PANORAMA: Paris deputy mayor headlines unity in Olympic planning; Britain passes on Grand Slam Track; worries on equestrian horse care

November 13, 2024

tsx pix 2024-1113 dallas long WR 1960 (wiki-upi) — Tokyo 1964 Olympic shot champion and multi-time world-record setter Dallas Long (Photo: Wikipedia via UPI).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● At the Smart Cities & Sport Summit in Lausanne, Paris Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan told attendees that collaboration among all of the stakeholders is crucial to pulling off an event on the scale of Paris 2024.

“[I]t is essential to establish this unity very early on, and to continue working together, despite the difficulties and hazards of preparation. We must define a vision and stick to it.”

He explained that the City of Paris decided early on that it had to touch all parts of the city with the Games, even in areas where no events were held:

“Usually, a host city plans six or seven of them [festival areas].

“We set up 26 of them, each with a specific sports and cultural program. They remained open for 42 days. In total, the celebration sites welcomed 2.5 million visitors. They contributed to ensuring that people all had an experience of the Games, even without having tickets for the competitions. When you spend public money, you have to be bold and creative. People must understand that their money really serves the territories.”

● World Anti-Doping Agency ● Announced Tuesday:

“The Privacy Commissioner of Canada has launched an investigation into the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) after receiving a complaint about its handling of biological samples collected from athletes.

“The investigation will examine whether the collection, use, and disclosure practices of the organization, which is responsible for monitoring the use of drugs in sport, comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Canada’s federal private-sector privacy law.

“The investigation follows a complaint alleging that WADA has disclosed personal information to international sporting federations and that the information is being used to assess athletes’ sex-based eligibility without their knowledge or consent, and for a purpose that would not be considered appropriate under PIPEDA.”

No more details were disclosed, including the number of athletes and federations involved. WADA is headquartered in Montreal and therefore under Canadian jurisdiction for this purpose.

An online election from 10-12 December will be held to select eight members of the WADA Athlete Council nominated from International Federations.

The vote is for one of the three groups that make up the WADA Athlete Council: (1) five submitted by the athlete commissions of the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee, (2) this to-be-elected group of eight, and (3) seven other athletes, selected by a panel of athletes to “fill skills and diversity gaps.”

There 26 candidates for the eight “group 2″ slots, including American Simi Hamilton, now 37, a retired cross-country skier, who won four World Cup medals across 12 years from 2010-21. He is the candidate from the International Ski & Snowboard Federation.

● Athletics ● The Guardian reported that UK Athletics declined to be a host for the 2025 Grand Slam Track Series, either at the London Olympic Stadium or Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium.

UK Athletics head Jack Buckner explained:

“We’re positive about Michael Johnson’s format. But three days of just track athletics is a lot of tickets to sell in the London Stadium and the cost base comes pretty high there. They did approach us and we had a really good discussion with them. We would like to have a bigger, more comprehensive events portfolio, but we want that built on strong foundations that are sustainable.”

Buckner also noted the federation’s interest in a 2029 or 2031 World Athletics Championships, and continuing losses on the Diamond League meets staged in Britain, and a desire to turn those around. Grand Slam Track has announced 2025 meets in Kingston, Jamaica, at Miramar, Florida and Los Angeles, with one more venue to be revealed.

Dallas Long, the 1964 Olympic men’s shot put champion, passed away on 10 November at age 84, at his home in Whitefish, Montana.

Long won the 1960 Olympic bronze, then dominated the event, winning NCAA titles with USC in 1960-61-62, the U.S. national title in 1961 and setting six ratified world records, plus a tie, between 1959 and 1964, plus four other unratified performances.

He finished with a best of 20.68 m (67-10 1/4) from 1964, and also had a discus best of 52.51 m (172-3). He became a dentist and then a physician with an emphasis on emergency medicine.

● Equestrian ● The FEI Congress concluded in the UAE, with President Ingmar De Vos (BEL) praising the brilliant success of the 2024 Paris Games, but also acknowledging concerns:

“Regrettably, this year’s successes have been overshadowed by multiple instances of horse welfare issues, including cases involving high-profile athletes. This scrutiny has placed our sport’s community under the public microscope, exerting tremendous pressure on our veterinary and communications teams at FEI headquarters, who have faced an overwhelming number of enquiries from the media, equestrian fans, and the general public. …

“Based on the report’s findings, the FEI Equine Welfare Strategy has been formulated with a clear vision to ensure a good life for FEI horses, complemented by our mission to be the guardians of horse welfare. To address the areas of focus and recommendations identified by the EEWB, the FEI has developed an Action Plan aimed at ensuring the welfare of FEI horses while inspiring and supporting welfare initiatives for all horses globally.

“’Be a Guardian’ is the central message that unites our community around the FEI Action Plan. The term ‘guardian’ marks an evolution in the FEI’s narrative of the horse-human partnership, reflecting the human role in caring for horses and highlighting each individual’s responsibility for ensuring horse welfare. This shift in terminology is not merely symbolic; it signifies a fundamental change in our approach to equine welfare.”

American David O’Connor, the Chair of the FEI Eventing Committee, was elected as a member of the seven-person FEI Executive Board for the 2024-26 term.

● Wrestling ● Tokyo 2016 Olympic champion Gable Steveson announced that he has returned to the University of Minnesota team after three seasons away. He will compete for a fifth season for the Gophers thanks to an extra year of eligibility due to Covid-19 circumstances in 2020.

He last competed at the NCAA in the 2021-22 season, winning his second NCAA heavyweight title and has an 85-2 record at Minnesota, with a 52-match win streak. Following his Olympic win at Tokyo 2020, Steveson was with the WWE and was at an NFL training camp with the Buffalo Bills.

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For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

VOLLEYBALL: CVC Partners’ $100 mil investment paying dividends for FIVB, with assets in 2023 at $186 million!

Rich Perelman

November 13, 2024

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≡ FIVB CONGRESS ≡

/Updated/The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) reached a landmark agreement with CVC Capital Partners in 2021, injecting $100 million in cash into a new venture – Volleyball World – which became the marketing and event management arm of the federation.

The new entity is owned by the FIVB (67%) and CVC (33%) and splits dividends in that amount. With the 39th FIVB World Congress set for 15-17 November in Porto (POR), the accompanying documentation shows that the early indications of the joint venture have been quite profitable:

● In 2022, the first full year of the new venture, Volleyball World showed a fantastic profit of $58.00 million, of which 67% was paid to the FIVB: $38.86 million.

● In 2023, the result was not as good, with a profit of $25.87 million, of which the FIVB was paid $18.16 million.

The investment (in 2021) and the excellent returns have powered the FIVB to a happy financial position, increasing its wealth enormously since the last Congress in 2021: (CHF 1 = $1.13 U.S.)

Assets:
● 2020: CHF 130.72 million
● 2021: CHF 211.61 million (CVC invests)
● 2022: CHF 219.83 million ($248.41 million U.S.)
● 2023: CHF 164.84 million ($186.27 million U.S.)

Revenues:
● 2020: CHF 14.68 million
● 2021: CHF 25.82 million
● 2022: CHF 50.21 million (Volleyball World dividend I)
● 2023: CHF 37.33 million (Volleyball World dividend II)

Expenses:
● 2020: CHF 47.08 million (CHF 32.38 million net loss)
● 2021: CHF 68.56 million (CHF 70.75 million gain via CVC)
● 2022: CHF 53.36 million (CHF 3.15 million net loss)
● 2023: CHF 53.39 million (CHF 16.06 million net loss)

Its assets topped out at CHF 219.83 million at the end of 2022 ($248.41 million U.S.), but spending in 2023 accelerated for competitions (CHF 16.20 million) and development activities (CHF 7.130 million).

Nonetheless, it’s a signal that – so far – private equity infusions can work, at least in the short term. All of this was also achieved with a modest FIVB office staff of 34.

It is not a surprise that given the financial success of the federation, and the aesthetic success of the Paris 2024 Olympic competitions, notably the beach volleyball events held in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, that outgoing President Ary Graca (BRA) will hand the reins to his Secretary General, fellow Brazilian Fabio Azevedo.

The FIVB Congress announcement stated that as for President:

“The only candidature received was from Fabio Azevedo, upon which the FIVB Advisory Electoral Committee conducted a thorough integrity check confirming his eligibility.”

His sole candidacy had been confirmed in July. Azevedo, 53, came to the federation in 2013 after Graca became FIVB President in 2012. Azevedo had worked in the Brazilian national federation (1997-2010) and with his own event management firm until then.

Graca, now 81, is termed out, but will receive warm wishes from his national federations.

(Updated: Azevedo’s age has been corrected to 53; thanks to Megan Munro of the FIVB for the correction.)

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

BOXING: Algerian women’s Olympic champ Khelif tells Italian radio, “I have never seen these exams they are talking about”

Rich Perelman

November 13, 2024

tsx pix 2024-1113 khelif vs carini paris (chabe01-wiki) — The infamous second-round 2024 Olympic women's 66 kg bout with Imane Khelif (ALG) at left and Italian Angela Carini on the right (Photo: Chabe01 via Wikipedia)

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≡ PARIS 2024 ≡

Three months after the close of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, there is no quiet in the continuing boil over the victories by Algeria’s Imane Khelif in the women’s 66 kg class or Yu-ting Lin (TPE) in the women’s 57 kg class.

Both were disqualified by the International Boxing Association at its 2023 World Championships, for blood test results which the federation said did not meet its “eligibility criteria.” Lin won the bronze medal, which was nullified and given to another fighter; Khelif was removed from the competition after qualifying for the 66 kg final.

Lin has been quiet following Paris, but not Khelif. She appeared on the Italian RAI network program “Lo Stato delle Cose” – “The State of Things” – and spoke with host Massimo Giletti about the controversies surrounding her, including her disqualification at the 2023 Worlds (computer translation from the original Italian):

“I have never seen these exams they are talking about, not even when I was excluded.

“They brought me a piece of paper and asked me to sign it, it said that I would not compete. It was a surreal situation.

“I was in the final and I did not have the chance to compete. I was shocked. But then as the Algerian federation we opposed it and we appealed, and we saw that the IBA no longer has any credibility.”

In Paris, Khelif’s situation was magnified after her opening bout with Italian Angela Carini, a fighter she knew from when the Algerian team trained with the Italians in the past, as well as at some prior tournaments.

Carini abandoned the fight after 46 seconds, saying afterwards, “I got into the ring to fight. I didn’t give up, but one punch hurt too much and so I said enough. I’m going out with my head held high.

“After the second punch, after years of experience, I felt a strong pain in the nose. I said enough, because I didn’t want. I couldn’t finish the fight after the punch to the nose. So it was better to put an end to it.”

Carini later apologized, telling the La Gazzetto dello Sport: “All this controversy makes me sad. I’m sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision.”

As for stopping, she explained, “It wasn’t something I intended to do. Actually, I want to apologize to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke.”

Khelif went on to win the gold medal in Paris, and said during her radio interview

“I’m not angry with Angela, she’s my sister, we share the same passion for boxing.

“I’m angry with those who pressured her, to have a reaction that I didn’t think I deserved. Like all boxers, I wanted a normal match, instead it was a farce. …

“I don’t think she behaved that way of her own free will. I’m absolutely sure that the pressure she was subjected to led her to behave that way.”

Last week, the International Olympic Committee said in a statement:

“We understand that Imane Khelif has taken legal action against individuals who commented on her situation during the Olympic Games Paris 2024, and is also preparing a lawsuit in response to the latest reporting.”

Khelif filed in August in the Paris Prosecutor’s Office’s National Center for the fight against Online Hatred for comments made on social media during the Paris Games. The new suit will focus on a report in the French newspaper Le Correspondant, which published details earlier this month of a medical report which stated she had male (XY) chromosomes and was a biological male.

No end in sight. Khelif said she intends to continue fighting as a professional.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Billion-dollar fury over Brisbane 2032 venue funding; $65 mil revenue for equestrian, $16 mil for hockey in 2023

Rich Perelman

November 12, 2024

tsx pix 2024-921 gabba brisbane (queensland) — The famed Brisbane Cricket Ground (the Gabba), a center of controversy for the 2032 Olympic Games (Photo: Queensland.com)

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2032: Brisbane ● The political tug-of-war over government funding for venues for the 2032 Olympic Games in Queensland continues unabated, with Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie (Liberal National Party) alleging that the prior Labor government did not disclose an A$500 million train transport link with the to-be-built Brisbane Arena, and A$181 million for work on two other venues. (A$1 = $0.65 U.S.)

Labor controls the national Parliament and Federal Workplace Minister Murray Watt told the Queensland Media Club that no added funding was coming:

“I think any fair observer would say that [A$3.435 billion] is a pretty fair contribution from a federal government towards an event being staged largely by the state government.

“I am concerned that having yet another review into something that has been reviewed to death is only just going to result in more delays and more cost blowouts. So that’s why we’ve been saying it’s time to get on with it. Time is running out.”

The national government plans to spend A$2.5 billion in the new Brisbane Arena, to be used for swimming, and another A$935 million for other sites.

New Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has promised a 100-day review of the state’s Olympic infrastructure issues, especially the question of the main stadium, essentially whether to build an all-new facility for a proposed A$3.4 billion, or refurnish the historic Brisbane Cricket Ground (“The Gabba”) at a proposed $A2.7 billion, which would impact the surrounding area, including a school.

● Australia ● Just when it looked like she was out, she’s back in again.

Break dancer Rachael Gunn (“Raygun”), 37, said in a radio interview that she would skip competing in the future, but dialed it back in a television appearance on Monday:

“So, I was talking, you know, on 2dayFM about how I’m not going to do certain competitions anymore, which didn’t seem like such a big deal because breaking is not going to be in the [2028] Olympics anyway.

“But you know, I’m still going to be part of community jams, or I’d like to go to community jams and still dance and still break. Never used the word ‘retire.’”

Asked point-blank, Gunn said, “I’m not retiring. You try and stop me. I’m not ever going to stop dancing. So, if you hear that again, you know that it’s not the truth.”

● Equestrian ● The 2024 FEI Congress is ongoing in Abu Dhabi (UAE), with the revised budget for 2025 now released.

At the end of 2022, the FEI had CHF 72.18 million in assets (CHF 1 = $1.13 U.S.) and reserves of CHF 20.58 million [~$23.34 million U.S.], considerably more than the $15.14 million provided by the International Olympic Committee for its television rights share from Tokyo 2020. Since then:

● 2023: CHF 57.38 million revenue; surplus of CHF 3.49 million
● 2024: CHF 57.95 million revenue; no surplus (projected)

For 2025, the outlook is quite stable, with CHF 57.58 million projected revenue and expense, for no net change, or surplus. Sponsorship revenue is expected to go up a little to CHF 27.16 million, but broadcast revenue will be weaker at CHF 843,680.

● Hockey ● The International Hockey Federation (FIH) Congress in Moscat (OMA) was held on Saturday, with Pakistan’s Tayyab Ikram re-elected, running unopposed, for a full term. He was elected in 2022 to fill the remainder of the term of Narinder Batra (IND), who resigned.

The federation expanded to 146 countries with the admissions of Bahrain, Chad, Curacao, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan and Senegal.

The FIH financials showed assets of CHF 13.61 million at the end of 2023, down from 2022’s CHF 15.34 million, with 2023 reserves of CHF 6.30 million (CHF 1 = $1.13 U.S.)

Operating revenues in 2023 were CHF 14.27 million, with expenses of CHF 11.23 million for a surplus of CHF 3.04 million on operations, and CHF 1.90 million after financial losses. A very positive note was a surplus from the operation of the FIH Pro League of CHF 459,494, reversing a CHF 331,435 loss from 2022.

The FIH, in the fourth of five Olympic television revenue distribution tiers, is not wholly dependent on IOC television money, but would be hard-pressed without it; it received $15.14 million following the Tokyo 2020 Games.

● Modern Pentathlon ● Just as the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) is getting ready to meet for its 73rd Congress, a new group is developing – or reviving – pentathlon with riding still included.

At the direct urging of the International Olympic Committee, the UIPM removed riding from the modern pentathlon and substituted obstacle course racing instead. Many athletes complained, but that was the price of staying as part of the Olympic Games program for Los Angeles 2028.

Now, the Pony Club International Alliance (PCIA) and the new International Pentathlon Association (IPA) announced a partnership:

“PCIA has a strong tradition of international participation and competition in Tetrathlon (horse riding, swimming, running and pistol shooting) and IPA has been formed to develop the aspirations of young athletes who wish to participate in Pentathlon (horse riding, swimming, running, pistol shooting and fencing).

“Working together, PCIA and IPA will promote pathways for athletes of all ages and abilities to explore harmonious relationships with horses and athletic performance for fun and fitness in activities and competition.”

A Tuesday statement said that “PCIA and IPA will share rules and technical information and combine on national and international competition including a possible international equestrian multi-sport games.”

The new partnership aims to continue the traditional modern pentathlon and makes no reference to Olympic inclusion, or to have any relationship with the UIPM.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

FOOTBALL: Canada Soccer drone-spying inquiry confirms 2022-24 activities, but clears men’s team; three coaches fired

Rich Perelman

November 12, 2024

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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

/Updated/Canada Soccer made public a redacted version – sans names – of the report it commissioned on the drone-spying incidents at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, on behalf of its women’s National Team, in advance of its match against New Zealand.

The facts, as already known, were confirmed, that team performance analyst Joseph Lombardi arranged for drone surveillance of two New Zealand practices, with the resulting video viewed by other members of the Canadian coaching staff.

The report stated a belief that this practice had gone on before, as early as 2022, but the names were all redacted. There was a mention that at least some objections to the practice were raised during the 2022-24 period.

Following the release of the redacted report, Canada Soccer fired women’s head coach Bev Priestman (ENG), assistant coach Jasmine Mander and Lombardi on Tuesday. Priestman, who led the Canadian women to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold, finished at 30-11-15 (W-L-T) as coach from 2020-24.

There was an inquiry concerning the men’s National Team, specifically an incident during the 2024 Copa America, played in the U.S.:

“The Men’s National Team was in Orlando, Florida for a portion of the tournament.

“Documentation from a CONMEBOL disciplinary process alleged that a member of the staff used a drone to inappropriately film a training session at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

“Documentation of the incident explained that the drone was caught by detection software and an official from the complex required that the drone be brought down. Security reviewed the drone and found that it did not contain any footage.

“Documentation submitted during the CONMEBOL discipline process by the Men’s National Team argued that the staff member was filming an empty pitch for the purposes of a motivational and promotional video and did not inappropriately film a training session.”

The report also noted that Canadian men’s coach Jesse Marsch (USA) did not approve of any surveillance practices of opponent practices, and opposed them en toto.

What next?

The Canada Soccer statement explains:

● “Potential violations of the Canada Soccer Code of Conduct and Ethics by the former head coach of the Men’s National Team were identified. Pursuant to the Canada Soccer Disciplinary Code, a disciplinary process is being initiated to adjudicate these potential violations.”

● New procedures within Canada Soccer are being implemented, including:

“Contractually mandated reporting of unethical behaviour and new software to facilitate confidential reporting,” “Enhanced education and annual attestation regarding the Code of Conduct and Ethics,” and “Implementation of a new independent Audit and Compliance Committee to oversee organizational compliance.”

Chief Executive Kevin Blue added:

“The findings of the independent investigator reveal that the drone incident in Paris was a symptom of a past pattern of an unacceptable culture and insufficient oversight within the national teams. This is no longer part of our operations. In fact, the investigation findings strengthen our resolve to continue implementing changes that are needed to improve Canada Soccer, in all respects, and to do so with urgency.”

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Grand Slam Track unveils Miami as third location for inaugural, 2025 season

Rich Perelman

November 12, 2024

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≡ GRAND SLAM TRACK ≡

The Miami area will be the third announced location for the inaugural season of Grand Slam Track, which announced Tuesday that the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida will be the site for a 2-4 May 2025 meet.

Jamaica’s National Stadium was announced Monday as the site for a 4-5-6 April meet, and with Los Angeles previously announced, but without a date or site yet, three of the four first-year sites have been identified.

The fourth is to be announced this week.

The schedule has artfully avoided clashes with the Diamond League schedule of 15 meets, which runs from April through September. The combined early-season schedule of championship, Grand Slam and Diamond League meets so far shows:

● 21-23 March: World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing (CHN)

● 04-06 April: Grand Slam Track in Kingston, Jamaica
● 26 April: Diamond League I in Xiamen (CHN)

● 02-04 May: Grand Slam Track in Miramar, Florida
● 03 May: Diamond League II in Suzhou (CHN)
● 10-11 May: World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou (CHN)
● 16 May: Diamond League III in Doha (QAT)
● 25 May: Diamond League IV in Rabat (MAR)

If Grand Slam Track were to maintain the once-a-month schedule, it would mirror what the PGA does with the annual golf majors, with The Masters in April, followed by the PGA Championship, then the U.S. Open and the British Open. The tennis Grand Slams are spread out throughout the year, with the Australian Open in January, the French Open in May, Wimbledon in July and the U.S. Open in September.

The new announced stadia are quite different. Jamaica’s National Stadium seats 28,500 and was built for the 1962 Central American and Caribbean Games. The Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar – 22 miles northwest of Miami – was opened in 2009 and seats about 5,000.

The meet will include 96 athletes in track events only: 48 seasonally-contracted “Racers” and 48 single-meet “Challengers” in a two-race format:

“Racers and Challengers will be assigned to compete in one of the following categories, and will all race in two events during each Slam: short sprints (100 m/200 m), short hurdles (100H or 110H/100 m), long sprints (200 m/400 m), long hurdles (400H/400 m), short distance (800 m/1500 m), or long distance (3000 m/5000 m).”

Prize money of $100,000 down to $10,000 for eighth place will be available in each race.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES: New IOC study shows reasonable Winter Games future amid continuing climate concerns

Rich Perelman

November 12, 2024

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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

A study commissioned by the International Olympic Committee showed potentially good news for the future of the Olympic Winter Games:

“Under these more probable emission scenarios, the majority of potential OWG host locations analysed in this study remained climatically reliable (with the 30 cm snow depth threshold) in the 2020s (68%) and 2050s (56%), with approximately half remaining climate reliable through late century.

“Positively, of the locations that remain climate reliable for the OWG under the more probable mid-emission scenarios for mid- and late century, all of the major global regions that have previously hosted the Olympics North America, Europe (Alps, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe), and Asia are all represented by multiple potential hosts.”

Published in the Current Issues in Tourism journal, the new article, Climate change and the climate reliability of hosts in the second century of the Winter Olympic Games by Robert Steiger (University of Innsbruck, Austria) and Daniel Scott (University of Waterloo, Canada), extends the existing work of both authors on climate impacts on snow conditions for sports.

Scott’s research in 2014 and 2019 showed:

● “[D]epending on the emission trajectory, 10–13 of 21 former OWG host locations will remain climatically reliable by the 2050s. This number will further decline to 8–12 locations by the 2080s.”

● “The [Paralympic Winter Games], scheduled after the OWG in the later part of the winter season (March) is more sensitive to climatic changes with only 8–10 out of 21 former PWG locations will remain reliable in the 2050s and only 4–10 in the 2080s.”

● “These studies show that the number of potential locations to host future Winter Games could be reduced and that it is important to assess climatic reliability in the selection process to ensure reliable, safe, and fair Winter Games.”

The authors note that there is no perfect predictor of what the future of climate is for winter-sport locations, but examined a wider range of possible Winter Games facilities, also looking for better – thicker – snow conditions that will be better in competition situations.

A total of 93 locations identified in Scott’s prior studies as possible winter-sport sites were reviewed an attached map indicated 90 of these:

● 11 in North America (Canada: 6, U.S.: 5)
● 2 in South America (Argentina, Chile)

● 9 in Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Finland)
● 24 in Western Europe (Austria, France, Germany, Swiss)
● 16 in Southern Europe (Spain, Italy, Slovenia)
● 14 in Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Russia)

● 4 in Western Asia (Turkey, Georgia)
● 3 in Central Asia (Kazakhstan)
● 6 in Eastern Asia (China, Japan, Korea)

● 1 in Oceania (New Zealand)

Of these:

“In the baseline period (1981–2010), 87 of 93 locations (94%) were rated reliable, with six marginally reliable and no location that is not reliable.

“A notable decline of reliable locations can be seen already for the 2020s (2011–2040) period with 57–66 reliable locations (61–71% high to low emission scenario) and 22–30 locations being marginally and 5–6 not reliable.

“The mid-century 2050s period sees a further decline with 45–55 reliable (48–59% high to low emission scenario), 20–28 marginally reliable and 10–28 unreliable locations.

“Two distinct futures are visible in the 2080s. The majority (54) or less than half (46) of potential host locations (49–58%) remain climate reliable in the low and mid emission futures respectively. In contrast, in the high emission scenario the majority (48) of locations are not reliable (52%).”

So there are now, and will be, places to go for future Winter Games held in February. This is true even with the snow-depth requirements increases from 30 cm to 50 cm, but the numbers narrow:

“As with the 30 cm threshold, the majority (53) or less than half (50) of potential host locations (54–57%) remain climate reliable [at 50 cm] in the low and mid emission futures.”

The number of places considered reliable thins in March, when the Paralympic Winter Games is usually scheduled, making that event more difficult. However, Western Asia and North America both looked like good options, even to the end of the century.

The bottom line:

“Positively, with the expanded number of locations that remain climatically reliable for the OWG under the more probable mid-emission scenarios for mid- and late century, all of the major global regions that have previously hosted the Olympics, North America, Europe (Alps, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe), and Asia, are all represented by multiple potential hosts.

“While it is inevitable that climate change will impact the geography and development of winter sports to some degree, a reassuring finding is that even with a diminished pool of potential host locations, with continued adaptation, the Olympic Winter Games can endure as a genuinely global celebration of sport.”

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: NHL in for Winter Olympics for sure; airbags for alpine speed skiers; world’s strongest Talakhadze headed for Georgia Parliament!

Rich Perelman

November 11, 2024

tsx pix 2024-1111 talakhadze, lasha (iwf) — The amazing, unbeatable, world’s strongest man: Triple Olympic champion Lasha Talakhadze of Georgia (Photo: IWF).

★ 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 ≡

● Alpine Skiing ● After an avalanche of crashes last season and some terrible injuries, the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) announced Friday:

“The FIS Council convened for an online session this Friday and confirmed that the use of airbags will be mandatory for all athletes competing in the speed disciplines of Alpine Skiing at a FIS World Cup level as of this 2024/25 season.

“Exceptions can be granted by the National Ski Association in the event that the airbag does not fit an athlete, such that the airbag restricts movement in an unsafe manner.”

This applies to the Downhill and Super-G events only, and not to the technical events: Giant Slalom and Slalom.

● Archery ● World Archery announced an agreement with China’s Shanghai Media Group, which will handle broadcast production of World Archery events from 2025-27.

