worlds Team silver medalist Guilia Murada (ITA: 3:02.71).

Switzerland completed a men’s sweep in the Vertical Race on Sunday as 2023 World Champion Remi Bonnet was the winner in 19:17.3, more than 52 seconds up on Belgium’s Worlds runner-up, Maximilien Drion du Chapois (20:10.1).

Austria’s Worlds silver medalist Sarah Dreier won the women’s race in 23:40.9 in a much closer competition with France’s World Champion Axelle Gachet Mollaret (23:48.6) and Harrop (23:49.4).

● Snowboard ● The SnowCross season is heading toward the close, with a midweek stop in Veysonnaz (SUI), with Germany’s World silver medalist (and seasonal leader) Martin Noerl getting his first win of the season since the opener, over Alvaro Romero (ESP) and Italy’s Lorenzo Sommariva.

The women’s winner was Britain’s 2021 World Champion Charlotte Bankes, who won her fifth straight World Cup race and maintained the season lead. She beat Czech star (and 2014 Olympic champ) Eva Adamczykova (nee Samkova) and Australia’s Josie Baff.

The Parallel racers were in Rogla (SLO) on Wednesday for a Parallel Giant Slalom, with an Italian sweep headed by 2015 Parallel Slalom World Champion Roland Fischnaller, followed by Mirko Felicetti and Edwin Coratti.

The season concluded in Berchtesgaden (GER), with Austrians Fabian Obmann and Arvid Auner going 1-2, with Obmann winning his first World Cup race and second career medal … and winning the seasonal title! Obmann, 26, ended with 485 points to win the overall Parallel discipline and 297 points to win the Parallel Slalom title as well!

The women’s Parallel Slalom in Rogla was a win for Austria’s Sabine Schoeffmann, for her second win of the season, ahead of two-time Olympic Parallel Giant Slalom winner Ester Ledecka (CZE), with 2023 Parallel Giant Slalom World Champion Tsubaki Miki (JPN) third.

In Berchtesgaden, Ledecka got her first win of the season, defeating Ramona Theresia Hofmeister (GER), with fellow German Cheyenne Loch third. The overall seasonal title, however, went to Switzerland’s two-time World Champion Julie Zogg, with 594 points to 584 for Hofmeister. Zogg won the Parallel Slalom seasonal title, but Hofmeister took the Parallel Giant Slalom Crystal Globe.

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TSX REPORT: No Winter Games bid “more attractive” than Salt Lake City; Infantino triples Women’s World Cup prizes; Japan into WBC semis

By
Rich Perelman
-
The 2002 Olympic Winter Games cauldron now installed at the University of Utah (Photo: University of Utah)

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. USOPC’s Sykes underscores Salt Lake City bid quality for 2034
2. Infantino re-elected by acclimation at FIFA Congress
3. FIE’s Russia vote causes German World Cup cancellation
4. Japan marches on with 9-3 win over Italy in WBC quarters
5. Volleyball ranked top social-media IF in survey

Gene Sykes, the new Chair of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s Board of Directors said that Sale Lake City is clearly the best available bidder for a future Olympic Winter Games but that a 2034 hosting continues to be preferred to 2030. The USOPC also insists on continuing sanctions against Russia and Belarus, and wants to see if there are truly “neutral” and “clean” athletes from those countries to compete internationally again. FIFA President Gianni Infantino was re-elected by acclimation for a second term, and said he expects FIFA revenues for 2023-26 to exceed $11 billion and announced that the 2023 Women’s World Cup prize package would expand to $152 million. The German Fencing Federation “returned” a May women’s Foil World Cup to the International Fencing Federation in view of that body’s vote to reinstate Russian and Belarusian athletes, saying it would not be a host to them. Japan surged past Italy, 9-3, in its quarterfinal of the World Baseball Classic in Tokyo on Thursday, and comes to the semis in Miami undefeated at 5-0. In an annual ranking of International Federation social-media effectiveness, Volleyball World was listed first, followed by FIFA and World Athletics.

● Panorama: Los Angeles 2028 (Garcetti confirmed as India ambassador) = Alpine Skiing (Odermatt and Gut-Behrami win World Cup Super-G finales) = Athletics (2: Raven Saunders accepts fault for suspension; appreciating Jasmine Moore’s NCAA double) = Basketball (USA Basketball not requiring World Cup play to be on Olympic team) = Football (SoFi Stadium may be too narrow for ‘26 FIFA World Cup Final) = Wrestling (Italy’s Chamizo loses 2022 Worlds bronze to doping) ●

1.
USOPC’s Sykes underscores Salt Lake City bid quality for 2034

“I think it’s fair to say there will not be bids from any other host which will be more attractive to the [International Olympic Committee] than a bid from Salt Lake City, just given how well prepared Salt Lake City is, and the local support, which is absolutely critical and, I think, very very differentiating.

“So I don’t imagine that any bid will be more attractive on its face than the Salt Lake City opportunity.”

That’s new U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee Chair Gene Sykes during a Thursday teleconference with reporters, where he spoke at some length about the strength of the Salt Lake City candidature for the 2030 or 2034 Olympic Winter Games:

● “The commitment to supporting winter sports, through venue updating and investment and access pathways at all levels, and of course, the support for returning the Games to Utah: it’s remarkable.”

● “As you know, we have always looked at the possibility of either 2030 or 2034. Our preference is to host 2034 due to the proximity in dates to Los Angeles 2028. But we remain committed to whichever year best suits the Olympic and Paralympic Movement.”

● Asked about the IOC and what to do about 2030, Sykes explained:

“They have been looking to find a city that would offer a good alternative to Salt Lake City for 2030. They understand our preference; they have the same preference we do for 2034, if possible. But almost every other city has some limitation, either by capability or local support or something else, and so I think there’s no issue of fairness, it’s just a matter of understanding wat their options are, and I believe very strongly, they understand the advantages that Salt Lake City has to every other potential host.”

Sykes also reiterated the USOPC position on the possible return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competition, but underscored the concerns about whether adequate conditions could actually be met:

“Though the conversation has shifted over time; our position has not. Above all else, we stand in solidarity with the people and athletes of Ukraine. …

“The commitment to the principles of Olympism is reflected in the strength of the sanctions that were put in place nearly a year ago against Russia and Belarus. We support these sanctions and believe they must continue to be upheld.

“We’ve listened to, and continue to gather feedback from athletes, sports and other constituents around the United States. Many have told us it’s their desire to compete against all of the world’s best athletes, but only if that can happen in a way that ensures safe and fair play.

“There’s a very real concern, even skepticism – and we continue to hear the skepticism – about whether that condition can be met, and how the strong sanctions that are in place will be upheld as athletes return to the competition environment. What will neutrality really mean? What will the conditions for neutrality be?

“As such, we encourage the IOC to continue exploring a process that would preserve the existing sanctions, ensuring only truly neutral athletes, who are clean, are welcome to compete. This process will continue to require very careful management, and will demand extra effort to earn the confidence and trust of our community. …

“Only if these conditions of neutrality and clean, fair competition can be met do we believe the spirit of the Olympic Games can prevail.”

USOPC chief executive Sarah Hirshland cheered the forward movement of the Kamila Valieva doping case from the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, now at the Court of Arbitration for Sport:

“I really want to stress that while we can’t force action at CAS, it is so important that the figure skating team athletes who competed in Beijing get resolution with no delay.”

Hirshland also noted that the USOPC is ready to support the work of the fledgling Commission on the State of the U.S. Olympics and Paralympics, including extension of the Congressionally-set deadline to allow the group to do a thorough job.

2.
Infantino re-elected by acclimation at FIFA Congress

Running unopposed, FIFA President Gianni Infantino was re-elected for a second full term by acclimation at he 73rd FIFA Congress in Kigali, Rwanda, noting the promises he had made during his prior term:

“So what did I promise you? Well, I promised you – and very few believed it – that we would experience the best (FIFA) World Cup ever, and we delivered. We organised the best (FIFA) World Cup ever. We had five billion viewers all over the world. We had three million fans in the stadiums, we had teams from five different continents qualifying for the knockout phase, even Morocco, the first African team in the semifinal, mabrouk! Felicidades Argentina, of course, for winning this (FIFA) World Cup. Congratulations to France too, for being that close to winning the trophy. We had excellent stadiums, perfect infrastructure, no incidents, zero incidents. Some were telling me that maybe it’s linked with the fact that people weren’t drinking alcohol in or around the stadiums, maybe, maybe not, but it was very peaceful and joyful. And, of course, we took on board as well our responsibility to deal with human rights matters and to deal with the legacy of this (FIFA) World Cup – the first in the Middle East – Shukran Qatar.

“Secondly, we have promised you that we would organise the best, the most beautiful FIFA Women’s World Cup. And we did so in 2019, in France. We created, we organised, we hosted a beautiful (FIFA) Women’s World Cup: 1.2 billion viewers around the world; more than a million of fans in the stadiums – a magical atmosphere in France. This environment has led to an impressive progress in globalising women’s football. And, therefore, thank you to France (and) congratulations to the U.S. as they won the trophy. It was once again the best, of course. …

“And I would like to remind you as well that when I arrived in FIFA, the FIFA reserves were around USD 1 billion. Today, the FIFA reserves are at almost USD 4 billion, which means we have even more money that we can inject and invest in football, because FIFA’s money is your money. It’s for football and football development. And you know, I promised you that we would increase all the programmes, that we would have more development programmes in the world.

“And that’s what we did. Many of you may remember that before being elected as FIFA President, each federation would receive USD 250,000 per year. Now, they receive USD 2 million per year. So it’s seven times more in seven years. We multiplied the investment by seven. If a CEO were to tell stakeholders that the products were multiplied by seven, I believe that they would keep that CEO forever. They would love for this story to carry on, but I’m only here for a four-year cycle.”

He also emphasized trials of new concepts, like a smaller video-review system that could be used for all competitions and a new offside rule “to give a bit more advantage to the attacker.”

And Infantino said that the $11 billion FIFA budget projected for 2023-26 is no longer aspirational, but with the expansion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup from 64 to 104 matches, it will be surpassed:

“We are promising you new record revenues for the next four-year cycle of USD 11 billion. So from USD 6.4 (billion), which became USD 7.5 (billion) in the last cycle, we go to USD 11 billion. And actually the new (FIFA) Club World Cup is even not included in that, so I think this figure will increase still, by at least a couple of billions. We will see.”

Infantino’s closing comments also set new goals for the FIFA Women’s World Cup:

“Step one being equal conditions and services for all men and women playing at a FIFA World Cup. This will be a reality for the (FIFA) Women’s World Cup 2023, the same conditions as 2022 will be for the players and coaching staff for the (FIFA) Women’s World Cup 2023.

“Step two entails a significant increase in the total prize money envelope for the 2023 (FIFA Women’s) World Cup. It will be over three times more than in 2019 when I was already President. It will be 10 times more than in 2015, before I became President of FIFA. 10 times more. So, we move from (USD) 15 million in 2015 to (USD) 150 million in 2023. For the first time ever, we will try to dedicate a specific portion of this payment – which mainly has to go to football development, but a specific portion of that should go, of course, to the players.”

The breakdown includes $110 million in actual prize money, $11.3 million in club benefits and $30.7 million in team preparation support, for $152 million in all. For 2019, the total was $50 million, with $30 million in prizes and $20 million in team prep support.

He also set a goal “to have equality in payments for the 2026 men’s and the 2027 women’s World Cups” and then challenged “[b]roadcasters and sponsors, dear friends, have to do more in this respect.”

The FIFA World Cup in 2022 paid $440 million in prize money to federations, $209 million to clubs and $48 million in team preparation fees for total of $697 million.

3.
FIE’s Russia vote causes German World Cup cancellation

“The Executive Committee of the German Fencing Federation informed the World Fencing Federation FIE today that it will not be hosting the women’s foil World Cup planned for the first weekend in May in Tauberbischofsheim.”

Last week’s vote at the Federation Internationale de Escrime (FIE) to re-admit Russian and Belarusian athletes after 15 April, subject to recommendations or regulations from the International Olympic Committee, has led to the cancellation of May’s women’s Foil World Cup in Germany.

German federation President Claudia Bokel, a former IOC Member during her term as an IOC Athletes’ Commission representative, explained (translation from the original German):

“The discussions of the last few days after the decision of the FIE Congress to allow Russian and Belarusian participation again, triggered heated discussions both internally and externally.

“The [Tauberbischofsheim] World Cup would have been one of the first when this decision should have been implemented. For the Executive Committee, it is currently inconceivable how this should have happened. A number of questions remain unanswered at this point in time.

“As before, our solidarity is with the people in Ukraine who are suffering from the war of aggression. The German Fechter-Bund accepts the decision of last Friday.

“We now want to give a clear signal that we would have wished for a different result and still see a large number of open implementation issues, also from the world federation, which make it impossible to hold the tournament. Accordingly, a later decision on admission would have been the only right way.

“As much as we would have liked to have presented our top athletes to the German audience and given them the opportunity to use the home field advantage on their way to the Olympic Games in Paris, the circumstances do not make another decision possible.”

Another women’s Foil World Cup could be in trouble as Poznan (POL) is scheduled to host a tournament from 21-23 April, immediately after the new regulations on Russian and Belarusian inclusion would apply. Poland is one of the countries most impacted by refugee flows from Ukraine and has been a leader against Russian and Belarusian re-admission to sports.

4.
Japan marches on with 9-3 win over Italy in WBC quarters

Undefeated Japan cruised into the semifinals in Miami, Florida via a 9-3 win over Italy in the second World Baseball Classic quarterfinal to be played at the Tokyo Dome in Japan.

Now 5-0, Japan has outscored its opponents by 47-11 and broke the game open in the bottom of the third, taking a 4-0 lead principally on a three-run homer from first baseman Kazuma Okamoto. After the Italians got two back on right fielder Dominic Fletcher’s single in the top of the fifth, Japan scored three times for a 7-2 lead thanks to doubles from third baseman Munetaka Murakami and Okamoto. Left fielder Masataka Yoshida belted a seventh-inning home run and Japan scored once more to lead 9-2, and Fletcher slugged an eight-inning home run to make the final, 9-3.

Japanese ace Shohei Ohtani pitched the first 4 2/3 innings, giving up two runs and getting the win. Fellow star Yu Darvish pitched two innings and gave up one run. Joe LaSorsa pitched the third inning for Italy and took the loss.

With the victory, Japan heads to Miami to meet the winner of Friday’s quarterfinal between Puerto Rico and Mexico on Monday (20th). Cuba, which defeated Australia, 4-3, in the first quarterfinal, will play the winner of Saturday’s Venezuela-U.S. quarterfinal on Sunday.

The championship game will be in Miami on Monday (21st).

Beyond the quarterfinalists, eight teams finished third or fourth in their groups and qualified for the 2026 World Baseball Classic: Canada, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Great Britain, Israel, Netherlands, Panama, and South Korea.

5.
Volleyball ranked top social-media IF in survey

The seventh edition of the #SportOnSocial League Table produced by the London-based Redtorch digital research and creative agency evaluates International Federation social-media performance on a series of factors that mostly ignore sheer audience size. Follower growth, growth rate, engagement rate and video views are all included in the evaluation, which saw Volleyball World (from the Federation Internationale de Volleyball) ranked first overall.

FIFA ranked second, moving up from third in 2021, and World Athletics ranked third, also up one spot. The prior leader, the Badminton World Federation, was fifth in this survey. A total of 40 federations – summer and winter – were reviewed.

The project looked at social-media performance on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube. The data was weighted according to the “average level of priority for IFs”:

1. Instagram: 25%
2. Facebook: 20%
3. YouTube: 20%
4. TikTok: 20%
5. Twitter: 15%

Overall, the cumulative performance showed an impressive growth in new followers of 68% compared to 2021. The top-ranked federations by platform:

● Facebook: 1. World Aquatics; 2. Volleyball World; 3. International Gymnastics Federation.

● Instagram: 1. Volleyball World; 2. FIFA; 3. Badminton World Federation.

● Twitter: 1. World Athletics; 2. Volleyball World; 3. Badminton World Federation.

● TikTok: 1. FIFA; 2. Volleyball World; 3. World Athletics.

● YouTube: 1. FIFA; 2. World Athletics; 3. Volleyball World.

The overall rankings of the top-performing federations:

1. Volleyball World
2. FIFA (football)
3. World Athletics
4. FIBA (basketball)
5. World Rugby
6. World Aquatics
7. Union Cycliste Internationale
8. United World Wrestling
9. International Skating Union
10. International Judo Federation

The lowest-ranked federations included: 36. International Shooting Sports Federation; 37. World Sailing; 38. World Pentathlon; 39. World Skate; 40. International Golf Federation.

It’s worth noting FIFA’s performance, due in significant part to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The federation saw growth of 15.9 million on Instagram alone, and 7.5 million on YouTube

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● Former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, a key player in the 2017 negotiations that brought the 2028 Olympic Games to Los Angeles, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate, 52-42, to be the American Ambassador to India.

Garcetti, named in July 2021, had to wait two years for confirmation after doubts were raised about his knowledge of sexual harassment allegations concerning a Mayoral office staff member. But the U.S. need to have an ambassador in New Delhi overrode all other concerns.

● Alpine Skiing ● The FIS Alpine World Cup Final in Soldeu (ROU) continued with the Super-G races on Thursday, with Swiss champions on the top of the podium.

Marco Odermatt, already the seasonal men’s World Cup champ, won his 12th race of the season and clinched the seasonal Super-G trophy in 1:23.91. He was a clear winner, ahead of Marco Schwarz (AUT: 1:24.20) and Norway’s Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (1:24.62). American Ryan Cochran-Siegle just missed a medal in fourth in 1:24.77.

Odermatt won the seasonal Super-G title with 740 points to 512 for Kilde. He’s also the seasonal Giant Slalom winner, to go along with his second overall title in a row.

Former women’s World Cup champ Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI) won the women’s Super-G, timing 1:26.70, beating 2022 Super-G season winner Federica Brignone (ITA: 1:26.92) and Norway’s Ragnhild Mowinckel (1:27.17). The win was Gut-Behrami’s third of the season and have her the seasonal Super-G title by 413-368-366 over Brignone and Mowinckel.

U.S. superstar Mikaela Shiffrin finished 14th in 1:28.16.

The season will conclude with the Slaloms on Saturday (18th) and Giant Slaloms on Sunday (19th).

● Athletics ● Tokyo Olympic women’s shot runner-up Raven Saunders replied on Twitter to her U.S. Anti-Doping Agency suspension for 18 months for “whereabouts” failures:

“As a veteran I definitely should’ve done better and I take full responsibility for my actions. I didn’t fail a test for any substance and was tested again after each of my missed test. I’ve always been an advocate of clean sport. I’ll be back to claim the throne Feb 15th 2024!”

One of the best, but perhaps not fully appreciated performances at the NCAA Championships in Albuquerque was Jasmine Moore’s 7.03 m (23-0 3/4) and 15.12 m (49-7 1/4) double in the women’s long jump and triple jump.

Moore won that NCAA indoor and outdoor double in 2022 for Georgia, then moved on to Florida and did the indoor double for the Gators, becoming – with the aid of altitude, true – the 20th woman to jump 7 m indoors (and equal-third all-time U.S. indoor) and no. 5 on the all-time world indoor list in the triple jump.

She vaporized the U.S. indoor triple jump record on her first jump of 14.74 m (48-4 1/2), bettering Tori Franklin’s 2020 mark of 14.64 m (48-0 1/2). She then extended it in round two to 15.08 m (49-5 3/4) and finally to 15.12 m on her final try.

For comparison, consider that her 7.03 m long jump would have ranked fifth in the world on the combined indoor/outdoor list for the Olympic year of 2021 and equal-fourth for 2022, a World Championships year. In the triple jump, her 15.12 m would make her no. 2 to world-record holder Yulimar Rojas (VEN), and is the furthest non-Rojas jump since 2010 indoors and since 2016 outdoors!

Franklin won the U.S.’s first-ever World Athletics Championships medal in the women’s triple jump at the 2022 Worlds in Eugene. Moore is now positioned to do even better, perhaps also the first-ever Olympic medal in the women’s triple!

● Basketball ● USA Basketball’s Managing Director of the USA Men’s National Team, 1996 Olympic gold medalist Grant Hill, told reporters this week that playing in the FIBA World Cup is not a prerequisite to being selected for the Olympic team.

ESPN Senior Writer Brian Windhorst wrote that Hill explained it this way:

“There’s no commitment necessary, no ‘if you want to play in the Olympics, you have to play here. I understood why that was implemented and I think it was tremendously successful. …

“But we feel like we had to make a change in that regard. So no tryouts, no commitment.

“You have to adapt to the times. If you looked at the NBA, it has changed tremendously. It’s changed since I retired in 2013. Every generation’s different and it’s important for us as leadership, particularly USA Basketball, to recognize that and be willing to adapt with that change.”

The plan will be to select a 12-man roster for the 2023 FIBA World Cup in August and also have a “Select Team” of younger players as a practice squad, who could be elevated if needed due to injury or sickness.

● Football ● “Stan Kroenke’s SoFi Stadium pitch too narrow to host 2026 World Cup final” read the headline in The Times (London) on Wednesday, noting that the field is as much as 63 feet (19.2 m) short of the preferred FIFA dimensions. The 70,000-seat stadium, which was built for temporary expansion to 100,000, would have to have the field re-worked for a potential final there.

MetLife Stadium in New Jersey apparently does meet the field-dimension requirements and seats 82,500, and has been whispered as a more suitable choice, also due to being in the Eastern time zone.

● Wrestling ● A Eurosport report states that Italian Freestyle star Frank Chamizo, a two-time World Champion at 65 kg, has lost his 2022 Worlds bronze at 74 kg due to a doping positive and subsequent disqualification.

The penalty imposed was three months, so he is eligible again, but lost his fifth career Worlds medal, elevating Turkey’s Soner Demirtas to medal status.

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TSX REPORT: Cuba reaches World Baseball Classic semis; Morocco joins 2030 FIFA World Cup bid; Paris 2024 to sell 1.5 million more tickets

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Cuba reaches WBC semis for first time since 2006
2. Morocco joins Spain and Portugal bid for 2030 FIFA World Cup
3. Next stage of Paris 2024 ticket sales opens with registration
4. Russia: Matytsin not extended by FISU; Russia to host SCO Games?
5. LA28 expands direct support of youth sports programs

The first World Baseball Classic quarterfinal was played in Tokyo, with Cuba edging Australia, 4-3, to advance to its first semifinal since the inaugural tournament in 2006. Puerto Rico eliminated the Dominican Republic in Pool D and advanced to the quarters, as did Venezuela, the group winner. In Phoenix, Mexico won Pool C and the U.S. advanced as the second team in the pool. Morocco released a statement saying it was joining Spain and Portugal to bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup in what will be an attractive hosting offer; still-under-attack Ukraine will be dropped from the project. The second phase of ticket sales for Paris 2024 started with registration on Wednesday, with 1.5 million tickets to be offered in this effort. A final three million tickets will go on sale late in the year. The International University Sports Federation (FISU) declined to extend the term of its Executive Committee, so elections will be held in November, with Russian President Oleg Matytsin’s future with the organization unsure. He is now the Russian sports minister and stepped back from the FISU post in 2021. On a new front, he is offering Russia as the site of a first “SCO Games,” perhaps in 2025, to feature Russia and China. The LA28 organizing committee has stepped beyond its City of Los Angeles youth program and is not reaching with apparel and equipment to kids in the Southern California area through an expanding “Gift for Sport” program.

● Panorama: Alpine Skiing (Kriechmayr and Stuhec win World Cup Final downhills) = Athletics (Saunders suspended for 18 mos. for whereabouts) = Biathlon (Eckhoff and Chevalier-Bouchet retire) = Football (2: New Allstate Continental Clasico; rioting in advance of Frankfurt-Napoli) = Rowing (new transgender rules) ●

1.
Cuba reaches WBC semis for first time since 2006

A tight game before 35,061 at the Tokyo Dome was broken open by a two-run single by right-fielder Yoelkis Gilbert in the fifth inning and keyed Cuba to a 4-3 win over Australia in the first World Baseball Classic quarterfinal.

Cuba had not made it to the WBC semis since the first tournament in 2006 and the game was 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth when designated hitter Alfredo Despaigne’s sacrifice fly off Australia’s Sam Holland gave them a 2-1 lead. Jon Kennedy replaced Holland after a single loaded the bases and Gilbert delivered a single to right field that scored Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert Jr. for a 4-1 edge.

Australian first baseman Rixon Wingrove blasted a two-run homer to right center off Cuba’s Roenis Elias in the top of the sixth to close to 4-3, but that was the last hit the Cubans gave up.

Japan is the only team to make it as far as the semis in all four prior Classics, winning in 2006 and 2009 and finishing third in 2013 and 2017, and will face Italy in Tokyo on Thursday to decide the second semifinalist. Two-star star Shohei Ohtani is the scheduled starter for Japan.

The two U.S.-based groups finished up on Wednesday, with Venezuela finishing Pool D in Miami with a perfect, 4-0 record after a 5-1 win over Israel (1-3). The dramatic “semifinal play-in” game for second between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico broke open in the third inning with four runs, including a home run from designated hitter Christian Vazquez, run-scoring singles from shortstop Francisco Lindor and Enrique Hernandez and an M.J. Rodriguez ground-out. Left fielder Juan Soto got one back for the Dominicans with a homer in the bottom of the fourth, but each sides only scored once for the 5-2 final.

Puerto Rico (3-1) eliminated the Dominicans (2-2), one of the tournament favorites; they will play Mexico in the quarterfinals. But star closer Edwin Diaz (Mets) suffered a right leg injury during the post-game celebration and left the field in a wheelchair; his status is unknown.

In Pool C in Phoenix, Canada (2-2) and Mexico (3-1) were in a tight, 3-2 game through five innings when the Mexicans scored four in the top of the sixth and two in the seventh for a 9-3 lead and eventual 10-3 win and the top spot in the pool.

Left fielder Randy Arozarena was the star with five runs batted in on doubles in the first and sixth innings and designated hitter Rowdy Tellez hit a solo homer in the eighth.

The U.S. (3-1) faced Colombia (1-3) in the final pool match-up, and took a 1-0 lead in the third on a Mike Trout single, but a sacrifice fly, and a double by first baseman Reynaldo Rodriguez scored two for Colombia in the bottom of the inning. The U.S. grabbed the lead back in the sixth thanks to a two-run single from Trout and American pitching held Colombia to two hits in the final six innings for the 3-2 win.

The remaining games will all be played in Miami. Cuba will play – in Miami! – on Sunday (19th) against the winner of the Venezuela-U.S. quarterfinal, with the other semi on 20 March, and the final on 21 March.

2.
Morocco joins Spain and Portugal bid for 2030 FIFA World Cup

With the Russian war against Ukraine continuing and no end in sight, Morocco announced Wednesday that it would join the Spain and Portugal bid for the FIFA 2030 World Cup, with Ukraine expected to be dropped in view of its continuing struggle. The Moroccan statement:

“The Kingdom of Morocco has decided, together with Spain and Portugal, to present a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup.

“This joint bid, which is unprecedented in football history, will bring together Africa and Europe, the northern and southern Mediterranean, and the African, Arab and Euro-Mediterranean worlds. It will also bring out the best in all of us – in effect, a combination of genius, creativity, experience, and means.”

It’s the fifth bid by Morocco, but first in combination with others. Opposing it is a multi-nation bid from South America – where the World Cup was first played in 1930 – including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, and a three-continent tie-up between Greece, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Morocco lost in bids for the 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010 and 2026 World Cups, but has a much shinier resume now after becoming the first African team to reach the semifinals in 2022, and successfully hosting the FIFA Club World Cup in February of this year.

A decision on the 2030 host is expected in 2024.

3.
Next stage of Paris 2024 ticket sales opens with registration

The second phase of the Paris 2024 Olympic ticketing program got going on Wednesday, with registration for the next sales stage, to open on 11 May. After the sale of 3.25 million tickets – out of 8 million available – in the first phase, the next segment is reported to offer not less than 1.5 million tickets.

However, this time all sessions are to be offered – including ceremonies – for single-ticket sales, with an individual total of up to 30 tickets total, across all ticketing offer sessions. There is a limit of six tickets for any specific sports session and four tickets for either the opening or closing ceremonies.

