Home Blog Page 31

THE TICKER: IOC slams IBA once again; Sapporo 2030 Winter projected at $2.6 billion; California SB-1401 could cost schools $100 million a year!

By
Rich Perelman
-

● Plus: Los Angeles 2028: Garcetti nomination to be India ambassador stalls = Olympic Games 2036: London Mayor Khan reiterates interest = Figure Skating: China cancels its ISU Grand Prix event = Football: UEFA chief Ceferin not ready for Russia expulsion = Gymnastics: Chusovitina, 46, to try for ninth OG in 2024 = Judo: U.S. Olympian Cutro-Kelly wins Deaflympics gold = Skiing: U.S. Ski & Snowboard teams up with Kappa = Ski Jumping: FIS allows plastic landings; increases prize money = Swimming: Why Russia’s Rylov didn’t appeal FINA’s suspension; Breaststroke star Peaty out of 2022 Worlds = Triathlon: Amazing Ironman win for Olympic and World champ Blummenfelt = SCOREBOARD => Cycling: Demare sprints to win in Giro d’Italia stage 5 ●

The latest news, notes and quotes from the worldwide Five-Ring Circus:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

“We thank you in advance for this outstanding information, and confirm again that IOC recognition of IBA remains suspended and boxing is not currently included in the sports programme of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028, with concerns remaining in the key areas of governance, financial sustainability and the proven integrity of the refereeing and judging systems.”

That’s the final paragraph of a letter from IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell (NZL) and Chief Ethics and Compliance Director Paquerette Girard Zappelli (FRA) sent Tuesday to International Boxing Association President Umar Kremlev (RUS). There was more:

● “[T]he IOC wishes once more to raise its concerns regarding the necessary details of the Paris 2024 boxing Qualification System. In addition, we would like to express our specific concern over the possible selection of events that may not provide fair eligibility criteria, and create possible discrimination. Therefore, we urge you to ensure that all boxers have the same level of opportunities to qualify regardless of geographical and/or costs factors.”

● “[W]e still have concerns regarding the IBA’s capacity to execute a complex management system of Technical Officials’ management and in particular referees and judges.”

● “With regard to the IBA Women’s World Championships currently underway in Istanbul, we are still waiting for your updated documents on Referee and Judge’s processes, beyond the selection process. We would also appreciate clarification whether or not the IBA has not made any changes to its regulations. This is critical information for your athletes, and also for the independent auditors, who will monitor the current event in Istanbul.”

Kremlev is facing off against Boris van der Vorst – President of the Dutch Boxing Association – in the IBA Presidential election coming up this weekend; Kremlev won election in December 2020 with 86 votes to 45 for Van der Vorst, and 19 for Interim AIBA President Mohamed Moustahsane (MAR).

Van der Vorst’s election manifesto calls IBA’s situation an “existential crisis” and underscores the federation’s financial peril:

“The fiscal year will not result in any net gains for IBA and it is a clear attempt to take all of us, National Boxing Federations, as hostages to yet another promise of certain individuals, who speak of bringing in yet another ‘miracle sponsor’. Another ‘sponsor,’ that is clearly ready to advance individual interests, not the interests of our sport.

“Despite the claimed settlement of IBA’s debts, it has not been made clear to the National Boxing Federations what the terms and conditions of these settlements were. Neither the Board of Directors, nor the National Boxing Federations have received any reports on these settlements or heard any statements from IBA’s creditors and investors to confirm how exactly it had been executed. Financial transparency of our world sport governing body often still resembles that of a private club.”

Van de Vorst promises to clean house, regain the trust of the national federations and boxers and to institute “professional and sustainable financial management, not a ‘miracle sponsor’.”

Kremlev’s 11-page election brochure enthuses “In 2020 my Manifesto included a two-year action plan – we have delivered most of it within 18 months only!” and “As you can see, I am a man who keeps his promises.”

He lists achievements, beginning with “IBA debts are wiped off, all paid” and “Communication with the IOC is restored: boxing will be at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, IBA is already developing and delivering for qualification and IBA has a roadmap towards reinstatement.”

Plus: new weight categories to give more chances to more boxers, support programs for national federations and confederations – $1.4 million last year – and athlete prize money, with commitments on more broadcasting of IBA events, better event presentation and a new World Boxing Tour and world-ranking program.

The rather undefined “Tour” is an astonishing proposal considering that debts of $10 million or more resulted from the World Series of Boxing program launched by the old AIBA from 2010-18 and helped to throw the current IBA into the chaos from which it has not yet recovered.

Kremlev is favored to win re-election, but it is clear that the IOC is not warming to him or his program as regards a place in the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

At the IBA Board of Directors meeting held Wednesday in Istanbul, the finance report signals major questions ahead:

“While IBA continues to deliver extensive programmes to support for boxing, the diversification of the revenue streams remains a top priority. The Board of Directors was informed that Gazprom has indicated it will not renew its General Partnership agreement with IBA at the end of the currently-contracted term – 31 December 2022.”

The Russian energy giant entered into a short-term agreement after Kremlev’s election to infuse enough money to clear the federation’s debts (maybe), but the IBA has stonewalled the IOC’s request to see the sponsorship agreement. With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kremlev’s extensive contacts in his home country may become a liability to the federation and keep outside companies from investing in the sport.

The IBA Extraordinary Congress will be held on Friday and Saturday (13-14th). The IBA Board voted to allow the Russian Boxing Federation to vote in the elections.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Games of the XXXIV Olympiad: Los Angeles 2028 ● The nomination of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to be U.S. Ambassador to India took another detour with the release of an investigation by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. A summary of the findings included:

“Based on information obtained by Committee investigators, it is more probable than not that [senior adviser] Mr. [Rick] Jacobs sexually harassed multiple individuals, and made racist comments towards others. Based on witness testimony, this behavior was pervasive, widespread, and notorious. Several individuals told investigators that Mayor Garcetti was aware of this behavior, and based on the reported frequency and conspicuous nature of the conduct, it is more likely than not that Mayor Garcetti either had personal knowledge of the sexual harassment or should have been aware of it.”

Garcetti was a central player in negotiations with the IOC in bringing the 2028 Olympic Games to Los Angeles in 2017. He is term-limited as Mayor and his second term will end later this year. His ambassadorship, which was expected to be quickly confirmed, has stalled and it is not clear if he will be approved by the full Senate.

● XXVI Olympic Winter Games: 2030 ● The Japanese Olympic Committee has estimated the cost of a 2030 Winter Games in Sapporo at $2.6 billion.

Said JOC President Yasuhiro Yamashita: “From both inside and outside our country, there are many views about hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games. I realize there are also concerns about the huge costs involved.”

The IOC has recognized bid interest for 2030 from Sapporo, Salt Lake City in the U.S. (budget projection of $2.2 billion) and in-formation bids from Vancouver (CAN) and a Pyrenees-Barcelona bid in Spain.

● Games of the XXXVI Olympiad: 2036 ● London Mayor Sadiq Khan repeated his campaign pledge to seek another Olympic Games for London, with the next available in 2036.

Khan was in San Francisco Wednesday and on his way to Los Angeles later in the week when he told ITV London:

“One of the things I have been making clear during this trip is my aspiration to have London as the sporting capital of the world – not just American football, baseball, boxing, tennis, cricket and so forth, but at some stage we would like the Olympics back as well.

“L.A. will be hosting the Olympics after Paris, in 2028. L.A. have now had [sic] the Olympics three times, as indeed has London.

“If it’s the case we want to have a world that is green, that is sustainable, but also includes having Olympics that are sustainable – not building stadiums that sit empty but reusing stadiums and facilities that already exist.”

Has London been in discussions with the IOC yet? Said Khan, “We’re working on the preliminary plans, we’re talking to the IOC, so watch this space.”

● Collegiate Sport ● California Senate Bill 1401 would force colleges “to take 50 percent of their revenue from each sport in their athletic program and subtract that amount from the total of grant-in-aid-scholarships offered in that sport. The difference shall then be distributed equally among those student athletes in that sport.”

The bill came up before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday (9th) and was placed in the famous “suspense file.” This is a procedure in which the bill will either move forward to the Senate floor for debate and possible vote, or will die as it is considered too costly for the available State funds at the time.

While the University of California and California State University system did not comment on the bill previously, they are now. The analysis of the bill was amended to include:

“● By requiring institutions of higher education to establish degree completion funds for student athletes, this bill could result in a substantial redistribution of a college’s athletic program revenues. This could then lead to significant local cost pressures for colleges to backfill these resources and balance their budgets to maintain the existing level of services.

“● The University of California (UC) estimates that the bill’s requirement to create, manage, and distribute degree completion funds for qualifying student athletes would have a systemwide impact in the range of $34 million to $36 million each year. The California State University (CSU) estimates an impact of $1 million to $9.3 million for its nine Division 1 campuses, or the displacement of between 17 – 34 percent of total athletic department revenues for those campuses. The CSU also indicates that the redistribution of revenues will be disproportional to male and female athletes and could cause its institutions to be out of compliance with federal Title IX requirements.

“● Additionally, the UC estimates General Fund costs of approximately $1.44 million each year to hire one full time staff per campus to manage the degree completion funds while the CSU estimates General Fund costs of $3.3 million each year for these activities.”

In other words, the bill is a net cost to California’s state universities of perhaps $80 million a year and over $100 million a year when Stanford, USC and the smaller private universities in the state are added in.

Where is that money going to come from? And what about the Title IX implications when almost all of the money goes to football and men’s basketball players and nearly nothing goes to women’s sports?

The bill’s status will be considered later this month.

● Figure Skating ● FrancsJeux.com reported that the Covid crisis in China has resulted in the abandonment of the planned International Skating Union Grand Prix stop there scheduled for 11-13 November.

With the removal of the Rostelecom Cup from Russia, the circuit is now down to four stops from six, although the ISU has asked for replacement venues from the national federations. Grand Prix events are scheduled for the U.S., Canada, France and Japan with the Grand Prix Final in Turin (ITA).

● Football ● “It is premature to talk about the disqualification of Russia. If you had asked me a month ago, my opinion would have differed from today’s. We don’t know what will happen in a month. I don’t exclude anything, but I also can’t say that something It will definitely happen in the near future.

“Our sanctions were tough on the athletes. Once again I must say that I feel sorry for them, but in this situation there was no other way out. Let’s see what happens in the future. I hope that everything will stop as soon as possible.”

That was UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin (SLO), following the 46th UEFA Congress, held in Vienna (AUT). Discussion of the exclusion of the Russian Football Union from the confederation has been going on as the Russian war against Ukraine continues.

● Gymnastics ● Oksana Chusovitina thought she would end her remarkable career with the Tokyo Olympic Games last year.

However, she was back in action at the FIG Artistic World Cup in Doha (QAT) in October, winning the vault and confirmed to the Uzbekistan National Olympic Committee that she has no plans to stop:

“I thought about it well and decided that after the Asian Games I would also prepare for the Olympics in Paris!”

Now the Asian Games in China have been postponed to 2023, so Chusovitina has the incentive to continue, even at 46. If she makes it to Paris, it will be her ninth Games, which would tie the record for the most Olympics by a woman; Georgian shooter Nino Salukvadze, now 53, competed for the USSR, Unified Team and Georgia from 1988-2020.

Chusovitina competed for the Unified Team in 1992, Uzbekistan (1996-00-04), Germany (2008-12) and then back to Uzbekistan for 2016 and 2020. She owns an Olympic gold from the Team event in Barcelona and a silver from the Vault in Beijing.

● Judo ● An impressive double for American Nina Cutro-Kelly, 37, a four-time Pan American Championships medal winner at +78 kg, who made it to the Tokyo Games for Team USA and now is the 2022 Deaflympics gold medalist.

Cutro-Kelly has 50% hearing loss in both ears, but has not let that stop her on the tatami.

“I spent so long of my life not necessarily hiding that I was hearing impaired, but trying to prove that I could do anything that anybody else could do. And I think I did that. I made the Olympic Team and it was the first time a heavyweight woman made the U.S. team in 20 years.

“I’m pushing 40 and I can still medal in the Pan Ams. I think it’s important for me to show that you don’t do judo with your ears and it’s not necessarily an obstacle to being able to compete in a sport on the same level, if not better, than someone with full hearing.”

The 2022 Deaflympics, still ongoing in Caxias Do Sul, Brazil, added judo to the program in 2013 and Cutro-Kelly crushed her three opponents, winning in the final in 0:39. She plans to continue her relationship with the Deaflympics on the way to the 2025 event in Tokyo.

● Ski Jumping ● The FIS Ski Jumping Committee agreed to what could be an important change for the sport, allowing “an ice inrun track and a green (plastic) landing hill for the first time ever in the Ski Jumping World Cup.

“The combination of the ice inrun track and the plastic landing offers the possibility to start the World Cup season extremely early without the need of producing artificial snow. This means a big step when it comes to sustainability. Not only a lot of money is saved by the organizer but also a lot of energy. In addition, the mats on the landing area are an important step for safety, as it is extremely challenging to prepare the hill with artificial snow and the landing area was often bumpy which increased the risk of falls in the past.”

Prize money was also increased; men’s events will top out at CHF 90,000 each for 2023-24 and rise to CHF 100,000 per event in 2024-25. Women’s events are paid by World Cup point, which will rise from CHF 38 to 50 by 2026-27.

● Skiing ● A big announcement for U.S. Ski & Snowboard, that “Kappa, Italy’s leading sportswear brand, has signed a multi-year sponsorship as Official Technical Apparel Partner of the U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Freeski Team, and U.S. Snowboard Team. This is the first time a single outerwear and race suit provider has outfitted all the U.S. teams.”

The deal runs from the 2022-23 winter season through the 2031-32 season, including the 2026 Milan Cortina and 2030 Olympic Winter Games. A retail apparel line will be introduced with the aim of “helping to expand Kappa’s footprint across the U.S.”

Veteran track & field observers will remember that Robe di Kappa was the apparel supplier for The Athletics Congress back in the 1980s – 1982-88 to be exact – and provided the uniforms for the 1984 and 1988 Olympic teams in Los Angeles and Seoul. Kappa is a unit of Turin-based BasicNet SpA, founded in 1967 and owners of brands also including Jesus Jeans, K-Way, Superga, Sabelt, Briko and Sebago.

● Swimming ● Russia’s double Olympic champion in the backstroke, Evgeny Rylov, said he did not challenge FINA’s suspension to the end of the year because of time.

Rylov was suspended for his participation in the 18 March pro-war rally in Moscow, along with a number of other athletes. He told the Russian news agency TASS: “I decided not to file an appeal, as the process could drag on for a long time.”

Translation: the case would go on longer than the suspension.

There were more Russian athletes participating in the 9 May ceremonies in Red Square, commemorating the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Those identified included star wrestlers Roman Vlasov and Musa Evoloev and gold-medalist gymnasts Nikita Nagornyy and Angelina Melnikova, but there may have been others.

British swim star Adam Peaty, the 2016-20 Olympic 100 m Breaststroke champion, and an eight-time Worlds gold medalist, will not compete at the 2022 Worlds in Budapest (HUN) due to a right-foot bone fracture suffered while training in Tenerife (ESP).

Peaty would have been trying for a fourth consecutive 50-100 m Breast double at the Worlds. He said he has been ordered to rest for six weeks; the Worlds begin on 17 June. He plans to be back for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham (ENG) beginning on 28 July.

● Triathlon ● A unique triple for Norwegian star Kristian Blummenfelt as he won the Ironman World Championship last Saturday in difficult, hot conditions in St. George, Utah in 7:49:16. Lionel Sanders (CAN) was second at 7:54:03.

This comes in addition to his historic double in 2021, as he won both the World Triathlon Series championship and the Olympic Triathlon in Tokyo and now the Ironman title in less than 12 months.

Daniela Ryf (SUI) won her fifth world title in the women’s division in 8:34:59, followed by Kat Mathews (GBR: 8:43:49).

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Cycling ● Stage five of the 105th Giro d’Italia featured a climb up and over the 1,113 m Portela Mandrazzi in the middle of the otherwise flat, 174 km route … meaning the finish was set up for the sprinters.

It was France’s Arnaud Demare who got there best, leading 97 riders who were given the same time, in 4:03:56. It was the Frenchman’s sixth Giro stage win – in 2019, 2021 and 2022 – just ahead of Colombian star Fernando Gaviria, who finished third in stage three. Italians Giacomo Nizzolo and Davide Ballerini placed 3-4.

The leaders remained in place: Spain’s Juan Pedro Lopez has a 39-second lead on Lennard Kamna (GER) and 58 seconds on Rein Taaramae (EST). Thursday’s stage of 192 km from Palmi to Scalea has a big climb in the first quarter of the route, but otherwise sets up as another sprinter’s delight.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THE BIG PICTURE: Restless, track & field stars from Canada, Britain and the U.S. are asking why they are great … and poor

By
Rich Perelman
-
British long jump star Lorraine Ugen (center) showing her new Unsigned brand (Photo: Unsignedsport.com)

It did not start with Aaron Brown’s 1,465-word essay, The track & field business model needs an overhaul, posted on CBC.ca on 1 May. But he has people talking.

If you don’t recognize the name, Brown is a 29-year-old Canadian sprinter who won Olympic 4×100 m bronzes in Rio and Tokyo and World Championships 4×100 m bronzes in 2013 and 2015. He has run 9.96 for 100 m (2016) and 19.95 for 200 m in 2019 and has been in the top 12 in the world in the 200 m each of the last four seasons. He’s a world-class talent, and wrote, in pertinent part:

“It is far too common for world-class track and field athletes to go unsponsored. Many athletes depend on ‘Go Fund Me’ campaigns to chase their dreams.

“Talented athletes who fall short of the podium believe they have accomplished nothing, that they don’t deserve financial support. … Imagine a profession where you need to be a world top 10 just to begin earning a decent wage. That is the reality for many track and field athletes. …

“Reducing the sport to the absolute best of the best devalues and alienates an entire group of athletes who are one small tier below the extreme peak.”

He goes on to note the interest in athlete speed in the National Football League, but:

“When TV deals increase for the NFL, the revenue increases for the league, which passes to the players in the form of bigger salary caps. When was the last time athletes in our sport saw a pay increase? In many leagues, an athlete union negotiates with the owners. Athletes in other professional sports understand that they are the asset, providing value to the sport, not the other way around. Pro leagues understand that the more valuable the athletes, the more valuable the product, and everyone stands to profit. This has always been missing from our sport.

“Change won’t happen without a unified effort from the most influential athletes at the top of our profession. Our sport should find a way to partner with athletes, to leverage their value from a business perspective. If we can increase the overall value of our sport, it can be a viable choice for prospective athletes. …

“I believe that value remains hidden in our sport because we are reluctant to veer away from tradition. Track & field governing bodies have been slow to embrace change. We can’t even post videos of ourselves at track and field’s biggest events because billion-dollar conglomerates own the rights. But how can we grow the sport and attract casual viewership when those moments are hidden behind memberships and paywalls?”

Brown, to his credit, does not end with the all-too-often heard “woe is me” but encourages athletes to get engaged and find ways to make money beyond the shoe and apparel companies that have supported the sport for generations … but, of course, not everyone in the sport.

Robyn Stevens, 39, the U.S. Olympic Trials winner and only American woman to earn a place in the Tokyo Olympic 20 km Walk – she finished 33rd – was quoted by Brown from her 15 April tweet:

“I am the definition of financial poverty yet somehow I OWE a grand in taxes. I have no home of my own, I can’t even rent, I can’t afford to have kids because I can’t even afford my own healthcare, I am #1 race walker ranked in the USA yet have ZERO income. #MakeThisMakeSense”

She added on 3 May:

“I have more to add to this because my post had a typo – I owe 10 grand not only a grand. If a grand, I could have scrapped by doing various side jobs. I worked for a financial firm before returning to Sport so I understand finance. I have a lot of skills. I am my own agent and more”

This is an all-too-familiar story. At the same time, British long jumper Lorraine Ugen, an Olympic finalist in 2016 and World Indoor bronze medalist in 2016 and 2022 (best of 7.05 m/23-1 3/4 from 2018) has been singing the same story most of this year.

Her story is important, documented on her Twitter feed:

● 6 February: “As an unsigned and unsponsored athlete this year I decided to create my own uniform and brand as a way to support myself. It’s not perfect but I’m working on it! It’s a statement. Follow on IG@unsignedsport”

● 1 March: “It’s actually crazy that I’m making teams at the highest level in the sport, with no kit sponsor! The amount of extra time & work it takes creating my own brand (IG@unsignedsport) on top of all the training and traveling I have to do, because the other brands see no value in me.”

● 9 May: “The fact that I won a whole medal at World Indoors and still don’t have a kit sponsor or offer of one is actually quite sickening to me. When I really think about it.

“Like as much as I want to break the mold and create my own brand to fight against that & have my own it’s, not easy getting sample after sample that just no right. Having vendors promise they can do something & not deliver on that. Having to do the marketing, advertising, design

“And still be focused on training & competing on top of that.

“A lot of people are messaging me saying I need to get an agent who will reach out to the kit companies and negotiate for me. I have an agent, he’s spoken to them, and they don’t want to sponsor me. Why? Not sure.”

● 10 May: “I do interviews and people ask me all the time why I’m not sponsored and honestly I don’t even know what the answer is myself. Because I’m competing at the highest level of the sport. Then they expect us to inspire the next generation.”

Ugen wasn’t kidding about starting her own brand, Unsigned (get it?). It’s online now, with a stylish catalog of socks, sweats, tops and shorts, competition uniforms and even her own shoe line, at reasonable prices, especially the Colorblock jacket at $57.

Pretty remarkable, but, of course, no guarantee that she will succeed.

Rio Olympic long jump champion, two-time Olympic relay gold medalist and two-time long jump World Champion Tianna Madison (now using her maiden name again after divorce) – a gifted writer – got into the act this week as well, first quoting a tweet from the now-retired five-time Olympic medalist sprinter and 2004 Olympic 100 m champ Justin Gatlin: “Why are we operating like an amateur sport but on the highest level of sport itself?”

She replied:

● “That’s the question. But what we needed was for the top 1% to make these moves BEFORE retirement. And so the ‘cool kids’ continue to get their lanes and cash their checks and everybody else is running for their lives. We need more top athletes to care WHILE AT THE TOP.”

A reply stated: “So what you’re saying is: get @GoSydGo [Sydney McLaughlin] and @fkerley99 [Fred Kerley] and @Flaamingoo_ [Grant Holloway] & everyone else who fills a stadium to make this stand. @allysonfelix, you have the gravitas & respect to change the sport for the people in it – care to lead the athletes into a new age of T&F for those in it?”

Madison responded:

● “The thing is…that’s what @WeAreTheSport [The Athletics Association] attempted to do. And had a board of these ‘top athletes’ I’m no longer on the board so I’m not privy to the work they are currently doing – but this was part of their mission.”

Brown made a key point without expanding on it when he wrote, “In many leagues, an athlete union negotiates with the owners.”

That’s fine when there’s plenty of money to spread around. In track & field, there isn’t much. The same complaint has been heard for years from players in Major League Soccer, the Women’s National Basketball Association, now the National Women’s Soccer League and many others.

Only recently have MLS, the WNBA and NWSL begun to generate enough money to raise player salaries. The MLS television agreement from 2015-22 was for $90 million for 42-plus games a year, and the WNBA gets $25 million a year from ESPN for 24-37 games a year with its agreement that will end this season, and more from a deal with CBS for about 40 games a year.

Keep those numbers in mind.

Track & field? The first-tier “Wanda Diamond League” was planned for 2022 as 14 meets – now 13 – spread unevenly over 17 weeks with a one-month hole in the middle of it where the most important meet – the World Championships – takes place; it is not attached to the Diamond League at all.

If athletes want to change the paradigm, how many meets are right? Where should they be held to make the most money, regardless of the legacy meets in Rome, Oslo, Stockholm, Eugene, Lausanne, Zurich and Brussels? One of the best-attended meets in the world, the ISTAF in Berlin, wants nothing to do with the Diamond League and is a third-tier Continental Tour Silver meet, so that it can do as it pleases.

What about private equity? U.S.-based Relevent Sports Group, which concentrates on football, spent a reported $1 billion for the media rights in the United States for UEFA men’s club competitions, including the UEFA Champions League for the 2024-27 cycle. Chief executive Danny Sillman told SportBusiness:

● “We need more events. We need to create proximity to fans, which is really why Relevent finds events important. Look at what the NBA is doing in Europe and Asia, what the NFL is doing in Europe, expanding now from London into Germany, and it will continue to go into other countries. Spain will likely be after that. And then you look at grassroots initiatives.”

● “Then you need brands like Nike and Adidas, the footwear brands and technical partners, to get involved in young athletes.”

● “We have a 50:50 partnership with [Spain’s] LaLiga. It’s a 15-year joint venture with a five-year option to extend. So it’s likely a 20-year relationship where we’re actually building a market. We’re investing in grassroots. We have a local content studio, where we have 20 people producing 30 weekly shows, both Spanish and English. We have a fantastic, talented team that day in, day out is telling stories about LaLiga clubs and players, engaging with that audience, creating top-of-funnel acquisition of new audiences and new fans. And then, ultimately, we are monetizing through the commercial rights with media and sponsorships.”

More events? Weekly shows? Where is that in track? When the Diamond League premiered in 2010, it had 14 meets, the same number planned for 2022.

It’s not just football. In 2021, CVC Capital Partners, headquartered in Luxembourg, invested $100 million with the International Volleyball Federation to restructure the federation’s beach volleyball circuit in a co-owned venture called Volleyball World, now in its first season.

Even swimming got the money-losing International Swimming League, financed by Ukrainian billionaire Konstantin Grigorishin for three seasons at about $20 million per – including athlete salaries and meet bonuses – but with the fourth season postponed because of the Russian war on Ukraine.

There’s a future out there for track & field, and Brown is right, the business model does need an overhaul. Who knows if he, Stevens, Ugen or Madison will be around to see it.

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Cycling ● The 105th Giro d’Italia was back in Italy on Tuesday and immediately challenged the riders with a brutal uphill finish at Mt. Etna over a 172 km course that started at 46 m altitude and finished at 1,899 m!

Spain’s Juan Pedro Lopez took control of the fourth stage with 11 km to go and only Germany’s Lennard Kamna could get close, finally getting to the line first in a one-on-one sprint at the finish. It’s Kamna’s first stage win at the Giro; he won a Tour de France stage in 2020; both were timed in 4:32:11.

The two crushed the rest of the field, with Estonian Rein Taaramae third, 34 seconds behind, with fourth-placer Sylvain Moniquet (BEL) some 2:12 behind. Thus, Lopez took the overall lead by 39 seconds over Kamna and will wear the Maglia Rosa for Wednesday’s mountain stage from Catania to Messina (174 km).

● Weightlifting ● The IWF World Junior Weightlifting Championships concluded in Heraklion (GRE) with the final six classes, featuring a second gold for Ukraine, in the men’s 109 kg class.

Bohdan Hoza won the Snatch and the Clean & Jerk and claimed the overall gold at 410 kg, including a World Junior Record in the Snatch. Iran’s Alireza Yousefi got a World Junior Record in the Clean & Jerk in the men’s +109 kg class and won with a 416 kg total.

Turkey led the final medal count in the combined-lift totals with six medals (2-3-1) and was one of four countries to win two golds. Armenia (2-2-1), Mexico (1-3-1), the U.S. (1-2-2) and Egypt (1-1-3) each had five total medals.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HEARD AT HALFTIME: $9 million Federal grant for Oregon22 broadcasting confirmed; NCAA makes first moves to clamp down on pay-for-play

By
Rich Perelman
-
The U.S. team celebrates its CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship victory! (Photo: U.S. Soccer)

● Plus: Boxing: Record-setting Women’s World Championships begin in Istanbul = Football: Brazil-Argentina World Cup qualifier stopped last year must be played; CONCACAF women’s U-17 medalists headed to India = Judo: USA Judo program helping police use less force = Rowing: China may have canceled events this year, but bids for future Worlds = Sport Climbing: Separate events for Boulder-Lead and Speed for 2024 magnify world Speed records in Seoul = Tennis: ITIA bans six players convicted of match-fixing in Spain = SCOREBOARD => Artistic Swimming: FINA World Cup (by video) wraps in Australia ●

News, views and noise from the non-stop, worldwide circus of Olympic sport:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

Travel Oregon confirmed that the $9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration was formally approved in March, to help fund the host broadcast costs of the Oregon 22 World Athletics Championships in July.

In addition to the $9 million grant itself, support costs of $151,632 were also approved for oversight staffing, supplies and other costs. The money will come in quarterly payments of $4,761,432 (first quarter 2022), $2,507,500 in the second quarter, $1,807,500 in the third quarter and $37,500 in the fourth.

The deal is this: Travel Oregon will provide the Host Broadcaster – World Athletics Productions – with promotional videos and photography about Oregon, with accompanying scripts and destination information to be used in the broadcast of the Worlds from Hayward Field in Eugene. A sample script, to be used over a provided image of Crater Lake National Park:

“Crater Lake National Park: Oregon’s only National Park, Crater Lake National Park is a must see. The lake, fed by rain and snow is the deepest lake in the USA and one of the most pristine on earth.

“Crater Lake is located in Southern Oregon, which is also home to the world-renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the stunning Rogue River, the Oregon Caves and vineyards, chocolatiers, and cheesemakers galore.”

The videos, images and scripts will be provided to individual national broadcasters to be incorporated into their own coverage of the Worlds. Travel Oregon’s grant plan stated:

“Anticipated total value of event exposure for Oregon: $100M in media value, based on research from the World Athletic Championships held in London in 2017. Of this, $77M was generated by the live television broadcasts of the event. The City of London embedded what they called “postcards” and verbal mentions (similar in function to Travel Oregon’s proposed footage, static images and narrative) for an estimated media value of $15M.”

Travel Oregon stated that the “potential” impact of the $9 million grant could include $224-374 million in visitor spending on the Worlds, $31-52 million in tax revenue and 1,800-3,000 future jobs related to tourism. In addition:

“Because the Oregon footage and stills will be permanently embedded in the broadcasts for future rebroadcasts in the years to come, the potential for continuing impacts to Oregon’s tourism economy will last well beyond the nine-day event.”

It will be fascinating to see the after-action evaluation of the Worlds in view of the actual capacity of Hayward Field for the event being under 17,000.

The State of Oregon is investing $31 million of its own money in the 2022 Worlds and the $9 million from the Federal government completes Governor Kate Brown’s promise to provide $40 million of the expected $75 million cost of the event.

The other $35 million is expected to come from USA Track & Field ($10 million), from individual donations ($10 million) and $15 million from ticket sales.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Collegiate Sport ● The NCAA Division I Board of Directors “issued guidance to schools regarding the intersection between recruiting activities and the name, image and likeness environment.”

The targets are so-called Name, Image and Likeness agreements that are in essence, payments to athletes to attend a specific school. The announcement included:

“Specifically, the guidance defines as a booster any third-party entity that promotes an athletics program, assists with recruiting or assists with providing benefits to recruits, enrolled student-athletes or their family members. The definition could include ‘collectives’ set up to funnel name, image and likeness deals to prospective student-athletes or enrolled student-athletes who might be considering transferring. NCAA recruiting rules preclude boosters from recruiting and/or providing benefits to prospective student-athletes.”

This new view of booster payments is effective immediately, with a focus on the future. University of Georgia President Jere Morehead noted that “the NCAA may pursue the most outrageous violations that were clearly contrary to the interim policy adopted last summer.”

Nothing will happen until they do.

● Boxing ● The International Boxing Association is once again on trial, trying to show that it is worthy to be reinstated as the governing body of its sport, with the start of the IBA Women’s World Championships in Istanbul (TUR).

A record field of 310 fighters from 73 nations are entered, with three champions from 2019 returning: Hsiao-Wen Huang (TPE: 54 kg), Beatriz Ferreira (BRA: 60 kg), and Turkey’s Busenaz Surmeneli, who won at 69 kg, but will fight at 66 kg this time in the IBA’s adjusted weight classes scheme.

Heavy attention will be paid to the refereeing and judging, including assignments of judges, conflicts of interest and overall fairness. The International Olympic Committee has noted this area as one of its continuing concerns about whether IBA can be trusted as a valid governing body for the sport.

The medal winners in the 12 weight classes will receive prize money of $100,000-50,000-25,000-25,000 for a total purse of $2.4 million.

● Football ● The crazy Brazil-Argentina World Cup qualifying match in Sao Paulo that was ended after five minutes due to Covid quarantine issues last September has been ordered to be replayed.

FIFA announced Monday that fines of CHF 50,000 would be maintained against both national federations and that the game must be played.

Exactly why is not clear. The match was abandoned when Brazilian health officials ran onto the field, concerned that Argentina’s England-based players were not in compliance with Brazilian quarantine regulations. But the CONMEBOL qualifying has been completed, with Brazil at 14-0-3 (45 points) and Argentina second (11-0-6: 39) and schedules set for the World Cup, with Argentina in Group C and Brazil in Group G.

The CONCACAF women’s U-17 Championship in the Dominican Republic meant more than the U.S.’s third straight title with a tight, 2-1 win over Mexico.

It’s worth noting that the top three teams – the U.S., Mexico and Canada – all qualified for the FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup to be played in India from 11-30 October, an event the U.S. has never won.

After the final in Santo Domingo, American midfielder Riley Jackson received the Golden Ball Award as the best player in the tournament and U.S. keeper Victoria Safradin received the Golden Glove (4-0 record, allowed one goal). The U.S. finished the tournament with a 58-1 goals-against total.

Canada’s Rosa Maalouf won the Golden Boot trophy as the top scorer with 12 goals.

The Dominican Republic is a hotbed for baseball, but not so much for youth football; U.S. Soccer noted the attendance at the final at 50.

● Judo ● This is interesting, in our aggressively divisive times and protests about policing.

USA Judo’s Police Professionals and PAL Program (“P3″) is partnering with The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association 111 Project (“FLEOA 111″) to host a control techniques seminar in Washington, D.C. on 14 May during “Police Week.”

This is a continuation of the P3 program created in 2019 and “aimed at professionalizing public policing by teaching officers how to utilize non-lethal judo techniques, body positioning and other subtleties to deescalate and if necessary subdue suspects without having to use a weapon.”

The program will be led by experts in judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, including judo black belts (and U.S. Army veterans) Joe Yungwirth and Charles Cherry.

Everything helps.

● Rowing ● China was unable to host the 2021 World Rowing Championships last October due to Covid complications and continues to struggle, canceling the 2022 Asian Games, Asian Youth Games, World University Games and both Diamond League track & field meets.

But do not think for a moment that the Chinese are backing away. Last Thursday, bids from China were confirmed for the 2024 and 2025 Beach Sprint Finals, 2024 and 2025 Coastal Rowing Championships, a 2024 World Cup stop and the 2025 World Championships, also being sought by Amsterdam (NED) and Varese (ITA).

The U.S. is a bidder for the 2026 Worlds – in Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida – along with Austria (Linz), Bulgaria (Plovdiv) and Lithuania (Trakai). Sarasota-Bradenton also bid for the World U-19/U-23 Championships for 2025 and 2026.

● Sport Climbing ● This sport was included in the Olympic program for the first time in Tokyo, with one “combined” event for men and women. This was highly unpopular with many climbers, especially the Speed competitors, whose event has little to do with either Bouldering or Lead, which are both, essentially, rock climbing.

Speed is a race up a 15 m wall, contested in a one-vs.-one format, and the International Federation of Sport Climbing successfully lobbied the International Olympic Committee to split the events for Paris in 2024. There will be a combined Bouldering-Lead event and a separate Speed event.

Good news for the Speedsters and a boost for the IFSC, which saw new world records set for both men and women at the World Cup in Seoul (KOR) over the weekend:

● Men: Indonesia’s Kiromal Katibin won his second qualification round in 5.17 seconds, 0.03 better than countryman Veddriq Leonardo from the 2021 World Cup in Salt Lake City. Leonardo won the final in 6.96, as Katibin fell.

● Women: Poland’s two-time World Champion Aleksandra Miroslaw – winner of the Olympic Speed event in Tokyo, but fourth overall – set a world mark of 6.84 at the Games. In Seoul, she won the qualification round in 6.64, an improvement of 0.20. Miroslaw also won the final, 6.72-7.23, over American 7.23.

The IFSC World Cup comes to Salt Lake City now for two weekends of events on 20-22 May and 27-29 May. More records?

● Tennis ● Six Spanish players were banned from tennis following criminal convictions for match fixing in the Spanish courts, following a finding of multiple instances of match fixing involving organized crime.

None of the players are household names:

“Marc Fornell Mestres (highest ATP ranking of 236), Jorge Marse Vidri (highest ATP ranking 562) and unranked players Carlos Ortega, Jaime Ortega, Marcos Torralbo and Pedro Bernabe Franco all pleaded guilty to corruption charges in Spain, resulting in criminal convictions. The players were all given two-year suspended prison sentences, as well as a fine.”

With the conclusion of the court case, the International Tennis Integrity Agency handed down bans against all six: 22 years, six months for Mestres, 15 years against Vedri, Carlos Ortega, Tarralbo and Franco, and seven years and six months for Jaime Ortega.

“The sanctions mean that they are prohibited from playing in or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by any international tennis governing body or national association for the length of their bans. They are also unable to coach in the professional game.”

Said ITIA chief executive Jonny Gray (GBR): “This is one of the most significant infiltrations of tennis by organised crime that we have seen. We welcome the involvement of law enforcement agencies and the prosecution of entire criminal networks, not just the players involved. This ruling sends a strong message that match fixing is a crime which can see criminal convictions.

“I must pay tribute to our investigations, intelligence and legal teams who have worked tirelessly over the last five years or so to bring this case to its conclusion. We also had excellent co-operation between the ITIA and Spanish law enforcement agencies, as well as the unswerving support of the tennis bodies. Finally, we are hugely grateful to the betting industry for their evidence, leading to these convictions.”

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Artistic Swimming ● Late results were posted for the final day of the FINA Artistic Swimming World Cup in Australia in which the contestants submitted videos of their performances.

Canada’s Audrey Lamonte won the women’s Solo Free at 84.6000, while Americans Megumi Field and Natalia Vega won the Duet Free, scoring 84.8000.

Japanese siblings Yotaro and Tomoka Sato won the Mixed Duet at 83.2667. Canada won the Team Free (84.8000); Israel won the Free Combination event, scoring 84.0667.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: Picking among 15 stars in U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame voting; Covid 5, China 0 as Asiad, WUG and Diamond League postponed

By
Rich Perelman
-
USOPC Hall of Fame candidate John Smith (Graphic: USOPC)

(For our Highlights of the weekend’s major competitions, click here)

● Plus: College Sport: NIL threatens to kill everything except football and basketball = Russia: Int’l Paralympic Committee will vote on Russian & Belarusian expulsion = Athletics: Jamaica wants Thompson-Herah’s 10.54 to be the world 100 m record = Ice Hockey: Hungary and Slovenia offer to host 2023 Worlds ●

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022 will be one of its best ever, and one of the hardest to pick. Especially among the 15 Olympians on the ballot, only five can be chosen and all 15 are worthy.

OK, one is obvious. That’s Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, with 28 Olympic medals, including 23 golds. Of those 28 medals, he won 16 in individual events, including 13 golds. He’s in.

But after Phelps, it gets harder. There are biographies of the other 14, but let’s break them down much more simply, in alphabetical order:

● Kristen Armstrong (Cycling): Three Olympic golds in the women’s Time Trial, in 2008-12-16, at ages 35, 38 and 42!

● Natalie Coughlin (Swimming): 12 Olympic medals from 2004 (5), 2008 (6) and 2012 (1), including back-to-back 100 m Backstroke golds in 2004-08, 100 m Freestyle bronzes in 2004-08, a 200 m Medley bronze in ‘08 and seven relay medals (1-4-2).

● Shani Davis (Speed Skating): Four Olympic medals, including back-to-back golds in the men’s 1,000 m in 2006-10 and back-to-back silvers in the 1,500 m in 2006-10. He also made the 2014 and 2018 Olympic teams.

● Cammi Granato (Ice Hockey): The captain and one of the star scorers on the women’s teams that won gold in the first Olympic women’s tournament in 1998 and silver in 2002.

● Mia Hamm (Football): One of, if not the greatest scorer in women’s history, she was a key player on the American gold-medal teams in 1996 and 2004, and won silver in 2000. She was also part of two FIFA Women’s World Cup winners in 1991 and 1999.

● Kayla Harrison (Judo): The first American gold medalist in judo – men or women – with back-to-back Olympic titles in 2012-16 at 78 kg. She also won the 2010 World Championship, was the 2011 and 2014 Worlds bronze medalist and twice Pan American Games gold medalist.

● Michelle Kwan (Figure Skating): She won five World Championships golds in 1996-98-2000-01-03 and four other Worlds medals, but won Olympic silver in Nagano in 1998 and bronze in Salt Lake City in 2002.

● Elle Logan (Rowing): Was a key to the American women’s dynasty in the Eights, as a member of the gold-medal-winning teams in 2008-12-16. She was also part of three World Championship teams and even finished fifth in the 2014 Worlds in the Single Sculls!

● Julia Mancuso (Alpine Skiing): Four Olympic medals, including a gold in the Giant Slalom in Turin in 2006, silvers in the Downhill and Combined in 2010 and a 2014 Combined bronze. She won five more Worlds medals (0-2-3) from 2007-13.

● Bode Miller (Alpine Skiing): A five-time Olympian, winning a 2010 gold in the Combined, silvers in the 2002 Giant Slalom and Combined, a silver (Super-G) and bronze (Downhill) in 2010 and a Super-G bronze in 2014. Oh yes, also four Worlds Champs golds in 2003-05!

● John Smith (Wrestling): The definition of domination. From 1987 to 1992, he was the best in the world for all six years, winning four World titles and Olympic golds in 1988 and 1992 at 62 kg. He had a domestic record of 77-3 and an international record of 100-5 and won the Sullivan Award in 1990.

● Dawn Staley (Basketball): Member of gold-medal-winning teams in 1996-2000-2004, an assistant coach for the American gold medalists in 2008 and 2016 and the 2020 Tokyo head coach of yet another gold-medalist team. First-ever Naismith Award winner as a player and coach.

● Brenda Villa (Water Polo): Four-time Olympic medalist, with a gold in 2012, after a silver in 2000, bronze in 2004 and silver in 2008. She was also part of three FINA World Championship teams in 2003-07-09.

● Lindsey Vonn (Alpine Skiing): The 2010 Downhill gold medalist, she also won a bronze in the 2010 Super-G and 2018 Downhill. A four-time Olympian, she won eight World Championships medals, including two golds in 2009 and 82 World Cup victories.

How the @#$% can you make a selection among all these stars?

First of all, the USOPC selectors have to put all of the nominees who don’t make it onto future ballots. Next, let’s try and narrow down the field; beyond Phelps, we have four votes.

Of the 14 beyond Phelps, Armstrong, Coughlin, Logan and Staley won three golds; Logan and Staley were members of large teams and Coughlin won one on a relay. Armstrong was solo and won her last gold at age 42.

She’s got to be in.

In terms of individual golds, Coughlin won two, as did Davis, Harrison and Smith. Those three won back-to-back golds in individual events in speed skating, judo and wrestling. All three won additional individual World Championships to back up their Olympic golds.

Smith was almost unbeatable over six years, winning four World titles and two Olympic golds. He has to be in, especially as there only two other wrestlers.

Two more. There are 17 swimmers and while Coughlin is irresistible, there are no judokas in the Hall to date. Let’s get Harrison in there.

So we have Phelps, Armstrong, Smith and Harrison. Who else?

Granato, Hamm, Mancuso, Miller, Villa and Vonn won one Olympic gold each, and Kwan topped out at silver, so let’s save them for the next class. Who to pick from Coughlin, Davis, Logan and Staley?

This is almost impossible. Staley won three golds in basketball and coached on three more gold winners. Logan was a member of a totally dominant U.S. women’s Eights across three Games. Davis became the only man to ever win back-to-back Olympic titles at 1,000 m, a distinction he still holds. He also set seven world records: two at 1,000 m and five at 1,500 m.