This includes a “Cube” – a container-based, stand-alone production unit – for World Archery events. In addition, the new “InnoMotion” system arrow tracking and visualization technology first shown at last year’s Shanghai stage of the Archery World Cup and used at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be provided.

● Ice Hockey ● Have no doubt that the National Hockey League is backing player participation in the Olympic Winter Games, after comments from Commissioner Gary Bettman in Toronto Monday, during the 17th PrimeTime Sports Management Conference and Trade Show.

Bettman noted next February’s new event, the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off with Canada, Finland, Sweden and the U.S., taking place a year ahead of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Games, explaining:

“International competition has been part of the DNA of our game, and our players love representing their countries, and our best-on-best we think is as good as anybody’s best-on-best, probably better.

“I think you’re going to see us have more and more of an international presence.”

NHL.com columnist Nick Cotsonika (USA) added on X:

“Bettman called the 4 Nations Face-Off ‘an appetizer’ and a ‘mini international tournament.’ The NHL plans to go to the Olympics every four years and bring back the World Cup in between.”

● Speed Skating ● Better late than never, the results of the US Speedskating National Championships (and ISU World Cup qualifier) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that ended on 3 November underlined that seven-time World Champion Jordan Stolz, now 20, is ready for another big season.

Stolz won five races, taking both of the men’s 500 m (both over Zach Stoppelmoor) in 34.47 and 34.57, took the first 1,000 m in 1:07.67 with Stoppelmoor second at 1:08.87, and won the 1,500 m in 1:43.43 over Emery Lehman (1:46.09).

Stolz was only fourth in the first of two races in the 16-lap Mass Start, but won the second race to collect a combined total of 71 race points. Kelin Dunfee was second, also with 71 points, from winning the first race, but sliding to eighth in the second.

The other men’s races were won by Alec Sklutovsky in the 1,000 m (1:10.97), 2022 Olympian Casey Dawson (6:15.61) in the 5,000 m, and Dunfee, the only finisher in the 10,000 m (13:59.79).

The star-studded women’s races saw 2024 Worlds 500 m bronze winner Kimi Goetz take both 500 m sprints from reigning Olympic champ Erin Jackson, 37.67 to 37.76 and 37.80 to 37.88.

Three-time World women’s 1,000 m champion Brittany Bowe, now 36, was third in both 500 m races, then won the first 1,000 m race in 1:14.02, to 1:14.25 for Goetz. Bowe, the 2015 Worlds 1,000 m gold medalist, won the first women’s 1,500 m race in 1:54.78, with Goetz at 1:56.85.

Blair Cruikshank won the second women’s 1,000 m in 1:20.59, and Greta Myers won over Mia Manganello in the 3,000 m, 4:04.45 to 4:17.21. Natascha Lindenskov (DEN) won the women’s 5,000 m in 7:34.70.

In the 16-lap Mass Start, Myers and Manganello won the two races, with Manganello the overall winner.

The ISU World Cup season will start on 22 November in Japan.

● Weightlifting ● Strongman Lasha Talakhadze of Georgia, the three-time Olympic super-heavyweight gold medalist and seven-time World Champion, will not compete at the IWF World Championships in December in Bahrain.

Now 31, he’s been selected to serve in the Georgia Parliament.

A member of the “Georgia Dream” party, Talakhadze said in an interview:

“The two are not incompatible. Currently, I don’t train because of injury. At the moment, my country needs me. Georgia Dream is exactly the power that our country needs, which will maintain peace and unity in Georgia.”

The world-record holder indicated he would continue to Los Angeles in 2028, but his political involvement could keep him away. The Georgian federation head, Kakhi Kakhiashvili, noted that the 2026 European Championships will be in the country, in Batumi, with Talakhadze potentially making a run at a new world record for combined lifts of 500 kg (1,102 lbs.). His record is currently at 492 kg, from 2021.

Kakhiashvili, asked if 500 kg was really possible, replied, “If he starts training, yes. If he doesn’t start within six months, no.”

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

FOOTBALL: Amnesty Int’l, Sports & Rights call for FIFA to recall process for Saudi award of 2034 World Cup

Rich Perelman

November 11, 2024

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

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≡ FIFA WORLD CUP 2034 ≡

“There will be a real and predictable human cost to awarding the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia without obtaining credible guarantees of reform.

“Fans will face discrimination, residents will be forcibly evicted, migrant workers will face exploitation, and many will die.

“FIFA must halt the process until proper human rights protections are in place to avoid worsening an already dire situation.”

That’s Steve Cockburn (GBR), the Amnesty International’s Head of Labour Rights and Sport, in a new warning issued Monday about FIFA’s upcoming award of its 2034 men’s World Cup to Saudi Arabia, which is the only bidder for the event.

FIFA previously placed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, playing in November and December to avoid the summer heat in the Middle East. The football was some of the best ever played, but the tournament was continuously dogged by criticism from human rights groups concerning abuses in the country of minority groups and the rights of migrant workers.

The next two World Cups will be in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. in 2026, and then a mash-up of Morocco, Portugal and Spain in the to-be-awarded 2030 event – also the sole bid – with opening matches to mark the centennial of the event in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

A 27-page report by Amnesty International and Sports & Rights Alliance delves into the human rights elements of both the 2030 and 2034 bids, “concluding that neither bid has adequately demonstrated how they would address key human rights risks related to the tournaments. It raises major concerns about the seriousness with which the human rights criteria within the bidding process has been taken.”

It asks FIFA:

“The outstanding risks related to the 2030 World Cup mean that FIFA should make awarding the tournament conditional on the development of a far more comprehensive and credible human rights strategy, with meaningful stakeholder consultation. The outstanding risks related to the 2034 bid in Saudi Arabia remain so severe that, in line with FIFA’s own standards, the bid should not be approved until they are fully and credibly addressed through the announcement of major and wide-ranging human rights reforms.”

There is no chance whatsoever that FIFA will accede to these requests, and the next 10 years will see an unending war of words between the two sides.

For the 2030 project in Morocco, Spain and Portugal, the report states that, from the Amnesty and SRA’s view, the required human-rights policies listed by the bids from all three countries fall short:

● “Critically, none the strategies include clear government commitments for legal reform or other measures to uphold human rights in connection with the tournament, or adequate stakeholder engagement. As a result, there remain many unanswered questions and outstanding risks.”

● “There is no commitment, for example, to increase the number of labour inspectors to meet international standards in Portugal and Morocco, nor to repeal legislation criminalizing same-sex acts and extra-marital relations in Morocco. There is no strategy to protect the availability of affordable accommodation for residents in Portugal and Spain, nor details on how people will be protected from forced evictions linked to mass infrastructure projects in Morocco.”

● “No new reforms to laws restricting freedom of expression and assembly have been
announced in any of the host candidates, nor are there any measures to prohibit the improper use of rubber bullets to disperse crowds.”

For 2034 in Saudi Arabia, the report is much more critical, noting that 11 new stadiums are proposed, along with 185,000 new hotel rooms, plus transportation infrastructure, that will be “dependent on a massive workforce of migrant labour.” So:

● “The June 2024 report produced by Amnesty International and the SRA concluded that the human rights risks related to workers’ rights, discrimination, freedom of expression, forced evictions, policing and privacy in Saudi Arabia were so severe that ‘it is hard to see how a World Cup could be hosted in the country without widespread violations, unless fundamental reforms are agreed and complied with.’”

● “The human rights assessment and strategy provided alongside Saudi Arabia’s Bid Book are deeply flawed and full of critical omissions. The ‘Independent Human Rights Assessment’ produced by AS&H Clifford Chance – the Saudi partner of global law firm Clifford Chance – includes no analysis of some of the most severe and well-known human rights risks in Saudi Arabia, completely omitting issues such as the repression of the right to freedom of expression, the criminalization of same-sex acts, well-documented forced evictions, the lack of a minimum wage, or the prohibition of trade unions.

“It also underplays the serious impact on workers of the country’s Kafala sponsorship system. The subsequent Human Rights Strategy submitted by the [Saudi Arabia Football Federation] then, with some exceptions, either makes largely the same omissions, or includes only general and non-specific commitments to reform. Clifford Chance did not respond to a letter from 11 human rights organisations highlighting these serious flaws, other than to say it would be ‘inappropriate’ to comment further and sharing links to company policies.”

The report’s conclusion asks FIFA “to separate the voting process for the two tournaments, and to postpone the 2034 vote until a credible human rights strategy is developed” and “not vote to award the 2034 FIFA World Cup to Saudi Arabia unless credible and comprehensive reforms are agreed before [the FIFA] Congress.”

Most of all, it blames FIFA:

“FIFA undermined its leverage by pursuing a selection process without competitive bids or separate votes. It has also severely limited the scope of the human rights assessment in Saudi Arabia, in contravention of its own human rights policies and responsibilities. [National associations] appear not to have taken the process seriously enough. Unless this is urgently rectified, we will again see the predictable and preventable human rights violations experienced in past tournaments, perhaps on an even greater scale.”

The report will have no impact on FIFA, and the vote on 11 December will move ahead. But the battle lines from now to 2034 have been drawn, and the report sets the stage for a roiling argument about people and rights in these countries, using the FIFA World Cup as a focal point. Now everyone knows.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Grand Slam Track announces first meet will be in Jamaica in April

Rich Perelman

November 11, 2024

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

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≡ THE BIG PICTURE ≡

Grand Slam Track revealed the first of its four meet locations for 2025, Jamaica’s National Stadium in Kingston, on 4-5-6 April.

Kingston and Los Angeles are confirmed locations for 2025, with two others to be announced later this week. Birmingham (GBR) has been whispered as a possible location after the excellent Commonwealth Games held at the renovated Alexander Stadium in 2022.

This is the first confirmed date for the inaugural GST season; no other dates have been announced. The Kingston meet is scheduled two weeks after the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing (CHN), and three weeks before the first Diamond League meet in Xiamen (CHN) on 26 April.

As a reminder, the competition program will include:

● “Racers and Challengers will be assigned to compete in one of the following categories, and will all race in two events during each Slam: short sprints (100 m/200 m), short hurdles (100H or 110H/100 m), long sprints (200 m/400 m), long hurdles (400H/400 m), short distance (800 m/1500 m), or long distance (3000 m/5000 m).”

● “All competitors’ final placement score will be determined by their combined finishing order between the two races. In the event of a tie across the two events, it will be the athlete who had the quickest combined time across the two races who will be deemed the winner.”

● “The winner of each Slam group will take home $100,000 in prize money, and the 8th place competitor will earn $10,000.”

There is no team scoring, and no field events. Athletes will wear their own uniforms, of their own design or style; there is no indication on how they will be identified for the benefit of fans since they will perform “without traditional hip numbers or bibs.”

There will be 96 athletes competing in each meet: 48 “Racers” who are contracted for the season and 48 “Challengers” who are contracted meet-by-meet. The “Racers” group has 32 signed so far, with four-time Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the U.S. the first signee, along with many other U.S. and international stars.

No broadcast information has been announced as yet.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: City of L.A. worried about 2028 visitors; Ice Dance stars Chock & Bates win at NHK Trophy; Canoe and sailing IF heads re-elected

Rich Perelman

November 10, 2024

tsx pix 2021-1125 la city hall (wiki-tim ahem) — The Los Angeles City Hall, a 1928 Art Deco downtown icon (Photo: Tim Ahem via Wikipedia)

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

★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● The Los Angeles City Council is worried about visitors coming for the 2028 Games:

“While the 2028 Games are anticipated to be centered in the City of Los Angeles with sports facilities near Downtown Los Angeles, the University of Southern California, the Sepulveda Basin, and outside of the City of Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood and in Long Beach, visitors will also be expected at our City’s everyday attractions.

“This includes Venice Beach, Griffith Observatory, the Getty, and the Hollywood Sign, among numerous other sites across Los Angeles, including cultural and tourist destinations requested in CF 23-1096. On any given day, the City already struggles to provide a basic level of service to these locations, from trash pick-up and maintenance to traffic management.

“With a historic number of visitors expected in Los Angeles, this task could become exponentially harder for our City Departments.”

So, a motion by Council member Traci Park (11th District) is asking for a plan to “mitigate impacts associated with tourism, such as traffic and public safety concerns.”

Los Angeles Tourism estimated there were 49.1 million visitors to the region in 2023; the Ile-de-France region was almost the same, at 47.5 million. During the Paris 2024 Olympic period, visits by those from outside the region increased by 19%, to 3.2 million vs. 2.6 million in 2023.

● Athletics ● The Eastleigh Voice, a Nairobi-based site in Kenya, reported last week that the Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Kipchumba Murkomen has signaled his support for Kenya’s bid for the 2029 World Athletics Championships.

He said that the needed upgrades to the Kasarani Stadium will be ready in 2025 and promised added funding for the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK), which had lost most of its funding in a recent cutback. “We’re collaborating with the Ministry of Finance and Parliament to enhance ADAK’s funding in the next supplementary budget,” Murkomen said.

Kenyan President William Ruto promised to support anti-doping efforts in the country during the recent visit by International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach (GER).

● Badminton ● At the BWF World Tour Korea Masters in Gwangju, the host nations made it to two finals, with one win, by Hye-jeong Kim and Hee-young Kong in the women’s Doubles, defeating Yi Jing Li and Xu Min Luo (CHN), 21-14, 16-21, 21-18. The men’s Doubles team of Yong Jin and Won Ho Kim (KOR) lost to Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Wooi Yik Soh, 21-23, 21-19, 21-14.

Elsewhere, Thai Kunlavut Vitidsarn won the men’s Singles, 21-18, 21-18, over Zheng Xing Wang (CHN) and Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani took the women’s Singles by 21-14, 21-14 against China’s Qian Xi Han.

China’s Xia Wa Guo and Fang Hui Chen won the Mixed Doubles, 21-10, 21-12, over Dejan Ferdinansyah and Gloria Widjaja.

● Beach Volleyball ● The final Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 tournament, in Rio de Janeiro (BRA) saw a winning moment for Javier and Joaquin Bello, two brothers playing for England, who had won one minor FIVB tournament in 2021 and a single bronze on the 2023-24 Beach Pro Tour.

But in Rio they knocked off Argentina’s Tomas Capogrosso and Nicolas Capogrosso, 22-24, 30-28, 15-13, to earn their first Elite 16 victory, as the no. 14 seeds.

The third-place match was a win for Martins Plavins and Kristians Fokerots (LAT), who defeated Tokyo Olympic champs and Paris bronzers Anders Mol and Christian Sorum (NOR), 21-18, 13-21, 15-11.

The women’s final was a sweep for Brazil’s Carol Solberg Salgado and Barbara Seixas over the American pair of Terese Cannon and Megan Kraft, 231-17, 21-18. It was the third medal of the season for the Brazilians and their second win. Cannon and Kraft also won their third medal of the season (0-2-1).

The third-place match saw Themala Galil and Victoria Lopes (BRA) ease past Sandra Ittlinger and Kim Van de Velde (GER), 21-19, 21-16, for their third medal of the season.

● Canoeing ● Running unopposed, International Canoe Federation President Thomas Konietzko (GER) was elected to a second term from 2024-28 at the ICF Congress in Antalya (TUR) by 87-1. He told the delegates following his election:

“While we have had our sights set on our structure and finances for the past three years, the next four years will be important for discussing our future strategy. They will be dedicated to a thorough review of our organisational structure and procedures, and we want to discuss everything to make our Federation, including its rules and processes, fit for the future.

“We want to start a comprehensive organisational reform review. I call on all of you to get involved and participate here. “

● Curling ● In the second leg of the 2024-25 Grand Slam of Curling, the Canadian Open in Nisku, Alberta (CAN), two-time (and reigning) World Champion Rachel Homan’s Canadian rink managed a tight, 6-5 win over four-time World Champion Silvana Tirinzoni (SUI) in the women’s final.

Homan’s rink scored two in the first end, but the Swiss were up, 3-2, by the end of three. Then came a three-point fourth for Homan and another point in the fifth for a 6-3 lead. Tirinzoni got close with two in the sixth, but could not do more. It’s Homan’s fourth Canadian Open win and second in a row.

Two more World Champions faced off in the men’s final, with Brad Gushue (CAN: 2017) and Scotland’s Bruce Mouat (2023). Mouat took a 3-0 lead in the first end, added one in the third and two in the fifth and cruised in for a 6-3 win. Mouat defended his title in this tournament from 2023, and won his second straight Grand Slam event for a career total of eight Grand Slam of Curling victories.

● Fencing ● The FIE World Cup series got busy this weekend with Epee and Sabre action in three different countries. In Sabre action in Oran, Algeria, France’s Sebastien Patrice got his second career World Cup gold with a 15-11 victory over 19-year-old, first-time medalist Radu Nitu (ROU). The women’s final went to Korea’s first-time winner, Hayoung Jeon, 15-7, over Lucia Martin-Portugues (ESP).

Korea defeated Iran, 45-34, to take the men’s team title, with Italy winning the bronze over the U.S., 45-32, for third. Hungary beat Poland, 45-36, for the women’s gold, with Korea taking third.

In the Epee men’s World Cup in Bern (SUI), Hungary’s 2023 World Champion Mate Tamas Koch took the final – and his first World Cup gold – from first-time medalist Giacomo Paolini (ITA) by 15-9. Hungary won the team title, 34-27, with France third.

The women’s Epee World Cup was in Fujairah (UAE), with a first career victory for Italian Sara Maria Kowalczyk over countrywoman Giulia Rizzi, 15-10. Estonia won the team title, 45-34, over Italy, with the U.S. winning the bronze over China, 45-38.

● Figure Skating ● The ISU Grand Prix entered the second half of its schedule with the annual NHK Trophy tournament in Tokyo (JPN), featuring two wins for the home team.

Three-time Worlds silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama dominated the men’s competition, winning the Short Program and the Free Skate on the way to a 300.09 total and defending his 2023 victory. Italy’s Daniel Grassl was second at 264.85; Americans Andrew Torgashev (246.58), Jason Brown (229.09) and Tomoki Hiwatashi (226.38) were fourth, seventh and eighth.

Three-time World Champion Kaori Sakamoto led a Japanese sweep in the women’s Singles, scoring 231.88 and taking the Short Program and the Free Skate, ahead of Mone Chiba (212.54) and Yuna Aoki (195.07). Alysa Liu and Bradie Tennell of the U.S. went 4-5 (190.75, 190.25) and Lindsay Thorngren (169.03) was ninth.

World Junior Champions Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava (GEO) upset Japan’s 2023 World Champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, 213.05 to 209.45 in Pairs by winning the Free Skate by more than five points to rise from second. Americans Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea took the bronze at 197.44; teammates Isabelle Martins and Ryan Bedard were eighth (140.63).

The two-time World Ice Dance Champions, Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the U.S. were clear winners, winning the Rhythm Dance and the Free Dance and scoring 215.95 points, ahead of teammates Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko (198.97), who won their third career Grand Prix medal and first silver. Caroline Green and Michael Parsons of the U.S. finished fourth (188.76).

Next week: the Finlandia Trophy in Helsinki.

● Ice Hockey ● Canada took game two of the 2024-25 Rivalry Series in West Valley City, Utah, by 5-4 in an overtime shoot-out after the U.S. fought back from a 4-1 deficit in the third period.

Forward Laura Stacey scored goals for Canada in the first and second periods, and with a short-handed goal by forward Marie-Philip Poulin, they had a 3-1 lead after two periods. A fourth goal from forward Emma Maltais on a power play made it 4-1 with 12 minutes to play. But the U.S. stormed back with scores by Hilary Knight, a short-hander by Grace Zumwinkle (her second) and another Knight goal in just 4:16 to tie.

After a scoreless overtime, the shoot-out saw the U.S. miss all four of their tries, while Poulin and Chloe Primerano converted for a 2-0 edge and the 5-4 win.

On Sunday evening in Boise, Idaho, Canada struck again early, getting first-period goals from defender Joycelyne Larocqueat the 3:30 mark and then from forward Sarah Nurse on a power play at 9:19. Forward Kristin O’Neill added another power-play goal at 4:35 of the second period for a 3-0 lead in the first 20 minutes.

The U.S. finally got a goal at 13:36 of the final period on a power play, with forward Laila Edwards scoring, but Emily Clark scored one more for Canada at 16:05 for the 4-1 final. The U.S. out-shot Canada, 37-33, but it didn’t help.

The series will continue in February, with two games in Canada.

● Luge ● At the USA Luge National Championships in Park City, Utah, held from 3-5 November, Beijing 2022 Olympian Ashley Farquharson won her second straight women’s title, with a combined time of 2:57.652, edging three-time Olympian Emily Sweeney (2:57.769).

Also defending their 2023 U.S. championship was the women’s Doubles team of Chevonne Forgan and Sophie Kirkby, three-time Worlds medal winners, in 1:30.662. A new team of Maya Chan and Sophia Gordon was second in 1:31.457.

The men’s winner was the super-starter Tucker West, also a three-time Olympian, who defeated defending champ Jonny Gustafson, 3:04.310 to 3:04.575. The men’s Doubles title went to World Junior Champions Marcus Mueller and Ansel Haugsjaa in 1:239.014, edging out Worlds medal winners Dana Kellogg and Frank Ike (1:29.139). Beijing 2022 Olympians Zack DiGregorio and Sean Hollander finished third in 1:29.280.

● Rowing ● The World Rowing Awards gala was held on Saturday (9th) in Seville (ESP), with the Dutch winners of the Paris 2024 Olympic gold in the Quadruple Sculls – Lennart Van Lierop, Finn Florijn, Tone Wieten, Koen Metsemakers – recognized as the Men’s Crew of the Year.

The women’s winner was the Romanian eight, which won a 10th medal in this event all-time in Paris, tying with the U.S. for the most ever. Moreover, Romanian mentor Antonio Colamonici (ITA) was recognized as the Coach of the Year for 2024.

● Sailing ● At the World Sailing General Assembly in Singapore, China’s Quanhai Li was re-elected for a second term, winning 55 votes in the first round against 29 for Philippe Rogge (BEL) and two for Rodion Luka (UKR). Also:

“Ozlem Akdurak (TUR), Daniel Belcher (AUS), Tomasz Chamera (POL), Beatriz González Luna (MEX), Line Markert (DEN), Josep Pla Maronda (AND) and Cory Sertl (USA) were elected as Vice Presidents and will join the World Sailing Board.”

● Table Tennis ● At the WTT Champions tournament in Frankfurt (GER), the nos. 1-2 seeds faced off in the women’s final, with 2021 World Champion Manyu Wang (CHN) and two-time Worlds Team gold medalist Yidi Wang (CHN). This was a tight match, with Manyu Wang breaking a 2-2 tie to get a 4-2 win: 11-7, 10-12, 11-3, 7-11, then 11-8, 11-8.

In the men’s final, 19-year-old Shidong Lin (CHN) raced past Paris Team silver medalist Anton Kallberg (SWE), 4-1 (11-5, 11-7, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8).

● Triathlon ● Not done yet, Rio 2016 Olympic champion Gwen Jorgensen of the U.S., now 38, made a rip-roaring comeback after a second-transition fall at the sprint-format World Triathlon Cup in Miyazaki (JPN) to win at the tape over Swiss Alissa Konig.

Jorgensen looked like the winner after the bike phase, given her running prowess, but got into a pile-up with other athletes and got to the run well down, instead of leading. She trailed by 10 seconds at the bell, but made all of it up, lunging to the finish in a final sprint to win, 59:54 to 59:56.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MEMORABILIA: “Official” pin-trading center to return for 2026 Winter, 2028 Olympic Games

Rich Perelman

November 10, 2024

tsx pix 2024-1110 olympin fest (k rosen) — "What do you have to trade?" From the Olympin Collectors Club Memorabilia Festival in Atlanta (Photo: Karen Rosen)

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

★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ OLYMPIN FESTIVAL ≡

“We will have an official pin trading center in Milan, so that will happen. Now if Coke or some other sponsor sponsors it, that’s to be seen.

“But you know we are talking with everyone right now and we’re very close to inking something down where you know we can have a sponsor for it, but if not [there] will be an official pin trading center.”

That’s from Honav USA owner Mario Simonson, the exclusive pin licensee for the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, explaining to the annual Olympin Collectors Club Memorabilia Festival in Atlanta, Georgia this weekend that a stronger presence for pin trading is already assured that was seen for Paris.

An unofficial pin-trading center was created at the Parc de la Villette in Paris by the International Association of Olympic Collectors (AICO) and the Association Francaise des Collectionneurs Olympiques et Sportifs (AFCOS) as the “Official Olympic Collectors Area” and demonstrated the enduring popularity of the concept.

So did a single Facebook post in Paris – during the Games – among Olympin members promoting a Coca-Cola pin promotion, that turned into:

“There were 1,000 people that showed up at that Coca-Cola food place the next day and that was all through you guys and through one post. I mean, if you can imagine what we can do when we’re really, you know, the official pin-trading center and being able to be part of that.”

Simonson wants to go far beyond for Los Angeles in 2028:

“But we’re going to have, you know, not just a pin-trading center, but we’re going to have a museum that’s going to be connected with the pin-trading center that will have a lot of, like, the old, maybe old ‘32 and ‘84 product, you know from the L.A. Games. …

“[T]here’s going to be activations, I’m going to do a lot of activations. So you get a pin from here and you get a pin from here and you bring it back to the pin-training center and you get a free pin, you know, doing something like that. A pin of the day … there’s just so much stuff we want to do.”

He explained in an evening address to the group that he’s excited to support the existing pin-trading audience, but also wants to drum up new fans, especially young people:

● He spoke about creating personal catalogs through the Honav mobile app, allowing collectors to see the full range of pins available – like a stamp catalog – and then be able to maintain an online tally which pins you have and which you want:

“It won’t just have retail in there, it will also have sponsor [pins]. It will have anything that we make, even an NOC pin. If we make it and it’s approved pin, it will be in that, on that check-off list. So you guys will know right off the bat: is this a real pin or is it not a real pin and we all know if it doesn’t have the Honav back stamp on it, you know [it’s] not real.”

● Simonson added that he had even wilder aspirations for the app:

“You know, the original way I wanted to do this was to present it to NBC, so that if you downloaded that app and you’re at the Games, you can scan the app and get the updated medal count.

“I wanted to do stuff like that where it becomes more of a useful type thing. You can just scan it, right? But I want to make it fun for the younger generation. And that’s where I want to, you know, put on some cool videos or, you know, maybe in the future we’ll make it come out of your smartphone.”

● “Some other cool ideas that we’re doing with retailers, we’re going to be doing mystery packs, you know? You don’t know what you’re going to get in the pack. So we’re going to be doing that with some retailers.”

● “You know the Advent calendars and you the open up that little door? Right. Well, there will be a pin in there and every day it will be a new pin, and you buy that set. That will be something we’ll do. And so we’re always trying to be ahead of the curve.

“New stuff that the younger generation will really, you know, grasp and be part of.”