About 10% of these tickets will be available at the bottom price of €24 (about $25.39 U.S.).

After this second offer, about five million or 62% of the eight million non-hospitality tickets will have been put on sale, with the final three million to be available near the end of 2023. A resale market will also be set up in the spring of 2024, trying to keep all tickets inside the system; the resales are expected to be allowed only at face value.

Paris 2024 has said that 10 million Olympic tickets will be available in all, with 20% available for hospitality use and 80% for the tickets-only sales program. It will be fascinating to see what happens in early 2024 after the third sales phase, especially when tickets will be returned to public sale from International Federations, National Olympic Committees and sponsors, and if there are tickets that were expected to be sold as part of hospitality packages, but are not and made available to the public.

Ticket availability, especially returns from hospitality packages, may depend – as in past Games – on access to housing (and pricing), whether in hotels or in-home rentals. That’s often a key determiner of how many hospitality-reserved seats end up being sold close to the Games as simple public tickets.

4.
Russia: Matytsin not extended by FISU; Russia to host SCO Games?

An online Extraordinary General Assembly was held by the International University Sports Federation (FISU) on Wednesday concerning the election of its Executive Committee. At issue was whether to extend the term of the existing ExCom by two years to 2025, or to have elections in November 2023.

The motion to extend required a two-thirds majority, but with 81 member associations attending, only 41 voted in favor (50.6%), well short of the two-thirds majority required. There were 36 votes against, and four did not register a vote, so “FISU will hold elections for the positions of the FISU Executive Committee in November 2023.”

This impacts an important player in Russian sport: Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin. He was elected as the head of FISU in 2015 and re-elected in 2019. He became sports minister in Russia in January 2020, then stepped aside from the FISU Presidency in March 2021 in favor of Swiss Leonz Eder, who has served as Interim President since then.

Without an extension, Matytsin’s term will end as scheduled in November. Although the decision impacts the entire FISU Executive Committee – including Delise O’Meally from the U.S., now the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s Vice President of International Relations – there was the predictable, hyperbolic comment from the Chair of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports Dmitry Svishchev:

“This is a purely political decision. Matytsin has done more for student sports than all previous FISU leaders. He has proven himself in this position, held the Universiade at a high level.

“I have no doubt that such a progressive and professional leader will continue to apply his knowledge to the development of sports in our country.”

Svishchev was right about Matytsin continuing his development work, as Matytsin told the Russian news agency TASS about a new international event to feature athletes from Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) countries (DeepL.com translation):

“We propose to consider the site of the Russian Federation as a possible host country for the SCO Games, in coordination with the SCO chairing country for the next calendar period.

“The association activity may be aimed at strengthening ties in development of Olympic, non-Olympic, Paralympic and national sports; the association will promote sports events among the SCO member states. The Russian side has worked out a draft of regulations of the working group, which is necessary for deepening of cooperation in sports within the SCO. It may be a permanent body, which will realize, among other things, preparation and carrying out of sports events, such as the SCO Games.”

But when?

Matytsin’s comments note “coordination with the SCO chairing country for the next calendar period,” which could indicate that the plan is for 2025 at the earliest. The current SCO chair is Uzbekistan’s Ruslan Mirzaev, a former Russian KGB officer, now an official with the Uzbek National Security Service. His term is expected to end in December 2024, so a Russian could take over in January of 2025.

SCO member states start with China and Russia, and include India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, with Iran and Belarus set to join in the future.

While other federations make noise about Russian re-entry, European Athletics confirmed its continuing ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes on Wednesday, posting:

“European Athletics continues to strongly endorse the position outlined initially in the European Athletics statement of 1 March 2022 that ‘all athletes, support personnel and other officials from Russia and from Belarus will be excluded from participating at any European Athletics’ events for the foreseeable future with immediate effect.’”

5.
LA28 expands direct support of youth sports programs

The Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee has gained considerable acclaim for the $160 million funding program it has arranged for the City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department through 2028, using monies advanced by the International Olympic Committee under the Host City agreement.

Now, however, LA28 is pushing beyond that agreement, announced in 2017, with direct-to-student giveaways under a “Gift of Sport” program:

● On 8 March, 2,100 middle-school girls from the L.A. area received “more than $100,000 worth of sportswear and sports gear to help them be their best on and off the field of play.” This was part of the YMCA-LA’s 2nd Annual Girls Empowerment Day held at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, a key venue for the 2028 Games.

● On 15 March, LA28 announced that running uniforms will be provided to 2,500 members of the famed Students Run L.A. training group for the Los Angeles Marathon coming up on 19 March. The SRLA program has been a celebrated part of the marathon since its beginnings in 1986 and has impacted more than 75,000 students-turned-runners since then.

Said LA28 Vice President of Impact Erikk Aldridge: “Through the power of sport, these students are learning about challenges, hard work, perseverance and determination, lessons they will carry with them for life. We’re proud to share a little bit of the Olympic and Paralympic magic with these students and look forward to cheering them on.”

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Alpine Skiing ● The FIS Alpine World Cup Final is underway in Soldeu (ROU), with the Downhills concluded on Wednesday with wins for Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT) and Ilka Stuhec (SLO).

Kriechmayr, the 2021 World Champion in the event, started ninth and finished in 1:26.59, not sure if his time would stand up. He replaced German Romed Baumann (1:26.68) – the first man out of the gate – for the lead, but they finished 1-2, with Andreas Sander (GER: 1:26.72) getting third. It was Kriechmayr’s 16th career World Cup win, and ninth in a Downhill; he finished second in the seasonal Downhill standings (614) to Norway’s Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (760). Baumann, 37, won his first World Cup medal since 2015 and the 11th of his career!

Stuhec, who won the 2017 and 2019 Worlds golds in the Downhill, but had struggled since, finished in 1:30.35 for her second win of the season, beating seasonal winner Sofia Goggia (ITA: 1:30.86) and Swiss star Lara Gut-Behrami (1:31.16). Americans Breezy Johnson and Isabella Wright were sixth and seventh, in 1:31.37 and 1:31.41.

Goggia finished with 740 Downhill points to 551 for Stuhec, who coming into the 2022-23 season, hadn’t won World Cup race in the prior three seasons.

● Athletics ● The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced that Raven Saunders (USA), the Tokyo 2020 Olympic women’s shot silver medalist, “accepted an 18-month suspension for committing three Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period.”

Her ineligibility began on 15 August 2022, the date of her third Whereabouts Failure. After her runner-up performance in Tokyo, Saunders finished fourth at the U.S. nationals in 2022 and did not make the team for the World Athletics Championships held in Eugene, Oregon last summer.

Still just 26, Saunders will be eligible again in mid-February 2024, well ahead of the U.S. Olympic Trials for Paris and a possible third Olympic berth in 2024.

● Biathlon ● With the end of the 2022-23 IBU World Cup season coming up this week, another star has announced her retirement: Norway’s eight-time Olympic medalist Tiril Eckhoff.

Still just 32, Eckhoff won Olympic biathlon golds in the mixed relay in Sochi in 2014 and in Beijing in 2022. She owns individual Olympic medals in the 12.5 km Mass Start (bronze in 2014-18, silver in 2022) and a bronze in 2022 in the 10 km Pursuit. She won 15 Worlds Championships medals – 10 golds – from 2015-21, including individual wins in the Sprint (2) and Pursuit (1). She missed the 2022-23 season due to injuries.

Also retiring is French star Anais Chevalier-Bouchet, 30, the 15 km Individual silver winner in Beijing in 2022, in addition to a silver on the Mixed Relay. She also owns an Olympic bronze from the 2018 women’s 4×6 km relay. She won seven career World Championships medals between 2016 and 2023, including three silvers and four bronzes.

● Football ● U.S. Soccer announced a new trophy competition, the Allstate Continental Clásico, a single, annual match to feature the U.S. men’s National Team and an opponent from the Americas.

The first edition comes on 19 April in Glendale, Arizona, vs. Mexico at 10 p.m. Eastern time, to be shown on TBS, Telemundo and Universo. The U.S. has won three straight home matches against Mexico.

More football violence, this time in Naples (ITA), in advance of Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League match with Eintracht Frankfurt.

According to The Associated Press, Frankfurt fans faced off with local police:

“Car windows were broken and fans hurled flares, chairs and other objects as innocent bystanders took shelter in bars and restaurants. A police car and other vehicles were set alight.”

Naples fans were kept away from the German fans by police, but threw objects at buses lined up to take the Frankfurt fans away from the site.

There was less excitement at the match, won by Napoli, 3-0, to advance to the quarterfinals on an aggregate score of 5-0 across two games with Frankfurt.

● Rowing ● World Rowing made a significant change to its transgender rules, announcing on Wednesday a by-law change by the World Rowing Council, tightening the eligibility of men-to-women transgenders. The new regulation requires:

(1) “A rower who was identified as and assigned woman and/or female at the time of the rower’s birth and did not transition to any other gender than woman by the time that the rower reached puberty shall, unless the Executive Committee determines otherwise, be eligible to compete as a woman. All other rowers can row in the men’s events.”

(2) “One criterium in case of a gender transition is that the rower’s serum testosterone concentration has been less than 2.5 nmol/L continuously for a period of at least the previous 24 months.”

“This revision of World Rowing’s eligibility rules is based on the state of scientific knowledge published to date in this area and is intended to promote the integration of transgender athletes into competitive sport, while maintaining fairness, equal opportunities and the safety of competitions for all.”

The prior rule had allowed a serum testosterone level of 5.0 nmol/L for all competitors racing in the women’s division, so this is a considerable narrowing of eligibility for trans women.

A formal and more detailed rule change can only be adopted at a Quadrennial Congress, next to be held after the Paris 2024 Games. The new regulation brings rowing into the same stance as World Aquatics, which has also barred post-pubescent males from competing in the female category and specifies a 2.5 nmol/L testosterone maximum to be maintained. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) now requires male-to-female trans athletes to maintain a testosterone level at 2.5 nmol/L or below for 24 months, but has not banned post-pubescent gender transfers for the women’s division.

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 929-event International Sports Calendar for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: FIFA expanding 2026 World Cup to 104 matches! WADA asking for more sanctions power, unimpressed with Russian progress

By
Rich Perelman
-
The FIFA World Cup 2026 venue map (Photo: FIFA)

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. FIFA to approve mammoth, 104-match World Cup for 2026
2. WADA chief Banka asks for stronger anti-doping treaty
3. Russia confirmed as still non-compliant with WADA Code
4. Activists asking vote on 2030 Commonwealth Games in Alberta
5. U.S. Swimmers offered $1 million bonus to sweep Paris relays

The FIFA Council approved a format of 12 groups of four for the 2026 World Cup, which will expand the tournament from 64 in Qatar to a staggering 104 matches in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.! At the World Anti-Doping Agency Annual Symposium, President Witold Banka of Poland urged a revision of the UNESCO anti-doping treaty that would allow sanctions against countries, just as sanctions are now leveled at athletes. Moreover, he specifically noted that the Russian Anti-Doping Agency is not yet compliant, even with the Court of Arbitration for Sport sanctions expiring at the end of last year, and pointed to the Kamila Valieva doping case from the Beijing 2022 Winter Games as a problem. In the Canadian province of Alberta, activists are asking why the hosting – and cost – of a 2030 Commonwealth Games in Calgary and Edmonton would be a good idea, with one group starting a petition to ask for a referendum on the project … which is currently only in the exploratory stage. USA Swimming wants to improve its relays performance at the World Championships and Olympic Games and announced a $500,000 bonus for the swimming and open-water team if the U.S. wins all seven Olympic-program relays at the 2023 Worlds and $1 million for a sweep at Paris 2024!

● Panorama: Aquatics (Phelps leads 2023 Hall of Fame Class) = Athletics (Goucher says she blew the whistle on Salazar) = Badminton (USA Badminton pays $1 million to settle harassment claim) = Baseball (2: Dominicans one-hit Israel, 10-0, in World Baseball Classic; good TV audiences so far) = Basketball (Hill says U.S. World Cup team forming) = Biathlon (Roeiseland and Herrmann-Wick retiring) = Boxing (Kremlev rips Women’s Worlds boycotters) = Gymnastics (Verniaiev suspension ends early) = Water Polo (Italy and Spain win men’s World Cup groups) ●

1.
FIFA to approve mammoth, 104-match World Cup for 2026

There will be no doubt that the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. will be the biggest ever … by far.

The FIFA Council, meeting in advance of the FIFA Congress in Kigali, Rwanda, approved the international match calendar for 2025-30, clearing a 56-day period for players to join national teams, play in the 2026 World Cup and then return, back to the same schedule as for 2010, 2014 and 2018.

With the number of teams expanding from 32 to 48 for 2026, it was originally thought that the group stage would feature 16 groups of three teams. But after the brilliant group stage at Qatar 2022, the format reverted to the familiar four-team groups – 12 now needed – and the final games of each group played concurrently to help alleviate collusion. This also ensures that all teams play at each three matches.

With the added teams, the 2026 tournament will expand by 62.5%, from 64 matches to 104 and establish all-new records for attendance, world viewership and revenues. Suddenly, the $11 billion revenue target for the 2023-26 quadrennial seems achievable.

The World Cup Final is now scheduled for 19 July, with the opening on 11 June – 39 days in all – and with the top two teams from each of the 12 groups advancing, plus eight of the 12 third-place teams, into a new round of 32. The tournament will be played at 16 already-selected sites, with three in Mexico, two in Canada and the other 11 in the U.S.

A new FIFA club competition is also to debut in 2024 to match up the winners of the continental confederation championships. A 32-team FIFA Club World Cup will begin in 2025.

The 73rd FIFA Congress in Kigali will take place on Thursday (16th), with Gianni Infantino (SUI) standing unopposed for re-election as President.

2.
WADA chief Banka asks for stronger anti-doping treaty

“The Convention does not have an effective enforcement mechanism so violating it has virtually no consequences. Even Russia has remained a compliant state party despite WADA revealing an extensive institutionalized doping program in that country and despite the Court of Arbitration for Sport acknowledging the active role of the Russian Government in the doping scandal. How is this possible? UNESCO must hold resistant Governments to account and protect other Governments and their athletes from those who violate the rules.”

That’s World Anti-Doping Agency President Witold Banka (POL) from his keynote address at the WADA Annual Symposium in Lausanne, urging a toughening of the United Nations Education Science and Culture Organization’s 2005 International Convention Against Doping in Sport.

The goal is to “hold to account” governments with weak anti-doping policies, just like athletes are subject to sanctions under the World Anti-Doping Code:

“Again and again, I have been told by athletes: ‘We want everyone involved in anti-doping to be held to the same standards as we are.’ That means Anti-Doping Organizations, coaches, doctors and WADA accredited laboratories. All these groups are held accountable by the World Anti-Doping Program… whether it is through the World Anti-Doping Code, WADA’s robust compliance monitoring program or stringent lab assessments.

“That leaves Governments, at least the ones that are apathetic or resistant. This is where we need to do much more. The importance of Governments in anti-doping cannot be overstated. Through legislation, policies, regulations, administrative practices and funding, they can take actions that are not available to the Sport Movement or to WADA. Governments can, in particular, restrict the availability or use of doping substances, increase border controls and fund Anti-Doping
Organizations. …

“Recently, I was at a meeting of senior Government officials where one Sports Minister was very vocal that his nation was compliant with the UNESCO Convention. I did not find this Minister’s intervention very convincing. So, I did a little research. What did I find? Let me put it this way… how many antidoping tests did this country carry out in 2022? The answer: Zero. How much education? Zero. How many investigations? Zero. So, the question is, how can a country be compliant with the UNESCO Convention if it does nothing in these important areas? How is that possible? While a [National Anti-Doping Organization] or National Olympic Committee acting as a NADO is held accountable through the Code, there is not much it can do if a government does not respect the Convention or does not provide adequate funding.”

Banka also noted that the WADA budget is now at an all-time high of $50.2 million and that $4.5 million in research grants will be distributed in 2023, 2024 and 2025. But he is looking for more:

“Governments and the Sport Movement cannot be expected to shoulder the financial
responsibility alone. To help address this situation, we are actively seeking national, continental and global partnerships. Last year, we announced our first such partnership. I am happy to say we hope to have more good news to reveal in the coming weeks.”

The first sponsorship agreement was signed in April 2022 with the Africa-based broadcaster SuperSport.

3.
Russia confirmed as still non-compliant with WADA Code

Banka went into some detail on the status of Russia, leaving no doubt of his view:

“I would like to provide a clear update on Russia and the status of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency, RUSADA. First, I reiterate our support for the people – and, in particular, the athletes – of Ukraine in face of this continued Russian aggression. We stand – and will continue to stand – with Ukraine.

“Meanwhile, RUSADA remains non-compliant. That is related to the 2020 decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to declare RUSADA non-compliant and implement a number of consequences on Russian sport for a period of two years. We wanted four years and tougher consequences. Unfortunately, we didn’t get that.

“RUSADA will remain non-compliant until it fulfills each of the reinstatement conditions in full as laid out by CAS and until we have been able to verify that. We will continue to follow the agreed process. However, I must say that trust in the independence of the anti-doping system there remains very low. For example, the way the case of the [Russian] figure skater Kamila Valieva has been dealt with, has not been encouraging.

“The unnecessary delays in the case feed that distrust. Moreover, we have seen the coach in question [Eteri Tutberidze] receive awards from the highest office in the land. So much for the protection of young athletes, of children! We believe the first instance decision by RUSADA’s disciplinary tribunal is wrong. That is why WADA has appealed it to CAS.

“That decision raises questions as to the competence of their national hearing panel. It certainly does not build confidence. This is something we will continue to take very seriously.”

Banks also noted that the continuing data mining and sample testing from the infamous Moscow Laboratory information system (LIMS) from 2019 has yielded 181 sanctions against Russian athletes, 88 who have been charged with a doping offense and 212 cases that continue to be evaluated.

As far as the Valieva case is concerned, WADA Director General Olivier Niggli (SUI) told reporters:

“It is very difficult now to predict how long it will take, because many different factors affect the case, in particular, how the lawyers of the athlete will conduct the case.

“We would like to do everything possible to get the case resolved as quickly as possible. But the case is very complex, it combines three appeals. I would be very optimistic if I said that we will get a decision before the end of the year, there are still many unknown factors in the case now.”

Russian Anti-Doping Agency Director General Viktoria Loginova told the Russian news agency TASS:

“[I]n order to ensure independence, we are taking exhaustive measures that the World Anti-Doping Code and other WADA documents prescribe for us. Unfortunately, we hear such statements [from WADA] not for the first time. I hope this does not greatly demotivate our team, which, despite the huge number restrictions and difficulties, performs its work at a high level and in full compliance with international standards.”

4.
Activists asking vote on 2030 Commonwealth Games in Alberta

“People are struggling to put food on the table and pay their electricity bills, and the government, whether that be provincial or municipal, is now thinking about spending billions of dollars on what is essentially a big party.”

A familiar refrain from Peter McCaffrey of the Alberta Institute last week, initiating a push-back against the newly-announced study of a possible bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, primarily in Calgary and Edmonton.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has an online petition up, asking for signatures to demand a referendum in the province on the bid, prior to any money being spent on it.

There’s no bid yet, no budget, but more details are expected by the summer, with a possible award of the 2030 host from the Commonwealth Games Foundation as early as the end of the year.

In 2018, a potential Calgary bid for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games was defeated in a citywide referendum with more than 56% voting against it. Calgary very successfully hosted the 1988 Winter Games and Edmonton hosted the 1978 Commonwealth Games.

Commonwealth Games bids are quite interesting now since the requirements only specify that two sports must be held: athletics and swimming. The rest of the program is up to the bidder; in this century, the number of sports has been as low as 16 (in 2006: Melbourne) with 21 expected in Australia (Victoria) in 2026. The last Commonwealth Games in Canada was in Victoria (B.C.), in 1994.

5.
U.S. Swimmers offered $1 million bonus to sweep Paris relays

The American relay performance at the Olympic Games and World Championships has been good, but not great in recent seasons, so USA Swimming is trying to do something about it.

Bonus money:

At the 2023 World Championships:
● $500,000 for the pool and open-water swimmers to win all seven Olympic relays.
● $150,000 for a medal in all seven.

At the 2024 Olympic Games:
● $1,000,000 for the pool and open-water swimmers to win all seven relays.
● $250,000 for a medal in all seven.

The events include the 4×100 m Freestyle relay for men and women, 4×200 Free relay for men and women, the 4×100 m Medley relay for men and women and the 4×100 m Mixed Free relay.

Said Lindsay Mintenko, the USA Swimming National Team Managing Director:

“This is an unprecedented incentive program with the ultimate goal of extraordinary relay success. While many might see swimming as an individual sport, we at USA Swimming know that a team focus is the very core of our success. We have a proud tradition in Olympic and World Championship relays, and we hope to foster that culture and camaraderie in the next wave of athletes.”

At Tokyo in 2021, the U.S. won both men’s 4x100s, was fourth in the men’s 4×200 Free, won silvers in the 4×200 m Free and 4×100 m Medley and was third in the women’s 4×100 m Free. No bonus.

At the 2022 World Championships, the U.S. won five of seven – men’s 4×100 m Free, men’s 4×200 m Free, women’s 4×200 m Free and 4×100 m Medley, and the Mixed Relay, plus a silver in the men’s 4×100 m Medley and bronze in the women’s 4×100 m Free. A repeat in 2023 will be worth $150,000, split among the entire team.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Aquatics ● The International Swimming Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2023 on Tuesday, led by the greatest swimmer in history, American Michael Phelps.

The induction ceremony on 30 September in Ft. Lauderdale will include 13 new members, from eight countries:

● Swimming: Cesar Cielo (BRA)
● Swimming: Kirsty Coventry (ZIM)
● Swimming: Missy Franklin (USA)
● Swimming: Kosuke Kitajima (JPN)
● Swimming: Michael Phelps (USA)

● Artistic: Natalia Ischenko (RUS)
● Diving: Minxia Wu (CHN)
● Water Polo: Heather Petri (USA)
● Open Water: Stephane LeCat (FRA)

● Coach: Bob Bowman (USA, swimming)
● Coach: Chris Carver (USA, artistic)

● Contributor: Sam Ramsamy (RSA)

● Paralympian: Trischa Zorn (USA).

Cielo was a supreme sprinter, setting two world marks and winning the 50 m Freestyle at Beijing 2008 and bronzes in the 100 m Free in 2008 and the 50 m Free in 2012. Coventry won eight Olympic medals (2-4-2) across five Olympic Games from 2000-16 in the Backstroke and Medleys (all in 2004 and ‘08). Backstroke star Franklin won five Olympic medals (4-1-0) and 11 Worlds golds. Kitajima set seven world records and doubled in the 100 and 200 m Breaststroke events in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. Phelps won 28 Olympic medals, the most ever, including 23 golds and set an astonishing 39 world records.

Ishchenko was a five-time Olympic champion and 19-time Worlds winner, from 2005-16, in Solo, Duet and Team events. Wu won five Olympic golds in 2004-08-12 and eight Worlds golds in Springboard diving. Petri was a key member of the 2012 Olympic champs, silver medalist in 2008 and 2020 and on the 2004 bronze-medal team. Lecat was the FINA World Cup Series winner three times, in 1997-99-2000.

Bowman coached Phelps and was an assistant U.S. Olympic coach in 2004-08-12 before serving as head coach in 2016. Carver was a renowned artistic swimming choreographer and guided the U.S. team to the 1996 Olympic Team gold.

Ramsamy was a key figure in isolating South Africa’s apartheid regime in sports, then becoming one of its leaders after integration in the 1990s. He continues to serve as the First Vice President of World Aquatics.

Zorn, who is blind, has won an amazing 55 medals, including 41 golds, in Paralympic Games competition, beginning in 1980.

● Athletics ● U.S. distance star Kara Goucher told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that she was the person who informed the U.S. Center for SafeSport about two incidents of “inappropriate touching” during massages by then-Oregon Project coach Alberto Salazar and that the allegations eventually led to his lifetime ban.

Goucher, 44, a two-time Olympian in 2008 and 2012 and the 2007 World Championships silver medalist at 10,000 m, appeared to promote her memoir, The Longest Race: Inside the Secret World of Abuse, Doping, and Deception on Nike’s Elite Running Team.

Salazar was suspended by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency in 2019 and then banned for life by SafeSport in 2021. He said in a statement:

“Any claim that Ms. Goucher was sexually assaulted by me is categorically untrue. I am deeply saddened by Ms. Goucher’s false claim. I worked with Ms. Goucher as her coach for nearly seven years, from October 2004 to September 2011, when Ms. Goucher was 26 to 33 years old. We had a strong professional relationship, and Ms. Goucher and her husband became friends with my wife and family during the time we worked together. Ms. Goucher achieved a number of professional successes during my coaching of her, but when I became unable to provide the coaching and support that Ms. Goucher needed to achieve her goals, Ms. Goucher left and retained another coach. I have never sexually assaulted Ms. Goucher and never would have done so.”

● Badminton ● ESPN and ABC News reported that USA Badminton “secretly paid $1 million to settle a dispute with a former employee who says he was terminated in retaliation for reporting allegations of sexual abuse by a prominent coach.”

The agreement, from January of this year, paid former federation senior staff member compliance officer Alistair Casey after he alleged that he was harassed and fired in 2021 for reporting old allegations of sexual abuse within the sport to the U.S. Center for SafeSport.

It’s worth noting that USA Badminton’s 2021 financial statements – the last publicly available – showed the federation with less than $366,000 in assets and cash-on-hand of $351,542. It had total revenues of $552,485 for the year, and did not note any significant future events “that would require recognition in the financial statements or disclosure in the related notes to the financial statements.”

That would make a $1 million payout truly extraordinary and perhaps covered by insurance, against a potentially even greater liability in a trial.

● Baseball ● The next-to-last day of competition in the two U.S.-based pools in the World Baseball Classic saw tournament favorite Dominican Republic get back into contention for the quarterfinals with a 10-0 win over Israel in a seven-inning game due to the 10-run rule.

Third baseman Manny Machado hit a third-inning home run and drive in three runs for the Dominicans, who are now 2-1 and will play Puerto Rico (2-1) on Wednesday for the right to advance to the quarterfinals. Venezuela is atop Pool D in Miami with a 3-0 mark and will play 1-2 Israel, which was shut out for the second straight game, this time with one hit, after being held to none on Monday against Puerto Rico. Nicaragua lost to Venezuela, 4-1, and will finish last in the group at 0-4.

In Pool C in Phoenix, the U.S. had the day off after pummeling Canada, 12-1, to move to 2-1. The Canadians bounced back to beat Colombia, 5-0, and are also 2-1 with Colombia at 1-2.

Great Britain (1-3), seen as the weakest team in the group coming in, battled Mexico  (2-1) to a 1-1 tie through six innings in the nightcap, but catcher Alexis Wilson singled in shortstop Alan Trejo in the bottom of the seventh for a 2-1 lead and that’s the way it ended. The pool will be decided on Wednesday as Canada faces Mexico and the U.S. plays Colombia.

Television audiences for the Classic have been pretty good, with last Saturday night’s U.S.-Great Britain game drawing 1.479 million on FOX. The Saturday day game between Mexico and Colombia on FS1 drew 758,000 and Sunday evening’s U.S.-Mexico match-up had an average of 791,000 viewers. The Sunday early-evening game with Venezuela and Puerto Rico drew 599,000, the only other game above the half-million mark.

● Basketball ● The U.S. men had a tough time at the 2019 FIBA World Cup in Australia, qualifying for the Tokyo Olympic Games, but finishing seventh after a quarterfinal loss to France, its worst finish ever.

The American team schedule is now set for 2023, with USA Basketball men’s National Team Managing Director Grant Hill telling reporters on Monday that exhibition games have been set for Malaga (ESP) against Slovenia (12 August) and Spain (13 August), and in Abu Dhabi (UAE) on 18 and 20 August against Greece and Germany. The U.S. will open World Cup play in the Philippines on 25 August.

As to the players, Hill explained:

“I understood when taking this job that it would be challenging and certainly not ceremonial at all.

“There’s a tremendous amount respect for the international game and certainly a lot of work that that goes into giving ourselves a chance to win gold. The expectations are tremendous. Anything less than gold is looked upon as a failure. I’m aware of that. But I love the challenge. …

“Players have been very, very receptive. I think in recent weeks, we’ve started to intensify that and looking to really get some momentum there and some commitments, possibly, here in the stretch run going into the [NBA] playoffs.”