Davis deserves to be in, but it’s hard to argue with six golds, so let’s vote for Staley this time … and Davis the next time.

That’s my vote for the five individual Olympic Hall of Famers: Phelps, Armstrong, Smith, Harrison and Staley.

There are also three choices for a Hall of Fame team – one to be selected – from the 1996 Olympic women’s basketball champs (with Staley), the 1976 women’s 4×100 m Free relay in swimming and the 2010 U.S. Four-Man bobsled gold medalists.

The 1996 women’s team was sensational, but part of a long tradition of American women’s dominance. Steve Holcomb’s sledders won the 2009 World Championship and their 2010 triumph was the first in the event for the U.S. since 1948. But it was the women’s relay win in Montreal which has to be inducted.

At the 1976 Games, the U.S. men won 12 of 13 events in swimming and set world records in 11 of them. But the American women were competing against the chemically-enhanced East Germans, who won 11 events (seven world records) to one for the Soviets and the American 4×100 m Free Relay.

The swimmers were aware of what was going on, with Shirley Babashoff winning silvers in the 200-400-800 m Frees and the 4×100 m Medley. Only in the Free Relay did they finally break through in what has been deemed one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history. Kim Peyton, Wendy Boglioli, Jill Sterkel and Babashoff swam a world-record 3:44.82 to win over silver winner Petra Priemer, three-time gold medalist Kornelia Ender, Claudia Hempel and two-time gold medalist Andrea Pollack. The shame is that, with the East German Stasi files now available to show who was doping at the time, that medals won by the most intense state-sponsored doping program of all have not been reallocated.

Babashoff was inducted in 1987, but her teammates must join her.

Those are my choices; you are free to make your own, but please vote before 16 May here.

There are also selections to be made for three Paralympians (out of nine) and one Paralympic team (out of two); please refer to their biographical sketches for more information.

Rich Perelman
Editor

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Covid 5, China 0 ● Bad week for China and sports, as the continuing Covid turmoil caused the postponement of four high-profile events last week.

● The massive XIX Asian Games, scheduled to be held in Hangzhou from 10-25 September, was postponed for the first time ever on Friday. The Olympic Council of Asia statement noted the “decision was taken by all the stakeholders after carefully considering the pandemic situation and the size of the Games” and will be held on dates to be announced in 2023. In addition:

“[T]he OCA [Executive Board] also studied the situation of the 3rd Asian Youth Games, which was scheduled on 20-28 December this year in Shantou, China. After discussion with the [Chinese Olympic Committee] and the Organising Committee, the OCA EB decided that as the Asian Youth Games had already been postponed once, the Asian Youth Games Shantou 2021 will be cancelled. The next Asian Youth Games will therefore be held in 2025 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.”

● The World University Games in Chengdu, originally scheduled for 2021, was postponed for second time to 2023. This event was ready to be held from 26 June to 7 July, but was also derailed on Friday. Said FISU President Leonz Eder (AUT):

“The decision to reschedule Chengdu 2021 is not one that was made easily, but it is the right decision for university athletes. Their welfare is always our number one priority. Continued uncertainty over conditions has made rescheduling the sensible choice [as] a number of National University Sports Federations had already changed their plans.”

● The Wanda Diamond League in track & field was scheduled to host two meets in China following the World Championships in Eugene: in Shanghai on 30 July and Shenzhen on 6 August.

Both are cancelled, and the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Chorzow (POL) will be elevated from Continental Tour Gold status to replace the Shenzhen meet on 6 August (moved up from 4 September) and will soak up most of the events from both meets.

These will likely not be the last events in China to be rearranged or cancelled as the country continues its struggle with the virus amid its zero-tolerance policy.

● Collegiate Sport ● University of Arizona athletics director Dave Heeke told the Arizona Daily Star what everyone else has said privately.

If the flood of cash to players for name, image and likeness at major university football and men’s basketball programs continues unchecked as it is now:

“It would really erode our overall Olympic programs or we’d have to be completely restructured.

“If that train really goes down, if you really take NILs and everything to the extreme, there is not room for all these other programs beyond football and basketball. There just isn’t.”

Just so we’re clear, this is where we’re heading unless something changes soon.

● Russia ● The head of the International Paralympic Committee, Andrew Parsons (BRA) told the Inside The Games site:

“We are going to call an Extraordinary General Assembly which will probably take place around November together with our membership gathering where we will put forward two questions for the membership to decide. …

“First of all, is [whether] we should include that respecting the Olympic Trust is a membership obligation because at the moment it is not. This is why we as a Board could not suspend Russia and Belarus as our first decision. If the membership says ‘Yes’ to that then in a similar situation in the future we can suspend them.

“The second decision is [whether] the membership wants to suspend or terminate the membership of the National Paralympic Committees of Russia and Belarus. The General Assembly can suspend them and terminate their membership for these reasons whereas we, as a Board, can only spend suspend them if they breach a membership obligation.”

● Athletics ● Jamaica’s double-double Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herah stunned the world with not only her Tokyo heroics, but her sensational 10.54 victory at the 2021 Prefontaine Classic in Eugene last August.

Now, Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association President Garth Gayle is lobbying for that mark to be recognized as the world record and have the fabled 10.49 by American Florence Griffith-Joyner from the 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials invalidated.

Many observers who were in Indianapolis swear that the 10.49 quarterfinal was wind-aided, but the reading was 0.0 m/s, essentially meaning a crosswind was blowing during the race.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe (GBR) was asked about this:

“We may all have our own views about the era in which some of these records were set but I think legally, and with structures like the Court of Arbitration for Sport where things get challenged, this is not easy territory. But, let us just celebrate those extraordinary performances that are beginning to get quite close to some of these records that we’re talking about.”

In other words, forget it. And with the 2022 World Championships at the same stadium where Thompson-Herah ran 10.54, maybe she’ll take care of it on her own.

● Ice Hockey ● The International Ice Hockey Federation announced that a joint bid by Hungary and Slovenia have offer a joint bid to replace St. Petersburg (RUS) as host of the 2023 men’s World Championship.

The proposed sites would be the new MVM Dome in Budapest (19,182 capacity) for most of the games, including the semis and the medal matches. Some of the group-stage and quarterfinal games would be at the Arena Stozice (10,500) in Ljubljana. The dates would remain at 5-21 May 2023.

Both potential hosts have just been promoted to the World Championship level, and wanted to take the opportunity to host now.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HIGHLIGHTS: Omanyala 9.85, Fraser-Pryce 10.76 among 7 world leads in Nairobi; Van der Poel leads Giro d’Italia; U.S. U-17 women win CONCACAF title, 2-1

By
Rich Perelman
-
Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce celebrates her 200 m win at the Pan American Games in Lima (Photo: Lima 2019)

Headline results of noteworthy competitions around the world/Updated/:

● Artistic Swimming ● The fourth leg of the FINA World Series was hosted by Australia and held as a “virtual event” with videos of each performance submitted for judging.

Only first-day results were available, with the women’s Solo Technical won by Austria’s Vasiliki Alexandri (84.1776) and Austrian sisters Anna-Maria and Eirini Alexandri taking the women’s Duet Technical (87.8449).

In the Mixed Duet Technical, Yotaro Sato and Tomoka Sato (JPN) scored 83.5156 to win, while the U.S. won the Team Technical event (84.8199) and the Team Highlights (87.8000).

● Athletics ● Saturday’s Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi (KEN) was important for many reasons, not the least of which was as a promotion for a possible World Championship at the 60,000-seat Kasanari Stadium.

But even with admission reportedly free to the event, only the lower-level seats were fairly full and the upper level was mostly empty; maybe 20,000 were there. But what they saw was historic.

While Kenya is justly known for its distance prowess, it was the sprints that provided the biggest thrills, especially in the men’s 100m. Olympic 100 m champ Lamont Marcell Jacobs (ITA) had a stomach ailment that reportedly required a hospital visit and could not run, leaving silver medalist Fred Kerley of the U.S. to battle new Kenyan star Ferdinand Omanyala.

The first start was recalled, but Kerley and American Mike Rodgers ran halfway down the track before slowing. On the re-start, Omanyala got out best and was in full speed with Kerley also separating from the field by 40 m and that’s the way they finished – to a loud roar from the home crown – with Omanyala claiming a world-leading 9.85, with Kerley at 9.92, with a legal 2.0 m/s wind. American Isiah Young was third at 10.13.

That was one of seven world leaders on the day; please note that Nairobi is at 5,889 feet of altitude, considered to be very “altitude-aided” for the sprints and jumps:

● Men/100 m: 9.85, Ferdinand Omanyala (KEN)
● Men/1,500 m: 3:31.01, Abel Kipsang (KEN)
● Men/Hammer: 81.43 m (267-2), Wojciech Nowicki (POL)

● Women/100 m: 10.67, Shelly-Anne Fraser-Pryce (JAM)
● Women/1,500 m: 4:01.50, Diribe Welteji (ETH)
● Women/Steeple: 9:04.95, Norah Jeruto (KAZ)
● Women/5,000 m: 14:49.87, Giramit Gebrzihair (ETH)

Fraser-Pryce dominated the women’s 100 m, running away from the start and winning unchallenged in 10.67 into a 0.4 m/s headwind! That’s the equal-12th performance of all time and Fraser-Pryce’s no. 3 performance – she ran 10.60 and 10.63 in 2021 – and at age 35, she isn’t slowing down.

Namibia’s teen star, Christine Mboma, who has run 10.97 and 21.87 this season, did not finish after appearing to pull a right hamstring halfway through the race; she had to be carried off on a stretcher. Egypt’s Bassant Hemida was second in a lifetime best of 11.02 and American Shannon Ray was third in 11.33.

Nigeria’s Aminatou Seyni won the women’s 200 m in 22.43 (no. 10 for 2022); South Africa’s Prudence Sekgodisa won the 800 m in 1:58.41, no. 2 for the season, and Welteji’s world-leading 1,500 m in 4:01.50 led Birke Haile (ETH: 4:02.25) and Edina Jebitok (KEN: 4:02.66), nos. 2-3 for 2022.

Former Kenyan Jeruto now runs for Kazakstan and won the Steeple easily in 9:04.95, ahead of Kenya’s Faith Cherotich (9:12.04) and Peruth Chemutai (UGA: 9:02.07), now 2-3 for 2022.

In the women’s hammer, triple Olympic gold medalist Anita Wlodarczyk (POL) moved to no. 2 on the world list at 78.06 m (256-1) with American Janee Kassanavoid now at no. 3 at 76.82 m (252-0).

In the men’s 200 m, Canada’s Aaron Brown won in 20.05w (+2.1) over American Kyree King (20.18) and Kenya won all four of the distance races with Emmanuel Wanyonyi (1:45.01), Kipsang (3:31.01 world leader), Abraham Kibiwot (8:21.92) in the Steeple and Jacob Krop (13:12.19) in the 5,000 m.

Friday night’s Sound Running The Track Meet in San Juan Capistrano, California had a much smaller crowd, but some impressive performances, including two world leaders:

● Men/5,000 m: 13:02.03, Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR)

● Women/800 m: 1:58.18, Allie Wilson (USA)

Ingebrigtsen led four men under 13:10, equaling his second-best time ever, and flew by Mohamed Mohumed (GER: 13:03.18 lifetime best) in the final 100 m for the victory; his final 400 m was 54.6. Third was American Joe Klecker (13:04.42 lifetime best), then Abdihamed Nur (USA: 13:06.32) of Northern Arizona. Nur’s time breaks one of the long-standing collegiate records of all-time, Washington State’s (and Kenyan) Henry Rono’s then-world record 13:08.4 in Berkeley in 1978.

Nur’s prior best had been 13:19.01 indoors in March in winning the NCAA Indoors. Klecker’s best had been 13:06.67 from 2021 on the same track.

Wilson, the former Monmouth star who finished sixth in the Olympic Trials 800 m, scored a lifetime best while getting a world-leader in the 800, beating fellow American and NCAA runner-up Nia Akins (1:58.82 lifetime best) and Canadian Lindsey Butterworth (1:59.59).

Canadian star Gabriela DeBues-Stafford won the 1,500 m in what was – before the Keino meet – a world-leading 4:03.20, ahead of Sinclaire Johnson (USA: 4:03.33, lifetime best) and Britain’s Kate Snowden (4:03.90).

In the second section of the men’s 1,500 m, Newbury Park High School star Colin Sahlman finished third in 3:39.59, a lifetime best and moving him to no. 4 on the all-time U.S. high school list. Only Hobbs Kessler (3:34.36 ‘21), Alan Webb (3:38.26 ’01) and Jim Ryun (3:39.0 ‘64) have ever run faster in high school. Sahlman is also now no. 6 on the all-time U.S. Junior list (in case you’re wondering, he’s headed to Northern Arizona next season).

At the USD Twilight meet on Friday evening in Greenfield, South Dakota, Olympic silver medalist Chris Nilsen of the U.S. won the men’s vault at 6.00 m (19-8 1/4), making it on his first try to become the world outdoor leader.

He’s now the 22nd man to clear 6 m outdoors in the vault, and the sixth American; he set a lifetime best of 6.05 m (19-10 1/4) indoors this season.

Tokyo Olympian Emily Sisson not only won the USA Track & Field Half Marathon Championships – also the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon – in Indianapolis on Saturday, she did it in style, setting an American Record of 1:07:11, shaving four seconds off Sara Hall’s 1:07:15 from January.

Andrea Pomaranski, 39, was second in 1:13:12.

The men’s race was yet another match between Leonard Korir and Futsum Zeinasellassie, who finished 2-6 at the USATF 15 km Championships earlier this year; Zeinasellassie finished ahead of Korir (5th and 7th) at the 2021 USATF Half. Korir won the USATF Half title in 2017 and 2019.

The two ran together for much of the race and could not be separated until Korir managed to get to the line in 1:02:35, just a second ahead of Zeinasellassie (1:02:36). Jacob Thomson was third in 1:02:46. It’s Korir’s eighth career U.S. national title, including Cross Country, 10 km, 15 km, 20 km and the Half.

Olympic Trials winner Garrett Scantling and Florida star Anna Hall both achieved world-leading scores to dominate the USATF Combined Events Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Scantling, fourth in Tokyo, had a brilliant second day, winning the 110 m hurdles and javelin and was runner-up in the discus and pole vault on the way to a lifetime best of 8,867 points, moving him to no. 3 all-time U.S. Only Ashton Eaton (9,045) and Dan O’Brien (8,891) have scored more and it’s the best American score since Eaton’s Rio 2016 Olympic gold. He’s no. 7 on the all-time world list!

Each of the top three got lifetime bests, with Georgia’s Kyle Garland scoring 8,720 for second and Zach Ziemek at 8,572 for third. Steven Bastien scored 8,135 for fourth.

Garland is now no. 7 on the all-time U.S. list and shattered the collegiate record of 8,539 by Texas A&M’s Lindon Victor (GRN) from 2017. Wow!

The University of Florida’s Hall won three of the last four events to score 6,458, increase her world lead, and win going away. Importantly, Hall’s lifetime best also achieved the World Championships qualifying score of 6.420, so she will represent the U.S. at the Worlds in Eugene this summer. She finished with a sensational 800 m in 2:03.11!

Ashtin Mahler was second at 6,184, followed by Michelle Atherley (6,154). Kendell Williams competed only on the first day, as she is already qualified for the Worlds by winning the World Athletics Combined Events Tour last season. Tokyo Olympian Erica Bougard also has a qualifying score from 2021, but competed only in two events.

At the Combined Events Tour Gold meet in Ratingen (GER), Swiss Simon Ehammer scored a lifetime best of 8,354 to win, but also moved to no. 2 on the world long jump list for 2022 with an outstanding 8.30 m (27-2 3/4) effort on his third try.

Ehammer, 22, and German Tim Nowak (8,160) were the only scorers over 8,000 points.

Germany scored a 1-2 in the heptathlon, with Sophie Weissenberg winning at 6,273, followed by 2017 Worlds silver winner Carolin Schaefer at 6,170, the only finishers above 6,000.

On Sunday, the Seiko Golden Grand Prix meet (Continental Tour Gold) was held in Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium, with American Christian Coleman winning the 100 m easily – in cold conditions – in 10.09.

There were four more American winners, all mostly unchallenged.

American Michael Norman won the men’s 400 m easily in 44.62 and Rai Benjamin won the 400 m hurdles in 48.60. American Lynna Irby won the women’s 200 m in 23.09, and countrywoman Keni Harrison took the 100 m hurdles in 12.76.

● Beach Volleyball ● The Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge was in Doha (QAT) for fifth tournament of the season, with both champions taking their second wins of the season.

Second-seeded Michal Bryl and Bartosz Losiak (POL) swept aside Paolo Nicolai and Samuele Cottafava (ITA) in the final by 21-18, 21-15. The Poles won in the season-opening Challenge tournament in Mexico in March.

The no. 16 seeds, Martin Ermacora and Moritz Pristauz of Austria, won the men’s bronze medal by defeating third-seeds Yorick De Groot and Stefan Boermans (NED) by 21-17, 21-18.

The women’s final saw Brazilians Barbara Seixas and Carol Salgado – also winners of the season opener in Mexico – beat 10th-seeded Chantal Laboureur and Sarah Schulz (GER) in straight sets by 21-13, 21-13.

Swiss stars Tanja Huberli and Nina Brunner (SUI) won the bronze medal over Australian veterans Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho, 13-21, 21-19, 15-11.

● Canoe-Kayak ● The 2022 Pan American Slalom Championships were held in Oklahoma City (USA) and also served as the American selection meet for the ICF Worlds later this year.

In the Pan-Am Champs, contested on Friday and Saturday, American star Evy Leibfarth won both of the K-1 races on Friday, ahead of Brazil’s Omira Estacia Neta. On Saturday, Leibfarth won both heats again, first beating Estacia Neta and then American Ria Sribar in the second heat.

In the men’s K-1, American Joshua Joseph won both of Friday’s races, ahead of Argentina’s Lucas Rossi both times. On Saturday, it was American Tyler Westfall winning twice, both times ahead of Guilherme Rodrigues (BRA); Joseph was third in Saturday’s second race.

In the women’s C-1, Estacia Neta defeated Leibfarth twice on Friday and then in Saturday’s first heat, with Canadian Lois Betteridge getting up for second and Leibfarth third. But Saturday’s second race saw Leibfarth get the win, with Estacia Neta second and Betteridge third.

American star Casey Eichfeld finished ahead of teammate Zach Lokken in all four of the men’s C-1 races on Friday and Saturday.

The Extreme Canoe races actually had a playoff-style system, leading to a final. In the women’s championship race, Canada’s Lea Baldoni was the winner over Maria Luz Cassini (ARG), while Canadian Trevor Boyd won the men’s race over Andraz Echevarria of Chile.

● Curling ● /Updated/The final event of the Grand Slam of Curling season, the Champions Cup, was on at the Olds Sportsplex in Olds (CAN), with mostly familiar names in the final matches.

The men’s all-Canadian final had 2006 Olympic Champion Brad Gushue’s rink against two-time World Champion Kevin Koe. Despite trailing 2-0 after the first end, Gushue piled up ends of 2-1-3-2 to take an 8-2 lead and even with three points from Koe in the sixth, the match ended with an 8-5 win.

Canada’s Kerri Einarson, the 2022 Worlds bronze medalist, was favored against surprise finalist Un-chi Gim of Korea, a four-time Worlds entrant. The Canadians got off to a hot start, with a 3-0 lead after two ends and 7-2 after four. But the Koreans responded with a point in the fifth, two in the sixth and one in the seventh to get to 7-6. But Einarson engineered a three-point eighth end to win, 10-6.

● Cycling ● The first Grand Tour of the season, the 105th Giro d’Italia, started in Budapest (HUN) for three stages before heading to Italy for the last 18, finishing on 29 May.

The first ride was Friday’s hilly, 195 km race from Budapest to Visegrad, with a nasty uphill climb in the last 5 km. That did not deter a mass finish, with Dutch star Mathieu van der Poel getting his third UCI World Tour win of the season. He crossed just ahead of Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay, then Pello Bilbao (ESP), Magnus Cort (DEN) and Wilco Kelderman (NED).

Saturday was an Individual Time Trial in Budapest, covering just 9.2 km on a flat route, making it an all-out sprint. Britain’s Simon Yates, third in the Giro in 2021, won his fifth career Giro stage in 11:50, trailed by van der Poel (11:53) and 2017 Giro champ Tom Dumoulin (NED: 11:55).

Sunday’s final Hungarian stage was a fairly flat, 201 km ride from Kaposvar to Balatonfured, and super-sprinter Mark Cavendish (GBR) scored his 16th career Giro stage win at the end of a mass dash. Now 36, he timed 4:56:39 to beat Arnaud Demare (FRA), Fernando Gaviria (COL), Girmay, Jakub Mareczko (ITA) and others.

Heading back to Italy, the overall leader is Van der Poel, who has 11 seconds on Yates and 16 seconds on Dumoulin. Racing continues on Tuesday with a misery-inducing 172 km stage ending at Etna!

The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup racers were in Albstadt (GER), with a brilliant demonstration by Olympic Champion Tom Pidcock of Great Britain.

He stayed near the front of the seven-loop, 28.00 km course at the start, then took control on the fourth loop, forging a 20-second lead that he never relinquished. He extended his lead to 39 seconds by the end of the fifth loop and cruised home a 20-second winner over nine-time World Champion Nino Schurter (SUI) and 21 seconds over Romania’s Vlad Dascalu, 1:18:42-1:19:02-1:19:03.

The men’s Short Track (10.80 km) race went to New Zealand’s Samuel Gaze, who stormed the ninth and final lap to come from sixth to first in 21:29. He barely won, ahead of Jordan Sarrou (FRA) and Swiss legend Schurter, both also timed in 21:29, with eight more finishers within five seconds!

In Saturday’s 8.40 km Short Track race, Australia’s Rebecca McConnell won a mass finish, moving from fourth to first in the final lap in 18:56, ahead of Pauline Ferrand Prevot (FRA: also 18:56) with Sweden’s Jenny Rissveds and Swiss Alessandra Keller both two seconds back.

On Sunday, McConnell – a two-time Worlds bronze medalist – shook off everyone except 2016 Olympic champ Rissveds by the end of the fourth loop (of six) and then rode away to a 38-second lead by the end of the fifth loop, eventually winning by 48 seconds, 1:19:39-1:20:27. Austrian Mona Mitterwallner was third in 1:20:39.

● Fencing ● The Sabre stars were in World Cup action this week in Spain and Tunisia.

The men’s World Cup was the 39th edition of the Villa de Madrid Trophy meet, with 233 competitors entered, but Korea’s 2019 World Champion, Sang-uk Oh, the winner. He defeated Italy’s 2019 Worlds bronze medalist, Luca Curatoli, 15-11 in the final.

Sandro Bazadze (GEO) and Korea’s Jung-hwan Kim – the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist – finished third. American Eli Dershwitz reached the quarterfinals and finished sixth.

Oh and Kim teamed with Bon-gil Gu and Jun-ho Kim to win the team gold, 45-32, over Hungary.

The women’s Sabre World Cup was in Hammamet (TUN), with 23-year-old Misaki Emura (JPN) winning her first major international tournament and third World Cup medal overall. She out-pointed Greece’s Despina Georgiadou, 15-13, in the final.

France’s Manon Apithy-Brunet and Japan’s Kanae Kobayashi shared the bronze medals; it was the third medal of the season for the Apithy-Brunet. Korea defeated Japan, 45-25, in the team final.

● Football ● /Updated/The CONCACAF women’s U-17 Championship concluded in the Dominican Republic with two undefeated teams, the U.S. and Mexico, meeting in the final and the game not decided until the 77th minute.

Both teams entered with 6-0 records in the tournament, with the Americans sporting a 56-0 goals-against total and the Mexicans at 57 goals and none against.

In the semifinals, both teams pitched shutouts, with the Americans defeating Canada, 3-0, and Mexico shutting down Puerto Rico, 5-0.

The U.S. got an 18th-minute goal from Melina Rebimbas for a 1-0 halftime lead and she scored again in the 58th minute. Onyeka Gamero scored in the 78th minute for the 3-0 final. Mexico took an early lead with a fifth-minute goal from Valarie Vargas and an eighth-minute goal from Alice Soto and had a 4-0 halftime lead as Vargas scored again in the 29th minute.

In the final, the U.S. opened with a 20th-minute goal from Lauren Martinho to take a 1-0 lead that held up through halftime. Mexico got an equalizer from Maribel Flores in the 66th, but substitute striker Rebimbas got the game-winner in the 77th minute and the U.S. held on for a 2-1 win. The U.S. had an 18-4 edge in shots, but this was by far the closest game either side played in the entire tournament.

It’s the fifth CONCACAF Women’s U-17 title for the Americans and third in a row, defeating Mexico each time by 2-1 (2016), 3-2 (2018) and 2-1 in 2022.

Canada got three second-half goals to defeat Puerto Rico, 3-0, for the bronze medal.

● Rowing ● At the US Rowing National Selection Regatta 2 in West Windsor, New Jersey, the winners of the men’s and women’s Pairs and Double Sculls were vying for World Rowing World Cup invitations as a path to the 2022 World Championships.

Justin Best and Michael Grady were decisive winners in the men’s Pairs, clocking 6:37.45 to best Alexander Hedge and Ezra Carlson (6:41.91). The women’s Pairs final saw Claire Collins and Madeleine Wanamaker cross first in 7:13.09, a clear winner over Charlotte Buck and Jessica Thoennes (7:16.77).

In the Double Sculls, Kevin Cardno and Jonathan Kirkegaard won a tight men’s final over Dominique Williams and Jacob Plihal, 6:23.40-6:25.26. The women’s final was even tighter, with Kara Kohler and Sophia Vitas edging Sophia Luwis and Audrianna Boersen, 7:01.36-7:02.12.

● Sport Climbing ● The second IFSC World Cup of the season was in Seoul (KOR) and featured Bouldering and Speed events.

The Speed event came first, with Indonesia sweeping the top three places. The 2019 Asian Champion and current world-record holder, Veddriq Leonardo, won the final from countryman Kiromal Katibin in 6.96 after the latter false-started. Their teammate, Rahmad Adi Mulyono was third in 5.58, after Italy’s Ludovico Fossali fell.

Olympic fourth-placer – and 2019 World Champion in Speed – Aleksandra Miroslaw (POL) won the women’s Speed over American Emma Hunt, 6.72-7.23. Fellow Pole Aleksandra Kalucka won the bronze, 7.24-7.58, against Franziska Ritter (GER).

In Bouldering, Japan swept the top three places in the men’s division, with 2021 World Champion Kokoro Fujii (4T4Z~11/4), two-time World Champion Tomoa Narasaki (4T4Z~12/8) and Yoshiyuki Ogata (3T4Z~6/7).

America’s 2021 World Bouldering Champion Natalia Grossman scored her third career World Cup win with 4T4Z~7/5, over France’s Oriane Bertone (3T4Z~5/5) and fellow American Brooke Raboutou (3T3Z~6/5).

● Weightlifting ● The IWF World Junior Championships is ongoing in Heraklion (GRE), with 10 weight classes for both men and women and continuing through the 10th.

Through the first three-quarters of the tournament, medals have widely distributed, with only Indonesia winning more than one weight class.

The U.S. won four medals through the first six days, with Hampton Morris setting a World Junior Record in the Clean & Jerk in the 61 kg class and taking the gold medal. Ryan Grimsland won the bronze at 73 kg for the other men’s medal, and Katharine Estep (59 kg) and Olivia Reeves (71 kg) won silvers.

Ukraine’s Maksym Dombrovskyi won a heartwarming gold in the men’s 89 kg class, winning the overall title at 345 kg, winning the Clean & Jerk and second in Snatch. Svitlana Samuliak won the silver at 55 kg for women.

Indonesia’s Rizki Juniansyah dominated the men’s 73 kg class, winning both lifts (341 kg total) and setting a World Junior Record in the Snatch. In the women’s 49 kg class, Windy Cantika Aisah also won both lifts and scored an impressive victory at 185 kg.

● Wrestling ● /Updated/The U.S. sent a powerful team to the Pan American Championships in Acapulco (MEX), and came away with an impressive performance, taking the team titles in Greco-Roman and women’s Freestyle on Friday and Saturday.

The men’s Freestyle team overwhelmed the competition, winning eight of the 10 classes with Tom Gilman (61 kg), Daton Fix (61 kg), Joe McKenna (65 kg), three-time World Champion Kyle Dake (74 kg), five-time World Champion Jordan Burroughs (79 kg), Zahid Valencia (86 kg), two-time World Champion J’Den Cox (92 kg), and two-time World Champion Kyle Snyder (97 kg).

Canada won two classes: Emmanuel Olapade at 70 kg and Amar Dhesi at 125 kg, defeating American Nick Gwiazdowski.

In Greco-Roman, the U.S. led all countries with four wins, from Brady Koontz at 55 kg, Randon Miranda (60 kg), Samuel Lee Jones (63 kg) and Patrick Smith at 72 kg, plus three more bronze medals. Cuba won three weight classes, from Yosvanys Pena (77 kg), Daniel Gregorich (87 kg) and Oscar Pino (130 kg).

The American women won half of the weight classes and picked up two silvers to dominate the division. The gold medalists included Tokyo silver winner Sarah Hildebrandt (50 kg), Dominique Parrish (53 kg), 2021 Worlds bronze medalist Forrest Molinari (65 kg), Skylar Grote (72 kg) and Dymond Guilford (76 kg). The silvers were won by 2019 World Champion Jacarra Winchester (55 kg) and 2021 Worlds silver medalist Kayla Miracle at 62 kg.

Canada won three classes with Karla Godinez at 55 kg, Laurence Beauregard at 59 kg and Ana Godinez at 62 kg.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THE TICKER: White House welcomes massive U.S. summer-winter teams; French gov’t report asks better 2024 equine safety; U.S. women U-17s in CONCACAF semis

By
Rich Perelman
-
Team USA at the White House (Photo: U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee via Twitter)

● Plus: Winter Games 2030: IOC experts to visit Sapporo = Commonwealth Games 2026: Victoria allocates $1.84 billion U.S. = World Games: Record country total; Lionel Richie to perform in closing ceremony = SCCOG: Ready, Set, Gold! expanding again = Russia: new, separate football tournaments to be organized = Athlete Safety: NBC report says 20 banned coaches still working with kids = Athletics: Famed runner and writer Kenny Moore passes at 78 = Cross Country Skiing: equal distances for men and women proposed, but not everyone is happy = Equestrian: De Vos to run for third Presidential term unopposed = Swimming: USA Swimming updates Worlds roster; Andrew now in five events = Wrestling: Cuban star Borrero defects in Acapulco ●

The latest news, notes and quotes from the worldwide Five-Ring Circus:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

“The pandemic made training and competing especially difficult and draining. But you did it. You all did it. And we were in awe not just of your incredible athleticism but your endurance and your state of mind — but most of all your character. You all have such incredible character.”

U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed an immense throng of Olympians and Paralympians to the South Lawn of the White House on Wednesday, congratulating the members of the Tokyo and Beijing Games teams. Among his remarks:

“There are people you’ll never meet who witnessed how hard you competed, trained, and pushed yourself. And you helped them believe in themselves. You’ve helped them believe that they can do things that, ‘Maybe, maybe – just maybe I can.’

“They look at you and see that despite the emotional, mental, and financial, and physical toll, you’ve never gave up. You just don’t quit.”

“As I said to our foreign leaders – my counterparts: There’s no quit in America. There’s just no quit. And you’re the quintessential example of that. There’s no quit in America. None.

“The power of your example gives so many people strength to never give up as well. It matters. It particularly matters today. Because of the pandemic, so much turmoil has occurred. So many people are dealing with problems, particularly little kids, in terms of health, mental health problems, and the like. You’ve given people so much hope.

“In you, I see who we are as a nation. The only nation in the world that can be defined by one word – one word. I was asked when I was in the Tibetan Plateau with Xi Jinping – and he looked at me. … I had a simultaneous interpreter, and he had one. And he looked at me and he said, ‘Can you define America for me?’ It’s a true story; it’s been published all over the world by now. And I said, ‘Yes, I can, in one word: possibilities.’

“We believe: In America, anything is possible. And you are the explanation of what we mean.”

Bobsled star Elana Meyers Taylor spoke for the athlete assembly, echoing Biden’s comments:

“As a team, Olympians, Paralympians, summer athletes, winter athletes, we’ve been through a lot. We came together and we persevered, and we hope we’ve made this country proud.”

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Games of the XXXIII Olympiad: Paris 2024 ● A 72-page report from an animal-welfare study group of the French National Assembly made 46 recommendations to the Paris organizers for equine welfare at the 2024 Games.

The report is aimed at the 2024 organizing committee and not at the Swiss-based International Olympic Committee or Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) because that’s who the National Assembly has jurisdiction over. The Modern Pentathlon, of which riding will still be a part in 2024, is also noted.

The recommendations are mostly technical, dealing with stables space, workout grounds, grounds and a lot of detail about equipment worn by horses and their riders, and constant checks to ensure safety. Also:

● “Respect and the welfare of horses in competition is under increased scrutiny by animal welfare organisations, the public and industry. The Tokyo Olympic Games gave a very poor public image on these issues.”

● For Jumping: “Return to the pre-Tokyo Olympic Games show jumping format of 4 rider-horse pairs per team, with a drop-score”; “Accept the French Equestrian Federation’s (FFE) request to reschedule the individual event after the team events” and “Organise events involving show jumping in daylight, while avoiding the hottest periods of the day.”

● For Cross Country: “Improve the protection of horses by fully checking their clinical condition before deciding whether or not to allow them entry to the Olympic Games.” … “Equip the cross-country course with 100% of obstacles designed to collapse in the event of a fall or impact.”

For the Pentathlon, the recommendations include “Assign a different horse to each rider to avoid multiple rounds,” to “Draw lots for the horse 24 hours before the event, so that every rider-horse pair can get to know each other” and “Lower the height of the obstacles to 110 cm maximum.”

Observed: Would those changes have avoided the issues in Tokyo that led German coach Kim Raisner to punch the horse Saint Boy for not cooperating with pentathlete Annika Schleu? As Saint Boy had already had a difficult ride earlier in the event, it might have. And that would have changed the current trajectory of the Pentathlon out of the 2028 Games.

● XXVI Olympic Winter Games: 2030 ● The International Olympic Committee’s three-member technical team that has visited Salt Lake City and is in Vancouver (CAN) will visit Sapporo (JPN) by the end of May.

A total of 13 sites are expected to be visited. The bids from Sapporo and Salt Lake City are the most advanced so far, but no decision appears to be imminent.

● Commonwealth Games: Victoria 2026 ● The Victoria State Government announced its budget for 2022-23 that will allocate A$2.6 billion ($1.84 billion U.S.) to support the project:

“Four regional athlete hubs will be established in Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland, creating jobs, housing and modern sports infrastructure to encourage Victorians to get active and attract future major events to every corner of the state. Shepparton will also host sporting and cultural events as part of the Commonwealth Games. …

“The 2026 Commonwealth Games are expected to create more than 600 jobs before the Games, 3,900 jobs during the Games and a further 3,000 jobs after the event – more than 7,500 jobs in total.”

● World Games: Birmingham 2022 ● The International World Games Association announced that a record 110 countries will send athletes to compete in 34 sports and 223 medal events. That’s eight more than the 102 nations at the 2017 World Games in Wroclaw, Poland. Afghanistan was the latest country to confirm a qualifying place for Birmingham.

The U.S. will have an enormous team, with 373 qualifiers in 142 events. Ukraine has qualified 140 athletes in 80 events and arrangements are being made to find a way to get them safely to Birmingham.

Alabama native Lionel Richie will perform at the Closing Ceremony in Birmingham, echoing his iconic performance at the closing of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, where he performed a specially-adapted, nine-minute version of his “All Night Long” hit from 1983.

Richie will add to an already impressive line-up including Alabama, Taylor Hicks, Reuben Studdard, the legendary Martha Reeves. The World Games opening on 7 July will include musical guests Alabama, Nelly, Sara Evans, Sheila E., Tony! Toni! Tone!, and Yolanda Adams.

● Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games ● “Ready, Set, Gold! has evolved to the point that it is now the primary way that Southern California students learn about the Olympic and Paralympic values. I am proud of how the program adapted during the Covid pandemic and how we found a way to grow our audience and continue to serve our community.

“With the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games coming to Los Angeles, we are ideally situated to increase our impact in this community, and possibly nationwide as well.”

That’s 1976 Olympic swimming superstar John Naber, the four-time Olympic gold medalist, and Chair of the unique Ready, Set, Gold! Program that is a direct legacy of the failed Los Angeles bid for the 2016 Olympic Games.

Not just the host of the 1932 and 1984 Games, Los Angeles – via the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games – has been a perpetual bidder for the Games when allowed and bid for the U.S. designation as the American candidate for the 2012 and 2016 Games, losing to New York and Chicago, which both lost at the international level.

But during the U.S. bid process for the 2016 Games in 2006, the concept of bringing Olympians directly into L.A.-area schools to inspire children in both athletic and lifestyle learning was made into reality with the development of Ready, Set, Gold! by the SCCOG.

The program has continued to expand, now serving 72 schools in five Southern California school districts, with more than 40 Olympians and Paralympians participating and touching 8,720 students in-person and 35,000 plus virtually each academic year.

The pandemic forced the RSG! Project online, which dramatically expanded its reach and allowed new instruction and excitement around at-home exercise, better diet and nutrition and finding new outlets for leadership. Among the current “instructors” are Olympians who share their experiences including Pairs skating star Tai Babilonia (1976-80 Winter Games), Beijing 2008 beach volleyball’s Nicole Branagh (2008), swimming stars like Jordan Wilimovsky (2016-20) and track & field stars Reynaldo Brown (1968), Rosalyn Bryant (1976), Mark Crear (1996-2000), Allen James (1992-96) and more.

With children back to in-person leading, 80 schools are targeted for the 2022-23 school program. Pretty impressive for a failed bid!

● Russia ● The talk of separatist sports competitions continues, with State Duma Deputy Boris Paikin saying Wtorriednesday:

“It is necessary to stipulate for a series of international competitions among football clubs from friendly countries. This would be a real response to the international isolation of Russian sports in general and football in particular.

“For example, as you know, the Russian Football Union has developed a set of measures to support Russian football. The RFU is proposing to attract more than 20 billion rubles of extra-budgetary additional funding for the development of sports every year.

“Russian sports federations should take the initiative and act as organizers of international-level competitions. We have extensive organizational experience for this, all the necessary capabilities, and most importantly, top-class athletes.”

● Athlete Safety ● A disturbing report from NBC News states “[a]t least 20 people appear to be working with kids after they were accused of abuse and barred from participating in Olympic-affiliated events.”

An analysis found that 20 coaches banned for abuse and other violations of the U.S. SafeSport Code are today working with children, out of some 1,400 coaches banned by the Center or a U.S. National Governing Body. The story included:

“One coach who was banned for drugging and raping an athlete sued SafeSport, claiming his ban precluded him from earning a living. In response, SafeSport lawyers said the coach wasn’t precluded from employment and could, in fact, continue to coach.

“‘He can go overseas and work for another Olympic committee,’ the motion filed by SafeSport says. ‘He could work in a Taekwondo studio that is not subject to the auspices of the U.S. Olympic Committee or under their purview.’”

Congress created the U.S. Center for SafeSport in 2017 in response to the Nassar abuse scandal in gymnastics, and it receives $20 million in funding each year from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. It files a quarterly report with the USOPC on its activities; TheSportsExaminer.com has asked for these reports to be made public, but none have been as yet.

Said SafeSport chief executive Ju’Riese Colon in the story:

“I do not think that people who have been banned from Olympic and Paralympic sports should have the flexibility to move on to someone’s local school or university.

“That’s not what the intent of the Center was. It’s just something that unfortunately has happened at least 20 times.”

● Athletics ● A gifted runner and storyteller, Kenny Moore brought the joy and challenges of running and track & field to audiences for decades through his writing for Sports Illustrated and in books.

He passed away on Wednesday (4th) at his home in Kailua, Hawaii, at age 78.

Moore ran for Oregon, but was best known for his fourth-place finish in the marathon at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, won by fellow American Frank Shorter, one of the launch events of what became the American running boom of the 1970s and 1980s.

A three-time All-American for Oregon in the Steeple (6th in ‘64 and ‘66) and the 5,000 m (‘66), he made the U.S. Olympic Team in the marathon in 1968 (14th) and 1972. A Stanford Law grad, he got a Master of Fine Arts in writing from Oregon after the Munich Games and soon began a brilliant writing career.

His work in Sports Illustrated was exquisite and he used his high profile to lobby for athlete’s rights. He worked on two feature films about the sport, “Personal Best” (1982) and “Without Limits” (1998). He was most proud of his book about his college coach at Oregon, Bowerman and the Men of Oregon (2006).

● Cross Country Skiing ● The three-time Olympic champion Vegard Ulvang (NOR), head of the International Ski Federation’s Cross Country Executive Board, is proposing that the race distances between men and women should be equalized.

Vegard believes the gender equity argument is the strongest reason for this, but he has received substantial pushback from some women in the sport.

At present, the FIS Cross Country World Cup features sprints, one 10 km race and mostly 15 km races for men, plus the annual 50 km race in Oslo at the end of the season. Women’s races includes sprints and 10 km races for women, with a 30 km race at Oslo.

Vegard proposes distance races of 10 km, 20 km and 50 km; the FIS Cross Country Executive Board is scheduled to discuss the matter on 18 May.

● Equestrian ● The Federation Equestre International (FEI) announced, to no surprise:

“FEI President Ingmar De Vos is set to be re-elected for a third and final four-year term after being confirmed as the sole candidate for the Presidential election that will take place during the FEI General Assembly in Cape Town (RSA) on 13 November 2022.”

The 58-year-old Belgian has drawn high marks for keeping his sport in high esteem after the horse-punching incident that marred the Tokyo competition in Modern Pentathlon and has brought that sport to the brink of elimination from the Olympic program for 2028.

He was elected in 2014 and re-elected by acclimation in 2018. He is also respected outside the sport and was only the fourth FEI President (of 13) to become an IOC member, in 2017. He serves on the IOC Legal Affairs Commission, Women in Sport Commission and the Los Angeles 2028 Coordination Commission; he was previously a member of the IOC Digital and Technology Commission.

● Swimming ● USA Swimming published a completed roster for the 2022 World Championships in Budapest, adding selections for the 50 m races not already filled.

In addition, Freestyle superstar Katie Ledecky dropped the 200 m Free from her schedule and will now compete in the 400-800-1,500 m Freestyles, where she will be the favorite in all three. She will be replaced by Leah Smith, who finished third at the Trials in that event.

The U.S. line-up is now led by Michael Andrew, who will swim in five individual events and could be selected for four relays for a total of nine events! Those now confirmed to swim in three or more events:

5: Michael Andrew: men’s 50 m Free; 50-100 m Breast; 50-100 m Fly
4: Caeleb Dressel: men’s 50-100 m Free; 50-100 m Fly
3: Nic Fink: men’s 50-100-200 m Breast

4: Claire Curzan: women’s 100 m Free, 100 m Back, 50-100 m Fly
4: Torri Huske: women’s 50-100 m Free, 50-100 m Fly
3: Lilly King: women’s 50-100-200 m Breast
3: Katie Ledecky: women’s 400-800-1,500 m Free
3: Leah Smith: women’s 200-400-800 m Free
3: Regan Smith: women’s 50-100 m Back; 200 m Fly

The men’s team includes 20 swimmers, with no teenagers, three 20-year-olds, 13 between 21-25 and four from 26-28; the team elders will be 28-year-olds Fink and Chase Kalisz.

The 21 members of the women’s team include seven teens, four 20-year-olds and 10 swimmers in their 20s. Freestyle relay sprinter Natalie Hinds is the oldest at 28.

● Wrestling ● Cuba’s Rio Olympic 59 kg Greco-Roman gold medalist Ismael Borrero, 30, left the team that is in Acapulco (MEX) for the 2022 Pan American Championships and is apparently defecting.

The Cuban Sports Institute’s statement condemned his decision and said it “constitutes serious evidence of indiscipline within the Cuban sports system, and leaves aside the objectives of his team in this competition and the four years of work in preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics.”