The new app is an easy way to keep up with the dizzying array of products that are coming, especially for the LA28 Games.

He was also asked – remember, he was talking to hard-core collectors – about add identifications to pins so help not only verify authenticity, but also dates, as if they were coins or stamps:

“You guys want the date. So you know, you know when the pin was made and whatnot and that and for what Games. We can definitely look at doing that. You know we put our back stamp on it to show that it’s a official pin. So but yeah, you’re correct. We’ll look at where we can add a date.”

The Olympin Festival was well attended, with 50 tables for traders at the Atlanta Marriott Buckhead Hotel and Conference Center, with more than 250 people attending over three days of the show. A silent auction of 47 items earned $1,500 for the club.

The hobby, or perhaps the mania that is pin-trading, is alive and well.

(The Olympin Web site also notes that members receive a discount from Honav for pin purchases, and news of new releases.)

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

FOOTBALL: Canada Soccer receives report on drone spying at Paris 2024 and before, promises quick action

Rich Perelman

November 9, 2024

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

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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

“Our initial review of the conclusions of the independent investigator reveals that the drone incident in Paris was a symptom of a past pattern of an unacceptable culture and insufficient oversight within the national teams.

“While we are being thoughtful about how best to address the findings, we also want to move decisively. To that end, we will release key conclusions and next steps within a week.”

That’s a statement from Canada Soccer chief executive Kevin Blue on Friday, explaining that the commissioned report from the Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark law firm had been received, occasioned by the use of drones to spy on practice sessions of the New Zealand women’s team prior to their match on 25 July in Saint-Etienne, a 2-1 win for the defending Olympic champion Canadians.

A drone had been noticed by New Zealand players during their 22 July practice, and security forces investigating the vehicle traced it back to a Canadian operator, team performance analyst Joseph Lombardi. He admitted that drone surveillance had been made of a 19 July New Zealand practice, and that assistant coach Jasmine Mander was aware of the practice.

Lombardi and Mander, along with head coach Bev Priestman were eventually suspended for a year by FIFA, and the Canadian women’s team was penalized six points in their group for the transgressions, but still managed to qualify for the elimination round, losing to Germany on penalty kicks, 4-2, after a scoreless tie in the quarterfinals.

FIFA’s inquiry documentation included a statement from Canada Soccer during the investigation that noted:

“Canada is investigating the history of this matter, but we suspect that the practice of using a drone stems back to John Herdman when he was the head coach of the women’s national team. In other words, this was a practice started by one person – John Herdman – and continued by Bev Priestman.”

Priestman succeeded Herdman as coach; in July, Herdman said that he did not use drone spying at top-tier events such as the FIFA World Cup or the Olympic Games. He was the women’s national team coach from 2011-18, coached the men’s team from 2018-24 and is now the coach at Toronto FC of the MLS.

The FIFA review and sanctions applied only to the Paris 2024 Olympic tournament and not to other events. It is expected that the new report will illuminate further use of the drone tactic in other tournaments. Priestman noted in an email turned over to the FIFA review that such spying is routine and “all top-10 teams do it.”

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MODERN PENTATHLON: Congress meets in Saudi to elect a new President, or perhaps both a new and an old President?

Rich Perelman

November 9, 2024

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

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≡ UIPM CONGRESS ≡

One of the least popular sports on the Olympic program is at a crossroads at its 73rd Congress up on 16-17 November in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: modern pentathlon.

The Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) is scheduled to elect a new President as German Klaus Schormann, now 78, is retiring after becoming President in 1993. He won re-election in 1997-2001-05-09-13-17-21 – eight terms in all – with pentathlon essentially in the same situation as when he started: clinging to its position in the Olympic program, and principally funded by a share of the International Olympic Committee’s television rights.

The UIPM’s “Congress Book” of working papers related to the meeting includes a financial review showing the federation balance down to $1.52 million as of 31 August 2024. Consider the annual revenues shown for 2020 through 2024:

● 2020: $573,074 due to Covid
● 2021: $12,573,652, nearly all IOC TV revenue share
● 2022: $1,328,929
● 2023: $630,847
● 2024: $1,794,252 as of 31 August

The UIPM share of IOC television revenue from Tokyo 2020 – received mostly in 2021 – was $12.98 million, which has been made to stretch over four years. The federation’s expenses were:

● 2020: $2,160,874
● 2021: $3,473, 812
● 2022: $5,147,703
● 2023: $4,659,960
● 2024: $3,300,169 as of 31 August

So the balance is down to $1.52 million, with the UIPM expecting a new shot of IOC television money before the end of the year. It should be increased from the $12.98 million received for Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, to perhaps $15 million as the distribution formula from the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) is now designed to create fewer tiers. There were five for Rio and Tokyo, with the UIPM on the bottom; the new concept is to have a top tier with athletics, aquatics and gymnastics, a second tier with five sports (basketball, cycling, football, tennis and volleyball) and everyone else – more than 20 sports – in the third tier.

Without the IOC’s television money, the UIPM would not function. In Schormann’s 31-year tenure, this is where his federation stands, still on the Olympic program for Los Angeles because it followed the IOC’s directive to eliminate riding from its event program, replacing it with obstacle racing and then quickly absorbing the obstacle racing federation (FISO), which also reported no revenues whatsoever.

A new President – there are three candidates – would be expected to look to find ways to remedy this situation and make the federation more self-sufficient. More on that in a moment, but a motion (EB2) submitted by the UIPM Executive Board expands the title of “Honorary President” – to be elected by the General Assembly – to specifically include governance tasks:

“16.2 The Executive Board may avail itself of the support and advice of any Honorary President. The Executive Board may task any Honorary President with representing the interests of UIPM in specific international relations, special development projects and/or any other tasks the Executive Board deem fit.

“16.3 The Executive Board may assign to any Honorary President funds to perform the tasks assigned pursuant to article 16.2.”

The justification is to provide a “clear definition of activities and tasks that could be attributed to honorary figures by the EB.”

Further, the Honorary President, currently without the right to speak or vote at the General Assembly, would now be able to speak, if invited to do so.

Stretched to its logical conclusion, passage of this motion would allow Schormann – if elected as Honorary President at this Congress – to effectively continue in office in conjunction with the new “President.”

This has been widely noticed, and already criticized, but that does not mean it will not have an excellent chance of passing.

So what about a new “President”: whether in name only, or in fact?

There are three candidates:

● Joel Bouzou (FRA): Now 69, he was the men’s bronze medalist at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, was the 1987 World Champion, and is the obvious favorite, having been the UIPM Secretary General for 15 years beginning in the late 1990s. He has been a UIPM Vice President since 2012.

Insiders say that Bouzou has been campaigning hard and does not feel favored or a shoo-in.

● Sharif El Erian (EGY): A 1992 Olympian for Egypt, now 54, El Erian is the head of the Egyptian Modern Pentathlon Federation. That’s important, as Egypt has become a major power in the sport during his tenure, with Ahmed El-Gendy winning the Paris men’s gold this summer, and Egyptian entries winning nine medals in the last three Worlds. If anyone can claim development credentials, he can.

Can he carry the African and Middle East federations? A sign of possible doubt: he is also running as a candidate for Vice President should he not be elected President.

● Rob Stull (USA): A four-time U.S. Olympian in the sport, Stull was one of the long-time advocates for obstacle racing in the sport. Now 64, he is the Managing Director of USA Pentathlon and the head of the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NORCECA) confederation. He has been a UIPM Executive Board member since 2016.

Stull is dynamic and forward-looking, but U.S. candidates, especially, carry no geographic tug with surrounding countries, so each has to stitch together a coalition one-by-one, always difficult.

The chatter is that an obvious front-runner has not emerged. The discussion on the Executive Board motion 2 and the elections are slated as items 16 and 17 of the Congress agenda, so likely on the second day, with plenty of time for discussion beforehand.

Thus, it will be know prior to the elections what powers an “Honorary President” would have; if so, the candidates could well be asked their position on what they plan to cede – if anything – to Schormann.

Will the Congress elect a truly new UIPM President? A co-share? Or a front?

It’s clear that the International Olympic Committee will be watching, along with many more interested in this developing personal intrigue in a sport whose profile is so weak – 112 years after its Olympic debut – that few can even name the four (yes, four) events that make up today’s competition.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Khelif to sue French paper over medical report; Degtyarev in line to be Russian Olympic Committee chief; $2.16 million at swim Worlds

Rich Perelman

November 7, 2024

tsx pix 2024-1107 milkhail degtyarev (kremlin.ru) — Russian Sport Minister Mikhail Degtyarev, likely to be the next President of the Russian Olympic Committee (Photo: Kremlin.ru).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● From the International Olympic Committee on Wednesday:

“We understand that Imane Khelif has taken legal action against individuals who commented on her situation during the Olympic Games Paris 2024, and is also preparing a lawsuit in response to the latest reporting.

“The IOC will not comment while legal action is ongoing, or on media reports about unverified documents whose origin cannot be confirmed.”

Khelif, the Algerian boxer who won the Paris Olympic gold in the women’s 66 kg class, filed in August in the Paris Prosecutor’s Office’s National Center for the fight against Online Hatred for comments made on social media during the Paris Games. The new suit will focus on a report in the French newspaper Le Correspondant, which last week published details of a medical report which stated she had male (XY) chromosomes and was a biological male.

Australian break dancer Rachael Gunn – “Raygun” – who lost her three group-stage battles at the Paris Games by a combined 180-0, said she is retiring from breaking after the torrent of abuse that came following her Olympic performance. She said in an interview on 2DayFM in Sydney:

“I just didn’t have any control over how people saw me or who I was. I was going to keep competing, for sure, but that seems really difficult for me to do now.

“I think the level of scrutiny that’s going to be there, and people will be filming it, and it will go online.”

The famed bell rung by the winners at the Stade de France during the Paris Games was delivered to the Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris, along with two smaller bells as the renovation following the 2019 fire nears completion, with the formal re-opening on 8 December.

The Olympic bell was a gift from the Paris 2024 organizing committee, replacing a bell which was lost in the fire.

● Russia ● As expected, Russian Olympic Committee President Stanislav Pozdnyakov will step down and a new chief will be elected on 13 December.

Podznyakov will leave his post on 13 November. Secretary General Rodion Plitukhin will also leave on 13 November and Director General Vladimir Sengleev will leave on 21 November.

There is little doubt that Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev, 43, will be elected, having been approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Degtyarev told the Russian news agency TASS:

“[W]e must prepare to work with the new leadership of the International Olympic Committee, the elections of which will take place in March 2025, and we count on reciprocal movement, because Russia’s role in the international Olympic family cannot be ignored.”

● Athletics ● The Paris Court of Cassation, the highest civil court on France, held Wednesday that Papa Massata Diack (SEN), convicted of corruption and embezzlement in 2020, must be re-tried at the Paris Court of Appeal.

Diack was convicted in absentia and sentenced to five years in prison and fined €1 million (€1 = $1.08 U.S.) for his part in a bribery and extortion scheme led by his father, Lamine Diack, then President of the IAAF (now World Athletics).

Papa Massata Diack fled to his native Senegal to avoid arrest and has not left the country. Lamine Diack was convicted in 2020 but, in ill health, died in 2021 after being allowed to return home to Senegal.

● Canoe-Kayak ● On the first day of its 2024 Congress, the International Canoe Federation agreed – with 85% approval – that it will move its headquarters from Lausanne (SUI) to Budapest (HUN) in 2025.

Hungary is a power on the sport, leading all nations with seven medals (0-4-3) at the recent Paris Olympic Games. The ICF will maintain a smaller office in Lausanne.

● Ice Hockey ● The U.S. women kicked off the annual “Rivalry Series” with Canada with a 7-2 win in San Jose, California on Wednesday.

The U.S. took a 5-0 lead in the first period and sailed home from there. Lacey Eden and Abbey Murphy both scored twice; it’s the most goals by the U.S. against Canada since 2015.

Game two of the series will be in Salt Lake City, Utah on Friday, and then in Boise, Idaho on Sunday.

● Nordic Combined ● After losing funding from USA Nordic Sport earlier in the year, Nordic Combined USA – an all-volunteer group – received a grant from the International Ski & Snowboard Federation to allow it to continue a training partnership with the Norwegian federation.

The new money brings Nordic Combined USA to about 60% of its $500,000 budget for the upcoming season.

The sport is under pressure from the International Olympic Committee as well, which said in 2022 that its place at the 2030 Olympic Winter Games is not assured until Nordic Combined shows a higher profile. The IOC declined to add women’s Nordic Combined for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Games.

● Swimming ● Prize money for the 2024 World 25 m (short course) Championships was published, with $2.16 million available to the top eight finishers: $10,000-8,000-7,000-6,000-5,000-4,000-3,000-2,000. That’s $45,000 per event.

This is the same pay scale as the 2022 short-course Worlds, but down by a third from the 2021 Championships in Abu Dhabi (UAE).

World-record bonuses are $25,000. The event takes place from 10-15 December in Budapest (HUN).

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: Coe criticizes IOC age limits, says the World Athletics prize money reveal was “discourteous”

Rich Perelman

November 7, 2024

World Athletics Championships Oregon22 - Previews — World Athletics President Sebastian Coe (GBR) (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images for World Athletics)

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≡ IOC ELECTION ≡

There are a lot of restrictions on what the seven International Olympic Committee members who are candidates in next March’s presidential elections can do to campaign. But there are no restrictions on interviews and World Athletics President Sebastian Coe (GBR) has been making the rounds.

He answered questions from the SportsIn site, which focused on his program if elected, but also on some of the hurdles in front of him.

● First and foremost is the question of age. Currently 68, Coe can serve on the IOC until age 70, and could be elected to a four-year extension of the age limit to 2030. As the IOC President serves an eight-year first term, the next head will serve from 2025 to 2033, he would require a change of rules. He’s clear that should happen:

“I respect the IOC rules but I honestly feel the age restrictions look rather outdated when compared to other organisations and institutions globally. The way I see it, with age comes experience and if you have the energy, enthusiasm and willpower – three things I’ve never been short of – then you’re young enough to do the job whatever your date of birth.”

● He was also asked about the controversial payment of prize money – $50,000 – for the track & field gold medalists in Paris, which was met with considerable discomfort among other federations. Coe was clear he would do the same thing, but in a different way:

“I have reflected upon the recent decision to announce prize money at the Olympic Games for our athletes. I believe, as I think many others do, that the athletes – whose performances at the Olympic Games generate revenue for the Olympic movement through broadcast, commercial and ticketing – should be recognised.

“In hindsight the way it was announced was discourteous. For that I have apologised to the ASOIF Executive Council of which I am a member and other International Federation Presidents at the recent IF Forum and at ANOC [General Assembly] in Portugal.”

● Coe also promoted the idea that the IOC members need to be empowered to do more, a concept which could be a vote-getter:

“I believe the key to building a sustainable, commercially successful future is empowering the IOC members, the athletes, sports federations and NOCs. If we expect them to take responsibility for the Games and contribute fully to its future, we must give them a stake – they deserve and need to be sure their input really matters and drives change. That means trusting the IOC members to make good decisions, supporting the athletes to strive for outstanding performance, realise their potential and not suffer financial hardship because of their sacrifices and commitment. …

“You just have to look around an IOC Congress room to see the range of experience, expertise and talent there is, not just in sport but in a range of professions, commercial and non-commercial, across all territories. These brains need to be at the centre of decision and policy making in the Olympic Movement. Striving for the best should be about prioritising excellence over everything else as this sits at the core of the Olympic values.”

● Coe, who has a long history in sports marketing, was also asked about the TOP sponsorship program, with the three Japan-based sponsors – Bridgestone, Panasonic and Toyota – deciding not to renew.

“The Games are a commercial success story but it’s no secret that some sponsors have walked away recently and I do wonder if there may be opportunities to do more to deliver value for partners on whom we depend.

“There are great opportunities to partner with smart businesses if the proposition is right and valued which is clearly not a one-size fits all structure. And the great thing about world class businesses is that they tend to hire world class people. So, we have an added incentive and opportunity to mix their world class people with our world class membership.”

The candidate statements have not yet been published and Coe is one of seven candidates for the IOC Presidency, with the decision to be made next March at the IOC Session in Greece.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MILAN CORTINA 2026: “Look of the Games” and pictograms unveiled, powered by the “human gesture”

Rich Perelman

November 7, 2024

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

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≡ DESIGN & GRAPHICS ≡

A graphic design program using individual lines to form shapes in the human form was released on Thursday, with a vibrant scheme promised for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

According to the announcement:

“At the centre of Milano Cortina 2026’s vibrant identity are the ‘Vibes,’ a four-element design scheme that includes:

“● Signs that reproduce the human gesture,
“● Curved shapes that evoke movement,
“● Straight, intersecting lines that enhance dynamism, and
“● A white blur effect inspired by snow and winter.

“These elements come together to create a cohesive visual identity that connects deeply with Italian aesthetics and the Olympic spirit.”

Raffaella Panie, Head of Brand Identity and Look of the Games at Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, explained:

“The Look of the Games is the result of a creative process that started from the Brand Personality, from the concept of a new Italian beauty that reflects the deepest, positive qualities of the essence of our country, including talent.”

The 16 Olympic and six Paralympic pictograms use individual lines to form images of athletes competing in each sport, a departure from the usual use of solid athlete shapes, introduced for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.

Milan Cortina will be promoting the Look concepts in concert with five “Italian icons” representing different aspects of the “Vibes,” the human gestures which form the lines that are key to the designs:

● Creativity: Dardust (Dario Faini), pianist, author and producer;
● Energy: Bebe Vio, Paralympic fencing champion;
● Imagination: Federico Basso, comedian and author;
● Passion: Davide Oldani, chef;
● Style: Nicoletta Manni, Ètoile of La Scala Theatre in Milano.

They will be featured on the social-media channels of the organizing committee.

The Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games is scheduled for 6-22 February 2026, with the Paralympics to follow from 6-15 March.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LOS ANGELES 2028: Trump projected to win U.S. Presidency, and in line to open the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles

Rich Perelman

November 5, 2024

tsx pix 2024-1105 donald trump (white house 2020) — U.S. President Donald Trump (Photo: The White House).

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

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≡ THE BIG PICTURE ≡

Projections that Donald Trump won the U.S. Presidential election on Tuesday will not only return him to The White House, but also positions him to open the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad in Los Angeles in 2028.

There have been eight prior Olympic and Winter Games in the U.S. – no country has hosted more – with a sitting U.S. President not opening any of them until Ronald Reagan in 1984, also in Los Angeles.

Two future Presidents opened the 1932 Winter Games in Lake Placid (Franklin Roosevelt), and the 1960 Winter Games in Squaw Valley (Richard Nixon; the site is now known as Palisades Tahoe).

The list of those who have declared the eight U.S. Games open includes:

Olympic Games:
● 1904 St. Louis: Louisiana Purchase Exposition President David Francis
● 1932 Los Angeles: U.S. Vice President Charles Curtis
● 1984 Los Angeles: U.S. President Ronald Reagan
● 1996 Atlanta: U.S. President Bill Clinton

Olympic Winter Games:
● 1932 Lake Placid: New York Governor Franklin Roosevelt
● 1960 Squaw Valley: U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon
● 1980 Lake Placid: U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale
● 2002 Salt Lake City: U.S. President George W. Bush

Trump was President from 2017 to 2021, then lost to Joe Biden in the 2020 election, and will become the first man to serve non-consecutive terms as U.S. President since Grover Cleveland from 1885-89 and 1893-97.

With the FIFA World Cup coming to Canada, Mexico and the U.S., Trump also had a friendly relationship with FIFA chief Gianni Infantino (SUI) during his first term, and will likely have some ceremonial role in that event.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

OLYMPIC GAMES: IOC chief Bach says venues key to sustainability, FIS shows fan travel also has a major impact

Rich Perelman

November 5, 2024

tsx pix 2024-1105 merlo and bach aips 100 — AIPS chief Gianni Merlo (l) and IOC President Thomas Bach (r) speaking to the AIPS 100 Young Reporters program (Photo: AIPS).

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

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≡ SUSTAINABILITY ≡

One of the legacies of the 12-year term of International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (GER) will be the emphasis on sustainability in the conduct of the Olympic Games, and of the IOC itself.

Bach explained this once again, in some detail, during an online question-and-answer session with the 100 Young Reporters project, organized by the International Sports Journalists Association (AIPS), celebrating its centennial in 2024.

Moderated from Olympic House in Lausanne by AIPS President Gianni Merlo (ITA), the long-time correspondent for Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport, Bach was asked specifically about the concept of a multi-nation Olympic Games bid from Africa, in order to have the Games on the last continent which has not hosted one.

Bach carefully explained how the IOC’s concern for sustainability would impact such a decision:

“The distribution of the sites does not necessarily mean that it’s more sustainable.

“It can have even a counterproductive effect on sustainability, if you are considering the emissions being caused by transportation, by logistics of teams, of spectators, by tripling the number of people to be employed in organizing committees and so on. So diversification of sites is not equal to sustainability.

“What is important for a sustainable organization is first of all the number of sites rather than spreading the sites. Because construction is causing the most emissions and new construction always has to take into account the legacy of the relevant venues and stadiums.

“This is why in the IOC, we are taking the approach which is the most preventive for emissions, that is to make use of existing facilities. Then if you don’t have existing facilities, go for temporary facilities, and only if temporary facilities are for one reason or another, not possible – what is, according to state of the art, technology, almost impossible – only then start to diversify.

“We saw this concept in Paris, either existing or temporary facilities, resulting in a 50% reduction of the emissions compared to previous Olympic Games and at the same time, by keeping them closer together, enhancing the Olympic spirit, this feeling of togetherness and not having three different competitions in three different places.”

And, asked specifically about a future Olympic Games in Africa, Bach noted:

“We already have the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar 2026.

“If Africa wants to organize Olympic Games, the first thing is to present a proposal. We can then discuss this in our new Olympic host selection process.

“If an African country is showing their interest, we are at their disposal to develop, together with them, the best possible Olympic Project in accordance with their long term development plan for their country and for the youth of their country.”

Bach was also asked about what the biggest challenge of his presidency was; he replied:

“I still have eight more months to go so let’s talk after that. Somebody said the other day ‘don’t put me in a museum yet’. There is still some work to do and to accomplish.”

He will leave office in June of 2025, after his successor is elected at the IOC Session in Greece next March.

While Bach’s “Olympic Agenda 2020″ and “Olympic Agenda 2020+5″ paved the way for an Olympic Games held in more than one city, or even one country, and pointed to the importance of controlling costs and increasing sustainability through the use of less construction, the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) pointed to another issue of major impact.

Business and fan travel.

In a 16 October post on the calculation of CO2 emissions in snow sports, a new FIS CO2 calculator, available to event organizers and to national ski associations worldwide.

Included was a look at a 2023 report on FIS’s own conduct and total emissions – “considering electricity, natural gas, business travel, commuting, fleet travel, waste, water, partial purchased goods & services, transmission and distribution losses, and partial downstream transportation” totaled the equivalent of 2,161.7 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) from:

● 56.9% (1,229.2 tons): business travel
● 32.0% (692.6 tons): procurement
● 9.2% (198.2 tons): fleet travel
● 1.9% (41.7 tons): everything else

“Procurement” refers to emissions related to goods and services that were purchased.

FIS also made a calculation on the total seasonal impact of 177 events in Alpine, Cross Country, Freestyle, Nordic Combined, Ski Jumping and Snowboard and other events. The total was 58,600.0 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), with one element above all others:

● 88.9% (52,107.7 tons): participant travel
● 5.0% (2,938.5 tons): food
● 4.9% (2,856.1 tons): utilities
● 1.2% (697.7 tons): everything else

The biggest factor in the travel category was not the competitors, but the fans, estimated at 465,637.6 tons or 85.9% of the participant travel total. The study noted:

“Emissions were estimated assuming 10% travel by train, 80% by car, and 10% by plane. For international events outside Europe, 100% were assumed to fly.”

Wow. So, should fans be eliminated? Not according to the athletes, who savored the Paris Olympic experience of having spectators back in the venues after a no-fans Olympic Games in 2021 in Tokyo, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In terms of sustainability, it’s a substantial problem without a good solution.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: India enters race for 2036 Olympics; France looking to join World Boxing; FIFA selling U.S. rights for 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Rich Perelman

November 5, 2024

tsx pix 2023-608 fifa womens world cup trophy 750 — The FIFA Women's World Cup Trophy (Photo: FIFA)

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2036 ● “The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) officially submitted a Letter of Intent to the Future Host Commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), formally expressing India’s interest in hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036.”

That’s from India Today, with a source saying that “This monumental opportunity could bring substantial benefits, fostering economic growth, social progress, and youth empowerment across the country.” The letter was actually submitted on 1 October.

Hosting the 2036 Olympic Games has been an announced priority of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who told the IOC Session in Mumbai last year that the country was ready, willing and able to host.

India has had all kinds of internal political issues with the governance and operations of the Indian Olympic Association and some of its member national federations and has been unable to seat a new chief executive for months. But the Olympic aspiration remains a goal, now formalized with the letter to the IOC.

Many other countries have indicated interest in the 2036 Games and are in varying levels of discussions with the IOC’s Future Host Commission for the Olympic Games.

● Boxing ● The Federation Francaise de Boxe (FFBoxe) announced Monday:

“The steering committee of the French Boxing Federation (FFBoxe) has made a major decision for the future of the discipline by voting to disaffiliate from the International Boxing Association (IBA) in order to join World Boxing.

“This decision, motivated by the desire to guarantee French boxing its place at the Olympic Games and to strengthen the stability of the clubs, marks a turning point for the FFBoxe, which is moving forward with determination in this direction.”

The decision has to be approved by the federation’s General Assembly, in a vote on 14 December. The decision was motivated by a letter from the French National Olympic Committee (CNOSF), which noted the International Olympic Committee’s instructions that “national federations that maintain their affiliation with the IBA will no longer be recognised by their respective National Olympic Committees.”

World Boxing is trying to become the recognized governing body for Olympic boxing, and to keep the sport on the program for the 2028 Olympic Games.

Russian super-heavyweight Alexander Povetkin, the Athens 2004 Olympic gold medalist, has been charged with a doping violation from 2014, for use of the muscle-builder Ostarine.

Povetkin, now 45, last fought in 2021 and is retired. The case was referred by the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Intelligence & Investigations unit, from data recovered from the Moscow Laboratory of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency in 2019, and is being handled by the International Testing Agency. Povetkin, now the deputy governor of the Vologda Region, said he does not plan to appeal.

The positive came in a time when Povetkin had been a professional boxer for 10 years; he held heavyweight titles at various times in the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council.

● Football ● FIFA announced it is opening negotiations for U.S. television rights for its 2027 Women’s World Cup, with 2031 also available. This is the first time that the Women’s World Cup rights have been sold on a standalone basis for the U.S.