A member of five USA Basketball national teams, Hill expects to have the roster finalized by late June or early July. The World Cup draw is on 29 April.

● Biathlon ● Norway’s Marte Olsbu Roeiseland and Germany’s Denise Hermann-Wick both announced their retirements on Tuesday, in advance of this week’s final World Cup stop in Oslo (NOR).

Roeiseland, 32, was the 2021-22 overall World Cup champion and won a staggering 17 World Championships medals (13-0-4) from 2016-23; 11 of her golds were on relays. She won seven Olympic medals (3-2-2), including golds in Beijing in 2022 in the 7.5 km Sprint, 10 km Pursuit and the Mixed Relay. Going into this weekend’s events, she also owns 19 World Cup victories.

Herrmann-Wick, 34, won the Beijing 15 km Individual race and a bronze in the 4×6 km Relay. She owns nine World Championships medals (2-6-1), including a 2019 victory in the 10 km Pursuit and a 2023 win in the 7.5 km Sprint. She owns 11 World Cup wins in biathlon.

She changed sports after being a cross-country skier from 2009-17, winning an Olympic relay bronze in Sochi in 2014 and taking six World Cup medals (0-3-3). Given her success in biathlon, she made an informed choice!

● Boxing ● The International Boxing Association’s Women’s World Championships begin in New Delhi (IND) on Wednesday, with 65 countries – down from 77 initially expected – sending more than 300 boxers, competing for a prize purse of $2.4 million.

IBA President Umar Kremlev (RUS) didn’t miss an opportunity to taunt those countries who are boycotting the event in protest for how the IBA has been operated and its expanding issues with the International Olympic Committee, including its continued place on the Olympic program:

“We, as the International Boxing Association, are defending our independence, we don’t need to be dictated to, we will figure it out ourselves. We call for getting rid of those people who are trying to destroy the culture of sports that has been prepared and created for hundreds of years. Those people who are trying to destroy it do not exist; these jackals are not here.

“Boxers from those countries that did not come to the World Boxing Championship would like to participate, but officials prevented them. We provided all athletes with the opportunity; it is clear that all athletes want this. But there are some, as they say, sports officials who are politicians who blocked the arrival of athletes.”

● Gymnastics ● A break for Ukraine, as two-time Olympian and Rio 2016 Parallel Bars gold medalist Oleg Verniaiev had his doping suspension for Meldonium cut from four years to two years, allowing him to compete again immediately.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport announced Tuesday that after being suspended as of 5 November 2020 from a positive from an out-of-competition test, Verniaiev’s appeal was granted in part, based on his claim that the doping finding came as a result of contaminated food products. But now:

“[T]he Panel deliberated and concluded that while the [adverse doping finding] was upheld there was grounds for a reduction in the period of ineligibility from four years to two years. Accordingly, the Athlete was subject to a two-year period of ineligibility starting on 5 November 2020 which has now concluded.”

Verniaiev missed the Tokyo 2020 Games as a result of the suspension, but is now eligible to compete in Paris.

● Water Polo ● Play concluded at the World Aquatics men’s World Cup in Division I in Croatia and Montenegro, with Italy and Spain winning the team titles.

In Group A, Italy finished with a 16-10 win over the U.S. and a 5-0 record (17 points). The next three teams – the U.S., Hungary and Croatia – all finished 3-2, but the U.S. was classified second and Hungary third on the tie-breakers. Italy, the U.S. and Hungary advance to the Super Final to be held in Los Angeles in June.

In Group B, Spain was the winner at 4-1, with Greece second (3-2), followed by Serbia (3-2) and Montenegro (3-2). The top three advanced to the Super Final.

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 929-event International Sports Calendar for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: IOC insists Russian re-entry not yet about 2024; USADA survey says 25-32% of foreigners dope; $1.5 million for a Louganis ‘84 medal?

By
Rich Perelman
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From the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's survey of American athletes on doping (USADA graphic)

★ 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 ≡

1. IOC says FIE re-admission of Russia not about 2024
2. USADA survey: 25-32% of foreign athletes are doping
3. Paris 2024 public transport plan: do as you are told
4. FIFPro survey showed 11% in favor of winter World Cup
5. Korea’s Seoul looking for 2036 Olympic bid, but without Pyongyang

The International Olympic Committee continues to defend its “exploration” of possible returns to competition for Russian and Belarusian athletes, and actions in favor of that position by International Federations, but says Paris 2024 eligibility has not yet been discussed. It urged governments to stay out of sports, even though governments often pay most of the expenses for their National Olympic Committees. A U.S. Anti-Doping Agency survey done in 2022 showed that American athletes think a quarter of foreign athletes in their own sport are doping, and up to a third in other sports. The survey noted that the biggest deterrent to doping is still sanctions and bans. In Paris, the regional transit authority told a Sunday news conference that 15% more trains will be added to the system for the 2024 Games and that spectators should follow instructions to go to events and not do as they normally would in Paris. It also wants the attendance for the Opening on the Seine to be limited to 500,000 people due to the transport capacity from the site. A small survey of players who competed in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar showed overwhelming aversion to another “winter” World Cup, with just 11% in favor. Players also complained about too little prep time with their national teams and not enough recovery time when rejoining their clubs. The mayor of Seoul, Korea said a bid for the 2036 Olympic Games is in the works, but without any ties to North Korea, ending any symbolic “peace mission” via the Games.

● Panorama: Memorabilia ($1.51 million so far for ‘84 Louganis gold) = Athletics (3: Dick Fosbury passes at 76; Chepngetich repeats in Nagoya; Aregawi no. 2 10 km ever in Spain) = Baseball (World Baseball Classic) = Football (Berhalter cleared in inquiry) = Skiing (challenge to FIS Presidential election withdrawn) = Swimming (Ledecky gets U.S. record in short-course 1,650 yards) = Water Polo (U.S. plays Italy for title in World Cup Group A) ●

1.
IOC says FIE re-admission of Russia not about 2024

“The IOC has taken note of the FIE decision. The consultations with all the stakeholders of the Olympic Movement – the athlete representatives, the 206 National Olympic Committees and the International Federations – as part of the democratic decision-making process, are still ongoing.

“In this context it is important to note that participation in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 is not part of the discussions, which are instead focused on the upcoming international competitions, for which the IFs have the sole authority. We also note that, with regard to the conditions for participation in international competitions, the FIE refers to the respective IOC recommendations.”

The International Olympic Committee’s continuously-expanding Q&A on solidarity with Ukraine, sanctions against Russia and Belarus, and the status of athletes from these countries was appended on Monday with two new sections dealing with last week’s vote by the International Fencing Federation (FIE) to re-admit Russian and Belarusian athletes, subject to the IOC’s recommendations and on British Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Lucy Frazer sending letters to IOC sponsors to enlist their help in keeping Russian and Belarusian athletes out of international competitions.

The IOC has previously stated in the same document, “No decision has been taken on the participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport at the Olympic Games Paris 2024,” but the pathway is clear. The IOC continuously cites the recommendations of two volunteer “reporters” of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the need to make sure that Russian and Belarusian athletes are not inconvenienced by the war being waged against Ukraine.

The new reply to Frazer’s letter to Olympic sponsor demonstrates this with clarity, including:

“It is not up to governments to decide which athletes can participate in which international competitions. This would be the end of world sport as we know it today. …

“In accordance with how sport is organised around the world and with the Olympic Charter, it must be the sole responsibility of sports organisations to decide which athletes can take part in international competitions based exclusively on their sporting merit. In accordance with this, Olympic sponsors are not involved in this decision-making process.”

Notwithstanding intervening events, the Russian/Belarusian question will be a focus point for the upcoming IOC Executive Board meeting on 28-30 March, along with the status of the International Boxing Association and boxing on the Paris 2024 sports program.

2.
USADA survey: 25-32% of foreign athletes are doping

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency released the highlights of a fascinating survey taken last May by 994 American athletes across 76 different sports on views of doping, the anti-doping experience and the work of the USADA. Some of the findings:

● 92% support the USADA’s mission against doping and 87% said “USADA’s results management and adjudication process is fair”

● 64% reported that sanctions were the most effective personal deterrent to doping. 18% cited the risk of detection and 18% said education was most helpful. Asked about their sport in general, 63% said among sanctions, outright bans were the best deterrent; in risk of detection, 41% also said unpredictable testing, and on education, 30% said in-person education from a USADA staff member was most effective.

● On perceptions of doping within their own sport, respondents said 10% of American athletes are doping and 25% of foreign athletes are doping. Asked about other sports, the numbers went up to 21% for Americans and 32% of foreign athletes who are doping.

● However, 53% said that the current science is behind “athletes’ ability to intentionally dodge a positive test,” and 32% said it was even. That’s 85% saying athletes have a 50/50 or better shot to dope and evade being caught. But, 68% also said they thought that testing identifies “most” doping in elite sport.

● Not surprisingly, 59% thought the testing of international athletes was “too infrequent” and 66% thought the testing of U.S. athletes was “just right,” but 25% wanted more testing.

● Asked about anxiety and doping, 86% were worried about whereabouts information filing, 88% about positives from contaminated supplements, 73% from positives from contaminated pharmaceuticals and 42% from contaminated meat.

● Whistleblowing: 10% of the respondents said they knew of a foreign athlete who was doping and 5% said they knew of a U.S. athlete who was doping, but 70% did not report it. Reasons: fear of retribution, fear that their identity would be disclosed and worry that the USADA would not act on the information provided.

Interestingly, 36% thought that doping leads to an “uneven playing field,” and 28% said it did “to a moderate extent.” That 64% saying there is an impact. Some 36% said a little or nor at all.

The 994 respondents were 56% female and 44% male and were 80% from Olympic sport and 20% from Paralympic sport. The survey was sent to 2,918 athletes in all, so it had a 34% response rate, with 58% of the replies from athletes who had competed in the Olympic or Paralympic Games.

The survey was done in collaboration with the University of North Carolina-Greensboro Center for Athlete Well-being and Prevention Strategies.

3.
Paris 2024 public transport plan: do as you are told

“To go to a site, forget how you usually go there and go there as you are told to do.”

That’s Laurence Debrincat, the Director of Studies and Olympic Games at the regional transport authority, Ile-de-France Mobilites (IDFM), speaking as part of a Sunday news conference discussing the transportation plan for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

There was the usual hyperbole about how massive the transit challenge will be and that the train routes and capacities are planned to be expanded by 15%. The commitment of the IDFM is to provide public transit services for 100% of the ticketholders for all 25 of the venues in the region.

For the Stade de France, site of athletics and the Olympic closing ceremony, the usual pattern for football and other events is for 60% of the attendees to use public transport. The plan for 2024 is for 100%. A mobile application suggesting less-tried routes and 5,000 assistants in stations are planned to help spectators.

Laurent Probst, the IDFM chief executive, explained that there is a specific transport plan for each of the 750 competition sessions: “It’s as if we had 50 matches per day for two weeks,” with up to 500,000 spectators expected on peak days such as 28 July and 2 August.

Transport for accredited guests, media and staff will required 1,000 buses, and the IDFM has asked the French government for permission to employ hundreds of cameras and artificial intelligence to quickly sense problems, whether with crowding, mechanical issues or persons in trouble.

Then there is the opening along the Seine on 26 July, which has been promoted as open to 600,000 people. The IDFM has been campaigning to bring that number down to 500,000 or less, based on the capacities of the transport system and the availability of specific bridges in view of security concerns. Said Probst, “To manage all of this, we will need less than 500,000 spectators, otherwise we won’t get there.” The request is being studied by the Paris 2024 organizers.

4.
FIFPro survey showed 11% in favor of winter World Cup

A post-World Cup 2022 survey of 64 players by the FIFPro players trade representative showed only 11% in favor of another November-December World Cup and majorities asking for more preparation time and recovery time before returning to their clubs.

The data has to be viewed with respect to the fact that the 32 competing teams had 832 players (23 per squad), so the survey covered only 7.7% of the total in the tournament. But it provides some worthwhile reflection on one of the most unusual World Cups ever. According to the report:

● 86% of the players wanted at least 14 days of preparation and most wanted 14-21 days. The late date of the 2022 World Cup was to minimize the heat in Qatar, but took place in the middle of the European league seasons.

● 61% of respondents wanted at least 14 days of recovery time before returning to club play. In some cases, it was only a few days.

● 52% of players reported an injury or were worried about injury due to the packed calendar, and 44% “experienced extreme or increased physical fatigue” after reporting back to their clubs.

FIFPro Secretary General Jonas Bear-Hoffmann (GER) told reporters:

“What we had this time was clearly not acceptable and shouldn’t be a viable option for anybody. What becomes very obvious from the report is that obviously the idea of scheduling a tournament like the World Cup [in the European] mid-season would require much more significant changes to the calendar if that was ever to be done again. I think that is very clear.

“And obviously that is impossible without significantly altering the schedule of leagues and other club competitions.”

There was also an interesting player reaction to the expansion of stoppage time: they hated it. The average first half was extended from around two minutes to 4:06 and the average second half stoppage time went from about four minutes to 7:55, meaning an average of 14:01 beyond the 90-minute match time. Only 31% of the survey liked the new stoppage time format.

The quest for the 2030 FIFA World Cup took another turn as multiple reports stated that Ukraine will be dropped from the bid by Spain and Portugal, with Morocco – the surprise semifinalists from Qatar – to be added.

This is in part due to the continuing Russian invasion, which would make hosting a portion of the FIFA World Cup in Ukraine extremely difficult – if not impossible – by 2030, also in view of the recent corruption allegations against Ukrainian Football Association President Andriy Pavelko and that splitting the hosting between Europe and Africa is politically attractive.

A South American bid to return the events to where it began in 1930 from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay is formidable and then there is the Saudi-led bid with Egypt and Greece, which would once again require scheduling to accommodate Gulf-region weather, away from the summer.

An explosive Saturday story in the Swiss Neue Zurcher Zeitung (New Zurich Times) newspaper reported that Qatari officials arranged to record a meeting held in a Qatar-owned building in 2017 between FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI) and then-Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber. According to the story, “The meeting was so unusual that two special prosecutors are still investigating Lauber and Infantino in the matter.”

The NZZ report contends that Qatar was interested in the meeting due to worries that it might lose the World Cup over corruption in the election and its human-rights environment, and that Lauber – as Swiss Attorney General – had jurisdiction over Switzerland-based FIFA.

Lauber eventually resigned in 2020 over failing to disclose two prior meetings with Infantino. The story notes, regarding the bugging effort:

“The actions were presumably criminal. The secret recording of meetings is illegal and spying on behalf of a foreign country is prosecuted as «espionage» – this also includes the planned recruitment of the Swiss Attorney General.”

Infantino has said he had no knowledge of any surveillance operations against him.

5.
Korea’s Seoul looking for 2036 Olympic bid, but without Pyongyang

Seoul Mayor Se-hoon Oh told Reuters that his city – host of the 1988 Olympic Games – is planning on bidding for the 2036 Olympics, but without any ties to North Korea.

A symbolic joint bid had been discussed before the IOC handed the 2032 Games to Brisbane (AUS), but Oh said in an interview, “I think the strategy for 2032 was doomed to failure because of unpredictable inter-Korean relations.”

An actual bid would have to come from the National Olympic Committee of South Korea; according to the report:

“An official with the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC) said it had not received formal statements of intent from either Seoul or the southern city of Busan on a 2036 bid.”

With the IOC bid process now much more informal and private, chatter about a 2036 bid has been heard from many countries, including, but not limited to Egypt, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Qatar and others.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Memorabilia ● Olympic diving icon Greg Louganis, now 63, has been running an auction on his Web site since 1 March, offering three of his five Olympic medals to raise money for the Damien Center, an Indianapolis, Indiana AIDS service organization.

Up for sale through the end of March are his 1976 Montreal Platform silver, his 1984 Los Angeles Springboard gold and the 1988 Seoul Platform gold.

Through Sunday, the Montreal (asking $350,000) and Seoul (asking $750,000) medals had not drawn any bids, but two bids have come in for the 1984 Los Angeles gold, now at $1.51 million!

That’s big money for Olympic gold; a February auction of a 1980 Olympic Winter Games men’s ice hockey gold won by center Steve Christoff of the U.S. “Miracle on Ice” team went for $375,961, including the bidder’s premium.

● Athletics ● /Updated/Dick Fosbury, whose success with the back-to-the-bar approach to the high jump changed the event forever, passed away on Sunday at age 76, according to his agent, Ray Schulte:

“It is with a very heavy heart I have to release the news that longtime friend and client Dick Fosbury passed away peacefully in his sleep early Sunday morning after a short bout with a recurrence of lymphoma.”

Born in Portland, Oregon, Fosbury was not the first to use the “flop” technique in the 1960s, but he made it famous, and after a Medford newspaper photo caption in 1964 read “Fosbury Flops Over Bar,” he became synonymous with the style. He quickly became the Oregon State school record holder, then won the 1968 NCAA high jump, the Olympic Trials at Echo Summit and finally, the Olympic gold in Mexico City with an Olympic (and American) Record of 2.24 m (7-4 1/4).

He won the 1969 NCAAs, but left the sport after the 1971 season. But his legacy is permanent.

Fosbury was an engineer in his professional life, but remained very active in Olympic affairs, as President of the World Olympians Association 2007-11, as a Vice President of the U.S. Olympians Association from 2004-2016 and as President of the U.S. Olympians and Paralympians Association from 2016-21.

(Thanks eagle-eyed reader Paul Roberts, who noted that Fosbury won the 1969 NCAA meet, not 2019 as originally posted!)

Kenya’s 2019 World Champion Ruth Chepngetich defended her title in the Nagoya Women’s Marathon in 2:18:08, moving to no. 3 on the world list for 2023. She won by more than three minutes over Japan’s Ayuko Suzuki (2:21:52) in her fourth-fastest performance ever, good for a $250,000 winner’s payday.

In Spain, Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi, the world-record holder at 5 km, won the Villa de Laredo 10 km in 26:33, the second-fastest ever run. He passed 5 km in 13:10 – on world-record pace – and finished in 13:23 to miss Kenyan Rhonex Kipruto’s 26:24 in Valencia (ESP) from 2020. He won by almost two minutes over Ireland’s Efrem Gidey (28:17).

● Baseball ● The Asian pools in the World Baseball Classic have concluded, with Australia to meet Cuba and Japan to face Italy in Tokyo later this week in the first two quarterfinals.

The final game in Pool B saw Korea drub China, 2-22, in a game shortened to five innings, so the final standings had Japan at 4-0, Australia at 3-1, Korea at 2-2, the Czech Republic at 1-3 and China at 0-4.

This was much clearer than Pool A, in which all five teams ended at 2-2 (!), and the tie-breakers on runs allowed per defensive outs showed Cuba the “winner,” followed by Italy, the Netherlands, Panama and Chinese Taipei.

The quarterfinals are in Tokyo on Wednesday and Thursday, with Australia playing Cuba and then Italy taking on Japan. The semifinals and finals will be in Miami.

In the Phoenix Pool (C), Great Britain stunned with a 7-5 win over Colombia on Monday afternoon, putting them at 1-2 with a game to play against Mexico. Colombia (1-1) has games remaining with Canada and the U.S.

The Canadians and American faced off at Chase Field Monday night, with the U.S. exploding for nine runs in the bottom of the first, thanks to a two-run double from third baseman Nolan Arenado, a triple by center fielder Cedric Mullins and a three-run homer by designated hitter Mike Trout. The lead grew to 12-1 in the second, including a triple by second baseman Tim Anderson and a home run by shortstop Trea Turner. Lance Lynn threw five innings of one-run ball for the Americans; the game ended at 12-1 after seven innings as the U.S. had a 10-or-more-run lead and moved to 2-1.

In Pool D in Miami, Venezuela remains on top at 2-0, and Puerto Rico defeated Israel, 10-0 (four pitchers combined for an eight-inning perfect game!), to move to 2-1. The Dominican Republic sailed past Nicaragua, 6-1, on Monday to improve to 1-1, as are the Israelis. Nicaragua is 0-3; games remain to be played on Tuesday and Wednesday.

● Football ● U.S. Soccer announced Monday that the inquiry into a 1992 personal conduct incident by former coach Gregg Berhalter – at age 18 – had been completed by an outside law firm and:

“U.S. Soccer’s process for determining who will serve as Sporting Director is ongoing, and interviews are underway. The Sporting Director will lead the process of determining who will serve as head coach of the Men’s National Team. Given the investigators’ conclusion that there is no legal impediment to employing him, Gregg Berhalter remains a candidate to serve as head coach of the Men’s National Team.”

The report specified:

“In the case of Mr. Berhalter, our Investigation uncovered no facts to show that U.S. Soccer knew of the 1992 Incident when it hired Mr. Berhalter; no facts to show that similar incidents occurred at any point in the last 31 years; no facts to show that the 1992 Incident has any nexus to the present or to the workplace; and no facts to support a claim that Mr. Berhalter presents a risk of harm to others. Moreover, each U.S. Soccer employee we interviewed spoke positively about Mr. Berhalter, and no witness indicated that Mr. Berhalter in any way presents a danger to others.”

Berhalter, now 49, was hired as the U.S. men’s National Team coach in 2018, finishing in 2022 with a 37-11-12 (W-L-T) record, a 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup win and a playoff-round finish at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

● Skiing ● The Court of Arbitration for Sport reported that the national ski federations of Austria, Croatia, Germany and Switzerland have withdrawn their appeal of the International Ski & Snowboard Federation Congress in 2022 at which Sweden’s Johan Eliasch was elected.

A hearing had been held in December, but no opinion will now be issued and Eliasch’s election will stand.

● Swimming ● U.S. Freestyle superstar Katie Ledecky made an appearance at the 2023 Florida Swimming Spring Senior Championships in Orlando and won the 1,650-yard Freestyle in a short-course pool (25 yards) in 15:01.41, an American Record. It’s not a world-record event, but the mark is faster than Ledecky’s world 1,500 m short-course record of 15:08.24 from 2022 (not eligible for record consideration in a 25-yard pool).

The 1,650 distance is the ”yards” equivalent of the 1,500 m (1,640.3 yards) and is usually contested only in college meets. But here was Ledecky winning in the best time ever, and now owning the top seven times in history. The prior best was Ledecky’s 15:03.31 from 2017, when she was swimming at Stanford.

● Water Polo ● The World Aquatics men’s World Cup Group A tournament in Zagreb (CRO) will conclude on Tuesday (14th), with the U.S. in contention to win and facing undefeated Italy in the final match.

The Division I tournament split the top 12 teams from the FINA World Championships into two groups, with the top three in each advancing to the Super Final, to be held in Los Angeles in June. The U.S. is 3-1 and in third place, behind Italy (4-0) and Croatia (3-1), having lost to Croatia, 16-14 and beating Japan (13-11), France (12-9) and Hungary (15-9). Having beaten Hungary, the U.S. is assured of moving on to the Super Final.

In Group B in Podgorica (MNE), Australia has completed play with a 4-1 record and a penalty loss for 13 points. That will win the group, with Greece (3-1: 9), Serbia (2-1 + a penalty win: 8) and Montenegro (2-2: 6) trailing.

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TSX REPORT: Shiffrin gets World Cup wins record; British MP asks IOC sponsors to keep Russia out; Oz’s McKeown takes 200 Back WR

By
Rich Perelman
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Record-setter: American skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin (courtesy U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association; copyright Reese Brown)

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Shiffrin sets 87th World Cup for career record (at 27)
2. FIE vote to re-admit Russia and Belarus hailed and criticized
3. Britain’s Culture Secretary asks IOC sponsors to help keep Russia out
4. Canadian Soccer posts its contract offer to national teams!
5. Ex-Fox Int’l Channels CEO convicted of football rights bribes

American skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin set the record for most career FIS Alpine World Cup wins with her 87th in Are, Sweden, on Saturday, passing Swedish legend Ingemar Stenmark. The International Fencing Federation (FIE) voted in a special Congress to re-admit Russian and Belarusian athletes, under undefined “strict neutrality” conditions and whatever the International Olympic Committee Executive Board says at the end of the month. Lucy Frazer, the British Secretary for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, has written to multiple Olympic sponsors, asking them to pressure the IOC to keep Russia and Belarus out of international competitions. Canada Soccer posted a story on its Web site which summarized the contract demands of its Women’s National Team, and its offer to them for interim funding and for long-term funding. Striker Janine Beckie said she felt “disrespected” by the public disclosure, done just prior to an appearance by women’s team members before the Canadian Parliament. The former head of Fox International Channels and an Uruguayan firm were convicted of bribery in purchasing rights to major CONCACAF and South American football championship and World Cup qualifying match rights, the latest in the U.S. Justice Department’s multi-year efforts against corruption in the sport.

● World Championships: Short Track (Dutch women dominate) ●
● Panorama: Alpine Skiing (Odermatt clinches World Cup title) = Athletics (2: 10 world leaders at NCAA Indoors; Hill wins USATF Masters 60) = Badminton (Korea wins two at German Open) = Baseball (Ohtani keys Japan at World Baseball Classic) = Biathlon (Wierer sweeps in Oestersund) = Cross Country Skiing (Krueger and Haga win Oslo 50 km, Diggins third!) = Cycling (2: Slovenian stars Pogacar and Roglic win Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico) = Fencing (Westend Grand Prix) = Freestyle Skiing (Mobaerg and Smith take Ski Cross golds) = Gymnastics (Yulo shines at Apparatus World Cup) = Modern Pentathlon (Elgendy and Gulyas star in World Cup) = Shooting (U.S. closes with Team Trap win) = Ski Jumping (Raw Air tour starts in Oslo) = Snowboard (Bankes sweeps two at Sierra Nevada) = Swimming (McKeown world record in 200 Back) ●

1.
Shiffrin sets 87th World Cup for career record (at 27)

She did it!

Completing a two-day sweep of the women’s World Cup races in Are (SWE), American superstar Mikaela Shiffrin won the Slalom on Saturday for her 87th career World Cup win, taking over the most-wins record from Swede Ingemar Stenmark (86 from 1974-89).

As with the Giant Slalom on Friday, Shiffrin was in charge from the start, leading after the first run, 50.93 to 51.62 over Swede Anna Larsson and then as Larsson faded on the second run, winning by a huge – for alpine skiing – 0.92-second margin over Swiss star Wendy Holdener, 1:41.77 to 1:42.69. Larsson finished third in 1:42.72 and American Paula Moltzan was fourth in 1:43.31.

Shiffrin, still just 27, got the record in just 12 years on the World Cup tour and broke it in the same place she got her first win – Are – in 2012: Are. Her wins by season:

● 2012-13: 4
● 2013-14: 5
● 2014-15: 6
● 2015-16: 5
● 2016-17: 11
● 2017-18: 12
● 2018-19: 17
● 2019-20: 6
● 2020-21: 3
● 2021-22: 5
● 2022-23: 13

She has now clinched her fifth overall World Cup title (record is eight) and her seventh seasonal Slalom title and second Giant Slalom title. The Federation Internationale de Ski & Snowboard (FIS) noted she has won 87 of her 245 World Cup career starts, a sensational 35.5% winning percentage, and won 137 total medals (55.9%). She said after Saturday’s race:

“What an unbelievable day. I am so proud of the skiing I did both runs today. I am so proud of the team this whole season, every step of the way being strong and focused and positive and having the right goals and helping me manage my own focus and the distractions as well, it’s been incredible.

“It’s pretty hard to describe and not over yet which is even more ridiculous.

“I still had the same feeling on the start of this run that I have every race. I shouldn’t feel pressure but somehow I feel something in my heartbeat, that’s the anticipation we want to feel as ski racers and I have it and it’s stronger than ever. I am just getting started.”

Her record-setting is not over, of course. She now owns 136 career World Cup medals, with Stenmark’s total of 155 within sight next season. Shiffrin is also tied for the most-ever Giant Slalom wins at 20 with Swiss Vreni Schneider (1984-95).

She will complete the season at the World Cup Final in Soldeu (ROU), with the Downhill and Super-G on 15-16 March and the Slalom and Giant Slalom on 18-19 March.