Cuban athletes have defected during competitions in foreign countries for decades and Mexico is a popular choice; 11 of the 24 members of Cuba’s U-23 baseball team defected last October during the WBSC World Cup in Sonora.

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Football ● The U.S. Women’s U-17 squad sailed past Jamaica, 4-0, in its quarterfinal match in the CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship and will face Canada in a semifinal on Friday (6th).

Amalia Villareal scored eighth goal of the tournament to give the U.S. a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute and the Americans added first-half scores from Charlotte Kohler (32nd minute) and Riley Jackson (42nd) for a 3-0 halftime advantage. Melina Rebimbas scored the final goal in the 56th. The U.S. had a 40-3 shots advantage and still has not been scored on in the tournament.

Canada defeated Costa Rica, 3-0, while in the upper portion of the bracket, Mexico stomped the Dominican Republic, 10-0, and Puerto Rico eliminated El Salvador, 2-0.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HEARD AT HALFTIME: Building a bigger Olympic TV audience “a top priority” says Hirshland as U.S. Tokyo and Beijing teams visit White House

By
Rich Perelman
-

● Plus: IOC: TOP sponsor Airbnb offering second year of $2,000 grants = On Screen: Penn Relays draws modest TV audience = Los Angeles 2028: New $30 million cricket stadium coming to Irvine, a boost for 2028 inclusion = Basketball: U.S. State Dept. changes to more active status on Griner detention = Boxing: European confederation elects new board, including one Russian = Figure Skating: ‘88 Pairs bronze winner Oppegard suspended by SafeSport = Football: UEFA bans Russian teams; FIFA reports 49 national federation sanctions in first quarter; Infantino urges investment in ‘26 World Cup legacy = Swimming: Three-event World Cup schedule revealed, with one in Indianapolis = AT THE BUZZER: Columbia and LA28 partner for intern training through 2028 ●

News, views and noise from the non-stop, worldwide circus of Olympic sport:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

The Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games was a big hit in Canada. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported that 70% of all Canadians watched some part of the Games and 50% watched an average of 102 minutes in primetime during the 15 full days of competition.

In the U.S., NBC reported a nightly primetime average of 11.6 million viewers (3.4% of the population) and that 160 million Americans (48%) watched some part of the Games. Tokyo wasn’t a lot better.

So is the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee worried?

Yep.

Says USOPC chief executive Sarah Hirshland, “There’s work to do on that. And it is a top priority.”

During an hour-long Monday interview, Hirshland explained the USOPC’s new structure and then expanded on the vision for the future developed by the Board and staff:

● “The first thing I want to talk about is the notion of athlete excellence and performance, because that is critical and foundational to our mission and to who we are, and will be a very important priority as we go forward.

“Part of this work is about how we continue to invest in, and innovate in, holistic human performance. And that’s a big area of focus and will continue to be a big area of focus. The integration of functions under this new Chief of Sport and Athlete Services is all about that. How are we leveraging technology and innovation to continue to drive performance, how are we thinking about the efficiency of the dollars we invest and where we invest them to drive performance, how do we take advantage of synergies across National Governing Bodies and across sports to really able to continue to drive that holistic, human and athletic performance.

“So that’s a first area that’s really, really important,. It’s not lost on us that the rest of the world is making significant investments in their athletic programs and while we have had great success, particularly in the summer Olympic Games, and some growing success in other areas; we’re not where we want to be, and so we’ve got work to do there and sometimes it is both about improving your position and, if you’re in the position at the top, holding that position is something you can’t take for granted, and we don’t take any of that for granted.

“So, it’s really important and it has to be first on the list.”

● “Number two is really about sport advancement, and that is, to a degree, about insuring that we’re focused on the integrity of sports, that we’re creating a fair, safe and inclusive environment where sport can thrive and that includes effective and successful National Governing Bodies and continued support to fight doping, issues of that nature and really making sure that we don’t lose sight of sport in this country and the advancement, efficiency and effectiveness of sport administration.”

● “A third area is community growth … We know that we are a movement that takes massive, massive support and has had – and continues to have – incredible support from many areas, not the least is the corporate community, the broadcast and content community, and the donor community, all of which are absolutely essential to our success.

“And we are concerned about the trend that you referenced, and the massively-changing consumption habits in our country in particular, around television, around cable television, around streaming, around social media and how to reach audiences. The game is just different today. It used to be we lived in a world which the Olympics was appointment viewing, as you know, and you could go to one place and navigate your way to find all the things you wanted to find, and we don’t live in that world any more. And so there has to be an evolution of how we think about allowing audiences to choose when and how they are going to interact with the Games in very, very different ways and for different reasons.

“And so there is a lot of time and energy and conversation that is happening with our partners at NBC around how we think about the future of telling these stories and content consumption and different mechanisms to do that through a variety of different channels. It’s critically important and we have to continue to engage the American consumer – by the way, at all ages and in all places – and we’re not where we want to be on that.”

Hirshland also spoke a little about leadership, tactics and bringing more folks to help with the push to re-design how the Games can regenerate a higher profile:

“The key on this one is actually a blend between what will be our Strategy and Growth group, under Katie Bynum’s leadership, and [U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Properties] and LA28 [organizing committee]. Partially because, the natural evolution of telling stories is in many ways fueled by the support of the sponsorship and licensing community, and, as we’re delivering value, delivering content is a piece of that value, more today than it ever was. …

“The more integrated we become in working with the corporate community and the content distribution community – whether that’s NBC or social channels or other channels – we can make one-plus-one equal three, to use a very old cliche, but an important way to think about.

“And we’re also asking the [International Olympic Committee] to join us at that table and be thoughtful about what role they can and will play as they become a more-flat organization whose also focused on their own reputation and brand and how they are supporting the continued evolution of what the Rings stand for.

“So, yes, I would call it an ‘interdisciplinary task force’ if you want to use those words, because there are a lot of us who have a vested interest in this at all levels. And so we’re all sitting at the table and how to best work together to accomplish what we need to.”

Hirshland also spoke to today’s marketing efforts that involve social media, a much different way to touch Americans than the direct-mail programs so widely – and effectively – used by the USOC’s marketing programs of the 1990s:

“I think the important thing to understand, too, is it’s not moving from direct mail to social media per se, because it’s just a proliferation of channels and a proliferation of voices.

“So promoting the Olympic Movement may have been the USOC in the ‘90s, and today, there are 500 athletes whose voices are as loud as many others, and so their voices matter enormously as well and that’s the challenge that we’re all facing, is figuring out how to navigate that. In many ways there are advantages and in many ways there are disadvantages and challenges with it, but it is a very different landscape and a very different marketplace.

“But the ability to touch Americans is easier now than it has ever been in concept. In execution is where you have to really be thoughtful about how to get that right, and make sure that the touches they’re getting have enough consistency to have the impact you want.”

As she noted, much easier said than done. Hirshland also sees the challenge ahead as the long-time structure of collegiate sport – on which the USOPC has been historically dependent – continues to implode:

“The NCAA has had, and I think will continue to have, an important role to play in ‘national championships’ and collegiate championships. … The NCAA is sort of organized by the life-cycle stage of an athlete in terms of, you may go through youth sports, and then to high school sports and then you get into college sports and maybe you graduate into professional or elite sport.

“And our ecosystem is organized by sport: vertical, right? USA Volleyball takes young volleyball players all the way through the most elite. And so how do we almost bring the horizontal and the vertical lines a little closer together as we think about the athlete experience? The conversation that we’re having in some very real ways, and the championships and the role of NGBs in sport governance and in competitions is something we’re poking around at quite a bit. …

“It has the potential to impact the upstream of sport – and elite sport – as it relates to Team USA and the NGBs and it will certainty impact the downstream of sport, and youth sport participation and neither of those things is good for this country.”

The NCAA’s rule changes on name, image and likeness are re-shaping collegiate sport in a confusing way; Hirshland noted that the USOPC is continuing to look at its own ways of funding athletes and helping them fund themselves:

“We’ll always look at growth in our own, what we call, Direct Athlete Support – the stipends that we grant to athletes now – and we’ll continue to look at that. It’s grown consistently over time and especially the last few years … and it’s worth noting, we’re not the only ones providing stipends; sometimes, NGBs are also adding their own support, direct support for athletes. …

“We will continue to take a look at things like [Operation Gold], which is our reward component for medals and/or World Championship wins and things of that nature, and we’re looking at how do we continue to empower athletes to generate earnings from other sources.

“We launched the Athlete Marketing Platform, and are building capacity for athletes to leverage their own name, image and likeness. We’re doing a lot of training around how to understand their intellectual property, how to capitalize on that intellectual property and then trying to create a marketplace for them to do that.

“As you know, the vast, vast, vast majority of our athletes don’t have agent representation and don’t have someone to help them field that marketplace, so this is a technology solution aimed to try to do more of that, and we will continue to think about that.

“I’m here today in Washington, D.C., where we have an Athlete’s Summit and this afternoon, there’s a bunch of breakout sessions, and those breakout sessions are also about how to build your brand … We live in a world now where ‘the gig economy’ is real and athletes have opportunities to earn revenue in ways that they frankly just didn’t used to, that doesn’t disrupt their training nearly as much, or at all., So part of our focus is also on how do we educate and teach and train behaviors that can enable earnings both from the corporate community, the endorsement community, speaking, appearances, things of that nature, as well as think about stipends and funding coming from our organization as well as balancing where some NGBs have the capacity to do that, and some don’t. So it’s a blend.

“I will also say there are absolutely case studies and incidents where NIL in collegiate sport has also been enormously helpful for some of our athletes. Not all, by any stretch, but a good portion of the delegation are currently-competing collegiate athletes, or are planning to go to college, and so the opportunity for them to capitalize on their name, image and likeness while they are in college, is a huge shift and it’s proving in several cases to be quite advantageous to Team USA.”

Wednesday’s White House ceremony for the Tokyo and Beijing teams was months in the making and will be enormous:

“So, we’ve been excited. We talked even in advance of Tokyo about the notion of the best way to do this was rather than try to bring a delegation in between these two Games, to do it all together at the end of the two Games, and that’s where we find ourselves now and we’re really excited.

“The Administration has been really wonderful to work with, frankly, in planning what will be the largest White House visit ever by Team USA. So it is a logistical challenge for all of us, of course, but we’ve got a great group and hopefully the weather will hold out and we’ll have a great celebration outside. If not, we’ll have to move inside.

“I believe we have about 650 Team USA athletes, and with guests that have been invited – both by us and by the Administration directly – I think we’re expecting about 3,000 folks.”

After the challenges of getting through the Covid restrictions of Tokyo and Beijing, getting in and out of Washington, D.C. should be no problem for the USOPC. But Hirshland and her team will face a lot of challenges once the smiling stops and the work in Colorado Springs begins again.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● International Olympic Committee ● TOP sponsor Airbnb is again offering an opportunity to apply for a $2,000 Athlete Travel Grant:

“The initiative launched in 2021 to provide athletes with added flexibility and funding, supporting them with travel costs in a year severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. USD 8 million of funding has been allocated to run the programme for nine years in total, with up to 500 athletes selected each year.”

The grant can be used at Airbnb properties all over the world. Per the announcement:

“Applications for the Airbnb Athlete Travel Grant are open to all elite athletes, Olympians, Paralympians and hopefuls until 20 May 2022, more information can be found via the Athlete365 platform.”

● On Screen ● The Penn Relays telecast on ESPN2 last Saturday drew a television audience of 225,000, the only Olympic-sport event to draw an audience of more than 200,000 last week.

None of the five days of telecasts of USA Swimming’s Phillips 66 International Team Trials in Greensboro on NBC’s Olympic Channel (4 days) and CNBC (1 day) were reported in the top 150 cable programs each day. Neither was the CBS Sports Network’s coverage of the Drake Relays on Saturday.

The week’s leading sports show was the first night of the NFL Draft on ESPN and ABC, with 10.031 million viewers. The second night of the Draft drew 5.690 million.

● Games of the XXXIV Olympiad: Los Angeles 2028 ● Cricket’s push to be included in the LA28 Games is a long shot, but was given a boost by Sunday’s announcement that a 10,000-seat cricket stadium is to be built in Irvine, California.

The Knight Riders Group, owners of the Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders and Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) in the Caribbean Premier League, is backing the $30 million project in cooperation with Major League Cricket.

The LA28 venue plan does have an Orange County site, with the Honda Center slated to host volleyball in Anaheim, so a venue in Irvine would not be an orphan.

● Basketball ● A major change by the U.S. State Department in its view of the continuing detainment of two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner.

CNN reported “The State Department has now classified WNBA star Brittney Griner as wrongfully detained in Russia and her case is being handled by the office of the US Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs (SPEHA) Roger Carstens.”

The change in status is expected to see the State Department more actively trying to negotiate Griner’s release; she was arrested on 17 February and has a hearing reportedly scheduled for 19 May.

The WNBA said it would add a floor decal with Griner’s initials and no. 42 to all courts this season as a reminder of her situation.

● Boxing ● The European Boxing Confederation elected new officers and directors last Saturday, with Dr. Ioannis Filippatpos (GRE) elected as President.

Of interest among the nine members of the Board is Russian Sumayd Khalidov, who has been active on AIBA committees. It will be interesting to see if this is noticed by the IOC, continuing to consider whether the sport should be on the program for Los Angeles 2028.

● Figure Skating ● The U.S. Center for SafeSport suspended American skating coach Peter Oppegard for “physical and emotional” misconduct on Monday, but provided no further details.

A USA Today story explained that Oppegard is alleged to have bitten 15-year-old skater Jessica Pfund during a practice session in 2013. An investigation was not opened until 2020 and other instances of misconduct have been alleged.

Oppegard was an Olympic bronze medal in Pairs skating with Jill Watson at Calgary in 1988, won three national championships and has been a longtime coach, mostly in Southern California.

● Football ● The European Football Union (UEFA) announced Monday that Russian teams are banned from almost every competition, including the Nations League, European U-21 Championship, Women’s EURO 2022 and from the qualification process for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The Russian team which had qualified for the Women’s EURO 2022 will be replaced by Portugal.

Further, “Russia will have no affiliated clubs participating in UEFA club competitions in the 2022/23 season,” which include the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Europa Conference League, UEFA Women’s Champions League and UEFA Youth League.

The Football Union of Russia bid for the 2028 or 2032 European Championship was declared ineligible, according to Article 16.02 of the Bid Regulations UEFA Finals and Final Phases, including:

“each bidder shall ensure that it does not act in a manner that could bring UEFA, the UEFA final or UEFA final phase, any other bidder (or any employee, officer or representative of any of the foregoing), the bidding procedure or European football into disrepute.”

The Russian Football Union is considering an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

FIFA posted its disciplinary sanctions list for the first quarter of 2022, with 49 entries, with Mexico and Venezuela both hit three times, each with modest fines.

The biggest sanctions:

● Senegal: A fine of CHF 175,000 and one match without spectators for an offensive fan banner, throwing of objects, lighting of fireworks, use of laser pointers against players and more in the 29 March game vs. Egypt.

● Nigeria: A fine of CHF 150,000 and one match without spectators for failures in security in the stadium vs. Ghana on 29 March.

● Dem. Rep. of the Congo: A fine of CHF 120,000 and limited spectators for one match after a fan security breakdown in the 25 March match against Morocco.

● Lebanon: A fine of CHF 100,000 and one match without spectators for security lapses vs. Syria on 24 March.

● Chile: A fine of CHF 80,000 and limited spectators for one match after team misconduct, discriminatory behavior by spectators and throwing of objects by spectators from the 27 January match vs. Argentina.

● El Salvador: A fine of CHF 80,000 and limited spectators for one match due to fans throwing objects and having a drone flying inside the stadium vs. Costa Rica on 27 March.

The U.S. got one sanction, and a fine of CHF 5,000 for “invasion of the field of play” at the game vs. El Salvador on 27 January, in Columbus, Ohio.

Speaking at an investment conference in Los Angeles, FIFA President Gianni Infantino emphasized the legacy opportunities and potential attached to the 2026 FIFA World Cup that will be held in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.

“We have to find other ways to touch the hearts and the emotions of people.

“I think there are different ways of doing that, and we want to use the opportunity of this FIFA World Cup coming here. The first level is really the grassroots level; it’s the access to the sport. We have to give boys and girls, children, easier access to the sport.”

● Swimming ● Swimswam.com reported on the 2022 FINA World Cup schedule, to be shortened to three meets, in Berlin (21-23 October), Toronto (28-30 October) and Indianapolis (3-5 November).

The meets will be in held in 25 m pools; the last time the U.S. hosted a World Cup meet was in 2006. An Indianapolis World Cup was held in the first year of the series in 1988-89.

≡ AT THE BUZZER ≡

Columbia University’s Sports Management Graduate Program added to its partnership agreements with major sporting organizations with a six-year project with the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organizing Committee.

The program will include two internships per year for Columbia students and begin in the spring of 2022, running right through the 2028 Games.

Columbia has also developed programs with the National Football League and multiple football partners including FC Bayern Munich, La Liga North America, Real Madrid and NYCFC of the MLS.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THE BIG PICTURE: USOPC’s Hirshland outlines its ongoing reorganization, the sales effort with LA28 and hopes for a new U.S. IOC member

By
Rich Perelman
-
U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee chief executive Sarah Hirshland (Photo: USOPC)

● Plus: USOPC: Swim icon Phelps leads USOPC Hall of Fame nominees = Modern Pentathlon: UIPM to trial two forms of obstacles; athlete group asks for IOC intervention = Swimming: U.S. Worlds trials produce world top-3 of 26 of 28 Olympic events; six swimmers qualified in 3+ events = SCOREBOARD => Athletics: Rooth & Kalin win in Grosseto; King 9.90w, Lyles 19.86, Terry 10.94 in Florida = Wrestling: U.S. Open Greco finals see seven repeat winners! ●

In 2018, the United States Olympic Committee selected Sarah Hirshland as its new Chief Executive, against the background of the Nassar abuse scandal. Four years later, Nassar is in jail, the Los Angeles 2028 Games is coming up fast and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee is being remade, following the Tokyo Olympic and Beijing Winter Games.

In a one-on-one interview from Washington, D.C., where the 2021 and 2022 teams will be honored at the White House on Wednesday, Hirshland went into detail about how the world’s leading National Olympic Committee is being rewired. Longtime Chief of Sport Performance Rick Adams is being let go and new divisions are being formed. Her overview:

“We’ve reorganized the organization into five divisions if you will, and the new position that we’re recruiting for now is a Chief of Sport and Athlete Services role, which will be a very significant leadership role for the organization, tackling not only Olympic and Paralympic sport performance, but also looking at the areas of focus where we’re looking at pipeline, and the health and efficacy of [National Governing Bodies], so our NGB services and support, our collegiate partnerships work and then also the holistic, sort of health and wellness and services to athletes.

“So it’s a very broad role, with several functions. It isn’t a new Head of Sport Performance. It’s a broad-based leadership role that will oversee a number of the areas for us as an organization.

“That’s one division. And then we’ve got a Strategy and Growth team that are really focused on, sort of, organizational innovation and driving strategy and innovation for the organization as well as critical pieces of the partnership with what now is LA28, and we hope at some point will be a Salt Lake organizing committee as well. And then looking at marketing and communications, international relations, government relations, really managing those important audiences and our service to those groups really effectively.

“And then we’ll have a Development Division that’s really the [U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Foundation], and our fund-raising and philanthropic [arm]. As you know, that’s our most important opportunity for variable revenue. That’s our opportunity to really grow our revenue stream over the next several years, and so the Foundation is critically important, has a really good, strong foundation now that can start to expand its purview, if you will, as we think about the classic fund-raising pyramid. Ultimately, when you have really great infrastructure and sophistication as a foundation, you can start to ask for bigger and bigger gifts, and start to build the bottom of the pyramid, which is more volume gifts. They tend to be smaller in size, but more numerous in number. And those will both be key area of focus for us as we look at the Foundation over the next several years.

“And then we’ll have what is essentially an Operating division, running important organizational services: legal, I.T., finance, ethics and compliance, making sure that we as an organization are operating and optimizing our effectiveness in the way we conduct our business.

“And then the last is the People function. And thinking about the people function a little but differently as we go forward in an expanded capacity to consider not only ‘USOPC staff,’ but also thinking about talent development for the [U.S. Olympic] Movement, thinking about how can we develop talent and find talent to feed not only our organization on an ongoing basis, but National Governing Bodies and other important entities in the Movement, and ideally building that kind of talent development and pipeline so that we can provide opportunities for athletes, as they may retire from athletics and want to go into sport administration. We want to be really thoughtful about what that might look like over time.”

While all these changes are being made, the USOPC and LA28 are marketing sponsorship and licensing agreements, with a $2.518 billion sales goal listed on the LA28 budget. The USOPC and the Los Angeles 2028 organizers created a new entity, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Properties (USOPP) to do the work. So far?

“We’re really excited and feel very confident that LA28, and really USOPP in particular, has done a very nice job of – in some cases – renewing or working toward, renewals of partners who have been partners of the then-USOC and [now] USOPC … in addition to bringing in some new partners.”

The USOPC will receive a minimum of $476 million from the USOPP partnership from 2021-2028 and Hirshland noted that the project is on track.

The USOPC leadership is also about to change, as Board Chair Susanne Lyons will conclude her term – and her Board service – at the end of this year; she has served since 2010 and was the organization’s interim chief executive after Scott Blackmun retired, and until Hirshland took over.

The United States currently has two International Olympic Committee members, Anita DeFrantz (elected in 1986) and David Haggerty, the President of the International Tennis Federation (elected in 2020). Winter Olympic gold medalist Kikkan Randall, who was an elected Athletes Commission member, resigned in 2021 due to health issues.

So will the U.S. get another IOC member anytime soon?

“We knew that the transition from Larry [Probst] to Susanne [Lyons] for a short duration was likely to make having our President/Board Chair named to the IOC and that was a decision that the organization made. You know, Susanne’s term comes to an end this year; we’ll have a new Board chair. Certainly the hope is that that new Board Chair would be considered for an IOC seat.”

The chatter about the next USOPC Board Chair has already started in earnest, with former U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chair Dexter Paine and former EY Global Vice Chair for Public Policy Beth Brooke – both on the Board now – being mentioned often.

Coming tomorrow: Hirshland explains the USOPC’s challenge of expanding its audience and navigating the increasingly shaky collegiate sports system.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ● Nominations are out for the Class of 2022 for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame, with voting continuing through 16 May and induction ceremonies on 24 June in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The finalists include 15 Olympians, nine Paralympians, three Olympic teams, two Paralympic teams, six legends, three coaches and three special contributors, to be narrowed down to five Olympians, three Paralympians, one Olympic team and one Paralympic team and one legend, coach and contributor. The nominees:

● Olympic (vote for 5):
Kristin Armstrong, Cycling
Natalie Coughlin, Swimming
Shani Davis, Speedskating
Cammi Granato, Hockey
Mia Hamm, Soccer
Kayla Harrison, Judo
Michelle Kwan, Figure Skating
Eleanor ‘Elle’ Logan, Rowing
Julia Mancuso, Alpine Skiing
Bode Miller, Alpine Skiing
Michael Phelps, Swimming
John Smith, Wrestling
Dawn Staley, Basketball
Brenda Villa, Water Polo
Lindsey Vonn, Alpine Skiing

● Paralympic (vote for 3):
Steve Cash, Sled Hockey
Muffy Davis, Para Alpine Skiing & Para-cycling
Susan Hagel, Wheelchair Basketball, Para Archery & Track and Field
Trischa Zorn-Hudson, Para Swimming
David Kiley, Wheelchair Basketball, Para Track and Field & Alpine Skiing
Marla Runyan, Para Track and Field and Olympic Track and Field
Marlon Shirley, Para Track and Field
Andy Soule, Para Nordic Skiing
Cortney (Jordan) Truitt, Para Swimming

● Olympic Team (vote for 1):
1976 Women’s Swimming 4×100 Freestyle Relay Team
1996 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team
2010 Four-Man Bobsled Team

● Paralympic Team (vote for 1):
2002 U.S. Sled Hockey Team
2008 U.S. Paralympic Sailing Team

● Legend:
Billy Fiske, Bobsled
Gretchen Fraser, Alpine Skiing
Roger Kingdom, Track and Field
Darrell Pace, Archery
Brad Parks, Wheelchair Tennis
Norbert ‘Norb’ Schemansky, Weightlifting

● Coach:
Bob Beattie, Alpine Skiing
James ‘Doc’ Counsilman, Swimming
Pat Summit, Basketball

● Special Contributor:
Walter Bush
Billie Jean King
David Wallechinsky

OK, Phelps is pretty much a shoo-in, but choosing among the others? The voting site has some short biographical notes on each candidate, which is a help (and more here), but what a class this will be.

● Modern Pentathlon ● As widely expected, the UIPM Executive Board recommended the testing of two different forms of obstacle-course racing to replace riding as the fifth discipline in the sport, for possible inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games:

“Testing will begin immediately after the UIPM 2022 Pentathlon World Cup Final in Ankara (TUR) in late June. Following comprehensive testing, the final decision will be taken by the UIPM Congress.”

No specifics were given.

The Pentathlon United athlete group, which has railed against both the UIPM leadership and the replacement of riding, was furious:

“We repeat our call for the IOC to intervene & make clear to @WorldPentathlon [Executive Board] that they must listen to the views of the athletes who have spoken so clearly in our survey & ensure they are at the centre of this process as the IOC stated in December.”

The group posted a 1 May letter to the IOC, including:

“Our recent survey, which concluded in April 2022, saw 310 athletes respond – 168 (54%) of whom are current athletes competing in Olympic/international events, 5% currently compete in Masters events and 29% are former athletes (12% undeclared).

“The key results of the survey are:

“● Over 85% disagree with the statement that UIPM considers athlete opinion in how it runs the sport

“● Over 95% are unhappy with the way that the UIPM conducted the change in the 5th discipline

“● Over 93% are unhappy with the direction the sport is currently going in

“● Over 90% believe the UIPM is not capable of building a strong future for the sport

“● Over 77% say it’s unlikely they will stay in the sport if the equestrian discipline is removed”

The conclusion asked that the IOC conduct “a comprehensive, independent investigation into the standards of governance and probity of the UIPM and the 5th Discipline consultation process as a matter of urgency.”

● Swimming ● USA Swimming’s Phillips 66 International Team Trials are over and the World Championships team for Budapest has been selected. But it’s worth noting what an amazing meet this was. Consider:

World Record:
● Men/50 m Back: 23.71, Hunter Armstrong (old, 23.80, Kliment Kolesnikov [RUS], 2021)

American Records:
● Men/50 m Back: 24.01, Hunter Armstrong (in heats; old, 24.24, Ryan Murphy, 2018)
● Men/50 m Back: 23.71, Hunter Armstrong (in final)
● Men/50 m Breast: 26.52, Michael Andrew (old, 26.76, Kevin Cordes, 2015)
● Women/50 m Back: 27.12, Katharine Berkoff (old, 27.33, Olivia Smoliga, 2019)

World leads:
● Men/50 m Free: 21.29, Caeleb Dressel (day 5)
● Men/100 m Free: 47.79, Caeleb Dressel (day 1)
● Men/200 m Free: 1:45.25, Keiran Smith (day 2)
● Men/50 m Back: 24.01, Hunter Armstrong (day 3 heats)
● Men/50 m Back: 23.71 Hunter Armstrong (day 3)
● Men/100 m Back: 52.20, Hunter Armstrong (day 4)
● Men/200 m Back: 1:55.57, Shaine Casas (day 2 heats)
● Men/200 m Back: 1:55.01, Ryan Murphy (day 2)
● Men/100 m Breast: 58.37, Nic Fink (day 4)
● Men/50 m Fly: 22.84, Caeleb Dressel (day 2)
● Men/100 m Fly: 50.01, Caeleb Dressel (day 3 heats)

● Women/400 m Free: 3:59.52, Katie Ledecky (day 4)
● Women/800 m Free: 8:09.27, Katie Ledecky (day 1)
● Women/1,500 m Free: 15:38.99, Katie Ledecky (day 5)
● Women/50 m Back: 27.12, Katharine Berkoff (day 3)
● Women/100 m Back: 58.29, Regan Smith (day 4 heats)
● Women/100 m Back: 57.76, Regan Smith (day 4)
● Women/200 m Breast: 2:21.19, Lilly King (day 2)
● Women/100 m Fly: 56.28, Torri Huske (day 3)
● Women/200 m Medley: 2:07.84, Alex Walsh (day 5)

Consider that in the 14 men’s individual Olympic events, the U.S. men are in the top three in 12 and in the women’s Olympic events, 14 of 14.

USA Swimming named 41 swimmers to the Budapest World Championships team, with six entered in three or more individual events:

4: Michael Andrew: men’s 50 m Free, 50-100 m Breast, 100 m Fly
4: Caeleb Dressel: men’s 50-100 m Free, 50-100 m Fly

4: Katie Ledecky: women’s 200-400-800-1,500 m Free
4: Claire Curzan: women’s 100 m Free, 100 Back, 50-100 m Fly
3: Torri Huske: women’s 50-100 m Free; 100 m Fly
3: Lilly King: women’s 50-100-200 m Breast

Don’t forget there are oodles of relays at the Worlds; it is possible that sprinters like Dressel, Curzan or Huske could swim in as many as seven or eight events in Budapest. Dressel won eight medals (6-2-0) at the 2017 Worlds in Gwangju (KOR) and seven (7-0-0) at the 2019 Worlds held … in Budapest!

(Thanks to statistician extraordinaire Bill Mallon for noting that Curzan is in four events, not three.)

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

More results from a busy weekend:

● Athletics ● Norway’s Markus Rooth and Swiss Annik Kalin led the parade at the annual Multistars showcase in Grosseto (ITA).

The 20-year-old Rooth got a national record of 8,307 to win and move to no. 4 on the world list for 2022, just ahead of countryman Sander Aae Skotheim (8,298) and Italy’s Dario Dester (ITA: 8,109).

Kalin, 22, also set a national record for the heptathlon, scoring 6,398 for no. 2 in the world for 2022, well ahead of Sveva Gerevini (ITA: 6,011) and Claudia Conte of Spain (5,914) in third.

Fast sprinting at the Pure Athletics Global Invitational in Clermont, Florida on Sunday, with mostly wind-aided times, but another impressive run for former USC star Twanisha Terry.

She won the women’s 100 m final in a season-best 10.94, with a 1.3 m/s breeze at her back, beating Jamaica’s Briana Williams (11.03). Olympic 400 m champ Shaunae Miler-Uibo flew to a 10.92 win in the heats, but with a major aiding wind of 5.5 m/s. Williams won heat three in 10.96w (+5.3) and Terry won heat four in 10.96w (+5.0).

The men’s 100 m saw Kyree King get the win with a season-best 9.98 (+1.3) over Jerome Blake (CAN: 10.00) and Aaron Brown (CAN: 10.09). The wind-aided heats saw King and Noah Lyles run 1-2 in heat five in 9.90 for both, but with a 3.9 m/s aiding wind.

Lyles skipped the 100 m final to win the 200 m instead, with a season’s best of 19.86 and legal wind of +0.8 m/s, moving him to no. 4 on the 2022 world list. Younger brother Josephus Lyles was second in the same race at 20.20.

● Wrestling ● Sunday evening’s Greco-Roman finals at the U.S. Open in Las Vegas was mostly about familiar faces, as seven of the 10 winners were prior champions!

Two-time Olympian Ben Provisor (82 kg) won his fifth U.S. Open championship, but had to defeat 2021 winner Spencer Woods, 5-3. Max Nowry (55 kg) won his fourth U.S. Open crown and there were two third-time winners: Ildar Hafizov (60 kg) and Cohlton Schultz (130 kg).

Winning their second titles were Alejandro Sancho (67 kg), Benji Peak (72 kg) and Alan Vera (87 kg).

The Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) produced six of the winners, including Nowry, Hafizov (named Outstanding Wrestler) and Sancho, plus Jesse Thielke at 63 kg, Britton Holmes at 77 kg and Lucas Sheridan at 97 kg.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: California SB 1401 would pay college football and basketball players but almost no one else; 2023 World Univ. Games suspended; skating to raise age limits?

By
Rich Perelman
-

(For our Highlights of the weekend’s major competitions, click here)

● Plus: Sydney 2000: Coates told 2008 interviewer Sydney “bought” the Games = Winter Games 2030: IOC technical group finishes in Salt Lake, on to Vancouver = World University Games: FISU tours North Carolina venues for 2027 = IOC: “Virtual Sports” fest coming 2023 = Russia: Latvian legislation bans its athletes from Russia = Athletics: USATF adds RealResponse to SafeSport program = Boxing: IBA testing new mouthguard for safety and scoring; women’s Worlds to get $2.4 million prize purse = Fencing: Double gold winner Velikaya says no more Olympics for her without Russian flag and anthem = Football: 23.5 million more ticket requests for FIFA World Cup = Skating: Four candidates for ISU President = Swimming: Rylov did not violate ban by Russian Champs swims ●

“California’s Football Bowl Subdivision football players and Division I men and women basketball players are predominantly Black, and are the only college athletes in the state who do not receive at least 50 percent of the revenue that they produce.”

That’s from the preamble to California Senate Bill 1401, the “College Athlete Race and Gender Act,” introduced by Stephen Bradford (D-Gardena) and which would have colleges and universities pay their athletes directly about whatever is realized from their name, image and likeness.

It would likely have the effect of collapsing many of the university athletic programs in the state, including at UCLA, USC, Stanford and Cal, as well as most (if not all) of programs in the California State University system. It includes:

● Every “institution of higher learning” in the state will be required to “establish a degree completion fund” for all athletes at the school, payable to the athlete if he or she earns their Bachelor’s Degree within six years of enrolling.

● “The amount deposited into a student athlete’s degree completion fund … shall be determined by subtracting the amount of grant-in-aid athletic scholarships offered in the student athlete’s sport from 50 percent of the athletic program’s revenue for that individual sport. The difference shall be divided among each student athlete in that sport. The resulting quotient shall be allocated to the student athlete’s degree completion fund.”

● Each “athlete shall have immediate access to funds in their degree completion fund of up to twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) per academic year.”

For football, this will result in some money for the players, which is Bradford’s intent. It will result in something for men’s basketball players, maybe for women’s basketballers and little or nothing for everybody else.

Checking the Equity in Athletics Database, a U.S. Department of Education program in which many universities often lie about their athletics finances, but is a general barometer of revenues and expenses, what does this mean for, say, UCLA and USC from reports from the last pre-Covid year of 2019?

At UCLA (as reported):
● Total revenue: $119,391,431
● Total expenses: $119,391,431

● Football revenue: $37,548,589 (128 players)
● Basketball revenue/men: $11,036,275 (15)
● Basketball revenue/women: $902,912 (26)
● Track revenue/men: $197,019 (121)
● Track revenue/women: $199,666 (159)

Taking 50% of the revenue and then subtracting the cost of grants-in-aid would leave essentially nothing in every sport except football and men’s basketball. For football, 50% of the 2019 revenue at UCLA was $18,774,294, and when divided among 128 players, is $146,674 per player, out of which the scholarship cost must be deleted.

UCLA states that its costs for in-state enrollees for tuition, fees, room and board is $36,172, but for out-of-state enrollees – and there are a lot of those – the cost goes to up to more than $64,000. Even so, the football players make out, with about $110,000 for in-state players and maybe $82,000 for out-of-state players.

For men’s basketball, UCLA takes in $11 million, so half of that is $5.5 million, divided among just 15 players. That’s $366,667 each, a bonanza (and a serious tax problem for what are now professional players).

But what about women’s basketball? UCLA’s women’s program took in a paltry $902,912 and has 26 players listed (even though the limit is 15). So, 50% of that revenue is $451,456 and if divided by the 15-player limit, is $30,097, which doesn’t even cover the scholarship costs.

Same for all the other sports. Even the popular women’s gymnastics program grossed only
$991,693 in 2019. Half of that is $495,847 and with 22 athletes, the average is $22,538, not even close to the cost of a full (or partial) scholarship.

Where’s the $25,000 a year supposed to come from for the 738 out of 881 student-athletes at UCLA who aren’t men’s football or basketball players?

Looking at the preamble to his bill, Bradford doesn’t care; only players in the “predominantly Black” sports of football and basketball matter.

UCLA’s situation as a major state university is similar to its private, crosstown neighbor, USC:

At USC (as reported):
● Total revenue: $127,801,994
● Total expenses: $127,801,994

● Football revenue: $53,380,160 (118 players)
● Basketball revenue/men: $6,540,372 (15)
● Basketball revenue/women: $2,952,488 (12)
● Track revenue/men: $901,282 (39)
● Track revenue/women: $925,023 (34)

USC is a private school and costs a lot more than UCLA; its estimate is $77,459 annually, including tuition, fees, room and board and transportation.

Still, the football players will get paid, as 50% of the 2019-year revenue is $226,187, or $149,128 above the cost of tuition.

Men’s basketball? Half of the USC men’s revenue is $3,270,186 and divided by 15 players is $218,012, or about $140,553 after the scholarship cost. Not UCLA money, but still pretty good.

Women’s basketball? Their 50% revenue share is $1,476,244 or $123,020 among 12 players or $45,561 after scholarships costs.

Almost all of the other USC athletes would get nothing above their scholarships, depending on the squad size.

For California universities in the Pac-12 Conference or the Mountain West Conference – Fresno State and San Diego State – such a bill would require huge infusions of cash from the universities themselves and a major cutback in sports. The NCAA – it’s still around – requires 14 sports with at least six for men and eight for women to be in Division I, but how is that possible if most sports make nothing and their financial support from the surpluses of the football and men’s basketball programs disappear?

And where does Title IX and “women’s equity” fit in?

How long before pressure builds to just eliminate athletics altogether and just license the school names and mascots to a professional U-23 league for football and basketball only?

The bill has been passed out of the Senate Education Committee on 20 April and out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on 26 April. It’s next headed to the Appropriations Committee. It has not been introduced in the State Assembly.

As U.S. college sport continues to spin out of control, the reality is widely predicted to be a super-league of the Big 10 and SEC schools, who have the most money, and some sort of other group of formerly big-time schools from the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big XII and Pac-12, and then everyone else.

Or is football completely separated and professionalized so that the NCAA basketball tournament is maintained? In every case, the Olympic-focused sports are the big, big losers.

Sportico reported on a different but also potentially game-changing concept from the U.S. armed forces, taking advantage of the continuing uncertainty in collegiate sport:

“The U.S. military is actively discussing an initiative, proposed by a defense contractor, to fund athletic scholarships for tens of thousands of college athletes each year in exchange for their mandatory service.”

This would not involve football or basketball, but concentrate on all of the other sports – mostly Olympic-focused – which stand to be imploded with the continuing rush to pay revenue-sport athletes.

The idea apparently came from former Auburn runner Dave Maloney, who leads Houston-based Orchestra Macrosystems, an Air Force contractor. His proposal would essentially offer scholarships to athletes at all college levels in return for post-graduate service.

The military’s new budget has $1.32 billion for recruitment, compared to Sportico’s estimate of $653 million in scholarship spending – outside of football and basketball – by the 131 Football Bowl Subdivision schools.

The American military already has the World Class Athlete Program (WCAP), focused on post-collegiate athletes such as distance star Paul Chelimo, who are also full-time soldiers.

If California SB 1401 passes, and spreads, concepts like this may be the savior of collegiate sport, or the start of an entirely new, sport-by-sport concept. This bears close watching.

Rich Perelman
Editor

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Games of the XXVI Olympiad: Sydney 2000 ● John Coates, head of the Australian Olympic Committee for 32 years, ended his latest term and retired, with Ian Chesterman, the AOC chef de mission for the Tokyo Games elected as the new President.

Coates will be remembered most for his strategic and lobbying efforts that brought the 2000 Olympic Games to Sydney and the 2032 Games to Brisbane. Long rumored to have engineered votes for Australia for the 2000 Games with financial incentives, The Guardian reported in a long Sunday story comments from Coates from a “recently discovered hour-long interview in 2008” including:

“Coates explained the offer to [IOC member Charles] Mukora [Kenya] and [IOC member Francis] Nyangweso [Uganda], made by him as the president of the Australian Olympic Committee. ‘Clearly the Ugandan and Kenyan members I think were very nervous about having to deal with me because I sat at their table at a big banquet the night before,’ he remembered. ‘So I just went over and said to them, ‘Look if, you know, if you vote for us and we get up, then there’s $50,000 US [a different figure to the $35,000 that has been reported] for each of your two National Olympic Committees, 10 a year for the next five years or whatever, you tell them it’s to be spent on sporting purposes.

“‘That subsequently, and it was quite open about it, it was all audited. But subsequently one of those members was seen to have directed the 10 into his own bank account and there was an inquiry into all of that and so it’s suggested we bought the Games. Well to a large extent we did …’”

Such arrangements, Coates noted, were not against the rules at the time, especially as the funds were to be given to their National Olympic Committees for training. They were prohibited after the Salt Lake City bid scandal for the 2002 Winter Games exploded in 1998.

How important were the two votes? Sydney defeated Beijing by 45-43 in the final round of voting for the 2000 Games in 1993.

● XXVI Olympic Winter Games: 2030 ● The three-member IOC technical delegation that visited Salt Lake City last week is headed for Vancouver this week, as part of the “continuous dialogue” program the IOC’s Future Hosts Commission. GamesBids.com reported the IOC explained the visit:

“Services include an IOC technical site visit to assist potential hosts and their National Olympic Committees to develop their Games projects and consider their venue options.

“The technical visit also provides the Future Host Commission with a status update on the venue masterplan.”

The other bidders are Sapporo (JPN) and possibly the Pyrenees-Barcelona region, where a May trip was expected, but internal squabbling has required it to be postponed.

Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games chief executive Fraser Bullock told the Deseret News he was pleased with the visit. “This is exactly what we hoped to receive from the IOC: a partnership (and) great input … I strongly believe that we’re going to be host of a future Games.”

● World University Games ● The International University Sport Federation (FISU) announced Thursday that it has “decided to postpone Ekaterinburg’s hosting rights for the August 2023 FISU World University Games.”

This is an extension of the FISU withdrawal of events in Russia scheduled for 2022 and likely means that the 2023 WUG will not be held. The FISU Board will meet in November, with more attention than ever paid to the selection of a 2027 host between South Korea and the Triangle region of North Carolina in the U.S.

The Russian organizers pointed out that their event was being postponed and not canceled.

On Friday, the President of the All-Russian Federation of Rhythmic Gymnastics, Irina Viner-Usmanova, told the Russian news agency TASS that a ban from the Paris 2024 Games will be next:

“Today I heard the phrase that when the special operation is over, the sanctions will be lifted. This is another conversation to nowhere, and now we are talking about postponing the World University Games. As we can see, everything has already been scheduled for 2023, there will soon be talk about 2024, because there is also the European Championship and the selection for the Olympic Games 2024.

“We somehow manage without international competitions, and not performing at the Olympics is a problem. I think the next number of this program will be suspension from the Olympics. It would all be funny if it weren’t so sad, but this puppet theater continues.”

The North Carolina 2027 bid team reported that “first of three official Site Visits in conjunction with North Carolina’s bid for the 2027 World University Games took place earlier this week on Wednesday and Thursday, April 27-28, 2022” and visited 10 sites, including the Greensboro Coliseum, North Carolina A&T, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina Central, Duke University and others.

As part of a Raleigh-Salt Lake City exchange program, two members of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games, Chair Cat Raney (a four-time Olympian) and Colin Hilton, chief executive of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, visited with the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce.

Raney and Hilton explained the benefits seen from the hosting of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, specifically “building global relationships, putting the local community ‘on the map,’ creating increased tourism, and generating major positive economic impacts. Internally, the Olympic Games led to significant and ongoing cooperation and collaboration between and among political jurisdictions, organizations, and the public and private sectors. In addition, the Games led to extensive road improvements and the construction of Salt Lake City’s attractive light rail system.”

● International Olympic Committee ● The next step in the IOC’s engagement with the eSports community appears to be a “festival of virtual sports” in Singapore in early 2023.