Fox has been the U.S. rights-holder since the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup (2015-19-23), through the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. (2018-22-26).

The 2027 Women’s World Cup will be played in Brazil, and the U.S. is a bidder for the 2031 Women’s World Cup; submissions are due by 3 December 2024.

● Sailing ● Dutch star Marit Bouwmeester and the Spanish pair of Diego Botin and Florian Trittel were named as the Rolex World Sailors of the Year on Tuesday at the World Sailing Awards show in Singapore.

Bouwmeester, 36, became the most decorated women’s sailor in Olympic history with her Paris 2024 gold in the women’s Laser Radial class. It was her second win – also in 2016 – and her second World Sailor of the Year award (also in 2017). She now has four straight Olympic medals in the Laser Radial class: 2012 silver, 2016 gold, 2020 bronze and 2024 gold. She is also a four-time World Champion in the class.

Botin and Triffel, both 30, won the men’s 49er class gold in Paris, the first Olympic medal for both. They also won the SailGP series in the 49er class and took major wins at the Semaine Olympique Francaise and the Princesa Sofia Regatta.

The Italian Nacra 17 Olympic champions, Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti, won the Team of the Year, defending their Tokyo 2020 title, also winning the 2024 Nacra 17 World Championship.

The awards were determined by a fan vote of 49,964, and an expert panel of judges.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: NYC Marathon reported as biggest ever; beach volleyball star Klineman retires; new report on Paris-winning Algerian boxer’s gender

Rich Perelman

November 4, 2024

Retired: Tokyo Olympic beach volleyball champs April Ross (l) and Alix Klineman (r) of the U.S. (Photo: Steffen Prossdorf via Wikipedia).

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● An activist coalition called “Revers de la medaille” released a report claiming that 19,526 people were evicted from their homes from 26 April 2023 to 30 September 2024 and referred to documents to support allegations that the movements were linked to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

A spokesman said that 260 “informal living sites,” characterized as “camps, shanty towns and squats” were cleared; some people were evicted more than once, so there may be some double counting.

French authorities said prior to the Games that eviction rates did not increase during the Games period and that displaced individuals were offered alternate housing.

● Olympic Games 2040 ● Reports from Germany quote Chancellor Olaf Scholz as supporting a return of the Olympic Games in 2040:

“The time has come. Attempts have been made repeatedly since Munich in 1972. Next time, I think it should work.

“In 2040, Germany will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its reunification, and this is the best reason to hold the Games in Germany.”

● Anti-Doping ● The World Anti-Doping Agency’s Compliance Review Committee met in mid-October, with a summary of the meeting posted on Monday. The post noted the current organizations currently out of compliance, or being monitored includes:

● Suspended (4): Cameroon national anti-doping organization, the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), the International Federation of Basque Pelota and the International Federation of Fitness and Bodybuilding;

● Watchlist (7): national anti-doping organizations in Namibia, Samoa, Pakistan, Panama, Senegal, Uganda and Uruguay.

Disputes over non-compliance and sanctions are now in front of the Court of Arbitration for Sport for Nigeria, South Africa and Venezuela, plus a case on consequences and reinstatement conditions for RUSADA.

● Athletics ● Citius Magazine reported that Sunday’s New York City Marathon had 55,646 finishers, the most ever for a marathon. It surpassed the 54,280 from the Berlin Marathon in September.

● Beach Volleyball ● American star Alix Klineman, who teamed with April Ross to win the Olympic women’s tournament in Tokyo in 2021, announced her retirement in a video posted to Instagram.

She explained, speaking to the sport of volleyball as a whole, her reasons for concluding her career:

“There is something about winning the gold medal; it checks the box, at least it did for me.

“Sure, I still love you [volleyball]. I’m still here, but the desperation is gone. I used to do anything for you. Exhaustion, pain, none of that mattered. It’s actually crazy how much pain I withstood for you, and it was all worth it. But now there’s something, someone, worth it more. It’s no longer just about you, volleyball. It’s not about me, either. It’s about my family. It’s about my priorities, and they’re different now.

“I thought I could do both – be a mom and play – and I did. I am right now, but I can’t do both the way that I want to do both. When I do things, I do them to be the best. It’s not necessarily relative to anyone else, but the best that I’m capable of. I know I can be better at volleyball right now. You know it, too. But to do that, I have to sacrifice the way that I show up for Theo, and I don’t want that.”

Klineman, now 34, was an All-American indoor star at Stanford, and was an outside hitter for multiple clubs in Italy and Brazil through 2017. She teamed with Ross – who also announced her retirement at the end of this season – in late 2017.

The duo won the 2019 FIVB Worlds silver and won six times on the FIVB World Tour between 2018 and 2021. Following their Olympic triumph in Tokyo, Klineman married former NHL right winger Teddy Purcell (CAN) and the couple’s son, Theo, arrived in June 2023.

● Boxing ● A 25 October story on the French-language site Le Correspondant reported on a June 2023 medical report on Algerian boxer Imane Khelif – winner of the 2022 IBA Worlds silver in the women’s Light Welterweight division and the Paris Olympic gold in the women’s Welterweight class – that describes a condition of genetic males:

“an ‘Alpha 5 reductase type 2′ deficiency, a genetic anomaly which leads to metabolic dysfunction in testosterone and dehydroandrosterone.”

The story further describes part of the process of Khelif’s registration for the Paris Games, and a March 2023 altercation at the IBA Women’s World Championships between Algerian and federation officials.

Observed: One follow-on to this story will be a closer review of the call for gender testing to protect women’s sport, voiced in October by U.N. Special Rapporteur Reem Alsalem (JOR), who explained that “[c]urrent technology enables a reliable sex screening procedure through a simple cheek swab that ensures non-invasiveness, confidentiality and dignity.”

● Swimming ● SwimSwam.com compiled the biggest money-makers from the three-stop World Aquatics World Cup series, with American Kate Douglass on top. The combined top 10:

● 1. $184,000: Kate Douglass (USA)
● 2. $174,000: Leon Marchand (FRA)
● 3. $152,000: Regan Smith (USA)
● 4. $142,000: Noe Ponti (SUI)
● 5. $61,400: Siobhan Haughey (HKG)
● 6. $59,500: Duncan Scoitt (GBR)
● 7. $54,500: Pieter Coetze (RSA)
● 8. $48,100: Qianting Tang (CHN)
● 9. $42,000: Haiyang Qin (CHN)
● 10. $35,100: Kasia Wasick (POL)

The lists showed 15 men and 13 women who earned $10,000 or more from the series and 20 men and 20 women who made $5,000 or more.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

AQUATICS: World Aquatics financial report for 2023 shows $22.4 million surplus and $191.5 million in assets

Rich Perelman

November 4, 2024

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

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≡ THE BIG PICTURE ≡

World Aquatics posted its financial statements for 2023, showing a surplus that was more than double what was expected and assets nearing $200 million.

The report from Treasurer Dale Neuburger (USA) explained:

● “World Aquatics generated an operating surplus of $10.69 million USD, and combined with investment income of $11.70 million USD, the net result was a surplus of $22.40 million USD. Our budget projected a surplus of $11.93 million USD, and through sound management and prudent expense reduction, the result is far more favorable than our original expectation.”

● “The [2023] World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka (JPN) was an extraordinary success, generating $59.49 million USD in host partnership fees, broadcast rights, sponsorship income, and VIK revenues. Based upon expenses of $21.98 million USD, the net result was a surplus of $37.50 million USD. I express gratitude to the City of Fukuoka and Japan Swimming Association for an exceptional partnership with World Aquatics that exceeded all expectations.”

● “World Aquatics projects a very favorable outcome for the period 2021 to 2024 – prospectively, an operating surplus of more than $40 million USD. This is in sharp contrast to the 2017 to 2020 quadrennium that produced a $10.21 million USD deficit, owing largely to the absence of an Olympic Games within this period, as well as the postponement of other events because of the pandemic.”

For the calendar year 2023, World Aquatics showed operating revenue of $64.41 million against expenses of $53.71 million; with $11.70 million in investment income added, that’s a $22.40 million surplus for the year.

The federation’s balance sheet now shows $191.51 million in assets, actually down by $10.51 million from 2022 as deferred revenues came down significantly. Financial reserves, however, increased from $98.40 million to $120.80 million. That’s an extraordinarily impressive financial position for any international federation outside of FIFA.

As noted, the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka (JPN) was an enormous financial windfall, with $26.50 million in hosting rights and fees, and $28.98 million in television rights and sponsorships, plus another $4.02 million in in-kind support.

Athlete prize money for 2023 was shown at $11.65 million all together, across multiple events. World Aquatics spent $3.78 million on anti-doping activities, mostly through the International Testing Agency.

World Aquatics expects to get richer in 2024, estimating more than $100 million in revenue. The projected budget includes $107.73 million in income:

● $39.25 million from the International Olympic Committee
● $67.32 million from hosting fees, TV rights and sponsorships
● $0.19 million from penalties and other fees
● $0.98 million from other income

The Olympic television rights income from the IOC is a significant increase from the $31.36 million received from the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Expenses were estimated at $85.75 million, including $25.47 million in event expenses, $15.17 million in athlete prize money and $12.77 million in administrative expenses (there were 48 employees at the end of 2023). Some $5.71 million was budgeted for national federation support and $4.29 million for athlete and staff travel support to the 2024 World Championships held in Qatar in February.

(World Aquatics is one of the few federations that subsidizes the travel and lodging to its World Championships. Neuburger noted in his comments that for 2023, “$4.57 million USD was allocated to athlete, coach, and other Federation representatives to attend the World Aquatics Championships and other events within the competitive calendar. This travel subsidy has produced consistently higher levels of participation and involvement.”)

The financial statements for 2023 noted that World Aquatics President Husain Al-Musallam (KUW):

“has waived Per Diem payments and receives no remuneration from World Aquatics. The President’s personal office organises and pays for the majority of his travel costs, as well as, on occasions, accompanying World Aquatics personnel (athletes, officials, staff etc). The value of the contribution of the President to World Aquatics is impossible to accurately estimate but is at least 100k US Dollars and does not exceed 500k US Dollars.”

And as for the intention of World Aquatics to move its headquarters from Lausanne (SUI) to Budapest (HUN), the statements noted:

“On 26 May 2023, World Aquatics and the Government of Hungary announced that they were engaged in discussions about transferring the headquarters, and the seat, of World Aquatics to Budapest, Hungary. Such discussions are still ongoing in 2024 and, should the discussions end in an agreement, based on anticipated timelines, there is no impact on the going concern of World Aquatics for the foreseeable future.”

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Fan vote for World Athletics athletes of the year in six categories open now through Sunday!

Rich Perelman

November 4, 2024

tsx pix 2024-913 ingebrigtsen brussels (DLAG) — Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen wins the Diamond League Final 1,500 m in Brussels (Photo: Diamond League AG)

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≡ ATHLETES OF THE YEAR ≡

World Athletics announced its two finalists in its six categories for Athlete of the Year, with fan voting open through Sunday, 10 November; click here for a link to vote.

The nominees:

Men’s track athlete of the year:
● Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR): Olympic 5000 m champion
● Letsile Tebogo (BOT): Olympic 200 m champion

On the track, Ingebrigtsen ran in 13 events and won 10, including the Olympic 5,000 m. He ended the season as the world leader in the 1,500 m (3:26.73, no. 4 all-time) and 3,000 m (amazing world record of 7:17.55). Tebogo won seven of nine meets in the 200 in 2024 and had the world-leading mark at 19.46 to win in Paris. He’s no. 5 all-time. Tebogo ran seven times in the 100 m, winning twice and finishing sixth in the Paris final with a lifetime best of 9.86.

Women’s track athlete of the year:
● Julien Alfred (LCA): Olympic 100 m champion
● Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA): Olympic 400 m hurdles champion

Alfred won all of her three meets in the indoor 60 m, including the World Indoor gold, then won four of seven meets in the 100 m and two of four outdoors at 200 m, including the Olympic silver. She ranked no. 2 in the world for 2024 in the 100 at 10.72 and no. 3 in the 200 m at 21.86. McLaughlin-Levrone ran only nine events in 2024, but won them all: 3/3 in the 200, 2/2 in the 400, 1/1 in the 100 m hurdles and 3/3 in the 400 m hurdles, including world records at the U.S. Olympic Trials (50.65) and at the Olympic Games (50.37). She also ran on the winning U.S. 4×400 m relay in Paris.

Men’s field athlete of the year:
● Mondo Duplantis (SWE): Olympic pole vault champion
● Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE): Olympic long jump champion

Duplantis was everywhere in 2024, competing in 15 meets and winning them all, including the World Indoor, European outdoor and a second Olympic gold. He set world records of 6.24 m (20-5 1/2), 6.25 m (20-6) and 6.26 m (20-6 1/2). And he won a much-hyped match race in Zurich against Norway’s Karsten Warholm, running 10.37 for 100 m. Tentoglou also competed 15 times in 2024, winning 12 and defended his Tokyo Olympic gold. He was the world leader in 2024 with his European Championships winner of 8.65 m (28-4 1/2) in June, now no. 13 all-time.

Women’s field athlete of the year:
● Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR): Olympic high jump champion
● Nafi Thiam (BEL): Olympic heptathlon champion

Mahuchikh competed seven times outdoors, winning each time and taking the European title and Olympic gold in Paris. She set the world record of 2.10 m (6-10 3/4) at the Paris Diamond League meet in July and won five Diamond League titles during the season. Thiam won her third straight Olympic heptathlon title in Paris, scoring 6,880 to be the world leader in the event for 2024. She only competed in two heps, taking the European title in June and the Olympic win in August.

Men’s out-of-stadium athlete of the year:
● Brian Pintado (ECU): Olympic 20km Walk champion
● Tamirat Tola (ETH): Olympic marathon champion

Pintado competed five times, winning twice, but one was the Olympic gold in Paris in 1:18:55. His best time of 1:17:54 ranked him 11th on the year. Tola, the 2022 World Champion in the marathon, ran only his 10th-fastest marathon ever in Paris, but won in 2:06:26. He finished fourth in the New York City Marathon (2:08:12) in November.

Women’s out-of-stadium athlete of the year:
● Ruth Chepngetich (KEN): world marathon record-holder
● Sifan Hassan (NED): Olympic marathon champion

Chepngetich, the 2019 World Champion in the marathon, ran three times in 2024: ninth in London in April, won a Half in Buenos Aires in August and smashed the world record with a barrier-shattering 2:09:56 at the Chicago Marathon in October, for her third win in that race. The amazing Hassan followed up her 5,000-10,000 m Olympic gold double in Tokyo with bronzes in both events in Paris, then won the Olympic marathon in 2:22:55. She had earlier finished fourth in the Tokyo Marathon in March in 2:18:05, ranking no. 13 on the world list for 2024.

The Athletes of the Year in each category, as well as the overall winner, will be revealed at a ceremony in Monaco on Sunday, 1 December as part of the World Athletics Awards 2024.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

BOXING: Paris Olympic medals leader Uzbekistan among four to join World Boxing

Rich Perelman

November 4, 2024

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

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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

“World Boxing has approved applications from the National Federations (NFs) for boxing in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Guatemala and Laos to take its membership to 55 countries.”

Monday’s announcement followed the close of the second World Boxing Congress, held in Pueblo, Colorado in conjunction with the first World Boxing U-19 Championships for men and women that also finished over the weekend.

The addition of Uzbekistan is especially noteworthy, as the country co-led the Paris Olympic boxing medal table with five, all gold (China also had five: 3-2-0).

The addition of Kazakhstan had been expected, since the head of the Kazakhstan National Olympic Committee, Gennadiy “Triple G” Golovkin, is the head of the World Boxing Olympic Commission and has been lobbying national federations to join World Boxing.

With the International Boxing Association having been expelled by the International Olympic Committee in June 2023, World Boxing – which held its founding Congress last November – has been scrambling to create a workable governing body to become recognized by the IOC as the international federation for boxing.

The IOC has said that a new governing body needs to be in place early in 2025, in order for boxing to be confirmed on the program of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Said World Boxing President Boris van der Vorst (NED):

“On the date of our second Congress, it is fantastic that World Boxing is able to welcome four new countries whom I am sure will all play an important role in our mission to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement.

“Only last week we announced seven new members to take World Boxing past the milestone of 50 countries. To be able to announce four more members – including two major powers in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan – so soon after this, is a sign of the growing momentum shift in international boxing.

“It is clear that there has been a change in impetus and that more National Federations want to join World Boxing as they recognise it is the only way to keep the Olympic dreams of their boxers alive.”

Another turning point could come on 23 November, as the 42-member Asian Boxing Confederation will meet in Thailand for an Extraordinary Congress to consider a motion for the ASBC “to be an independent organization until any new international organizations is recognized by the International Olympic Committee.”

Thus far, World Boxing has 13 members in Asia.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Sydney Marathon for 2025 approved as first new World Marathon Majors addition in 12 years

Rich Perelman

November 4, 2024

tsx pix 2024-1104 sydney marathon (twitter) — The Sydney Marathon will become a World Marathon Major race in 2025, featuring this iconic image of runners crossing over the Sydney Harbour Bridge (Photo: Sydney Marathon on X).

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

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≡ WORLD MARATHON MAJORS ≡

Now, there are seven, as the Sydney Marathon was announced a new member of the World Marathon Majors program on Sunday (3rd) as the seventh race in the World Marathon Majors program:

“ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS today confirmed that the TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS will join the series in 2025 to become the seventh marathon in the Abbott World Marathon Majors series.

“The TCS Sydney Marathon, which will take place on August 31, 2025, joins six races including the Tokyo Marathon, the Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America, the TCS London Marathon, the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and the TCS New York City Marathon as part of the greatest marathon series in the world.”

Inaugurated in 2000 as a lead-up event to the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney and continued as a legacy of that Games, the race has expanded to 20,272 finishers on 15 September 2024. However, Sunday’s announcement was clear that this is not the end of the World Marathon Majors expansion program:

“Sydney will form part of the journey towards the next Major milestone, the new Nine Star medal, which will begin when two more races are added to the series; however Sydney finishers can start counting the race toward their Nine Star in 2025.

“Sanlam Cape Town Marathon and Shanghai Marathon, which are currently in the candidacy process, could join the series in as early as 2026 and 2027 respectively should they pass two years of assessments.”

The original World Marathon Majors schedule had five races for the initial season in 2006: Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York. Tokyo was added for 2013 and Sydney will be added 12 years later as the seventh.

The original Sydney Marathon course was quite hilly, but was flattened in 2010 and the current race records were set in the 2024 race:

● 2:06:18 for men, by Brimin Kipkorir (KEN)
● 2:21:41 for women, by Workenesh Esesa (ETH)

The Sydney men’s race record is slower than the six current World Marathon Majors, but the women’s mark is faster than the New York City Marathon record of 2:22:31 by Margaret Okayo (KEN) from 2003.

In terms of scheduling for 2025, the seven-race plan shows:

● 02 Mar.: Tokyo Marathon
● 21 Apr.: Boston Marathon
● 27 Apr.: London Marathon

● 31 Aug.: Sydney Marathon
● 21 Sep.: Berlin Marathon
● 12 Oct.: Chicago Marathon
● 02 Nov.: New York City Marathon

Wayne Larden, race director of the TCS Sydney Marathon said:

“Becoming the seventh Abbott World Marathon is just incredible for the event, the city of Sydney and State of New South Wales. We could not have achieved the incredible growth and uplift in delivery to make it into the Majors if it wasn’t for the support of the NSW Government and Destination NSW plus our key partners TCS and ASICS. Our team are first rate and have put in so much work to make this happen. It is really special for all of us.

“This amazing milestone is going to have a profound impact on running in Australia, inspiring the community to become marathoners and do something special for themselves, their families and friends. Community health will benefit alongside a huge increase in fundraising.”

Becoming a World Marathon Major brings with it interest from runners who want to complete all of the Major races. There were 12,772 six-star finishers through the end of 2023, with more after the finish of the NYC Marathon on Sunday, and while the next new medal will be the nine-star, runners will come to Sydney in 2025 to start working toward that goal.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: IIHF asks 3×3 hockey for 2030 Winter Games; Toyota sponsors Paralympics; U.S.’s Glenn gets first ISU Grand Prix gold!

Rich Perelman

November 3, 2024

tsx pix 2024-1103 amber glenn GP de France (ISU) — American national champ Amber Glenn won her first ISU Grand Prix gold at the Grand Prix de France (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 ≡

● Olympic Winter Games 2030: French Alps ● The International Ice Hockey Federation announced it will submit its proposal in January to add 3×3 hockey to the 2030 Olympic Winter Games.

A detailed questionnaire will be due by 30 March and a decision will be made in the fourth quarter of 2025. If accepted, it could add as many as 240 more players to the Olympic Winter Games and potentially require another venue, a consideration for the International Olympic Committee and the French organizers.

Compared with the 30 x 60 m (98 x 197 feet) rink needed for 5×5 play, the 3×3 surface would be much smaller at 18 x 26 m (59 x 85 feet). The first IIHF 3×3 World Championships – eight teams – are expected to be held in 2026.

● International Paralympic Committee ● While Toyota has left the Olympic Movement as a TOP sponsor, declining to renew for the 2025-28 quadrennial, the company made good on its promise to support the Paralympics separately.

The International Paralympic Committee announced Friday that the Toyota Mobility Foundation has agreed to a four-year grant program that “will provide grant funding to the IPC to deliver a wide range of transformational sport development initiatives under the umbrella of Sport for Mobility.”

● Archery ● The World Archery Indoor (18 m) World Series for 2024-25 has opened with the Swiss Open in Lausanne (SUI). Italy’s 2024 European Indoor runner-up Alessandro Paoli won the men’s Recurve division, winning a closest-to-the-center shoot-out over Romain Fichet (FRA), 6-5.

The women’s Recurve title went to home favorite, 17-year-old Olivia Doigo (SUI), 6-0, over Denise Barankova (SVK).

● Athletics ● Annie Rodenfels defended her 2023 USATF 5 km national championship on Saturday in New York, winning in 15:20, ahead of Emily Venters (15:25) and Emma Grace Hurley (15:31).

Venters had the lead with less than a mile to go, but Rodenfels surged ahead and was unchallenged at the line. It’s her third career USATF national road title, after she won the national 6 km event in July.

Ahmed Muhumed was second at the 2023 5 km championship and moved up to the top of the podium, pulling away from the lead pack of 10 in the final mile-and-a-half. He won in 13:38, with Sam Prakel pulling close with a sprint in the final 400 m (13:39), and Brian Barraza third in 13:42. It was Muhumed’s second USATF title in 2024, after the win at 8 km in July.

The race marked the close of the USATF Running Circuit for 2024, with Hillary Bor winning the men’s title and Hurley took the women’s championship.

Grand Slam Track announced the signings of distance stars Tsigie Gebreselama (ETH), the 2023 World Cross Country’s women’s runner-up, and Kenyan Agnes Ngetich, the road 5 km and 10 km world-record holder. The new project has now signed 32 of its 48 “Racers” who will compete in all four events to be held in 2025.

The Athletics Integrity Unit announced a provisional suspension of Japan’s Koki Ikeda, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medalist in the men’s 20 km Walk, for the use of a prohibited substance or method, based on his Athlete Biological Passport.

He’s the 2024 world leader in the men’s 20 km Walk at 1:16:51, from the national championships in February. He said in a statement that he plans to appeal, and

“For reasons that I know absolutely nothing about, I may not be able to compete in my next race and I am completely bewildered.”

Japan currently has no one listed on the AIU’s comprehensive list of ineligible persons.

● Badminton ● Denmark led with two wins at the Hylo Open in Saarbrucken (GER), with Mia Blichfeldt (DEN) winning the women’s Singles over Malvika Bansod (IND), 21-10, 21-15, and in Mixed Doubles, with Jesper Toft and Amalie Magelund (DEN) defeating Alexander Dunn and Julie MacPherson (SCO), 21-19, 21-16.

In the men’s Doubles, Ben Lake and Sean Vendy (ENG) kept the Danes from a third win, taking down Ras Kjaer and Frederik Sogaard, 18-21, 21-15, 21-18.

In the men’s Singles, the French Popov brothers faced off, with Christo – the younger – beating Toma Junior Popov, 21-13, 21-10.

The women’s Doubles saw Shuo Yun Sung and Chien Hui Yu (TPE) sweep Polina Buhrova and Yevheniia Kantemyr (UKR), 21-16, 21-14.

● Boxing ● The first World Boxing championship event, the World U-19 Championships in Pueblo, Colorado (USA), concluded, with England taking eight titles out of the 20 available.

The English squad took home wins from John-Joe Carrigan (men’s 70 kg), Leo Atang (men’s +90 kg), Ruby White (women’s 48 kg), Alice Pumphrey (women’s 51 kg), Caitlin Wise (women’s 54 kg), Ella Lonsdale (women’s 60 kg), Tiah-Mai Ayton (women’s 57 kg), and Lilly Deacon (women’s 70 kg).

India led the overall medal table with 17 (4-8-5), followed by England (9: 8-0-1), and the U.S. (8: 3-2-3), with wins in the men’s division from Lorenzo Patricio (50 kg), Joseph Awinongya (75 kg) and Elijah Lugo (80 kg).

● Curling ● China and Canada won the World Curling Pan Continental Championships in Lacombe (CAN), with Xiaoming Xu skipping the winning men’s rink from China to a 6-4 win over Shinya Abe and Japan.

The U.S. took the men’s bronze with 2018 Olympic champion John Shuster skipping the American squad to a 10-8 over 2006 Olympic winner (and two-time defending champ in this event) Brad Gushue and Canada.

In the women’s tournament, Canada and 2024 World Champion Rachel Homan won the final by 6-5 over South Korea (Eun-ji Gim). China (Rui Wang) won the bronze, 7-3, over Japan (Miyu Ueno). The U.S., with Cory Thiesse as skip, finished fifth.

● Figure Skating ● American national champion Amber Glenn won her first career ISU Grand Prix Series gold at the Grand Prix de France in Angers (FRA), taking a big lead in the Short Program and then hanging on in the Free Skate.

Glenn won the Short Program with a lifetime best and an American Record of 78.14, sailing past the 76.43 from Gracie Gold at the 2016 World Championships. She had a huge, 78.14 to 70.90 lead over South Korea’s Chae-yeon Kim, with fellow American Sarah Everhardt in fourth (66.95).

Japan’s 2018 Worlds runner-up, Wakaba Higuchi, won the Free Skate at 139.10 with Glenn third at 132.30 – despite a fall – and Everhardt fourth (129.99), but it was enough for Glenn to win the event at 210.44 to 206.08 for Higuchi. Kim faded to fourth (199.99) and Everhardt dropped to fifth (196.94).

The men’s title went to home favorite Adam Siao Him Fa, the 2023 and 2024 European Champion, who was only eighth in the Short Program, but zoomed up by winning the Free Skate by almost 13 points! He finished with 246.58 points to 233.84 for Koshiro Shimada of Japan and Andrew Torgashev of the U.S. (233.64). It’s Torgashev’s first career Grand Prix medal.