2.
FIE vote to re-admit Russia and Belarus hailed and criticized

Friday’s vote to re-admit Russian and Belarusian athletes to international fencing competitions in an online Extraordinary Congress of the Federation Internationale de Escrime (FIE) has drawn the expected reactions from different parts of the world:

● Canadian Fencing posted Friday, in pertinent part:

“We are extremely disappointed in the result of this vote and want to reiterate our support to our fencing friends of Ukraine.

“In the coming weeks we will consult our high performance athletes and coaches to determine how we can best support any athlete or team that decides to refuse to fence against an athlete or team from Russia or Belarus. We understand that this will be a difficult decision for any athlete to make with Olympic qualification at stake, and will work with our athletes to ensure that they are supported.”

● The German Fencing Federation’s post was more detailed, including a comment from President Claudia Bokel, a former IOC member (2008-16) as a member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission (DeepL.com translation):

“‘This result is on the one hand based on geopolitics, we have seen that the assembly of the NOCs of Africa and Asia have already agreed to participate, on the other hand based on the question of whether there should continue to be a general ban on all athletes,’ Bokel further clarified the situation. …

“The German Fencing Federation will now face further problems with the consequences of this decision when organizing international competitions in Germany. The German Fencing Federation is now awaiting an inquiry from the International Fencing Federation as to whether entry of Russian and Belarusian fencers to Germany can be guaranteed, as otherwise there would probably be a threat of withdrawal of international fencing competitions in Germany.”

● The Ukrainian Fencing Federation issued a statement which included:

“We are deeply shocked and outraged by this decision and we immediately convene a meeting of the Presidium to decide our response to the decision of the FIE and its possible appeal.”

The Russians, of course, were happy.

Two-time Olympic Sabre champ Sofya Velikaya, 37, told the Russian news agency TASS:

“I am very happy with the decision, I believed that this should happen, and I want to thank colleagues from different countries who voted for our return. Sport should provide equal rights and conditions, and common sense finally prevailed. Despite the fact that this is the most wonderful news lately, we understand the upcoming difficulties.”

Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin said:

“The International Fencing Federation rightly allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in international competitions under the auspices of the FIE. This is an important decision that speaks of the tendency of international federations to conduct constructive work on the eve of the qualifying season in the Olympic cycle.”

Russian Fencing Federation chief Ilgar Mammadov, was more circumspect, noting that the International Olympic Committee Executive Board may have more to say about it at the end of the month:

“I always say that until you get on a plane, you don’t fly to the Olympic Games. I am grateful to my colleagues from national foreign federations for those who supported us both openly and behind the scenes and helped. Serious work was done, this is the work of a great team of people. Nothing changes with us – the Russian championship is in April. We are getting ready, we are training,”

Turin 2006 Olympic 500 m speed skating gold medalist Svetlana Zhurova, now a State Duma member, was also cautious (DeepL.com translation):

“I think we have to wait to see what those 46 countries who voted against will do; will there be boycotts, will they take the admission decision for granted. In Latvia they suggested to deprive tennis players who play in tournaments with Russians of state financing, will there be a similar decision for fencers now? We must check the reactions of all countries and then think about it ourselves. Now there are a lot more people who are categorically against playing in neutral status, we must wait to see how our society reacts to the adoption of such a proposal.”

And Dmitry Svishchev, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports, is waiting to see Russian athletes actually compete:

“We see a positive movement from the international federation in relation to our athletes. But until we see specific examples of the admission of athletes, it’s too early to rejoice. We have already seen statements about the desire to admit Russians from the same IOC, after which there was silence to a certain extent. In this regard, we need to continue working on domestic competitions, look at the opportunity to compete in Asian tournaments and where Russian athletes are given the opportunity to compete.

“But the signal of the International Fencing Federation is clear to us, they could not create competitive competitions in the absence of Russian athletes. I am sure that other international federations will face the same problems.”

3.
Britain’s Culture Secretary asks IOC sponsors
to help keep Russia out

“I have written to the worldwide sponsors of the Olympic Games, including Coca-Cola, Samsung and Visa, calling on them to join 35 like-minded nations and press the IOC for a continued ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes competing in international sporting competitions.

“As we’ve seen this week, Russia’s illegal war on Ukraine is continuing. We’ve had what is believed to be the biggest missile strike on cities across Ukraine in some time. We must continue to ensure that Russia and Belarus cannot use sport for their propaganda purposes.”

That’s from Lucy Frazer, the British Secretary for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, tweeting on Saturday a new front in the effort to keep Russian and Belarusian athletes out of international competitions and out of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Portions of a letter sent by Frazer to the companies was shared in a story in The Guardian on Friday, including:

“We know sport and politics in Russia and Belarus are heavily intertwined, and we are determined that the regimes in Russia and Belarus must not be allowed to use sport for their propaganda purposes.

“As long as our concerns and the substantial lack of clarity and concrete detail on a workable ‘neutrality’ model are not addressed, we do not agree that Russian and Belarusian athletes should be allowed back into competition.

“Noting the IOC’s stated position that no final decisions have been made, we have strongly urged the IOC to address the questions identified by all countries and reconsider its proposal accordingly.”

The IOC Executive Board is scheduled to meet on 28-30 March in Lausanne.

4.
Canadian Soccer posts its contract offer to national teams!

In a fascinating strategic, negotiating and political move, just days after Canada Soccer and the Canadian Women’s National Team announced an interim funding agreement that will keep the women playing toward this summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, the federation posted the details of its collective bargaining offer to both the men’s and women’s teams.

Per the federation:

“Here is the reality: If accepted by the Player Associations, the collective bargaining agreements will pay both National Teams the same amount for playing a 90-minute match and both National Teams will share equally in competition prize money. Additionally, Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team will become the second-highest paid women’s national team among FIFA’s 211 Member Associations.”

The concept of the agreement follows the U.S. Soccer Federation deal with its men’s and women’s player associations to pool the money won by both at the FIFA World Cup and split it equally. Beyond this, the proposed agreement as described would pay (in Canadian dollars; C$1 = $0.72 U.S.):

“● $3,500 per match per player, plus win bonuses up to $5,500 per player depending on the rank of the opposing side.

“● An equal amount ($1.15 million) to each National Team for their qualification to their respective FIFA World Cup.”

The post further notes that the interim agreement will play the women’s team for 2022 “on the same financial terms as the Men’s National Team.” The post also gives the payments for the men’s and women’s teams from 2012 to 2019:

● “From 2012-2019 total staffing and program spending on all Men’s Teams was $37,423,185 compared to $37,073,407 on all Women’s Teams over the same eight-year period.

● “From 2012-2019 total player compensation from Canada Soccer for the Men’s Senior Team (MNT) was $2.92 million. For the same eight-year period player compensation from Canada Soccer for the Women’s Senior Team (WNT) was $2.96 million.”

The post also listed “all nine of the demands made by the Women’s National Team,” dealing with budgets for World Cup preparations, sharing the budget of the men’s team, “compensation for friends and family travel,” and single occupancy rooms for future training camps, and a chef at the Women’s World Cup this summer.

The posting came shortly before some of the Women’s National Team players were to appear before the Canadian Parliament. Striker Janine Beckie was outraged, telling the lawmakers:

“We feel quite disrespected by the way they went about their business this afternoon. We believe what was talked about in good-faith bargaining between our players association and [Canada Soccer] should have stayed between the players association and the Canadian soccer association.

“And there were terms and numbers and pieces within their statement today that has not even been communicated to us. So that was a bit of a shock to us.”

A Canada Soccer spokesperson said, “Throughout this process, our priority has been to negotiate privately, through our respective legal counsel, and finding the most responsible way to a resolution. We did that for months.

“Unfortunately in recent weeks, information was shared and circulated with media that failed to include full and important context.”

5.
Ex-Fox Int’l Channels CEO convicted of football rights bribes

“Former 21st-Century Fox Executive Hernan Lopez and Argentine sports marketing company Full Play Group S.A., were convicted today by a federal jury in Brooklyn on all counts of a superseding indictment charging them with wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies for their participation in schemes to bribe executives of soccer’s highest governing bodies—FIFA, CONMEBOL, and, in Full Play’s case, CONCACAF—for the media and broadcasting rights to lucrative soccer tournaments. …

“When sentenced, Lopez faces up to 40 years in prison and millions of dollars in penalties to be determined by Judge [Pamela] Chen. Full Play faces millions of dollars in financial penalties. Co-defendant Carlos Martinez was acquitted on both counts.”

The U.S. Department of Justice detailed the convictions in a Thursday announcement, explaining the Lopez – the former head of Fox International Channels, now 52 – and Buenos Aires-based Fair Play:

“Full Play, a sports marketing company incorporated in Uruguay, based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and owned by father-and-son defendants Hugo Jinkis and Mariano Jinkis, participated in numerous schemes to pay bribes to officials of CONMEBOL and CONCACAF in exchange for media and marketing rights to various soccer events, including World Cup qualifier and friendly matches, the Copa Libertadores, and multiple editions of the Copa América, a national team tournament administered by CONMEBOL. Hugo and Mariano Jinkis, charged in the first indictment in the case unsealed on May 27, 2015, remain fugitives.

“Lopez, a formerly high-ranking executive of Fox subsidiaries responsible for developing and carrying out Fox’s sports broadcasting businesses in Latin America, joined Full Play and other co-conspirators in a scheme involving the annual payment of millions of dollars in bribes to officials of CONMEBOL in exchange for the lucrative broadcasting rights to the Copa Libertadores, the region’s most popular club tournament, among other events. Lopez also relied on loyalty secured through the payment of bribes to certain CONMEBOL officials to advance the business interests of Fox, including to obtain confidential bidding information for the rights to broadcast the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments in the United States, rights that Fox successfully obtained.”

According to the Justice Department, the inquiry into football corruption has yielded substantial returns:

“Criminal charges have been brought against more than 50 defendants from more than 20 countries, resulting to date in guilty pleas by more than 30 individual and corporate defendants and trial convictions of 3 individuals and 1 corporation. In addition, 2 corporations have resolved via deferred prosecution agreements and 3 corporations have resolved via non-prosecution agreements.”

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Short Track ● The ISU World Championships in Seoul (KOR) could have reasonable been predicted as a Korean showcase after they won five events and nine medals at Montreal in 2022. But it didn’t work out that way.

Instead, it was the Dutch women who dominated, winning all four events and the Mixed Relay on the way to eight medals (5-1-2) to six for the hosts (2-3-1). Canada also won six (0-1-5); the U.S. was shut out and has not won a Worlds medal since 2014.

In the women’s 500 m, Xandra Velzeboer defended her 2022 World title, leading a Dutch sweep, 41.977-42.450-42.567, ahead of Suzanne Schulting and Selma Poutsma. American Corinne Stoddard was fifth in 43.386.

Velzeboer came back to win the 1,000 m in 1:29.361, beating Olympic champ Schulting in the process, with Korea’s defending champion Min-jeong Choi eventually taking silver after Schulting was disqualified.

Schulting, the 2021 World Champion at 1,500 m, won her second title in the event, beating defending (and three-time) champ Choi, 2:31.949 to 2:41.448. Canada’s Kim Boutin won her fourth Worlds medal in the event in third, and her second bronze (0-2-2). Americans Kristen Santos-Griswold and Stoddard were sixth and seventh (2:31.933 and 2:32.042). Schulting, Velzeboer, Poutsma and Yara van Kerkhof won the 3,000 m Relay in 4:09.56, with Korea second and Canada third.

Korea’s Ji-won Park did his part, winning the men’s 1,500 m, finishing in 2:17.792 to 2:17.898 for Pietro Sighel (ITA), his first Worlds medal at the distance. Sighel then won his first career Worlds gold, taking the 500 m sprint from Beijing 2022 bronze medalist Steve Dubois (CAN), 41.166-41.223. Jens van’t Wout was third (41.243).

On Sunday, Park came back to win the 1,000 m in 1:27.741, beating Jens van’t Wout (BEL: 1:27.974) and Dubois (1:28.069).

Teun Boer, Schulting, van’t Wout and Velzeboer won the 2,000 m Mixed Relay in 2:41.646, with China and Italy winning the silver and bronze.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Alpine Skiing ● The next-to-last stop on the men’s FIS Alpine World Cup circuit for 2022-23 was in Kranjska Gora (SLO), for two Giant Slalom events that settled the seasonal title.

Seasonal World Cup leader Marco Odermatt (SUI) won his 10th race of the season on Saturday in 2:16.65, ahead of France’s Alexis Pintuarult (2:16.88) and Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen (2:17.02). River Radamus was the top American in 15th (2:19.29).

On Sunday, Odermatt won his third straight World Cup race and clinched both the overall World Cup title – his second straight – and the Giant Slalom title (also his second in a row). He finished in 2:20.91 after leading the first run by 0.28; Norway’s Kristoffersen moved from third to second on the second run (2:21.23) and France’s Pinturault (2:21.61) won his third medal of the season.

Odermatt has also won the seasonal Super-G title and could end up second in the Downhill final standings after the World Cup Final races in Romania this week.

● Athletics ● The final major indoor meet of 2023 was the NCAA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with the sprinting and jumping events benefitting from the 5,312 feet of altitude, leading to world-leading marks (two ties) in nine events:

● Men/200 m: 20.12, Matthew Boling (USA/Georgia)
● Men/400 m: 44.75 (=), Elija Godwin (USA/Georgia)
● Men/Heptathlon: 6,639, Kyle Garland (USA/Georgia)

● Women/60 m: 6.94 (=), Julian Alfred (LCA/Texas)
● Women/200 m: 22.11, Favour Ofili (NGR/LSU)
● Women/200 m: 22.01, Alfred
● Women/60 m Hurdles: 7.72, Ackera Nugent (JAM/Arkansas)
● Women/4×400 m: 3:21.75, Arkansas ~ World Best
● Women/Long Jump: 7.03 m (23-0 3/4), Jasmine Todd (USA/Florida)
● Women/Triple Jump: 15.12 m (49-7 1/4), Todd ~ American Record

Also worth noting was the men’s vault win for Norway’s Sondre Guttormsen, at a national record 6.00 m (19-8 1/2), the 15th man to clear 6 m indoors, and no. 2 in 2023.

Alfred’s 6.94 moved her to equal-second all-time with American Aleia Hobbs, who also ran at Albuquerque at the U.S. Nationals. Alfred’s 22.01 200 m win also moves her to no. 2 all-time; Ofili is now no. 5.

In the women’s 400 m, Britton Wilson moved to no. 2 all-time and set an American Record of 49.48 for Arkansas. She crushed the prior U.S. record of 50.15 set earlier this year by Talitha Diggs (who finished third in 50.49).

Wilson then added a spectacular 49.20 anchor on Arkansas’ historic women’s 4×400 m win in 3:21.75, the fastest time in history! However, it won’t be a world record – that’s 3:23.37 for Russia from 2006 – because of multiple nationalities on the team: Amber Anning (GBR), 51.47; Joanne Reid (JAM), 50.52; Rosey Effiong (USA), 50.57; and Wilson (USA), 49.20. Wow!

Moore’s American Record triple jump win places her no. 5 on the all-time indoor list.

Texas Tech’s Terrence Jones (BAH) won the men’s 60 m in 6.46, equaling his season’s best and no. 2 on the 2023 year list. In the 200 m, Alabama’s Tarsis Orogot (UGA) won section two in 2020, earning second overall; he and Udodi Onwuzurike (NGR/Stanford) ran 20.17 in the heats to move to equal-third on the year list. Florida’s Ryan Willie (USA) won section two in the men’s 400 m in 44.93, now no. 2 for 2023.

Arkansas senior Carey McLeod (JAM) won the long jump at 8.40 m (27-6 3/4), with Cameron Crump (USA/Mississippi State) second at 8.39 m (27-6 1/2) and Jeremiah David (USA/Florida State) third at 8.37 m (27-5 1/2) to stand 2-3-4 on the 2023 list. Jaydon Hibbert (JAM/Arkansas) won the triple jump at 17.54 m (57-6 1/2), a collegiate indoor record and now no. 3 for the year. Garland’s 6,639 hep moves him to no. 2 all-time, just six points short of Ashton Eaton’s 6,645 world record from 2012!

Arkansas won both the men’s and women’s team titles, with the men outdistancing Georgia and Florida, 63-40-34, and the women winning, 64-60 over Texas, with Florida third at 45.

At the USA Track & Field Masters Indoor Championships in Louisville, Kentucky, Miami Dolphins star receiver Tyreek Hill, 29, won the men’s 25-29 60 meters in 6.70, easily the fastest time in the meet.

He won the final by 0.57 seconds over Dainen Bass (7.27), with the next-fastest time coming in the men’s 30-34 final by Chukwumereije Otuonye, who won in 6.95. Hill’s time ranks him equal-257th on the 2023 year list; his all-time indoor best is 6.64 from 2014. He has outdoor bests of 10.19 (2012) and 20.14 (2012).

● Badminton ● The BWF World Tour resumed after a month’s break, with Koreans shining at the German Open in Mulheim, advancing to the final in four of five events, and winning two.

Both were in doubles, with Sol Gyu Choi and Won Ho Kim (KOR) defeated countrymen Min Hyuk Kang and Seung Jae Seo, 21-19, 18-21, 21-19 in the men’s final and Ha Na Baek and So Hee Lee (KOR) taking the women’s final from Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida (JPN), 21-19, 21-15.

Hong Kong’s Ka Long Angus Ng won his second BWF World Tour title with a 20-22, 21-18 and 21-18 victory against Shi Feng Li (CHN) in men’s Singles and Japan’s top-seeded Akane Yamaguchi swept aside Se Young An (KOR), 21-11, 21-14.

China’s Yan Zhe Feng and Dong Ping Huang won the Mixed Doubles, 21-4, 21-15, over Won Ho Kim and Na Eun Jeong (KOR).

● Baseball ● The first pool has been completed in Chinese Taipei in the World Baseball Classic, with the Tokyo pool close behind, with Cuba and Japan emerging as pool winners.

The Cubans overcame the loss of their first two games to the Netherlands and Italy and ended up winning Pool A after a 13-4 win over Panama and 7-1 over Chinese Taipei in Taichung. Their 2-2 record was the same for all five teams in the pool and the tiebreakers – head-to-head record and runs against quotients – put them at the top. Italy followed and the Dutch and Panama ended up 3-4 and eliminated, as was Chinese Taipei.

Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani continued to shine for Japan, which finished its group at 4-0, winning its games by 8-1 over China, 13-4 over South Korea, 10-2 over the Czechs and 7-1 against Australia. Ohtani was 2-4 (2 RBI) in the first game, then 2-3 (1 RBI) vs. Korea, 1-3 (1 RBI) vs. Czechia and 1-2 (4 RBI) with a three-run homer against Australia: that’s 6-12 with eight runs batted in!

Australia (3-1) clinched the other playoff spot from Pool B (their first ever) with an 8-3 win over the Czechs (1-3) on Monday. Korea (1-2) will finish the Tokyo group against China (0-3) later on Monday.

The U.S.-based groups started on Saturday, with the American team winning, 6-2, over Great Britain in Phoenix in Pool C, while Colombia had to go 10 innings to beat Mexico, 5-4. Canada routed the British, 18-8 on Sunday, and Mexico came back to shred the U.S., 11-5.

First baseman Joey Meneses slugged a first-inning, two-run homer off U.S. starter Nick Martinez and then a three-run shot in the fourth against Brady Singer to pile up a 7-1 lead. Left fielder Randy Arozarena and designated hitter Rowdy Tellez each had three hits and Mexico scored four in the eighth to level their record at 1-1. The U.S. (1-1) plays Canada (1-0) on Monday.

In Pool D in Miami, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Israel all won their openers, then Venezuela right fielder Anthony Santander hit a three-run homer in the first and catcher Salvador Perez hit another in the second and piled up a 7-0 lead on Puerto Rico on Sunday evening. The Puerto Ricans closed to 9-6, but couldn’t get any closer, giving Venezuela a 2-0 record and a head start on the quarters. Perez went 4-4. Nicaragua (0-1) will play the Dominican Republic (0-1) and Israel (1-0) will face Puerto Rico (1-1) on Monday.

Quarterfinals will begin on Wednesday (15th) in Tokyo for Pools A-B, and on Friday (17th) in Miami for Pools C-D.

● Biathlon ● The penultimate stop on the IBU World Cup tour was in Oestersund (SWE), where someone other than Norwegian star Johannes Thingnes Boe won for the first time since December.

Boe, on the verge of his fourth World Cup title, did not compete in Thursday’s 20 km Individual race, won by German Benedikt Doll, the 2017 Sprint World Champion, for his fourth career World Cup gold. With no misses on the range, he finished in 48:32.4, ahead of Tammaso Giacomel (ITA: 49:52.5/1) and Vetle Christiansen (NOR: 49:54.9/1). American Sean Doherty was 14th in 51:55.0 (2).

On Sunday, Christiansen won his fourth medal of the season, and got his first win in the 15 km Mass Start in 35:17.0 (0), trailed by teammate Johannes Dale (35:26.1/1) and France’s Eric Perrot (35:29.3/1). Doherty was 26th (37:29.0/3).

The women’s 15 km Individual race was the second win of the season (15th career) for Italy’s four-time Worlds gold winner Dorothea Wierer, leading an Italian 1-2 with Lisa Vittozzi second, 41:19.6 (0) to 41:45.1 (0). Beijing Olympic champ Denise Herrmann-Wick took third (42:58.4/1); Joanne Reid was the top U.S. finisher in 42nd (46:33.1/1).

Wierer swept on in Sunday’s 12.5 km Mass Start, winning in 31:58.5, followed by France’s Lou Jeanmonnot (32:04.8/0) and seasonal leader Julia Simon (32:09.6/1).

● Cross Country Skiing ● The famed, annual 50 km Freestyle Mass Start race at Oslo’s Holmenkollen was a Norwegian sweep in 2023, with two-time World Champion Simen Hegstad Krueger leading the way in 1:55:01.5, followed by 2019 50 km World Champion Hans Christer Holund ( 1:55.07.2) and Martin Nyenget (1:55:14.1).

In fact, the top 10 placers were all Norwegian! The top U.S. finishers were David Norris (17th: 1:58:03.5) and Scott Patterson (18th: 1:58:03.9).

Sunday’s women’s race was a comeback win for Norway’s Ragnhild Gloersen Haga, 32, the PyeongChang 2018 10 km Individual gold medalist, who won the 50 km Free in a final sprint in 2:13:36.1, followed by countrywoman Astrid Slind (2:13:36,4) and then the amazing Jessie Diggins of the U.S., in 2:13:36.6.

It was the first women’s World Cup 50 km race and with the third-place finish, Diggins moved up to second in the seasonal standings, 1,635 to 1,548 behind Norway’s Tiril Weng, with six races left in the season. Diggins won the seasonal title in 2020-21 and was second last season.

● Cycling ● Slovenian star (and two-time Tour de France winner) Tadej Pogacar, took control of the 81st Paris-Nice race and would not let go, forging a 12-second lead going into Sunday’s final, hilly stage that ended with a descent down the Col d’Eze into Nice.

Pogacar won the uphill-finishing fourth stage by a second over France’s David Gaudu, then won the major climbing stage of the race on Saturday, finishing up the Col de Couillole in another duel with Gaudu, winning by two seconds in 3:56:08 over 142.9 km.

He left no doubt on Sunday, attacking with 18 km left and winning the final stage by 33 seconds in 2:51:02 over Vingegaard and Gaudu. The final standings showed Pogacar winning by 53 seconds in 24:01:38 with Gaudu second and Vingegaard (+1:39) third. American Neilson Powless was sixth (+3:17) and Matteo Jorgenson was eighth (+3:19).

Meanwhile, at Italy’s 58th edition of the Tirreno-Adriatico, Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic, the three-time winner of the Vuelta a Espana, won three consecutive stages to take an 18-second lead into Sunday’s final stage ending in San Benedetto del Tronto.

Roglic took the hilly fourth stage in a sprint over Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), then won the uphill finish to Sassotetto in stage five in another sprint and sprinted home in stage six to Osimo, beating Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBR) and Joao Almeida (POR) to the line.

Almeida entered Sunday 18 seconds back and Geoghegan Hart some 23 seconds behind, on a 154 km ride that started with five climbs and then a flat last half. That meant a huge sprint for the finish, won by Jesper Philipsen (BEL) in 3:32:36, with Dylan Groenewegen second, but no change in the overall standings.

Roglic (28:38:57), Almeida (+0:18) and Geoghegan Hart (+0:23) finished as they started; it’s Roglic’s second win in this race (also in 2019), but his best performance since his La Vuelta win in 2021.

● Fencing ● The Westend Grand Prix for Epee in Budapest (HUN) was the feature of this week’s schedule, with some fresh faces on the podium.

Italy’s Gabriele Cimini won the men’s competition with a 15-13 final score over Yonatan Cohen of Israel. Gaelan Billa (FRA) and Valerio Cuomo (ITA) shared the bronze. It’s Cimini’s first win in a Grand Prix or World Cup, and the first international medal ever for Cohen, 19.

Poland’s Renata Knapik-Miazga won the women’s gold, defeating Anna Kun (HUN), in the final, 11-10. Marie-Florence Candassamy (FRA) and Nelli Differt (EST) were the bronze medalists. It’s the first-ever Grand Prix medal for Knapik-Miazga; she had won four World Cup bronzes from 2010-20. Kun also claimed her first Grand Prix medal and her best finish ever in a major international competition.

● Freestyle Skiing ● The next-to-last Ski Cross World Cup was in Veysonnaz (SUI) on Sunday, after Saturday’s qualifying had to be canceled due to heavy snow.

For the first time this season, Sweden’s all-conquering Sandra Naeslund didn’t win, due to a knee injury that kept her out. So, six-time Worlds medalist Fanny Smith got the gold, followed by Jade Grillet Aubert (FRA) and Tiana Gairns (CAN); Aubert won her first medal this season and Garins won her first career World Cup medal.

In the men’s final, Swede David Mobaerg claimed his third win of the season (fourth career), getting to the line ahead of Japan’s Ryo Sugai (second silver of the season) and Canada’s Reece Howden, the seasonal leader. The World Cup tour will conclude next week.

● Gymnastics ● The third of four FIG Artistic Apparatus World Cups was in Baku (AZE), for the annual AGF Trophy meet.

Ukraine’s 2021 Worlds All-Around bronze medalist, Ilia Kovtun, the Parallel Bars winner in the first two events, won two medals on Saturday, but both were silvers. He was runner-up to Milan Karimi (KAZ) on Floor, 14.200 to 13.033, with American Riley Loos third (13.733).

Then Kovtun finished second on Parallel Bars to Floor (2019) and Vault (2021) World Champion Carlos Yulo (PHI), 15.400 to 14.366, with American Curran Phillips finishing fifth (14.500). Kovtun won all four Parallel Bars Apparatus World Cup in 2022, so his six-meet win streak was ended.

Home favorite Nikita Simonov (AZE) won on Rings, 14.633 to 14.500 over Mahdi Ahmad Kohani (IRI); Loos was eighth at 14.000.

On Sunday, Yulo won his second gold, this time on the Vault at 14.933, slightly better than Britain’s Harry Hepworth (14.816). Kazakhstan’s Nariman Kurbanov won on Pommel Horse for the second World Cup in a row (15.300), ahead of Ireland’s 2022 World Champion Rhys McClenaghan (13.933). On the Horizontal Bar, Israel’s Alexander Myakinin, the 2020 European bronze medalist, was the winner at 14.200, over Kazuki Matsumi (JPN: 14.033) and Croatia’s Tokyo 2020 silver winner, Tin Srbic (13.666). Phillips was fifth (13.133).

The women’s events included a third straight World Cup medal for 47-year-old Oksana Chusovitina (UZB) in the Vault, scoring 13.433 behind winner (and 2022 Worlds bronze medalist) Coline Devillard (FRA). China’s Qiyuan Qiu won the Uneven Bars at 14.700 over Giorgia Villa (ITA: 14.600).

Italy’s Villa won on Beam ahead of Marine Boyer (FRA), 13.966-13.866, but Boyer took the win on Floor, 12.833 to 12.800 for Arianna Belardelli (ITA).

● Modern Pentathlon ● The UIPM World Cup opener was in Cairo (EGY), with home star Ahmed Elgendy getting the men’s win in the final event.