The smaller Olympic Virtual Series debuted in 2021 and reportedly attracted 250,000 participants from over 100 countries. There are no specifics about the 2023 event, imagined as the culmination of a qualifying series that would begin late this year.

The concept continues the tie between the IOC and the computerized versions of physical sports which are either part of the Olympic Games or affiliated with the IOC as a recognized federation.

Singapore is used to working with the IOC to create new events; it was the site of the first-ever Youth Olympic Games in 2010.

● Russia ● Up to now, bans have been issued against inclusion of Russian and Belarusian competitors and officials in international competitions of many kinds. But on Thursday, the Latvian legislature – the Saeima – passed a ban on its athletes, team and officials participating in events in Russia or Belarus, with stiff penalties:

“Athletes and sports workers who violate the ban on participation in competitions in Russia or Belarus will not be allowed to be included in the Latvian national team, nor will they be allowed to receive public or local government funding to cover training or competition costs.”

It also bans “an official of a sports organization who is a state employee of foreign state security services, intelligence services, or counter-intelligence services” from serving on the National Sports Council, the Latvian Olympic Committee, Latvian Paralympic Committee and other organizations.

It’s worth noting that in normal circumstances, this kind of governmental interference with the Latvian NOC would not be well received by the IOC. But these are not normal times.

● Athletics ● USA Track & Field announced a use agreement with Charlotte-based RealResponse, an online platform that allows for real-time reporting, surveys, and as a document repository of abuse cases:

“USATF will use the platform as an additional resource in its Safe Sport portfolio. Included in the deal is the ability to receive and respond to real-time questions, feedback, concerns, and more, via text – a medium people already frequently use and trust. RealResponse’s platform creates yet another way for individuals to immediately report a complaint regarding Safe Sport violations, anti-doping reports, and whistle blower reports, in addition to USATF’s already existing methods of reporting (i.e., online form, phone, email).”

Observed: More ways to report abuse quickly is better, but this agreement can also be seen as another area of shortcoming for the U.S. Center for SafeSport program, created by the U.S. Congress to address abuse issues and funded by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Shouldn’t this functionality already be available?

Reuters reported “Five British police officers will face a gross misconduct hearing after they stopped, searched and handcuffed two Black athletes, in a 2020 incident that raised questions over the use of force and racial profiling.”

British sprinter Bianca Williams, her partner, Portuguese 400 m runner Ricardo Dos Santos, and their baby son were in the car, the two athletes detained while the car was searched for drugs and weapons.

The misconduct hearing will be held by an independent authority, separate from the London Metropolitan Police.

● Boxing ● The International Boxing Association, sitting on the edge of elimination from the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, announced a successful trial of “impact-sensing mouthguards” at the European Youth Championships.

This is a pilot program that uses a combination of data and artificial intelligence “to inform research on brain health and to support mechanisms for verifying the judging of bouts.”

Judging? This is one of the federation’s biggest problems in trying to win back the confidence of the IOC and the statement noted in detail:

“The mouthguards used to record head impact data are fitted with accelerometers, gyroscopes and transmitters. These allow for the data to be studied and used in real time. In the future, it is hoped that this data could be used to inform ringside doctors while bouts are ongoing. Real time data analysis also has the potential to inform the judging of bouts: when both boxers are wearing the mouthguards, the data they generate can have a close correlation with scoring.”

Maybe.

The IBA also confirmed first-ever prize money for the women’s World Championships, coming up in Istanbul (TUR) from 6-21 May. In each of the 12 weight classes, the winners will receive $100,000, with $50,000 for the silver medalists and $25,000 each for the two bronze medalists.

All together, that’s $2.4 million. The pay scale is the same as for the men, but the total is less since the men now contest 13 classes in the IBA Worlds.

● Diving ● The 2022 FINA World Junior Diving Championships will be held from 27 November to 4 December in Montreal (CAN) at the Olympic Park Sports Centre.

The event is expected to draw more than 250 divers aged 14-18 from 40 countries.

● Fencing ● Five-time Olympic Sabre medal winner Sofya Velikaya, now 36, told an athlete’s forum in Belarus she would not compete in a future Olympics unless sanctions against Russia were removed:

“I participated in the Games in Rio de Janeiro … but restrictions were already introduced against our athletes. We went to Tokyo under the flag of the [Russian Olympic Committee]. We all the time hoped that the restrictions and pressure that were in our direction would end.

“But it only grew. Everyone should be on an equal footing – to perform under their own flag and with their own anthem. Now the Olympic Movement is a big question. Until equal conditions are created, I would not go to the Games.”

Velikaya is a two-time World Champion in the women’s Sabre and was an Olympic gold medalist in 2016 and 2020 in the Team Sabre event; she is the 2012-16-20 Olympic silver medalist in the individual Sabre.

● Football ● FIFA reported that the second period of ticket applications for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar drew 23.5 million ticket requests. The announcement added:

“The biggest number of ticket applications came from Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Mexico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the USA” and “In addition to eager applications for the final, the most coveted matches included Argentina v. Mexico, Argentina v. Saudi Arabia, England v. USA and Poland v. Argentina.”

Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their applications by the end of May.

● Skating ● The International Skating Union posted its Congress agenda and details on Friday, including multiple proposals to raise the age limit in senior competitions in both figure skating and speed skating.

The ISU Council is in favor of a proposal to raise the age limit for senior competitions to age 17 (from the current 15) by the 2024-25 season:

“The ISU Council concluded that for the sake of protecting the physical and mental health, and emotional wellbeing of Skaters, the most urgently needed change is a gradual increase of the Senior category age limit in the Figure Skating Branch, from 15 years to 17 years.”

This rule would have prevented Russian Kamila Valieva from skating at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games and would impact the women’s competition. A Wikipedia listing of Olympic women’s medalists by age shows that 12 of the 92 all-time medal winners were less than 17 years old at the time they competed, including Americans Tara Lipinski (15 in 1998), Carol Heiss (16 in 1956), Tenley Albright (16 in 1952) and Sara Hughes (16 in 2002). It would also have excluded Russia’s Alina Zagitova, 15 at the time of her win in PyeongChang in 2018.

The documentation also noted comments from the ISU Medical Commission which included:

● “Generally, we know that elite athletes may delay their onset of puberty by an average to 2 years compared to the general population. Genetic disposition, intense physical training (training load), nutritional status, participation in competitive sports and psychological stress during childhood and early adolescence determine athletes’ pubertal timing of development. Athletes that practice, specifically, esthetic sports, are predisposed to a delay in pubertal development.”

● “Preliminary data suggest that the risk of psychological injury associated with participation in Elite youth sport is high. The concern includes burnout, disordered eating, and longterm consequences of injury.”

● “Increasing the age limit to 17 years of age to qualify for entry to the Senior category allows the Junior athlete the time necessary to reach skeletal maturity decreasing risk of epiphyseal injury if training loads are modified during times of rapid growth and to expand on their social and emotional skills development.”

There are other proposals to raise the age limit to 17 right away, and to change the age limits for junior events.

The ISU will also consider a figure skating proposal to expand the World Championships by adding a qualifying round for all four events to allow added participation for more countries. The top 8-12 from the qualifier (depending on event) would then move on to the championship competition itself.

A substantial change to the scoring in figure skating will be considered, to simplify the criteria from five elements to three: Composition, Presentation (replacing Performance), and Skating Skills, eliminating Transitions and Interpretation of the Music. Why? The current system “of one to process and precisely recognize each of the 27 criteria and award [Grade of Execution scores] has proved difficult if not impossible.”

Elections will also be held at the Congress, to be held in Phuket (THA) from 5-10 June. President Jan Dijkema (NED) is retiring and four candidates are listed: Slobodan Delic (SRB), Jae Youl Kim (KOR), Susanna Rahkamo (FIN) and Patricia St. Peter from the U.S.

The last three ISU chiefs have come from speed skating: Norwegian Olaf Poulsen, Italy’s Ottavio Cinquanta and Dijkema, covering 42 years. Moreover, all 11 ISU Presidents have been Europeans and all have been men. So there is significant possibility for change, with Delic and Kim both from speed skating and Rahkamo and St. Peter from figure.

Three-time World Champion speed skater Denis Yuskov (RUS) has retired, according to the Russian Skating Union.

Yuskov, 32, won the World Single Distance titles in the 1,500 m in 2013-15-16, was second in 2017 and third in 2019. He won World Allround Championships medals in 2014 and 2015. He missed the Beijing 2022 Winter Games due to injury.

● Swimming ● FINA determined that Russian swimmer Evgeny Rylov’s participation in the just-completed Russian national championships does not constitute a violation of his international competition ban through the end of the year.

A FINA statement included, “The Russian Swimming Championships was not a FINA-sanctioned event and is not linked to any FINA event, in accordance with the decision by the FINA Bureau to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from FINA competitions through the end of 2022.”

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HIGHLIGHTS: Knighton, 18, runs 19.49 in 200 m! U.S. women crush Curacao, 11-0 in CONCACAF U-17s; Kiefer wins Foil World Cup in Germany

By
Rich Perelman
-
World Junior Record for 18-year-old Erriyon Knighton! (Photo: Adam Eberhardt for TrackTown USA)

Headline results of noteworthy competitions around the world:

● Athletics ● A busy Saturday saw important marks in the sprints and hurdles, including a pair of World Junior (U-20) records.

In Gaborone (BOT), Letsile Tebogo won the men’s 100 m in 9.96 (wind +1.9 m/s), breaking American Trayvon Bromell’s 9.97 mark from 2014. At the LSU Invitational in Baton Rouge, it was Olympic fourth-placer Erriyon Knighton who stole the show with a men’s 200 m win in 19.49 (+1.4 m/s), moving him to no. 4 on the all-time list. Only Usain Bolt (JAM: 19.19), Yohan Blake (JAM: 19.26) and Michael Johnson (USA: 19.32) have run faster.

It’s the eighth-fastest mark in history and the fastest in 10 years; Knighton is still 18 and smashed his own 19.84 mark from 2021. Olympic finalist Joseph Fahnbulleh (LBR) was second in 19.92. At the same meet, Nigeria’s Favour Ofili of LSU won the women’s 100 m in a wind-legal 10.93 (+2.0 m/s), while Favour Ashe (NGR) won the men’s 100 m in 9.79w (+3.0).

Also in Gaborone was a world-leading 200 m win in 21.87 for Namibia’s Olympic 200 m silver winner Christine Mboma. She also won the 100 m in 10.97, seventh on the world list for 2022.

In the hurdles, American Trey Cunningham (Florida State) dazzled at the North Florida Invitational in Jacksonville, winning in the heats in a lifetime best of 13.15, then won the final in a world-leading 13.10 (+1.7). Also in Jacksonville was a men’s 100 m win by Bromell in 9.75w, with the reading just-over-the-allowable at 2.1 m/s; Canada’s Olympic 200 m champ Andre De Grasse was second at 10.07. Jamaica’s Natalliah Whyte won the women’s 100 m in a wind-legal 10.97 (+1.3), with American Shania Collins second at 10.99.

At the Drake Relays, Rio Olympic champ Dalilah Muhammad overcame blustery conditions to win the women’s 400 m hurdles in world-leading 53.88. Ryan Crouser won the men’s shot at 21.63 m (70-11 3/4) in the fourth round.

On the infield, Jamaica’s Lamara Distin (Texas A&M) took the world lead in the women’s high jump at 1.97 m (6-5 1/2) at the Alumni Muster meet and Darius Carbin (USA) joined three others this season at 2.30 m (7-6 1/2) to win the Torrin Lawrence Memorial in Athens, Georgia.

Two-time NCAA champ Olivia Gruver (USA) took the women’s outdoor vault lead at 4.71 m (15-5 1/2) at the Fresno State Invitational.

Joe Kovacs, the two-time Olympic silver medalist and two-time World Champion, got the lead in the men’s shot at 22.46 m (73-8 1/4) at the Music City Challenge in Nashville, and had three other throws past 22 m.

American Brooke Andersen had a sensational hammer series at the Desert Heat meet in Tucson, reaching a world-leading 77.98 m (255-10) in round two and then getting to 79.02 m (259-3) in round three for the win. That’s a lifetime best and moves her to no. 4 all-time and no. 2 in U.S. history. Wow!

At the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Olympic women’s 400 m hurdles champ Sydney McLaughlin won the 100 m hurdles in 12.75 and Olympic 800 m gold medalist Athing Mu won the 600 m in 1:22.74, moving her to no. 4 on the all-time list.

American Devon Allen won his third straight 110 m hurdles race of the season in 13.11, no. 2 for 2022, beating Jamaica’s 2016 Olympic champ Omar McLeod (JAM) in the process (13.22).

On the roads, Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, a 12:46.79 man on the track, won the Adizero Road to Records event in Herzogenaurach (GER) in 12:53, best in the world for 2022, beating Nicholas Kimeli (KEN) by two seconds with Levy Kibet (KEN) third at 13:02.

Kenyan star Kibiwott Kandie won the 10 km race in a fast 26:50, a second off the world lead for 2022, and the no. 7 performance in history (he remains the no. 4 performer). He was just ahead of Sebastian Sawe (KEN: 26:54, no. 5 all-time), Rodrigue Kwizera (BDI: 26:56, equal-6th all-time) and Rhonex Kipruto (KEN: 26:58).

Ethiopia’s Senbere Teferi won the women’s 5 km race in a world-leading 14:37, well ahead of Medina Eisa (ETH: 14:53).

● Badminton ● The 25th Pan American Championships were on from 26-29 April in San Salvador (ESA), with three wins for Canada, including a sensational women’s final.

American star Beiwen Zhang, who won the 2021 Pan Am title, was matched up with Canada’s Michelle Li, the three-time Pan American Games champion and it was a struggle. Li won the first set by 21-18, but Zhang came back strongly with a 21-16 win. The third set was a marathon, with Li finally coming out on top, 25-23.

The other Canadian wins weren’t as dramatic, as Rachel Honderich and Kristen Tsai won the all-Canada women’s doubles final from Catherine Choi and Josephine Wu, 21-17, 21-18 and Ty Alexander Lindeman and Wu won the Mixed Doubles from Guatemala’s Jonathan Solis and Diana Corleto Soto, 21-12, 21-11.

A fifth Canadian finalist, Brian Yang, lost in the men’s Singles final to Kevin Cordon (GUA), 21-17, 21-14. It was Cordon’s second title, with the first way back in 2012!

Mexico’s Job Castillo and Luis Montoya won the men’s Doubles over Americans Vinson Chiu and Joshua Yuan, 22-20, 11-8 with the U.S. retiring.

Honderich and Wu now both have six career Pan Am Championships titles, but in multiple events.

● Curling ● Defending champion Scotland had a new team, but the same result at the World Mixed Doubles Championship in Geneva (SUI), as Eve Muirhead and Bobby Lammie won a tight final from Swiss Alina Paetz and Sven Michel by 9-7.

The Swiss, Sweden and Norway all went 7-2 in the Group A round-robin, while the Scots ran through Group B with a 9-0 mark, ahead of Canada (8-1) and Germany. The U.S. pair of Becca and Matt Hamilton were 5-4 and missed the playoffs.

In the play-ins to the semifinals, Norway edged Canada by 6-5 and Germany scored an 11-8 win over Sweden. The Swiss eliminated Norway in another tight match, 8-7, and Muirhead and Lammie defeated Germany easily, 8-3.

The Swiss were trying for their seventh title in the 14 editions of the event, last winning in 2018 and having never lost a championship final. But the Scots were hot from the start, holding a 5-0 lead after the first two ends.

Paetz and Michel closed to 5-2, but the Scots extended their lead to 7-2 before a rush of points from the Swiss: two in the fifth and two in the six to close to 7-6. But Muirhead and Lammie got two in the seventh for a 9-6 lead and after conceding a point in the final end, they celebrated a 9-7 triumph and a second straight gold medal in the event.

Germany won the bronze-medal match by 7-5.

● Cycling ● The 75th Tour de Romandie in Switzerland came down to the final day, with an Individual Time Trial to determine the overall winner.

The Prologue and second stage were won by Britain’s Ethan Hayter, his first victories on the UCI World Tour, but Australian star Rohan Dennis had the lead following the first full stage and held onto it going into Sunday’s racing.

Dylan Teuns (BEL) won the hilly first stage, beating Dennis to the line, then New Zealand’s Patrick Bevan took the third stage in a mass sprint, with Dennis third. Saturday’s challenging triple ascent with an uphill finish to the Val d’Anniviers in Zinal was won by Colombian climber Sergio Higuita from among a dozen sprinting to the line, with Dennis just three seconds back in 11th!

All of that meant Dennis entered Sunday with a 15-second lead over Juan Ayuso (ESP) and 18 seconds on Alexander Vlasov (RUS). American Neilson Powless stood eighth, 41 seconds back.

The 15.84 km time trial course was mostly uphill, finishing in Villars, and that proved to be a problem for Dennis. Vlasov won the time trial by 31 seconds over Simon Geschke (GER) and won the race in 18:00:59, 50 seconds up on Gino Mader (SUI) and 55 seconds on Geschke. Dennis finished eight, 1:54 behind.

Coming up on Friday is the first of the Grand Tours, the Giro d’Italia, this year starting with three stages in Budapest.

Sunday was the 59th Eschborn-Frankfurt, over 185 km with five climbs, but a long, flat run into the finish, perfect for the sprinters. The mad dash for the line was won by Ireland’s Sam Bennett, over Colombian star Fernando Gaviria and Norway’s Alexander Kristoff. The first 61 riders all shared the same time of 4:27:52.

Kristoff looked like he might win the race for a fifth time, but Bennett’s surge in the last 200 m carried him last everyone. Kristoff finished third for the third straight year and celebrated his seventh straight year on the podium!

● Fencing ● The Cairo Grand Prix for Epee saw an all-French for the men as 2018 World Champion Yannick Borel dueled with Nelson Lopez Pourtier, who made his second tournament final in two weeks.

No problem for Borel, who won by 15-5 and enjoyed his fifth Grand Prix gold and second of the year, after winning in Doha earlier. Alex Fava of France and Gergely Siklosi (HUN) shared the bronze medals.

The women’s title went to Korea’s In-jeong Choi, who out-lasted France’s Auriane Mallo in the final by 15-14. Choi, 31, won her second career Grand Prix gold, but the first in nine years! Mallo won her second career Grand Prix medal; she took a bronze back in 2018.

American Kat Holmes and Korean Sera Song shared the bronze medal.

The FIE Foil World Cup tour was in Plovdiv (BUL) on the men’s side, with an all-Italian final, as 2018 World Champion Alessio Foconi overcame Rio Olympic champ and Tokyo silver medalist Daniele Garozzo by 15-11 in the final. For the 32-year-old Foconi, it was his 14th career World Cup medal and his fourth win, but the first since 2019.

American Olympians Gerek Meinhardt and Nick Itkin made it to the quarterfinals, but lost there. Italy’s Tommaso Marini and Hungarian Gergo Szemes won the bronze medals.

Italy won the team event by 45-28 over France; the American squad of Meinhardt, Itkin, Alexander Massialas and Sidarth Kumbla won the bronze, 45-42, over Japan.

In Tauberbischofsheim (GER), the Reinhold-Wurth Cup in Foil for women saw American Lee Kiefer – the Olympic gold medalist and married to Meinhardt – win a 15-7 decision in the final over France’s Anita Blaze.

Keifer barely survived her quarterfinal match against Italy’s Arianna Errigo – the 2013 and 2014 World Champion – by 15-14, then got by Japan’s Karin Miyawaki, 15-13, before facing Blaze. It’s Kiefer’s 17th career World Cup medal and fourth win, but her first in five years. Blaze won her first career World Cup medal.

Miyawaki and Erica Cipressa (ITA) won the bronze medals.

● Football ● The CONCACAF women’s U-17 Championship in the Dominican Republic has moved into the playoff phase, with the U.S. women concluding Group G play with a 3-0 record and a perfect, 38-0 goals-against mark.

The other groups winners were Mexico in Group E (3-0, +27), Canada in Group F (2-0-1, +15) and El Salvador in Group H, with a 3-0 mark (+11).

The Round of 16 was played on the weekend, with the U.S. defeating Curacao by 11-0, keyed by four goals from Nicollette Kiorpes in the first, seventh, 55th and 84th minutes. Mia Bhuta and Onyeka Gamero had two goals each. The game was 6-0 at half and the U.S. led in shots by 28-1.

The U.S. will play the winner of this evening’s Jamaica-Cuba match in the quarterfinals. Mexico (15-0 over Guyana), Puerto Rico and Costa Rica also advanced on Saturday.

● Ice Hockey ● /Updated/The 23rd IIHF men’s World U-18 Championship came down to a face-off between the U.S. and Sweden in Landshut, Germany on Sunday, with the Swedes taking their second title in the last three editions.

The U.S. won Group A with a 3-0 record and a 24-7 goals-against total and Sweden and Finland both had 2-1 records to top Group B, with Sweden winning the match-up between the two.

In the playoffs, the U.S. stomped Latvia, 13-3 in the quarterfinals and skated past the Czech Republic in the semis by 6-1. The Swedes had a harder time, easing by Germany in the quarters by 7-1, but then edging Finland in a rematch by 2-1.

The final was a wide–open affair, with the teams tied 2-2 after the first period, with Ryan Leonard giving the U.S. a 1-0 lead after just 2:24. But Sweden took a 2-1 lead before Frank Nazar tied it at 15:56 of the period. The Swedes got just three shots in the period, but scored on two.

The second stanza was just as furious. Liam Ohgren and Noah Ostlund scored power-play goals for Sweden for a 4-2 lead, but Rutger McGroarty closed it to 4-3 with a U.S. power-play goal at 16:03 of the period. Again, the U.S. led in shots, 18-8, but not on the scoreboard.

More of the same is the third, with Ohgren getting a second goal at 9:41 of the period for a 5-3 lead. A furious U.S. attack resulted in five penalties for Sweden and McGroarty got a second goal at 16:49 on a power play as the U.S. pulled its keeper for an extra attacker as well. Sweden got an empty-netter for the 6-4 final with 31 seconds to play.

The U.S. had a 21-4 shots advantage in the third period and 51-15 for the game, and lost by two goals.

In the third-place game, Finland broke open a 2-1 struggle in final six minutes with two goals for a 4-1 victory over the Czech Republic. Czech forward Jiri Kulich was named Most Valuable Player.

This was Sweden’s second title after winning in 2019 and they are now 2-5 in championship games. The Americans won their 18th medal in this tournament: 10-5-3; the last U.S. win came in 2017.

● Modern Pentathlon ● On a crucial weekend for the sport, the second UIPM World Cup of the season was held in Budapest, with meetings on a proposed new, fifth discipline to be held on Sunday and Monday.

On the field, the new qualifying format does not include riding in the first round or the semi-finals, but only the final. On Saturday, Hungarian star Bence Demeter led after the fencing, Italy’s Matteo Cicinelli won the swimming and Czech Martin Vlach won the riding. But he started only 13th in the Laser Run, which proved no problem, as he scorched the field by more than 13 seconds to win, totaling 1,510 points.

Giuseppe Parisi (ITA), second after the fencing, ended up second overall (1,498; his first World Cup medal), trailed by German Christian Zellikens (1,495), with Demeter fourth (1,492).

The women’s final saw Amira Kandil (EGY) lead after the fencing, but Italy’s Elena Micheli won the swimming and teammate Beatrice Merciuri won the riding. But home favorite Michelle Gulyas was well positioned in fourth place for the Laser Run and even with the fifth-fastest time in the field managed to get across the line first. She ended with 1,420 points to 1,406 for Micheli and 1,405 for Salma Abdelmaksoud (EGY), her first career World Cup medal.

In the Mixed-Team relay, Noureldin Karim and Haydy Morsy scored a home-nation victory with 1,350 points and winning the Riding and Laser Run segments. Hungary’s Robert Kasza and Rita Erdos were second (1,311) and Mexico’s Oliver Carrillo and Mayran Catherine were third (1,304).

● Rugby Sevens ● /Updated/The Women’s Seven Series was in Langford (CAN) for the fifth of six rounds this season, with Australia (3-0), France (3-0) and New Zealand (2-0-1) winning the groups.

In the quarterfinals, France and New Zealand won their quarterfinals easily and then the New Zealanders took the semi by 26-14. Ireland defeated the U.S. in the third quarterfinal and Australia cruised past Spain, 55-0. The Aussies were just as tough in the semi, stomping the Irish by 26-5.

In the final, Australia managed a tight, 21-17 win over New Zealand, and Ireland defeated France, 22-14. It’s the fourth win in five tournaments this season for Australia, which now has a 80-60-56 lead over France and the U.S. (which finished fifth), with one stage left.

● Shooting ● Americans stars were shining for the Skeet events at the ISSF World Cup in Lonato (ITA) that ended on Saturday.

The 2018 World Champion Caitlin Connor, now 31, scored her eighth career World Cup medal, but first win with a 37-36 triumph over Britain’s Olympic sixth-placer Amber Hill. Connor then combined with Dania Jo Vizzi and Amber English to take the women’s Team event, 7-3, over Italy in the final.

In the men’s final, Italy’s two-time Olympian Luigi Lodde, 42, upset 2008-12-20 Olympic champ Vincent Hancock of the U.S. in the final, 40-38. Rio Olympic champ Gabriele Rossetti finished third (28). The Czech Republic won the men’s Team title, 6-4, over Italy; the U.S. was fourth.

Connor and Hancock teamed up to easily win the Mixed Team final, 7-1, over France.

● Wrestling ● The U.S. Open in Las Vegas was not the national championship, but a good gauge of where some of the top American wrestlers are with the selection matches for the World Championships upcoming in June.

The men’s Freestyle finals showcased seven first-time U.S. Open winners: Matthew Ramos (57 kg), Nico Megaludis (61 kg), Alec Pantaleo (70 kg), Jason Nolf (74 kg), David McFadden (79 kg), Cameron Caffey (92 kg) and Michael Macchiavello (97 kg).

Mark Hall won his second straight U.S. Open title at 86 kg; Hayden Zillmer won the 125 kg class to go with his 2019 title and 2017 winner Kendric Maple – now an assistant coach at Missouri – returned to the mat to win at 65 kg. He pinned Matthew Kolodzic in 54 zeconds in the final and was named Outstanding Wrestler in the division.

In the women’s Freestyle division, repeat winners from 2021 included no. 1 seed Erin Golston at 50 kg, 2019 World Champion Jacarra Winchester at 55 kg and Dymond Guilford at 76 kg.

Kayla Miracle, the 2021 Worlds silver medalist, won an impressive fourth U.S. Open title at 62 kg, pinning Jennifer Page in just 18 seconds in the final; Miracle was named as the division’s Outstanding Wrestler.

The Greco-Roman finals are coming up on Sunday evening; look for an update later!

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SWIMMING: Sensational U.S. Trials close with 2022 bests from Dressel, Ledecky and Walsh; Americans set world leads in 17 of 34 total events!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Olympic and World Medley Champion Chase Kalisz (USA).

The final day of the Phillips 66 International Team Trials completed a stunning demonstration of American power, with world-leading marks in three more events and the assembly of a formidable U.S. team for June’s FINA World Championships in Budapest.

The qualifying protocol is a little complicated, with only the winner of each event guaranteed a spot on the U.S. team, plus the top four in the 100 m and 200 m Freestyles (for relays). Most likely, the top two in each event will be on the U.S. team in Hungary, but only the winners in non-Olympic 50 m races. On Saturday:

● Women/1,500 m Freestyle ● No doubt about the favorite: Katie Ledecky, looking for her fourth win at the Trials.

Katie Grimes, the national champion in the 10 km open-water event and 400 m Medley in this meet, actually had the lead at the first turn, but Ledecky took control by 100 m and had a full body-length lead by 250 m.

By halfway, Ledecky had an eight-second lead and Grimes was easily second by 10 seconds, with no one else challenging. Ledecky hit 800 m in 8:19.37, which only two other swimmers in the world have done for the 800 m Free this season!

Ledecky finished in 15:38.99, fastest in the world for 2022, and the no. 15 time in history. Grimes got a lifetime best in second in 15:51.36, moving to no. 2 on the world list for the year. Bella Sims was a clear third in 16:15.87.

● Women/200 m Medley ● Olympic silver medalist Alex Walsh led the qualifying at 2:10.51, the no. 2 mark in the world for 2022, with Leah Hayes getting a lifetime best at 2:11.12.

Former Wisconsin All-American Beata Nelson was the early leader on the Fly leg, with Walsh 0.28 down, but Walsh took the lead on the Backstroke leg and kept expanding her lead all the way to the finish, pulling away on the Free leg, claiming a U.S. Open record and the world-leading time in 2:07.84. She’s now no. 6 on the all-time list and no. 2 all-time U.S.

Hayes, 16, who is bald from the autoimmune disorder alopecia, moved up to second after the Backstroke leg and got home a decisive second in 2:09.99 – another lifetime best and no. 2 on the 2022 world list – to make the Worlds team. Nelson finished third in 2:11.80, 0.04 off her seasonal best.

● Men/200 m Medley ● Four were under 1:59 in the heats, with 2017 World Champion Chase Kalisz leading the parade at 1:58.15, ahead of Trenton Julian at 1:58.30 and Carson Foster at 1:58.39.

Julian, the best Fly swimmer in the field, led after the first lap of the final, then Texas All-American Foster – the winner of the 400 m Medley – touched first at the end of the Backstroke leg, with Kalisz up to third.

Then Kalisz, an excellent Breaststroke swimmer, took off and claimed a 0.67-second lead on the field after the third leg and turned for home with a significant lead. Foster was able to close slightly, but Kalisz moved to no. 2 on the world list for 2022 at 1:56.21.

Foster was second in 1:56.65, no. 3 in the world. Sam Stewart was third with a lifetime best of 1:57.70 and Julian tied for fourth at 1:58.42.

● Men/800 m Freestyle ● No doubt about the favorite: Olympic champion Bobby Finke, and he took care of business.

David Johnston, the Texas All-American, had the early lead, but Finke took over by the 200 m mark and simply sailed away from the field. He finished in 7:43.32, no. 3 on the 2022 world list and a U.S. Open record. The Olympic 800-1,500 m gold medalist will defend both titles in Budapest.

Behind him was Charlie Clark, second in the 1,500 m Free, who came on the final 200 m to get second again, in 7:50.07, a five-second improvement on his best this season. Johnston got third in 7:54.40.

● Women/50 m Freestyle ● The eight finals qualifiers were separated by only 0.83, with Erika Brown at 24.48, no. 4 in the world for 2022, and Kate Douglass at 24.59.

The final was dead even through the first half, but Torri Huske created a small edge with 15 m to go and she got to the touch first in 24.50, out of lane two. The next three were within just 0.05: Brown at 24.52, Gretchen Walsh at 24.53 and Claire Curzan at 24.55; the top four are now nos. 4-5-6-7 on the 2022 world list.

How close was this race? Tokyo Olympian Abbey Weitzeil – second in this event at the 2021 Olympic Trials – finished in 24.75 – a quarter of a second (!) behind the winner – and was sixth. Wow.

Huske, who owns a Tokyo Olympic relay silver, won the 50 and 100 m Frees, the 100 m Fly and was second in the 50 m Fly. She will be busy in Budapest.

● Men/50 m Freestyle ● Sprint star Michael Andrew led the qualifying at 21.68, no. 2 in 2022, just ahead of Olympic champ Caeleb Dressel at 21.71 (no. 4).

The final was another firefight between Dressel and Andrew and the Olympic gold medalist had the lead by the 30 m mark and held on for a clear win in 21.29, fastest in the world for 2022. Andrew was close and the issue was in doubt until the final 10 m; he finished in 21.45, no. 2 for the season.

Brooks Curry had a strong finish to get third in 21.84, ahead of Ryan Held (21.85).

Dressel’s 21.29 is “only” equal-25th on the all-time list, but at age 25, he now owns eight of the top 26 ever.

What a meet! There were 20 world-leading performances in all, and world-leaders in 17 total events, with nine among the men and eight for the women. Hunter Armstrong got a world record in the 50 m Back and there were American Records by Andrew in the 50 m Breast and Katharine Berkoff in the 50 m Back.

The FINA World Championships come up fairly quickly, from 17 June-3 July. Dressel will swim in four individual events and a lot of relays, Ledecky the same and how about Huske, an emerging star in the women’s sprints?

Paris is only two years away.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SWIMMING: More world leads for Ledecky, Fink, Smith and Armstrong and a Breaststroke triple for Lilly King at U.S. Trials!

By
Rich Perelman
-
The no. 3 800 m Free performance ever for Freestyle superstar Katie Ledecky (USA).

The penultimate day of the Phillips 66 International Team Trials was another demonstration of how powerful the U.S. swim program is, with world-leading performances in four more events in Greensboro, North Carolina. This meet is selecting the American team for the 2022 World Championships in Budapest and blowing up the 2022 world rankings in the process.

The qualifying protocol is a little complicated, with only the winner of each event guaranteed a spot on the U.S. team, plus the top four in the 100 m and 200 m Freestyles (for relays). Most likely, the top two in each event will be on the U.S. team in Hungary, but only the winners in non-Olympic 50 m races. On Friday:

● Women/400 m Freestyle ● Katie Ledecky zoomed to the no. 2 time in the world for 2022 in the prelims, posting the fastest time by more than four seconds in 4:00.38, with two-time Worlds medalist Leah Smith at 4:04.83.

In the final, it was Ledecky, Smith and Bella Sims (4×200 m Free Relay silver in Tokyo) separating from the rest of the field by the 150 m mark and then Ledecky took off. She extended her lead throughout, finishing more than a body length ahead in a world-leading 3:59.52, the no. 21 performance of all-time (she has 17 of the top 22).

Smith took second by the 125 m point and was a solid second in 4:03.15, moving to no. 4 on the 2022 world list. Sims finished third in 4:06.61 (no. 10) and the amazing Katie Grimes – already the winner of the 400 m Medley and the U.S. 10 km open-water champion – was fourth in 4:06.67.

● Men/400 m Freestyle ● The U.S. had no one in the top 37 in the world after the prelims, but that was going to change with 200 m winner Keiran Smith the favorite considering his Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo last year.

And it was Smith to the lead right away, leading North Carolina State All-American Ross Dant through most of the race. But Dant would not go away and got to the lead on the final turn by 0.05, with U.S. Open 400 m Free champ Trey Freeman getting into the fight.

Coming home, it was Smith getting stronger and taking the lead again, but Freeman was moving fastest of all and passed Dant in the final 10 m to get second, 3:46.61-3:46.93-3:47.11, ranking 8-9-12 in the world for 2022.

● Women/100 m Breaststroke ● Lilly King and Kaitlyn Dobler were 1-2 in the 50 m Breaststroke final and 1-2 in the qualifying, with King at 1:06.20, and Annie Lazor in third and Olympic champ Lydia Jacoby fourth.

King got to the lead right away in the final, but not by much. She only had an 0.23 lead over Lazor and 0.31 over Dobler at the turn. King’s stroke rate increased to keep her in front, with a furious race behind her between Lazor and Dobler, with Jacoby coming hard.

At the touch, King was the clear winner at 1:05.67 (she has a faster time this season), with training partner Lazor moving no. 7 in the world at 1:06.12 and Dobler at 1:06.19. King sweeps all three Breast events, but Jacoby – the Tokyo winner – finished off the team in fourth in 1:06.21, no. 10 on the world list for 2022.

● Men/100 m Breaststroke ● Michael Andrew was back in the pool again, leading the qualifying over Nic Fink, 58.78-59.63.

In the final, Andrew started fast as usual and had the lead at the turn over Fink, but the 28-year-old two-time World Short Course Breaststroke champ had a superb underwater and had the lead on Andrew with 30 meters left.

Fink matched Andrew stroke-for-stroke and the two separated from the field and Fink got his second win of the meet – he tied for the 200 Breast victory – in a lifetime best and world-leading 58.47, with Andrew now no. 2 at 58.51. Charlie Swanson was third, well back at 1:00.06.

● Women/100 m Backstroke ● Olympic bronze medalist Regan Smith led all qualifiers at 58.29, fastest in the world for 2022, well clear of Olympic fourth-placer Rhyan White (58.98).

In the final, Smith got off well and had a small lead at the turn over Claire Curzan – in her fourth event! – and White, then extended on the final lap and scored a convincing win over a great field in another world-leading time of 57.76.

Curzan, swimming away from the leaders in lane 2, never wavered and kept her stroke rate strong to score second in 58.39 (no. 3 for 2022) ahead of White (58.59, no. 5) and 50 m Back winner Katharine Berkoff (58.61, no. 6).

It’s a U.S. Open record for Smith, smashing her own mark of 57.92 from the U.S. Trials in 2021.

● Men/100 m Backstroke ● Olympic Trials fifth-placer Justin Ress moved to no. 5 on the world list for 2020 with the fastest qualifying time of 53.10, ahead of Rio Olympic champ Ryan Murphy (53.17).

In the final, Murphy got into the water first and had a tiny lead at the turn (0.10) over 50 m Back winner (and world-record-setter) Hunter Armstrong. But that didn’t last and Armstrong came hard in the middle of the final lap to get a small lead and then touch for the win in a world-leading 52.20.

Murphy followed in a rush at 52.46, then came Ress at 52.73 and they are 1-2-3 on the world list for 2022. Shaine Casas swam 53.01 and is no. 6 in the world this season and got fourth. Let’s remember: Armstrong is 21 and already has an Olympic relay gold to his credit. Wow.

Now four days in, this meet has produced a world record, three American Records and world-leading performances in 14 events: eight for men and six for women. And one day to go.

Saturday’s final-day program includes the women’s 1,500 m Free, men’s 800 m Free, the 200 m Medleys and the 50 m Freestyles; the finals will be shown on CNBC at 6 p.m. Eastern.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SWIMMING: Zowie! World record for Armstrong, American Records for Andrew and Berkoff at amazing U.S. International Trials

By
Rich Perelman
-
Sometime magician and now World Record holder Hunter Armstrong (USA) wears the crown in the men's 50 m Backstroke! (Photo: Salty Sailing Swimmer via Wikipedia)

Sensational! An already hot Phillips 66 International Team Trials got crazy on Thursday in Greensboro, North Carolina, with three American Record swims and a world mark in the meet to select the U.S. team for the 2022 FINA World Championships.

The qualifying protocol is a little complicated, with only the winner of each event guaranteed a spot on the U.S. team, plus the top four in the 100 m and 200 m Freestyles (for relays). Most likely, the top two in each event will be on the U.S. team in Hungary, but only the winners in non-Olympic 50 m races. On Thursday:

● Women/400 m Medley ● The Olympic silver and bronze medalists – Emma Weyant and Hali Flickinger – were the big names in this race, but two 16-year-olds, Leah Hayes (4:39.65) and Katie Grimes (4:41.02) led the qualifying with lifetime bests.

Off the start, it was Hayes who swam to the lead on the Fly leg, but it was Grimes who touched first at 100 m, with Flickinger and Hayes in close attendance. Grimes – who is the U.S. national open-water champ at 10 km – stayed in front and fought off Flickinger on the Backstroke leg and then Hayes on the Breaststroke, until Hayes smoked the last 50 on the Breast leg and led after 300 m, with Weyant making a major charge to come from fourth to second heading into the Free leg.

But no one could catch Grimes. Weyant tried, with Hayes and Flickinger trying to move up, but Grimes held the lead and got home first in 4:36.17, no. 2 in the world for 2022. Weyant’s strong last 150 got her second (4:37.72: no. 7), followed by Flickinger at 4:39.50 and Hayes at 4:40.70.

Grimes’ win was another lifetime best by almost four seconds!

● Men/400 m Medley ● The Olympic gold medalist, Chase Kalisz, qualified first at 4:13.24 and was the favorite. But he had to deal with Olympic silver winner Jay Litherland, Olympic 800-1,500 m Free star Bobby Finke and Texas star Carson Foster, third in the 2021 Olympic Trials in this event.

Off the start, Kalisz, Foster and older brother Jake Foster touched 1-2-3 after the Butterfly leg, but Carson Foster took control during the Backstroke leg as Kalisz fell back and Finke moved up to second.

Then came Kalisz – as expected – on the Breast leg, taking the lead by 0.66 from Foster on the turn for home, with Jake Foster third and Finke falling back. But Carson Foster grabbed the lead again on the first 50 m of the Freestyle, passing Kalisz and holding on right to the final touch in 4:09.33, no. 3 in the world for 2022.

Kalisz looked like a clear second, but the amazing Finke was motoring on the final 50 m and just about caught Kalisz at the touch, but ended up third, 4:10.50-4:10.57, nos. 3-4 for the year. David Johnston was fourth in 4:13.24.

● Women/100 m Butterfly ● Teen sensations Torri Huske (19) and Claire Curzan (17) were 1-2 in the qualifying, after finishing 1-2 in the 100 m Free and Curzan and Huske 1-2 in the 50 m Fly yesterday.

They stormed to the lead right away in the final, with Kelsi Dahlia, the 2016 Olympic Trials winner, chasing hard. But the two teens separated from the rest of the field after the turn and swam almost together to the wall.

Huske was better in the final 10 m and touched in 56.28, with Curzan at 56.35, the nos. 1-2 marks in the world for 2022 and their third 1-2 finish in the meet so far! Dahlia was third in 57.58, her second-fastest swim of the year.

● Men/100 m Butterfly ● Caeleb Dressel, already the winner of the 100 m Free and 50 m Fly in world-leading times, grabbed another world-leader in the heats in 50.01.

In the final, Dressel got to the lead right away and no one could pass him. On the turn, he flipped first and had just a 0.09-second lead on Michael Andrew … who could get any closer. Dressel stayed on form, stayed consistent and stayed in front to the touch in 50.20, the no. 2 time in 2022.

Andrew was a clear second in 50.88, equal-third this year, with Trent Julian getting up for third in 51.10, no. 7 on the world list, but off the team for Budapest.

● Women/50 m Breaststroke ● Superstar Lilly King led the qualifying at 30.39 and off the block, NCAA 100-yard Breast champ Kaitlyn Dobler charged to the lead, but King took over quickly and was strong right to the wall.

She finished in 29.76, no. 2 in the world for 2022. Dobler got second with a lifetime best of 30.34, followed by Tokyo 100 m Breast gold medalist Lydia Jacoby, in 30.35.

King won the 200 m Breast yesterday and goes for the triple in the 100 m Breast tomorrow.

● Men/50 m Breaststroke ● Michael Andrew led the qualifying at 26.78, moving him to no. 2 on the world list for 2022.

In the evening, Andrew came back 15 minutes after his 100 m Fly final, and he and 2021 World Short-Course gold medalist Nic Fink figured to be the race. They were. Fink had the lead by a nose by the 30 m mark, but Andrew was coming and only got in front as they came to the wall.

The result was an American Record for Andrew in 26.52, breaking Kevin Cordes’ 2015 mark of 26.76, as well as taking the U.S. Open mark for the fastest ever swim in a U.S. pool. He remains at no. 2 in the world for 2022.

Fink was also under the American Record at 26.55 for second; Kevin Houseman was third in 27.24.

● Women/50 m Backstroke ● Two-time Worlds gold medalist Regan Smith was the top qualifier at 27.40, setting a U.S. Open record and moving to no. 2 on the 2022 world list. But NCAA 100-yard Back champ Katharine Berkoff was only 4/100ths behind and American Record holder Olivia Smoliga third at 27.75.

Berkoff was second-fastest off the blocks and held only the tiniest of leads over Smith at halfway … and it stayed that way to the end! Berkoff finished in 27.12, smashing Smoliga’s American mark from 2019 and taking over the no. 1 on the 2022 world list. She’s now no. 5 on the all-time list.

Smith finished in 27.25, also under the old AR, with Smoliga in 27.33, tying her 2019 mark, but only getting third this time.

● Men/50 m Backstroke ● The four-year-old American Record of 24.24 by Ryan Murphy from 2018 took a beating in the heats, with Hunter Armstrong smashing it in heat two at 24.01 – also fastest in the world this year – and then Justin Ress winning heat three in a just-slower 24.05.

In the final, Murphy got off brilliantly and came up first, but Armstrong had all the power in the final 20 meters and stormed to the wall, just ahead of Ress to his left, winning in a world record 23.71!