Worlds Pairs bronze medalists Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin (GER) won the Short Program and the Free Skate on the way to a 211.69 to 203.39 win over Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii (ITA). Americans Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov finished fourth, scoring 171.92.

Two-time French champions Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud won their first Grand Prix gold in the Ice Dance competition, winning the Free Dance to move up from second. They scored 195.27 to edge Italy’s two-time European Champions, Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri (189.08). Americans Emily Bratti and Ian Somerville finished third at 185.88 – moving up from fourth to silver with a second-place Free Dance – for their first career Grand Prix medals.

“It would be foolish to end my sports career at such a young age. I will do my best to make the audience, myself, my coaches and all my fans happy.”

That’s Russian skater Kamila Valieva, who will come off of her four-year suspension for doping on 25 December 2025. Now 18, she explained to the Russian news agency TASS:

“I am gradually getting into my shape at the moment. I am certainly a bit nervous ahead of my performance. I am trying to confidently execute all elements, that I showed during the last season, which are the triple toe loop and double Axel.

“I need more self-confidence, I will try to make the content more complicated, as there are no competitions at the moment, give or take a year and a half. It means that I have to keep up with the rest of the girls.”

● Football ● Spain was looking for an unprecedented third straight win in the FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup in Santiago, Dominican Republic in Sunday’s final against North Korea, but was denied as penalty kicks decided the title.

There was no score at the half, when the Spanish got the opening goal in the 61st minute from forward Celia Segura, but the lead was short-lived, as midfielder Il-Chong Jon equaled in the 65th. The Spanish had 58% of possession and a 15-13 lead on shots, but the match went to penalties.

The score was 1-1 after two rounds, but a save against forward Pau Comendador turned out to be the difference. The Koreans converted their third, fourth and fifth tries and won, 4-3. It’s their first win in this tournament since 2016 and third their overall, giving them the most of any country.

The U.S. won its first medal in this tournament since 2008 with a bronze after a 3-0 shutout of England on Sunday. The Americans got an early (24th-minute) header from midfielder Kennedy Fuller and then second-half scores from midfielder Ainsley McCammon (72nd) and striker Maddie Padelski (90+2). The U.S. out-shot the English, 19-10, and Evan O’Steen got the shutout in goal.

● Short Track ● The ISU World Tour stop no. 2, once again in Montreal (CAN), was another showcase for home favorite for Canada’s William Dandjinou, the 2024 men’s World 1,000 m gold medalist.

Last week, he won the 500 m and 1,500 m races; this time he took the 1,000 m and 1,500 m. He won the 1,000 in 1:24.963 over Sung-woo Jang (KOR: 1:25.010) and took the 1,500 m with a tight finish over Latvia’s Roberts Kruzbergs, 2:17.138 to 2:17.246.

Canadian teammate Steven Dubois, the 2022 Olympic 500 m bronze medalist, was second at 500 m last week, but moved up this week to win in 41.124, just holding off a Dandjinou triple (second in 41.183)!

The three women’s events had three different winners, with two-time World 500 m champion Xandra Velzeboer (NED) taking the 500 m for the second week in a row, at 42.087, over 16-time Worlds gold medalist Min-jeong Choi (KOR: 42.406), with American Kristen Santos-Griswold fourth.

Choi won the women’s 1,000 m in 1:30.496, with Velzeboer right behind (1:30.632) and American Corrine Stoddard getting the bronze at 1:30.779. Belgian Hanne Desmet, second last week in the 1,500 m, won this time in 2:27.149, beating 2024 World Champion Gil-li Kim (KOR: 2:27.232) and Stoddard (2:27.482).

Canada swept all three relay events, winning the Mixed Team Relay, the women’s 3,000 m and men’s 4,000 m relay events.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

NCAA: College coaching associations now lobbying Congress around Olympic-sport implosion

Rich Perelman

November 3, 2024

tsx pix 2020-114 double bladed axe 750 — The axe is coming to college sports, as a settlement over athlete pay and team sizes will start eliminating walk-ons and eventually, sports.

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≡ THE BIG PICTURE ≡

With the pending approval of the House vs. NCAA settlement that will pay college athletes $2.78 billion for retroactive damage payments dating back to 2016, and a new revenue-sharing model going forward, the pressure on non-revenue sports has coaches scrambling.

Politico.com reported last week that the American Baseball Coaches Association, American Volleyball Coaches Association, College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America, Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association, Intercollegiate Tennis Association, National Field Hockey Coaches Association, U.S. Track & Field And Cross Country Coaches Association and National Wrestling Coaches Association retained FGS Global – which has worked with the Big Ten Conference in the past – as a lobby arm to forge a solution through the U.S. Congress.

The NCAA and the other large conferences have been lobbying Congress for months, if not years, on the issue, but the pressure has increased dramatically.

The current push for college athletes to receive shares of the money generated from broadcasting contracts, ticket sales and sponsorships primarily impacts football, and to a lesser extent, men’s basketball. Very few other sports, or even individual teams, make money.

So, almost all of the money to be paid out is going to go to football and basketball players. Other sports will see the number of scholarships rise, but these teams will also face a hard cap, limiting the number of walk-ons who can be included.

Football, quite properly, will get the biggest cut. The average Football Bowl Subdivision team size for the 2022-23 academic year was 128 athletes and the new cap will be 105.

But Ross Dellenger of Yahoo! Sports, who has been following this issue closely, wrote in October:

“In all, the 68 power conference schools are expected to eliminate at least 3,000 roster positions as administrators work to adhere to new roster limitations, reallocate resources from lower-tier to revenue-generating sports, and balance men and women opportunities to comply with the federal Title IX law. …

“The settlement is a groundbreaking and landmark agreement between the defendants (NCAA and power conferences) and the plaintiffs (those suing mostly over athlete-compensation restrictions). The deal features three main parts: (1) nearly $2.8 billion in backpay to former athletes distributed over a 10-year period; (2) a revenue-sharing concept permitting schools to share as much as $23 million annually with their athletes; and (3) the overhauled roster structure.”

Dellenger noted that parent groups are working to put together an objection to the roster limits, but the money being removed from college athletic departments to pay football players, basketball players and a few others is going to mean fewer sports at the NCAA level and others either eliminated or reduced to club status, without funding.

The current NCAA regulations require Football Subdivision Schools to participate in 16 sports to be in Division I, while all others must have 14 sports. With so much money to be paid for football, look for future reductions in these minimums, and a whole new series of lawsuits dealing with Title IX issues as women – who do not play football – will receive a tiny percentage of all of the money paid to college athletes.

The House vs. NCAA settlement is only one element of the disruption to the college sports ecosystem which is being more and more unsettled by the day.

Is there a solution. We have one. In April, a TSX Lane One column suggested that “an NFL-style, 68-team, U-23 professional football league should pay the 68 universities which would host their teams at least $1.037 billion a year to make them whole for the revenue lost from football “

Check out the numbers; this is all about football, and if “college” football players really want to be professionals, let them be professionals. But of a professional team, not a university.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Chepkirui and Nageeye make late moves to win at the New York City Marathon

Rich Perelman

November 3, 2024

tsx pix 2024-1103 abdi nageeye (erik van leeuwen-wiki) — Dutch star Abdi Nageeye, winner of the 2024 New York City Marathon (Photo: Erik van Leeuwen via Wikipedia)

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≡ NYC MARATHON ≡

The 53rd New York City Marathon had excellent conditions, with sunshine and temperatures in the 40s to start the race, but the winners were not determined until the very end.

The women’s race had 21 in contention at the half, with defending champion and Paris bronze winner Hellen Obiri (KEN) at or near the lead. By the 30 km mark, 10 were hanging together, but the pace thinned out the race to five by 35 km, with Kenyans Sheila Chepkirui, the 2023 Berlin runner-up, ahead of Obiri and Rio 2016 Olympic 5,000 km gold medalist and 2018 NYC Marathon runner-up Vivian Cheruiyot, and Senbere Teferi (ETH), fifth in Berlin last year.

Chepkirui moved into the lead over Obiri and Cheruiyot, with Teferi falling back, and by the 40 km mark, Chepkirui was leading Obiri and Cheruiyot. Into Central Park, Chepkirui was being shadowed by Obiri, with Cheruiyot right behind, and then Chepkirui and Obiri pulled away by 40 km.

Chepkirui led, with Obiri a step behind, but Chepkirui surged with less than a mile to go and put the race away with less than 400 m to go. Chepkirui cruised in for the win at 2:24:35, the no. 17 performance in NYC Marathon history.

Obiri was second in 2:24:49, followed by Cheruiyot in 2:25:21 for a Kenyan sweep of the medals. Chepkirui was in her fifth career marathon and got her first win, after finishing sixth in London in April. A Kenyan woman has won this race in 10 of the last 11 runnings.

Sara Vaughn was the first American, in 2:26:56, finishing sixth, with Jessica McClain in eighth (2:27:19), Kellyn Taylor in 10th (2:27:59) and Des Linden, now 41, 11th in 2:29:32.

In the men’s race, there were a dozen in contention at the half, but after the 25 km mark, Olympic champ Tamirat Tola (ETH) had the lead as the pack was whittled down to seven and then six by 27 km.

That six-pack continued to run at the front, with 2022 NYC Marathon winner Evans Chebet (KEN) in front at 30 km, but no one breaking away. The pack dropped to five by 32 km, and Tola was dropped by 35 km, with Chebet, Tokyo Olympic silver winner Abdi Nageeye (BEL) and two-time NYC winner Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) putting distance on the rest of the field.

Chebet and Nageeye broke away by 37 km, while Tola moved past Kamworor into third place as they moved into Central Park. Chebet and Nageeye were right together with a mile to go, with Albert Korir (KEN), the 2023 runner-up, moving past Tola into third.

Finally, Nageeye got to the lead with less than 800 m left and broke away, becoming the first Dutch winner of this race, in 2:07:39, a considerable redemption after failing to finish in Paris this summer and at the 2023 Worlds in Budapest. It’s the no. 10 performance in race history; he’s the first non-African champion in this race since American Meb Keflezighi in 2009.

Chebet was second in 2:07:45, followed by Korir (2:08:00) and Tola (2:08:12). Chebet has now finished in the top three in nine of his last 10 marathons, going back to 2019!

Americans Conner Mantz and Clayton Young were together again at the finish, in sixth and seventh, in 2:09:00 and 2:09:21. Mantz and Young were 8-9 in Paris and now moved up two spots each in New York. Mantz’s sixth place is the best by an American since 2021, when Elkanah Kibet was fourth.

American Daniel Romanchuk won the men’s Wheelchair division for the third time, in 1:36:31, and fellow American Susannah Scaroni took the women’s division in 1:48:05, winning for the second time and by more than 10 minutes!

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SWIMMING: U.S.’s Smith smashes two world short-course records at World Cup Singapore, and Douglass gets two U.S. records

Rich Perelman

November 2, 2024

tsx pix 2019-728 smith, regan victory stand 750 — More records for American swim star Regan Smith! (Photo: World Aquatics)

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≡ WORLD CUP SINGAPORE ≡

The record machine was on full speed at the World Aquatics short-course (25 m pool) World Cup in Singapore, as a total of five world records were set during the three days:

● 31 Oct.: 2:12.72, Kate Douglass (USA) in women’s 200 m Breaststroke
● 01 Nov.: 1:48.88, Leon Marchand (FRA), in men’s 200 m Medley
● 01 Nov.: 54.27, Regan Smith (USA) in women’s 100 m Backstroke
● 02 Nov.: 1:58.83, Regan Smith (USA) in women’s 200 m Backstroke
● 02 Nov.: 21.50, Noe Ponti (SUI) in men’s 50 m Butterfly (heats)

Douglass broke her own world mark on Thursday, and then Marchand crushed the 1:49.63 time by American Ryan Lochte from 2012, winning by more than two seconds over Britain’s Duncan Scott.

Smith followed Marchand in the pool on Friday and slashed 0.14 off of her own world short-course mark of 54.41 from last week in Incheon (KOR). Then on Saturday, she took down the 2020 mark of 1:58.94 by Australian star Kaylee McKeown, with a brilliant 1:58.83 swim, winning by almost three seconds.

Ponti lowered his own record of 21.67, set in the heats at Shanghai (CHN) two weeks ago, in the first meet of the series.

Douglass wasn’t done, either, setting American Records in Singapore in the 50 m Butterfly and 100 m Freestyle. In all, she set five records in three meets: world marks twice in the 200 m Breaststroke, two in the 50 m Fly and one in the 100 m Free!

There were a load of “triple crown” winners, who won all three meets in the series in a specific event. Of the 22 possible triplers coming into the Singapore leg, 18 took home the title and a $10,000 bonus:

● Men/200 m Free: Duncan Scott (GBR)
● Men/100 m Back: Pieter Coetze (RSA)
● Men/200 m Back: Pieter Coetze (RSA)
● Men/50 m Breast: Haiyang Qin (CHN)
● Men/50 m Fly: Noe Ponti (SUI)
● Men/100 m Fly: Noe Ponti (SUI)
● Men/100 m Medley: Leon Marchand (FRA)
● Men/200 m Medley: Leon Marchand (FRA)
● Men/400 m Medley: Leon Marchand (FRA)

● Women/50 m Free: Kasia Wasick (POL)
● Women/200 m Free: Siobhan Haughey (HKG)
● Women/100 m Back: Regan Smith (USA)
● Women/200 m Back: Regan Smith (USA)
● Women/50 m Breast: Qianting Tang (CHN)
● Women/100 m Breast: Qianting Tang (CHN)
● Women/200 m Breast: Kate Douglass (USA)
● Women/50 m Fly: Kate Douglass (USA)
● Women/100 m Medley: Kate Douglass (USA)

In the Friday and Saturday men’s racing in Singapore, Marchand won two events (200-400 m Medleys) and Qin, Coetze and Ponti completed triple crowns. Olympic 100 m Free champ Zhanle Pan (CHN) won the men’s 100 m Free in 46.09, Isaac Cooper (AUS) beat Coetze in the 50 m Back, South African star Chad Le Clos won the 200 m Fly over American Trenton Julian, 1:50.42 to 1:51.68, and Caspar Corbeau (NED) won the 200 m Breast final.

In the women’s Friday and Saturday action, Douglass won the 50 m Fly in an American Record of 2.42, lowering her own mark of 24.54 from the Shanghai World Cup and moved to no. 2 on the all-time list.

She then won the women’s 100 m Free on Saturday in another American Record of 50.82, smashing Abbey Weitzeil’s 51.26 time from 2020; Douglass moved to no. 5 all-time.

In Smith’s 100 m Back world record swim, American Beata Nelson got a lifetime best in second in 55.72, now no. 5 all-time U.S. And the U.S. got two more wins from distance star Katie Grimes, who won the 800 m Free in 8:14.36 over Australia’s Olympic open-water silver medalist Moesha Johnson (8:18.24), with Claire Weinstein of the U.S. third (8:18.41), and in the 400 m Medley, in 4:24.19, to move to no. 3 all-time U.S.

Haughey and Tang (two events) also won triples, and Swede Louise Hansson won the 100 m Fly (55.46), and China’s Yiting Yu won the 200 m Medley (2:03.99), with Nelson of the U.S. third (2:05.00).

In the race for the women’s overall title across all three meets, Douglass edged Smith, 178.5 to 178.4. Marchand won the men’s title at 175.7 to 171.9 for Ponti.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MEMORABILIA: Two extra-rare Olympic Winter Games torches highlight Ingrid O’Neil’s auction 97

Rich Perelman

November 2, 2024

tsx pix 2024-1102 grenoble 1968 torch (io'neil) — One of just 33 Grenoble Olympic Winter Games torches from 1968, a star attraction in Ingrid O’Neil’s Auction 97 (Photo: Ingrid O’Neil Auctions).

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

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≡ SCENE & HEARD ≡

Collectors alert! The Ingrid O’Neil Auction 97 is now on, with 465 items from the Athens 1896 Games forward available for bids over the next two weeks.

In terms of rarity and price, two items stand out:

● An incredibly rare 1968 Grenoble Winter Games torch is offered, beginning at $180,000.

This is one of only 33 torches made for that Games, giving it a special place among collectors. The torch relay began in December 1967 and 5,000 torch runners shared the 33 available torches until the opening of the Grenoble Winter Games on 6 February 1968.

The torch itself is extra slender and 76 cm (29.9 inches) long. It has partial red original wrapping, and weighs about 4.5 pounds, originally made in France by the Societe Technique d’ Equipment et de Fournitures Industrielles (STEFI).

● Another rare torch, also from France, but this time from the 1992 Albertville Olympic Winter Games from 1992, with bidding opening at $65,000.

The reason again is rarity, with only 133 produced. This is a gracefully-shaped steel, which designer Philippe Starck created to look like a flame itself when turned upside down. It’s only 16.5 inches long with the width expanding to 3.2 inches from a point at the bottom. Some 5,500 torch runners shared this and the other 132 torches used for the 1992 Winter Games, the last to held in the same year as the Olympic Games.

There are 10 additional items which have starting prices at $10,000 or more:

● $40,000: 1896 Athens second-place medal
● $26,000: 2024 Paris torch
● $20,000: 2020 Tokyo silver medal (cycling)
● $20,000: 2010 Vancouver Winter silver medal
● $20,000: 2012 London silver medal (gymnastics)
● $18,000: 1904 St. Louis gold participation medal
● $18,000: 1992 Albertville Winter silver medal
● $14,000: 1964 Tokyo torch
● $12,000: 1956 Stockholm equestrian bronze medal
● $10,000: 1924 Chamonix Winter bronze medal

Another recent medal won by a Ukrainian athlete is up for auction, a Tokyo 2020 women’s cycling silver medal in the Individual Sprint, won by Olena Starikova, her only Olympic medal. She is also the 2019 Worlds silver medalist in the women’s 500 m Time Trial.

As always, there are some unusual items for the curious collector:

● A set of three 1932 Olympic trading-type cards, with the “Call to the Olympic Games” official color poster on the back. There are three cards, with the fronts picturing movie stars, flags of the participating nations, the Memorial Coliseum and other Olympic venues. Bidding starts at $140.

● A 30 by 70-inch commemorative tapestry of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, picturing the Berlin Cathedral and Castle, with bidding starting at $600.

● How about two commemorative fork-and-knife sets from the cancelled Tokyo 1940 Games? The bottom end of each utensil has a torch runner under the words, “Tokyo Olympic.” Bidding starts at $160.

● A set of four coin banks from Tokyo 1964, Los Angeles 1984 (Sam the Olympic Eagle) and Nagano 1998, plus a U.S. Olympic Committee bank for Barcelona 1992 using the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile! Bidding starts at $160 for the lot.

● The “final report” from the ill-fated Denver 1976 Olympic Winter Games, including the official account of the bid and the rejection of the Games – given back to the IOC – after a funding initiative was defeated. This 120-page item starts at $300.

The auction runs through 16 November 2024.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: China’s Peak Sport sponsors apparel for 72 small NOCs; will Mahuchikh become the first women’s 7-foot high jumper?

Rich Perelman

October 31, 2024

tsx pix 2024-905 mahuchikh yaroslava zurich (DLAG) — Could Ukraine's Yaroslava Mahuchikh become the first women's seven-footer? (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 daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2026-2032 ● The Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) announced a unique and potentially impactful sponsorship at the end of its General Assembly in Cascais (POR) with Chinese sportswear brand Peak Sport:

“The value-in-kind sponsorship deal, worth $7.1 million to NOCs, will see all NOCs who had six athletes or less at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 offered free Peak Sport uniforms for all Olympic Games, Olympic Winter Games and Youth Olympic Games through the end of 2032.

“The 72 NOCs who fit the criteria will be eligible to receive uniforms for the eight IOC events scheduled to take place over the next eight years, including the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032. They will also be given the opportunity to purchase Peak Sports uniforms at a discounted rate at all continental and regional games.”

The deal includes the 2026-28-30-32 Olympic and Winter Games, and the 2026-28-30-32 Youth Olympic and Winter Youth Olympic Games. It could displace multiple familiar apparel sponsors for these small teams, and expands Peak Sport’s reach. Per deputy chief executive Bingrui Wu:

“We have worked with NOCs such as Belgium, Brazil, New Zealand, Slovenia and Romania but now through our partnership with ANOC we will provide more kits to more NOCs. We believe we can coordinate with our Peak international distributors to bring the latest technology to the global sports movement.”

Peak will also make a cash contribution to ANOC and provide apparel for ANOC staff and officers.

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● A lengthy story on GamesBids.com explored the context of the LA28 decision to ask for cricket to be added to the 2028 Olympic program.

Following a recent statement by LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman at a conference that the likely cricket venue will be on the U.S. east coast to be a better fit for viewing in India – which is expected to pay a much higher rights fee for 2028 than for past Games due to cricket’s presence – the story notes:

“Remember the planned stadium in Brooklyn that will host the MI New York (MI stands for Mumbai Indians) MLC cricket club? The team and the stadium-to-be are owned by Indiawin Sports, an enterprise controlled by conglomerate Reliance Industries that is owned by the family of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, one of the wealthiest people on the planet. Ambani is married to Nita Ambani, an IOC member with a direct line to the executives and president Thomas Bach.

“Not only will Ambani’s teams benefit from the exposure an Olympic cricket tournament brings, but if it were to be held in New York his business could help stage the event and shine even more attention on his club.”

The story suggests that the International Olympic Committee’s interests in new TOP sponsors from India could fit well with Reliance, noting Nita Ambani as an IOC member. Further, the Indian television rights-holder for Paris 2024 was Viacom18, majority-owned by Reliance.

No accusations are made, only observations: “This is not necessarily nefarious though, arguments can be made that it is all just shrewd business in the high-stakes world of sport and the Olympics.”

● Athletics ● “The AIU has banned Tsehay Gemechu (Ethiopia) for 4 years from 30 November 2023 for Use of a Prohibited Substance/Method (ABP case). DQ results from 22 March 2020 until 30 November 2023″

The Thursday announcement takes out a 2:16:56 women’s marathoner from her second-place finish at the 2023 Tokyo Marathon, ranking 17th all-time, and who was a Tokyo Olympian in the 10,000 m.

Still just 25, she was suspended after the analysis of 31 samples taken between 2018 and 2023 showed repeated abnormalities in her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP), with an expert panel stating that “it is highly likely that a prohibited substance and/or method has been used” and the arbitration panel agreed, stating that it is the “only plausible explanation.”

European women’s athlete of the year Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) set a world record in the women’s high jump of 2.10 m (6-10 3./4) in July and went on to win the Olympic gold in Paris. But she is not done.

In an interview with European Athletics, she added:

“I think that I have room for improvement. I think that jumps until maybe 2.15 m, I can jump. I want to prove my skills and of course everything is possible.”

That would be 7-0 1/2 and make her the first women’s seven-footer!

● Football ● Two-time defending champion Spain got a goal from forward Alba Cerrato in stoppage time at the FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup in the Dominican Republic for a 1-0 lead at halftime of the second semifinal.

Forward Pau Comendador made it 2-0 in the 58th, and a fast break at 90+9 saw substitute forward Iris Santiago get a strong shot off in the box that bounced off English defender Zara Shaw for an own goal and the 3-0 final.

Spain finished with 57% possession and a 15-10 shots edge. The Spain-North Korea final and the U.S.-England third-place match will be played on Sunday in Santo Domingo.

● Wrestling ● The United World Wrestling World Championships for weight classes not on the Olympic program concluded on Thursday in Tirana (ALB), with wins for four different countries in the men’s Freestyle classes.

Japan and Georgia tied for the men’s team title with 55 points each and both had individual winners. Japan’s Masanosuke Ono won at 61 kg for his first senior Worlds gold, after winning the World U-20 title earlier this year.

Georgia got its win at 79 kg with Avtandil Kentchadze, winning his first Worlds gold after a silver at 74 kg back in 2018. Kazakhstan’s Nurkozha Kaipanov won the 70 kg class, after a silver in 2019.

Russian Abdulrashid Sadulaev – competing as a “neutral” – won his sixth Worlds gold in his third different weight class at 92 kg.

The U.S. won bronze medals by defending champ Vito Arujau at 61 kg and by David Taylor at 92 kg, his fifth career Worlds medal.

The American team wore a special “AV” patch on their uniforms in Tirana to honor the late Alan Vera, 33, a member of the U.S. Greco-Roman national team, who suddenly passed away from cardiac arrest on 23 September. He is survived by his wife Elena, a two-time Olympian and 2012 World Champion in women’s 63 kg Freestyle class, and their daughter Alina, born in June this year.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Defending champs Tola and Obiri among six past winners back for 2024 New York City Marathon

Rich Perelman

October 31, 2024

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

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≡ NEW YORK CITY MARATHON ≡

The final World Marathon Majors race of 2024 is Sunday’s New York City Marathon, with Olympic gold medalist and defending champion Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia looking for his second win in New York and three prior New York City women’s winners, including defending champ Hellen Obiri of Kenya. The top elite entries:

Men:
● 2:03:00 ‘20: Evans Chebet (KEN) ~ 2022 NYC winner, two-time Boston champ
● 2:03:36 ‘21: Bashir Abdi (BEL) ~ Paris Olympic silver, Tokyo Olympic bronze
● 2:03:39 ‘21: Tamirat Tola (ETH) ~ Paris Olympic gold; 2023 NYC winner
● 2:04:23 ‘23: Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) ~ 2017, 2019 NYC winner
● 2:04:45 ‘24: Abdi Nageeye (NED) ~ Tokyo Olympic silver
● 2:05:01 ‘24: Addisu Gobena (ETH) ~ Dubai 2024 winner in debut
● 2:06:49 ‘22: Abel Kipchumba (KEN) ~ Berlin 5th in 2022

The top American by lifetime best is Paris Olympian Conner Mantz at 2:07:47, who was eighth in Paris this year.

Women:
● 2:17:29 ‘22: Sheila Kipkirui (KEN) ~ 2023 Berlin runner-up
● 2:17:56 ‘17: Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) ~ 2017 Chicago winner; three Olympic golds
● 2:18:31 ‘18: Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) ~ 2018 London winner, 2018 NYC second
● 2:19:21 ‘23: Senbere Teferi (ETH) ~ 2023 Berlin 5th; 2015 Worlds 5,000 m silver
● 2:19:24 ‘23: Dera Dida (ETH) ~ 2023 Dubai winner; NYC debut
● 2:19:50 ‘12: Edna Kiplagat (KEN) ~ 2011/2013 World Champ; 2010 NYC winner
● 2:20:02 ‘22: Eunice Chumba (BRN) ~ 2023 Rotterdam winner; 10th at Paris 2024
● 2:21:38 ‘23: Hellen Obiri (KEN) ~ Defending champion; Paris Olympic bronze
● 2:22:38 ‘11: Des Linden (USA) ~ 2018 Boston winner; Rio 2016 seventh
● 2:22:45 ‘24: Sharon Lokedi (KEN) ~ 2022 NYC winner; Paris 2024 fourth

Dibaba, the Olympic 5,000-10,000 m champ in 2008 and 10,000 m winner in 2023, is 39 now and stopped in 2018, but returned to running in 2023. It’s her first marathon since 2018. Linden, the famed winner of the 2018 bad-weather Boston Marathon, now 41, is back for her fifth New York City Marathon.