Teammate Mohanad Shaban started the Laser Run with a 25-second lead on Hungary’s Csaba Bohm, with Elgendy third. But the battle for gold came down to Elgendy and Bohm, with the Egyptian star – the Tokyo silver medalist – coming through for a tight, 1,516 to 1,514 win. Elgendy finished in 10:07.90 after winning the swimming, but 12th in fencing and 10th in riding. Bohm finished in 10:12.90, third-fastest in the field, but not enough to win. Czech Martin Vlach had the fastest Laser Run (10:01.60) to move up to third.

Hungary’s Michelle Gulyas, the 2022 Worlds runner-up, also started behind on the Laser Run, but ended as a decisive winner. France’s Elodie Clouvel, the Rio 2016 silver medalist, had a 16-second lead going in, but Gulyas promptly took over and ended with the fourth-fastest time in the final event (11:52.80) while Clouvel faded to 13th (12:13.20), but held onto second. Gulyas finished at 1,403 points to 1,398 for Clouvel, and 1,392 for Salma Abdelmaksoud of Egypt.

The Mixed Relay saw Gintare Venckauskaite and Titas Puronas (LTU) start 25 seconds back in the Laser Run, but moved from fourth to first, passing Mexico, Egypt and Korea. Puronas left the final shooting stage first and managed to win (1,373 total), with Mexico’s Mariana Arceo and Manuel Padilla getting silver (1,364) and Haeun Jang and Soengjin Kim (KOR: 1,361) taking the bronze. The U.S. pair of Phaelen French and Tyler Evans finished eighth (1,023).

● Nordic Combined ● After sweeping the two individual events at the FIS World Championships, Norway’s Jarl Magnus Riiber kept the party going at the next-to-last World Cup of the season in Oslo.

On Saturday, he won the 134 m jumping and 10 km race in 23:40.4, ahead of Germany’s Julian Schmid (25:36.9) and seasonal leader Johannes Lamparter (AUT: 25:38.3). American Niclas Malacinski was 28th in 28:44.2.

Sunday’s 138 m/10 km event was another Riiber victory – his sixth of the season – in 22:45.7, with Germany’s Vinzenz Geiger second (24:18.4) and Schmid third (24:23.2). Lamparter was sixth, and Malacinski finished 35th (27:13.5).

The women’s 106 m/5 km competition turned out like all the others this season, with a win for Norway’s Gyda Westvold Hansen, in 13:42.3, trailed by teammate Ida Marie Hagen (14:29.1) and Japan’s Anju Nakamura (14:36.7). American Annika Malacinski (sister of Niclas) was 20th in 17:37.9.

Hansen won all 10 World Cup events and took the seasonal title with a perfect score of 1,000 points, to 589 for Nathalie Armbruster (GER) and 542 for Hagen. Wow.

● Shooting ● The ISSF World Cup for Shotgun in Doha (QAT) concluded with the Trap events.

Turkey’s Oguzhan Tuzun, 40, took the men’s title with a 33-30 win in the final over 2019 World Champion Matthew John Coward-Holley (GBR), with India’s Prithviraj Tondaiman third (20). It’s Tuzun’s fifth career World Cup victory, stretching back to 2004!

Australian Penny Smith, sixth at Tokyo in 2021, won her third individual World Cup gold, beating Slovak star Zuzana Rehak Stefecekova, 39, the Tokyo Olympic gold winner, 1-0 in a shoot-off, after a 28-28 tie. American Alicia Gough won the bronze (20).

The U.S. finished off the tournament with a 6-0 win in the Mixed Trap final, as William Hinton and Gough hit 27-30 targets to shut out Kuwait. The U.S. finished on top of the medal standings with six, including three golds, plus two silvers and a bronze.

● Ski Jumping ● The sixth Raw Air Tournament is on, starting in Oslo and then continuing to Lillehammer and Vikersund in Norway with 12 events across 10 days. The men’s finals in Oslo began with Slovenia’s three-time Worlds medal winner Anze Lanisek taking his fifth career World Cup win at 260.2 points, ahead of three-time World Champion Stefan Kraft (AUT: 254.4) and German Karl Geiger (253.5), the 2023 Worlds bronze medalist.

Kraft won on Sunday, scoring 266.1 to 257.8 for Lanisek and 257.7 for Poland’s Dawid Kubacki. The show moves to Lillehammer on Monday.

The women’s 134 m final on Saturday was the second win of the year for Austrian Chiara Kreuzer (260.1), beating Ema Klinec (SLO: 254.6) and Norway’s Anna Stroem (253.1).

Klinec got the win on Sunday – her first of the season, after seven silvers – scoring 238.2 to best Kreuzer (232.2) and Stroem (231.6).

● Snowboard ● The SnowCross season continued in Sierra Nevada (ESP), with home favorite Lucas Eguibar taking the first men’s final on Saturday, beating Italy’s Worlds bronze medalist Omar Visintin and teammate Lorenzo Sommariva to the line.

Swiss Kalle Koblet logged his first career World Cup win on Sunday, over Eguibar and Loan Bozzolo (ITA), who got his second career World Cup medal.

The women’s Saturday final saw Britain’s 2021 World Champion Charlotte Bankes get to the finish line first, ahead of France’s Beijing 2022 runner-up (and seasonal leader) Chloe Trespeuch and American star (and six-time World Champion) Lindsey Jacobellis, now 37. It’s the first World Cup medal of the season for Jacobellis, following up on her Worlds bronze earlier in the month.

Bankes and Trespeuch went 1-2 again on Sunday, this time with Manon Petit-Lenoir third, her first medal since December. Bankes now has the seasonal lead with three events remaining.

● Swimming ● At the New South Wales State Championships in Sydney (AUS), Olympic hero Kaylee McKeown set a world record in the women’s 200 m Backstroke, winning in 2:03.14.

That’s 0.21 faster than American Regan Smith’s swim (2:03.35) at the 2019 Worlds in Gwangju (KOR), and the first time ever that an Australian has held this record. McKeown, 21, won the 100 and 200 m Backstrokes in Tokyo and the 200 m Back at the 2022 World Championships.

She also won the 100 m Back in 57.84, the no. 10 performance in history; she’s the world-record holder already at 57.45 (2021). McKeown (4) and Smith (6) together own the top-10 times in history.

Sprinter Shayna Jack won the women’s 100 m Free in a world-leading 53.12, then won the 50 m Free in a world-leading 24.26, with Tokyo Olympic winner Emma McKeon second at 24.69 (fourth in 2023). McKeon won the women’s 100 m Fly in 57.07, no. 2 on the world list this year. Olympic and World Champion Ariarne Titmus won the women’s 400 m Free in 4:01.94, no. 4 in the world for 2023.

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TSX EXTRA: Shiffrin ties Stenmark in Are; FIE votes for Russian re-entry

By
Rich Perelman
-
American skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin (Photo: Reese Brown courtesy U.S. Ski & Snowboard)

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE TICKER ≡

1.
Shiffrin takes Are Giant Slalom for 86th World Cup win

American skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin won the FIS World Cup Giant Slalom in Are (SWE) on Friday, leading from the first round and skiing into history with her 86th career World Cup win, tying Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark (1974-89) for the most ever.

Shiffrin, 27, who had already clinched her fifth career overall World Cup title, had a 0.58-second lead hearing into the second run and although sixth-fastest, secured the victory with a total of 1:54.64 to 1:55.28 for Italy’s Federica Brignone, the fastest-second-run skier. Said the winner:

“It’s a little too much to comprehend. It’s a pretty spectacular position to be in. I don’t take it for granted, to be in this position where people are asking me about when I’m going to win 86 or 87. It’s a cool place to be, even though it can be difficult to focus sometimes.

“But today I felt like the focus was there when I needed it to be, so it was fun to ski, and that was how I hoped it would be. I’m always afraid I’m going to lose the lead, so when I saw the green light, I thought, that’s really exciting.

“Now everyone is going to ask about 87, and I’ll say ‘argh’.”

This was her 20th career win in a Giant Slalom, and Shiffrin also secured the seasonal title in the Giant Slalom discipline, to go along with the overall World Cup and the Slalom title.

She has a chance to take the record for herself on Saturday in the Slalom, where she has won more races than any other skier in history: 52.

2.
FIE votes to re-admit Russians and Belarusians

The Federation Internationale de Escrime voted, 89-46, in an online Extraordinary Congress to reinstate Russian and Belarusian athletes to its international competitions in the second half of April, “subject to possible future IOC recommendations/decisions, and in compliance with conditions of neutrality and individual eligibility.”

The FIE vote was decried by federations which were against the measures, including USA Fencing, which issued a statement that included:

“USA Fencing is disappointed, frustrated and disturbed — though not all that surprised — at the outcome of today’s vote, wherein more than 60% of nations voted to allow fencers and officials from Russia and Belarus to return to international fencing competition.

“This vote comes just over 100 days after 77% of the members of this same body voted to extend the ban. What has changed in those 104 days? Many will speculate, but one thing is painfully clear: Russia has not ended its unlawful and immoral assault on Ukraine — an invasion that has resulted in thousands of senseless deaths, an unprecedented refugee crisis and the destruction of Ukraine’s sporting infrastructure, notably including the evacuation of its fencing athletes. …

“Today’s ‘yes’ vote by more than 80 delegates, while not a direct endorsement of Russia’s war, does send a message to the world that a majority of the international fencing community is ready to look the other way and welcome back fencers funded by and supported by the Russian government. Some of these fencers have direct ties to the military, and many have not publicly condemned the atrocities of their government. In addition, welcoming coaches, officials and representatives from Russia and Belarus back to the FIE may see individuals who are directly employed by, or linked to, the Russian government resume their participation as well.”

A British Fencing post noted, “There was no definition of neutrality given within the proposals by the FIE, and the IOC has yet to make its recommendations in this regard.”

The FIE has a Russian President, billionaire Alisher Usmanov, who stepped aside shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in view of sanctions from the European Union against his business interests. Greece’s Emmanuel Katsiadakis has served as Interim President since.

Fencing joins cycling, judo and tennis as federations which allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under a neutral status. The now-suspended International Boxing Association allows Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete without any restrictions.

InsideTheGames reported that the votes on the three resolutions on reinstatement were 89-46 with one abstention for individuals, 85-51 for teams (with three abstentions) and 88-48 for officials (with two abstentions).

The resolutions’ eligibility timing of mid-April takes into account a forthcoming meeting of the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board coming up on 28-30 March, at which the matter will no doubt be discussed.

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For our updated, 929-event International Sports Calendar for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: Excellent first-phase ticket sales for Paris 2024; Diack conviction confirmed in Paris; Wimbledon to allow Russians, Belarusians

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Paris 2024 sells 3.25 million tickets in first phase!
2. Papa Massata Diack’s French conviction confirmed
3. Russia’s Olympic gym star Melnikova “marking time”
4. Tokyo wrestling star Steveson aiming for WWE and Paris 2024
5. Wimbledon to allow Russians, Belarusians under conditions

The first phase of ticket sales for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games went well, with 3.25 million tickets sold, or 32.5% of the total available. The second phase begins with registration and a random draw for places in line for the next sale, to begin in May. In Paris, an appeals court confirmed the conviction – and five-year prison sentence – of Papa Massata Diack, son of the former IAAF President Lamine Diack, on corruption charges. Diack is still in Senegal and has never appeared in the French courts. Tokyo women’s Olympic Team event gold medalist Angelina Melnikova of Russia says that with the ban on international competitions, she feels she is “marking time.” Wrestling star Gable Steveson of the U.S. confirmed that his pro wrestling debut for the WWE is imminent, but that he also wants to try for a repeat gold in Paris in 2024! Wimbledon will allow Russian and Belarusian players to compete in 2023, but under strict conditions now being formulated.

● Panorama: Olympic Games 2028 (World Rowing pitches beach sprint to LA28) = Commonwealth Games 2030 (Alberta study to start, with provincial funding) = Russia (2: 42 former Canadian Olympians protest neutrality option; USA Fencing dead set against Russian re-entry at FIE Congress) = Aquatics (Barelli ban extended) = Baseball (Ohtani stars in Japan’s WBC win) = Cycling (Slovenians could win at Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico!) = Diving (Pat McCormick passes at 92) = Football (2: Infantino cleared of Swiss charges; French women’s coach Diacre fired) ●

1.
Paris 2024 sells 3.25 million tickets in first phase!

“With over 3.2 million tickets sold in less than three weeks, take-up exceeded all expectations, for which we are very grateful.”

That’s Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet in the new 2024 Olympic ticket brochure, which details the next stage in the sales program, which will now include all sports, all sessions and ceremonies.

The three-week first sales stage, of “ticket packs,” received plenty of media and public criticism, but it’s hard to argue with the results: 3.25 million tickets sold, or 32.5% of all Olympic tickets expected to be available. In fact, if the organizing committee’s calculations prove correct and the split between tickets sold individually and tickets sold as part of hospitality packages remains at 80/20, an impressive 40.6% of all available non-hospitality tickets were sold in the first phase. Some announcement highlights:

● “The French public, who made up two thirds of ticket purchasers, responded in their thousands. So did fans from abroad, with 158 different countries represented. A relatively high proportion were female and young: in this first phase, 45% were women and 44% were aged under 35.”

● “Tickets for all sports where tickets were available (there will be no tickets for surfing) were sold during this first phase of sales. Tickets for climbing and BMX freestyle sold out on the first day, while those for fencing, judo, breaking and track cycling were all snapped up in just a few days. The sports for which the most tickets were sold included football, athletics, rugby 7s, basketball and volleyball.”

● “During this initial sales phase, more than 400,000 tickets priced at €24 were sold. Around 70% of tickets sold cost less than €100 and 4.5% cost €200 or more.” (€1 = $1.06 U.S. today)

The next phase begins with registration opening 15 March, with “places in line” drawn by lot and actual sales opening 11 May. The brochure continues to promote “accessible” pricing with “All sports from 24€” and “From 50€: Numerous men’s and women’s finals sessions in individual and team sports such as Rowing, 3×3 Basketball, BMX freestyle, BMX racing, Climbing, Hockey, Skateboarding, Taekwondo, Archery and Water polo.”

Among the tickets to be available in the next phase:

● Opening Ceremony along the Seine from €90 to €2,700
● Closing Ceremony at the Stade de France from €45 to €1,600
● Athletics and Swimming finals from €85 to €980
● Basketball final from €125 to €980
● Gymnastics All-Around final from €125 to €680

If you want to take in the first appearance of break dancing in the Games, you can go for €50 to €160.

The ticket sales program is a key revenue driver for the Paris 2024 budget, which has been under pressure from inflation and supply-chain issues for more than a year. Whatever the criticisms, the first-round results were excellent, but many more sales are needed.

2.
Papa Massata Diack’s French conviction confirmed

A Paris appeals court announced Thursday the confirmation of the conviction for corruption and five-year prison sentence for Papa Massata Diack, the Senegalese son of the late ex-IAAF President and International Olympic Committee member Lamine Diack.

The court maintain the conviction and prison sentence for Papa Massata Diack, 57, who was not present and has remained in Senegal since arrest warrants were issued in 2016. His lawyers said he was under “legal supervision” in Senegal and not allowed to leave the country.

The younger Diack had the fine of €1 million reduced to €500,000 (about $530,000 U.S.). He was convicted as part of a scheme to extort millions of dollars from 23 Russian athletes in order to delay their doping convictions until after the London 2012 Olympic Games and/or the 2013 IAAF World Championships, held in Moscow.

The Diacks were also charged with siphoning off as much as $15 million due to the IAAF (now World Athletics) from sponsorship payments, and for influence-buying in Olympic host-city selections for 2016 and 2020.

World Athletics has sued to try and recover the sponsor funds that were stolen.

3.
Russia’s Olympic gym star Melnikova “marking time”

Further to Wednesday’s story on the motivational toll that the international competition has had on Russian men’s gymnastics stars are comments from women’s star Angelina Melnikova, 22, winner of three medals in Tokyo (Team gold, bronzes in All-Around and Floor). She told the Russian new agency TASS during the Russian nationals in Kazan:

“It has a very strong effect that there are no international starts. I feel as a professional athlete that I’m marking time, that is, I don’t have the opportunity to show my gymnastics. In order to show something more, you need somewhere then in a more serious place to implement it all. But here, at the Russian Championships, it’s hard to do it.

“I don’t count the medals of the Russian championships. The Russian championship for me, for us, for the whole team, has always been a test tournament before the main start. And now it’s all turned upside down, now this is the main start of the country, of the year. It’s hard.”

Despite an injury, she finished second in the All-Around to 17-year-old Viktoria Listunova, also a Tokyo 2020 Team gold medalist, 116.331 to 112.531:

“It worked out well today, I had a different mental attitude. I rehabilitated myself after yesterday, so to speak.

“I had a difficult preparation, so the competition is hard for me, plus I have an injury; my Achilles hurts. Every event I do, I think it might be my last, so it’s kind of tough mentally. My doctor and I decided that after the competition I should focus on treating my leg, it’s so hard to perform, of course.”

4.
Tokyo wrestling star Steveson aiming for WWE and Paris 2024

U.S. Freestyle wrestler Gable Steveson was one of the stars of the Tokyo 2020 Games, making a miracle comeback in the final second – yes, final second – to win the Freestyle 125 kg division over reigning World Champion Geno Petriashvili of Georgia.

He left Olympic wrestling to develop a career with the WWE pro circuit and told MMAFighting.com that he is ready to debut with the show, but also has his eyes on returning to the Olympics in 2024:

“I miss being on the mats. I miss showcasing my skills every year and going out there and putting on a good show and going out there and winning the national tournament. I miss it. I still have that competitive fighter and hope to get back out there really soon.

“I know the Olympics is next year and I hope to be a part of that and keep moving forward and keep winning big titles for the USA also.

“I would love a second run. I feel I have a lot more left in the tank to showcase. I want to prove USA right and keep moving forward overall and become one of the best American amateur wrestlers ever, and I hope I can achieve the Bruce Baumgartner status of having a bunch of medals and having the accolades to show and be a part of WWE and be an entertainer, too.”

The legendary Baumgartner won two Olympic golds at 130 kg in 1984 and 1992, a silver in 1988 and a bronze in 1996.

Steveson blew through three opponents in Tokyo by 23-0 to reach the gold-medal final and had a 5-2 lead on Petriashvili until the Georgian scored six points to take an 8-5 lead with 90 seconds left. Steveson got a takedown with 10 seconds left to close to 8-7 and then took Petriashvili down again, flying over the top of him with a half-second left for a 9-8 win. The score was finalized at 10-8 after a Georgian protest was denied.

Only one wrestler has ever repeated an Olympic title in the super heavyweight division: Soviet Soslan Andiyev in 1976 and 1980.

5.
Wimbledon to allow Russians, Belarusians under conditions

Britain’s Daily Mail reported that the All England Club, organizers of the Wimbledon championships, will allow Russian and Belarusian players to compete in 2023, after being banned under government edict in 2022.

The pro tennis tours – Association of Tennis Professionals and Women’s Tennis Association – penalized Wimbledon for not allowing Russian and Belarusian players to compete as neutrals in 2022, as they were at other tournaments, including the other Grand Slams.

The newspaper reported, however:

“It is understood that players will be kicked out of the tournament if they show any support for the invasion, and they are also set to compete under a neutral flag.”

Moreover, a code of conduct is being considered:

“The details of that code have yet to be finalised but it is likely that any explicit show of support for Russia, such as carrying a flag or talking positively about the country, could lead to sanctions including a potential expulsion from the tournament.”

The British government is said to approve of the restrictions and to allow the Russian and Belarusian players to compete, in contrast to its enforced ban in 2022 when it would not allow them to enter the country.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● World Rowing visited the LA28 organizing committee last week to make its case for the replacement of the lightweight rowing events with the beach sprint event now accepted for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Australia.

The federation has accepted the move of the primary rowing venue from Lake Perris in Riverside County to the Long Beach Marine Stadium, site of the 1932 Olympic rowing competitions. Because of the later installation of the Second Street Bridge, the course length will be shortened to 1,500 m instead of the normal 2,000 m.

A decision on the beach sprint event is expected this summer.

● Commonwealth Games 2030 ● A study for a possible Canadian bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games was announced Wednesday by Alberta cities Calgary and Edmonton and the Tsuut’ina Nation.

Commonwealth Sport Canada announced the Alberta bid as “preferred” with a decision not due before August to determine the costs and feasibility of a bid. GamesBids.com reported:

“Alberta’s Minister of Culture Jason Luan said his government is behind plans and has pledged CAD $2 million (USD $1.45 million) towards the exploration process. The City of Edmonton will spend CAD $1 million (USD $725,000) on the effort.”

● Russia ● A group of 42 former Canadian Olympians presented an open letter on Wednesday, calling for the continued exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes, denouncing the Canadian Olympic Committee’s support for the IOC’s exploration of a possible path for athletes against the Russian invasion of Ukraine to be allowed to compete as neutrals:

“We condemn the recent public statements issued by the COC supporting the ‘exploration of a pathway’ for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as ‘neutrals’ in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“Opening the door to ‘neutral’ Russian and Belarusian participation … sends a message that the COC is no longer concerned with Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. No pathway should be considered for Russian or Belarusian athletes to compete in the Olympic Games until Russia fully withdraws from Ukraine. …

“Refusing their participation in international sport is not simply a matter of denying athletes a choice to compete because of their passport, it is a rejection of an unlawful and inhumane war and a recognition of the role international sports plays in geopolitics.”

Canadian Sports Minister Pascal St-Onge told The Canadian Press:

“I’ve had many conversations with the COC. Their current position – and it’s our government’s position as well – is that there’s no reason to review the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes at this point because the war is still ongoing, and we don’t see a path forward to neutrality. So our position is clear.”

The Canadian Olympic Committee, in a statement, however, said:

“Our position, consistent over the past year, is that we support the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes from international sport while the invasion is ongoing. This is aligned with the recent statement, signed by Canada and more than 30 other Nations, that call for the continuation of the ban in the absence of clarity and concrete details on a workable neutrality model.”

As is now the norm, legendary Russian figure skating coach Tatyana Tarasova reacted to the letter thus:

“You never know who doesn’t want to see us. It always seemed to me that Canadians are a friendly, non-violent nation, they never showed themselves like that. But here they can be understood; of course, they want to win, including in figure skating, at least something in ice dancing. They don’t need extra competition. I can’t explain this statement in another way. …

“And I think that we will participate in the Games.”

On Thursday, USA Fencing posted a message from Treasurer Sam Cheris detailing the federation’s position against Russian and Belarusian reinstatement at the online FIE Extraordinary Congress on Friday. It included:

“I and USA Fencing are firmly against permitting the competitors of any country, some of whom are in or supported by its military establishment that is committing war crimes against civilians of another country, to compete.

“If these athletes wish to compete, let them resign any military ties and financing – renounce their citizenship and disavow their support for the atrocities.

“If these sound like drastic and extreme measures, they are – but invasion of a sovereign country and wanton killing of its civilians is also drastic and extreme, and extreme transgressions call for extreme responses.

“Many of these competitors are guilty, directly or indirectly, of supporting actively or passively their aggressor government. Those in Russia who passively watch give tacit approval to the current reprehensible activities. …

“Athletes from Russia and Belarus should not be permitted to compete in the individual or team events under some paper screen of fencing under the FIE flag or some other artifice creating a fiction of neutrality and individual eligibility. Everyone knows they are Russians fencing for Russia and Belorussians fencing for a country that is aiding and abetting Russia’s crimes.”

Cheris will read his statement into the record at the Congress, if allowed to do so. The FIE Congress will vote on reinstatement of Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals from “the second half of April” forward, notably after the IOC Executive Board meeting at the end of March.

● Aquatics ● The World Aquatics Ethics Panel, functioning independently from the federation itself, has added a third-year suspension of former European Swimming League (LEN) President Paolo Barelli (ITA).

Barelli, now 68, at one time a member of the FINA Council and head of both LEN and the Italian federation, was alleged to have falsified expense requests and failed to report conflicts of interest. The Panel ordered Barelli to repay the funds received under false pretenses and is now suspended through 14 August 2025.

● Baseball ● The Tokyo pool at the World Baseball Classic opened on Thursday, with superstar Shohei Ohtani pitching four innings, striking out five and giving up one hit as Japan rolled over China, 8-1, in front of 41,161 at the Tokyo Dome.

Ohtani thrilled the crowd at the plate, with two hits, a double, two walks and two runs batted in.

In the first game in Tokyo, Australia came back to beat South Korea, 9-8, with three runs in the seventh and three in the eight to overcome a 4-2 deficit. The three-run innings were keyed by two-on home runs from third baseman Robbie Glendinning (7th) and catcher Robbie Perkins (8th).

In Taichung (TPE), the Netherlands improved to 2-0 with a 3-1 win over Panama (1-1) and Italy surprised Cuba (0-2) with a 6-3 win in the 10th inning in its opener.

Play in Pools C (Phoenix) and D (Miami) will begin on Saturday. Quarterfinal matches will begin on the 15th.

● Cycling ● Two famed sprint stage races are nearly their climax in France and Italy, with Slovenian stars Tadej Pogacar and Primoz Roglic in position to win both!

At the 81st edition of Paris-Nice, the leader after five stages is two-time Tour de France champ Pogacar, who won the critical fourth (climbing) stage to take over the top spot. He has a six-second lead on France’s David Gaudu and 46 seconds over Dane Jonas Vingegaard, the 2022 Tour de France winner.

At the 58th Tirreno-Adriatico in Italy, home favorite and time trial star Filippo Ganna led for the first three stages, but gave way after the fourth stage to German Leonard Kamna, who moved up as three-time Vuelta a Espana winner Roglic took the stage in a sprint finish against French star Julien Alaphilippe. Kamna has just a six-second lead on Roglic, eight seconds on Joao Almeida (POR) and 13 seconds on American Brandon McNulty.

Both races end Sunday.

● Diving ● Sad news that Pat McCormick (USA), one of the greatest divers in Olympic history, passed away at age 92 on Tuesday (7th).

McCormick was the first diver to win back-to-back Olympic titles in both the 3 m Springboard and the 10 m Platform, at Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956. Only American star Greg Louganis has done it since, in 1984 and 1988.

The 1956 Sullivan Award winner as the premiere amateur athlete in the United States, McCormick was a 27-time national champion has been inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee Hall of Fame and many others. She remained involved with the sport for her entire public life, and participated in multiple Los Angeles Olympic bids, and served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee for the 1984 Games.

She is survived by her daughter Kelly McCormick Robertson, who won an Olympic 1984 silver and 1988 bronze in the 3 m Springboard, son-in-law Matt Robertson, and grandson, Tim McCormick.

● Football ● FIFA announced that the Swiss Attorney General’s office has closed its investigation of federation chief Gianni Infantino (SUI) over the use of a chartered jet in 2017 to fly from Suriname to Switzerland:

“It has been confirmed that the travel arrangements, made by the President’s Office and FIFA’s travel department, were in line with FIFA’s compliance rules and regulations – a decision that is in line with the ruling of FIFA Ethics Committee in August 2020 on this case. In addition, the [Office of the Attorney General] has acknowledged that the manner of communication in relation to these travel arrangements at the time were completely justified.

“Following the OAG’s judgement, the Swiss state shall bear all costs related to the investigation, while the FIFA President has also decided to waive any claim for damages, thus foregoing any potential compensation.”

The Swiss prosecutor’s office launched an inquiry into the matter in 2020, including potential criminal proceedings, which have now been dropped.

Four months before the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and a day after French women’s national team coach Corinne Diacre (FRA) said she would stay as coach despite three stars leaving the team, she was fired by the French Football Federation on Thursday:

“The numerous hearings conducted have made it possible to establish a very important gap with some top players. This gap has reached a point of no return that damages the team’s interests.”

A star defender as a player, Diacre had been the coach of the women’s national team since 2017; the French women – a favorite going into the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, played in France – was eliminated by the U.S. in the quarterfinals. Her contract was to run past the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

But in February, center-back and captain Wendie Renard announced she would not play for France at the Women’s World Cup, quickly followed by striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto and forward Kadidiatou Diani. The search for a new coach will start immediately.

Diacre said of the complaints, “I endured, not without great suffering, the display of slander, untruths and ambitions of some and others.” But now she is out.

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 929-event International Sports Calendar for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: Compete at the University Games for $2,595 plus airfare! C$100,000 sponsor gift for Canadian women’s team; Russians losing interest?