That breaks Russian Kliment Kolesnikov’s 23.80 mark from 2021 and improves Armstrong’s own American Record. When not doing magic tricks, Armstrong was a Tokyo Olympian, earning a 4×100 m Medley gold for swimming in the prelims; he finished ninth overall in the 100 m Back.

Ress was second at 23.92, no. 3 all-time and Shaine Casas for up for third in 24.00, now no. 4 all-time. Murphy was fourth (24.57) and Andrew swam his third final in 32 minutes, and finished fifth in 24.80.

Incredible: three American Record swims and a world record, not to mention five more world-leading marks. After three days, the meet has produced world-leading marks in 10 events and there are two more days to come.

Friday’s program includes the 400 m Freestyles, 100 m Breaststroke finals and 100 m Backstrokes; the finals will be shown on NBC’s Olympic Channel live at 6 p.m. Eastern.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: World leads for Smith, Casas, Murphy, Dressel and King at U.S. Trials; IOC visiting Salt Lake City; more weightlifting doping positives

By
Rich Perelman
-
Olympic and World breaststroke champ Lilly King

(Friends: We’re posting daily updates on USA Swimming’s Phillips 66 International Team Trials this week, which will not be sent out as separate e-mails. To be informed of new posts right away, please follow TSX on Twitter or you can check back on the TSX site.)

● Plus: Russia: Sports Minister does not see Paris 2024 ban yet = Beijing 2022: Putin says Valieva not a doper = Winter Games 2030: Spanish bid still in disarray = Athletics: Suhr got Masters vault record earlier = Ice Hockey: IIHF removes ‘23 Worlds from Russia = Modern Pentathlon: new 5th discipline to be decided soon = SCOREBOARD => Athletics: Lipari and Ciattei wins USATF Road Mile titles = Football: U.S. women club Costa Rica, 5-0, in CONCACAF U-17s ●

Key status updates on the urgent stories in Olympic sport:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

/As posted Wednesday afternoon/What is turning out to be a torrid Phillips 66 International Team Trials continued in Greensboro, North Carolina, to select the U.S. team for the 2022 FINA World Championships in Budapest … and it appears it could be a great one.

On Wednesday, Caeleb Dressel and Katie Ledecky won their second races in two days, but amid a dazzling series of world-leading marks from old and new American stars.

The qualifying protocol is a little complicated, with only the winner of each event guaranteed a spot on the U.S. team, plus the top four in the 100 m and 200 m Freestyles (for relays). Most likely, the top two in each event will be on the U.S. team in Hungary. On Wednesday:

● Women/200 m Freestyle ● World leader Ledecky led the qualifying at 1:56.20, which only two others in the world have matched so far this season.

In the final, Ledecky took control by the 25 m mark and was 0.82 up at the half, had a full-body length lead at 150 m and came through strongly to finish at 1:55.15, the no. 3 performance in 2022.

Behind her was a furious final 50 m with Alex Walsh, Leah Smith and 15-year-old Claire Weinstein battling and the teenager making the best push in the final 15 m to touch second in a big lifetime best of 1:57.08. Smith, second in Tuesday’s 800 m Free, got third at 1:57.44 and Hali Flickinger, the winner of Tuesday’s 200 m Fly, got fourth (1:57.53). The top four are all slated for relay duty in Budapest.

● Men/200 m Freestyle ● Texas star Carson Foster led the qualifiers with an impressive personal best of 1:45.57, moving to no. 3 in the world for 2022.

And Foster was off strongly in the final, leading after 50 m, but got a challenge from Olympic Trials winner Keiran Smith, who had the lead at 100 m with Drew Kibler – the 200-yard Free winner at the NCAA Championships – right behind.

Smith held on, held on and held on and although challenged throughout by Kibler – one lane below him – and Foster, got to the touch first in 1:45.25, fastest in the world this year. He was just 0.07 better than Kibler, now no. 2 worldwide, with Foster making the relay team in third in 1:45.66 (no. 5). Trenton Julian, runner-up in the 200 m Fly on Tuesday, was fourth in 1:46.69.

● Women/200 m Breaststroke ● Oh, yes, this was a race!

The top three in the qualifying were Olympic silver winner Lilly King, NCAA champion  Kate Douglass and Olympic bronze medalist (and world leader in 2022) Annie Lazor and they were the class of the field by the 20 m mark.

King sprinted to the lead right away and had 0.86 on Lazor and 0.95 on Douglass at the first turn, but it kept getting closer. Douglass closed to 0.87 back after 100 m and 0.26 behind at the 150 m mark.

Then it was a fight to the finish and Douglass got closer and closer, and Lazor got into the picture late. But King found a little extra in the final 20 m and held on for a world-leading win in 2:21.19, following by Douglass with the no. 2 time in the world (2:21.43) and Lazor third, with the no. 3 time in the world this season (2:21.91), but not on the U.S. team in this event.

● Men/200 m Breaststroke ● The U.S. had no one in the top 25 in the world coming into the morning prelims, but Jake Foster moved up to seventh at 2:09.79 to lead the qualifiers.

The final started with Foster in front, but Charlie Swanson, the no. 2 qualifier (and 2019 Pan American Games 400 m Medley winner) was only 0.25 behind and pressing. Swanson got the lead by the second turn, just ahead of Foster and with veteran Nic Fink third and moving well.

By the 150 m mark, those three had separated and Fink was making a race of it, coming on strongly as Foster lost ground. Fink kept coming on Swanson and Foster could not keep up, and at the touch, it looked like Fink got there first, but the timer said it was a tie at 2:08.84 for both.

That moves both of them to no. 6 in the world for 2022, and a first-ever Worlds team for Swanson, moving up from ninth at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials. Fink, now 28, won the 200 m Breast gold in the Short-Course Worlds in 2021 after finishing fifth in the 200 m Breast in Tokyo.

Swanson said afterwards he was surprised by the win; “I consider myself more a 400 IMer.”  He’ll have a chance in that event later in the week.

● Women/200 m Backstroke ● Olympic fifth-placer Phoebe Bacon zoomed to no. 2 on the world list for 2022 with her 2:06.78 qualifying leader, but she was not going to have an easy final with world-record holder Regan Smith on one side and 2021 U.S. Trials winner Rhyan White on the other.

White got out to a small lead with Smith and Bacon both close after 50 m and the three were separated from the field by the 100 m mark. Bacon was in front, but not by much: just 0.18 up on White and 0.34 over Smith.

It was Bacon and White fighting for the win on the final lap and Bacon barely touched first, 2:05.08 to 2:05.13. Smith was game, but her 2:05.65 only got third. Those are now the nos. 2-3-4 performers of 2022 and the first Worlds team for Bacon, looking for a medal after being “only” a finalist in Tokyo.

● Men/200 m Backstroke ● World Short-Course 100 m Back gold medalist Shaine Casas blew up the qualifying, posting the fastest time in the world at 1:55.57, with Rio 2016 gold medalist Ryan Murphy third in qualifying.

Casas took control from the start and had a 0.21 lead on Murphy at the turn, with Jack Aikins third. Those three were going to be the medalists, with Casas leading at 100 m, but Murphy in front after 150 m by 0.33 and then extending his lead with a brilliant turn and underwater push.

Clearly in front, Murphy lost a little ground to Casas in the last half-lap, but was a clear winner in 1:55.01, fastest in the world in 2022, with Casas at 1:55.46 (no. 2), Aikins third in 1:56.29 (no. 3 and does not get to go to Budapest).

Murphy owns nine Worlds medals, including 200 m Back silvers in 2017 and 2019, but no golds yet.

● Women/50 m Butterfly ● The American Record of 25.48 by Kelsi Dahlia from 2017 and 2018 was clearly under threat, with Claire Curzan – second in the 100 m Free on Tuesday – leading the qualifying at 25.60.

Dahlia qualified second and she got the best start in the final, but it was the 100 m Free winner Torri Huske who was moving strongly by midway. But Curzan kept coming and finally got even with 5 m left and got her hand on the touchplate to finish in 25.49 – 0.01 off the American Record – with Huske at 25.68 and Dahlia third (25.71).

Those marks stand nos. 3-5-6 in the world for 2022.

● Men/50 m Butterfly ● Sprint star Michael Andrew led the qualifying at 23.09, equal-third on the 2022 world list, with reigning World Champion Dressel at 23.16.

Those two were off the blocks well and had control of the race right away. Andrew might have been just slightly in front by the halfway mark, but Dressel came on – as always – in the final 15 m and got to the touch in 22.84, the fastest time ever swum in a U.S. pool. Andrew was close, at 22.87. Maxime Rooney was third in 23.25.

Those are the top three marks in the world for 2022 and Dressel’s 22.84 breaks the ancient (2009) U.S. Open mark of 22.91 by Ryan Lundquist.

That’s two days and world-leading marks in six events so far! Thursday’s program includes the 50 m Breaststroke finals, 50 m Backstrokes, 100 m Butterflys and the 400 m Medleys; the finals will be shown on NBC’s Olympic Channel live at 6 p.m. Eastern.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Russia ● Asked about a possible ban on Russian athletes competing at the 2024 Paris Games, Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin said Tuesday:

“I don’t see reasons yet for discussions of the possible lack of chances.

“Decisions, made by the International Federations, will be in force, as a rule, until the end of the year and this is why I hope that there will be no problems.

“However, we are ready for any developments of the situation. Our prime aim is for athletes to preserve their motivation and social guarantees as well as to provide a competitive level, here in Russia, with the use of the tournaments’ schedule, training camps and tournaments with athletes from friendly countries, which have recently assumed a principal stance.

“I am positive that International Sports Federations are willing to find a way out from this temporary crisis situation.”

Matytsin noted that, as with the replacement event for Russian Paralympians who were not allowed to compete in the Beijing Winter Paralympics, the Russian skating federation is exploring a replacement event of its own for the just-removed ISU Grand Prix stop in Russia, known recently as the Rostelecom Cup.

“We are working on this proposal jointly with the [Russian] Figure Skating Federation in order to provide athletes with the schedule of competitions and training camps.”

● XXIV Olympic Winter Games: Beijing 2022 ● Russian President Vladimir Putin brushed off any suggestions that figure skater Kamila Valieva was guilty of doping while competing at the Beijing Games. During a ceremony for Russian medalists at the Games – including Valieva as a member of the still-contested Team Event – Putin said:

“She managed to accumulate her talent, all of the most complicated figure skating elements, her plastique, beauty, the power and tenderness, as well as her hard work to bring this sport to the level of the true art.”

“It is utterly impossible to achieve such perfection using unfair methods, with the help of additional substances and manipulations. There is no place for such additional methods in the sport of figure skating and we all know it well and understand.”

News of a positive test from Valieva arrived only after the Team Event had been concluded in Beijing, but the International Olympic Committee would not allow a victory ceremony to take place as Valieva’s positive had not been confirmed. And still has not been confirmed, with the World Anti-Doping Agency leading the inquiry into her testing results from the Stockholm testing lab.

● XXVI Olympic Winter Games: 2030 ● A small delegation from the International Olympic Committee is in Salt Lake City to review the bid program for the Winter Games from Wednesday to Friday, but had to cancel a planned visit to Spain.

This is part of the work of the IOC’s Future Hosts Commission protocol, with cities or regions that want to host a future Games, but a more serious look at real facilities with the possibility of a selection of a single site for a “targeted dialogue” that leads to the award of a Games.

Sapporo (JPN) is also a front-running bidder and Vancouver (CAN) has a bid in formation after local politics needed to be aligned to allow the effort to go forward.

GamesBids.com noted that the Future Hosts Commission visit to examine the Pyrenees-Barcelona bid in May has been postponed as the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) tries to iron out disputes between the Aragon and Catalonia regions over who gets what sports.

Said COE President Alejandro Blanco, “There has been no agreement, but we have been summoned to continue having conversations. I hope, I wish and I am sure that we will reach an agreement.

“We do not consider the Games lost. Aragon has made a proposal, there was an initial agreement, but the Government and the COE do not want to miss the opportunity and lose the Games.

“We are close to the limit and in May everything has to be absolutely clear, otherwise we would have to make another approach.”

● Athletics ● More on the world-age 40 bests for 2012 Olympic women’s vault champ Jenn Suhr, as super-statistician Phil Minshull (ESP) writes that Suhr actually claimed the world Masters bests earlier this year with jumps of 4.50 m (14-9).

She cleared 4.50 m at the Baylor Invitational in Waco, Texas on 2 April to grab the record, and then equaled it on 15 April in Nacogdoches before her 4.60 m (15-1) last weekend at the NSU Invitational in Natchitoches, Louisiana.

Before then, the listed world best was 4.10 m (13-5 1/2) by Doris Ayer (AUT) from 2011.

How special is Suhr? Minshull notes “she has now cleared 4.60 m or better for no less than 17 consecutive years (including 2020 when she only competed indoors)”!

● Ice Hockey ● The International Ice Hockey Federation formally removed the 2023 men’s World Championship from Russia on Tuesday, citing “concern for the safety and well-being of all participating players, officials, media, and fans.”

The tournament had been set for 5-21 May of 2023 in St. Petersburg (RUS); a new host site is expected to be confirmed in late May.

The Russian Hockey Federation said it will appeal the IIHF’s decision.

● Modern Pentathlon ● The Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) Executive Board will hear recommendations from the federation’s working group on a new fifth discipline on 2 May (next Monday), following this week’s World Cup stop in Budapest.

On Tuesday, the PentUnited athlete group tweeted a working-group-member comment that “40% favour obstacles .. 20% XC cycling .. 12% sports climbing” but – referring to obstacle course racing – that “IOC won’t accept new sports being brought in through the back door.”

PentUnited also noted, as it always does, that “75% of athletes want to keep riding”.

● Weightlifting ● The International Testing Agency dropped another hammer on the sport, announcing two doping violations from testing in 2021 and four more from lifters who failed to provide samples during an out-of-competition test last November.

At the 2021 World Championships in Tashkent last December, Talha Talib won the men’s 67 kg bronze medal in the Snatch segment, but failed all three of his lifts in the Clean & Jerk; he tested positive for steroids both at the event and in a pre-competition test in November.

Abubakar Ghani finished 13th in the men’s 61 kg final and was also found to be using a prohibited hormone and metabolic modulator from his post-competition test.

Four others refused to provide samples to the ITA during an out-of-competition test on 10 November and have been provisionally suspended. The ITA has been contracted by the International Weightlifting Federation to handle its anti-doping program, and continued positives are not a good sign for the future of the sport on the Olympic program beyond Paris 2024.

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Athletics ● The 2022 USATF Road Mile Championships were held in Des Moines on Tuesday, in conjunction with the Drake Relays’ Grand Blue Mile, and once again, Emily Lipari was the women’s winner.

She claimed her third national road-mile title and defended her 2020 title, racing to a tight win over the onrushing Jen Randall in the final strides, 4:32.30 to 4:32.68 (both officially 4:33), with Alexina Teubel third in 4:34.28 (4:35). Lipari’s wins have come in 2018, 2020 and 2022

The men’s race was the first national title for former Virginia Tech star Vincent Ciattei, the fifth-placer at the 2022 USATF Indoor 1,500 m, who stormed to the lead in the final quarter of the race and won in 4:03.20 to 4:03.74 for Paul Ryan (officially, 4:04 for both). Shane Streich was third (4:04.12/4:05) and Clayton Murphy was fourth (4:04.53/4:05).

● Football ● The CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship is coming to the close of the group stage, with the United States closing out Group G play with a 5-0 win over Costa Rica in Santo Domingo (DOM).

This was not the complete rout that the first two games were, and the U.S. had only a 1-0 lead close to halftime on an Amalia Villareal goal in the fourth minute. But a stoppage-time goal from Charlotte Kohler at 45+1 made it 2-0 and a much more comfortable lead. Goals in the 58th minute from Riley Jackson (penalty shot) and the 61st from Onyeka Gamero made it 4-0 and Claire Hutton scored in the 90th minute for the 5-0 final.

The U.S. dominated possession and out-shot Costa Rica by 25-3, finishing group play with a goals-against total of 38-0.

The 16-team playoffs will begin on 30 April, with the U.S. facing Curacao and then possibly Canada; the championship match is on 8 May.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SWIMMING: Sensational world leads for Smith, Casas, Murphy, Dressel and King on day two of U.S. International Team Trials

By
Rich Perelman
-
Three more national titles for Olympic and World Breaststroke champ Lilly King (USA) (Photo: USA Swimming)

What is turning out to be a torrid Phillips 66 International Team Trials continued in Greensboro, North Carolina, to select the U.S. team for the 2022 FINA World Championships in Budapest … and it appears it could be a great one.

On Wednesday, Caeleb Dressel and Katie Ledecky won their second races in two days, but amid a dazzling series of world-leading marks from old and new American stars.

The qualifying protocol is a little complicated, with only the winner of each event guaranteed a spot on the U.S. team, plus the top four in the 100 m and 200 m Freestyles (for relays). Most likely, the top two in each event will be on the U.S. team in Hungary. On Wednesday:

● Women/200 m Freestyle ● World leader Ledecky led the qualifying at 1:56.20, which only two others in the world have matched so far this season.

In the final, Ledecky took control by the 25 m mark and was 0.82 up at the half, had a full-body length lead at 150 m and came through strongly to finish at 1:55.15, the no. 3 performance in 2022.

Behind her was a furious final 50 m with Alex Walsh, Leah Smith and 15-year-old Claire Weinstein battling and the teenager making the best push in the final 15 m to touch second in a big lifetime best of 1:57.08. Smith, second in Tuesday’s 800 m Free, got third at 1:57.44 and Hali Flickinger, the winner of Tuesday’s 200 m Fly, got fourth (1:57.53). The top four are all slated for relay duty in Budapest.

● Men/200 m Freestyle ● Texas star Carson Foster led the qualifiers with an impressive personal best of 1:45.57, moving to no. 3 in the world for 2022.

And Foster was off strongly in the final, leading after 50 m, but got a challenge from Olympic Trials winner Keiran Smith, who had the lead at 100 m with Drew Kibler – the 200-yard Free winner at the NCAA Championships – right behind.

Smith held on, held on and held on and although challenged throughout by Kibler – one lane below him – and Foster, got to the touch first in 1:45.25, fastest in the world this year. He was just 0.07 better than Kibler, now no. 2 worldwide, with Foster making the relay team in third in 1:45.66 (no. 5). Trenton Julian, runner-up in the 200 m Fly on Tuesday, was fourth in 1:46.69.

● Women/200 m Breaststroke ● Oh, yes, this was a race!

The top three in the qualifying were Olympic silver winner Lilly King, NCAA champion Kate Douglass and Olympic bronze medalist (and world leader in 2022) Annie Lazor and they were the class of the field by the 20 m mark.

King sprinted to the lead right away and had 0.86 on Lazor and 0.95 on Douglass at the first turn, but it kept getting closer. Douglass closed to 0.87 back after 100 m and 0.26 behind at the 150 m mark.

Then it was a fight to the finish and Douglass got closer and closer, and Lazor got into the picture late. But King found a little extra in the final 20 m and held on for a world-leading win in 2:21.19, following by Douglass with the no. 2 time in the world (2:21.43) and Lazor third, with the no. 3 time in the world this season (2:21.91), but not on the U.S. team in this event.

● Men/200 m Breaststroke ● The U.S. had no one in the top 25 in the world coming into the morning prelims, but Jake Foster moved up to seventh at 2:09.79 to lead the qualifiers.

The final started with Foster in front, but Charlie Swanson, the no. 2 qualifier (and 2019 Pan American Games 400 m Medley winner) was only 0.25 behind and pressing. Swanson got the lead by the second turn, just ahead of Foster and with veteran Nic Fink third and moving well.

By the 150 m mark, those three had separated and Fink was making a race of it, coming on strongly as Foster lost ground. Fink kept coming on Swanson and Foster could not keep up, and at the touch, it looked like Fink got there first, but the timer said it was a tie at 2:08.84 for both.

That moves both of them to no. 6 in the world for 2022, and a first-ever Worlds team for Swanson, moving up from ninth at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials. Fink, now 28, won the 200 m Breast gold in the Short-Course Worlds in 2021 after finishing fifth in the 200 m Breast in Tokyo.

Swanson said afterwards he was surprised by the win; “I consider myself more a 400 IMer.”  He’ll have a chance in that event later in the week.

● Women/200 m Backstroke ● Olympic fifth-placer Phoebe Bacon zoomed to no. 2 on the world list for 2022 with her 2:06.78 qualifying leader, but she was not going to have an easy final with world-record holder Regan Smith on one side and 2021 U.S. Trials winner Rhyan White on the other.

White got out to a small lead with Smith and Bacon both close after 50 m and the three were separated from the field by the 100 m mark. Bacon was in front, but not by much: just 0.18 up on White and 0.34 over Smith.

It was Bacon and White fighting for the win on the final lap and Bacon barely touched first, 2:05.08 to 2:05.13. Smith was game, but her 2:05.65 only got third. Those are now the nos. 2-3-4 performers of 2022 and the first Worlds team for Bacon, looking for a medal after being “only” a finalist in Tokyo.

● Men/200 m Backstroke ● World Short-Course 100 m Back gold medalist Shaine Casas blew up the qualifying, posting the fastest time in the world at 1:55.57, with Rio 2016 gold medalist Ryan Murphy third in qualifying.

Casas took control from the start and had a 0.21 lead on Murphy at the turn, with Jack Aikins third. Those three were going to be the medalists, with Casas leading at 100 m, but Murphy in front after 150 m by 0.33 and then extending his lead with a brilliant turn and underwater push.

Clearly in front, Murphy lost a little ground to Casas in the last half-lap, but was a clear winner in 1:55.01, fastest in the world in 2022, with Casas at 1:55.46 (no. 2), Aikins third in 1:56.29 (no. 3 and does not get to go to Budapest).

Murphy owns nine Worlds medals, including 200 m Back silvers in 2017 and 2019, but no golds yet.

● Women/50 m Butterfly ● The American Record of 25.48 by Kelsi Dahlia from 2017 and 2018 was clearly under threat, with Claire Curzan – second in the 100 m Free on Tuesday – leading the qualifying at 25.60.

Dahlia qualified second and she got the best start in the final, but it was the 100 m Free winner Torri Huske who was moving strongly by midway. But Curzan kept coming and finally got even with 5 m left and got her hand on the touchplate to finish in 25.49 – 0.01 off the American Record – with Huske at 25.68 and Dahlia third (25.71).

Those marks stand nos. 3-5-6 in the world for 2022.

● Men/50 m Butterfly ● Sprint star Michael Andrew led the qualifying at 23.09, equal-third on the 2022 world list, with reigning World Champion Dressel at 23.16.

Those two were off the blocks well and had control of the race right away. Andrew might have been just slightly in front by the halfway mark, but Dressel came on – as always – in the final 15 m and got to the touch in 22.84, the fastest time ever swum in a U.S. pool. Andrew was close, at 22.87. Maxime Rooney was third in 23.25.

Those are the top three marks in the world for 2022 and Dressel’s 22.84 breaks the ancient (2009) U.S. Open mark of 22.91 by Ryan Lundquist.

That’s two days and world-leading marks in six events so far! Thursday’s program includes the 50 m Breaststroke finals, 50 m Backstrokes, 100 m Butterflys and the 400 m Medleys; the finals will be shown on NBC’s Olympic Channel live at 6 p.m. Eastern.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THE TICKER: Dressel and Ledecky swim world leaders at U.S. Int’l Team Trials; Atlanta ‘96 canoe slalom site burns down; Chloe Kim taking a year off

By
Rich Perelman
-
Chloe Kim celebrates her 2018 Olympic Snowboard Halfpipe win (Photo by Jon Gaede)

(Friends: We’re posting daily updates on USA Swimming’s Phillips 66 International Team Trials this week, which will not be sent out as separate e-mails. To be informed of new posts right away, please follow TSX on Twitter or you can check the TSX site.)

● Plus: Asian Games: Australia and New Zealand pass on 2022 = GAISF: Saudi Arabia to host World Combat Games in 2023 = Iran: Karate gold medalists rails against prohibition against fighting Israelis = College Sport: NCAA stats show who is using the transfer portal; Notre Dame’s Swarbrick on the break-up of Division I = Athletics: A world masters record for Jenn Suhr! = Gymnastics: Ex-USA Gymnastics chief Penny not to be prosecuted = Swimming: Political billboards picturing Australian swim stars subject to suit ●

(Errata: Some readers saw a version of Tuesday’s post in which Sarah Shulze’s name was misspelled. Our apologies, and thanks to sharp-eyed reader Brian Russell for being the first to report the error.)

The latest news, notes and quotes from the worldwide Five-Ring Circus:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

/As posted Tuesday afternoon/The year following the Olympic Games is always a little crazy and with Japan handing back the 2022 World Championships, it looked like it might be uneventful. But there will be a 2022 FINA Worlds – in Budapest – and here are the Phillips 66 International Team Trials in Greensboro, North Carolina to pick the American team.

The qualifying protocol is a little complicated, with only the winner of each event guaranteed a spot on the U.S. team, plus the top four in the 100 m and 200 m Freestyles (for relays). Most likely, the top two in each event will be on the U.S. team in Hungary.

The results? World-leading marks from Olympic superstars Caeleb Dressel and Katie Ledecky and excellent performances everywhere on the first day of the Trials on Tuesday:

● Women/200 m Butterfly ● Veteran Hali Flickinger was all over this event. Last year’s Olympic Trials winner and the Olympic bronze medalist, she took the lead from the start and never let up, winning in the no. 2 time of 2022: 2:06.35.

Regan Smith, who won the Tokyo silver, was a clear second and made a brief run at Flickinger on the third lap, finishing in 2:07.93, no. 4 on the world list.

Charlotte Hook was third in 2:08.80, with Emma Sticklen fourth (2:08.88).

● Men/200 m Butterfly ● Luca Urlando just missed making the team for Tokyo, finishing third by 0.09 in Omaha last year. And he looked to be second this time as Trent Julian of Cal led at 50, 100 and 150 m. But Urlando hauled him in over the last 20 m and touched the wall first in 1:54.10, moving him to no. 3 on the 2022 world list.

Julian, who led the morning qualifying, was second in 1:54.22, no. 4 for 2022, ahead of Tokyo Olympian Zach Harting (1:55.09) and Olympic medley star Chase Kalisz (1:56.03).

● Women/100 m Freestyle ● Lots of experience in the final, with a brilliant field including 2021 Olympic Trials winner Abbey Weitzeil and a host of other Olympians, with Tokyo relay bronze medalist Natalie Hinds (53.77) the qualifying leader.

The final was tight, with Weitzeil leading at the turn, but Hinds just 0.01 behind. But it was 19-year-old Stanford frosh Torri Huske who moved best in the final 10 m to touch first in 53.35. That’s a lifetime best and makes her no. 3 on the 2022 world list.

Huske won a Tokyo silver in the 4×100 m Medley and was fourth in the 100 m Fly final, after winning the U.S. Trials over Claire Curzan. Amazingly, it was Curzan who got second in Greensboro in 53.58 (no. 5 in 2022), beating Tokyo Trials runner-up Erika Brown (53.59), Hinds (53.65) and Kate Douglass (53.99).

● Men/100 m Freestyle ● This was all about Dressel, the defending World Champion and the Tokyo gold medalist. He led the qualifying at 48.12 and was the clear favorite. He took command in the final right away and turned first, up 0.19 over Ryan Held. He stayed in front on the way home, but Brooks Curry mounted a challenge in the final 25 m and Dressel had to stay on the gas right to the finish, touching in a world-leading 47.79.

Curry, fourth at the Tokyo Trials last year and a gold medalist in the 4×100 m Free for swimming in the prelims, won the NCAA titles in the 50-yard and 100-yard Frees and got up for second in 48.04 (no. 6 in 2022).

The top four in this race qualify for Budapest for relay duty; Held was third in 48.18 and Drew Kibler and Hunter Armstrong tied for fourth at 48.25 (how that sorts out will depend on future results).

● Women/800 m Freestyle ● Ledecky was the overwhelming favorite and was in charge from the start, up a half-second over Katie Grimes after just the first 50 m!

Ledecky swam alone, of course, and was near world-record pace through about 500 m and finished well with a world-leading 8:09.27, the no. 6 performance of all-time and her first sub-8:10 since 2018. She now owns the top 26 marks in history.

Leah Smith, the 2017 Worlds bronze medalist in this event, was a clear second in 8:17.52, less than a second off her lifetime best and no. 2 in the world for 2022. Twice a 2016 Rio medal winner, she didn’t make the team for Tokyo.

Bella Sims, fifth at the 2021 Olympic Trials, got up for third in 8:22.36 and Katie Grimes was fourth in 8:22.73.

● Men/1,500 m Freestyle ● Olympic gold medalist Bobby Finke, who dominated the Tokyo distance races, was right back in charge, charging away from the field after the first two laps. Currently swimming at Florida and the 2022 NCAA 1,650-yard Freestyle champ, Finke won in style in 14:45.72, no. 3 on the world list for 2022.

Charlie Clark of Ohio State, eighth at the NCAA 1,650, swam strongly to get an impressive second at 14:51.78, no. 6 for 2022. David Johnston was third in 15:08.90.

Wednesday’s program includes the 200 m Freestyles, 200 m Breaststrokes, 200 m Backstrokes and the 50 m Fly finals; the finals will be shown on NBC’s Olympic Channel live at 6 p.m. Eastern.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Games of the XXVIth Olympiad: Atlanta 1996 ● Tragedy in Copperhill, Tennessee, as the Ocoee Whitewater Center, site of the Canoe Slalom events for the 1996 Games, caught on fire Tuesday and burned to the ground.

The facility continued to be active after the Games and hosted a reported 300,000 people annually, as the entry point to the Ocoee River Gorge and the Cherokee National Forest.

Capt. Mark Senterfitt of the East Polk County Fire Department, said “There was fire literally coming out of every inch of the building. It was fully involved when we got here so you know there wasn’t a lot we could do.”

Investigators are working on the site to determine the cause of the fire; a decision on whether to rebuild the facility will be made later.

● XIX Asian Games: Hangzhou 2022 ● Australian and New Zealand athletes regularly dominate the other countries in Oceanic-area competitions, so the 2019 invitation for a limited number of athletes from those countries to compete in the Asian Games was much welcomed.

But not now. The Australian Olympic Committee confirmed that it will not be sending athletes to the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou in view of the continuing Covid issues in China. New Zealand also confirmed it will not be sending athletes.

About 300 competitors and 150 support staff had been planned to take part. While the Chinese authorities continue to confirm the Games will take place as scheduled from 10-25 September, doubts continue.

● Global Association of International Sports Federations ● There is a recurrent discussion of the GAISF dissolving itself. But last weekend, officials from Saudi Arabia formally agreed to host the GAISF-owned 2023 World Combat Games in Riyadh.

The event covers nine days and includes 15 combat and martial-arts sports, held in 2010 in Beijing and 2013 in St. Petersburg. Editions planned for 2019 and 2022 were canceled.

And GAISF? The General Assembly was slated to be held in May during the SportAccord Conference in Ekaterinburg (RUS), but in view of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it was canceled. So who knows?

● National Olympic Committees ● Iran’s Olympic +75 kg Karate gold medalist Sajjad Ganjzadeh said in an Instagram post last week that the country’s political ban against competing with Israeli athletes is hurting its athletes.

He wrote, “We cannot tolerate this anymore. Not competing is more difficult than competing” and explained that the avoidance of Israeli competitors forces Iranian athletes to limit their appearances to Asian regional events (Israel competes as a European nation).

Iranian officials have continuously pressured athletes not to compete against Israelis, despite promises from its National Olympic Committee and some national federations not to.

● Collegiate sport ● The NCAA published statistics showing that men’s and women’s basketball were the biggest sports for athletes using the transfer portal in 2021. The leaders:

1. 31%: Men – Basketball (1,692 athletes)
2. 22%: Women – Basketball (1,134)
3. 18%: Men – Baseball (2,126)
4. 16%: Men – Football (FBS: 2,538)
5. 15%: Women – Beach Volleyball (167)
6. 13%: Men – Soccer (755)
6. 13%: Men – Tennis (325)
8. 12%: Men – Football (FCS: 1,546)
8. 12%: Women – Volleyball (650)
8. 12%: Women – Tennis (340)
8. 12%: Men – Ice Hockey (205)
12. 11%: Women – Softball (764)

Among the other large-scale sports, men’s track & field had 8% transfers (but a big number: 905); women’s track & field had 6% (864); men’s swimming & diving had 5% (198); women’s swimming & diving had 5% (266) and men’s wrestling had 8% (207).

The lowest transfer rate was in women’s rowing, at 2% (105).

Not all transfers were successful. The report – across all three divisions – showed that 50% enrolled at a new school, with 8% withdrawing their transfer and 43% remaining in the portal at the end of 2021.

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick, a keen observer of the current chaos in collegiate athletics, told Sports Illustrated that he sees a break-up of Division I coming in the next 10-15 years and the changes could be dramatic.

“On one end of the spectrum, you license the school name and run an independent business that’s engaged in sports. The other end of the spectrum, you’re integrated into the university in terms of decision making and requirements, and some follow that.”

The likely breaking point would come when the television contracts for the SEC and Big 10 are concluded sometime in the mid-2030s. He also suggested that as the current frenzy over name, image and likeness licensing continues to concentrate on men’s basketball and football, the Olympic-focused sports could be in even more trouble than now:

“I hate to see that. It’s going to be interesting to see how the federal government approaches it. If all of this revenue is disproportionately coming to men, even if you didn’t set it up, how does Title IX analyze that?”

But he also does not see Congress as willing to get involved at this point.

● Athletics ● The irrepressible PoleVaultPower Twitter page posted that 2012 Olympic pole vault champion Jenn Suhr – now 40 – cleared 4.60 m (15-1) to win the Michael Johnson Invitational at Natchitoches, Louisiana on Saturday, a women’s world age-40 record!

Masters track & field expert Ken Stone noted the prior listed world best was 4.10 m (13-5 1/2) by Austria’s Doris Ayer, way back in 2011.

Suhr is amazing. Her seasonal outdoor best ranked in the world’s top-10 from 2006 through 2020 (!), before slipping to 22nd in an injury-shortened 2021. And this year? She’s seventh right now.

● Gymnastics ● Former USA Gymnastics President Steve Penny will not be prosecuted for evidence tampering in the Nassar abuse scandal, according to the Walker County (Texas) prosecutor on Tuesday.

Penny was indicted by a Texas grand jury in October 2018 for felony evidence-tampering and could have faced a prison sentence of 2-10 years if convicted. Walker County District Attorney Will Durham told the Houston Chronicle:

“A large number of documents (and possibly all of them previously removed) were later returned to Walker County upon request.

“Without sufficient proof of these documents being changed or modified and being permanently kept from discovery or observation, pursuant to the appellate ruling interpreting the Texas tampering statute, our office decided that the case … should not be further pursued.”

Penny instructed USA Gymnastics staff members to remove documents from the Karolyi Ranch training site in November of 2016 as the Nassar scandal was exploding, and later invoked his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination in Congressional hearings in June 2018.

● Swimming ● Don’t use the Olympic Rings without permission!

The Guardian reported that the Australian Olympic Committee and Swimming Australia have threatened legal action against political messaging which pictures star Olympic swimmers Emma McKeon and Emily Seebohm in uniforms which visibly include the rings mark.

Billboards created by the lobbying group Advance for the upcoming Australian national elections use the slogan “Women’s sport is not for men” – against transgender men competing against women – and picture Australia swimming legend Dawn Fraser, Seebohm and McKeon, who have been publicly critical of allowing such competitions. Fraser and Seebohm have complained that their images were being used without consent and Swimming Australia said that if asked, it would not have consented to the use of any of its marks.

Australia’s federal elections are coming up on 21 May 2022, so this is likely headed to court.

● Snowboard ● Two-time Olympic Halfpipe champion Chloe Kim will take the 2022-23 competition season off, but has the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in sight. She told Cheddar News:

“Yes, I am definitely planning on competing at the 2026 Olympics. I will be taking a full season off of competition though, just for you know, my mental health.

“Just want to kind of reset, don’t want to get right back into it after such a fun, but draining year at the same time, knowing that it was an Olympic year. So, I just want to enjoy this moment, take it all in and then get back to it when I’m feeling ready, but as of now the plan is most definitely to go after a third medal.”

She noted that the pressure of her first Games in 2018 was difficult and that her experience attending Princeton and making friends outside of action sports has been a positive for her.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SWIMMING: Dressel and Ledecky claim world leaders on first day of U.S. International Team Trials

By
Rich Perelman
-
Another win for U.S. sprint superstar Caeleb Dressel!

The year following the Olympic Games is always a little crazy and with Japan handing back the 2022 World Championships, it looked like it might be uneventful. But there will be a 2022 FINA Worlds – in Budapest – and here are the Phillips 66 International Team Trials in Greensboro, North Carolina to pick the American team.

The qualifying protocol is a little complicated, with only the winner of each event guaranteed a spot on the U.S. team, plus the top four in the 100 m and 200 m Freestyles (for relays). Most likely, the top two in each event will be on the U.S. team in Hungary.

The results? World-leading marks from Olympic superstars Caeleb Dressel and Katie Ledecky and excellent performances everywhere.

● Women/200 m Butterfly ● Veteran Hali Flickinger was all over this event. Last year’s Olympic Trials winner and the Olympic bronze medalist, she took the lead from the start and never let up, winning in the no. 2 time of 2022: 2:06.35.

Regan Smith, who won the Tokyo silver, was a clear second and made a brief run at Flickinger on the third lap, finishing in 2:07.93, no. 4 on the world list.

Charlotte Hook was third in 2:08.80, with Emma Sticklen fourth (2:08.88).

● Men/200 m Butterfly ● Luca Urlando just missed making the team for Tokyo, finishing third by 0.09 in Omaha last year. And he looked to be second this time as Trent Julian of Cal led at 50, 100 and 150 m. But Urlando hauled him in over the last 20 m and touched the wall first in 1:54.10, moving him to no. 3 on the 2022 world list.

Julian, who led the morning qualifying, was second in 1:54.22, no. 4 for 2022, ahead of Tokyo Olympian Zach Harting (1:55.09) and Olympic medley star Chase Kalisz (1:56.03).

● Women/100 m Freestyle ● Lots of experience in the final, with a brilliant field including 2021 Olympic Trials winner Abbey Weitzeil and a host of other Olympians, with Tokyo relay bronze medalist Natalie Hinds (53.77) the qualifying leader.

The final was tight, with Weitzeil leading at the turn, but Hinds just 0.01 behind. But it was 19-year-old Stanford frosh Torri Huske who moved best in the final 10 m to touch first in 53.35. That’s a lifetime best and makes her no. 3 on the 2022 world list.

Huske won a Tokyo silver in the 4×100 m Medley and was fourth in the 100 m Fly final, after winning the U.S. Trials over Claire Curzan. Amazingly, it was Curzan who got second in Greensboro in 53.58 (no. 5 in 2022), beating Tokyo Trials runner-up Erika Brown (53.59), Hinds (53.65) and Kate Douglass (53.99).

● Men/100 m Freestyle ● This was all about Dressel, the defending World Champion and the Tokyo gold medalist. He led the qualifying at 48.12 and was the clear favorite. He took command in the final right away and turned first, up 0.19 over Ryan Held. He stayed in front on the way home, but Brooks Curry mounted a challenge in the final 25 m and Dressel had to stay on the gas right to the finish, touching in a world-leading 47.79.

Curry, fourth at the Tokyo Trials last year and a gold medalist in the 4×100 m Free for swimming in the prelims, won the NCAA titles in the 50-yard and 100-yard Frees and got up for second in 48.04 (no. 6 in 2022).

The top four in this race qualify for Budapest for relay duty; Held was third in 48.18 and Drew Kibler and Hunter Armstrong tied for fourth at 48.25 (how that sorts out will depend on future results).

● Women/800 m Freestyle ● Ledecky was the overwhelming favorite and was in charge from the start, up a half-second over Katie Grimes after just the first 50 m!

Ledecky swam alone, of course, and was near world-record pace through about 500 m and finished well with a world-leading 8:09.27, the no. 6 performance of all-time and her first sub-8:10 since 2018. She now owns the top 26 marks in history.

Leah Smith, the 2017 Worlds bronze medalist in this event, was a clear second in 8:17.52, less than a second off her lifetime best and no. 2 in the world for 2022. Twice a 2016 Rio medal winner, she didn’t make the team for Tokyo.

Bella Sims, fifth at the 2021 Olympic Trials, got up for third in 8:22.36 and Grimes was fourth in 8:22.73.

● Men/1,500 m Freestyle ● Olympic gold medalist Bobby Finke, who dominated the Tokyo distance races, was right back in charge, charging away from the field after the first two laps. Currently swimming at Florida and the 2022 NCAA 1,650-yard Freestyle champ, Finke won in style in 14:45.72, no. 3 on the world list for 2022.

Charlie Clark of Ohio State, eighth at the NCAA 1,650, swam strongly to get an impressive second at 14:51.78, no. 6 for 2022. David Johnston was third in 15:08.90.

Wednesday’s program includes the 200 m Freestyles, 200 m Breaststrokes, 200 m Backstrokes and the 50 m Fly finals; the finals will be shown on NBC’s Olympic Channel live at 6 p.m. Eastern.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: By our count, Hayward Field will seat less than 17,000 for 2022 World Championships, and that may be just fine

By
Rich Perelman
-
The new Hayward Field, with the giant, north-end scoreboard (Photo: University of Oregon)

● Plus: Commonwealth Games: India whines over sports it does well in not included on 2026 program = Athletics: Sadness for the suicide of Wisconsin distance runner Shulze = Gymnastics: USA Gymnastics settlement plan declared effective = Skating: ISU throws out Russian and Belarusian athletes and venues, but not federations from forthcoming Congress = Weightlifting: IWF selects Colombia to take over 2022 Worlds = SCOREBOARD/Athletics: Christie and Melville add to career title totals at USATF 20 km Walk Champs; Stevens gets American Record in women’s 35 km Walk = Football: U.S. women win 13-0 in CONCACAF U-17s ●

The pre-opening publicity materials issued in March 2021 for the renovated Hayward Field at the University of Oregon stated that the track & field facility’s capacity would be “12,650 permanent seats expandable to nearly 25,000.”

It probably wasn’t true then, but it certainly isn’t true now. And that might be just as well.

The 2022 World Athletics Championships will be held at Hayward Field, as will be the Pac-12 Championships, Prefontaine Classic, NCAA Championships and USA Track & Field Championships. In today’s mostly-uninspired market for track & field – this week’s Penn Relays excepted – only the World Championships need any more seating than the facility’s permanent stands and promises of up to 30,000 seats were made at varying times.

But that was before the massive Visual Experience Board was installed this spring, spanning 160 feet in length by 60 feet high and incorporating 5,080 sq.ft. of video screen. There went several thousand of those extra seats.

So how many seats will there be for the Worlds? Glad you asked, because TheSportsExaminer made a count. Right from the Worlds ticket-sales screens.

Let’s start by accepting the 12,650 permanent seating total as accurate; the facility appears to be of about that size. The question is how much is being added on for the Worlds; by examining the ticket-sales site, we saw and counted:

● The standard seating configuration at the new Hayward has 60 sections, with 33 on the 100 level (lower tier) and 27 on the upper (200) tier.

● For the 2022 Worlds, lower-tier seating was added as sections 100-101-102-111-137, adding 749 seats.

● New upper-tier seating was added as sections 232-233-234-238-239-240-241 on either side of the new scoreboard, adding 2,130 seats. That’s 2,879 seats in new sections.

● Existing sections were built up along the north end, in front of the new scoreboard, in sections 129-136, adding 1,692 seats to the regular inventory.

● Add it up, and there are 4,571 new seats added for a total seating capacity of 17,221. By our count, that’s the expanded Hayward Field capacity for the 2022 Worlds.

At least 2,430 seats were lost to the new scoreboard and maybe more, that could have pushed the Worlds capacity to a believable 20,000. At an average of $75 each across 10 days, that’s at least $1.82 million in lost ticket sales, not to mention concessions and souvenirs. That hurts.