The prize money for the elite runners goes 10 places at $100,000-60,000-40,000-25,000-15,000-10,000-7,500-5,000-2,500-2,000. That’s $267,000 each for men and women, or $534,000 total.

Time bonuses of $50,000 are available for course records: 2:04:58 by Tola for the men in 2023, and 2:22:31 for the women, set by Margaret Okayo (KEN) in 2003.

The race will be shown nationally on ESPN2 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Eastern time on Sunday, with pre-race and continuing coverage on ESPN3 (available through the ESPN app).

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: World Athletics study shows social media abuse small at Paris 2024, but with two athletes getting 44% of the hate!

Rich Perelman

October 31, 2024

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

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≡ PARIS 2024 ≡

World Athletics has been monitoring social-media platforms for athlete abuse over the past four years, with a report issued Thursday on abuse at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

This is separate and apart from the social-media abuse monitoring and reporting efforts by the International Olympic Committee, and the study by Signify Group was not made available for download. But the story on the World Athletics site noted:

● 1,917 athletes, coaches and officials covered
● 355,873 posts monitored in 36 languages
● 34,040 posts flags for evaluation (9.6%)
● 809 posts verified as abusive; 128 reported

So, of the 355,873 posts monitored on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X (ex-Twitter), only 0.22% were confirmed as abusive. That’s a low number, but still more than desired.

This is an expansion of the program used by World Athletics and Signify for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest (HUN), which covered:

● 1,344 athletes (only)
● 449,209 posts on Instagram and X (only)
● 258 abusive posts (0.05%)

The heightened rate of abusive posts for Paris 2024 as opposed to the 2023 Worlds is partly due to the added coverage on Facebook and TikTok, but also the higher profile of the Olympic Games vs. the World Athletics Championships.

Two disturbing parallels between the 2023 Worlds and 2024 Olympic Games:

● Two athletes (not named) received 44% of all accounted abuse, and at Paris 2024, two athletes (not named) received 82% of all abuse!

● U.S. athletes were especially targeted. In 2023, 46% of all athletes abused were Americans, and for Paris 2024, 49% of all abuse was directed at U.S. team members.

For Paris 2024, athletes from 20 countries were targeted, with racism (18% of all abusive posts) and sexualized comments (30%) both highly prevalent. Generally abusive comments made of 32% of the total. Other categories of abuse included homophobia (5%), doping accusations (3%), violence (2%) and family (2%).

The International Olympic Committee’s own Paris 2024 system reviewed 2.4 million posts and comments in 35 languages, covering the social-media handles of more than 10,400 athletes using 20,000 accounts, on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X.

More than 152,000 posts were identified for review and more than 10,200 were flagged (about 0.4%) and reported to the platforms for action. About 8,900 accounts were detected as sending abusive messages, with 353 athletes specifically targeted for abuse.

Observed: Nope, not going to guess who the two most-abused athletes were, either in Budapest in 2023 or Paris in 2024.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SWIMMING: Douglass smashes women’s world short-course 200 m Breast record again, this time at Singapore World Cup

Rich Perelman

October 31, 2024

tsx pix 2022-1218 douglass, katie swim wch 25 breast — She did it again! Another world record for American Kate Douglass in the women's 200 m Breaststroke! (Photo: World Aquatics)

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≡ SINGAPORE WORLD CUP ≡

The final leg of the three-stage World Aquatics World Cup is in Singapore, with American Kate Douglass making another big splash on Thursday, crushing her own world mark in the women’s 200 m Breaststroke.

She took the record with a 2:14.16 swim in Incheon (KOR) last week, then destroyed it in Singapore, winning in a sensational 2:12.72, taking the mark down by almost two seconds in two weeks. Splits:

● 50 m: 30.47 vs. 30.68 in Incheon
● 100 m: 1:04.07 vs. 1:04.75 in Incheon
● 150 m: 1:38.33 vs. 1:39.20 in Incheon
● 200 m: 2:12.72 vs. 2:14.56 in Incheon

Douglass was faster on every split in Singapore by 0.21, 0.47, 0.19 and a major difference on the last lap, 34.39 in Singapore vs. 34.96 in Incheon: +0.57!

She won the race by a staggering 6.07 seconds, with Belarus’ Alina Zmushka (competing as a “neutral”) second in 2:18.79!

An important part of the Singapore stop was possible $10,000 bonuses for swimmers who swept individual events at all three World Cup stops – Shanghai, Incheon and Singapore – with possible sweeps in 22 events. On Thursday, all six available “Triple Crowns” were converted:

● Men/200 m Back: Pieter Coetze (RSA)
● Men/100 m Fly: Noe Ponti (SUI)
● Men/100 m Medley: Leon Marchand (FRA)

● Women/50 m Free: Kasia Wasick (POL)
● Women/200 m Breast: Kate Douglass (USA)
● Women/100 m Medley: Kate Douglass (USA)

The U.S. also saw a win on Thursday from Katie Grimes in the women’s 400 m Free at 3:57.61, beating Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAN: 3:58.21) and fellow American Claire Weinstein (4:00.17). The time moves Grimes to no. 4 all-time on the short-course list.

American star Regan Smith won the women’s 50 m Back for the second straight World Cup, timing 25.48, easily ahead of Iona Anderson (AUS: 25.95), and close to Gretchen Walsh’s 25.37 American Record earlier in the month.

Douglass’s win in the 100 m Medley – in 56.57, a lifetime best – came only about 30 minutes after her record swim, but she won by 0.73 over China’s Yiting Yu, with fellow American Beata Nelson in third (57.53).

Marchand not only completed a sweep of the men’s 100 m Medley World Cup races, but moved to no. 2 all-time, winning in 49.92, only the second to go under 50 seconds and a European Record. He beat Ponti by 0.47 (50.39).

Britain’s two-time Olympic relay gold medalist Duncan Scott won the men’s 400 m Free in 3:34.46, a national record, ahead of American Kieran Smith (3:36.97), with Olympic 100 m Free winner Zhanle Pan (CHN) third in 3:38.78, after winning in Incheon in 3:36.43.

Dylan Carter (TTO: 20.82) won the men’s 50 Free; 2023 World Champion Haiyang Qin (CHN: 55.61) took the men’s 100 m Breast. And Brittany Castelluzzo (AUS: 2:03.44) won the women’s 200 m Fly.

The meet continues on Friday and Saturday.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

TELEVISION: Yowsah! NBC confirms profitable Paris 2024 Olympic Games amid $1.9 billion in revenue!

Rich Perelman

October 31, 2024

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

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≡ COMCAST CORPORATION ≡

“[L]et me talk about Media, where the truly outstanding and universally praised production of the Paris Olympics demonstrated the power of NBC broadcast and Peacock. We brought new relevance and excitement to the Olympics by flawlessly presenting the biggest and most complex Olympic Games in history, dominating television, streaming, news and social media for 17 straight days.

“Daily viewership averaged over 30 million across our platforms, an increase of 80% compared to the prior Summer Olympics in 2021, and Peacock streamed 23.5 billion minutes, up 40% from all prior Summer and Winter Olympics combined. All of this leading to a record high $1.9 billion of incremental Olympics revenue in our Media segment this third quarter.

That’s Mike Cavanagh, the President of Comcast Corporation, on the company’s third-quarter earnings conference call on Thursday morning. Comcast’s revenue for Q3 in 2024 were up from $30.1 billion to $32.1 billion, almost all attributable to its Paris 2024 Olympic broadcasts, according to Chief Financial Officer Jason Armstrong:

“Total revenue increased 6.5% to $32.1 billion, benefiting from NBCUniversal’s highly successful airing of the Paris Olympics. Excluding the Olympics, our revenue was relatively flat year-over-year. …

“Now, let’s turn to Media, where revenue increased 37% to $8.2 billion, including the strong results from the Paris Olympics, which generated $1.9 billion in revenue, a record level for any Olympics. Strength in the Olympics was mainly driven by a record $1.4 billion in advertising revenue, with Peacock contributing over $300 million of that. Excluding the Olympics, total advertising revenue was flat year-over-year as the overall market remained stable, while total media revenue increased 5%, driven by an exceptional quarter for Peacock.”

Comcast has major businesses in telecommunications – broadband and wireless – and theme parks, in addition to its broadcasting portfolio. Armstrong noted that Peacock subscriptions grew by three million in the quarter (net), due to the Olympic Games, but also the start of the NFL season.

Asked about the profitability of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic project, Cavanagh added:

“[J]ust on the Olympics, as I said earlier, we couldn’t be more proud of what our teams accomplished across the whole company on the Olympics. So, we were cautiously optimistic going into the Games that they would perform well given all the effort we put in in Paris to their backdrop, but viewership, ad sales exceeded our expectations and the Games were profitable.

“I won’t go into the level of profitability, but profitable Games for us. And so, we walk away from it very excited as we look forward to future Olympics from here, because it was a spell leading up to Paris where prior Olympics, for a variety of reasons, had not performed as well as we had hoped. So, I think there’s an incredible amount of energy and excitement as we look ahead to L.A. and beyond and Milan in between.”

Cavanagh confirmed that Comcast made money on Paris 2024, but not that much. Although the actual rights fee paid to the IOC has not been disclosed, it’s believed to be in the range of $1.675 billion, and there are significant production costs on top of that. Profitable yes, but not by so much.

But after the grave concerns over the very low ratings and engagement for Tokyo, the Paris results were far better and pave the way for a major expansion for Los Angeles in 2028.

That’s good news for NBC, for the International Olympic Committee and for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, which receives substantial revenue from NBC’s rights fee as a pass-through from the IOC.

Comcast holds rights to the Olympic and Winter Games through Brisbane 2032.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Tebogo and Alfred win ANOC Awards; fan voting open for USATF awards; World Boxing adds seven members

Rich Perelman

October 30, 2024

tsx pix 2024-905 crouser ryan zurich (DLAG) — A second Jesse Owens Award for American shot put superstar Ryan Crouser? (Photo: Diamond League AG).

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● Nike’s long-time Executive Vice President for Global Sports Marketing, John Slusher, announced he will retire and become the new chief executive of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Properties.

The USOPP is the joint-venture marketing arm of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the LA28 Olympic organizing committee, primarily run by LA28. Slusher, 56, has been with Nike for 26 years and will start at the USOPP on 2 December.

USOPP responsibilities focus on domestic sponsorship, licensing, and hospitality and ticket sales.

● Association of National Olympic Committees ● At the opening of the 2024 ANOC General Assembly in Casvcais (POR), International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (GER) emphasized the important role of the IOC’s Olympic Solidarity program.

Of the 599 Olympic scholarship recipients who competed at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, 75 won medals; moreover, some 91 National Olympic Committees won medals, with Bach noting:

“We have to level the playing field for all your athletes. We can invite them to come to the Games but this is not the ultimate goal; the ultimate goal is to make them competitive, to level the playing field and to close the gap, or at least to narrow the gap between the privileged countries and less privileged countries.”

Looking to the future, he added:

“In the making of this new world order, we in the Olympic Movement have only one role to play, and this is to be the unifying factor and not to take sides with regard to the emerging geopolitical blocks, but to be open to all of them and to offer all of them what sport has to offer to any society. This is our contribution to a peaceful society and the mission of the Olympic Games.”

The ANOC Awards were handed out on Wednesday from Cascais, with the top individual awards going to track & field athletes Letsile Tebogo (BOT: men’s 200 m winner) and Julien Alfred (LCA: women’s 100 m winner).

The top teams were the Norwegian men’s handball squad and the Italian women’s volleyball team. Awards for the best teams within an individual sport were Japan’s artistic gymnastics team and the British women’s track cycling crew.

Career awards were given to table tennis star Long Ma (CHN) and women’s canoeing star Lisa Carrington (NZL).

● Athletics ● Fans can vote for the top U.S. performers of the year through 11 November, to be presented on 7 December 2024 at the USA Track & Field Annual Meeting. The results of the fan vote will directly determine the winner, in five categories:

Jesse Owens Award (men’s Athlete of the Year):
● Rai Benjamin ~ Olympic 400 m hurdles champion
● Ryan Crouser ~ Olympic shot put champion
● Quincy Hall ~ Olympic 400 m champion
● Cole Hocker ~ Olympic 1,500 m champion
● Grant Holloway ~ Olympic 110 m hurdles champion
● Noah Lyles ~ Olympic 100 m champion; 200 m bronze

Jackie Joyner-Kersee Award (women’s Athlete of the Year):
● Valarie Allman ~ Olympic discus champion
● Tara Davis-Woodhall ~ Olympic long jump champion
● Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ~ Olympic 400 m and 4×400 m champion
● Masai Russell ~ Olympic 100 m hurdles champion
● Gabby Thomas ~ Olympic 200 m and 4×100/4×400 m champion

The Breakthrough Performer of the Year nominees include Russell, Anna Cockrell (women’s Olympic 400 m hurdles silver), Annette Echikunwoke (women’s hammer silver), Jasmine Moore (women’s long and triple jump bronzes), and Kenneth Rooks (men’s Steeple silver).

The Inspirational Olympic Performance nominees include Echikunwoke, Grant Fisher (men’s 5,000 m and 10,000 m bronzes), Hall, Hocker, Moore and Rooks.

The Most Dominant Performer nominees are Allman, Davis-Woodhall, Holloway and McLaughlin-Levrone.

● Boxing ● The expanding World Boxing federation, hopeful of recognition to govern Olympic boxing by the International Olympic Committee, announced seven more members, bringing the total to 51.

The new members include Andorra, Belgium, Iraq, Lithuania, Madagascar, Kyrgyzstan and Thailand. World Boxing now has 11 members from Asia and the 42-member Asian Boxing Confederation will meet on 23 November to consider a motion for the ASBC “to be an independent organization until any new international organizations is recognized by the International Olympic Committee.”

● Football ● “Over the 2024-30 period, €1 billion of competition revenues and UEFA investment will be committed to the game through senior and youth national team competitions, club competitions, distributions to clubs and national associations, and development activities.”

The European Football Union (UEFA) announced its “Unstoppable” initiative for women’s football on Wednesday (€1 = $1.09 U.S.), with strategic goals including:

● “To make football the most played team sport for women and girls in every European country, through developing football pathways for players, coaches and referees alongside grassroots opportunities.”

● “To make Europe the home of the world’s top players, with six fully professional leagues and 5,000 fully professional players across the continent.”

The program follows the highly-successful 2022 Women’s Euro, which had 374 million viewers and 574,000 live spectators, both massive increases on the 2017 totals.

The U.S. women completed their three-game schedule of friendlies on Wednesday against Argentina in Louisville, Kentucky, with a 3-0 shutout victory.

U.S. coach Emma Hayes (GBR) changed almost everything, with 10 new starters from the squad that defeated Iceland by 3-1 on Sunday, but the U.S. continued to dominant possession in the first half, on the ball 74% of the time in the first 30 minutes, but no goals.

In the 37th, however, a free kick by midfielder Rose Lavelle sailed toward the Argentina goal, where defender Aldana Cornetti and keeper Solana Pereyra tried to clear it, but Cornetti’s right-footed try sent the ball right toward the middle of the Argentine goal mouth, where it was easily headed in by American defender Naomi Girma for the 1-0 lead. It’s her first international goal.

Argentina managed a shot on U.S. keeper Mandy Haught in the 42nd, but in the 44th, a corner kick from Lavelle found Girma at the far side of the Argentina goal and her header looked like a possible score, but Cornetti’s try at a clearance went in instead for a 2-0 U.S. lead. The U.S. finished with 73% possession and a 9-3 edge on shots.

The second half was more of the same, with defender Alyssa Malonson – in her first appearance with the national team – sending a pass from the left of goal into the middle of the field, where Girma headed in a second goal, into the top of the net, in the 49th, to make it 3-0.

The U.S. finishes with 69% possession and an 18-4 shots advantage. The U.S. is now 7-0 all-time vs. Argentina, and Hayes has started her U.S. coaching career at 12-0-1.

The U.S. women will finish 2024 with matches against England in London on 30 November and the Netherlands in The Hague on 3 December.

In the first semifinal of the FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup in the Dominican Republic, two-time champion North Korea got an 80th-minute goal from midfielder Un-hyang Ro to defeat the U.S., 1-0.

The game was tight throughout, but the Koreans had close to 60% possession and had a 12-5 edge on total shots, and had the only two actually on goal.

The second semi between two-time defending champion Spain and England is on Thursday and the final will be played in Santo Domingo on 3 November. The U.S. will play for the bronze, also on Sunday and has not won a medal since losing in the 2008 final.

● Wrestling ● The United World Wrestling World Championships for weight classes not held at the Olympic Games are being held in Tirana (ALB), with the Greco-Roman and women’s Freestyle concluded.

Azerbaijan dominated the Greco classes, winning three of the four with Eldaniz Azizli taking the 55 kg win, Nihat Mammadli taking the 63 kg gold and Ulvu Ganizade taking the 72 kg victory.

In the women’s Freestyle, Japan won three of the four classes, with Moe Klyooka (55 kg), Risako Kawai (59 kg) and Ami Ishii (72 kg) getting the victories. The U.S. won two bronzes, from Macey Kilty at 65 kg and Kylie Welker at 72 kg.

The men’s Freestyle competitions conclude on Thursday.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: USA Track & Field to take charge of U.S. Paralympic track & field starting in January 2025

Rich Perelman

October 30, 2024

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

★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★

≡ THE BIG PICTURE ≡

Since becoming the “United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee” in 2019, one of the goals of the USOPC has been to integrate the Paralympic sport programs in the country with the existing National Governing Bodies for those sports.

The number of combined NGBs has been steadily growing and Wednesday brought a major announcement that USA Track & Field will absorb the American Paralympic track & field program as of 1 January 2025.

Said USOPC chief executive Sarah Hirshland:

“We’ve committed to working toward this model of integration, because we know it will allow Para athletes to fully access a powerhouse of resources, support and training as they pursue excellence and represent Team USA.”

The announcement did not indicate any added financial support for USATF for taking on the Paralympic program, but in 2023, the USOPC provided $5.23 million in benefits for Paralympic track & field that included:

● $2.576 million for national governing body support
● $1.561 million in direct athlete support
● $1.097 million in indirect support (travel, equipment, sport science)

USATF has been in a revenue rut over the past 10 years, raising the question of how it will add services for Paralympic track & field beyond what is provided now:

● 2014: $35.05 million
● 2015: $30.40 million
● 2016: $38.43 million
● 2017: $33.67 million
● 2018: $36.71 million
● 2019: $37.24 million
● 2020: $23.30 million (Covid impact)
● 2021: $35.52 million
● 2022: $36.54 million (last available statements)

Nevertheless, track & field has been the top sport for the U.S. at the recent Paralympics:

● 38 at Paris 2024 (10-14-14) ~ top U.S. medal sport
● 41 at Tokyo 2020 (10-17-14) ~ top U.S. medal sport
● 42 at Rio 2016 (16-15-11) ~ top U.S. medal sport

In all three Paralympic Games, the U.S. track & field medal total was second to China.

USATF chief executive Max Siegel said, “USATF has a strong commitment to providing inclusive and comprehensive support, and by uniting our Olympic and Paralympic programs, we are setting the standard for what an integrated sports program can achieve. We believe the benefits of being one team will drive success on and off the field of play.”

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LOS ANGELES 2028: City of Pasadena OKs LA28 Games Agreement for historic Rose Bowl Stadium

Rich Perelman

October 30, 2024

tsx pix 2024-1030 rose bowl 2018 (ted eytan-wiki) — Pasadena's famed Rose Bowl, slated to be a venue for a third Olympic Games in 2028 (Photo: Wikipedia, via Ted Eytan)

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

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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

The Los Angeles 2028 organizing committee added an important endorsement from the City of Pasadena on Monday as the City Council approved a motion to allow the City Manager to execute a “Games Agreement” for the use of the Rose Bowl Stadium.

The historic Rose Bowl, opened in 1922 and expanded and upgraded ever since, will join the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 2028 as venues used for three Olympic Games. For the Rose Bowl:

● 1932: Cycling, with a temporary track
● 1984: Football
● 2028: Football

The City’s staff report on the agreement repeated the concerns voiced loudly by the Santa Monica City Council earlier in October, but Pasadena voiced considerably more confidence in the LA28 organizers:

“The nature of negotiating Olympic agreements at this relatively early stage in the process means that the fiscal impact to the City of Pasadena by hosting the Games is unknown at this time but will be negotiated and developed in supplemental agreements.

“While the City is reasonably confident that it will recover its costs related directly to the provision of Enhanced City Resources, there are no guarantees in the Games Agreement that this will occur. The City’s ability to recover its costs are dependent on several factors, including the ability to secure favorable reimbursement terms in supplemental agreements, the financial success of the Games, and ultimately, the solvency of the OCOG [LA28].

“Despite the financial uncertainties, the City is well-positioned to enter into this Games Agreement. The venue and surrounding infrastructure to support the Games already exist, and the City has a long history of successfully hosting major events at the Rose Bowl, including international and Olympic soccer events, Super Bowls, the Olympic Games and the College Football Playoff.

“As such, in contrast with some other venues in the region, staff does not anticipate the need to fund and to construct capital improvements to support the Games. The primary cost drivers to the City are those to enhance the level of services that will be required to support the Games and related events. These may include costs for enhancements to public safety, sanitation, streets and roadways maintenance, code enforcement, traffic control, and other services that will be defined in supplemental agreements to be negotiated in the coming years.”

A fascinating sidelight to the City Council’s unanimous agreement to move forward was that Pasadena had engaged the well-known law firm of Sheppard Mullin for assistance, the same firm which is advising Santa Monica. This was referenced in the Santa Monica City staff report.

The Pasadena report further noted another item which had been issue of discussion in Santa Monica:

“The OCOG generally prefers to maintain uniform contract terms in its Games Agreements with its venue cities; however, City staff has negotiated several contract modifications that allow for greater City authority or input in decision-making, operational flexibility, and fewer ambiguities in contract language.”

This is apparently the fifth agreement with Southern California Olympic venue cities for LA28, beginning with Los Angeles:

● 2021 (Nov.): City of Los Angeles
● 2024 (May): City of Carson
● 2024 (May): City of Long Beach
● 2024 (Jun.): City of Inglewood
● 2024 (Oct.): City of Pasadena

There will be many others ahead and the Games Agreement with each city will be followed up with others:

● Enhanced City Resources Master Agreement, by 1 October 2026
● Venue Use Agreement, by 31 December 2026
● Venue Service Agreement, by 1 October 2027

The City Report noted that there are expected to be significant economic benefits from hosting the Games, but also for the future of events booking the Rose Bowl:

“It is anticipated that the economic impact from hosting the Games at the Rose Bowl Stadium will be substantial to the City, the Rose Bowl, and the local and regional community. Hosting the Games presents a unique opportunity for the City and the Rose Bowl Stadium to continue its storied history of hosting international soccer matches, which has included the Olympics, the COPA America, the national teams of United States, Brazil, and Mexico, as well as European club teams. Hosting the Games will once again elevate the City’s profile on a world-stage and position the City and the Rose Bowl to host future large-scale events.”

Observed: It will be interesting to see if the Pasadena approval, using the same outside counsel, has any impact on the thinking in Santa Monica. There are considerable differences between the cities; Pasadena (about 132,000 population) has long experience with major events at the Rose Bowl as well as the annual Tournament of Roses Parade.

Santa Monica (population 89,000) has no such experience, and is not promoting any in-city venues for the long-term and a strange economic impact study commissioned by the city could only come up with an eight-night, free 2017 concert series spread over nine weeks for comparison to 30 sessions of Olympic beach volleyball across two weeks in 2028.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Russia’s Usmanov, major fencing funder, back to run for fifth term as FIE chief; Los Angeles-area “people mover” defeated as too costly

Rich Perelman

October 28, 2024

tsx pix 2020-210 bach and usmanov 750 — IOC President Thomas Bach (left) and then-FIE President, Russian Alisher Usmanov, who donated an $8.8 million, 1892 Pierre de Coubertin manuscript to the Olympic Museum in 2020. (Photo: IOC/Greg Martin).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● Southern California traffic has been a notorious problem for decades, not only for congestion, but for the cost of creating new infrastructure that might help.

The Los Angeles Times reported that a proposed $2.4 billion, 1.7-mile “people mover” that would bridge between local transit lines and the Inglewood entertainment district that includes SoFi Stadium, the new Intuit Dome arena and the Kia Forum – all proposed 2028 Olympic venues – did not obtain some $493 million in additional funding needed.

The South Bay Cities Council of Government voted down the added funding, 11-6, noting it would take away from more than 100 smaller projects and create construction headaches for as much as three years. Added buses could be an alternative, but hundreds of millions have already been raised for the project, which now does not have the funding to move forward.

While it may be funded in the future, it is now not likely that construction will be completed by 2028. The LA28 Olympic bid was not conditioned on any improvements to the area’s transit infrastructure, vastly expanded and improved since the 1984 Olympic Games.

● Olympic Games 2040 ● GamesBids.com reported on an initiative by Poland’s Minister of Sport and Tourism, Slawomir Nitras, who explained to an audience of athletes and sports leaders in Warsaw:

“We need to build a national strategy for the development of sports. This strategy is called Warsaw 2040, but in reality it is not a strategy for organizing the Games, it is a strategy for changing Polish sports in such a way that the Games in Poland are possible.

“We do not have financial barriers. We have organizational, structural, certain infrastructural and social barriers that we need to overcome to move forward.”

Nitras added:

“So we can ask the question, not whether we can afford the Games, but why we couldn’t afford the Games until now. We have really good budgets, but we spend this money inefficiently and this is the task that lies ahead of us. In terms of money spent on sports from public funds, we are not far behind wealthy European countries.”

● Fencing ● Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, who stepped away from his position as President of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) in March 2022 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and international sanctions imposed on him, is standing for election once again as FIE President.

Usmanov, 71, was nominated by 103 national federations and will stand against Sweden’s Otto Drakenberg, 58, a 1988 fencing Olympian and a senior executive for major companies including Goodyear Dunlop in the Nordic region and Carlsberg Sweden.

Usmanov was first elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2012, 2016 and 2021 and has given millions to the FIE to support its finances. Greece’s Emmanuel Katsiadakis has served as interim head of the federation while Usmanov recused himself.