By
Rich Perelman
-
No Russians or Belarusians at the 2021 (2023) World University Games in China!

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Want to compete at the World University Games? It’s $2,595 + air!
2. Sponsor GE Appliances adds $100,000 for Canadian women’s team
3. Russian gymnasts losing interest due to competition ban
4. New Canadian hosting option for 2030 Commonwealth Games?
5. UEFA to refund all Liverpool tickets from Champions League final

With USA Swimming declining to field an American team for the 2023 World University Games in Chengdu (CHN), the U.S. International University Sports Federation has opened the door to any eligible U.S. swimmer (age 17-25, in college or a year after) to apply, but with a cost of $2,595 plus airfare! Canada Soccer sponsor GE Appliances donated C$100,000 to be used for the Canadian Women’s National Team to help in its labor dispute with the federation; it hopes other sponsors will follow. The head of the Russian artistic gymnastics team says motivation is becoming difficult for its athletes, with little or no prospect of being able to compete internationally, including at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. With Hamilton, Ontario unable to get provincial support for funding a centennial Commonwealth Games in 2030, a possible bid from Alberta for Calgary and Edmonton is to be explored. UEFA announced that all Liverpool supporters who attended the almost-catastrophic 2022 Champions League Final will have their ticket purchase costs refunded.

● Panorama: Athletics (3: More than 3,000 get Six Star Medal at Tokyo Marathon; Omanyala’s 9.81 discarded; World Athletics finds women undercovered at Eugene Worlds) = Baseball (Netherlands and Panama win World Baseball Classic openers) = Football (2: Brazil wants Women’s World Cup ‘27; Relevent wins appeal on FIFA-USSF collusion case) = Shooting (Rhode wins two at ISSF World Cup) ●

1.
Want to compete at the World University Games?
It’s $2,595 + air!

Most American teams at international sporting events, such as the Olympic Games or Pan American Games or individual-sport World Cups, are selected and supported by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee or individual-sport National Governing Bodies.

But occasionally, they’re not. At least in swimming, the World University Games is one of those, taking place this year in Chengdu (CHN) after being postponed from 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

SwimSwam.com shared a flyer from BTI Events, LLC, inviting student-athletes – at least 17 years of age and no older than 25 years of age on December 31, 2023 and either enrolled in college or within a year of graduation – to “compete for the USA!”

Without USOPC or U.S. National Governing Body support, the athletes (or friends and family) are responsible for the cost of competing:

● $2,595 for seven days in the athlete village
● “USA team apparel” included, but apparently not uniforms
● Marching in the Opening or Closing ceremonies
● Meals and ground transport included
● Cost of air travel to Chengdu is additional
● Chinese visa fees are additional (if any)

The U.S. member of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) is the U.S.-International University Sports Federation (US-IUSF), which has handed off the team logistics for the World University Games to BTI Events. While the USOPC used to support the WUG, it was dropped many years ago.

There are 18 sports in the WUG in 2023; USA Swimming is not supporting a team for this event, so it’s open to any eligible athlete who can pay for it. Team sports have usually been filled by individual university teams, but individual sports appear to be open. The U.S. men’s basketball team in Chengdu will be provided by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), with the women’s team coming from the University of Louisville.

2.
Sponsor GE Appliances adds $100,000 for Canadian women’s team

The continuing drama of the sixth-ranked Canadian women’s national football team and the national federation over labor issues has led to an added C$100,000 (~$72,452 U.S.) donation from sponsor GE Appliances Canada.

Bob Park, the GE Appliances Canada chief brand officer, told The Canadian Press:

“I think this dispute between Canada Soccer and the women’s national team had gone on for a fair amount of time. We really wanted to get involved, really to be a positive force in soccer.

“We’re really in soccer for one big reason, and we want to be known as a true corporate supporter of the game in Canada. In order to do that, we want to align with a partner, in this case Canada Soccer, and we expect that our brand values are shared and they exhibit those values in their actions.

“Of late, that’s been a little bit more of a challenge, so we wanted to offer up some solutions. … [It’s] really to encourage other sponsors or potential sponsors or current sponsors to come forward and pitch in as well.”

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported that while an interim agreement was announced last week, it’s only a first step as far as the women’s team is concerned:

“The women say while they have told Canada Soccer they will play in the April FIFA window, their participation is contingent on ‘meaningful progress being made with respect to a number of bargaining issues.’”

3.
Russian gymnasts losing interest due to competition ban

The head coach of the Russian gymnastics program, Valentina Rodionenko, said that the international competition ban on Russian athletes is impacting athlete motivation. She told the Russian news agency TASS:

“I say right away: the lack of international starts has a big impact. You see, there is no incentive, so it’s difficult for them and us to make them work. It’s very difficult, purely psychological.”

Speaking specifically of Tokyo Olympic men’s Team gold medalists Nikita Nagornyy and Artur Dalaloyan:

“It’s very difficult to get these guys to work during suspension, because they understand that the Olympics in 2024 may be the last in their sporting life. This attitude, when you understand that you’re not getting into Paris, that’s it.

“Every day we receive reports that many countries are protesting. They are asking not to allow Russia, there is not only a political issue, there is a question of competition.”

Russian athletes won four medals in men’s Artistic Gymnastics in Tokyo (1-1-2) and four in the women’s division (1-1-2); both won the Team gold and bronzes in the Individual All-Around (Nagornyy and Angelina Melnikova). China also won eight total medals, and the U.S. won six.

4.
New Canadian hosting option for 2030 Commonwealth Games?

The inaugural edition of the British Empire Games was held in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in 1930, but an effort to bring the 2030 Commonwealth Games back there imploded due to a lack of provincial funding support.

Now, a centennial Commonwealth Games may still be held in Canada, as reports indicate that a bid from Alberta – Calgary and Edmonton – is in the works.

A 2030 Hamilton event was projected to cost about C$1 billion; the Province of Alberta is willing to explore the possibilities of a bid for 2030 with two experienced cities. Calgary was the site of the 1988 Olympic Winter Games and Edmonton hosted the 1978 Commonwealth Games and the 2001 World Athletics Championships.

Canada has hosted the Commonwealth Games four times: first in Hamilton in 1930, when Vancouver in 1954, Edmonton in 1978 and Victoria, B.C. in 1994. Since then, England and Australia have hosted twice, as well as Malaysia, Scotland and India, with a third Australian-hosted Games coming in Victoria in 2026.

The Interim Evaluation Report on the quite successful 2022 Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham (ENG) prepared by professional services firm KPMG and published in January noted that £654.1 million ($774.8 million U.S.) in public money was spent on the effort, but showed a significant return:

“In net terms, taking account of expenditure and resultant economic activity which would have been incurred anyway had the Games events not taken place in the West Midlands, this equates to a net [gross value added economic] impact of:

“– at least £200.9 million of net GVA in Birmingham [$238.0 million U.S.];

“– approximately £396.9 million of net GVA in the West Midlands (including Birmingham) [$470.2 million U.S.];

“– approximately £764.7 million of net GVA to the UK economy (including the West Midlands and Birmingham) [$905.8 million U.S.].”

5.
UEFA to refund all Liverpool tickets from Champions League final

Liverpool supporters who bought tickets for the disastrous 2022 UEFA Champions League Final at the Stade de France in the Paris area that was plagued by security woes and nearly became a deadly trap for spectators on one side of the stadium will have their purchases refunded.

UEFA announced Tuesday:

“Refunds will be available to all fans with tickets for gates A, B, C, X, Y and Z where the most difficult circumstances were reported. In addition, all fans who according to the access control data did not enter the stadium before 21:00 CEST (the originally scheduled kick-off time), or who were not able to enter the stadium at all, will be eligible for a refund. Finally, UEFA will offer refunds to all fans who purchased accessibility tickets along with those of their accompanying persons.

“Given these criteria, the special refund scheme covers all of the Liverpool FC ticket allocation for the Final, i.e. 19,618 tickets. Due to the nature of the original ticket sales process, whereby Liverpool fans purchased tickets from Liverpool FC and not directly from UEFA, UEFA has requested that the club implements the refunds to ensure personal data protection and for ease of process. The club has kindly confirmed that it will implement the special refund scheme. Accordingly, UEFA will reimburse Liverpool FC the total value of these tickets and the club will then process the refunds to its supporters.”

The statement also noted that Real Madrid ticket buyers and non-affiliated purchasers can also apply for refunds directly through UEFA. Said UEFA General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis (GRE):

“We have taken into account a huge number of views expressed both publicly and privately and we believe we have devised a scheme that is comprehensive and fair. We value the input from the Liverpool FC supporter organisations Spirit of Shankly (SoS) and Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association (LDSA) as well as the open and transparent dialogue throughout this period. We recognise the negative experiences of those supporters on the day and with this scheme we will refund fans who had bought tickets and who were the most affected by the difficulties in accessing the stadium.”

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Athletics ● The World Marathon Majors program has a special designation for individual runners who complete all six of the races – Tokyo, Boston, London, Chicago, Berlin and New York – called the “Six Star Medal.”

A stunning total of 3,033 runners earned their medal at the Tokyo Marathon, the most ever in a single race. Some 40 finishers completed a second tour of all six races; five did it for a third time and one for a fourth time!

The Tokyo race had been especially elusive due to coronavirus restriction on entry to the country. The cumulative total of Six Star Medal winners is now over 11,000.

Something was wrong with the world-leading men’s 100 m mark of 9.81 from 2022 Commonwealth Games champ Ferdinand Omanyala (KEN) in Nairobi on 25 February.

The mark, as well as the breakthrough 9.94 runner-up time for Samuel Imeta, was supposedly into a headwind of 4.8 m/s, highly unlikely and pointing to timing or wind measurement issues for the race. Omanyala was not concerned:

“The season has just started and what matters for me is that I am at peak fitness. In all this, I believe God is saying something, which is that the world record is just around the corner. I can smell it and it will be sooner rather than later before I set it.”

World Athletics announced the results of a survey by digital agency Redtorch about the balance of reporting on men vs. women in athletics coverage from the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon. In short:

“[T]he agency explored the differences in representation of female and male athletes in online news across English-speaking countries including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, Kenya, South Africa, the United Kingdom and United States.

“Results showed a 42% female/58% male split in overall search returns when the spotlight was on specific athletes. However, when looking through the lens of individual disciplines, more significant differences were recorded: the biggest being a 32% female/68% male split among throwers.”

The review of search-engine returns of media reports showed a 59-41% split for men over women’s reports in running events, 56-44% for men over women in jumping events, 68-32 in throws, but 53-47 for women over men in road race reporting.

Moreover, the review of social media audiences showed women with a 56-44% edge. The federation added:

“Among World Athletics’ pledges for International Women’s Day in 2023 is to promote more, better, and fairer coverage of the sport’s female athletes by conducting and/or commissioning research across the entire media landscape, including a third online abuse study at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 , which will track abuse directed at male and female athletes on social media in order to better protect female athletes and take action against those who target athletes online.

“World Athletics will also continue to commission articles, features and other content throughout the year highlighting the ground-breaking women in our sport. This will include developing a podcast series to tell stories of pioneering women and the challenges they face, including protection of female sport, motherhood, mental health, and safeguarding.”

● Baseball ● The World Baseball Classic opened in Taichung (TPE) on Wednesday with the Netherlands defeating Cuba, 4-2, in the opener, thanks to a three-run sixth inning and a single from catcher Chadwick Tromp that scored second baseman Jonathan Schoop and right fielder Josh Palacios.

A full house of 15,540 at Taichung International Stadium saw the nightcap, with Panama pounding host Chinese Taipei, 15-4. The Panamanians scored five in the fourth and sixth in the sixth inning Second baseman Jonathan Arauz got three hits and two runs batted in and shortstop Ruben Tejada, right fielder Luis Castillo and first baseman Jahdiel Santamaria all had two hits and two RBIs.

Pool B begins on Thursday in Tokyo, with Australia facing South Korea and host Japan playing China.

● Football ● The Brazilian sports ministry announced Wednesday that the government, in concert with the national football federation, is preparing a bid for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

Other known bids are expected from a consortium of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands and also from South Africa. The U.S. has indicated interest in 2027, but more likely for 2031.

A potentially important lawsuit against FIFA and U.S. Soccer for restraint of trade in putting on foreign league matches on U.S. soil can go to trial.

New York-based Relevent Sports Group sued both FIFA and the U.S. federation for not allowing it to host an Ecuadorian Liga Pro match between Barcelona and Guayaquil in Miami in 2018. A District Court opinion in 2021 had disallowed the suit, but the Second Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the finding, allowing the matter to proceed. The opinion noted that FIFA’s policy – announced in 2018 – that national league matches may not be played outside of the league’s home country, could be the result of collusion between it and U.S. Soccer:

“Relevent plausibly alleges that the 2018 Policy reflects a contractual commitment of head-to-head competitors to restrict competition.”

Relevent had tried to promote a LaLiga match between Barcelona F.C. and Girona FC. in Miami in 2018, but U.S. Soccer would not provide a sanction for the match.

● Shooting ● Great start for the U.S. at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Doha (QAT), with two wins and two silver medals in the first three events!

Ageless wonder and six-time Olympic medalist Kim Rhode, now 43, triumphed in the women’s Skeet final, winning a shoot-off with fellow American Sam Simonton, 6-5, after a 38-38 tie. It’s Rhode’s 23rd World Cup gold and her second this year; her first was in 1996!

Two-time Olympic Skeet champ Vincent Hancock won silver in the men’s Skeet final, falling to Italy’s Rio 2016 gold medalist, Gabriele Rossetti, 39-38.

Then, Hancock and Rhode teamed up to win the Skeet Mixed Team title, 6-0, over France. The Americans each hit 12 targets without a miss!

Competition now turns to Trap and will continue through Sunday.

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 929-event International Sports Calendar for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: IOC’s Esports Series baffles gaming industry; FIFA pressed on possible Visit Saudi sponsoring; Shiffrin seeks record-tying ski win

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. IOC’s Olympic Esports Series confuses U.S. pro gamers
2. Australia and New Zealand feds shun Visit Saudi sponsorship
3. Stoats top flowers to be Milan Cortina 2026 mascots
4. Shiffrin chasing Stenmark record in his native Sweden this week
5. USOPC receives $10 million gift to support mental health

The “established” esports industry of leagues featuring games like “League of Legends” and “Overwatch” have reacted with confusion to the International Olympic Committee’s new Olympic Esports Series, as they were passed over in favor of electronic versions of existing sports. But as the online business site Digiday reports, that may be exactly the right path for the IOC to take. The chief executives of the Australian and New Zealand football federations both rejected a so-far-unannounced sponsorship of Visit Saudi for this summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, citing the lack of freedoms for women in that country. Also unannounced are the mascots for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan and Cortina (ITA), but Italian media reported that the public vote was in favor of the stoat pair offered by a school in Catanzaro, over a flower and snowdrop combo from a Milan school. American ski star Mikaela Shiffrin will try to tie Swedish legend Ingemar Stenmark’s record of 86 career World Cup wins this weekend … in Sweden, where a Giant Slalom and Slalom will be held in Are. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee received a sensational $10 million gift to aid its mental-health program from The Rieschel Family Foundation. It’s the largest single donation ever made to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Foundation.

● Panorama: Russia (2: chess federation moves to Asia; ITF continues allowing Russians as neutrals) = U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (coaches of the year named) = Gymnastics (furious Russian reaction to Viner suspension) = Wrestling (path for NCAA women’s championship now open) ●

1.
IOC’s Olympic Esports series confuses U.S. pro gamers

While the Olympic sports world is looking on with interest to see how the International Olympic Committee’s stance on electronic sports is evolving, the professional gaming world – at least in the U.S. – may be confused.

The respected online trade site Digiday summarized the situation with a Tuesday look at the IOC’s new Olympic Esport Series that will culminate in June in Singapore:

“[M]any observers in the esports industry felt that the IOC’s announcement missed the mark. The event does not involve any traditional esports, such as ‘League of Legends’ or ‘Counter-Strike,’ nor does it include prominent sports-adjacent competitive games such as NBA 2K, FIFA or Rocket League. Some of the selected titles, such as ‘Tic Tac Bow’ and ‘Tennis Clash,’ are primarily mobile games with little to no structured competitive scene.”

But the story also noted in detail the IOC’s interests in esports which are far removed from the most popular competitive titles:

“As far as the IOC is concerned, all the grousing of esports-industry veterans might be little more than a distraction. Many of the most popular traditional esports are explicitly violent games, replete with guns, terrorists and pitched group combat, and thus inherently a bad fit for the Olympics, which operates on the mantra of ‘peace through sport.’ By focusing on games that emulate traditional sports, it’s more likely that the IOC is using its first esports event to target Olympics fans with an interest in gaming – not hardcore esports fans with an interest in the Olympics.”

This “nonstandard approach to esports” was also lauded for bringing esports closer to mainstream corporate sponsors that are already involved in the Olympic Games, and choosing some games which make sense for play on mobile devices – phones and tablets, making them more accessible worldwide – and not the heavy-duty gaming computers which are standard for the top-tier competitive games and leagues in the U.S.

The story’s bottom line:

“In other words, the Olympic Esports Series isn’t really an esports event – at least not in the sense that the word ‘esports’ has been used by the multitude of stakeholders building the franchised leagues and competing inside them.”

2.
Australia and New Zealand feds shun Visit Saudi sponsorship

FIFA has not announced a much-written-about sponsorship from Visit Saudi, the national tourism organization in Saudi Arabia, for this summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

But both of the host federations have now offered clear statements against such a commercial tie-in in view of the limits on women’s rights in that country. Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said Monday:

“Football Australia has consulted on this matter with key stakeholders, including government and commercial partners and it was an overwhelming consensus that this partnership does not align with our collective vision for the tournament and falls short of our expectations.

“Whilst the partnership has not been confirmed by FIFA, based on the consultations we have had with our community, key stakeholders and our own position, we would not be comfortable with it.

“While we await further clarity and information as to the details of the partnership from FIFA, we continue to convey this clear message on behalf of Football Australia, New Zealand Football, and our community.”

New Zealand Football chief exec Andrew Pragnell told reporters that a FIFA letter replying to concerns over the possible Visit Saudi sponsorship was hardly clear:

“It didn’t confirm nor deny the potential Visit Saudi sponsorship that has been reported in the media.”

“It did allude to the importance of treating all member associations equally and the importance of engagement as opposed to isolation. Other than that, it stated that they’d be reaching out through their media and partnerships team for further conversations.”

FIFA, for its part, continues to be quiet.

3.
Stoats top flowers to be Milan Cortina 2026 mascots

Again, no official announcements, but Italian reports confirm that the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games mascots are expected to be the stoats created by primary school students at the Istituto Comprensivo di Taverna in Catanzaro, in the south of Italy.

The stoats – ermines, related to badgers, otters and wolverines – received 53% of the public vote over a snowdrop and an edelweiss flower offered by the Istituto Comprensivo A.B. Sabin of Segrate in Milan.

The design contest was popular, with about 400 applications and 1,600 project ideas submitted, from 681 classes from 82 schools.

If confirmed, the as-yet-unnamed stoats will be the fifth straight Winter Games with animal mascots:

● 2010 Vancouver: Miga (sea bear), Quatchi (Sasquatch), Mukmuk (marmot)
● 2014 Sochi: Bely Mishka (polar bear), Snow Leopard, Zaika (hare)
● 2018 PyeongChang: Soohorang (tiger)
● 2022 Beijing: Bing Dwen Dwen (panda)

The Turin 2006 mascots were Neve and Gliz, a snowball and an ice cube.

4.
Shiffrin chasing Stenmark record in his native Sweden this week

Of course, it had to be: American skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin possibly equaling or passing Swedish skiing legend Ingemar Stenmark’s record for career World Cup wins … in Sweden.

The FIS Women’s Alpine Skiing World Cup circuit is in Are for races in Shiffrin’s two best events, the Giant Slalom and the Slalom. Those two comprise 71 of her 85 total World Cup wins (84%), and, really, 76 when counting the City Events and Parallel Slalom victories (89%):

● 52 Slalom
● 19 Giant Slalom
● 5 Super-G
● 3 Downhill
● 1 Combined
● 3 City Events (slalom-style)
● 2 Parallel Slalom

The races in Are are slated for Friday (Giant Slalom) and Saturday (Slalom), with Shiffrin needing one win to catch Stenmark – now 66 – who won 86 World Cup races from 1974-89. He was also a technical racer, winning 40 Slaloms and 46 Giant Slalom events. He was the 1980 Olympic champion in both events in Lake Placid (USA).

Stenmark has the all-time record for most World Cup medals with 155; Shiffrin has 134 so far.

Are is a special place for Shiffrin: she won her first World Cup race there, the Slalom in December 2012, and she added wins in 2014-15-18. She owns 11 World Cup golds this season: five of the eight Giant Slaloms and five of the nine Slaloms to far, plus one Super-G.

If she misses out this week, there’s the World Cup Final series in Soldeu (AND) from 15-19 March, which will include the full program of Downhill, Super-G, Slalom and Giant Slalom.

Already the overall World Cup and seasonal Slalom points champion for 2022-23, she can also wrap up the Giant Slalom title, currently leading Swiss star Lara Gut-Behrami, 600-482, with two races left.

5.
USOPC receives $10 million gift to support mental health

“The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, in partnership with the United States Olympic & Paralympic Foundation, today announced that Yucca and Gary Rieschel have committed $10 million in support of Team USA’s mental health program. The donation, made through The Rieschel Family Foundation, is the largest standalone gift in foundation history.”

The Reischels have been mental health supporters of the USOPC since 2020 and were the organization’s first Mental Health Ambassadors. Funding from the Reischels and others have allowed the USOPC to engage the services of more than 200 service providers across the U.S. in the mental-health sector and provide on-the-ground mental-health specialists for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams at Tokyo 2020 and Beijing in 2022.

Gary Rieschel is a leading technology venture capitalist, and the Founding Managing Partner of Qiming Venture Partners, a Shanghai-based firm launched in 2006. He helped develop the venture capital sector in China during stints as a senior executive at Intel, Sequent Computer, Cisco Systems, and Softbank Corporation.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Russia ● “We won’t be able to play under the flag at FIDE competitions. There is no such ban in the Asian Chess Federation. If the Asian Championship is not a qualifier for the World Championship, we will play under the flag and with the anthem.”

That’s Russian Chess Federation Executive Director Alexander Tkachev, following the move of the Russian federation from Europe to Asia that was concluded in 28 February. The International Chess Federation (FIDE), which has a Russian President in Arkady Dvorkovich, is maintaining the IOC’s sanctions, which grudgingly permits Russian and Belarusian participation, but as neutrals, with no flag or anthem use.

Chess is not on the Olympic program, but is an IOC-recognized federation.

In tennis, International Tennis Federation President David Haggerty of the U.S. told Kyodo News that while the Russian and Belarusian federations have been suspended by the ITF, Russian and Belarusian players continue to be allowed to play as neutrals by the men’s and women’s professional tours (ATP and WTA). Haggerty said, “The current policy is balanced.”

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ● Bobby Kersee, the legendary track & field coach of Allyson Felix and now Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Athing Mu and others, was honored on Monday as the USOPC’s Olympic Coach of the Year.

Kersee, who rose to national acclaim during his time as the UCLA women’s coach in the 1980s, has coached superstars such as Gail Devers and Jackie Joyner, whom he later married in 1986. His Los Angeles-based training group now includes hurdler Taylor McLaughlin (Sydney’s brother), Brandon Miller (800 m), sprinter Jenna Prandini and former 100 m hurdles world-record holder Keni Harrison.

David Hoff (sled hockey) was selected as Paralympic Coach of the Year. Mike Peplinski (curling) was honored as Developmental Coach of the Year and Jacob Roberts (speedskating) as Volunteer Coach of the Year.

Ryan Martin (wheelchair basketball) was named College Coach of the Year, and Jose Polanco, the USA Boxing Assistant Director of High Performance, as Service Provider of the Year.

Dr. Christine Brooks, a USA Track & Field sport science instructor, was tabbed as Coach Educator of the Year and Tom West (USA Rowing) won the Doc Counsilman Science & Technology Award winner for his development of specialized equipment for Paralympic rowers.

● Gymnastics ● “Furious” is perhaps the best way to describe the Russian reaction to the two-year suspension of famed Rhythmic Gymnastics coach Irina Viner by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).

FIG announced Monday that the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation Disciplinary Commission had suspended Viner for two years, to be served AFTER the current sanctions on Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine have concluded (whenever that will be). The issues:

“The proceedings related to the alleged retaliatory withdrawal of Ms Nataliya Kuzmina’s candidacy for the 2021 elections to the FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics Technical Committee, public statements made in media following the defeat of the Russian rhythmic gymnastics team at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, which were deemed abusive and in violation of FIG Rules, as well as the Respondents’ failure to duly cooperate with the investigation.”

The genesis was the Tokyo 2020 competitions, in which Bulgaria snapped a five-Games win streak for the Russian women in the Group All-Around, 92,100 to 90.700, and Israel’s Linoy Ashram won the women’s All-Around individual gold, 107.800 to 107.650, over favored Dina Averina (RUS). Viner called the silver-medal scores “a disgrace” and then blocked Kuzmina’s re-election bid to the Rhythmic Technical Committee; Kuzmina had oversight of the Olympic judging panel in Tokyo.

The reaction came quickly on Tuesday, with the Russian federation stating it is considering an appeal. And:

● State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin visited a rhythmic gymnastics training facility named for Viner and told her and other coaches and athletes:

“People like you have already written themselves into history. … No one will be able to erase your name, the names of our athletes. There is no rhythmic gymnastics in the world without you. …

“Everything the U.S. is doing now to maintain its hegemony, to keep power in its hands, it is, of course, unfair, dishonest, and will eventually lead to their collapse. The world should be a just, multipolar world.”

● Dmitry Svishchev, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports, told TASS:

“Considering how much Irina Aleksandrovna Viner has done for the development of rhythmic gymnastics, FIG should have at least take this fact into account. Especially in such a sport, where, in fact, Russia has always been ahead of the rest of the planet, and everyone else has already followed it. And here it is – the gratitude of colleagues, so to speak. We, of course, never expect that they are kind, but to do this with the actual founder of modern rhythmic gymnastics is already too much. I think that we need to consider the option of appealing this decision. It does not at all correspond to the era that Irina Viner personifies in world sports. I think that this punishment is directly related to her position on matters of principle.”

● Alexander Zhukov, honorary president of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC):

“I regard this as yet another example of political interference in sports. Irina Alexandrovna was punished for criticizing refereeing at the Olympic Games, which was absolutely fair. The contribution that Viner made to the development of rhythmic gymnastics cannot be compared with someone else. The International Gymnastics Federation, having removed the Russians from their competitions a year ago, chopped off the branch on which it sat. And after the decision to disqualify Viner, another step was taken towards the abyss.”

● Wrestling ● In a major move forward for women’s wrestling, the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championship group announced that the NCAA’s requirements – across Division I, II and III – to make women’s wrestling a championship sport have been met.

NCWWC Executive Committee Chair Lisa Goddard McGuirk, noted, “With the help of our coalition partners, Wrestle Like a Girl, USA Wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the National Wrestling Coaches Association we are proud to share that 43 teams have reported meeting their divisional Bylaw goals.”

Assuming the NCAA approval process moves ahead without incident, it is possible that national championships in women’s wrestling could come as soon as two years from now.

You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.

For our updated, 929-event International Sports Calendar for 2023 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TSX REPORT: Poll finds Paris 2024 ticketing pricey and problematic; Paris mayor says no Village air conditioning! World Baseball Classic V is here!

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

1. Poll says Paris 2024 tickets too expensive (so far)
2. Paris Mayor adamant: no air conditioning in Olympic Village
3. Russia pushing ahead with possible IOC rival group
4. Fifth World Baseball Classic gets underway Wednesday
5. USOPC review commission asking for documents

Poll findings published over the weekend showed 82% dissatisfaction with the cost of tickets made available so far for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and the complexity of the initial “ticket pack” sales program. More tickets will be available later in the year. While the Paris 2024 organizers have suggested that National Olympic Committees willing to pay for air conditioning at the Olympic Village could do so, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has objected on environmental grounds and says she will not permit it. Russian plans to form a new “association of sports organizations” based on a Russia-China alliance is moving ahead, with a first test of interest in a summertime university sports festival in Yekaterinburg. The fifth edition of the underrated, but always exciting World Baseball Classic starts Wednesday in Chinese Taipei, then in Tokyo a day later. Four groups of five teams will play a round-robin, with the top two in each group heading to the quarterfinals. The Dominican Republic, the U.S. and Japan are considered the favorites. The Commission on the State of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympics is getting going and has asked for documents to be forwarded that relate to its wide study mandate over reforms, participation and finances of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the U.S. National Governing Bodies.