Let’s note that the 17,221 seating capacity is not how many tickets are available for each session. Before any ticket sales began, seven prime sections were marked as unavailable for public sale, nos. 117-118-119-120 and 218-219-220. These are on the finish line, moving into the first turn.

These will be used for news media (press, radio and television), officials, sponsors and athletes, all necessary for the event, but who are either not buying tickets at all (media, officials, athletes) or have already paid otherwise (sponsors). The tables for press and announce positions for television will remove an average of roughly two seats for every person who actually sits down, eliminating from 500-1,000 seats (or more) in the process.

Those seven sections represent – by our count – 2,704 seats, which brings the total for the public (including the high-priced hospitality seats) down to 14,517 available for sale.

How does this compare to the old Hayward? A lot smaller. The 2008 Trials averaged 20,890 attendees per day (167,123 total), the 2012 Trials drew 173,153 for eight days, an average of 21,644, and the 2016 Trials was the biggest of all.

That event had an average attendance of 22,122 over eight days of competition, with a high of 22,944 on the final day of 10 June, which was apparently a Hayward Field record. It likely will be forever.

Now, is the 2022 actual capacity of around 16,000 per session a humiliatingly small total for the first Worlds in the U.S., the most powerful track & field nation in the world?

If you look over the history of the IAAF Worlds, which began in 1983, yes. The first Worlds, in Helsinki (FIN), averaged 48,300 for the seven evening sessions. The 1987 follow-up in Rome averaged 64,750 each day. As late as 2017, the London Worlds averaged 53,404 for each of the 10 evening sessions. The smallest listed capacity was 42,000 for the 1995 Worlds in Goteborg (SWE).

But if you consider more recent events, no.

The 2019 Worlds in Doha was a new low, with a late date, hot weather and political turmoil among the Gulf states that isolated Qatar and eliminated any tourism. The Khalifa International Stadium was downsized to 21,000 – from its usual 48,000 – and drew 13,288 on the first night and it went down from there, but filled up for the last weekend thanks to the distribution of a lot of free tickets.

Now comes Eugene and the new Hayward Field, which will be full and very loud, with an intimate feeling and lots of excitement on the track. In many ways, having about 16,000 people there is about right.

There’s no parking anywhere close, even for buses. There’s not enough accommodations to take care of the people already coming, who will be spread about from Portland (110 miles to the north) to Roseburg, 71 miles to the south, and beyond. What would you expect from the no. 117 media market in the U.S.?

If there really were 30,000 seats at Hayward for the Worlds, how much worse would it be for those attending? A lot worse.

So this is where we are in track & field in the U.S. in 2022, and where World Athletics sits as well. But not for long. The 2023 Worlds will be held at the under-construction National Athletics Centre in Budapest, with a permanent capacity of 14,000, but planned to hold 36,000 for the Championships in one of the historic capitals of Europe. It can handle the guest load.

And there is Tokyo, with its beautiful new National Stadium, which sat empty for the Olympic Games last year, but which is being offered for the 2025 Worlds and seats 68,000. World Athletics might go to Nairobi instead, which has the 60,000-seat Kasarani Stadium available.

By then, Eugene will – hopefully – be a pleasant memory of great performances, lively crowds and not too much inconvenience for those spectators who are there. And American track fans will be looking forward to the third Olympic Games to be held in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 2028.

Bobby McFerrin was right. Don’t Worry, Be Happy.

Rich Perelman
Editor

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● XXIII Commonwealth Games: Victoria 2026 ● The official award of the 2026 Games to Victoria was on 12 April and it took only 11 days for the Indian Olympic Association to file its protest that its favored sports of archery, shooting and wrestling are not on the program.

IOA Secretary General Rajeev Mehta wrote to the Commonwealth Games Foundation (CGF) to complain:

“It is really shocking for CGA India to know that these three very popular sports in sporting world were ignored by the CGF. The CGA India strongly recommend for inclusion of shooting, wrestling and archery as part of 2026 CWG sports programme.

“We request to include our request in the agenda of the next CGF General Assembly so that it can be discussed and take favourable decisions by the House.”

This isn’t new. India protested long and loud after archery and shooting – sports in which it wins a lot of medals – were not included in the Birmingham 2022 program and the issue was not resolved until it was agreed that India would host separate Commonwealth Games competitions in these sports itself. Scheduled for January 2022, the events were not held due to Covid-19 fears and will not be held in Birmingham.

Observed: India is in a tighter spot here because there was very little interest in hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games until Victoria came along; India did not bid. Further, under pressure to make the Commonwealth Games more attractive, only swimming and track & field were required sports and the remainder of the program was up to the bidders.

The IOA could threaten another boycott, but after whiffing on the archery and shooting event to be held this past January, the CGF – and the Victoria organizers – might well call their bluff.

● Athletics ● /Updated/Stunningly sad news of the suicide of University of Wisconsin junior distance runner Sarah Shulze, 21, reported last week after it took place on 13 April.

Her family set up a tribute site, which included:

“Sarah took her own life. Balancing athletics, academics and the demands of every day life overwhelmed her in a single, desperate moment. Like you, we are shocked and grief stricken while holding on tightly to all that Sarah was.”

Shulze had lifetime bests of 4:34.21 for 1,500 m outdoors and 16:25.97 for 5,000 m indoors; she was 14th at the 2021 Big 10 women’s 5,000 m. In addition to her running:

“She was also a member of the Student Athlete Council at UW Madison. During her time in Wisconsin, Sarah loved her internship at the Wisconsin state legislature and volunteered as a poll worker during our last Presidential election. These experiences helped develop her deep love for politics, social causes and women’s rights.”

Shulze was a star at Oak Park High School in Ventura County in California; she was the 2018 California State Division III cross-country runner-up. A memorial was held at Wisconsin on Sunday (24th) and a church service will be held in Westlake Village on 2 May.

The family announced “The Sarah Shulze Foundation will seek to advance and support Women’s Rights, Student Athletes and Mental Health.”

The Los Angeles Daily News noted, “It’s the second heart-breaking tragedy that’s hit the east side of Ventura County in the past two months. Former Newbury Park High soccer star Katie Meyer was found dead by suicide in an on-campus residence at Stanford on March 1.”

(Thanks to reader Brian Russell for noting our original post with the incorrect spelling “Schulze,” now shown properly.)

● Gymnastics ● An important development in the USA Gymnastics bankruptcy case in front of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana, with a filing that declared the effective date of the re-organization plan to be Monday, 25 April 2022.

Thus, as of Monday, USA Gymnastics and the affiliated parties, including the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and multiple other parties, are “discharged from all liability” in the Nassar abuse and related cases that are part of the bankruptcy filing.

The funding of the $339,457,311 settlement plan (plus attorney’s fees and expenses) by the various insurers has apparently been made and a settlement trust will now take over the administration of payments to the various claimants, based on a questionnaire that qualifies and quantifies the abuse, its nature, duration and impact on the survivors.

This means that actual payments to the survivors might commence within a few months.

● Skating ● The International Skating Union Council announced Sunday new actions regarding Russia and Belarus and future events:

● “Until further notice no Skaters belonging to the ISU Members in Russia (Russian Skating Union and the Figure Skating Federation of Russia) and Belarus (Skating Union of Belarus) shall be invited or allowed to participate in International Competitions, including ISU Championships and other ISU Events. The same applies to Officials listed in the respective ISU Communications and/or Regulations under Russia and Belarus.”

● “Until further notice no International Competitions shall be held in Russia and Belarus. Consequently, the Rostelecom Cup 2022 in Figure Skating will not be included in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series of the season 2022/23.”

National federations interested in hosting a replacement event for the Rostelecom Cup are asked to contact the ISU.

However, the ISU did not jettison the Russian and Belarusian federations, or disallow them from standing for elections at the ISU Congress upcoming in June. But it could still happen:

“Considering the fundamental rights of ISU Members as laid down in the ISU Statutes and in Swiss Law, the ISU’s obligation to ensure that the interests of all ISU Members are observed and respected, and mindful of securing the validity of the upcoming 2022 ISU Congress, the Council concluded that no such Council decision shall be taken at this time.

“Such decision shall be subject to a vote by ISU Members at the ISU Congress. Depending on the Ukraine situation and possible motions from ISU Members in this respect at the time of the 2022 ISU Congress, the ISU Council will decide at that time if such a vote shall be conducted at the beginning of the 2022 ISU Congress.”

Observed: So while events will not be held in Russia or Belarus and no Russian or Belarusian skaters or officials can participate in ISU events, Russian and Belarusian officials at the ISU level are continued in office, at least for now. This paradox, which is also true for the International Olympic Committee and other bodies, is being noticed more and more and the irritation over the inconsistencies is growing.

● Weightlifting ● The International Weightlifting Federation announced the award of the 2022 World Championships to Bogota, Colombia, which won out in a field of eight federations – including the U.S. – which volunteered to take over from China, which renounced the event over Covid concerns.

Presentations were made by all eight federations last Friday and a vote was taken on Saturday. This will be the first time that Colombia will host the IWF Worlds.

The choice will be met with some consternation, as Colombia had three doping positives for steroids in 2020 (sanctions continuing into 2024) and two from 2018, with sanctions continuing to the end of October this year.

Observed: With the IWF teetering on the razor’s edge of being thrown off the Olympic program for good, was it smart to choose a country with five active doping suspensions, when other, unsanctioned options were available? Rest assured, the IOC has noticed.

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Athletics ● The USA Track & Field 20 km Walk Championships were held on Sunday in Hauppage, New York, with Nick Christie winning his fourth straight national title, while Miranda Melville won her second.

Christie, the winner of the Olympic Trials in 2021, finished in 1:24:36 to go along with his other titles in 2019 (41:57 for 10 km) and 2018 (1:24:54). That was well ahead of Canada’s Benjamin Thorne (1:27:29) and American Dan Nehnevaj, also the Trials runner-up (1:30:08).

Melville was national champion in 2015 and won this time in 1:36:01, decisively ahead of Venezuelan Natalia Alfonso (1:37:23) and the amazing Maria Michta-Coffey (1:39:55), who was trying for her ninth national title in this event.

In Dudince (SVK) on Saturday, American Robyn Stevens – the Olympic Trials 20 km winner in 2021 – finished fifth and set an American Record of 2:49:29 in the new 35 km Walk. That shattered Miranda’s 3:00:18 from earlier this year in the new longer-distance walking event, replacing the 50 km for both men and women.

Italy’s Olympic 20 km champion Massimo Stano won the men’s 35 km race in 2:29:09 and China’s 2012 Olympic 20 km gold medalist Shenjie Qieyang took the women’s 35 km in 2:43:06.

● Football ● At the CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship in the Dominican Republic, the American women’s team sailed through its second match, defeating Puerto Rico by 13-0.

Amalia Villareal scored five goals, starting in the 11th minute as the U.S. led 5-0 at half and had a 34-0 final edge on shots. That’s a 33-0 score line for the American women after two games.

Their final group-stage game will be on Wednesday against Costa Rica, which defeated Grenada by 9-1 and is also 2-0 in the group.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HEARD AT HALFTIME: Int’l Boxing to decide if they want a Russian President; 13 U.S. gymnasts ask for $130 million from FBI; free chicken for life!

By
Rich Perelman
-

(For our Highlights of the weekend’s major competitions, click here)

● Plus: Paris 2024: Macron wins second term = Asian Games: September’s Hangzhou Games possibly in doubt? = IOC: Russian and Belarusian ban includes no TV rights sales for 2026-28 = Athletics: World Athletics releases sustainability best practices guide = Swimming: Australians Seebohm, McKeon and Stockwell concerned on transgender regs; Australia to get 2022 short-course Worlds; FINA to review more Rylov sanctions for swimming in Russian nationals = Tennis: WTA considering sanctions on Wimbledon sanctions vs. Russia and Belarus = SCOREBOARD/Swimming: U.S. trials for the 2022 Worlds on this week ●

News, views and noise from the non-stop, worldwide circus of Olympic sport:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

The International Boxing Association released its approved list of candidates for its 13-14 May Extraordinary Congress in Istanbul (TUR), on the sidelines of the Women’s World Championships.

Former Russian Boxing Federation Secretary General Umar Kremlev won a heavily-contested race to become the head of AIBA – as then known – in December 2020. The election included five candidates and Kremlev was elected in the fourth round, with 86 votes to 45 for Boris van der Vorst (NED) and 19 for Interim AIBA President Mohamed Moustahsane (MAR).

Now Kremlev and van der Vorst will face off again.

Kremlev promised to eliminate AIBA’s debt of up to $16 million and to bring reforms to the federation. A new constitution was adopted, a series of governance reforms have been implemented, the federation’s name was changed, and an agreement with the Russian energy giant Gazprom has (reportedly) cleared the IBA’s debts.

An International Olympic Committee report from December 2021 noted that the IBA was dependent on Gazprom for funding through June of 2022 and needed more competitions (and the revenue from them) to continue on. Financial instability, transparency issues, continuing concerns over the IBA’s processes for refereeing and judging and worry over governance led the IOC to leave boxing off of the Los Angeles 2028 program, awaiting information and evidence of changes.

That was all before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February. Now, the IBA member federations will have to decide whether to move forward with a Russian President and finances which appear to rest on the increasingly-sanctioned Gazprom.

Van der Vorst, a successful businessman in the healthcare sector, has been involved with boxing governance since at least 2008 and has served as the head of the Dutch federation and of the European Boxing Confederation. In his 2020 election manifesto, he promised governance reform, a completely revised system of refereeing and judging and “full transparency” on finances.

All of those things are still needed, but the Presidential election will inevitably turn on a strategic judgement by the member federations on whether IBA can move forward with a Russian President.

The federation’s reforms changed the composition of its Board of Directors to 18 people in total, with new rules requiring at least five to be women. Automatically seated are the federation President, the heads of the five continental confederations, two athlete representatives (elected by the athletes) and 10 independent directors.

The candidate list for the independent slots include 28 individuals, including former USA Boxing Board member (Athlete’s Rep) Elise Seignolle and USA Boxing Executive Director Michael McAtee.

Of the 21 current non-affiliated directors (not an athlete or a confederation head), five are running this time, including Bertrand Magliore Roland Mendouga (CAM), Luisa Benitez (VEN), Yousuf Al-Kazim (QAT), Volodymyr Prodyvus (UKR) and Dian Gomez (SRI).

With a decision still to come on whether boxing will be included in the Los Angeles 2028 sports program, the International Olympic Committee will be highly interested to see not just the outcome of the Presidential election, but if any of the five candidates from the existing Board – in which it has shown little confidence – are elected to new terms.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Games of the XXXIII Olympiad: Paris 2024 ● Sunday’s French elections for President showed incumbent Emmanuel Macron comfortably on his way to winning a second term with about 58.8% of the vote to 41.2% for right-wing challenger Marine Le Pen.

That’s closer than the 66.1-33.9% result between the two from 2017, and the French legislative elections will be held on 12 June (primary) and 19 June (runoffs) for the 577 seats in the National Assembly.

Macron’s election is seen as a positive for the Paris 2024 Games and he was supported by the French National Olympic Committee (CNOSF).

● XIX Asian Games: Hangzhou 2022 ● “No official decision has been taken by the committee until now, but there is a possibility that it will be postponed.”

That’s from Olympic Council of Asia Director-General (and FINA President) Husain Al-Musallam of Kuwait, acknowledging the continuing battle within China over the coronavirus. Although the Chinese organizers have steadfastly assured that the Asian Games – and the earlier World University Games in Chengdu – will be held, the recent lockdowns of major cities has cast doubt on holding the events.

The 2022 WUG is scheduled for 26 June-7 July in Chengdu and the Asiad from 10-25 September in Hangzhou, just 110 miles southwest of Shanghai, which has been severely restricted since 28 March as part of the government’s zero-tolerance policy against the virus.

The organizers have promised a Beijing 2022 Winter Games-style control system that was onerous but successful in keeping Games participants away from the public.

● International Olympic Committee ● On Friday, the IOC reiterated its ban request on Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from February and noted that more than $2 million has been raised and is being distributed to support Ukrainian athletes:

“The support aims at enabling Ukrainian athletes to continue taking part in international competitions. It takes the form not just of financial aid, but also logistical support, travel support, offering training facilities, accommodation, equipment and uniforms, amongst other things.”

The statement also added some details which have not been much emphasized:

“In addition, a number of members of the Russian government, including the President of the Russian Federation, were sanctioned for breaching the Olympic Truce. The IOC also suspended the tender process for the media rights sales for the territories of Belarus and the Russian Federation for Milano Cortina 2026 and Los Angeles 2028.”

● Athletics ● World Athletics restated its 10-year Sustainability Strategy and published a November version of a detailed Sustainable Events Management System underscoring its overall goal of “transitioning to carbon neutrality across all of its operations and owned events by 2030.”

The obvious action item deals with event management, including:

● “Identification of suppliers able to support the delivery of the sustainability goals is critical.”

● “Management of waste was identified as one of the most significant issues toWorld Athletics. The problem of persistence of plastics and our single use culture needs to be tackled through material specification at the procurement phase. However, this needs to be aligned to the waste management potential at the various locations.”

● “Waste is costly and, in many cases, unnecessary. During procurement questions need asking as to where the product has come from, what is its impact in production and use and how will it be disposed of, or can it be reused.”

● “Key areas for sustainable procurement are temporary event structures, equipment and clothing, energy and power, food sourcing, travel and transport and the venues/stadia hosting the events.”

● “The World Athletics owned World Athletics Series – WAS – events and World Athletics sanctioned events often cause significant local traffic disruption which, in turn, can elevate air quality issues. Through intelligent planning and integration of initiatives to monitor and/ or improve air quality, World Athletics can promote and protect a healthy environment for athletes, the World Athletics family, fans and the local community.”

As usual, the recommendation for net carbons generated by an event is to buy an offset of some kind. And as for air travel:

“Travelling Business Class almost doubles your carbon footprint based on the space that is taken up for a business class seat. Limiting business class flights can significantly decrease the organisation’s travel carbon impact.

“Flights under 5 hours will be considered short haul. Staff and team members should travel in economy for all short haul flights.

“For all other flights, economy travel should be the first choice.”

● Gymnastics ● The Associated Press reported that 13 abuse survivors from the Larry Nassar scandal have filed a claim of $10 million in damages each against the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The AP noted that “Under federal law, tort claims must be a filed with a government agency, which then has six months to reply. A lawsuit could follow depending on the FBI’s response.”

The U.S. Department of Justice Inspector General, Michael Horowitz, slammed the FBI for multiple errors in a 2021 report; the Indianapolis and Los Angeles FBI field offices knew about the abuse from information received in 2015 and 2016, but did nothing. Prosecutions were undertaken by the State of Michigan in 2016, resulting in multiple sentences for Nassar that will keep him in prison for life.

The Justice Department has not charged any FBI agents in the case, but that decision said last October that that decision is being reviewed.

● Swimming ● “If I was swimming in a male event I wouldn’t even place. I wouldn’t have got a medal in Tokyo, and a male who came eighth in Tokyo in the same event as me would have won the event by about five or six seconds, so there’s the difference we’re talking about.”

That’s Australian star Emily Seebohm, three-time World Champion in the Backstroke and three-time Olympic relay gold medalist in 2008-12-20 on the question of transgender women who have gone through male puberty competing in the women’s division.

In comments last week, her teammate Emma McKeon – she of seven Tokyo Olympic medals last year – told reporters:

“I mean, I personally wouldn’t want to be racing against someone who is biologically a male, so that’s a concern. It’s not a new thing, but it’s new in that sport, swimming, are going to have to deal with it.

“I don’t think I’m going to have to race against a trans swimmer. I don’t think it’s going to come to that point. Now that it’s a growing thing, the sport has to think about how to handle it and how to deal with it, because you do want to be inclusive, but you don’t want to have females racing against swimmers who are biologically male because it’s just not fair.”

The question is of high concern to Swimming Australia, now led by Tracy Stockwell, who – as American swimming star Tracy Caulkins – won three Olympic golds in 1984 in Los Angeles, before marrying Australian swimmer Mark Stockwell and moving to Australia:

“It’s complicated, it’s emotional, it’s divisive, depending on people’s views. I respect everyone’s opportunity to have their view on it so we will be liaising and have spoken to FINA about doing more research and coming up with an international policy. I think that’s the important thing. We want to be inclusive, but we also want to be fair. And the big question is, how do we do that?

“I’m not a medical expert or a doctor and so I can’t speak to how long does it take to mitigate the benefits of going into male puberty and what is the right level of testosterone. But there are rules for women in sport about testosterone levels and as someone who competed against the East German women, I think many people would say, ‘well, that wasn’t fair.’”

No, it was not.

The Sydney Sunday Telegraph reported that Australia will be the site for the re-allocated FINA World 25 m Championships to held in December. The event was removed from Kazan (RUS) in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

It would be the first time the short-course Worlds would be held in Australia; the FINA World Aquatics Championships have been held in Perth in 1991 and 1998 and in Melbourne in 2007.

SwimSwam.com reported that FINA will determine if banned Russian swimmer Evgeny Rylov’s participation in the Russian nationals this past weekend is a violation of his suspension. Rylov was suspended for taking part in the Russian government’s pro-war rally earlier this year.

The federation sanctioned Rylov from participating in FINA-sanctioned events, but it is an open question as to whether domestic competitions would count. In other sports, such as track & field, domestic-only competitions have not violated international bans.

● Tennis ● The Women’s Tennis Association will consider sanctions against the All-England Club and the All-England Lawn Tennis Association for its blanket ban on Russian and Belarusian players from all grass-court tournaments in the country.

Both the men’s Association of Tennis Professionals and the WTA criticized the ban, noting that Russian and Belarusian players had been allowed to play elsewhere as neutrals, without identification of country.

The WTA’s view is that the ban is a violation of the rules adopted by the Grand Slam tournaments and of the WTA. According to a letter from WTA chief Steve Simon (USA):

“We’ve formally indicated our position by reserving the right to impose appropriate sanctions, which may include (among others) withdrawal of points awarded by Wimbledon, fines or suspension of the membership of the LTA to the WTA.”

A meeting on the issue in Madrid on 2 May is scheduled.

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Swimming ● The major event of the week will be USA Swimming’s 2022 Phillips 66 International Team Trials in Greensboro, North Carolina. This meet will select the American team for the FINA World Championships in Budapest in June and will have significant live finals coverage beginning on Tuesday (all times Eastern):

● 26 April: 6 p.m. on NBC’s Olympic Channel
● 27 April: 6 p.m. on NBC’s Olympic Channel
● 28 April: 6 p.m. on NBC’s Olympic Channel
● 29 April: 6 p.m. on NBC’s Olympic Channel
● 30 April: 6 p.m. on CNBC

Preliminaries will be shown on the USA Swimming Web site. A highlights show will be aired on Sunday, 1 May at noon on NBC and 4 p.m. on CNBC.

The entry lists are out, with Olympic superstar Caeleb Dressel entered in the men’s 50-100-200 m Free and 50-100 m Fly, and distance icon Katie Ledecky in the 200-400-800-1,500 m Freestyles.

Tokyo medley relay gold medalist Michael Andrew has entered seven events: 50 m Free, 50 m Back, 50-100 m Breast, 50-100 m Fly and the 200 m Medley. Tokyo Olympic 200 m Medley bronze winner Kate Douglass has an amazing schedule, with six events in three different strokes: 50-100 m Free, 200 m Breast, 50-100 m Fly and 200 m Medley. She’s coming off an amazing NCAA Championships for Virginia, winning seven titles, including the 50-yard Free, 200-yard Breast, 100-yard Fly and four relays.

≡ AT THE BUZZER ≡

Now this is a prize. South Korean short-track stars Dae-heon Hwang and Min-jeong Choi each won the Olympic 1,500 m gold at February’s Beijing Winter Games, but have now received a “lifetime pension” of free fried chicken!

Agence France Presse reported that Korea Skating Union Chair Hong-geun Yoon – the owner of the hugely popular Genesis BBQ Group – has made good on his promise of a “chicken pension” for the two gold medalists:

“Genesis BBQ said the two athletes will receive 30,000 won ($24) worth of coupons to spend at the shop every day, adding that the amount will increase if prices go up.”

The ceremony was held last Thursday and the “pension” will last up to age 60 for both; Hwang is 22 and Choi is 23! That is going to be a lot of chicken.

In addition, South Korea won Short Track silver medals in the men’s and women’s relays, so the four men’s relay winners and three women’s team members – other than Hwang and Choi – will receive two coupons per week for 20 years!

In long-track skating, the Koreans won two silvers and two bronzes; the bronze winners will get two coupons a week for 10 years each. All together, Yoon gave away a combined “275 years” worth of product.

Whether chicken or burgers or tacos, someone in the U.S. has to pick up on this idea.

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

For our updated, 640-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HIGHLIGHTS: U.S. women’s U-17s beat Grenada, 20-0 in football; Brown screams 10.66w in Waco; Felix wins opener in 22.40

By
Rich Perelman
-
Melina Rebimbas (14) and Shae Harvey (16) celebrate during the U.S.'s 20-0 win over Grenada in the CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championships (Photo: U.S. Soccer)

Headline results of noteworthy competitions around the world:

● Archery ● The World Archery World Cup season opened in Antalya (TUR), with upsets the theme of the Recurve (Olympic) division.

In the men’s Recurve division, it looked like the final might be a match-up of Olympic champ – and home favorite – Mete Gazoz and 2019 World Champion Brady Ellison of the U.S. But the semifinal winners were Australian Ryan Tyack (defeating Gazoz, 6-4) and Spain’s Miguel Alvarino Garcia, who defeated Ellison, 10-9, in a one-arrow shoot-off after a 5-5 tie.

In the final, Alvarino Garcia, who was the 2015 European Games gold medalist, sailed by Tyack, the 2014 World Indoor Champion, 6-0. Ellison won the bronze medal over Gazoz, 7-3.

In the women’s final, Britain’s Bryony Pitman, who reached the round of 16 at the Tokyo Games, won a thrilling final from Dutch shooter Laura van der Winkel, 20, in her third World Cup ever. Van der Winkel had a 5-3 lead after four ends, but Pitman tied it in the fifth end, necessitating a shoot-off. Both shot eights, but Pitman’s was closer to the center and earned her the win.

Chinese Taipei shut down Italy, 6-0, in the men’s Recurve Team final, while Pitman grabbed a second victory as part of the British women’s trio that defeated Germany, 5-01, for the women’s Team title. Pitman had to settle for silver in the Mixed Team final; teamed with Alex Wise, they lost a shoot-off to India (Ridhi and Rai), 5-4 on an 18-17 final end.

● Athletics ● There was more hot sprinting in the U.S. on the weekend, with world-leading performances in four events.

In the men’s 400 m, Olympic champ Steven Gardiner (BAH) won his specialty at the LSU Alumni Gold meet in Baton Rouge, winning in 44.22, with American Vernon Norwood second in 44.59.

In the men’s 110 m hurdles, Olympic fourth-placer Devon Allen ran 13.12 to win the Navy Spring Invitational in Annapolis, Maryland, then also won the 100 m in a lifetime best of 10.20 and the 200 m in 20.65!

In the men’s 400 m hurdles, Khallifah Rosser got a 48.26 win to top the world list at the Michael Johnson Invitational in Waco, Texas. That wasn’t the only fast running there, as American Brittany Brown rode a 3.2 m/s wind to a 10.66 (!!) victory over Gabby Thomas (10.80w). American Tonea Marshall, no. 2 in the world for 2022, won the women’s 100 m hurdles with a just-over-the-allowable 2.1 m/s wind in 12.36.

In the women’s 100 m, the world lead for 2022 was established by Cambrea Sturgis at 10.87 with a win at the Aggie Classic in Greensboro, North Carolina.

There was more hot – but wind-aided – sprinting in the women’s 100 m in Baton Rouge, as Aleia Hobbs won in 10.84 (+4.2 m/s) over Favour Ofili (NGR) and Mikiah Brisco (both 10.90w).

There was also important action in the 200 m, as Allyson Felix started her season at the USC Outdoor Open in Columbia, South Carolina in 22.40. Even faster was Kentucky’s Abby Steiner, suddenly in world class after a great indoor season and now posting a 22.05 win at the Kentucky Invitational to move to no. 3 in 2022.

In the men’s 200 m, World 100 m champ Christian Coleman won the 200 m in Lexington in 19.92 and Georgia’s Matthew Boling also ran 19.92 to win the Georgia Tech Invitational in Atlanta.

On the road, Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw, 22, won the Hamburg Marathon in the fastest-ever women’s debut at the distance in 2:17:23 to zoom to no. 6 on the all-time list. She won by almost eight minutes.

The men’s was a lot closer, with Kenya’s Cybrian Kotut winning in 2:04:47 over Uganda’s Stephen Kissa (2:04:48).

● Curling ● The 20-team World Mixed Doubles Championship is underway in Geneva (SUI), with round-robin play continuing through the 28th and playoffs beginning on the 29th.

The teams are seeded into two groups, with the brother-sister combo of Matt and Becca Hamilton from the U.S. in Group B. The Hamiltons won their first two matches, 9-6 over the Czech Republic and 12-6 over Turkey.

● Cycling ● Sunday marked the 108th edition of the fourth “Monument” race of the year, Belgium’s famed Liege-Bastogne-Liege, a hilly, 257.2 km route with a downhill finish into Liege for the men.

And it was a great day for the home team and for cycling-crazed Belgium as young star Remco Evenepoel, 22, got his biggest win ever by breaking away with 14 km left and winning unchallenged in 6:12:38.

But even better for Belgian fans was the final sprints of countrymen Quentin Hermans and Wout van Aert, who finished 2-3, ahead of Colombians Daniel Martinez and Sergio Higuita, all 48 seconds behind. Evenepoel broke for the lead with 29 km left and was all clear by the time he ascended the Cote de la Roche-aux-Faucons for the final time. Said the winner:

“I think today was my best day on the bike maybe ever. The perfect day to have my best day on the bike, I guess.”

The sixth women’s Liege-Bastogne-Liege route was 142.1 km for 2022, starting in Bastogne and trekking the hilly route from an elevated start to the finish in Liege. The 2019 winner, Dutch star Annemiek van Vleuten, also tore away from everyone on the Cote de la Roche-aux-Faucons and rode away to a 43-second win in 3:52:32.

Van Vleuten has had a wonderful spring, winning the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad race on 26 February, seconds at Strade Bianche, Flanders and La Fleche Wallonne on Wednesday and now a win in Liege.

The chase pack saw Grace Brown (AUS) get second, ahead of Demi Vollering (NED), Ashleigh Moolman (RSA) and Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA).

The UCI’s Tissot Track Nations Cup opened in Glasgow (GBR) with the first of three stops, with Dutch sprinter Harrie Lavreysen showing he has lost none of his Tokyo touch.

Lavreysen, 25, won the men’s Olympic Sprint in Tokyo and was the Keirin bronze medalist and in Glasgow, won the Sprint by dispatching Australia’s Matt Richardson by 0.100 and 0.247 seconds in the final.

Lavreysen also took the Keirin title in a tight finish with Kevin Quintero of Colombia (+0.023) and Richardson (+0.197) and was the only man to record two individual wins.

Richardson for a gold in the Team Sprint over France, and the French won both the Individual Pursuit (with Cortinen Ermenault) and the Team Pursuit. France’s Benjamin Thomas and Thomas Boudat won the men’s Madison over Japan.

Italian road star Elia Viviani won the Elimination race over France’s Yoeri Havik and Colombia’s Cristian Ortega took the 1,000 m Time Trial in 1:00.325 over Melvin Landerneau (FRA).

Britain’s Oliver Wood, the 2019 European Championships bronze medalist, won the Omnium with 145 points to best Sebastian Mora Vedri of Spain (134) and Fabio van den Bossche (BEL: 110). American Gavin Hoover (105) was fourth.

Japan’s Yumi Kajihara was the women’s star, taking the Elimination Race over France’s Valentine Fortin and winning the Omnium – she was the 2020 World Champion – with 101 points to 99 for Maike van der Duin (NED) and 96 for Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky.

Fortin came back with a win in the women’s Madison, teaming with Marion Borras to defeat Italy and the French for a second win in the Keirin from Mathilde Gros over Colombian star Martha Bayona Pineda. Bayona Pineda had earlier won the 500 m Time Trial.

Germany got wins from Mieke Kroger in the women’s Pursuit, defeating teammate Franziska Brause and then the pair led the German team to a win in the Team Pursuit (in which Brause and Kroger were Olympic gold medalists).

Olympic champ Kelsey Mitchell (CAN) won the women’s Sprint over Laurine van Riessen, but the Dutch won the Team Sprint over Mitchell’s Canadian squad.

● Football ● The seventh CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship is ongoing in the Dominican Republic, with the U.S. women looking for their third title in a row.

Their first game posed no problems, as the Americans scored a 20-0 victory over 15th-seed Grenada on Saturday in Group G. Charlotte Kohler and Shea Harvey scored four goals each and Melina Rebimbas got a hat trick as the U.S. scored in the ninth minute and ran away to a 9-0 lead at the half. The American women had a 43-2 edge on shots.

The U.S. will play Puerto Rico in Monday and Costa Rica on Wednesday to close group play. Costa Rica defeated Puerto Rico, 4-1, in the other Group G game. The playoffs will begin on the 30th, with the top three advancing to the FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup.

● Gymnastics ● The fourth FIG Rhythmic World Cup of the season – for the AGF Trophy – was held in Baku (AZE) over the weekend, with Italy’s Sofia Raffaeli taking the All-Around and Hoop titles.

Raffaeli won her second 2022 World Cup A-A title and third medal in four events, scoring 125.150 to edge Boryana Kaleyn (BUL: 124.700) and Milena Baldassarri (UTA: 121.550). American Evita Griskenas was eighth (117.300).

Kaleyn won on Ball, scoring 33.050 to 30.800 for Baldassarri and 30.650 for Raffaeli, with Lili Mizuno (USA: 30.100) sixth and Griskenas eighth (28.500). Kaleyn also took the win in Ribbon at 29.750, ahead of Daria Atamanov (ISR: 29.200) and Ekaterina Vedeneeva (SLO: 29.000); Griskenas was eighth (25.950).

Rafaeli won on Hoop at 34.00, followed by Kaleyn (31.450) and Israel’s Adi Asya Katz (30.350). Atamanov won on Clubs at 30.950, with Jelizaveta Polstjanaja (LAT: 30.700) second and Raffaeli third (29.800).

● Ice Hockey ● The IIHF men’s U-18 World Championships has started in Landshut and Kaufbeuren, Germany, with eight teams competing in total.

In Group A, the U.S. men has started hot, with wins over Canada by 8-3 and the Czech Republic by 6-2. Their final group match comes Tuesday against Germany. Finland is leading Group B at 2-0 so far.

All eight teams will participate in the playoffs.

● Shooting ● The ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Lonato, Italy is moving on to the Skeet events this week after completing the Trap competitions on Sunday.

Slovakia’s Erik Varga – the 2014 and 2015 World Champion – scored a shoot-off win in the men’s Trap final over Croatia’s 2016 Olympic champ Josip Glasnovic, after a 31-31 tie in the final. Spain’s Adria Martinez was third (21).

Glasnovic got a gold, however, with the Croatian team, which defeated India, 7-1, for the men’s Team title.

Britain’s Kirsty Hegarty, the 2018 European Champs silver medalist, won the women’s Trap title with a 31-28 win over Augusta Campos-Martyn of Puerto Rico. Ray Bassil of Lebanon was third (21). Australia defeated Italy, 7-1, for the women’s Team gold.

Tokyo Olympic champs Alberto Fernandez and Fatima Galvez took the Mixed Team gold by 6-2 over teammates Martinez and Mar Molne in the all-Spain final.

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

For our updated, 640-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Tokyo global audience confirmed at 3.05 billion, down 15% from 2012; Italy helping 500 Ukrainian athletes; Duel in the Pool returns!

By
Rich Perelman
-

● Plus: Anti-Doping: African TV net SuperSport sponsors WADA = On Screen: 810,000 watch Worlds figure skating = Athletics: Birmingham wants T&F Worlds; women’s Boston Marathon top 15 by shoe type; USATF names 2022 Worlds staff = Cross Country skiing: Norwegian star Falla retires = Football: CONCACAF W Champ draw and schedule announced; more U.S. friendlies = Swimming: Olympic qualifying standards not finalized yet; FINA suspends Rylov for appearance at pro-war rally = Tennis: Wimbledon bars Russian and Belarusian entries, while ATP and WTA protest = SCOREBOARD/Cycling: Tuens and Cavalli win La Fleche Wallonne ●

Key status updates on the urgent stories in Olympic sport:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

“Hold the happiness. We are in trouble.”

Cleavon Little’s memorable line from Mel Brooks’ bawdy 1974 western satire “Blazing Saddles” is an appropriate reminder than the confirmation of a global audience of 3.05 billion – with a “b” – for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games is perhaps not as wonderful as it might seem.

That’s a lot of people, no doubt, but it confirms a continuing, worrying decline in worldwide consumption of the Olympic Games. Yes, really.

The International Olympic Committee’s Marketing Report Tokyo 2020 noted that the total worldwide audience for the Games was 3.05 billion, which includes both television and online viewers.

Of these, 64% watched the Games on both television and online, with a staggering total of 23 billion hours watched all together. Even with all of the hype about being the first “streaming Games,” some 93% of all viewing was on television, even with 28 billion video views of the Games. Great, right? Let’s compare to the recent past:

● 2021 Tokyo: 3.05 billion combined TV and digital viewers

● 2016 Rio: 3.2 billion on TV (also 1.3 billion digital users)

● 2012 London: 3.6 billion on TV (also 1.2 billion digital users)

● 2008 Bejing: 3.5 billion on TV (also 400 million digital users)

Although not called out by number, the Tokyo report states that there were 74% more digital users than for Rio, so the Tokyo total would be about 2.3 billion, but about two-thirds of these also watched the Games on television. That would leave at least 828 million who consumed the Games online only, meaning the TV-only total could be 2.22 billion or slightly less (the report does not call out these figures).

So, in comparison to recent Games, the Tokyo outreach total is down at least 4.7% compared to Rio in 2016, down 15.3% vs. London in 2012 and 12.9% vs. Beijing in 2008, using the total audience for Tokyo compared to the TV-only audiences for 2016-12-08.

This is going in the wrong direction, and the 2008 vs. 2021 comparison is especially troubling since both Games were in the same time zone. A major deterioration in the total U.S. audience is clearly part of the issue, but the magnitude of the total decline – for the second straight Games – is well beyond just the U.S.

The report quite properly notes that the quality and quantity of the production was unequaled in the history of the Games, and that the contribution of sponsors, both of the IOC and the 67 domestic partners of the Tokyo organizing committee, was immense and record-setting. In fact, this is understated.

Also, the IOC’s direct support of 1,836 athletes from 186 nations through Olympic scholarships (costing $47 million) and the Olympic Refugee Team is impressive and not appreciated enough.

And it is worth noting that the same research firm – Publicis – also did the worldwide audience measurement for the FIFA World Cup in Russia for 2018, with 3.572 billion people watching at least some of the 64 games in that tournament: +17% vs. the Tokyo Games in 2021. It will be worth noting what happens at this year’s World Cup in November.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● National Olympic Committees ● “Grazie Italia for helping 500 Ukrainian athletes that will train in Italy. Our friends took over all relevant expenses for indefinite period of time.”

That was a tweet from 1988 Olympic vault champion Sergey Bubka, head of the Ukrainian National Olympic Committee (and an IOC member), following his meeting in Rome on Tuesday with six-time Olympic fencing gold medalist Valentina Vezzali – now the Italian Cabinet Undersecretary for Sport – and Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) President Giovanni Malago.

Italy is supporting 500 Italian athletes from 20 different sports and has helped many Ukrainian athletes to exit their own country and come to Italy. It’s a remarkable gesture and hopefully will be copied by others Wow!

● Anti-Doping ● Another remarkable development, which could have far-reaching effects in Africa.

The World Anti-Doping Agency announced a first-of-its-kind sponsorship with “Africa-based broadcaster SuperSport that will help the Agency raise awareness of clean sport and deliver values-based education programs throughout the African continent.”

The agreement is for two years; the announcement added:

“In addition to a cash sum, SuperSport will provide WADA with advertising and promotional airtime to help spread the clean sport message and raise awareness on the dangers and consequences of doping, targeting young people, coaches, doctors, and parents as well as informing viewers and sports enthusiasts of the broader societal importance of anti-doping.”

SuperSport is a South African pay-TV company, broadcasting in nine languages and with feeds for South Africa, Nigeria and the rest of Africa, primarily in English and Portuguese, covering a wide range of sports, including football, rugby, cricket and most Olympic sports.

● On Screen ● Last week’s television ratings report showed that the World Figure Skating Championships from France, shown on NBC on Sunday the 17th, drew 810,000 viewers, the only international Olympic-sport program to draw more than 200,000 watchers.

The NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships, which featured many of the U.S. Olympic squad from Tokyo, did a little better, drawing 922,000 on Saturday on ABC.

The winner of the week was the Brooklyn at Boston NBA playoff opener on ABC on Sunday, with 6.895 million viewers. NBA games were the top four most-viewed events. The debut of the U.S. Football League on NBC and Fox combined for 3.067 million viewers, ranking ninth.

● Athletics ● One of the best headlines of the week was on the French-language, Olympic-sports site FrancsJeux.com:

“Euro de football, Mondiaux d’athlétisme : les Britanniques veulent tout croquer”

In English, it reads, “Euro football, World Athletics: the British want to eat everything” and notes comments from British Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston that the government’s £778 million (~$1.013 billion U.S.) investment in Commonwealth Games facilities in Birmingham means more events need to be brought there.

Alexander Stadium, site of track & field, was renovated with a new capacity of 17,500 and expandable to 30,000 and the new Sandwell Aquatics Centre will be used for competitive swimming, but also for the community. Said Huddleston:

“Very early on we have been talking about the business and tourism side of the legacy of the Games, the skills development, the job and skills academy here as well focusing on opportunities for young people. …

“Every single time there is a major international sporting event, somebody new comes on the stage or something spectacular happens, those magical moments that genuinely inspire young people in particular to get involved in sport.

“I really do want to make sure that the Alex is used to its full potential in the future. We have got world-class facilities now. There are good facilities already in Birmingham, but this will enhance those opportunities.”

England is already in a joint bid with Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Ireland for the 2028 UEFA European Championship and bringing the World Athletics Championships to Birmingham is clearly now on the table. World Athletics has named Budapest for 2023 and there is plenty of chatter about going to Kenya in 2025, although others – like Tokyo – are interested. What about 2027?

Although the track & field Worlds averaged a sensational 54,328 for each session of the 2017 London championships, attendance was limited to 21,000 for the 2019 Worlds in Doha (and was full only on the last weekend) and the 2022 Worlds in Eugene will be held in a – by TSX calculations – 17,221-seat Hayward Field (including expansion). If expanded to 30,000, Alexander Stadium will be more than adequate.

USA Track & Field named its staffs for the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, with Stanley Redwine (Kansas) and LaTanya Sheffield (Long Beach State) as the head coaches for men and women.

The men’s staff include hurdles icon Allen Johnson for the sprints and hurdles, Dena Evans (distances), Kevin Reid (jumps), Shawn Wilbourn (throws) and head manager Tim Weaver.

The women’s staff has Angela Williams (Prairie View A&M) in charge of sprints and hurdles, Laura Bowerman (distances), Petros Kyprianou (jumps), Ashley Kovacs (throws) and Kim Keenan-Kirkpatrick as head manager.

The relay coaches are Mike Marsh for the men and Mechelle Freeman for the women; the combined-events staff managers are Manny Bautista and Demetria Davis.

It’s not necessarily meaningful, but Women’s Running ran down who wore what among the top 15 women’s placers at Monday’s Boston Marathon:

● adidas (4): Adizero Adios Pro 2 worn by winner Peres Jepchirchir (KEN), Viola Cheptoo (KEN: 6th), Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN: 7th), and Charlotte Purdue (GBR: 9th).

● Nike (7): Vaporfly Next% 2 worn by Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH: 2nd), Mary Ngugi (KEN: 3rd), Edna Kiplagat (KEN: 4th), Monicah Ngige (KEN: 5th), Degitu Azimeraw (ETH: 8th), Nell Rojas (USA: 10th), and Bria Wetsch (USA: 15th).