● Football ● At the 68th Ballon d’Or awards held in Paris, Spain swept the main awards, with midfielder Rodri (Manchester City) winning the men’s player of the year award and midfielder Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona) repeating as the women’s award winner.

Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa) won for best keeper, and the new Johan Cruyff Trophy for coaches, was given to Carlo Ancelotti (ITA, coach of Real Madrid) and Emma Hayes (GBR, coach of Chelsea and the U.S. women’s national team).

● Rugby ● World Rugby confirmed three candidates to be the federation’s next Chair, at the 14 November Interim Meeting of Council in Dublin, Ireland:

● Abdelatif Benazzi (France: 56) nominated by France and seconded by South Africa;

● Andrea Rinaldo (Italy: 70) nominated by Italy and seconded by Ireland;

● Brett Robinson (Australia: 54) nominated by Australia and seconded by England.

The four prior heads of the federation have come from Europe, with two from Britain (including outgoing Chair Bill Beaumont/GBR), and one each from France and Ireland.

● Short Track ● The second leg of the ISU Short Track World Tour was to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, but:

“The International Skating Union (ISU) was informed by US Speedskating and the Utah Olympic Oval that due to supply-chain related delays, the new padding system compliant with ISU Communication 2626 will not arrive in time for the start of the ISU Short Track World Tour #2 event (November 1-3, 2024) or the ISU Four Continents Short Track Championships (November 8-9, 2024), both events due to take place in Salt Lake City (USA).

“The well-being and safety of athletes remains ISU’s foremost concern. Therefore, further to a careful consultation process with the participating teams, it was concluded that the safest course of action would be to relocate the ISU Short Track World Tour #2 event to Montreal (CAN), where all appropriate safety measures and equipment is already in place.”

Montreal hosted the opening leg this past weekend; a new site and date will have to be found for the Four Continents Championships.

● Table Tennis ● At the WTT Champions tournament in Montpelier (FRA), the hone fans were rewarded with a men’s Singles win for France’s Felix LeBrun, defeating Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) by 4-1 (11-7, 11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-4).

The women’s title went to Satsuki Odo in an all-Japan final, taking down Miwa Harimoto by 4-2 (11-4, 9-11, 9-11, 13-11, 11-7, 11-4).

● Wrestling ● USA Wrestling President Bruce Baumgartner, a two-time Olympic champion, was elected to the United World Wrestling Bureau, the governing council of the sport, during the UWW Congress, held on 27 October in Tirana (ALB).

Baumgartner, 63, essentially replaces fellow American Stan Dziedzic, a UWW Vice President, who was ineligible to run again due to term limits. Said Baumgartner of his election:

“This role carries a tremendous responsibility, and I am committed to the growth of our sport. I look forward to making a positive impact on wrestling not just in the United States, but globally. Together, we can continue to elevate wrestling to new heights for future generations.”

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MILLER TIME: Diplomatic blasphemy, from Russia’s Putin, with shadows reaching across LA28 and the IOC

Rich Perelman

October 28, 2024

tsx pix 2024-1028 vladimir putin 62823 (Kremlin) — Russian President Vladimir Putin during a June 2023 address (Photo: Russian government via Wikipedia)

/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./

Can the modern Olympic Games, inspiration of Pierre de Coubertin, survive another century?

During October the sun temporarily shone for the world’s ultimate assassin, Czar Vladimir Putin, his specialty being the destruction of Ukrainian maternity hospitals.

A duplicitous proverbial witch’s cauldron was brewing simultaneously between Moscow and Kazan, a prosperous Muslim provincial city 500 miles east of the capital and host of this year’s gathering of BRICS: a financial/political amalgam of predominantly non-democratic states sharply contrasted to the U.N., NATO, and the European Union. A would-be Russian empire haven. Proclaiming to some 36 assembled nations there should be a tranquil approach for “competent resolution” of the “war” with Ukraine was the theme paraded from Moscow.

This was a futile falsification: Russia’s U.N. crime is not a war but an unwarranted invasion, condemned with its perpetrator as a crime justifying trial. Supplication being proposed by new Minister of Sport and a proposed Russian National Olympic Committee President Mikhail Degtyarev – with Putin’s approval – suggesting a portrayal of “international co-operation to promote mutual values” is political blasphemy.

Degtyarev pleads a “readiness for dialogue” alongside Russia’s “return to the Olympic movement in accord with our social contribution, restoring the rights of our athletes.”

While the International Olympic Committee and the global arena has welcomed a beguiling, justified vanity of an outstanding Paris Games, the simultaneous prospect of Donald Trump’s presidential re-election and potential withdrawal of military and moral reinforcement of Ukraine, spells not Olympic fortitude for Los Angeles in 2028 but continued torment with U.S.-Russia relationships inviting the boycott scenario of 1980-84.

Here potentially emerges an echo of my 70 years as Olympic commentator, attending and analysing 28 Games and a majority of 60 annual IOC Sessions, and witnessing five of the last seven IOC presidents experiencing more wobble than wisdom. The Olympic spirit will tremble if adventurous LA28 leader Casey Wasserman and euphoric aides become trampled upon by Trump.

Coincidence of Kazan’s hosting was fortuitous for Putin, nestling alongside an array of potential sympathisers in his ideological field, including China, India, South Africa and Iran, though unity of opinion regarding Ukraine’s destruction was far from conclusive: a reflection of the judgement expressed on BBC TV recently by past U.K. premier John Major: “The world’s future hangs heavily in coming years on the capability of democratic nations to uphold their principles in the face of dictators who now rule some 30 major global nations.”

If Putin felt more comfortable, opinion within BRICS was less than unanimous, not least from Narendra Modi of India. Only Brazil actively deplored Moscow’s invasion; any support for Russia was denounced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, yet BRICS’ increasing membership effectively strengthens Russia’s economic influence across a politically divided globe, the more so with its mounting Muslim and Arabic membership.

Concern about the impending election of a new IOC president in March next year is evident among those with long experience of IOC administrative uncertainty, not least by Michael Payne, a former marketing director whose inexhaustible journeys among crucial TOP sponsors during the Salt Lake voting scandal of 1999 did much to prevent the IOC’s destruction. “Paris brought a massive sigh of relief, wonderful if not perfect” Payne reflects.

“Whoever succeeds Thomas Bach will need serious leadership, politically and financially, and the challenge will not be for the faint-hearted. It needs a heavyweight, as we learned from the inadequate years of Jacques Rogge’s presidency. The presidency is no place for an empty suit, and the mandate has become more complex, especially with the departure of several leading TOP financial contributors and the arrival of less experienced sponsors from the Middle East.

“Yet when did the IOC ever fully comprehend the true dimension of its responsibilities?”

Outgoing President Bach, whose legal competence and administrative perception did much to adjust IOC constitution, reluctantly acknowledging the time for him to retire, concedes: “You now need to be immersed in the digital world, a new way of living, calling for new leaders.” Richard Pound, eminent Canadian lawyer, irresponsibly ignored as ideal president in past elections, acknowledges: “Bach’s successor will inherit a more expert administration than the IOC has previously enjoyed.” Yet the stakes are crucially demanding, as Pound questions: “Is there one or more candidate who can put the magic back into the Games? It’s not just administration, but who can excite the next generation of youth and supporters and sponsors?”

Of the contesting seven candidates, four are leaders of International Federations: Sebastian Coe (athletics), Johan Eliasch (skiing), David Lappartient (cycling) and Morinari Watanabe (gymnastics). All honourable, competent figures but short on diplomatic international negotiating experience beyond the world of finance. Handling diplomatically the likes of Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping in the destination of bi-annual global events is hardly akin to trading in sports equipment and building the odd stadium. Coe, the most prominent of the seven, remains compromised by the introduction of prize money exclusively for his sport of track and field, and this might play into the hands of the sole female contestant Kirsty Coventry, former Olympian swimmer from Zimbabwe.

In the wake of Paris celebrations, the Olympic world attempts to believe the ethical, humanitarian-civilised concept of Coubertin is safe and secure for all time: the evidence is contradictory. The forces of economy and climate have just been exposed by a drastically re-scheduled Commonwealth Games of 2026 in Glasgow, replacing financially-defunct Victoria (Australia), with 10 sports abandoned. Worldwide industry’s future – with climate upheaval and million-strong cross-continent migration – is unpredictable. Can seven honourable souls muster between them the intellectual, diplomatic strategy to sustain Coubertin’s concept within civilisation’s existence?

This consistently challenged by the rivalries of John Major’s lamented dictators. It is a lonely, alarming call. Olympism has been but a blink of minute existence across a billion years. Putin or Xi Jinping are no more than a passing, minuscule squeak within history. As the immortal Bard reflected:

Ye, all which it inherit, shall dissolve
And like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a wreck behind.
We are such stuff as dreams are made of,
And our little life is rounded with a sleep.

Comments are welcome here and or direct to David Miller here.

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For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: 10 nominated for World Athletics out-of-stadium athletes of the year, with voting open to 3 November!

Rich Perelman

October 28, 2024

tsx pix 2024-1013 chepngetich chi mar (chi marathon) — Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich, the new women’s world-record holder at 2:09:56 in Chicago! (Photo: Bank of America Chicago Marathon)

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

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≡ ATHLETES OF THE YEAR ≡

The third group of World Athletics “Athletes of the Year” nominees was announced on Monday, for the “out of stadium” category, with five men and five women from a total of five countries selected:

Men:
● Yomif Kejelcha (ETH) ~ World Half Marathon world record
● Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) ~ World Cross Country gold medalist
● Benson Kipruto (KEN) ~ Tokyo Marathon winner; Olympic bronze
● Brian Daniel Pintado (ECU) ~ Olympic 20 km walk winner
● Tamirat Tola (ETH) ~ Olympic marathon champion

The timing of the announcement was good for Kejelcha, who set the world record for the Half on Sunday in Valencia, Spain!

Women:
● Sutume Asefa Kebede (ETH) ~ Tokyo Marathon winner
● Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) ~ World record 2:09:56 in Chicago
● Sifan Hassan (NED) ~ Olympic marathon gold medalist
● Tigist Ketema (ETH) ~ Dubai and Berlin marathons winner
● Agnes Jebet Ngetich (KEN) ~ World records in 5 km and 10 km

The 2024 selections include a remarkable three world-record setters and four world marks, with Ngetich getting the 5 km record en route and the 10 km record at Valencia on 14 January, plus the no. 2 time in history at the Valencia Half Marathon on Sunday.

Chepngetich stunned the world with her 2:09:56 world marathon record in winning the Chicago Marathon on 13 October, the first woman ever under 2:10.

Among the men, Kejelcha got the world Half Marathon record on Sunday in Valencia at 57:30, shaving one second off of Kiplimo’s 2021 mark in Lisbon (POR).

Under a new process for 2024:

“The World Athletics Council’s vote will count for 50% of the result, while the World Athletics Family’s votes and social media votes will each count for 25% of the result.

“The World Athletics Council and the World Athletics Family will cast their votes by email, while the social vote will be open on Facebook, Instagram and X. Individual graphics for each nominee will be posted later today; a ‘like’ on Facebook and Instagram or a retweet on X will count as one vote.”

The field-event nominees were announced on 14 October and the track nominees on 21 October; voting for both of those categories has closed. The winners will be announced in December.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

MILAN CORTINA 2026: Report says Veneto region already reserving €143.5 million to cover organizing committee losses

Rich Perelman

October 28, 2024

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

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≡ THE BIG PICTURE ≡

“[T]he precautions refer to the concrete risk of having to contribute directly to the losses that may arise from the budget deficit in the organization of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.”

That’s from a Friday report in the Rome daily, Il Fatto Quotidiano – “The Daily Fact” – that explains that the region of Veneto has placed significant set-asides in its 2025-27 budget to take care of its possible share of losses by the Fondazione Milan Cortina 2026, the organizing committee for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy.

Under the agreement between the affected Italian regional governments to organize the Games, the relative share of loss responsibility corresponds to the amount of Olympic and Paralympic activity in each. The story notes that the Veneto region share is 25% of the whole, specifically half of the entire risk – 50% – assigned to the Dolomite area, also including Trentino-Alto Adige (40%), and 10% to the autonomous region of Bolzano. (The Dolomite region concerned with the 2026 Winter Games is partly in Veneto and partly in Trentino-Alto Adige; the Lombardy region has the other 50%.)

In the Veneto budget:

● €115,971,831 for the “Fund for the contribution to cover the possible deficit of the Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

● €27,500,000 “for the share of competence equal to 50 percent of which in the ‘letter of patronage ‘ (equal to 55 million euros) signed by the Veneto Region and the Lombardy Region.”

That’s €143.472 million combined, with €1 equal to $1.08 U.S. today, against a projected possible total Milan Cortina 2026 deficit of €397,887,324, to be shared among the parties.

That’s not the actual projection, but a calculation of the possible worst-case deficit based on current data, with deficit payments assigned over a period of years.

Is this going to happen? Not necessarily, but the public finance office in Veneto is taking no chances, expecting the worst but still hoping for a break-even or surplus situation by the Milan Cortina organizers.

But it’s a considerable sum, considering the current Veneto annual budget is €18 billion.

Good news from the construction front on the development of the time-challenged sliding track in Cortina d’Ampezzo. During last week’s 45th Forum Nordicum in Lenzerheide (SUI), International Luge Federation sports director Matthias Boehmer (GER) explained that the pre-certification inspection date for the new track has been set for 25 March 2025 and that track testing will take place in the fall of 2025. Said Boehmer:

“They’re really stepping on the gas.”

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

BRISBANE 2032: LNP takes Queensland Legislative Assembly, so what now for the Olympic Stadium?

Rich Perelman

October 28, 2024

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

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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡

Saturday’s Legislative Assembly elections in the Australian state of Queensland saw a change in government after three terms of Labor Party rule, as the Liberal National Party (LNP) has won more than 48 seats, sufficient for a majority.

That means that Labor, which brought the 2032 Olympic Games to Queensland, is out of power and LNP is in, with leader David Crisafulli set to be the Premier, into 2028.

Why does this matter?

Crisafulli has been harshly critical of the decision by Labor Premier Steven Miles to support a A$1.6 billion refurbishment of the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC) to host track & field and possibly one or more ceremonies at the 2032 Games. Crisafulli said in September, criticizing Miles’ plan:

“[H]e knows it’s not the right option and he knows that Queenslanders don’t back it. QSAC is not the right venue. I haven’t met a Queenslander who thinks that’s either visionary or value for money, other than Steven.

“I don’t think there’s any scenario where any Queenslander looks at that plan and doesn’t see anything but cringeworthiness from a desperate government.”

However, the alternatives are far more costly:

● A renovation and expansion of the iconic Brisbane Cricket Ground – the Gabba – to 55,000 seats that would swallow a local school and take the venue out of action for a couple of years and cost A$2.7 billion (A$1 = $0.66 U.S.). The long-term beneficiaries would be the local cricket and football clubs, who are looking for a better venue.

● A totally new, 55,000-seat venue for the 2032 Games and the local teams, recommended by a commission asked to look into the issue by Miles, in Victoria Park and costing even more, at an estimated A$3.4 billion.

Crisafulli said in a Sunday news conference he sided with former Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk – in office when the 2032 Games was awarded to Brisbane – who was in favor of the Gabba rebuild:

“I might just allow the former premier to be able to put her point of view across and I’ll put mine.

“And that is, within 100 days Queenslanders will see a plan that they are proud of and in doing so, we can restore faith in that process.”

Crisafulli has promised a 100-day review of the Olympic main stadium and Gabba future question once in office, and now has to deliver. He has not been in favor of the Victoria Park solution, preferring the Gabba rebuild.

All of this haggling is at the government level and does not directly involve the Brisbane 2032 organizing committee, headed by former Dow chief executive Andrew Liveris. He said in September:

“We’ve been very, very clear. I’ve been very, very clear that until we see numbers on QSAC there is no position Brisbane 2032 is taking.

“We need to know the cost aspect of what would be an athletic stadium. In terms of the Olympics and the delivery, we’re committed to a budget – $5 billion – and we’ve got to get that budget right.

“You just have to be in the [Paris] Stade de France, watching the sevens rugby with 80,000 people providing revenue and top sponsors providing revenue, to understand the power of having a right-sized stadium.”

“We have 2,865 days to get this right. Paris were still deciding on venues 600 days out. Los Angeles still hasn’t finalised many of their venues for many of their sports.

“So, please don’t panic. We’ve got this.”

But the political issues are not likely to go away, as Miles appears to be ready to continue as the head of Labor, ensuring a future argument over costs and benefits of more than A$1 billion.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Cyberbullying charges vs. seven on Paris OpCer director; Kenyan President promises anti-doping support; Milanin wins again

Rich Perelman

October 27, 2024

tsx pix 2024-1027 kenya bach-ruto — Kenyan President William Ruto (center, in hat) promising more anti-doping support in his meeting with IOC President Thomas Bach (at left) (Photo: Kenyan Olympic Committee on X).

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● French prosecutors filed charges on Friday against seven individuals accused of cyber abuse against Paris 2024 ceremonies director Thomas Jolly.

Following the 26 July Olympic opening on the River Seine, Jolly was hit with both praise and criticism for the ceremony’s cultural events, with considerable anger at some of the scenes. Jolly filed a complaint on 31 July with French prosecutors, saying the show was not intended to be controversial, but inclusive.

On Friday, officials reported that seven individuals, aged 22 to 79, were charged with making death threats, aggravated insults, and cyberbullying, with possible fines and prison sentences. They were ordered to appear on 5 March 2025.

● International Olympic Committee ● IOC President Thomas Bach (GER) continued his African tour with a three-day visit to Kenya, where he met with Kenyan President William Ruto.

Bach promised that additional Olympic Solidarity funding will be made available to Kenya not only for elite-athlete support, but also for youth development programming. Bach also asked Ruto for support for the Anti-Doping Agency of Kanya (ADAK), which has had its funding slashed due to a budget crisis.

A post by the IOC on X last Friday included:

“President Ruto confirmed the fight against doping was a ‘high priority’ for him. He informed President Bach that he has given instructions to the government that all the necessary funds and human resources will be made available to the National Anti-Doping Agency.”

Bach has visited Senegal, South Africa, Lesotho, Uganda and Kenya.

● Alpine Skiing ● The 2024-25 FIS World Cup opener was, as usual, in Soelden (AUT) for Giant Slaloms, with plenty of surprises.

In the women’s Giant Slalom on Saturday, American star Mikaela Shiffrin raced to the lead in the first run, timing 1:05.82 to 1:06.04 for New Zealand’s Alice Robinson. On the second run, Austria’s Julia Scheib, the no. 16 starter – out of 30 – roared into the lead at 2:17:13.

No one touched Scheib’s time until Italian Federica Brignone, the two-time Olympic Giant Slalom medalist and the no. 28 starter, put together a quality run that moved her into the lead at 2:16.05. Robinson was next, and although only 10th-fastest on the second run, moved into second at 2:16.22. That left Shiffrin, who had trouble and had the no. 27 second run and fell to fifth at 2:17.36.

For Brignone, 34, it was her second career win at Soelden – also in 2015 – and she became the oldest-ever winner of a women’s World Cup Giant Slalom. It was her 28th World Cup gold, in her 18th season on tour.

Sunday’s men’s racing saw defending World Cup champion Marco Odermatt (SUI) skied out on the first run, eliminating the two-time winner. Instead, Alexander Steen Olsen (NOR) led the first run at 1:04.31.

In the second run, eight-time World Cup overall champion Marcel Hirscher – now skiing for the Netherlands – returned from five years off to take second from the 28th position with a time that held up for third-fastest in the field for the second run. He would finish 23rd overall, but with some confidence for the future.

Former Norwegian skier Lucas Braathen, now skiing for Brazil, was 19th following the first run, but was the fastest on the second run to take the lead (2:10.40 total). That held up until former teammate Atle McGrath took over as the no. 26 skier to start (2:10.16). He was passed by Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen (2:10.15), but Steen Olsen, skiing last, was good enough to take the victory in 2:09.50 for his second career World Cup win and a Norwegian sweep.

● Athletics ● World-record setters Mondo Duplantis of Sweden and Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine were named European Athletes of the Year on Saturday, in a ceremony in Skopje (MKD).

Both won Olympic golds in Paris and Duplantis’ latest world record was in August at 6.26 m (20-6 1/2), while Mahuchikh set her world mark before the Olympic Games, scaling 2.10 m (6-10 3/4) in the women’s high jump in the Diamond League meet in Paris in early July.

● Figure Skating ● Three world champions were on ice for the Skate Canada International in Halifax (CAN) and all three came away with convincing wins.

American Ilia Malinin, who barely won at Skate America in the ISU Grand Prix opener, was a dominant winner this time, winning both the Short Program and the Free Skate.

Malinin had a 106.22 to 96.52 lead after the Short Program over Japan’s Shun Sato, with U.S. teammate Jason Brown in seventh (79.03). In the Free Skate, Malinin executed four quadruple jumps and scored a sensational 195.60 points, far ahead of Junhwan Cha (KOR), who had 171.93.

Malinin totaled 301.82 points to 261.16 for Japan’s Sato, with Cha moving up from fourth to third (260.31). Brown finished eighth overall at 218.75. With wins at Skate America and Skate Canada, Malinin equaled the feat by Russian Alexei Yagudin in 1999, the only other male skater to win the first two events of the season.

World Champion Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) defended her 2023 Skate Canada Int’l victory with a 201.21 to 192.16 win over teammate Rino Matsuike, with Japan completing the medal sweep with Hana Yoshida in third (191.37). Matsuike won the Free Skate and came from 10th to second, while Sakamoto suffered a fall in her Free Skate program.

Americans Alysia Liu and Elyce Lin-Gracey finished sixth and seventh at 187.69 and 182.37. Liu was second after the Short Program, but seventh in the Free Skate.

Canada’s World Pairs Champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps won the Pairs for the second year in a row, scoring 197.33 to sail past Ekaterina Geynish and Dmitrii Chigirev (UZB: 189.65).

The Canadian stars won the Short Program by more than eight points, but Geynish and Chigirev moved from fourth to first by winning the Free Skate, 126.12 to 124.10 over Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps. Americans Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe finished fifth at 178.31.

Canadian stars Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, three-time Worlds medal winners, were looking for a fifth straight Skate Canada win, and led after the Rhythm Dance by 86.44 to 77.34 over teammates Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha.

They won the Free Dance to cruise to a 214.84 to 199.90 win over Lajoie and Lagha; Americans Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik were fifth (189.41) and siblings Oona Brown and Gage Brown finished sixth (179.14). Fellow Americans Emily Bratti and Ian Somerville finished ninth (173.08).

● Football ● U.S. women’s head coach Emma Hayes (GBR) continued trying out more players as the American women faced Iceland again, on Sunday in Nashville, making seven changes to the starting line-up from Thursday’s match.

The U.S. had control of the game from the start, but the American offense was too deliberate and had little success against the packed-in Iceland defense. The Icelanders were quick to counter-attack, but had very little success generating many chances.

But they got the only goal of the first half, in the 31st minute on a corner kick from forward Karolína Lea Vilhjalmsdottir. Her curving ball sailed toward the far corner of the U.S. net and was tipped by the right hand of backtracking U.S. keeper Casey Murphy, caromed off the far post and into the net for the 1-0 lead. It’s the first time an Emma Hayes-coached U.S. team trailed in a game.

For the half, the U.S. had 64% of possession and and five shots to two for Iceland, but no goals.

Hayes made three substitutions to start the second half, and substitute star midfielder Lindsey Horan sent a hard free kick at goal in the 62nd that was saved by Iceland keeper Cecilia Runarsdottir.

But the U.S. offense was unleashed, with subs Alyssa Thompson, Lynn Williams, Sophia Smith and Horan all prowling in the Iceland end. In the 72nd, it was Thompson at the left side of goal, sending a pass into the middle to Smith, whose right-footed touch went wide to the right. It ended up with sub midfielder Emma Sears – in her U.S. debut – left-footing the ball toward Williams in front of goal, who got possession, turned to the right and slammed it into the net to tie the game.

Then in the 76th, Mallory Swanson sent a free kick from the right side of the field to the left of the Iceland goal, where it was volleyed by Williams toward the middle of the field and tapped in by a rushing Horan for a 2-1 lead.

The American pressure continued, with the occasional Iceland counter-attack, and in stoppage time, the U.S. got loose again. Thompson smashed a drive off the left post, with the rebound coming to Smith, who passed to Sears on the right side, who sent a left-footed liner into the Iceland net for the 3-1 final at 90+3.

The U.S. finished with 65% possession and a 17-4 shots advantage, mostly from the final half-hour.

The U.S. now leads the overall series with Iceland, 15-0-2. U.S. coach Emma Hayes (GBR) has started her U.S. coaching career at 11-0-1.

The U.S. women have another match coming up, on 30 October against Argentina in Louisville. They will finish 2024 with matches against England in London on 30 November and the Netherlands in The Hague on 3 December.

The U.S. and North Korea will meet in one semifinal of the FIFA women’s U-17 World Cup on Wednesday in Santiago (DOM), after wins on Saturday.

The American women (3-1) won their third straight game with a third-straight shutout by beating Nigeria, 2-0, on a 43rd-minute penalty by midfielder Kennedy Fuller and then a 74th-minute score by midfielder Kimmi Ascanio. Nigeria out-shot the U.S. by 17-14, but it didn’t help, only two were actually on goal; Evan Osteen got the shut-out for the Americans.

North Korea, which won Group C at 3-0 (11-1 goals-against), also got a third-straight shut-out at 1-0 over Poland, with Rim-jong Choe scoring in the 14th minute. The North Koreans had a 14-5 shots edge.

Two-time defending champion Spain (4-0) sailed past Ecuador, 5-0, in its quarterfinal and will meet England on Thursday. The Lionesses defeated Japan on penalties, 4-1, after a 2-2 tie in regulation time.

● Short Track ● The newly-rebranded ISU World Tour launched in Montreal (CAN), with the same stars leading the way.

The men’s racing saw home favorite William Dandjinou, the 2024 World 1,000 m gold medalist, take two races, winning the 500 m over teammate Steven Dubois, the 2022 Olympic bronze medalist, 40.701 to 40.797, and the 1,500 m by 2:18.607 to 2:18.606 over 2023 World Champion Ji-won Park of South Korea, with Dubois third (2:18.679).

Dutch star Jens van’t Wout, the 2024 1,000 m Worlds runner-up, won that race in 1:23.79, with Latvian Robert Kruzbergs taking second in 1:23.491.

Two-time World 500 m champ Xandra Velzeboer (NED) won the women’s 500 m in a tight finish with American Kristen Santos-Griswold, the 2024 Worlds bronze winner, 42.089 to 42.109. And it was the same in the women’s 1,000 m final, with Velzeboer at 1:31.011 and Santos-Griswold second at 1:31.044. American teammate Corinne Stoddard was third in 1:31.380.