● Panorama: Paris 2024 (poll favors Russian participation in 2024) = International Olympic Committee (2023 Session dates) = African Games (Accra 20213 moved to 2024) = Athletics (USATF 15 km nationals) = Curling (Thiesse and Dropkin win U.S. Mixed Doubles title) = Figure Skating (judging criticism in Russia too) = Football (NFL-style referee announcement trials continue) = Golf (Ko wins second straight World Champs) = Ice Hockey (wrong anthem played for Hong Kong at IIHF Div. III Worlds) ●

1.
Poll says Paris 2024 tickets too expensive (so far)

A poll taken last week of 1,005 French adults showed 82% consider the currently-available ticket prices for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games “not accessible in terms of price” and 79% found the ticketing process “complicated.”

The survey reflected the first phase of the ticketing program, in which buyers had to purchase three-event “packs” from a menu of events and price levels that did not include all events, or the major ceremonies. Agence France Presse reported:

“Successful applicants have been obliged to buy places for three events at the same time, with many finding sports priced at a minimum 80 euros [~$80 U.S.], meaning a family of four could face a bill of nearly 1,000 euros [~$1,069].”

Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet had previously noted on RTL Radio, “We’re not more expensive than London in 2012. It’s the same for the football and rugby World Cups. These are the prices.”

The Paris organizers are facing financial headwinds from inflation and supply-chain issues with only about a year to go and ticket and hospitality revenues are the last major segment of revenue to come in.

The organizers expect to have 10 million tickets available for the Games and promoted one million – 10% – to be available for 24 euro (~$26) and about half to be offered for 50 euro or less. But only 30% of the ticket stock is available in the first phase, which began on 15 February.

Phase two will begin in May, with all sessions promised to be available, and can be purchased individually. The last scheduled offer will come at the end of the year, to be followed by the inevitable sales of seats not purchased by sponsors and teams in 2024.

The poll continued to show good support for the Games overall, with 69% in favor of the event, and 64% expecting that it will create new economic opportunities. However, 64% believed that the organizing committee may not be able to put on the Olympic and Paralympic Games and come through without a deficit.

2.
Paris Mayor adamant: no air conditioning in Olympic Village

The newest argument about the Paris 2024 Games is over the lack of air conditioning built into the Olympic Village, now under construction in the Saint-Denis area. The issue arose in January, with SOLIDEO construction chief Nicolas Ferrand explaining:

“We are building rooms where it will be six degrees cooler than the outside temperature.

“It’s a question for society. Do we collectively accept being at six degrees less and having an excellent carbon footprint, or do we say it’s not okay, and we’re ready to downgrade the carbon footprint?”

Ferrand said if the requirements were changed, air conditioning could be added. The geothermal cooling plan is touted to save 45% on emissions compared with air-conditioned spaces.

Last week, a story in the French newspaper, Le Parisien, noted that the Paris 2024 organizers would be fine with teams installing their own cooling facilities, at their own expense. But Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo (Socialist Party) came out against the idea last Friday, insisting “that the Games of Paris are exemplary on the environmental level.

“The buildings were designed to face the climate of 2050. I will not go back on these ambitions and, as president of the SOLIDEO, I can guarantee that we will not change trajectory and that there will be no changes in the construction program of the village regarding air conditioning.”

The worry is that a summer heat wave could send temperatures as high as 40 C (104 F) during 2024. Expect this debate to either warm up or cool down this summer.

3.
Russia pushing ahead with possible IOC rival group

While still mostly barred from international competition thanks to a February 2022 request from the International Olympic Committee, the Russian government continues to talk up the creation of a rival “association of sports organizations” anchored by Russia and China.

Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bakhtiyor Khakimov, briefed reporters on Monday following his return from meetings in Beijing:

“The proposal to create an association of sports organizations was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the summit in Samarkand. Now work is underway to implement this idea. In principle, the reaction of the partners is positive, we are expected to make appropriate conceptual considerations, as is customary in the SCO [Shanghai Cooperation Organisation].

“Member states oppose violations of the principles of Olympism, and this is a clear common position. At the same time, partners, and this is logical, would not like to be the objects of some unfriendly, albeit indirect, actions. All these nuances must be taken into account in the work to create conditions for promoting cooperation in this area, given the unifying power of sport.”

The first test of the concept will come this summer, as the Russians organize an “International University Games” in Yekaterinburg, which was supposed to host the World University Games in 2023, but saw it removed by the International University Sports Federation (FISU) following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

(Adding to the irony is that the FISU President is Russian Oleg Matytsin, now the Russian Sports Minister, but who stepped away from his FISU role in view of the sanctions on Russians that would have made his position impossible.)

Founded in 2001, the SCO’s full members include China, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, with Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia as observers and other Asian and Muslim-majority countries as “dialogue partners.” Khakimov also projected that the “BRICS” countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – would participate.

4.
Fifth World Baseball Classic gets underway Wednesday

One of the best international team-sport competitions that nobody talks about is the World Baseball Classic, created in 2006 to showcase national team play, but which has suffered from a lack of enthusiasm and promotion from co-owners Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association.

National-team play is almost unknown in professional baseball, save for the annual Caribbean Series. And while it is pretty much irrelevant in the U.S., it is a huge deal in Japan, where the “Samurai Japan” squad enjoys a huge following and will include Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani.

The 2023 edition starts on 8 March in Asia, with a record 20 teams in the tournament this time, playing a round-robin within four groups of five:

● Group A in Taichung (TPE): Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Italy, Netherlands, Panama

● Group B in Tokyo (JPN): Australia, China, Czech Republic, Japan, South Korea

● Group C in Phoenix (USA): Canada, Colombia, Great Britain, Mexico, United States

● Group D in Miami (USA): Dominican Republic, Israel, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Venezuela

The 10-game round-robin series in each group will run through 12 March in Taichung, 13 March in Tokyo and 15 March in the two U.S. cities. The top two teams in each pool will advance to the quarterfinals: two in Tokyo and two in Miami. The semifinals and finals will be played in Miami on 19-20-21 March.

Japan won the first two Classics, in 2006 and 2009; the Dominican Republic swept through the 2013 Classic and the U.S. won in 2017. The coronavirus pandemic wiped out the 2021 edition and postponed it to this year.

In the U.S., the games will be shown on FOX, FS1. FS2, Fox Deportes or Fox’s Tubi streaming service, a considerable exposure boost from the prior Classics, when the games were solely on the MLB Network.

The sharpies have the Dominican Republic (+200), U.S. (+250) and Japan (+350), as the favorites, with Puerto Rico (+1100) and Venezuela (+1600) next in line.

5.
USOPC review commission asking for documents

The Commission on the State of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympics, formed by the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020, is finally getting going.

A one-page circular has been sent to various sports governing bodies, reviewing the Act’s listed areas of review and stating:

“The Commission welcomes the submission of any information that is relevant to the areas of study. Please follow the instructions provided in the submission form.”

The 16-member body is chaired by former U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee Athletes’ Advisory Council chair Han Xiao and University of Baltimore law professor Dionne Koller, and includes a mix of former athletes, sports administrators, ex-public sector officials and policy experts.

The Act requires that at least one public hearing be held and the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2023. The concept came from a bill introduced by former Colorado Senator Cory Gardner, to review the reforms made at the USOPC and National Governing Bodies level in view of the Larry Nassar gymnastics abuse scandal, but will also cover an analysis of participation, the functions of the National Governing Bodies and the USOPC finances.

One area where the USOPC should get an A+ is for “ongoing efforts by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee to recruit the Olympic and Paralympic Games to the United States,” with the Los Angeles 2028 Games on the horizon and Salt Lake City poised to be named host for the 2030 or 2034 Olympic Winter Games.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Paris 2024 ● The French all-sports newspaper L’Equipe reported Sunday on more questions from the Odoxa poll which also covered ticketing issues. Of note was a question on Russian participation, with 28% favoring Russians competing under their own flag, but 44% preferring a neutral status.

● International Olympic Committee ● The dates for the postponed 140th IOC Session in Mumbai (IND) have been set for 14-17 October 2023.

While no longer expected to select the host for the 2030 Olympic Winter Games, the Session will likely approve or amend the final sports program for Los Angeles 2028 and could vote to remove boxing from the Paris 2024 Games. The matters to be determined will be proposed by the IOC Executive Board, which will next meet at the end of March.

● African Games ● After a lengthy tug-of-war on marketing issues and whether preparations for the 2023 African Games in Accra (GHA) can be completed on time, the event has been set for 8-23 March 2024, in Accra.

The African Union, the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa and the Association of African Sports Confederations agreed on the new dates and to remain in Accra. The placement of the event in 2024 itself will create a scheduling and training challenge for athletes trying to qualify for Paris 2024 via the event and then peaking again four months later.

● Athletics ● Multi-time U.S. champions Hillary Bor and Emily Sisson added to their trophy cases on Saturday with wins in the USATF 15 km national championships in Jacksonville, Florida.

Bor, a three-time national champion and two-time Olympian in the Steeple, won his second career USATF road title by breaking away from the field with Asfaha Mekonen after 8 km. Bor shook his challenger at about 12 km and cruised home in 43:11 for his fifth national title. Mekonen was passed by Leonard Korir and Brian Shrader, with Korir sprinting home for second (44:51), Shrader third (43:59) with Mekonen fading to sixth.

Sisson entered as the two-time defending champion in this race and was never really challenged, winning in 48:26. Emma Grace Hurley was also running by herself in second (50:04), with Jessa Hanson also alone to finish third in 51:15.

● Curling ● The vastly experienced, but new pair of Cory Thiesse (nee Christiansen) and Korey Dropkin took their first title together at the USA Curling Mixed Doubles National Championships in Kalamazoo, Michigan over the weekend.

The pair raced through both the round-robin and the playoffs and finished with a perfect 9-0 record after an 8-3 win in the final over Sarah Anderson and Andrew Stopera.

Thiesse had previously teamed with 2018 Olympic champ John Shuster in Mixed Doubles, winning the 2019 national title and the U.S.’s last Worlds Mixed Doubles medal, a bronze in 2019. This was Dropkin’s third Mixed Doubles U.S. win and will be his third trip to the Worlds. He teamed with Anderson to finish fifth in 2015 and 13th in 2018.

● Figure Skating ● Even in Russia, there are complaints about judging in figure skating. Famed coach Tatyana Tarasova complained to the Russian news agency TASS about the results of the junior women’s competition at the Russian Grand Prix last week:

“The whole room is screaming: ‘Shame on the judges!’ They want them to wait to have rotten tomatoes thrown at them. The girl [runner-up Daria Sadkova] fell twice, and according to the technical evaluation she beat [fourth-place Sofia] Titova – who did quads, skated perfectly – unfairly. All lies, there were no short cuts, I’m sitting near the rink, a rare disgrace. They say that the judges are professional, but it’s not true.”

Some things are the same the world over.

● Football ● The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the rule-setting body for football worldwide, approved the continuing trial of NFL-style announcements of video-review outcomes to both the in-stadium and viewing audiences:

“The 12-month trial exclusively relating to VAR decisions at FIFA tournaments began at the FIFA Club World Cup 2022 in Morocco earlier this year, and it will also be implemented at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia in May to June 2023. A decision will then be made as to whether the trial will be continued at other FIFA tournaments later this year.”

The development of a less-expensive video review system was also endorsed so that all matches could benefit from the technology. After more ugly scenes at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar last year:

“It was also agreed to establish a working group to focus on further ways of improving discipline and reducing aggression towards match officials, players and team officials at grassroots and amateur level. In this regard, The FA reported on a trial approved by The IFAB and implemented at grassroots level, where referees wear body cameras that record all communications with players and coaches.”

● Golf ● The LPGA’s HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore closed Sunday with a rain delay, but finally a second straight win for Korea’s Jin-young Ko, again by two strokes.

After only a par 72 in the opening round, Ko took over, shooting 65-65-69 to finish – for the second year in a row – at -17 or 271, two shots better than American Nelly Korda (-15) and three better than Americans Danielle Kang and Allisen Corpuz, and Japan’s Ayaka Furue (-14).

It’s Ko’s 14th LPGA Tour win, but her first since winning the 2022 World Championship.

● Gymnastics ● The International Gymnastics Federation confirmed no change in sanctions against Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials at its Executive Committee meeting last Friday in Lausanne (SUI):

“Unfortunately, the conflict in Ukraine, which started just over a year ago, is still going on. Considering the exceptional circumstances related to this conflict, the FIG Executive Committee has decided, based on the new Article 13.3 of the FIG Statutes in force since 1 January 2023, to confirm the measures taken on 26 February 2022 and on 4 March 2022, in particular the measure according to which Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials, including judges, are not allowed to take part in FIG competitions or FIG-sanctioned competitions until further notice.”

● Ice Hockey ● Most folks don’t think about protocol until it goes wrong. So it was at the IIHF men’s Division III World Championship Group B tournament in Sarajevo (BIH) after Hong Kong defeated Iran, 11-1 on 28 February.

Instead of the Chinese anthem, now required by the pro-Beijing Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, a song linked with public protests of the Chinese takeover in 2019 was played for about 10 seconds before being changed. The government-approved anthem was then played. The IIHF’s statement explained:

“The IIHF has interviewed the necessary organizing committee staff/volunteers involved in the incident and have determined that the incident was not intentional, but rather an inadvertent error.

“An apology was made to Team Hong Kong representative at the [post-game] directorate meeting, and it was immediately accepted.”

Apparently, the song initially played had been selected based on an online search.

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TSX REPORT: Shiffrin clinches fifth World Cup title, U.S. teen star Stolz wins three skating golds; rival boxing federation coming?

By
Rich Perelman
-
Triple gold medalist Jordan Stolz of the U.S. - 18 - celebrates at the ISU World Single Distance Championships in Heerenveen (Photo: ISU)

★ 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 ≡

1. Shiffrin clinches fifth World Cup title in Kvitfjell
2. U.S.’s Stolz stuns with triple gold at ISU Speed Skating Worlds
3. Africa sides with IOC on Russian and Belarusian participation
4. Kremlev doubles down as rival boxing federation forming
5. Seven torches and Berlin 1936 “Chain of Office” lead auction sale

American skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin secured her fifth career seasonal Alpine World Cup championships – the Crystal Globe – at Kvitfjell in Norway with three top-10 finishes this weekend. At 27, she ranks equal-third all-time; the record is eight. At the ISU Single Distance World Championships in the Netherlands, American teen Jordan Stolz made history by winning three individual events, the 500-1,000-1,500 m, beating multiple Olympic medalists along the way. Wow! The Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa came out in favor of International Olympic Committee efforts to allow “neutral” Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete at Paris 2024; that’s a long way from their boycott of the 1976 Montreal Games over a New Zealand rugby tour. International Boxing Association chief Umar Kremlev – a Russian – continues to insist that Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete without restrictions. In the meantime, the head of Boxing New Zealand indicated that a new association of national boxing federations may hold its own competitions for those boycotting the IBA’s events in view of its Russian and Belarusian policy and deteriorating relationship with the International Olympic Committee. A small auction of memorabilia that concluded Saturday saw sales of seven Olympic torches and a crazy “Chain of Office” made for IOC members at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games.

● World Championships: Freestyle Skiing & Snowboard = Nordic Skiing = Ski Mountaineering ●
● Panorama: Paris 2024 (France and Germany open facilities for Ukraine) = Anti-Doping (cat meds cause positive!) = Athletics (3: Thiam gets Pent world record at Euro Indoor; Kincaid and McColgan win The TEN; Gelmisa 2:05:22, Wanjiru 2:16:28 to win Tokyo Marathons) = Biathlon (Norway’s Boe and Roeiseland sweep World Cup) = Cycling (Pidcock and Vollering win Strade Bianche) = Fencing (Gallo and Battai wins Sabre World Cups) = Football (Canada and women’s team reach interim agreement) = Freestyle Skiing (Kotovskyi and Scott win Aerials) = Gymnastics (Voinea wins two at Apparatus World Cup) = Ice Hockey (U.S. star scorer Decker retires) = Judo (Japan wins four in Tashkent) = Rugby (Argentina and New Zealand win Sevens Series) = Swimming (McIntosh: two more world junior records at Tyr Pro Swim) = Triathlon (Brits Yee and Potter sweep season World Tri Series opener) ●

1.
Shiffrin clinches fifth World Cup title in Kvitfjell

American skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin made more history with excellent finishes in Downhill and Super-G races that confirmed her fifth career overall World Cup title, a feat which only three others have done.

Shiffrin began the skiing at Kvitfjell (NOR) on Friday with a fourth in the Super-G, behind Cornelia Huetter (AUT: 1:26.83), Italy’s Elena Curtoni (1:26.84) and former World Cup champ Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI: 1:26.95). Shiffrin finished in 1:26.99, just 0.04 from a medal and just 0.16 from another win.

On Saturday, home favorite Kajsa Vickhoff Lie logged the first-ever win by a Norwegian woman in a World Cup Downhill, in 1:32.36, beating out Italian star Sofia Goggia (1:32.65) and Swiss Olympic Downhill champ Corinne Suter (1:32.77). Shiffrin tied for fifth (1:33.15), with teammate Breezy Johnson an impressive eighth (1:33.23).

Those places gave Shiffrin 1,792 points with seven races to go, ahead of Gut-Behrami (996) and Petra Vlhova (SVK: 975). It’s two in a row for Shiffrin after winning three straight in 2017-18-19. She joins Marc Giradelli (LUX: 1980-96) with five; only Annemarie Moser-Proell (AUT: 1969-80) with six, and Marcel Hirscher (AUT: 2007-19), with eight, have more.

Goggia’s runner-up finish also clinched her third straight season title in the women’s Downhill, and fourth in her career.

Sunday’s Super-G saw an Austrian sweep, with Nina Ortlieb, Stephanie Venier and Franziska Gritsch finishing in 1:29.25, 1:29.37 and 1:29.63. It’s the first podium sweep on the Alpine World Cup tour this season.

Shiffrin finished seventh in 1:30.23 and now has 1,828 points to 1,007 got Gut-Behrami. Next week: a Giant Slalom and Slalom – Shiffrin’s favorites – at Are (SWE).

2.
U.S.’s Stolz stuns with triple gold at ISU Speed Skating Worlds

“He’s unbelievable. It’s like trying to beat Michael Jordan or something, I assume. I feel privileged to go against a skater this good. He’s doing things that we would have deemed impossible.”

He’s just 18, but now you can say – without doubt – that American speed skating prodigy Jordan Stolz is a star. No less than Canadian Olympic silver medalist Laurent Dubreuil just said so.

At the ISU World Single Distance Championships at the famed Thialf ice arena in Heerenveen (NED), Stolz completed a sweep of the 500 m World Junior and World Single Distance titles on Friday, skating 34.10 in the final pair to beat Dubreuil by a huge, 0.36 margin and Japan’s Olympic bronze medalist Wataru Morishige by 0.38 (34.48). It’s one of the best performances below 1,000 m altitude of all time.

On Saturday, Stolz stole the show again, winning the 1,000 m (he won the World Juniors in that event too) in 1:07.11, beating Beijing Olympic champ Thomas Krol (NED: 1:07.78), again a brilliant low-altitude mark. Britain’s Cornelius Kersten was a surprise third; American Cooper McLeod was 10th (1:08.82).

More of the same in the 1,500 m on Sunday, as Stolz took the lead in the next-to-last pair at 1:43.59, and two-time Olympic champ Kjeld Nuis (NED) could not match him, skating 1:43.82 in the final pair for second. Krol was third in 1:44.30.

It’s the first time any one skater has won three individual titles in the 22 editions of the World Single Distance Championships, first half in 1996. Said Stolz, “I guess I wrote some history.”

Olympic silver winner Patrick Roest (NED) won the men’s 5,000 m in 6:08.94, defeating Italy’s Olympic 10,000 m bronze winner Davide Ghiotto (6:11.12) and Olympic Mass Start champ Bart Swings (BEL: 6:13.06). Ethan Cepuran was the top American in 12th (6:26.09).

Giotto won Italy’s first-ever Worlds Single Distance gold in the 10,000 m, finishing in 12:41.35 to beat Sochi 2014 winner Jorrit Bergsma (NED: 12:55.64) and Canada’s Beijing Olympic victor Ted-Jan Bloemen (13:01.84).

Swings also won the Mass Start, as he did in Beijing, with 60 points to 40 for Bart Hoolwerf (NED) and 23 for Andrea Giovannini (ITA). Cepuran was 10th for the U.S.

Debreuil led Canada to the Team Sprint title over the Dutch, 1:19.26 to 1:19.67, but the Dutch won the Team Pursuit, 3:38.26 to 3:38.43 over Canada. Norway got the bronze in both; the U.S. was sixth in the Sprint and seventh in the Pursuit.

Canada’s Ivanie Blondin, the Beijing ‘22 Mass Start runner-up, was the individual star of the women’s Worlds, leading her team to golds in the Team Sprint and Team Pursuit and then a silver (again) in the Mass Start.

The U.S. was second in the Team Sprint, with McKenzie Browne, Kimi Goetz and Olympic 500 m champ Erin Jackson, and third in the Team Pursuit, with Giorgia Birkeland, veteran star Brittany Bowe and Mia Kilburg.

The Dutch won individual golds in the women’s 500 m, by Femke Kok (37.28), with teammate Jutta Leerdam third; Leerdam in the 1,000 m (1:13.03) ahead of teammate Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong (1:14.26) and in the Mass Start by Marijke Groenewoud (60), beating Blondin (40) and triple 2022 Olympic gold winner Irene Schouten (22).

For the U.S., Jackson was fifth (37.62) and Goetz eighth (37.89) in the 500 m; Goetz, Bowe and Jackson were 4-5-8 in the 1,000 m (1:14.48-1:14.68-1:15.63). Kilburg was fourth in the Mass Start.

Norway’s Ragne Wiklund won the women’s 3,000 m in 3:56.86, beating Schouten (3:57.40) and six-time World Champion Martina Sabilkova (CZE: 3:58.35). Kilburg was 14th (4:11.57). Olympic champ Schouten won the 5,000 m in 6:41.25, ahead of Wiklund (6:46.15) and Sabilkova (6:47.78).

The Dutch dominated the medal table with 17 (7-7-3), ahead of Canada (7: 3-3-1) and then the U.S. (3-1-1) and Norway (1-2-2) with five.

3.
Africa sides with IOC on Russian and Belarusian participation

“The members came out unanimously in favor of the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in all international competitions.”

That’s from a Friday news release from the Association of National Olympic Committee of Africa (ANOCA), which also included:

“The President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa, the Honorable Mustapha Berraf [ALG] reiterated this position by affirming that ANOCA aligns itself with the position of the International Olympic Committee and its President Dr. Thomas Bach.

“It will thus be a question of allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in complete neutrality without any sign of identity in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

“ANOCA has given its agreement to reaffirm that politics cannot put pressure on Sport and withdraw from it all its nobility values which revolve around peace, unity and Solidarity.”

The Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) also pledged allegiance to the International Olympic Committee’s concept of exploring a pathway for “neutral” Russian and Belarusian athletes for Paris 2024:

“ASOIF is ready to collaborate with the IOC and National Olympic Committees on clarifying a workable definition of ‘neutral athletes’ as a necessary step to further explore the Russian and Belarusian athletes’ potential participation in the Olympic Games. This is a highly complex matter for the International Federations (IFs) in terms of their specificity and the particular qualification process. Different solutions may be required for different sports.”

ASOIF President Francesco Ricci Bitti (ITA), who chaired today’s meeting, insisted, “It is important to recall that decisions in sport matters must ultimately remain as the remit of sport organisations. Consultation is preferable to public resolutions if we seek to facilitate solutions. The autonomy and the role of sport organisations are vital to maintain the dialogue open in this difficult time.”

Observed: For long-time watchers of the Olympic Movement, the position of the African National Olympic Committees is remarkable. In 1976, 29 countries – 22 from Africa – boycotted or withdrew from the Games because a New Zealand rugby team had toured then-expelled South Africa – then under apartheid rule – earlier that year. The boycott came about because the IOC would not ban the New Zealand team, even though rugby was not then an Olympic sport. No talk about neutral athletes then.

It will be fascinating to see what a future African response to war might be if it is once again on their continent, instead of in far-away Europe.

4.
Kremlev doubles down as rival boxing federation forming

“The IOC can give recommendations. Their Charter clearly says that it is impossible to punish the athlete, or to infringe on his rights.”

That’s International Boxing Association President Umar Kremlev (RUS), declaring last Friday that Russian and Belarusian boxers can compete, unimpeded, in IBA events, regardless of what the International Olympic Committee says. He told Reuters:

“We, as an international association, must protect each athlete. And we must understand that for athletes the most important thing is when the anthem plays and when their country’s flag is raised.”

In the meantime, Stuff.co.nz reported Boxing New Zealand President Steve Hartley stating that five or six of its athletes will compete in the upcoming Women’s World Championships in India starting on 14 March, but possibly in a neutral capacity:

“It comes down to athlete welfare. They’re going into a toxic environment, and do we want to put more pressure on their shoulders?

“We want to make sure they’re comfortable. Even though we don’t agree with them going we must support them because we’re so far down the rabbit hole.”

He said, however, that things are changing:

“I was on a Zoom meeting this morning [20 February] with 20 countries and none of them are going to go to IBA events from now on.

“We won’t be supporting our men’s boxers to go [to the IBA Worlds in Uzbekistan]. … There will be an alternative event anyway. Things are moving very quickly with the [Common Cause Alliance] and we’re organising other events in lieu of the IBA events.”

The Common Cause Alliance is a group of about 20 countries – including New Zealand – which has challenged Kremlev’s leadership, saying that the IBA’s directives will kill boxing’s place on the Olympic program, possibly for Paris in 2024. Hartley said the alternative event will be staged in the Netherlands, and noted:

“There is a lot happening, and it will happen very quickly after the [Women’s] World Champs.

“The big one is the IOC making an emphatic statement. They’ve got to make an emphatic statement very soon … they’ve encouraged us to do everything we’re doing and advised us, but they could help more.”

The IOC Executive Board is scheduled to meet on 28-30 March, with boxing’s future on the agenda. It is possible that the Common Cause Alliance could be the core of a possible new federation that the IOC would recognize to handle boxing on the Olympic program.

5.
Seven torches and Berlin 1936 “Chain of Office” lead auction sale

More than a third of the lots available in the Judge Carlos Velarde estate auction sold, with Olympic torches drawing the most interest. Seven items sold for more than $10,000:

● $55,000: Lake Placid 1980 Olympic Winter torch
● $32,500: Berlin 1936 IOC Chain of Office
● $30,000: Melbourne 1956 Olympic torch
● $24,000: Calgary 1988 Olympic Winter torch
● $20,000: Innsbruck 1976 Olympic Winter torch
● $15,000: Rome 1960 Olympic fencing gold medal
● $11,000: Mexico City 1968 weightlifting silver medal

The Lake Placid torch is extremely rare and is highly prizes. Seven torches and two small, replica torches sold, but the Berlin ‘36 “Chain of Office” was easily the most unusual item.

Produced for the members of the International Olympic Committee by the Berlin 1936 organizing committee, it’s a gaudy, bronze chain of interlocking rings with a large plaque picturing the head of Zeus at the bottom and six smaller plaques on the sides picturing images from ancient Greek artifacts and coins then housed in a Berlin museum.

Worn only at the 1936 Games, it sold for the opening bid of $32,500. Wonder if the buyer will wear it? In public?

≡ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ≡

● Freestyle Skiing & Snowboard ● The first snow-sport World Championships ever to be held in Georgia concluded on Saturday at the FIS Freestyle & Snowboard Worlds in Bakuriani.