● Saucony (1): Endorphin Pro 3 worn by Malindi Elmore (CAN: 11th).

● HOKA (1): Rocket X 2 worn by Stephenie Bruce (USA: 12th).

● Brooks (1): Hyperion Elite 3 worn by Des Linden (USA: 13th).

● Puma (1): Fast-R Nitro Elite worn by Dakotah Lindwurm (USA: 14th).

Now you know.

● Cross Country Skiing ● Retirement for Norwegian star sprinter Maiken Caspersen Falla at 31, after three Olympic and 10 World Championships medals.

Standing just 5-3, she was tough to beat across a 13-year career that saw her collect 55 medals (22 wins!) in 168 World Cup starts, and Olympic gold in the Sprint in Sochi in 2014. She also won a Sprint silver in PyeongChang in 2018 and a Team Sprint bronze there as well.

She was the 2017 and 2019 individual Sprint World Champion, won Team Sprint world titles in 2015 and 2017 and a 4×5 km relay gold in 2017 as well.

● Football ● CONCACAF announced the draw and schedule for the CONCACAF W Championship to be held from 4-18 July in Monterrey, Mexico, with the four semifinalists to qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the winner to clinch a Paris 2024 Olympic berth. The draw:

● Group A: United States, Mexico, Jamaica, Haiti
● Group B: Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad & Tobago

The top two teams in each group will qualify to the semis and a place at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. While the winner will secure a Paris 2024 spot, the runner-up and third-place teams will play in an Olympic play-in series in September 2023, with the winner going to the 2024 Games.

The U.S. group games will include Haiti on 4 July, Jamaica on 7 July and Mexico on 11 July.

U.S. Soccer announced a men’s National Team friendly upcoming on 1 June against Morocco in Cincinnati, the first of a series of pre-World Cup matches.

It will be the fourth meeting all-time between the sides; the U.S. is 0-3. Another friendly is expected to be staged on 5 June.

The U.S. women will play Colombia in friendlies on 25 June in Commerce City, Colorado and 28 June in Sandy, Utah. The U.S. is 7-0-1 in the series.

● Swimming ● The FINA Bureau confirmed today (Thursday) the suspension of Russian star Evgeny Rylov by the FINA Disciplinary Council for attendance at the Russian pro-war rally in Moscow on 8 March 2022. The suspension was effective as of 20 April. Also:

“The Bureau also confirmed its position that Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials will not be invited to any FINA event through the end of 2022.”

Rylov won the 100-200 m Backstroke events at the Tokyo Olympic Games and a silver on the Russian 4×200 m Freestyle team.

FINA also released a statement that the very tough Paris 2024 qualifying standards posted by the International Olympic Committee were incorrect:

“To be clear, FINA did not publish Olympic qualifying criteria for the Paris 2024 Games. Regrettably, it appears that an outdated, non-final draft of the Olympic Qualifying Standard Principles was published by the IOC in error. Recognizing this, the IOC removed the draft documents from their website.

“To reiterate, the Qualifying Standards Principles for aquatics sports at the Paris 2024 Olympics have not been finalized.“

In a very welcome announcement, Swimming Australia and USA Swimming announced the resumption of the “Duel in the Pool” match between the two countries.

The event will be held from 19-21 August in Sydney, with 30-member teams in standard and Paralympic events in the pool and in open-water competition off Bondi Beach.

The U.S. and Australia faced off in 2003-05-07 in Indianapolis, Irvine and Sydney; the series switched to the U.S. vs. Europe in 2009-11-13-15 in Manchester (GBR), Atlanta, Glasgow (GBR) and Indianapolis, but was then discontinued.

The American teams won all three matches against Australia, but by increasing closer scores.

The event dates in August are fully a month after the Commonwealth Games, so it is possible that the top Australian swimmers – several of whom are skipping the World Championships in June – could be available.

● Tennis ● The All-England Club announced Wednesday that players from Russia and Belarus will be banned from participating in Wimbledon in 2022.

“Given the profile of The Championships in the United Kingdom and around the world, it is our responsibility to play our part in the widespread efforts of Government, industry, sporting and creative institutions to limit Russia’s global influence through the strongest means possible.

“In the circumstances of such unjustified and unprecedented military aggression, it would be unacceptable for the Russian regime to derive any benefits from the involvement of Russian or Belarusian players with The Championships

“It is therefore our intention, with deep regret, to decline entries from Russian and Belarusian players to The Championships 2022.”

The situation could be revisited before the tournament begins on 27 June. The ban will eliminate world no. 2 Daniil Medvedev (RUS) and no. 8 Andrey Rublev (RUS) from the men’s draw and no. 4 Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) and no. 18 Victoria Azarenka (BLR) from the women’s entries.

The French Open will allow Russian and Belarusian athletes, but as neutrals.

The Association of Tennis Professionals protested in a statement, “We believe that today’s unilateral decision by Wimbledon and the [Lawn Tennis Association] to exclude players from Russia and Belarus from this year’s British grass-court swing is unfair and has the potential to set a damaging precedent for the game. Discrimination based on nationality also constitutes a violation of our agreement with Wimbledon that states that player entry is based solely on ATP Rankings.”

The Women’s Tennis Association’s statement included, “individual athletes should not be penalized or prevented from competing due to where they are from, or the decisions made by the governments of their countries. Discrimination, and the decision to focus such discrimination against athletes competing on their own as individuals, is neither fair nor justified.”

Both indicated they will have further discussions regarding any further actions.

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Cycling ● Another of the historic spring Classics, La Fleche Wallonne – “the Flemish Arrow” – had its 86th edition on Wednesday, with the men riding 202.1 km on a hilly course from Blegny to the Mur de Huy and the women

Belgium’s Dylan Teuns gave the home fans a treat, becoming he first home winner since 2011, winning a final sprint from Spain’s five-time winner Alejandro Valverde and Russian Alexander Vlasov. Teuns remembered Valverde’s prior tactics in the final 300 m and was able to hold off the 42-year-old by two seconds over the last 50 m in 4:42:12.

Defending champion Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) was fourth, five seconds behind the winner.

The women’s race – 133.4 km from Huy to the uphill finish on the Mur du Huy – was the second major win in three races for Italy’s Marta Cavalli, 24. She sprinted to the line ahead of Dutch stars Annemiek van Vleuten and Demi Vollering to add to her Amstel Gold Race victory on the 10th.

Cavalli positioned herself carefully in the final 500 m and attacked against van Vleuten only in the final 100 m, winning in 3:38:37, with van Vleuten just behind and Vollering 10 seconds back.

Next up: the famed liege-Bastogne-Liege on Sunday.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THE TICKER: USOPC re-structuring tosses Adams and Penn; could New Balance’s showy new facility galvanize others? Riders in limbo via UCI’s harsh ban rules

By
Rich Perelman
-
USOPC Chief Executive Sarah Hirshland

● Plus: Russia: Foreign athletes to be invited to summer aquatics festival = Athletics: public 5K to be added to Oregon Worlds = Bobsled: U.S. federation looking for new head coach = Skiing: FIS sub-committee clears ski-flying for women = Swimming: Schoenmaker to skip FINA Worlds for Commonwealth Games; ISL appoints new Commissioner and chief executive = Wrestling: U.S. turns to Ivanov to raise Greco success = SCOREBOARD/Athletics: how about those adidas and Florida 4×4 relay splits; Webb returns to the track at age 39 = Shooting: Germany and Norway best
at Rifle-Pistol ISSF Grand Prix ●

The latest news, notes and quotes from the worldwide Five-Ring Circus/updated/:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

Getting through the postponed Tokyo Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, followed by the Beijing Olympic Winter and Winter Paralympic Games was a challenge for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, but one which was successfully completed.

Now comes the spring cleaning.

The Sports Business Journal reported last week that USOPC chief executive Sarah Hirshland informed the staff by video message that Chief of Sport Performance and National Governing Body Services Rick Adams and Chief of Business Operations Kevin Penn will be leaving as part of a restructuring.

In addition, USOPC Vice President for Bids & Protocol Chris Sullivan will be retiring, as has been expected. Chief of Athlete Services Bahati VanPelt, who had come with considerable fanfare from a long career with the National Football League and the NFL Players Association program, The Trust, left just prior to the Beijing Games after two years and four months.

Hirshland joined the USOPC as Chief Executive Officer in August 2018, following the exit of Scott Blackmun, who resigned in February of that year due to prostate cancer, and replacing interim chief executive Susanne Lyons, who became the USOPC Board Chair.

An re-organizational initiative within the USOPC will now see the athlete performance and athlete services groups combined into a single division, with a new head to be hired, and the business and legal operations merged under the direction of General Counsel Chris McCleary. A replacement will be hired for Sullivan, who will help with the transition.

While Penn had been with the USOPC since July 2016, Adams and Sullivan represented significant institutional memory and experience. Adams joined the then-USOC in 2010, dealing with the National Governing Bodies and sport performance. Sullivan’s tenure goes back to 1997, when he came from Olympic Regional Development Authority in Lake Placid, New York.

The Sports Business Journal story noted that there is no specified date for Adams or Penn to leave the organization.

With long-time Board member Lyons concluding her term at the end of this year – she joined the Board in 2010 and was elected Chair in 2019 – the USOPC will be primarily in Hirshland’s control.

She spoke of “fundamental reform” of the organization – which had 567 employees as of the end of 2020 – during her video address, with an all-staff meeting held on Tuesday. Whatever her future plan is, it will be watched closely with the Paris Games now only two years away and an agreement with the Los Angeles 2028 organizers for the USOPC to receive more than $476 million from their joint marketing venture from 2021-28.

Hirshland is not universally popular, but who is? But with Paris 2024 and LA28 on the horizon, not to mention Salt Lake City’s bid for the 2030 Winter Games, this is the right time to leap towards the future. The question is, where is the USOPC headed and how will it get there?

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Russia ● The Russian sports ministry and national federations have been chatting about separate competitions for their athletes, now banned by the International Olympic Committee and nearly all of the International Federations.

Is this the start of a separatist movement by Russia? On Tuesday, Olga Pavlova, the Vice President of the Russian Federation of Synchronized Swimming, told TASS that foreign countries would be invited to compete in Kazan (RUS) at a summer “Friendship Games”:

“We are working hard. All the countries of the Caribbean, Venezuela, Argentina, Cuba, Brazil, we will contact everyone, we want to see China. We are working, we are waiting for these competitions.”

Other aquatic-sport invitations are being planned; earlier this year, the Russians staged a nine-nation Paralympic winter festival to give Russian Paralympic athletes a chance to compete after they were banned from the Winter Paralympic Games in Beijing.

● Athletics ● Although there was a massive grand opening and even a staged time trial to beat the “world record” in the women’s indoor Distance Medley on Friday evening, the long-term impact of the new The TRACK at New Balance in Brighton, Massachusetts may be much more important than anyone realizes.

Although not in the same league as Nike and adidas, New Balance is a $4 billion-plus company in annual sales and has been increasingly aggressive with signings of elite athletes, such as Sydney McLaughlin and Elle Purrier St. Pierre.

According to the company, the facility includes a 200 m indoor track with hydraulically-lifting turns and seating for up to 5,000, the ability to turn the infield into a playing field of various types, a separate throwing area, a court area with two basketball and volleyball layouts, a sports research laboratory, a 50,000 sq. ft. performance venue with a 60-foot-wide stage “and a Beer Hall named Broken Records where visitors can take in the action happening throughout the facility.”

What this does is create a training facility and a showcase for competitions as an extension of the company’s headquarters offices. It’s indoors and limited in size, but if this were to become a trend, consider the possibilities if larger players were to get involved in this way, combining a public, multi-purpose arena with a performance research and development program inside a major metropolitan center.

The race was held on Friday and the quartet of Heather MacLean (3:14.92), Kendall Ellis (52.05), Roisin Willis (2:03.30), and Purrier St. Pierre (4:23.55) dutifully ran under the recognized world best of 10:39.91 by the Nike Union Athletics Club from 11 February in Spokane, Washington.

(Update: David Monti of Race Results Weekly notes that while the Distance Medley is not a recognized event by World Athletics, it is a USATF-recognized event for record purposes and that there was a second team in the race, as required. Thanks, David!)

The annual New Balance Indoor Grand Prix will be held in this space in 2023 and the chatter is about future collegiate or open championship events. Interesting. Maybe game-changing?

World Athletics sponsor ASICS announced a public 5 km run as a part of the World Athletics Championships program this July in Eugene, Oregon.

The ASICS Uplift Oregon 5K will be held on Sunday, 17 July, the third day of the 2022 Worlds in Eugene, finishing outside Autzen Stadium, the football home of the Oregon Ducks, about 2 1/2 miles from Hayward Field.

The 5K course route will be run on a section of the course to be used for the Worlds marathons; registration is $50 with about 2,000 runners expected.

● Bobsled & Skeleton ● USA Bobsled & Skeleton is in the market for a new head coach for the bobsled discipline.

Coach Mike Kohn stepped down earlier this month after four seasons as head coach, citing a desire to spend more time with family. He had been part of the USABS coaching staff since 2011.

The job description requires “5+ years of sport-specific experience” and “Candidates must be willing and able to travel 120+ days per year, on the IBSF World Cup tour and to related bobsled and skeleton events.” In short:

“The Bobsled Head Coach is responsible for the leadership, development, and execution of the bobsled program to ensure optimal performance by USA athletes at domestic and international competitions, including the World Championships and Olympic Games.”

The no. 1 responsibility: “Create a culture of passion, teamwork, support, innovation, transparency, and clear communication throughout all aspects of USABS.”

● Cycling ● Italian road racer Nicola Conci is a victim of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, even though he is nowhere close to the war zone.

He is a 25-year-old rider on the Russian-named Gazprom-Rusvelo team that has been suspended by the Union Cycliste Internationale, and posted:

“The words of this post are addressed to the UCI. It’s 50 days already that me and my teammates of the ex-Gazprom Rusvelo Team have seen our right to do our job being revoked. We have seen our salaries and our goals being suspended.

“We waited and worked with you and [Professional Cyclists Association] in a professional way, but you now need to take your responsibilities and solve our situation. The time of answers has come. Stop talking start doing. Our future depends from your choices.”

The team is actually based in Italy, managed by a Swiss company and was sponsored by the German subsidiary of Russian energy giant Gazprom, but was shut down nonetheless. And the UCI is apparently not helping.

● Ski Jumping ● This sport is not for the feint of heart. Especially if you are jumping off the staggering 240 m Ski-Flying hills, for example in Vikersund (NOR). For older American fans, the image of Slovenian Vinko Bogataj crashing every week during the intro to ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” show – on a ski-flying hill – is an unforgettable image of what can happen in this sport.

But the women’s side of the sport has advanced far enough, with enough quality competitors, to begin ski-flying competitions. Probably. It was announced that the FIS Ski Jumping Sub-Committee voted 14-0 to allow jumping at Vikersund:

“We all agreed to open this door for the women. There are still many concerns and fears regarding safety and so on, but the time is right and we want the women to start on a Ski Flying hill.”

The decision was not to hold a World Cup yet, but likely “the 15 best athletes of the Raw Air overall ranking will be allowed to ski fly on the Monsterbakken in Vikersund in the final event of the Raw Air 2023.” The decision must be confirmed by the full Ski Jumping Committee in May.

● Swimming ● South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champ in the women’s 200 m Breaststroke and runner-up in the 100 m Breast, has declared herself out of the 2022 FINA World Championships in June and will compete in July’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.

She follows multiple Australian swimming stars who are also skipping Budapest for Birmingham.

The International Swimming League is on hiatus in 2022, but founder Konstantin Grigorishin (UKR) has appointed Hong Kong tech company Voxoglass founders Ben Allen as Commissioner and Matt Dawe as chief executive.

Before the calamity in Ukraine collapsed the league’s planning 2022-23 season, it was already facing substantial losses of perhaps $20 million per year, a constantly-changing line-up of senior managers and contract staff and claims of non-payment from swimmers, teams and vendors.

● Wrestling ● USA Wrestling has turned to Bulgarian-born Ivan Ivanov, a 1994 Worlds silver medalist, to upgrade its Greco-Roman program.

The U.S. has won more Olympic medals in Freestyle wrestling – men and women combined – than any nation, with 123 since 1904 (52-38-33); Japan is second with 61 and the USSR and Russia combined have 90.

In Greco-Roman, however, the U.S. has won 15 medals all–time (3-6-6), compared with 60 for the USSR (plus 22 for Russia), and 58 each for Sweden and Finland. Enter Ivanov.

He won the 1994 Worlds silver at 62 kg and placed fifth in Atlanta in 1996. In the U.S., he has been a successful coach for decades, with his own wrestling club and school in Boise, Idaho. He coached at the U.S. Olympic Education Center in Marquette, Michigan and at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. He is optimistic about the future:

“I am all about building a USA Greco-Roman identity, a style that is typical for America. It is our USA cultural style. This will be very specific for our country, for what we are trying to do.

“We need to find a way that we train while, at the same time, making it difficult for people to figure out what we are doing. We are not coming here to fight with rusty weapons, but with new weapons. This is who I am. I am very optimistic about U.S. Greco-Roman because we have a lot of resources.”

The U.S. record in Greco has been dismal, with the last medal (a bronze) in 2008. At Tokyo in 2021, the American entries finished 12th, 10th, 1th and seventh in the four classes it qualified for.

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Athletics ● The astounding men’s 4×400 m at last weekend’s Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville is worth a deeper look, with a mixed-nations adidas team winning in 2:57.72 and Florida finishing a tight second with a collegiate record of 2:58.53. The splits, courtesy of Track Newsletter:

(1) adidas 2:57.72: Steven Gardiner (BAH) 44.2, Quincy Hall 44.6, Erriyon Knighton 45.1, Grant Holloway 43.8.

(2) Florida 2:58.53: Jacory Patterson 44.4, Ryan Willie 44.5, Jacob Miley 46.0, Champ Allison 43.6.

World 110 m hurdles champ Holloway ran 43.8?! U.S. coaches might want to remember that in the future; he also ran the third leg on the all-American adidas 4×100 m team – with Knighton on anchor – that ran 38.09 for the 2022 world lead.

American mile record holder Alan Webb popped up in the Little Rock Twilight 1,500 m on Friday, placing 13th in section two in 4:13.55. Now 39, he was an assistant coach at Arkansas-Little Rock before taking over at a high school in Little Rock for this season.

He has lifetime bests of 3:30.54 (1,500 m) and 3:46.91 (mile) from way back in 2007, but nice to see him on the track once again.

● Shooting ● The non-stop ISSF World Cup schedule saw the 10-day Rifle and Pistol competition in Rio de Janeiro (BRA) conclude on Monday, with Germany topping the medal table at 12 total (7-3-2), ahead of Norway (10: 3-4-3).

In the men’s 10 m Air Pistol, Slovakia’s Juraj Tuzinsky won gold over Robin Walter (GBR) by 16-6 in the final, and Germany defeated Iran, 16-10, in the men’s Team final. Germany’s Christian Reitz, the 2016 Olympic champ, defeated Tokyo 2020 winner Jean Quiquampoix in the 25 m Rapid Fire Pistol final, 29-27, with American Will Shaner third (20). Reitz got a second gold in the Team Rapid Fire Pistol as Germany skipped past Brazil, 17-1.

Zorana Arunovic (SRB), the 2010 World Champion, defeated Greece’s Rio 2016 25 m Pistol Olympic winner, Anna Korakaki in the women’s 10 m Air Pistol final, 16-6. Iran beat Thailand, 16-12, in the women’s Team final.

Camille Jedrzejewski of France won the women’s 25 m Pistol gold over Doreen Vennekamp (GER), 32-25, but Vennekamp led Germany to the Team win, 17-7, over Thailand.

Reitz and wife Sandra Reitz also won the Mixed Team 10 m Air Pistol event, 16-10, against Thailand.

Croatia’s Peter Gorsa won the men’s 10 m Air Rifle final, 16-4, over Israel’s Sergey Richter. The U.S. trio of Lucas Kozeniesky, Rylan Kissell and Shaner won the Team title, 16-12, over the Czech Republic.

Czech Jiri Privratsky won the men’s 50 m Rifle/3 Positions gold, 16-10, against Simon Claussen of Norway and then the Czech team stomped Norway in the final of the Team 50 m Rifle event by 17-3.

German Anna Janssen defeated France’s Oceanne Muller, 17-7, in the women’s 10 m Air Rifle gold-medal match and then Janssen led the Germans to a 16-12 win over Norway in the Team Air Rifle final.

Norway scored a gold in the women’s 50 m Rifle/3 Positions, with Jeanette Hegg Duestad defeating Janssen in the final, 16-6, and getting a second gold in the Team event, 16-4, over the American trio of Morgan Kreb, Mary Tucker and Sagen Maddalena.

In the Mixed Team finals, the Czech Republic edged Norway, 16-14, in the 10 m Air Rifle championship match, but the Norwegians got the gold in the Team 50 m/3 Positions final against the Czechs, 16-12.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HEARD AT HALFTIME: Swiss government asks for ban on Russian officials; remembering T&F expert Dwain Esper; new USA Judo star Dominic Rodriguez

By
Rich Perelman
-
Dwain Esper, Jr. doing what he loved best: announcing at UCLA's Drake Stadium circa 1971. (Photo: Damin Esper via Twitter).

(Dear readers: For those who might have missed Monday’s Boston Marathon story, please note that our competition coverage columns – such as Sunday’s Highlights summary of the week – are posted but not e-mailed as they are constantly updated. To be fully informed of all TSX posts when they go live, please follow us on Twitter.)

● Plus: Russia: New domestic “Grand Prix” circuit envisioned; RUSADA approves six TUE exemptions = Figure Skating: Russia may lose ISU Grand Prix slot = Gymnastics: Another $365,036 in legal fees in USA Gymnastics case = Modern Pentathlon: Russia’s Lesun quits sport over Ukraine invasion = Swimming: Aussie stars Chalmers, McKeon and Titmus skipping FINA Worlds for Commonwealth Games = Volleyball: FIVB picks Poland and Slovenia to host 2022 Worlds = Weightlifting: IWF picks Albania for key Electoral Congress; Osei and Miyake to Athletes Comm.; new “street” lifting event coming Saturday = SCOREBOARD/Athletics: Fast wins for Geremew and Melly at Seoul Marathon ●

News, views and noise from the non-stop, worldwide circus of Olympic sport:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

On 28 February, the International Olympic Committee called for a ban on Russian and Belarusian participation in international competitions in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Now the Swiss government is asking the IOC and the International Federations to ban Russian officials who continue to serve as officers and committee members.

The Swiss Minister of Sport, Viola Amherd, has asked IOC President Thomas Bach (GER) to exclude Russian and Belarusian officials from their positions within the IOC and in the international sports federations:

“According to [Swiss] Keystone-SDA news agency, the letter states that in view of the situation in Ukraine it is no longer sufficient to exclude athletes from the two countries from competitions abroad.”

On Monday, the IOC “justified the non-exclusion of Russian and Belarusian officials, saying IOC members are elected as individuals by the IOC and, according to the Olympic Charter, do not represent their country in the body.”

It added that it will continue to “denounce people and organizations ‘responsible for this war and violating the Olympic Truce.’”

The IOC maintains that its members are ambassadors of the Olympic Movement to their countries, but in most cases, the government-funded National Olympic Committees are the ones who nominate their country’s IOC members. The two Russian members are former tennis player and longtime coach Shamil Tarpischev (elected in 1994) and two-time women’s Olympic pole vault winner Yelena Isinbaeva, elected as an Athletes’ Commission member in 2016.

Neither is a member of the IOC Executive Board, or active in the IOC’s decision-making processes.

Russia’s Dmitry Svishchev, the Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports, told TASS on Monday:

“[I]n general, such a line of thought from the IOC is direct discrimination [and] once again speaks of the politicization of the Olympic movement, which the IOC has embarked on for some reason. … Sport cannot be an instrument of pressure or politics.”

As for the International Federations – most of which are headquartered in Switzerland – three have Russian Presidents. Umar Kremlev is the head of the International Boxing Association; Vladimir Lisin – an oligarch who owns one of Russia’s largest steel companies – is the head of the International Sport Shooting Federation and Alisher Usmanov, a metals and mining magnate, is the head of the International Fencing Federation, but has stepped away from his position while trying to clear his name. The only Russian who is the chief executive or a Secretary General of an IF is Alexander Ratner in shooting.

Other than Usmanov, the others are still serving in their positions.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Russia ● Since Russia cannot compete in most international competitions, it is planning to hold its own. Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin said last Thursday:

“We jointly with the sports federations are considering a large-scale format of organizing tournaments to give, on the one hand, an opportunity for athletes to compete, and, on the other, to give an opportunity for Russian fans to watch their athletes compete. …

“We are planning to organize Grands Prix in figure skating, gymnastics and many other sports, to allow many [Russian] regions and cities to see competitions of our strongest athletes, who had been absent abroad for a long time.

“It will be also a good chance to popularize sports and to raise the patriotic spirit, when people come to stadiums, see their heroes and root for their athletes.”

The IOC will watch closely anything that looks like a Russian “separatist movement” in sports, but while sanctions continue, Russian athletes have little choice but to compete domestically, if at all.

TASS also reported that the Russian Anti-Doping Agency had approved six requests for Therapeutic Use Exemptions during the first quarter of 2022.

The announcement would normally draw little attention except for the many criticisms by Russia of TUE approvals allowed in other countries. Maybe Russia really is coming into line?

● Athletics ● American track & field lost one of its distinctive voices last Wednesday (13th), as Dwain Esper, Jr. passed away eight days after turning 100.

Esper was one of the track & field cognoscenti in Los Angeles when the city was a central player in the sport in the United States in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s. A sportswriter by trade, he was known for his booming voice over public address systems at UCLA’s Drake Stadium, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Mt. San Antonio College and USC’s Loker Stadium.
Born 5 April 1922 in Los Angeles, Esper, Jr. was the son of the notorious 1920s film producer Dwain Esper, who was characterized in a Wikipedia entry thus:

“He produced and directed inexpensive pictures with titles like ‘Sex Maniac’, ‘Marihuana’, and ‘How to Undress in Front of Your Husband’. To enhance the appeal of these low-budget features, he included scenes containing gratuitous nudity and violence that led some to label him the ‘father of modern exploitation.’”

After graduating from Hollywood High School, Esper, Jr. served with distinction in World War II, and was a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps’ 306th Bombardment Group, flying B-17s over Germany. His plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire in 1944 and he was awarded the Purple Heart.

Once he returned to Los Angeles, he attended UCLA and wrote for the Daily Bruin and met his future wife Diane, the social-page editor. He then began a long career in newspapers, writing sports for multiple publications, but most famously for the Pasadena Star-News, as well as the Los Angeles Mirror, the Los Angeles Daily News and the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner. His career coincided with the explosion of professional sports in Los Angeles and Esper was a fixture in the press section of every important event in town. He knew almost everything there was to know about sports in Southern California – high school, college and professional – because he had been there and seen it, personally. He was, literally, a walking encyclopedia of the history of sports in Los Angeles.

But it was in track & field that Esper was most at home and his love affair with it lasted more than 80 years. He was so knowledgeable that he was an obvious choice to take the public address microphone and help spectators understand what was going on.

Given his history with UCLA, it was no surprise that he was the announcer at Trotter Track and then Drake Stadium when it opened in 1969. He was the original “Voice of Drake Stadium,” alternating with Stan Eales when his real job interfered with the meets.

Esper was an expert, no doubt. Just ask him and he would tell you. But his contributions were significant; his son Dilan, in an excellent Twitter thread, explained:

“Dwain, along with three other people – Pincus Sober, Dick Nash, and Stan Eales – invented the modern approach to PA announcing of track and field, including boxing-style intros of competitors listing accomplishments, dramatic race calls & extensive information about field events.

“The announcements at any major track meet still follow the template Dwain helped originate.”

Esper announced at UCLA into 1973, but was involved in meets everywhere, including NCAA and AAU championship meets on the West Coast, on television (especially for KTLA in Los Angeles) and USC’s home meets from 1981-2002. He also worked on Lakers telecasts for HBO in the early days of cable television.

Esper continued to attend meets, often with sons Darin (who passed away in 2001), Damin and Dilan and loved to talk about the sport, always with passion and very often with impressive insight. He was important to the sport when it was an important sport in the United States.

As a holder of the Purple Heart, Esper will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. For those who knew him, he was a indispensable part of the Southern California sports scene for more than half a century, and one of the people who made sports fun in a town that loves sports and the people in it.

● Figure Skating ● The Russian news agency TASS reported that the International Skating Union is prepared to remove the Russian stop on its fall Grand Prix circuit from that country if other national federations approve.

What has been known recently as the Rostelecom Cup is scheduled for 25-27 November.

● Gymnastics ● The USA Gymnastics bankruptcy case continues on at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana, with an order to distribute funds to the victims still to come. In the meantime, the monthly report of operations for March showed legal fees of $365,036, bringing the total to $19,500,873 so far.

Of this total, some $11,017,490 has been paid or 56.5%.

● Judo ● Dominic Rodriguez won the men’s 73 kg class at last weekend’s Pan American Championships in Lima (PER) to lead the eight-medal U.S. outburst (1-1-6), but there is more to the story.

Rodriguez, still just 17, is the first U.S. men’s Pan American champion since Nick Delpopolo won the same class all the way back in 2013! Moreover, he’s the youngest American to win in an Olympic weight class at the Pan Ams since 2004.

Along the way, he defeated three-time Pan American champ Antoine Bouchard (CAN) by waza-ari in the quarterfinals, three-time Pan Am champ Magdiel Estrada (CUB) by waza-ari in the semis and then scored an ippon to defeat six-time Pan Am Championships medal winner Alonso Wong (PER) in the gold-medal final.

Remember the name: Dominic Rodriguez. Why? The last U.S. star to win a Pan American gold at 17 was 2007 World Championships silver medalist and 2008 Beijing Olympic bronze medalist (and MMA and WWE star) Ronda Rousey.

● Modern Pentathlon ● “Russia was always something dear to my heart, something strong, great. And I am not talking about politics or the army, I am talking about people, about natural beauty. I always felt connected to it.”

That was Rio Olympic champion and two-time World Champion Alexander Lesun, 33, speaking to the BBC in a story published last week. His world changed in February.

“‘I quit all my sports positions on 22 February and in two days all the events [in Ukraine] began.

“‘What did I feel? … To say that I was shocked is to say nothing. I understood that the world would never be the same again.’

BBC writer Alexandra Vladimirova noted:

“Lesun had no ‘plan B’. He describes his decision as impulsive. He had no other offers, nobody offering to fly him out of Russia. He has instead started another job not directly connected to sport” and “He is one of very few Russian sportspeople to speak out against the war in Ukraine,” despite the potential for serious penalties. But for Lesun, he refuses to be part of the problem, even if cannot see how to be part of the solution.

● Swimming ● SwimSwam.com reported that Australian stars Kyle Chalmers, Emma McKeon and now Ariarne Titmus will skip the 2022 FINA World Championships in Budapest in favor of the soon-after Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.

The 2022 FINA Worlds in Budapest are on for 18 June to 3 July, with the swimming in the front half of the program; the Commonwealth Games is set for 28 July to 8 August, with swimming the 29th to the 3rd.

Chalmers was the 2016 Olympic champ in the 100 m Free and won silver in Tokyo in 2021; McKeon won the 50 and 100 m Frees in Tokyo and a 100 m Fly bronze (and four more relay medals), and Titmus was the 200-400 m Free gold medalist, beating American star Katie Ledecky in both, but with Ledecky winning the 800 m Free, and Titmus taking silver.

Kaylee McKeown, who won the 100-200 m Backstroke events in Tokyo, is currently planning to swim at the Worlds; the Australian Trials are scheduled for 18-22 May.

The star sprinting sisters Cate and Bronte Campbell are taking 2022 off completely.

● Volleyball ● The FIVB has moved its 2022 men’s World Championship from Russia to Poland and Slovenia, with Ukraine nominated to replace the now-barred Russian team.

The event was slated to be held in eight Russian cities, but will now be split perhaps further as the FIVB noted:

“In a clear demonstration of European solidarity, there is also the potential for one or several more European nations to join Poland and Slovenia in hosting the event, and these will be announced accordingly at a later stage.”

● Weightlifting ● The not-especially-convenient Albanian capital of Tirana was chosen as the site of the International Weightlifting Federation’s Electoral Congress on 25-26 June.

There were 10 countries who had submitted bids to host the event, including the U.S. The IWF’s decision was clearly influenced by:

“Notably, Albania will provide a neutral setting for the upcoming Electoral Congress as there are no candidates put forth by the national weightlifting federation.”

The results of these elections will determine, in part, whether the sport is included in the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

With the resignation of Britain’s Sarah Davies as head of the IWF’s Athlete Commission, the athlete group appointed Forrester Osei of Ghana as Chair and elected two-time Olympic 48 kg medalist Hiromi Miyake of Japan as vice-chair.

Miyake won the London 2012 silver and Rio bronze in that class and also competed in Tokyo, but did not complete the competition.

Osei was previously Vice Chair and both will have a seat on the IWF Executive Board.

The IWF announced a new, “street” competition, to be held for the first time on 23 April in the Olympic capital of Lausanne.

Sponsored by the Swedish equipment company Eleiko, the event will have seven mixed-gender teams of two athletes each competing against entries from Europe, South America and the Middle East.

No other details on the competition format were available, but the idea is a good one. Even so, it may not help the IWF get out of the Olympic doghouse.

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Athletics ● Strong running at the Seoul Marathon on Sunday, with Ethiopian star Mosinet Geremew winning the men’s race in a swift 2:04:43 and now-Romanian Joan Chelimo Melly running a lifetime best 2:18:04 to win among the women.

Geremew, the 2019 World Championships silver medalist, ran away from countryman Herpasa Negasa (2:04:49) and Daniel do Nascimento (BRA: 2:04:51) only in the final 2 km for his first marathon win since 2018. His time of 2:04:43 moves to equal-4th on the 2022 world list.

Melly also stands at no. 4 for 2022 after separating late in the race from Sutume Asefa Kebede (ETH), who finished second in 2:18:12. Bahrain’s Eunice Chumba was third in 2:20:02.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

ATHLETICS: Kenyans sweep Boston, as Chebet runs away and Jepchirchir challenged to the end by Yeshaneh

By
Rich Perelman
-
A fifth straight marathon win for Olympic champ Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) in Boston on Monday (Photo: Gr5555 via Wikipedia)

(For our Highlights of the weekend’s major competitions, click here)

The crowds were back, the weather was crisp and clear in Boston on a sunny Patriots’ Day for the 126th Boston Marathon, finally back in the spring for the first time since 2019.

Running in mid-40s temperatures, the men’s race featured a huge pack of up to 20 runners sauntering through the first half of the race.

The lead men’s pack crossed the halfway mark in 1:03:24, with American C.J. Albertson in the lead – he was 10th in Boston in 2021 – and stayed together, narrowing to 15 by 30 km, with American Elkanah Kibet leading.

Then a major push came toward 35 km, with Kenyan Evans Chebet and Gabriel Geay (TAN) taking over and creating a 50 m gap with the field and stringing out the race. The two leaders stayed on the gas hard, ahead of a chase pack of 4-5 that included 2019 Boston winner Lawrence Cherono (KEN) and defending champ Benson Kipruto (KEN).

Chebet broke away from Geay with a 4:27 mile and was running solo with an expanding lead at 23 miles. Cherono and Kipruto moved up to 2-3 and set their sights on Chebet, but the gap at mile 24 was substantial and Chebet – who ran 2:03:00 in 2020 in Valencia – looked strong.

By the 40 km split, Chebet had 18 seconds on his chasers and the result was no longer in doubt. Chebet had abandoned the miserably wet, cold and windy 2018 race, but dominated the last four miles today to win in 2:06:51, splitting 4:27, 4:26, 4:26 and 4:41.

In his 15th career marathon, Chebet has won four times, finished second six times and third once: 11 podiums out of 15. And on a notoriously difficult course, Chebet’s time is no. 8 on the all-time Boston list.

Cherono broke away from Kipruto with about a mile to go and expanded his advantage into the finish: 2:07:51 to 2:07:57. Geay finished fourth in 2:07:53; Scott Fauble was the top American, finishing seventh in 2:08:52; Kibet was ninth in 2:09:07.

While the men’s race featured a big pack, the women’s race broke apart fairly early.

Four stars – Kenyans Tokyo Olympic champ Peres Jepchirchir and 2021 London Marathon winner Joyciline Jepkosgei and Ethiopians Ababel Yeshaneh (2:20:51 ‘19) and Degitu Azimeraw (2:17:58 ‘21) – broke away by 15 km. Azimeraw was dropped soon after and it was a trio running together through the half in 1:09:41.

Yeshaneh and Jepchirchir dropped Jepkosgei after 35 km and the two ran together to 39 km, when Yeshaneh took a small lead into the 40 km mark. Both were running strongly, but with a mile to go, Jepchirchir exploded to the front and appeared to run away, but Yeshaneh responded on the small incline with a half-mile left to take the lead again.

Jepchirchir sprinted  again and Yeshaneh responded again, then Jepchirchir took the lead  on the turn onto Boylston Street, but Yeshaneh passed her again. Jepchirchir sprinted one more time on the final straight and got a lead that she would not relinquish, winning in 2:21:02 to 2:21:06 for the Ethiopian. These are the nos. 5-6 performances in the history of the women’s Boston Marathon.

Jepchirchir won her fifth straight marathon and has won five of her seven career marathons. At 28, she has years of running ahead of her and appears on the way to becoming one of the best ever. Yeshaneh, the 2019 Chicago runner-up and 2021 New York bronze medalist, confirmed her place as a world-class competitor.

Kenyans Mary Ngugi and two-time World Champion Edna Kiplagat (42!) finished 3-4 in 2:21:32 and 2:21:40. Nell Rojas was the top American, finishing 10th in 2:25:57.

It’s the second straight men’s and women’s sweep for Kenya and ninth in the history of the race.

The top finishers got more than a handshake at the finish; there was $353,000 in prize money for the top 10 placers in the men’s and women’s races ($706,000 total): $150,000-75,000-40,000-25,000-18,000-13,500-10,500-8,500-7,000-5,500.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: Exploring the unmatched 2022 schedule at Eugene’s Hayward Field; what’s the best value?

By
Rich Perelman
-

(For our Highlights of the weekend’s major competitions, click here)

For the U.S. track & field fan, there has never been a year like 2022, with the World Athletics Championships coming for the first time. And there has never been a venue schedule like Hayward Field, which, in addition to the University of Oregon’s home schedule, will host five elite-class meets within two months.

Those would be the Pacific-12 Conference Championships, the Nike Prefontaine Classic, the NCAA Championships, USA Track & Field Championships and the Worlds. Pretty amazing.

So what does it cost to attend any or all of these meets? Happy to be your guide!

The first order of business is to consider the layout of the new Hayward Field, opened in 2021. The new, bowl-style seating program includes 33 lower-level sections (numbered in the 100s) and 27 upper sections (numbered in the 200s) for a total of 60 sections and 12,650 seats. Extra seats are being added for the World Championships.

So let’s get to the meets; pricing does not include any seller’s fees:

(1) Pac-12 Conference: 13-15 May

One of the nation’s best collegiate meets, featuring – of course – the host Ducks and sure to include multiple athletes who will appear at the other meets to come this season. Prices:

● 13 May (Fri.): Reserved seats $20, General Admission $15
● 14 May (Sat.): Reserved seats $20, General Admission $15
● 15 May (Sun.): Reserved seats $20, General Admission $15
● All Sessions: Reserved seats $60; General Admission $45

There are 19 reserved sections out of the 60 total; the only reserved seats are on the home straight and the first turn.

(2) Nike Prefontaine Classic: 27-28 May

The Diamond League mainstay in the U.S. is always a great show, now expanded to two days, but primarily on Saturday, with elite invitational fields of the top class. Pricing:

● 27 May (Fri.): Reserved seats $25-35; General Admission $15
● 28 May (Sat.): Reserved seats $75-95-140; General Admission $35

For the main day on Saturday, there are 46 sections of reserved, with general admission at the north end and south end.

(3) NCAA Championships: 8-11 June

This is always a sensational meet, with dozens of world-class performances, a great team battle for men and women and an early look at some of the Worlds medal winners to come in July:

● 08 June (Wed.): Reserved seats $34; General Admission $23
● 09 June (Thu.): Reserved seats $34; General Admission $23
● 10 June (Fri.): Reserved seats $34; General Admission $23
● 11 June (Sat.): Reserved seats $34; General Admission $23
● All Sessions: Reserved seats $136; General Admission $92

Seating for all four sessions is the same, with 27 sections of reserved seats. The entire back straight and the far turn are general admission, with the upper sections of the ends of turns also general admission.

(4) USA Track & Field National Championships: 23-26 June

This is the selection meet – in most events – for the U.S. team for the World Championships and runs for four days less than a month prior to the Worlds. The competition will be exceptional, but expect the schedule to shift around to accommodate the various calamities that always seem to show up somewhere at the U.S. nationals, regardless of location:

● All Sessions: Reserved seats: $170-250; General Admission $110

The only present offer is for all-session tickets. It’s a pretty generous seat map, with both turns and the backstraight all classified as General Admission and only the home straight sections 118-128 (11) and 218-229 (12) as Reserved, or being used for athletes or news media.

Individual-session seats will be offered later. This is a bargain, at least for the all-session offer.

(5) World Athletics Championships: 15-24 July

Never before held on U.S. soil, the Worlds will be held in mid-July and the hope is for good weather and excellent conditions. Given the small size of the stadium compared to where this meet has been held before, the tickets are not cheap. Pricing for remaining inventory as of 17 April (all seats are reserved):

● 15 July (Fri. a.m.): Reserved seats: $35-55-75-95
● 15 July (Fri. p.m.): Reserved seats: $70-95-130-150-175-200-250

● 16 July (Sat. a.m.): Reserved seats: $55-65-95-125-135
● 16 July (Sat. p.m.): Reserved seats: $85-115-145-165-195

● 17 July (Sun. a.m.): Reserved seats: $45-65-95-125-135
● 17 July (Sun. p.m.): Reserved seats: $85-115-145-165-195

● 18 July (Mon. a.m.): Reserved seats: $25-55-75-95
● 18 July (Mon. p.m.): Reserved seats: $70-95-130-150-175-200-250

● 19 July (Tue. p.m.): Reserved seats: $70-95-130-150-175 (others sold out)
● 20 July (Wed. p.m.): Reserved seats: $70-95-130-150-175-200-250
● 21 July (Thu. p.m.): Reserved seats: $85-115-145-165-195-255
● 22 July (Fri. p.m.): Reserved seats: essentially sold out

● 23 July (Sat. a.m.): Reserved seats: $35-55-75-95
● 23 July (Sat. p.m.): Reserved seats: essentially sold out

● 24 July (Sun. a.m.): Reserved seats: $25-35-55-75-95
● 24 July (Sun. p.m.): Reserved seats: essentially sold out

Of course, there is a hospitality option as well, offered by Daimani, with seating on the home straightaway (sections 123-124-125) for the Cadence Club “Leisure” section, with a hospitality area, catering and parking. The pricing is only for the evening sessions and runs from $450 per person for the opening evening session to $550-975-450-875-450-650, and 1,250 for each of the last three days.

The even more upscale Cadence Club “Finish Line” offer is for seating on or near the finish line in sections 121 or 122, plus a hospitality area (with reserved tables), food, beverages, parking and special guests. Champagne will be offered on arrival and the per-person cost per session runs $950-1,050-1,450-950-1,770-950-1,150-2,250-2,250-2,250.

The seating plan for the Worlds expands the normal bowl with the addition of five sections – nos. 100-102, 111 and 137 in the lower level – and seven second-level sections, numbered 232-234 and 238-241 on either side of the far turn video board. The architectural descriptions of the new Hayward Field state that the standard capacity of 12,650 can be expanded to “nearly 25,000,” but it does not appear from the ticket-sales drawings that the seating total has been almost doubled.