Korea’s Gil-li Kim, the 2024 World Champion at 1,500 m, won that race in 2:24.396, ahead of Belgian Hanne Desmet (2:24.438) and 2024 World champ Santos-Griswold (2:24.612); Stoddard was fifth in 2:24.729.

● Swimming ● A choppy World Aquatics Open Water World Cup in Hong Kong had to be moved up due to a typhoon warning, but the events did get completed.

The men’s race came down to a battle – literally – between Italians Dario Verani and Marcello Guidi, who kept swimming into each other in the closing meters, with Guido allowing Verani to win in 1:57:39.2 to 1:57:39.8. France’s 2024 Worlds runner-up, Marc-Antoine Olivier, finished third in 1:57:48.7, with Dylan Gravley the top American in seventh at 1:57:55.1.

Australia’s Moesha Johnson, the Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalist, powered ahead on the final lap to win the women’s race in 2:06:38.1, with Ginevra Taddeucci (ITA: 2:06.40.5) second and Lea Boy (GER: 2:06:57.4) in third. American Katie Grimes, third at the 2023 Worlds, finished fifth in 2:07:15.8.

Australia, with Johnson on lead-off, won the 4×100 m mixed relay in 1:10:53.1, beating Brazil (1:11:02.0) and the youthful U.S. squad, with Grimes (age 18), Claire Weinstein (17), Gravley (22) and Luke Ellis (17), in 1:11:23.9.

The Open Water World Cup has one more stop, from 22-23 November, in Neom (KSA).

● Volleyball ● With U.S. men’s volleyball coach John Speraw named as the new USA Volleyball chief executive as of 1 October, one of the first things he had to do was to name a successor.

Speraw was also the UCLA men’s volleyball head coach and had led the Bruins to consecutive NCAA titles in 2023 and 2024. So, naturally, he turned to Bruin legend and three-time Olympic champion Karch Kiraly!

Kiraly, now 63, has been the highly-successful coach of the U.S. women’s team since September 2012, winners of the Tokyo 2020 gold, Rio 2016 bronze and Paris 2024 silver, with an overall record of 327-81. Said Kiraly:

“Chances to collaborate with some of the best people and players on the planet – and to represent our country while striving for incredibly difficult goals like Olympic gold medals – are precious beyond words.

“For one-quarter of my life, I’ve poured everything I have into the U.S. Women’s Team; first as an assistant, then as head coach. Now, it’s time for new adventures and new challenges.

“Huge thanks to USA Volleyball for all the chances to represent the United States; to the players and staff of the U.S. Women’s Team, too many to name, who did so much of the heavy lifting over the last 16 years; and finally, to the players and staff of the Men’s Team for the chance to work alongside you. Life has a way of humbling us all; the way you responded to adversity, and seized the bronze medal in Paris, should be a model for all to follow.”

He takes over Speraw’s successful squad, which won the Paris bronze medal.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Kejelcha screams 57:30 in Valencia for new Half Marathon world record!

Rich Perelman

October 27, 2024

tsx pix 2024-1027 kejelcha half mar WR (valencia) — World record Half Marathon for Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha in Valencia! (Photo: Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Zurich)

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≡ VALENCIA HALF ≡

Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha loves the Valencia Half Marathon, having won it in 2019, and finishing second in 2022 and 2023, both times with national records.

He loves it even more now, after setting a world record of 57:30 on Sunday at the “Medio Maraton de Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Zurich.”

Already no. 3 all-time from last year’s 57:41 runner-up finish in Valencia, Kejelcha lined up for his fourth Valencia Half in cool conditions of about 60 F, but with a light rain. Nevertheless, he and six others passed 5 km in a hot 13:38 and then increased the pace to 27:12 at 10 km, at which point only Kenya’s Paris 10,000 m 11th-placer, Daniel Mateiko, and teammate Isaia Kipkoech Lasoi.

Those three were still together at 15 km in 40:56, but Kejelcha was much too strong and pulled away, reaching 20 km with a 39-second lead in 54:32. He charged to the finish in 57:30, getting a world record, one second faster than the 57:31 by Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo in Lisbon (POR) in 2021. The splits:

● 13:38 for 5 km
● 27:12 for 10 km (13:34)
● 40:56 for 15 km (13:44)
● 54:32 for 20 km (13:36)
● 57:30 for 21.1 km (2:58)

Mateiko (also known as Daniel Kibet) was second in 58:17, a lifetime best, and Lasoi finished third in 58:21. Mateiko moves up from no. 14 all-time to no. 13.

Said a happy Kejelcha afterwards:

“It was a difficult race. I told myself I had to do 57 minutes, I was looking at it on the clock and I saw that it was possible, despite the rain. I wanted to do it and that’s why I’m very happy.

“At kilometer 15 I was very comfortable and I thought I could get the record. At 18 and 19 I got nervous, there was a change of pace and I didn’t know if I could do it. I was looking at the clock in the car and all the time wondering if I could do it.

“I didn’t feel completely comfortable with the shoes, they were slippery in the rain. It wasn’t easy to turn right. The half marathon record was my dream and I beat it. I’m very happy. I beat my personal record in Valencia and now I’ve beaten the world record.”

Still just 27, Kejelcha has had a wild career, alternating from brilliance to disappointment. He’s a two-time World Indoor gold medalist at 3,000 m from 2016 and 2018 and has silver medals at the 2019 Worlds 10,000 m and the 2023 Worlds Road 5 km.

But he was seventh in the Paris Olympic 10,000 m and sixth in Tokyo in 2021 and fourth at the Worlds 10,000 m in 2015 and 2017. He has the world indoor mile record of 3:47.01 (2019), is no. 2 all-time in the road 5 km (12:50 2023) and no. 3 ever in the road 10 km (26:37 2024).

Now he has the world record in the Half, in his sixth try at the event. No, he’s never run the marathon. Yet.

The women’s race in Valencia was almost a record, too, as Agnes Ngetich (KEN), already the 2024 world leader in the road 5 km and 10 km, and the 10 km world-record holder from her 28:46 at Valencia (!) in January, ran away from the start and won in 1:03:04, the no. 2 performance of all-time.

Only the 2021 Valencia race by Letsenbet Gidey (ETH) of 1:02:52 is faster, and this was Ngetich’s debut at the distance!

She led by 17 seconds by the 5 km mark, 41 seconds at 10 km and tiring, by 14 seconds at 20 km, winning by 17 seconds over Foyten Tesfay (ETH: 1:03:21, now no. 3 all-time) and 29 seconds against Lilian Kasait (KEN: 1:03:32, no. 4 all-time). Splits:

● 14:39 at 5 km
● 29:18 at 10 km (14:39)
● 44:15 at 15 km (14:47)
● 59:42 at 20 km (15:27)
● 1:03:04 for 21.1 km (3:22)

Said the 23-year-old winner:

“I am very happy and proud to have achieved the second fastest time in history in my debut. Valencia will always be in my memory.

“I will always remember my record in the 10K and now this. I hope to run in Valencia again. It was not a mistake to run the first 10K very fast, it was done with the intention of trying to win in Valencia. It is a great achievement for me. I made a good time and I achieved the result despite the rain. One day I will try to get a new record, I hope it will be in Valencia.”

There were some notable additional finishers in this race, with Ethiopian distance stars Ejgayehu Taye (fourth at the Paris 5,000 m) finishing fourth in 1:04:14 in her debut at the distance and now no. 7 all-time,, and Tsigie Gebreselama (2023 World Cross Country silver medalist) finishing fifth in 1:05:18.

By the way, the Valencia marathon is coming up on 1 December.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SWIMMING: World record for American Regan Smith in short-course 100 Back and U.S. record in 200 Back at Incheon World Cup!

Rich Perelman

October 26, 2024

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≡ INCHEON WORLD CUP ≡

The second of three legs in the 2024 World Aquatics World Cup was in Incheon, South Korea, where American star Regan Smith grabbed two short-course (25 m pool) records.

After winning the women’s 50 m Backstroke on Thursday, she dominated the 100 m Back on Friday, easily out-distancing the field and winning in 54.41, smashing the world mark of 54.56 by Olympic champ Kaylee McKeown (AUS) from her national championships earlier this year. She won by more than a second-and-a-half from Canada’s Ingrid Wilm (56.14), with American Beata Nelson third (56.41).

Smith, 22, who won Olympic silvers in the 100 and 200 m Backstrokes in Paris, another silver in the 200 m Butterfly and two relay golds, completed a record set as she also owns the long-course (50 m pool) record in the 100 Back at 57.13 from the U.S. Olympic Trials in Indianapolis last June.

But she wasn’t done and came back on Saturday to win the 200 m Back in an American Record of 1:59.60, erasing Missy Franklin’s 2:00.03 mark from 2011. She again won by more than 1.5 seconds.

So, Smith finished with three wins in Incheon, plus a second in the women’s 200 m Butterfly, held on Friday, 10 minutes after she won the 50 m Back.

Olympic teammate Kate Douglass, who claimed the world short-course record in Incheon in Thursday’s 200 m Breaststroke at 2:14.16, also won the 100 m Medley in 56.97 the same night and then returned on Friday to repeat her Shanghai World Cup victory in the women’s 50 m Butterfly in 24.73, a full-half-second ahead of the field.

In the women’s Freestyle events, Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey – the 100 and 200 m Olympic Free bronze winner – won both events, in 51.73 and 1:51.02, repeating her wins in Shanghai. Poland’s Kasia Wasick was second in the 100 m Free in 52.19, but repeated her Shanghai won in the 50 m Free in 23.51.

Canada’s Mary-Sophie Harvey won twice, in the women’s 400 m Free in a lifetime best of 3:56.78, with Haughey second (3:58.06), and in the 400 m Medley – as in Shanghai – in 4:26.23.

China’s Yiting Yu won the 200 m Medley on Saturday in 2:04.74, beating Harvey (2:05.23), after being second to Douglass in the 100 m Medley on Thursday and second to Harvey in the 400 m Medley on Friday.

Teammate Qianting Tang, the Paris 100 m Breaststroke silver winner, repeated her Shanghai wins in the 50 m Breast (29.03) and 100 m Breast (1:02.82). Finland’s Laura Lahtinen repeated as the 100 m Fly winner, in 55.76.

The men’s events did not have the record-setting performances of the women, but many of the Shanghai winners were once again first to the touch.

First and foremost was French star Leon Marchand, the Paris quadruple gold medalist, who repeated his three wins from Shanghai in the 100 m Medley (51.00, in a tie with Swiss star Noe Ponti) on Thursday, then by himself on Friday in the 200 m Medley (1:50.91) and Saturday in the 400 m Medley (3:58.20, national record). Two meets, six races, six wins (one a tie).

Ponti, who got a world record in the men’s 50 m Fly in Shanghai and won the 100 m Fly, triumphed in both again in 21.76 and 48.81. That’s five wins in two meets.

South African star Pieter Coetze repeated his wins in the 100 m and 200 m Backstrokes from Shanghai, but added the 50 m Back, winning in 22.80 over Australia’s Isaac Cooper (23.10). Coetze was a clear winner in the 100 Back (49.93) and 200 Back (1:50.05).

Perhaps the biggest surprise was Olympic 100 m Free gold medalist – and world-record setter – Zhanle Pan (CHN) defeating quality fields in the 400 m and 800 m Freestyles! Pan won the 400 m Free on Thursday in 3:36.43, taking down Britain’s Duncan Scott (3:37.04), the Tokyo 2020 200 m Free silver medalist, with American Kieran Smith third (3:37.15). He set a national record in the 800 m Free on Friday in 7:35.30, crushing the field by almost four seconds.

Scott repeated his Shanghai win in the 200 m Free in 1:40.29, with Smith third in 1:42.36. He was also second to Marchand in the 200 m Medley.

China’s Haiyang Qin, who swept the 50-100-200 m Breast Worlds titles in 2023 but had a tough Olympics in 2024, won the 50 m Breast on Friday in 25.76 and the 200 Breast on Saturday in 2:02.57. He was second in the 100 m Breast on Thursday.

The Freestyle sprints were won by Yuchan Ji (KOR: 20.80) at 50 m, and Australian Jamie Jack in 46.48 at 100 m. American Trenton Julian repeated his Shanghai win in the 200 m Fly in 1:51.00.

The World Cup series will conclude in Singapore from 31 October to 2 November, with a lot of money on the line for the overall series winner – Smith and Douglass are right up there – and for those who can string together event sweeps of all three legs.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

GYMNASTICS: 85th International Gymnastics Federation Congress easily re-elects Watanabe to third term as President

Rich Perelman

October 25, 2024

tsx pix 2023-516 watanabe, morinari fig (fig-twitter) — Federation Internationale de Gymnastique President Morinari Watanabe (JPN) (Photo: FIG)

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≡ FIG CONGRESS ≡

It wasn’t close, as Japan’s Morinari Watanabe was elected to a third term as President of the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) at its 85th Congress in Doha, Qatar on Friday.

Watanabe, 65, was running again against Farid Gayibov, 45, the head of European Gymnastics since December 2017 and the Azerbaijan Minister of Youth and Sports since September 2021. He won in 2021 by 81-47, but the vote was even more decisive this time: 102-54.

This clears the way for Watanabe to continue his campaign to be President of the International Olympic Committee – and leave gymnastics, of course – with a presentation to the IOC membership in January and the vote at the IOC Session in Greece in March.

Elections were also held for FIG Vice Presidents and Executive Committee members, with current Vice Presidents Ali Al-Hitmi (QAT) and Suat Celen (TUR) re-elected. But Nellie Kim, the former star Soviet gymnast in 1976 and 1980, and now representing Belarus, was defeated after serving on the FIG Executive Committee since 2005, and as a Vice President since 2017. Mexico’s Naomi Valenzo Aoki was elected as a new Vice President.

Seven Executive Committee members were elected, including the re-election of USA Gymnastics chief executive Li Li Leung and Russian federation chief Vassily Titov. Five new members were elected, including Qiurui Zhou (CHN), Edwin Rodriguez (DOM), Jeffrey Thompson (CAN), Eirini Aindili (GRE) and Srayuth Patanasak (THA).

Said Leung:

“It is an opportunity to be actively involved in decisions that shape the future of gymnastics and ensure the sport remains athlete-centered. It’s a privilege for us to work with our colleagues internationally to continue advancing gymnastics globally.”

Three other Americans were elected or re-elected. Butch Zunich was re-elected to the Men’s Artistic Technical Committee and Ron Froehlich was re-elected as an Auditor. Lori Laznovsky was elected to the Gymnastics for All Committee, the first time the U.S. has had a representative on that committee.

In the FIG Executive Board meeting which took place on Wednesday, two important proposals on the federation’s competition programming were approved:

● The World Cup and World Challenge Cup programs for all disciplines will be reviewed for the 2025-28 quadrennial.

● A “world ranking list” that incorporates the World Championships, World Cups and World Challenge Cups is to be established.

These are potentially important changes in directions for FIG, which – despite being a first-tier federation in terms of receiving Olympic television money – pays no prize money at any of its competitions, even the World Championships.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

FOOTBALL: Olympic champ U.S. women return with goals from Thompson, Shaw and Smith for 3-1 win over Iceland in Austin

Rich Perelman

October 24, 2024

tsx pix 2024-1024 alyssa thompson-coffey (uswnt) — Alyssa Thompson (left) celebrates her first international goal with midfielder Sam Coffey in the U.S. women’s match with Iceland (Photo: U.S. Soccer on X).

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≡ U.S. WOMEN 3, ICELAND 1 ≡

After the thrill of the Olympic victory in Paris, the U.S. women’s National Team took the field again on Thursday in Austin, Texas against 13th-ranked Iceland, breaking the game open late for a 3-1 win.

The first half saw the U.S. on offense from the start, but without a quality shot on Iceland keeper Telma Ivarsdottir during the first 20 minutes. In fact, an Iceland corner in the 20th led to a good chance for Iceland forward Sandra Jessen that was saved by U.S. keeper Alyssa Naeher.

The U.S. continued to probe, causing Iceland a lot of trouble on their own half with pressure on the ball, and creating turnovers. But the American defense went to sleep in the 34th as a lead pass from midfield to forward Dilja Zomers split two defenders, but her one-on-one shot against Naeher was weak and easily caught on the fly.

After the U.S. got possession in the 39th, a pass from midfielder Sam Coffey to the left side found forward Alyssa Thompson, 19 years old, with lots of space, moving toward the box. Unchallenged, she headed toward goal, dribbled to her right and let fly with a right-footed smash into the upper right corner of the Iceland goal for a 1-0 lead.

It’s Thompson’s first international goal, in her 10th appearance, for one of the future stars of the U.S. squad. Midfield star Lindsey Horan almost made it 2-0 on the final kick of the half at 45+2, but her free kick from the top of the box barely missed, outside of the right goalpost.

The U.S. had 70% of possession in the half and an 8-7 edge on shots; Iceland piled up nine fouls to one for the U.S. as they tried to manage so much American possession in their half of the field.

Iceland made three substitutions at half and showed a more determined offense to start the second half. The game went back and forth, but in the 56th, substitute defender Guony Arnadotter had the ball on the right side of the pitch in the U.S. half and passed to midfielder Selma Magnusdottir above the box. But she had space, dribbled left and smashed a left-footed strike that flew past Naeher into the far left side of the American goal for the 1-1 tie.

The U.S. also got some fresh legs into the game in the 66th and moved to the offensive again, and substitute striker Jadeyn Shaw found the answer in the 85th. Substitute defender Casey Krueger sent a left-footed lead pass from the right side into the box, with Shaw gaining possession, moving left and then right, finally sending a cue shot under the Iceland keeper that rolled into the net for the 2-1 lead.

Another build-up in the 89th, trying to keep possession, saw Thompson with the ball on the left side and sent a pass to sub striker Sophia Smith, who returned it, then got it back and with space to shoot, send a right-footed rocket all the way across goal and scored into the far right side of the net for the 3-1 final.

The Americans finished with 71% possession and 13 shots to nine, despite 17 fouls from Iceland.

The U.S. now leads the overall series with Iceland, 14-0-2, in the first match between the teams since 2022. U.S. coach Emma Hayes (GBR) has started her U.S. coaching career at 10-0-1.

The U.S. women have another match with Iceland on 27 October in Nashville and then on 30 October against Argentina in Louisville. They will finish 2024 with matches against England in London on 30 November and the Netherlands in The Hague on 3 December.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Paris 2024 opening on the Seine cost €100 million? Skating star Malinin at Skate Canada; FIG elections in Doha on Friday

Rich Perelman

October 24, 2024

U.S. Olympic Team participates in 2024 Opening Ceremonies in Paris — The Team USA boat on the Seine River during the Paris 2024 Olympic opening ceremony (Photo: Wikipedia via U.S. Sgt. 1st Class Kulani Lakanaria).

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

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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Olympic Games 1984: Los Angeles ● The living legacy of the 1984 Olympic Games, the LA84 Foundation, announced new grants to 31 youth-service organization, totaling $2.3 million, in seven Southern California counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego.

Youth will be supported in a total of 31 sports via these grants, with an estimated reach of 85,000 in total.

● Olympic Games 2024: Paris ● A report in the French newspaper Le Monde quoted from a report included in the draft budget bill for 2025 that indicated that the opening ceremony on the Seine for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris cost about €100 million (about $108 million U.S.).

This does not include state security costs, but the organizing committee’s expenditure for the lavish ceremony.

The Le Monde story also calculated the public costs of the 2024 Games at €2.8 billion, up from €2.4 billion at the last announcement. However, this also includes bonuses paid to French medal winners and the cost of tickets purchased and given away. A fuller report is not due until the end of the year at the earliest.

● Figure Skating ● American World Champion Ilia Malinin escaped with a win in the men’s Singles competition at Skate America in Texas last week, and will be back in action in Halifax, Nova Scotia this week at the Skate Canada International, the second of six legs on the ISU Grand Prix circuit.

Fellow American Jason Brown, fifth at the 2024 Worlds, and the U.S. runner-up the past two years, is his likely challenger.

Three-time World Champion Kaori Sakamoto of Japan leads the women’s field. Two-time American champion Alysa Liu, the 2022 Worlds bronze winner, has returned and will compete, along with senior newcomer Elyce Lin-Gracey, sixth at Skate America.

World Champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps head the Pairs field, with Worlds fifth-placers Annika Hocke and Robert Kunkel (GER) to challenge. Americans Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe, 12th at the 2024 Worlds, are the only U.S. entry.

Of the 10 entries in Ice Dance, the U.S. and Canada have three each. Worlds runner-ups Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier are the highest-ranked entry; the U.S. has siblings Oona Brown and Gage Brown, the 2022 World Junior Champions. France’s Evgenia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud were eighth at the 2024 Worlds.

NBC’s coverage is only on its Peacock streaming service, except for Sunday’s men’s Free Skate, on NBC at noon Eastern time.

● Football ● FIFA announced a working group to study “recommendations in relation to the FIFA Regulations Governing International Matches,” in response to the continuing call for reform of the International Match Calendar.

The 10-member group includes representatives from the FIFPRO player’s union and the World Leagues Association, both of which have sought legal action against the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup next June in the U.S.

As no timetable was established for a report or action, there is no immediate impact expected, and so the challenges to the 2025 Club World Cup can be expected to continue.

At the FIFA women’s U-17 World Cup in the Dominican Republic, North Korea finished with a 3-0 record to win Group C and Japan won Group D at 2-0-1.

The quarterfinals are now set, with Nigeria (3-0) and the U.S. (2-1) meeting on Saturday with the winner to move on against the victor between North Korea (3-0) and Poland (1-0-2) on Sunday.

In the lower bracket, defending champ Spain (3-0) faces Ecuador (2-1) on the 26th and Japan (2-0-1) will play England (2-1) on Sunday.

● Gymnastics ● The Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) will hold elections at its 85th Congress in Doha (QAT) on Friday, with a re-run of the 2021 match of Japanese incumbent Morinari Watanabe and challenger Farid Gayibov (AZE), the head of the European Gymnastics Union and the country’s Minister of Youth and Sport.

Watanabe won in 2021 by 81-47, for a second term in office. He is also running for the presidency of the International Olympic Committee next March and must win the FIG election to remain an IOC member.

● Speed Skating ● The German SportSchau site reported that the long-standing legal battle between Claudia Pechstein, the five-time Olympic gold medalist and seven-time World Champion and the International Skating Union continues.

At a hearing in the Munich Higher Regional Court, no decision was announced and the judge is pushing both sides – hard – for a settlement. Pechstein was banned for two years for blood doping in 2009, lost appeals at the Court of Arbitration for Sport and the Swiss Federal Tribunal, but demonstrated a blood abnormality that could account for the circumstantial indicators of doping. She sued for €4.4 million in damages (€1 = $1.08 U.S.) in January 2015, and was finally cleared to litigate her claim in 2022.

Pechstein is demanding a formal apology from the ISU, and claiming €8.373 million in damages, but courtroom discussions indicate that about €4 million will suffice. But the ISU is not interested and the judge set a date of 13 February 2025 for the next hearing. But the judge also told the ISU that it is required to come up with a “declaration of honor” by 14 November, after which the damages question can be settled. Whether the ISU will accede is unknown.

Endless.

● Tennis ● Olympic medal winners Maria Sharapova (RUS) and brothers Bob and Mike Bryan (USA) were voted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.

Sharapova retired in 2020, finishing with wins in all four of the tennis Grand Slams between 2004 and 2014, and two French Open titles for five career Slams in all. She won the Olympic silver in 2012, losing to Serena Williams of the U.S. in the final.

The Bryan brothers dominated men’s Doubles and retired in 2020 having won 16 Grand Slams together (Mike won two more in 2018 when Bob was injured). Together, they won the London 2012 men’s Doubles gold.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SWIMMING: U.S.’s Douglass grabs women’s short-course 200 m Breaststroke world record in Incheon World Cup

Rich Perelman

October 24, 2024

tsx pix 2024-1024 douglass, kate (team usa) — American swim star Kate Douglass (Photo: Team USA).

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≡ WORLD AQUATICS WORLD CUP ≡

Olympic and World Champion Kate Douglass grabbed four wins and two American Records at the opening 2024 World Aquatics World Cup in Shanghai, China last weekend. That, apparently, was just a warm-up, as she scored a brilliant world record of 2:14.16 to win the women’s 200 m Breaststroke and shatter a 15-year-old mark from the “super-suit” era on the first day of the second leg, at Incheon (KOR).

American Rebecca Soni – the two-time Olympic 200 m Breaststroke winner in 2008 and 2012 – had held the women’s short-course 200 Breast record since 2009, swimming 2:14.57 at the “Duel in the Pool” against Australia in December.

Coming in the time when non-textile suits were legal, the mark has stood unchallenged; Douglass swam 2:15.96 in Shanghai to win the event there. But in Incheon, Douglass – the Paris Olympic champion in this event – flew off the blocks and destroyed the old mark. Splits:

● 50 m: Douglass 30.68, Soni 31.05
● 100 m: Douglass 1:04.75, Soni 1:05.18
● 150 m: Douglass 1:39.20, Soni 1:40.00
● 200 m: Douglass 2:14.16, Soni 2:14.57

Australian Tara Kinder was a distant second in 2:19.21. Said Douglass:

“It was a surprise to come away with a new world record time; I never thought I would be capable of getting that. It’s a very exciting feeling, and I look forward to seeing how I improve in the 200 m breaststroke this year.”

She wasn’t done for the day, coming back for the final event of the day in the women’s 100 m Medley, winning – as she did in Shanghai – and bettering her time to 56.97, remaining no. 3 on the all-time list.

She was one of two double winners on the first day at Incheon, with Swiss Noe Ponti – who set the men’s 50 m Fly world record in China – taking the men’s 100 m Butterfly in 48.81, even after losing his goggles on the entry dive, and then coming on to tie Olympic hero Leon Marchand (FRA) at the touch in the 100 m Medley, in 51.00.

American star Regan Smith won the women’s 50 m Backstroke in 25.71, ahead of Canada’s Ingrid Wilm (26.09) and fellow American Beata Nelson (26.17), then returned about 10 minutes later for the 200 m Fly. She just missed the double, with Australia’s Bella Grant holding on for the 2:03.13 to 2:03.21 victory.

China’s Olympic 100 m Free champion Zhanle Pan surprised the field with a win in the men’s 400 m Free in 3:36.43, with Shanghai winner (and Tokyo Olympic silver winner) Duncan Scott (GBR) in 3:37.04, and American Kieran Smith third in 3:37.15.

Two other Shanghai winners repeated in Incheon, with Peter Coetze (RSA) taking the men’s 200 m Back in 1:50.05, and Poland’s Kasia Wasick winning the women’s 50 m Free in 23.51.

Douglass also won the 50 m Fly in Shanghai in a U.S. record of 24.54 and the 200 m Medley – in which she is a two-time long-course World Champion – and she’s already entered in the 50 Fly, so she’s not done in Incheon, with the meet continuing through Saturday.

For our updated, 885-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024, 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!