The U.S. scored two wins on the final weekend in Freestyle, starting with 18-year-old Hanna Faulhaber moving up from fourth at the 2021 Worlds Halfpipe to the top of the podium! She was third after the first round (89.75), then second after round two (93.75), the uncorked a winning third-round run of 95.75 for the win. She out-scored Britain’s 2021 bronze medalist Zoe Atkin (94.50 in round two) and Canada’s Beijing Olympic bronze winner Rachael Karker (92.25 in round one).

Troy Podmilsak, 18, was competing in his first Worlds and had only jumped in nine World Cup events in his life, winning one medal – a bronze – back in October 2022. But he was sensational in the men’s Big Air final, scoring 91.25 on his first run and 96.50 on his second to total 187.75, good enough for the gold medal. Austria’s Lukas Muellauer was second at 184.50 and Beijing 2022 Olympic winner Birk Ruud (NOR) was third (183.50).

The women’s Big Air winner was French star Tess Ledeux, winning her third Worlds gold (Slopestyle 2019, Big Air 2021) by 186.75-175.00 for surprise silver medalist Sandra Eie (NOR). Canada’s Megan Oldham (174.00) was third for her second medal of the championships; she was second in the Slopestyle final.

The men’s Halfpipe title went to Beijing Olympic ninth-placer Brendan Mackay (CAN) over Finland’s Jon Sallinen, 97.25 to 95.75, with American Alex Ferreira third – as he was in Beijing in 2022 – scoring 93.00. Dylan Ladd of the U.S. finished sixth (81.25), and teammates Tristan Feinberg (76.75) and two-time Olympic champ David Wise (70.00) were eighth and ninth.

In Snowboard, the SnowCross Team final had Britain’s Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale as the winners over Jakob Dusek and Pia Zerkhold (AUT) in second and France in third. The U.S. duo of Lindsey Jacobellis and Nick Baumgartner, Olympic winners in Beijing, finished fourth.

The Snowboard Halfpipe final was a battle of teenagers, as Korea’s 16-year-old Cha-eun Lee final-round run of 93.50 was enough to beat Australia’s 17-year-old Valentino Guseli’s final run score of 93.00. Swiss Jan Scherrer was third (89.25); American Chase Josey was eighth (82.25).

The men’s Big Air gold went to another 71-year-old, Japan’s Taiga Hasegawa (177.25), beating Mons Roisland (NOR: 157.25) and Swiss Nicolas Huber (150.50).

The women’s winners were familiar veterans on the World Cup tour. China’s Xuetong Cai, 29, won her third Worlds gold in Halfpipe (90.50), well ahead of Elizabeth Hosking (CAN: 85.50) and Japan’s two-time World Junior champ Mitsuki Ono (83.00).

In the women’s Big Air, Austria’s two-time Olympic gold medalist Anna Gasser, 31, won her second Worlds golds in the event (also 2017), scoring 162.50 over Miyabi Onitsuka (JPN: 161.25, her fifth career Worlds medal) and Australia’s Tess Coady (153.25).

Austria topped the medal table with 13 (3-6-4), followed by the Swiss (10: 3-2-5) and the U.S. and Canada (both 3-3-3) with nine each. Fourteen different countries won golds and 19 won medals.

● Nordic Skiing ● The massive 43rd FIS Nordic Skiing World Championships concluded in Planica (SLO), with Norway dominating the medal table as expected.

In Cross Country Skiing, Sweden finished with four wins in the six women’s events, taking 1-3 in the 30 km Classical Mass Start on Saturday, with Ebba Andersson winning her second gold (also the 15 km Skiathlon) in 1:22:18.0. Norway’s Anne Kalva won her first individual medal of these Championships in second (1:23:11.0) and Frida Karlsson (SWE:1:23:12.2) was third. Rosie Brennan was the top U.S. finisher in fifth (1:23:15.8) and Hailey Swirbul was 18th (1:26:31.3).

The men’s 50 km Classical Mass Start was the fourth Norwegian 1-2 in the men’s events – that all of the individual competitions – with Pal Golberg winning his fourth medal of the Championships (3-1-0) in 2:01:30.2, just ahead of Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (2:01:31.2) and Swede William Poromaa (2:01:31.4). Scott Patterson of the U.S. was 16th in 2:01:10.4 and David Norris was 22nd (2:05:49.1).

Norway won both of the relays, with the men taking the 4×10 km by almost a minute over Finland, 1:32.54.7 to 1:33:41.6, with Germany third (1:33:54.5). The U.S. was seventh (1:36:05.4). The Norwegian women won the 4×5 km relay by more than 20 seconds over Germany, 50:33.3 to 50:53.8. Sweden finished a distant third (51:02.0) and the U.S. was fifth (52:07.6), with Jessie Diggins turning in the third-fastest leg in the race (11:55.0).

Klaebo won five medals (3-2-0), Golberg had four and Simen Hegstad Krueger had three (3-0-0) for Norway. Sweden’s Andersson won four medals in the women’s races (2-0-2) and Karlsson also had four (0-2-2).

In Nordic Combined, Norway’s Jarl Magnus Riiber won his eighth career Worlds gold and earned golds in all four events in Planica by winning the Large Hill (138 m) + 10 km event. He led the jumping portion and started with a 36-second lead in the cross-country section, finishing in 23:42.6 to win by more than a minute over teammate Jens Oftebro (24:44.0) and Austria’s Johannes Lamparter (24:47.3). Ben Loomis was the top American, in 31st (29:09.7).

Norway won all five events in the Nordic Combined and six of the 15 medals. Germany and Austria each won four medals; that’s 14 of the 15. Japan won the other.

In Ski Jumping, the men’s Large Hill (138 m) final, 22-year-old Timi Zajc continued a very successful event for the home team on Friday, winning Slovenia’s first-ever Large Hill Worlds gold by scoring 287.5 to best Japan’s Beijing runner-up Ryoyu Kobayashi (276.8) and Poland’s two-time Worlds gold winner Dawid Kubacki (276.2). Erik Belshaw of the U.S. was 26th at 237.6.

On Saturday, Slovenia finished up with a gold in the men’s Large Hill Team event (1,178.9), with Zajc getting another gold, over Norway (1,166.0) and Austria (1,139.4). The U.S. was eighth at 975.4.

In the final medal table, Norway won 27 of the 72 total medals distributed (12-10-5) with Germany (3-6-3) and Sweden (4-3-5) getting 12 each. The U.S. had two medals, both from Diggins, with one on a relay with Julia Kern.

● Ski Mountaineering ● Stars Remi Bonnet of Switzerland and Axelle Gachet-Mollaret of France both won their second races of the 2023 ISMF World Championships in Boi Taull (ESP) in the Individual Race on Saturday.

Both had won the Vertical Race earlier and Bonnet won his fourth career Worlds gold in 1:19:20.7, well ahead of Italians Matteo Eydallin (1:21:11.9) and Robert Antonioli (1:21:49.5). Christopher Jones of the U.S. was 40th (1:40:39.2).

Gachet-Mollaret was an even more decisive winner, 1:16:05.9 to 1:19:13.6 for Alba de Silvestro (ITA), with Giulia Murada third (1:19:55.5). American Rea Kolbl was 18th (1:29:58.6).

In the men’s Team race, Antonioli and Eydallin (ITA) took the gold in 1:56:28.7, ahead of France (1:57:20.6) and the second Italian team (2:00:21.0). The top U.S. team was 17th in 2:29:54.5, with Jules Goguely and Jones.

The women’s Team event was a third gold for Gachet-Mollaret, and Emily Harrop, winners in 2:12:48.9, over Murada and de Silvesto (ITA: 2:15:53.4) and the second French team (2:17:48.8). The U.S. was seventh, with Emmiliese von Avis and Grace Staberg finishing in 2:59:54.1.

In the Mixed Team race, France’s Harrop and Thibault Anselmet won in 26:46.5, ahead of Murada and Nicolo Canclini (ITA: +10.3) and the second French team of Gachet-Mollaret and Robin Galindo (+12.3).

In the senior events, the French entries won four, Switzerland two and Italy and Spain one each. The French scored 11 medals to nine for Italy: that’s 20 of 27 total medals awarded.

≡ PANORAMA ≡

● Paris 2024 ● As the war against Ukraine continues, European sports ministers are committing to more aid for Ukraine. Last week, French Olympic Games Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera pledged €1 million for aid that will include a “Games preparation center” to aid in athlete training.

In Germany, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said last week that Ukrainian athletes would receive permission to use the country’s Olympic training centers – there are more than 16 – to prepare for the Paris Games.

● Anti-Doping ● Too weird not to be true. A statement from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency last week noted that “Katerina Nash, a Czech cycling athlete residing in Truckee, Calif., has returned an adverse analytical finding for a prohibited substance that was not specifically listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List, which she was exposed to through no fault of her own.”

What? Check this out:

“During USADA’s investigation into her case, Nash provided USADA with records of a prescription liquid pet medication containing capromorelin, an appetite stimulant. She was administering the medication orally to her dog each day during the final weeks of her pet’s life in an effort to maintain weight. Due to the difficulty of administering oral pet medication, Nash would frequently come into contact with the liquid medication via her hands, and the medication bottle did not warn users about the risk of contamination from transdermal exposure.”

The USADA lab work showed that the trace amounts of capromorelin in Nash’s samples exactly matched the pet medication scenario. So, no sanction was made. USADA chief Travis Tygart used the incident to ask for the World Anti-Doping Agency to eliminate the need for reporting such adverse findings, as now required:

“If there is no question that an athlete comes into contact with a prohibited substance from a completely innocent source and there is no effect on performance, USADA continues to advocate that there should not be a violation or a public announcement.”

● Alpine Skiing ● Norway’s Aleksander Aamodt Kilde wrapped up the seasonal men’s World Cup Downhill title with a 1:31.60-1:32.21 win over James Crawford (CAN) in Aspen, Colorado on Saturday.

It’s Kilde’s sixth World Cup Downhill win of the season and his fifth career seasonal title in the discipline (including two in a row now).

Seasonal World Cup leader Marco Odermatt (SUI) was third (1:32.23), with Bryce Bennett the top American in 10th (1:32.64).

In Sunday’s Super-G, seasonal leader Odermatt took his ninth win of the season in 1:06.80, just 0.05 ahead of Andreas Sander (GER) and 0.34 up on Kilde (1:07.14). It’s Sander’s first-ever World Cup medal … at age 33! Ryan Cochran-Siegle was the top U.S. finisher in 14th (1:07.96).

● Athletics ● The European Indoor Championships took place in Istanbul (TUR), with the organizers donating €1 from every ticket purchased since 7 February for earthquake relief efforts. The meet was a good one, with three world-leading marks and a world indoor record:

● Men/Triple Jump: 17.60 m (57-9), Pedro Pablo Pichardo (POR)
● Women/Long Jump: 7.00 m (22-11 3/4), Jazmin Sawyers (GBR)
● Women/Pentathlon: 5,055, Nafi Thiam (BEL) ~ World Record

Thiam’s world mark came in just her eighth career indoor pentathlon, and include lifetime indoor bests in the 60 m hurdles, shot and 800 m. It’s her third European pentathlon title, to go along with two Olympic and two World Championships golds in the heptathlon. She was chased all the way to the end by Poland’s Adrianna Sulek, who scored 5,014 for the no. 2 performance ever; both surpassed Ukraine’s Nataliya Dobrynska’s 2012 mark of 5,013 for the World Indoors. American Anna Hall’s 5,004 from the U.S. Nationals is now no. 4 all-time.

The women’s long jump had been hot in qualifying, with Ivana Vuleta (SRB) reaching 6.98 m (22-10 3/4), but Sawyers became the 19th woman to jump 7 m indoors with her fifth-round effort that proved to be the winner. Larissa Iapichino (ITA) got a national record of 6.97 m (22-10 1/2) to grab silver, with Vuleta third at 6.91 m (22-8).

Pichardo’s mighty 17.60 m came in the third round and moves him to no. 21 all-time indoors.

The men’s 60 m had an Italian winner, but it was not Tokyo Olympic champ Lamont Marcell Jacobs, but teammate Samuele Ceccarelli in 6.48, with Jacobs second in 6.50 (no. 7). Ceccarelli ran 6.47 in his semi, good for no. 3 on the 2023 world list.

Norway’s 400 m hurdles superstar Karsten Warholm won the 400 m in 45.35, his no. 2 time of 2023, and said he plans to run more flat 400s this season. Countryman and fellow Olympic champ Jakob Ingebrigtsen defended his 2021 Euro Indoor 1,500 m title as expected, outdueling Britain’s Neil Gourley, 3:33.95 to 3:34.23. Ingebrigtsen than doubled back in the 3000 m, winning in 7:40.32 over Spain’s Adel Mechaal (7:41.75).

Swiss Jason Joseph won the 60 m hurdles in 7.41, no. 3 on the 2023 world list behind Americans Grant Holloway and Daniel Roberts.

Dutch high jumper Douwe Amels moved to no. 4 on the year list at 2.31 m (7-7) and four men cleared 5.80 m (19-0 1/4) in the vault, with Sondre Guttormsen (NOR) the winner on misses. World leader and Olympic champ Miltiadis Tentoglou won the long jump at 8.30 m (27-2 3/4).

Italy’s Zane Weir, fifth at Tokyo in 2021, won his first major title and zoomed to no. 2 on the 2023 list in winning the men’s shot at 22.06 m (72-4 1/4), over Tomas Stanek (CZE: 21.90 m/71-10 1/4), now no. 4 in 2023. Two-time World Decathlon champ Kevin Mayer (FRA) won the heptathlon at 6,348 to move to no.2 on the 2023 year list, with Norway’s Sander Aae Skotheim (6,318) moving to no. 3.

The women’s 60 m saw Swiss star Mujinga Kambundji, last year’s World Indoor Champion, win in 7.00, no. 3 in 2023 and her second-fastest indoor 60 ever. Dutch star Femke Bol won the 400 m as expected, in 49.85, the no. 7 performance in indoor history. There have been 10 indoor sub-50s in history and Bol has three of them.

World leader and defending champ Keely Hodgkinson (GBR) won the women’s 800 m in 1:58.66, well clear of Anita Horvat (SLO: 2:00.54). Britain’s Laura Muir won the 1,500 in 4:03.40 for her third Euro Indoor title in the event, a clear winner over Claudia Bobocea (ROU: 4:03.76), now no. 6 on the 2023 world list.

Finland’s Reetta Hurske showed she’s no fluke, equaling her seasonal best – no. 3 in the world for 2023 – in winning the 60 m hurdles in 7.79.

Ukrainian star Yaroslava Mahuchikh defended her 2021 Euro indoor high jump crown at 1.98 m (6-6). Finland’s Wilma Murto moved to no. 3 on the year list to win the vault at 4.80 m (15-9). Portugal’s Auriol Dongmo won her second European Indoor title – also in 2021 – at 19.76 m (64-10), now no. 3 on the 2023 year list.

World leads in both the men’s and women’s 10,000 m at The TEN in San Juan Capistrano, California on Saturday evening, with an American Record to boot!

Britain’s Eilish McColgan ran away from American Alicia Monson on the final lap of the women’s race to win in 30:00.87, now no. 12 all-time and no. 2 ever in European history. Monson continued a career year with an American Record of 30:03.82, a lifetime best by 56 seconds! She is no. 14 all-time and broke Molly Huddle’s mark of 30:13.17 from 2016.

Elly Henes and Natosha Rogers got lifetime bests in third and fourth at 30:48.26 and 30:48.69.

Woody Kincaid took the lead from Joe Klecker just before two laps to go and held on for as world-leading win in 27:06.37 to 27:07.57. Kincaid finished in 56.92 and moves to no. 5 (sixth-fastest performance) on the all-time U.S. list, while Klecker is now seventh (no. 8 performance).

Kenya’s Athanas Kioko was third in 27:23.84 and American Connor Mantz was fourth in 27:25.30.

The first of the World Marathon Majors, the Tokyo Marathon, was held on Sunday, with Kenya’s Rosemary Wanjiru moving to no. 6 all-time with a brilliant 2:16:28 victory.

Only four were in contention by 20 km, and Wanjiru and Tsehay Gemechu (ETH) were the only contenders left after 30 km. Wanjiru broke away after 35 km and sailed home with a 28-second win, in the seventh-fastest women’s marathon in history. Gemechu’s second-place time of 2:16:56 makes her only the eighth woman to break 2:17 in history.

Ethiopia’s Ashete Bekere was third in 2:19:11, with Americans Betsy Saina (ex-Kenya) fifth in 2:21:40 (now no. 9 all-time U.S.) and Lindsay Flanagan eighth in 2:26:08.

The men’s race saw a huge pack run hard through the first half, with a breakaway pack finally forming at 37 km. Canadian Cam Levins had the lead at 40 km, but was passed by four others and then Ethiopians Deso Gelmisa, Mohamed Esa and Tsegay Getachew raced ahead, with Gelmisa finally breaking free to get to the tape in 2:05:22, with Esa right behind and given the same time.

Getachew finished third in 2:05:25, then Kenya’s Titus Kipruto (2:05:32) and Levins (2:05:36), who set a national and North American record. The top eight were under 2:06.

● Biathlon ● The seventh of nine IBU World Cup stops was in Nove Mesto (CZE), with Norway’s Johannes Thingnes Boe’s domination unbroken.

Boe won 11 of 14 races prior to the World Championships break, won three of four individual races at the Worlds and won his seventh and eighth in a row with two victories, in the 10 km Sprint and 12.5 km Pursuit.

Norway went 1-2-3-4 in the Sprint, with Boe leading older brother Tarjei Boe to the finish line, 22:39.6 to 23:09.6 (no penalties for either). Vetle Christiansen was third (23:54.8/1); Sean Doherty was the top American in 18th (24:54.4/1).

In the Pursuit, it was Boe and Boe going 1-2 again, in 31:25.1 (2) and 31:59.7 (1), with Swede Martin Ponsiluoma third (32:36.1/5). Doherty was 24th in 34:38.6 (3).

Reigning World Cup women’s champion Marte Olsbu Roeiseland (NOR) hadn’t won a World Cup medal this season due to injury, but came back at the Worlds to win a bronze … and now won both races in Nove Mesto. In fact, the top three in both the women’s Sprint and 10 km Pursuit were identical: Roeiseland, teammate Ingrid Tandrevold second and France’s Anais Chevalier-Bouchet third! Roeiseland won by more than 20 seconds in the Sprint, but only by 2.2 in the Pursuit.

France won the Mixed 4×6 km relay over Sweden and Norway. Roeiseland and Christiansen won the Single Mixed Relay, with Switzerland and Latvia second and third. The U.S. was 16th, with Doherty and Joanne Reid.

● Cycling ● On the UCI World Tour, the famed Strade Bianche races in and around Siena (ITA) on Saturday saw some history as Britain’s star-on-the-rise Thomas Pidcock won the biggest race of his career, attacking decisively with 23 km to go in the hilly, 184 km race in 4:31:41. That was 20 seconds up on Valentin Madouas (FRA) and 22 seconds ahead of Belgium’s Tiesj Benoot.

No British rider had ever won a medal in this race before, and Pidcock, who won a Tour de France stage in 2022, is becoming a force.

The women’s Strade Bianche, 136 km in length, was the fourth win in the last five for a Dutch ride, this time for Demi Vollering, winning a sprint to the line with defending champ Lotte Kopecky (BEL). Both were timed in 3:50:35, 18 seconds up on American Kristin Faulkner (+0:18).

● Fencing ● The FIE World Cup was good to first-time winners, starting with the men’s Sabre in Padua (ITA), as home favorite Michele Gallo, 21, won his second career World Cup medal – and first gold – over Kazakhstan’s Artyam Sarkissyan, 15-9. Sarkissyan won his first career World Cup medal.

Hungary won the team event, 45-30, over Italy.

In the women’s Sabre World Cup in Athens (GRE), Hungary’s Sugar Battai, 19, won a tight battle with four-time World Champion Olga Kharlan (UKR), 15-14, to win her first career international medal! France defeated Korea, 45-29, in the team final.

● Football ● Canada Soccer announced an interim agreement with its sixth-ranked women’s national team over funding, retroactive to the 2022 season. The women’s team had threatened to strike prior to the SheBelieves Cup in the U.S., but was told that legal action would be taken against them.

The interim agreement was reported to be in line with the men’s team compensation on per-game incentives and results-based compensation. A long-term collective bargaining agreement is still to be completed, but this is a positive step with Canada’s looking forward to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this summer.

● Freestyle Skiing ● The FIS Freestyle World Cup continued in Engadin (SUI) with Aerials on Sunday, and a second win this season for Ukraine’s Dmytro Kotovskyi. He scored 136.76 to edge 2023 World Champion Noe Roth (SUI: 133.11) and 2021 Worlds runner-up Chris Lillis (USA: 128.00). Fellow American Quinn Dehlinger, the 2023 Worlds silver medalist, was fifth (93.21).

Worlds silver medalist Danielle Scott (AUS) won her third World Cup event of the season and maintained her World Cup lead in the women’s competition, scoring 98.70. She led an Australian 1-2 with Laura Peel second (94.65) and World Champion Fanyu Kong (CHN: 92.00) third. American Winter Vinecki was fourth (82.21).

● Gymnastics ● The second FIG Artistic Apparatus World Cup was in Doha (QAT), with six different winners on six apparatus for the men, but two wins for Romania’s Sabrina Voinea for the women.

Although he won once, two-time World Champion Carlos Yulo (PHI) was the men’s star with three medals (1-1-1). He won the Floor Exercise at 14.833 over Worlds runner-up Kazuki Minami (JPN: 14.200), finished second on Parallel Bars to Ukraine’s Worlds All-Around bronze Ilia Kovtun, 14.966 to 14.933, and won the bronze on Vault (14.883), behind Armenia’s 2022 Worlds gold medalist Artur Davtyan.

Kazakhstan’s Nariman Kurbanov scored an upset, 15.400-15.033, win over reigning Pommel Horse World Champion Rhys McClenaghan (IRE); China’s Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Yang Liu won on Rings, 15.366-15.033, over Turkey’s Adem Asil, the 2022 World Champion, and Yuya Kamoto (JPN) won on the Horizontal Bar, upsetting Tokyo Olympic runner-up Tin Srbic (CRO), 14.333 to 14.300.

Voinea won the women’s second day – Beam and Floor – scoring 13.766 and 13.600. On Friday, France’s 2022 Worlds bronze medalist Coline Devillard won on Vault (13.800), with 47-year-old Oksana Chusovitina (UZB) getting bronze for the second meet in a row (12.216). Ukraine’s Anna Lashchevska won on the Uneven Bars, scoring 13.500; she was also the silver winner on Saturday on the Beam.

After two Apparatus World Cups, only Davtyan (Vault) and Kovtun (Parallel Bars) won at both. Next up is the third leg, in Baku (AZE) next week.

● Ice Hockey ● Brianna Decker, 31, a key member of three U.S. Olympic women’s hockey squads and six-time World Champion, announced her retirement last Thursday.

Decker, a forward, scored 81 goals and 170 points in 147 games with the U.S. team, and was fourth in IIHF Women’s World Championship all-time scoring with 68 points.

She was the top scorer on the American Olympic squads in 2014 (silver) and 2018 (gold), but suffered a broken left leg in the opening match of the Beijing 2022 Games against Finland and had to sit out the remainder of the tournament, in which the U.S. won silver.

She is beginning a new career as a coach.

● Judo ● Japan and Uzbekistan dominated the IJF World Tour Tashkent (UZB) Grand Slam, winning seven of the 14 weight classes between them.

The Japanese won all four of their golds in the women’s division, by Momo Tamaoki (57 kg), 2022 World Champion Megumi Horikawa (63 kg), Rika Takayama (78 kg) and 2022 Worlds bronze medalist Wakaba Tomita (+78 kg). The three Uzbek wins were all by men: Murodjon Yuldoshev (73 kg), 2022 World Champion Davlat Bobonov (90 kg) and Alisher Yusupov (+100 kg).

Women’s 70 kg World Champion Barbara Matic (CRO) reached the women’s 70 kg finals, but was defeated by Austrian Michaela Polleras.

● Rugby ● Both the men’s and women’s Sevens Series were in action in Vancouver (CAN), with New Zealand and Australia meeting in the women’s final for the third time in five tournaments this season.

Both were 3-0 in group play, along with the U.S. In the playoffs, New Zealand edged Canada, 10-5, and then routed France, 36-7, to reach the final. Australia had little trouble with Fiji, 29-5, in the quarters and then squashed the U.S., 38-0, in the semis. In the final, the Black Ferns managed a 19-12 win over the Aussies to win their fourth tournament in a row and maintain their place atop the seasonal standings, 98-84, over Australia.

The U.S. rebounded and won the bronze-medal match over France, 19-7, and now stand third overall with 82 points with two tournaments left.

New Zealand and Argentina went 3-0 in men’s pool play, and Argentina moved into the final with playoff wins of 19-14 over Fiji and 14-7 against Ireland. In the upper bracket, it was Australia eliminating New Zealand, 17-7, in the quarters and then France winning the semi by 26-12 over Australia.

The Argentines would not be stopped and won the final by 33-21 over the French for their second tournament win of the season. Australia won the third-place game over Ireland, 20-5, so New Zealand remains on top of the standings at 120 points, followed by Argentina (108) and France (95).

● Swimming ● The Tyr Pro Swim Series in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida drew many of the U.S.’s stars for the 34-event program, with four swimmers taking home three or more wins.

Three of those four were women, with four-time Worlds gold medalist Regan Smith winning four events: the 50-100-200 m Backstrokes and the 100 m Butterfly. Ten-time World Championships gold medalist Lilly King swept the 50-100-200 m Breaststroke events and Abbey Weitzeil, the U.S.’s best sprinter so far this season, won the 50-100 m Frees and tied for the win in the 50 m Fly.

The U.S. World Championships trials aren’t until the end of June, so we’re still in the training phase of the season. That makes Freestyle superstar Katie Ledecky’s swims pretty interesting, as she won the 800 m Free and the 400 m Medley in good times, but also posted noteworthy times in the 100 m Free (2nd in 54.01) and just behind Canadian teen star Summer McIntosh in the 200 m Free (2nd in 1:54.96).

McIntosh, still just 16, showed she is still improving, winning the 200 m Free over Ledecky in a World Junior Record of 1:54.13 (no. 8 performer all-time), the 200 m Fly in a World Junior Record of 2:05.05 (no. 11 all-time) and the 200 m Medley.

American Katie Grimes, 17, the 2022 Worlds 1,500 m silver medalist, won the 400 m and 1,500 m Freestyles and came back for a silver in the 200 m Back and bronze in the 200 m Medley!

The men’s star was Tokyo Olympic 400 m winner Ahmed Hafnaoui of Tunisia, who won the 400-800-1,500 m Freestyles. Two others won two events: American Michael Andrew in the 50 m Breast and a tie for the win in the 50 m Fly, and Trinidad & Tobago’s Dylan Carter in the 100 m Free and tying with Andrew in the 50 Fly.

Tokyo Olympic distance star Bobby Finke of the U.S. won the 400 m Medley, and was third in the 1,500 m behind Hafnaoui. The backstroke events were a display of American power as 2022 World Short-Course winner Justin Ress took the 50 m title; 2022 Worlds bronze medalist Hunter Armstrong won the 100 m event and 2022 World Champion Ryan Murphy won the 200 m Back.

● Triathlon ● The first leg of the World Triathlon Championship Series was in Abu Dhabi (UAE), with Britain’s Tokyo Olympic runner-up Alex Yee winning the men’s title with a strong finishing run.

The Sprint format (750 m swim, 20 km bike and 5 km run) started with France’s two-time World Champion Vincent Luis first out of the water. As many as 50 riders were together during the bike phase, then Luis and Yee found themselves 1-2 in the early stages of the run. As the pack shifted, Yee finally took off and finished in 52:53, with Portugal’s Vasco Vilaca six seconds behind and Brazil’s Manoel Messias third (53:06) and Luis fourth in 53:11. It’s Lee’s fifth World Triathlon Series victory.

The women’s race was twice as nice for Britain, with Beth Potter winning her first World Triathlon Series title, leading a 1-2 finish with teammate Sophie Coldwell in 57:56 and 58:14. The American pair of Taylor Spivey and Summer Rappaport finished 3-4 in 58:27 and 58:35. The two British stars had a 10-second lead at the start of the final lap and the 2022 Commonwealth Games third-placer, Potter, surged ahead in the final 500 m, ending with the second-fastest run of the day.

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