And then there are the issues of accommodations and transportation.

The Eugene-Springfield area has limited accommodations to begin with, but the Pac-12 and Prefontaine meets are usually manageable for spectators. The NCAA meet is a problem with the influx of teams and related personnel and the inns will be full for the USATF Nationals as well.

Accommodations for the World Championships are almost out of the question at this point, with availabilities in Portland or Corvallis or the Oregon coast. And give yourself perhaps two hours to get to Hayward Field itself for the evening sessions. The cost of tickets to the Worlds may, in fact, be dwarfed by the costs of staying to see the meet.

It’s a great schedule and the meets will be superb. But if all the arrangements are too much, all of them will be on television somewhere!

Rich Perelman
Editor

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HIGHLIGHTS: Thompson 10.89, Kerley 19.80 among 18 T&F world leaders in California and Florida; 3 U.S. World Junior skating golds!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Olympic silver medalist Fred Kerley is now 2022 World Champion! (Photo: jenaragon94 via Wikipedia)

Headline results of noteworthy competitions around the world/Updated/:

● Athletics ● The Mt. SAC Relays and Saturday’s USATF Golden Games at the renovated Hilmer Lodge Stadium at Mt. San Antonio College showed that one of the sport’s historic venues is better than ever with 10 (outdoor) world-leading performances:

● Men/200 m: 19.80, Fred Kerley (USA)
● Men/400 m: 44.28, Michael Cherry (USA)
● Men/High Jump (=): 2.30 m (7-6 1/2), Earnie Sears (USA)
● Men/Pole Vault: 5.80 m (19-0 1/4), Clayton Fritsch and Jacob Wooten (USA)
● Men/Decathlon: 8,528, Ayden Owens (PUR)

● Women/100 m: 10.89, Elaine Thompson-Herah (JAM: in heats)
● Women/Steeple: 9:26.88, Courtney Wayment (USA)
● Women/5,000 m: 15:02.77, Karissa Schweizer (USA)
● Women/100 m hurdles: 12.46, Tonea Marshall (USA)
● Women/High Jump (=): 1.96 m (6-5), Vashti Cunningham (USA)

Most of the highlights came on Saturday with the invitational sprints and field events, starting early with the heats of the women’s 100 m, with Jamaica’s double Olympic sprint champ Elaine Thompson-Herah storming to a world-leading 10.89-10.95-10.96-11.00 win over Aleia Hobbs of the U.S., Michelle-Lee Ahye (TTO) and Olympic 200 m silver winner Gabby Thomas. Jamaica’s Briana Williams won the second heat in a wind-aided 10.91.

Thompson opted out of the final, with ex-USC star Twanisha Terry pushing past Williams after 60 m and winning in a sensational (but wind-aided: +3.3 m/s) 10.77! The top six were all under 11 seconds, including Hobbs (10.80w), Thomas (10.86w) and Teahna Daniels (10.91w), with Williams fifth (10.97w). Terry’s legal best is 10.89 from 2021.

The men’s 100 final was a showcase for Oregon’s Micah Williams, fifth at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2021, who ran past the field early and won in a windy 9.83 (+2.5 m/s), ahead of Brandon Carnes (9.93).

Earlier in the day, Texas star Julien Alfred won the women’s collegiate 100 m in 10.98 and USC’s Davonte Burnett won the men’s 100 m in 9.99 (both with legal wind).

The 200 m races were held right after the 100s and Thomas showed impressive strength in the women’s race, leading from start to finish in 22.02 (+1.9), the no. 2 mark in the world for 2022.

The men’s 200 m was to be the event of the meet, with superstars Fred Kerley (19.76 lifetime best), Michael Norman (19.70) and Rai Benjamin (19.99) in the middle of the track. Norman and Kerley separated from the field on the turn and Norman had a small lead that Kerley erased in the final 10 m, winning in a world-leading 19.80 (+1.6) to 19.83 for Norman and 20.01 for Benjamin. Incredibly impressive for April!

American Michael Cherry, who had a career year in 2021, including an Olympic fourth and then a relay gold, won the men’s 400 m convincingly in a world-leading 44.28. Second was Brazilian 400 m hurdles star Alison dos Santos, the Tokyo 400 m hurdles bronze medalist, with a lifetime best of 44.54!

The hurdles were also hot, with American world-record holder Keni Harrison leading the heats at 12.42w, but she was tracked down in the final by ex-LSU star Tonea Marshall, who won by 12.46-12.56 (+0.8) for another world best and her second-fastest ever. Marshall was favored to make the Tokyo Olympic team, but suffered a late-season injury and was fifth at the Trials.

Devon Allen, newly signed to be a receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles, won the men’s 110 m hurdles with a late charge to pass Daniel Roberts and won in 13.35, with fellow American Jamal Britt second at 13.44.

On the infield, American star Vashti Cunningham won with a third-try clearance at 1.96 m (6-5) to tie for the outdoor world lead. America’s women stars won the throws, as Olympic champ Valarie Allman won the discus with the no. 2 mark of the year (behind her American Record) of 69.46 m (227-11), the no. 8 throw in U.S. history. Fellow world leader Brooke Andersen, the women’s hammer world leader, also got the no. 2 performance of the year at 76.76 m (251-10) to win. Canada’s Cam Rogers – throwing for Cal – set a collegiate record for second and moving to no. 2 in the world for 2022 at 75.73 m (248-5).

The top men’s throw was by shot putter Darrell Hill, who won with a season’s best 21.68 m (71-1 1/2) to move to no. 3 on the 2022 outdoor list. U.S. hammer champion Rudy Winkler won at 76.11 m (259-6) on his final throw.

The men’s discus featured Olympic champ and world leader Daniel Stahl of Sweden, the winner at 67.65 m (221-11) in the third round.

On Friday, U.S. distance stars Karissa Schweizer and Emily Infeld went 1-2 in the invitational women’s 5.000 m, with Schweizer winning in a world-leading 15:02.77, to 15:05.80 for Infeld.

Earlier in the week, American Steeple star Evan Jager, plagued by injuries in 2021, finished second in invitational steeple at 8:34.89, beginning a comeback aimed at the U.S. Nationals and perhaps the World Championships.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Puerto Rico’s Ayden Owens – competing for Arkansas – tore up the men’s decathlon, setting a collegiate best of 8,528, tops in the world for 2022.

On Friday at the nearby Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, Kenyan Eliud Kipsang of Alabama demolished the collegiate record in the men’s 1,500 m, winning in 3:33.74! That’s the world outdoor leader and erases Notre Dame’s Yared Nuguse (USA: 3:34.68) from the record list.

As spectacular as Mt. SAC was, the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida was just as sensational:

● Morocco’s Moad Zahafi (Texas Tech) ran a world-leading 1:43.69 to win the men’s 800 m, the no. 3 performance in collegiate history.

● American Trey Cunningham won the men’s 110 m hurdles in a world-leading 13.22 in the qualifying, then won the final in 13.38.

● Quincy Hall, the 2019 NCAA 400 m hurdles champ for South Carolina, won his specialty in 48.55, his third-fastest time ever, for another world leader.

● Favour Ofili (NGR), running for LSU, won the women’s 200 m in a wind-legal and world-leading 21.96 (+1.3), breaking Kyra Jefferson’s 22.02 mark for Florida at the 2017 NCAA meet.

● Already the women’s 400 m world leader at 50.00, Jamaica’s Charokee Young – running for Texas A&M – won in 49.87. Twice Olympic champ Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH) won the invitational 400 m in 49.91.

● Puerto Rico’s Olympic women’s 100 m hurdles champ Jasmine Camacho-Quinn improved her world-leading time to 12.39, ahead of 2019 World Champion Nia Ali (USA), in 12.59.

Perhaps the biggest mind-blowers came from the relays. An Adidas USA all-star team of Devin Quinn, Erriyon Knighton, Grant Holloway and Ronnie Baker won the men’s 4×100 m in 38.09, then an Adidas mixed-nationality team of Steven Gardiner (BAH), Hall, Knighton and Holloway won a stirring 4×400 m in an unreal 2:57.72, followed by Florida in 2:58.53.

Florida’s all-American quartet of Jacory Patterson, Ryan Willie, Jacob Miley and Champ Allison smashed the collegiate record; the old mark of 2:59.00 was by USC from 2018; if the Gators were an independent nation, this team would rank no. 10 all-time!

A college team running 2:58.53 IN APRIL! That’s an average carry of 44.7 per leg!

● Badminton ● The BWF World Tour Korea Masters in Gwangju turned out to be a showcase for China and host Korea, with the home team winning all three of its finals.

In the men’s Singles, Hyeok Jin Jeon (KOR) took care of Kodai Naraoka (JPN), 21-17, 21-16, and Gi Jung Kim and Sa Rang Kim (KOR) won the men’s Doubles by 21-14, 21-16 over Yu Chen Liu and Xuan Yi Ou (CHN).

The all-Korean women’s Doubles final had Ha Na Baek and Yu Lim Lee winning over Soyeong Kim and Heeyong Kong by 21-17, 21-12.

There were all-Chinese finals in the women’s singles and the Mixed Doubles. Bing Jiao He won out over Yufei Chen, 21-14, 14-21, 21-9, and Yi Lyu Wang and Dongping Huang defeated Xuan Yi Ou and Yaqiong Huang, 21-17, 21-17, in the Mixed Doubles final.

● Beach Volleyball ●/Updated/The Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge in Itapema (BRA) attracted an excellent field, with play concluding on Sunday.

In the men’s final, Brazil’s George Wanderley and Andre Stein dueled with Ondrej Perusic and David Schweiner (CZE) into a tight third set before winning by 19-21, 21-14, 15-12. The third-place match was a 21-0, 21-0 rout for Leon Luini and Ruben Penninga (NED) over Kusti Nolvak and Mart Tiisaar (EST).

The women’s final saw Kelly (Larsen) Kolinske and Sara Hughes (USA) triumph over Katja Stam and Raisa Schoon (NED) by 21-18, 21-18 scores. For Hughes, it was her fourth career FIVB Tour win, all four with different partners! For Kolinske, it’s her third FIVB Tour-level gold and first since 2017; she won twice in 2017 with Betsi Flint.

Andressa Ramalho and Vitoria Rodrigues (BRA) won the women’s bronze medal with a 21-11, 21-17 win over Karla Borger and Julia Sude (GER).

● Curling ●/Updated/ The penultimate event of the 2022 Grand Slam of Curling tour, the Players’ Championship in Toronto (CAN), with two veteran winners.

Fresh off his sixth World Championships gold and the Beijing 2022 gold, Sweden’s Niklas Edin charged into the final to face familiar foe Bruce Mouat of Scotland in a re-match of the Olympic title match. But unlike the 5-4 struggle in Beijing that required an 11th end for Edin to win, Olympic silver medalist Mouat ran away to a 5-0 lead in the first two ends and won easily, 8-3.

The women’s final was a tight battle between Swedish star (and 2018 Olympic champ) Anna Hasselborg’s rink and Canadian Kerri Einarson, the 2022 Worlds bronze medalist. Einarson got off to a hot start with three points in the first end, but Hasselborg scored one point in the second end, two in the fourth and one in the fifth to get even at 4-4. Einarson went up 5-4 in the sixth end, but Hasselborg took two in the eighth and final end to come away with a 6-5 win and the tournament title.

● Cycling ● The third of the annual “monument” races, the 119th Paris-Roubaix from Compiegne to Roubaix was the biggest win ever for Dutch rider Dylan van Baarle, who broke away from the field with 19 km to go and soloed to the line in 5:37:00.

That was a startling 1:47 ahead of Belgian star Wout van Aert, who won a sprint from Stefan Kung (SUI), Tom Devriendt (BEL) and Matej Mohoric (SLO).

Van Baarle had won 2021’s Dwars door Vlaanderen and finished second in the 2021 Worlds Road race and the recent Tour of Flanders, but this was a major milestone. Said the winner:

“I mean, it’s a Monument, so of course, I wanted to win a Monument. To be second in Flanders and then to win Roubaix, I’m lost for words.”

Saturday’s second women’s Paris-Roubaix race was a flat, 124.7 km route from Denain to Roubaix, perfectly suited for a breakaway win for Italian star Elisa Longo Borghini.

She took off with 33 km remaining and was never headed, accelerating through the cobblestoned sections and winning in 3:10:54, a full 23 seconds up on Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky – the Tour of Flanders winner – and five others, including Lucinda Brand (NED) in third and Italy’s Marta Cavalli in fifth.

Longo Borghini was third in the first women’s Paris-Roubaix and scored her fifth career Women’s World Tour victory.

● Fencing ● The FIE World Cup for men’s Epee was in Paris (FRA) this week, with a surprise win for home favorite Nelson Lopez-Portier, who defeated 2017 Asian Champion Ruslan Kurbanov (KAZ), 15-11, in the final. For the winner, 26, it’s his first international medal of any kind!

Alexander Bardenet (FRA) and Mate Tamas Koch (HUN) shared the bronze medal.

The Foil fencers were in Belgrade (SRB) for a men’s and women’s World Cup, with Italy going 1-2 in the men and Germany taking 1-2 in the women’s division.

In the men’s final, 22-year-old Tommaso Marini won his first-ever World Cup medal with a 15-9 victory over veteran Giorgio Avola, who made his seventh World Cup final, but finished with the silver once again (0-7). Daniel Giacon (NED) and Kazuki Iimura (JPN) shared the bronze medals.

The women’s gold went to German Anne Sauer, winning her second career World Cup medal with a 15-14 win over countrywoman Leonie Ebert, who won her third World Cup podium. Olympic champ Lee Kiefer of the U.S. and Martina Batini (ITA) shared the bronze.

● Figure Skating ● The ISU’s World Junior Championships were finally held in Tallinn (EST), with both Russian and Chinese skaters absent, and the U.S. entries shined.

Ilia Malinin, 17, the son of two Uzbek national team skaters, won the men’s division with a lifetime best of 276.11 points, the highest score ever achieved in a juniors competition. He led the Short Program at 88.99, then won the Free Skate with a personal high of 187.12. Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov was second at 234.31 and Japan’s Tatsuya Tsuboi third (233.82).

American Isabeau Levito became the first U.S. women’s World Junior Champion since Rachel Flatt in 2008, winning the Short Program and finishing second in the Free Skate for a total of 206.55 points. That was just enough to hold off Korea’s Jia Shin (206.01), who won the Free Skate.

American Lindsay Thorngren (199.42) was third and Clare Seo (182.81) was sixth.

In Pairs, Georgia’s Karina Safina and Luka Berulava won both the Short Program and Free Skate at 188.12, easily ahead of Anastasia Golubeva and Hektor Giotopoulos Moore (AUS: 169.91) and Brooke McIntosh and Benjamin Mimar (CAN: 156.80). Americans Anastasia Smirnova and Danylo Siianytsia were fourth at 148.53.

A third U.S. win came in Ice Dance, as siblings Oona Brown and Gage Brown won both segments to score 170.25 points, ahead of Natalie D’Alessandro and Bruce Waddell (CAN: 162.56) and Nadiia Bashynska and Peter Beaumont (CAN: 157.64). Americans Katarina Wolfkostin and Jeffrey Chen were fourth with 157.27.

● Gymnastics ● The FIG Rhythmic World Cup in Tashkent (UZB) was a showcase for home favorite Takhmina Ikromova, who won the All-Around, scoring 119.60 points, ahead of Ekaterina Vedeneeva (SLO: 118.20) and Darja Varfolomeev (GER: 112.65). American Alexandria Kautzman was ninth (103.25).

In the individual event finals, Ikromova won in Hoop and Clubs, with Vedeneeva getting the victory in Ribbon. Margarita Kolosov (GER) won on Ball.

The women’s NCAA Championships had a special extra flair in 2022 thanks to an influx of American Olympic stars, including All-Around gold medalist Suni Lee, now at Auburn.

But the big winner was former national team member Trinity Thomas of the Florida Gators. As collegiate scoring is focused on execution rather than difficulty, what might work in international competition is not necessarily rewarded at the NCAA level.

And Thomas was precise and nearly perfect on all four apparatus, winning the All-Around title at 39.8125, ahead of Lee (39.6750), Florida’s Megan Skaggs (39.6625), Oregon State’s Jade Carey (39.6500) and Gator – and 2021 Worlds All-Around silver medalist – Leanne Wong (39.6250).

Thomas also won national individual titles on Uneven Bars and Floor; Lee won on Beam Utah’s Jaedyn Rucker won on Vault. Carey was one of five silver medalists on Uneven Bars.

The team title went to Oklahoma, which outscored Florida, 198.2000 to 198.0875, the fifth team title in eight years for the Sooners. Ragan Smith, a five-time U.S. National Team member and a 2018 World Championships Team gold medalist, clinched the meet for Oklahoma with her 9.9625 performance on Beam.

● Judo ● The Pan American Championships in Lima (PER) drew 217 entries, with Brazil taking charge from the start.

Eric Takabatake won the men’s 66 kg class, Guilherme Schmidt and Vinicius Panini went 1-2 at 81 kg and Marcelo Gomes (90 kg), Rafael Buzacarini (100 kg) and Rafael Silva (+100 kg) all won silvers.

Women’s titles went to Amanda Lima at 48 kg, Larissa Pimenta at 52 kg, Jessica Lima at 57 kg, Mayra Aguiar at 78 kg, and Beatriz Souza (+78 kg). The Brazilians won 15 medals in all.

The U.S. did well, scoring a win in the men’s 73 kg final with Dominic Rodriguez, and men’s bronzes from Ari Berliner at 66 kg, John Jayne at 90 kg and Christian Konoval at +100 kg.

Angelica Delgado was the runner-up in the women’s 52 kg class, Mariah Holguin got a bronze in the 57 kg division, former Cuban Maria Celia Laborde – the 2014 World 48 km bronze medalist – won a 48 kg bronze, and Nina Cutro-Kelly took bronze in the +78 kg class.

● Rugby Sevens ●/Updated/The men’s Seven Series was in Vancouver (CAN) for the sixth leg of nine this season. Fiji, New Zealand and South Africa all finished 3-0 in pool play and Argentina and France were both 2-0-1 in Pool D.

In the quarters, Samoa shocked the South Africans, 28-17, and Fiji and Argentina both won and while New Zealand got out to a 12-0 lead, Australia rebounded for a 19-12 win and a place in the semis.

Fiji and Argentina were decisive winners in their semis, and the Argentines dominated the final, winning by 29-10 for their first Seven Series win this season and into second place in the standings, behind South Africa.

In the third-place game, Samoa was up at half on Australia, 19-14, but the Aussies came back for a 21-19 victory and their fourth medal of the season.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THE LATEST: Felix to retire at end of ‘22 season; collegiate track & field Hall of Fame announced; Ukraine to play Scotland on 1 June in World Cup qualifier

By
Rich Perelman
-
More Worlds medal than anyone else: American sprint icon Allyson Felix (Photo: Wikipedia)

(★ THANK YOU to our 52 donors, who have covered 85% of our costs for services for the first half of 2022. If you would like to help, please donate here. ★)

What you need to know now, from the worldwide Five-Ring Circus:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

“As a little girl they called chicken legs, never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined I’d have a career like this. I have so much gratitude for this sport that has changed my life. I have given everything I have to running and for the first time I’m not sure if I have anything left to give. I want to say goodbye and thank you to the sport and people who have helped shape me the only way I know how—with one last run. This season isn’t about the time on the clock, it’s simply about joy. If you see me on the track this year I hope to share a moment, a memory and my appreciation with you.

“This season I’m running for women. I’m running for a better future for my daughter. I’m running for you. More to come on that, so stay tuned, but I’ll be sharing a series of announcements that I’m hoping will make the world better for women.

“Here’s to my final season.”

Wednesday’s Instagram post by American sprint superstar Allyson Felix was not expected, but was not a surprise. But it will allow fans and casual followers to follow her a little more carefully during 2022 as she tries to make yet another U.S. and compete at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene in July.

Felix was a sensation from an early age, but exploded into worldwide consciousness in 2003 as a high school senior at L.A. Baptist, running an altitude-aided 22.11 in Mexico City in the 200 m and then not only making the U.S. Olympic Team in 2004, but winning the 200 m silver medal in Athens.

She also showed her independence by skipping college altogether and becoming a professional, signing an endorsement deal with adidas that allowed her to get a degree in elementary education at the University of Southern California while maximizing her athletic potential.

Although she attended USC and has participated in promotional programs for the Trojans, she trained almost her entire career at UCLA’s Drake Stadium and was coached professionally by ex-UCLA head coaches Pat Connolly (through 2004) and then Bobby Kersee.

Her career on the track was nothing short of iconic. She was one of the world’s dominant sprinters from 2004-17, primarily in the 200 and 400 m, winning 200 m world titles in 2005-07-09 and the 400 m in 2015. She won seven Olympic golds in the 200 m (2012) and on U.S. teams in the 4×100 m (2012-16) and 4×400 m (2008-12-16-20), and 11 total Olympic medals, the most ever for a female track & field athlete.

Her 18 total World Championships medals (13-3-2) are the most by anyone.

Her lifetime bests are outstanding, but she is only in the all-time top-10 in the 200 m (no. 7). She has run 10.89 for the 100 m (2012), 21.69 for 200 m (2012) and 49.26 for 400 m (2015).

But everywhere she ran, she always exuded a calm, confident, low-key demeanor that covered a steely determination to compete at the highest level. She won often, always crediting her competitors and her coaching, and when she lost, always congratulated the winners and expressing satisfaction for having done her best.

Felix was, and is, overwhelmingly charming and gracious, a true role model in behavior, temperament and demeanor.

But when Felix wanted to make her feelings known, she was a devastating proponent, especially on issues of fairness to women. She famously held Nike accountable when the company – her main sponsor for many years – asked her to take a 70% pay cut during her pregnancy in 2018, with a guest editorial in The New York Times. Under pressure from Felix and others, the company changed its maternity policy in 2019.

Felix returned to competition in 2019, finishing sixth in the 400 m at the U.S. nationals and making the American team for the World Championships in the relay pool. She won golds in the mixed 4×400 m and for running in the heats of the women’s 4×400 m. She actually benefitted from the one-year delay of the Tokyo Games to 2021, making the U.S. team in the 400 m and earning the bronze medal in 49.46, considered an astonishing feat of recovery from a difficult pregnancy less than three years before. She additionally won another gold on the U.S. women’s 4×400 m relay.

Now she will conclude her career in 2022, with the possibility of running in the first World Championships to be held in the U.S. Whatever the results, she will be universally remembered for class, dignity and grace under pressure, both on and off the track.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● International Olympic Committee ● The first and only member of the IOC from Israel, Alex Gilady, passed away on Wednesday (13th) at age 79, in London, after a battle with cancer.

A long-time broadcaster and executive for NBC Sports, Gilady was elected to the IOC in 1994 and served in many roles, up to and including the Coordination Commissions for the Games in Athens (2004), Beijing (2008), London (2012), Rio (2016), Tokyo (2020-21) and was a member of the Paris 2024 commission team. His contributions were usually behind the scenes, although he occasionally showed up in headlines for direct-to-the-point comments.

He helped found the Keshet Media Group in Israel in 1992 and was its head from 2005-17. He was accused of sexual harassment, then sued his accusers; the cases were later settled.

● Athletics ● American high jump star Chaunte Lowe, 38, a four-time Olympian, announced her retirement, concluding a career which saw her win the 2012 World Indoor Championship.

She was a top performer at the biggest meets, with a 2005 World Championships silver, an Olympic bronze medal in 2008 and a Worlds Indoors bronze in 2010, to go along with her 2012 indoor gold.

She ranks equal-11th all-time with her career best of 2.05 m (6-8 3/4) from 2010, still the American Record. She owns six of the top 11 jumps in U.S. history, indoors and out.

In addition to her Olympic bronze in Beijing in 2008, she finished fifth in London in 2012 and fourth in Rio in 2016, losing the bronze medal on the countback.

She’s also a three-time mom, to daughters Jasmine and Aurora and son Mario, and overcame cancer in 2019 and 2020, astonishingly returning to competition in 2021.

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) unveiled the first class of the Collegiate Athlete Hall of Fame, celebrating the centennial of the NCAA Track & Field Championships, which began in 1921.

The inaugural class includes 30 athletes from 25 schools who combined for 205 national collegiate individual titles, 99 world records, and 19 Olympic gold medals during their collegiate careers. The induction ceremony will be held on 6 June in Eugene, Oregon, also the site of the 2022 NCAA Championships. The selections:

● Jenny Barringer (Colorado)
● Ralph Boston (Tennessee State)
● Ron Delany (Villanova)
● Harrison Dillard (Baldwin-Wallace)
● Suzy Favor (Wisconsin)
● Charlie Greene (Nebraska)
● Carlette Guidry (Texas)
● DeHart Hubbard (Michigan)
● Vicki Huber (Villanova)
● Jackie Johnson (Arizona State)
● Jackie Joyner (UCLA)
● Sally Kipyego (Texas Tech)
● Carl Lewis (Houston)
● Gerry Lindgren (Washington State)
● Randy Matson (Texas A&M)
● Ralph Metcalfe (Marquette)
● Rodney Milburn (Texas Southern)
● Bobby Morrow (Abilene Christian)
● Suleiman Nyambui (UTEP)
● Billy Olson (Abilene Christian)
● Merlene Ottey (Nebraska)
● Jesse Owens (Ohio State)
● Mel Patton (USC)
● Steve Prefontaine (Oregon)
● Meg Ritchie (Arizona)
● Henry Rono (Washington State)
● Wilma Rudolph (Tennessee State)
● Jim Ryun (Kansas)
● Erick Walder (Arkansas)
● John Woodruff (Pitt)

The USTFCCCA noted that “Eligibility for induction this year was limited to men who had completed their collegiate eligibility prior to 2000 and women prior to 2010, with the difference being an effort to increase the number of women eligible, as the men’s side of the sport has a much longer history.”

● Football ● The play-off schedule for the final European qualifying group for the 2022 FIFA World Cup – which includes Ukraine – has finally been set, with Scotland and Ukraine playing on 1 June in Glasgow.

The winner will face Wales in Cardiff on 5 June, with the victor qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar in November. The “Path A” winner, as this segment of the UEFA qualifying is known, will join Group B, with England, Iran and the U.S.

● Swimming ● FINA announced that the 2022 World Junior Championships will be held in Lima, Peru, from 30 August-4 September 2022.

Lima, the 2019 Pan American Games host, replaces Kazan (RUS), which was stripped of the event in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Lima hosted this event one before, in 2011. Per FINA:

“Over 600 promising swimmers from more than 100 National Federations, between the ages of 14-17 for women and 15-18 for men, are expected to compete in the premier international event for junior swimmers.”

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: College recruiting getting crazier due to $5,980 cash awards; French elections on 24 April could impact Paris ‘24; fans call Infantino “clown”

By
Rich Perelman
-

(★ GREAT! Now 52 donors have covered 85% of our site costs for the first six months of 2022. If you enjoy this coverage, please donate here. ★)

● Plus: Beijing 2022: Chinese government spent $300,000 on social-media influencer campaign, including U.S. Paralympian Long = Olympic Winter Games 2030: Vancouver City Council kills motion for referendum on bid = Athletics: Houlihan replies to Stafford exit from Bowerman TC; Kenyan Chepkirui’s doping ban confirmed = Bobsled: German Olympic champ Jamanka retires at 31 = Modern Pentathlon: Athlete group complains about new format = Sport Climbing: Olympic champ Garnbret to take time off = Weightlifting: IWF Athletes Comm. head Davies suspended by British federation = Wrestling: Two-time Worlds medalist Green to coach U.S. elites = SCOREBOARD/Football: U.S. women shut down Uzbekistan, 9-0 ●

Key status updates on the urgent stories in Olympic sport:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

In a guest editorial on SwimSwam.com, Rick Paine, the Director of Swimming at the American College Connection recruiting service, suggests that “As if getting recruited isn’t tough enough it is about to get a whole lot tougher.”

His prediction is that universities, operating in the aftermath of rule changes occasioned by the 2021 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Alston vs. NCAA (141 S. Ct. 2141), will follow the lead of the University of Texas and begin paying athletes the allowed-amount of “academic-achievement awards” of $5,980 per year in two payments tied to semesters. Wrote Paine:

“A couple of months ago, the University of Texas announced that they were going to provide a $6,000 (approximate) stipend per year to every student-athlete at the school. This affects all student-athletes, including Walk-Ons.

“Since Texas is doing this, the other D-I programs that want to compete with Texas will have to follow suit. Texas has just under 700 student-athletes at the school so we are talking about an extra $4,000,000+ that the school has to come up with each year.”

His prediction is that in order to meet budget constraints, schools will begin reducing roster sizes on all teams, men and women. In Division I, the scholarship limits include:

● FBS Football: 85
● Men/Basketball: 13
● Women/Basketball: 15
● Women/Gymnastics: 12
● Women/Tennis: 8
● Women/Volleyball: 12

These sports can only offer scholarships to the stated number of athletes. Other sports have limited on the total number of scholarships, but these can be split up as much as desired. Swimming and diving scholarships limits are 9.9 for men and 14 for women (track & field has 12.6 for men and 18 for women).

So, athletes who might want to walk-on at a school to benefit from the coaching and facilities there will be turned away, sending them to scholarships at other schools and moving other recruits down the line to smaller schools, and to lower divisions, which have fewer scholarship opportunities.

The result: the big football schools – with the money to spend – will be the first ones in line to pay these bonuses, and reap the rewards. ESPN reported last week that 22 of the 130 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision schools have decided to pay these bonuses; by conference:

● Big East (1): Connecticut (for basketball only)

● ACC (3): Clemson, Miami, North Carolina

● Big 10 (1): Wisconsin

● Big 12 (5): Iowa State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech

● Pac-12 (3): Colorado, Oregon, Washington

● SEC (9): Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, Missouri, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee

Connecticut, which is limiting its initial payment plan to men’s and women’s basketball only, is the only school not in a major football conference to commit to these bonuses.

Twenty other schools told ESPN they planned to pay these bonuses as soon as the 2022-23 academic year.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Games of the XXXIII Olympiad: Paris 2024 ● Sunday’s French elections for President ended with incumbent Emmanuel Macron (En Marche!; liberal) leading the returns with 27.84% of the vote among 12 candidates. He will face right-wing (and third-time) candidate Marine Le Pen (National Rally; conservative) in a re-match of the 2017 election on 24 April; she received 23.15% of the vote.

Almost 74% of eligible voters turned out. Among the losers was Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo (Socialist), who received 1.75% of the vote.

Macron defeated Le Pen by 66.1-33.9% in 2017, but the re-run is expected to be much closer. Le Pen runs on a nationalist platform, while Macron is pro-European and has been active in diplomacy with Russia, trying to end its invasion of Ukraine.

Should Le Pen win, questions will immediately arise about the government’s enthusiasm for the 2024 Paris Games. A second term for Macron will continue the national government’s support of the Games.

● XXVI Olympic Winter Games: 2030 ● A Vancouver City Council motion to compel a referendum on the area’s bid for the 2030 Games died for lack of a second from any other Council member on Tuesday.

City Council member Colleen Hardwick introduced the motion to include a vote on the bid on the 15 October ballot. Questions had been raised about whether such a vote would counter the agreement with First Nations leaders, who are to lead the bid effort, and Hardwick said she had not conferred with the First Nations leadership concerning her motion.

Hardwick is running for Mayor this fall against incumbent Kennedy Stewart, who has said the proposed vote does not square with the understanding made with the First Nations.

● Athletics ● The decision of Canadian distance star Gabriela DeBues-Stafford to leave the Bowerman Track Club due to the impact of U.S. star Shelby Houlihan’s doping positive in 2021 was responded to by Houlihan on Tuesday. In part:

“I never wanted to have a negative impact on anyone in my decision to continue training and it hurts that I’m finding out that I did. Running and working out have always been a source of joy and happiness for me as well as a coping mechanism. My legal team and I have been very deliberate and intentional in contacting the [Athletics Integrity Unit] and other governing bodies to figure out how I can continue to run and train for my own mental health in a way that is also abiding by and respecting the rules put in place. …

“I do wish Gabriela the best with her transition and moving forward. I hope she found a training environment that’s positive and brings her happiness.”

Houlihan added that she is continuing to pursue a long-shot appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal of her four-year ban confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport last August.

Kenya’s 2014 Commonwealth Games women’s 10,000 m gold medalist Joyce Chepkirui has had her doping ban confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The BBC reported that she has been suspended since June 2019 for abnormalities in blood samples in 2016 and 2017 that indicated likely “blood manipulation.” Her results from April 2016 to August 2017 have been annulled – this included a third in the 2016 Boston Marathon – and her four-year ban will continue into June 2023.

● Bobsled & Skeleton ● Germany’s 2018 Olympic women’s bobsled champ, Mariama Jamanka, 31, announced her retirement on her Instagram page on Wednesday, including (computer translation from the original German):

“After a little over a decade, it’s time for me to say goodbye to competitive sports. It was a wonderful time with incredibly great and interesting people, some of whom have also become friends for life.

“Bobsledding has given me a lot to experience and I’ve learned a lot about myself. There were highs I never expected, but also many lows that were probably worse than most can imagine. It wasn’t always easy, but it was worth it. If someone had told me at the beginning of my journey where I would end up, I probably would have laughed at them.”

Originally a discus and hammer thrower, she was a near-instant success when she took to driving in 2015. She won World Championships golds in the two-women sled in 2017 and 2019, a gold in PyeongChang in 2018 and a silver in Beijing in 2022.

● Football ● Sometimes, it’s personal.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, born in Switzerland of Italian parents, has had plenty of criticism as the head of the federation. But his recent comments during an appearance in Florence (ITA) – “Fiorentina won, Juve lost, it’s the perfect day to be here” – was too much for some Juventus fans.

FootballItalia reported that during last Saturday’s match against Cagliari:

“Juventus fans briefly held up a banner which read ‘Infantino clown’ nine minutes into their Serie A match against Cagliari on Saturday, with insulting chants complimenting the message.”

The club was fined €2,000 (~$2,175) by the league.

● Modern Pentathlon ● The PentUnited athletes group has revved up their online presence from social media to the Web and published an April newsletter, this time slamming the UIPM’s implementation of a new qualifying, semifinal and final format for Paris 2024.

This format continues to include riding, but only for the final. It was introduced in February in a Budapest indoor pentathlon, and then at the first World Cup in Cairo in March. The PentUnited view:

“From a large number of athletes, we heard clear that the new format, with a qualification, semifinal and final, was very difficult. It was a challenge to perform at the same standard throughout all three competitions [over] just 4 days.

“The format was also found to be incredibly challenging for the officials. The judges had to rush from one place to another – putting them under real physical stress. Istvan Gallai, Secretary General of the Hungarian federation, reported that ‘this form of competition is more difficult than the inventors thought, not only for athletes but officials as well.’ The Hungarian pentathlon federation is one of the most experienced and well-resourced pentathlon nations in the world, and they openly said that they struggled to cope with the format.”

As for the Cairo World Cup:

“[T]he competition was well organised, and it was the first chance for athletes to really get a feel for the new format with back to back events in the semis and finals.

“However, while the UIPM promised that the 90-minute format would be shorter, simpler and easier to understand, it turned out to be the opposite. It was complicated enough for the athletes to understand the multiple layers of the new format, let alone new viewers. As one athlete reported, ‘I don’t think it increases the attractiveness of pentathlon. It’s even harder for a person to even understand how everything works.’

“The idea that this format is unnecessarily complicated is not a new suggestion, but it is a worry – especially at a time when the IOC have told the UIPM that they must improve their audience size.”

As for riding only being in the final:

“[I]t was clear to see the problems of the new format, and that the UIPM continues to badly mismanage the riding and ignores both athlete safety and horse welfare. The fact that only athletes who reach the final, the top 18, are given the chance to ride, means that the format qualifies the best tetrathletes for the final and not pentathletes. None of the finalists are tested on their equestrian skills leading up to the final.

“Several riders were allowed to compete who, according to riding experts, immediately did not look safe, and should have been prevented from entering the competition arena.”

The next World Cup comes at the end of April, once again in Budapest. The newsletter also noted their view of responsibility for the future of the sport: “Our current UIPM leadership is a failure, but it is the National Federations (NFs) who are to blame. The NFs acquiesce with the UIPM leadership and leave them in place.”

The UIPM announced at the beginning of April:

“The [5th Discipline Working Group] will have a physical meeting during the UIPM 2022 Pentathlon World Cup Budapest in the last week of April to make its final decision of the discipline to be tested, in order to start more detailed competition rules and format study within Q2. It will then report to UIPM Executive Board about the outcomes of its working phases.

“A further announcement which will cover the selection results as well as the next steps, including the new discipline tests will be made on May 3 following the UIPM Executive Board Meeting which will take place on May 2 in the Hungarian capital.”

● Sport Climbing ● Slovenia’s Olympic champ Janja Garnbret was a decisive winner at the IFSC World Cup in Bouldering last week in Meiringen (SUI), taking her 32nd career World Cup medal at age 23.

But, as she said afterwards, she is not taking the win for granted:

“Today’s win was a privilege. It means a lot to me because it’s not obvious that you will win every competition – each competition is a story in itself. Just because you won everything last year doesn’t mean that you can next year, so every win means a lot to me. That’s why I was so emotional.

“I’ve decided to skip the [rest of the] Boulder season this year. The Olympics last year were a pretty hard take on physical and mental preparation, so I feel that I need a little time off from comps and this year is the perfect year to do that. I already have Paris [2024] in mind.”

● Weightlifting ● British lifter Sarah Davies, head of the International Weightlifting Federation’s Athletes Commission and a vocal critic of the IWF’s corruption and doping scandals, was suspended for three months by British Weightlifting.

She was sanctioned for “making comments of a discriminatory nature against a fellow athlete,” in contravention of the federation’s Code of Conduct. She will be out of competition for three months, and wrote in a social-media post:

“Having worked hard for the last 18months to better the international landscape of our sport it deeply saddens me that I have had to step down from my position on the Athletes Commission. In that time I have stood for what is right for our sport and fought to keep our sport in the Olympic movement, built strong relations with the IOC and made significant change within the organisation, including having the athlete voice recognised, stepping down from this position has been the hardest part of the sanction.”

Davies was fifth in the women’s 64 kg class at the Tokyo Games and won a silver medal at 71 kg at the 2021 World Championships.

● Wrestling ● USA Wrestling announced that two-time Worlds medalist James Green will become the federation’s National Freestyle Developmental Coach.

He will immediately put his experience to use with the U.S.’s elite age-group Freestyle wrestlers, and directly manage the Elite Accelerated Program at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

A savvy competitor, Green, 29, won the Worlds bronze medal at 70 kg in 2015 and the silver in 2017, his best finishes in six appearances on the national team. He won two Pan American Championships, two national titles and was a four-time All-American at 157 lbs. for Nebraska from 2012-15. Said Green:

“The opportunity presented itself, and I was looking at college coaching and my career path. It is a great opportunity to be on board with Team USA. I will be working with the next generation, getting them ready to bring home medals for our country. We are at the tip of the iceberg with these young athletes, I believe I have a lot to offer on the coaching side. It is something I feel that I have been called to do.”

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Football ● The storyline of Tuesday’s second U.S. women’s match against Uzbekistan became clear just 25 seconds into the game, as a Rose Lavelle cross from the right side deflected off Uzbek defender Kamila Zaripova for an own goal and a 1-0 U.S. lead.

The American women scored five more times during the first half, with goals from Catarina Macario in the 12th minute and two minutes into stoppage time, Mallory Pugh in the 14th and Lavelle in the 25th (on a rebound) and 27th minutes, before 13,373 at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania.

With a 6-0 lead, the second half started slower, with the ball continuously in the Uzbek end, but with the U.S. missing multiple chances. But Tiffany Rodman got her first international goal for the U.S. in the 71st minute on a right-footed strike from the right side that glided past substitute keeper Laylo Tilolova, to get to 7-0.

Midge Purce got her third career goal in the 85th minute on a free kick that ended up flying around in front of the net; it landed at her feet and she didn’t miss, for an 8-0 lead. Ashley Sanchez got the final goal, off a strike from the left side that went over the head of Tilolova for the 9-0 final.

The U.S. had 67% of the possession and out-shot Uzbekistan, 38-0. U.S. keeper Aubrey Bledsoe got the easiest shutout of her career. The U.S. women are off until June, for additional friendlies.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THE TICKER: The ties between sport and politics in Russia; Australia lands ‘26 Commonwealth Games; more Oregon money for Eugene World Champs

By
Rich Perelman
-
This badge, for a Sports Technical Official at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games, just sold for $8,000! Wow! (Photo: Ingrid O'Neil Auctions)

(★ BRAVO to our 51 donors, who have covered 84% of our costs for the first six months of 2022. Can you help? Please donate here. ★)

(For our updated – as of 10 April – 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!)

● Plus: Winter Games 2030: Aragon suggests a new distribution of events for Spanish bid = Olympic Games 2036: A cheap Games in Copenhagen? = On Screen: Modest viewing of USATF Bermuda Games and USA-UZB women’s game = Athletics: World Athletics creates Ukraine Fund; Canadian sprinter Williams passed at 62 = Football: FIFA+ free streaming service announced = Gymnastics: Paris 2024 qualification system streamlined = Judo: Passing of two-time Olympic silver winner Rodriguez = Sailing: Shock death of teen Tunisian in training accident = Speed Skating: Retirements from Kodaira and Nana Takagi = SCOREBOARD/Swimming: More world leaders; seven swimmers hold world leads in 19 of 34 individual events = THE LAST WORD: Strong (ridiculous?) auction prices for official’s badges from Los Angeles 1932 and beyond ●

The latest news, notes and quotes from the worldwide Five-Ring Circus:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

Slava Malamud describes himself as “a Soviet-born American citizen who came to the US as a refugee in 1991 after deciding to not linger in a part of the former USSR that was getting into the business of civil war. Another thing that is true is that for many years I was one of Russia’s premier sports journalists while working for Sport-Express as the national daily’s foreign correspondent in North America.”

In mid-March, he posted a startling 31-Tweet thread to dove into the close ties between the Russian government and Russian sport. Some highlights:

● “The main point: never, ever, ever take seriously any talk by any Russian athlete/sports official/sports writer that sports and politics must be separate.”

● “Sports and politics in Russia aren’t only inseparable, they are synonymous. Sport is an organic part of Russia’s body politic and is unimaginable without it. At the same time, while Russians KNOW very well that sport is politics, they are conditioned to always SAY the opposite.”

● “Soviets slowly began to understand the ideological value of big-time sports. Italy’s win at the 1934 World Cup was a huge boost for fascism and, of course, Hitler’s 1936 Olympics were a propaganda bonanza. There was much to emulate there. …”

● “Stalin, who was by no means interested in sports in and of themselves, absolutely refused to let the Soviets participate in international competitions without solid guarantees of a triumph.”

Malamud underlines that one cannot understand Russian attitudes toward sport without understanding the history, and his thread is a guided tour of how the USSR got into international sport, beginning at the Helsinki Games in 1952. Absolutely worth reading.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● XXIII Commonwealth Games: 2026 ● Australia continues to reel in major events, with the Commonwealth Games Foundation announcing that the State of Victoria will host the 2026 Games in March of that year, primarily in Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland.

The region had been selected for “exclusive dialogue” in February, so the confirmation of the award was hardly a surprise. A total of 16 sports have been identified so far and others may be added. It’s the first time the Commonwealth Games has used the regional approach adopted by the International Olympic Committee.

This will be the fifth Commonwealth Games in Australia, previously in 1938 (Sydney), 1962 (Perth), 1982 (Brisbane) and Gold Coast in 2018.

Australia and New Zealand will host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023, now the Commonwealth Games in 2026 and the Games of the XXXV Olympiad in Brisbane in 2032.

The 2026 Games was originally supposed to go to Birmingham (ENG), but after Durban (RSA) abandoned the 2022 Games due to costs, Birmingham moved forward to take this year’s event, requiring the Foundation to find a new 2026 host.

● XXVI Olympic Winter Games: 2030 ● The tug-of-war between the regions of Aragon and Catalonia continues in Spain. Calling the announced division of sports between the two region unfair, Aragon proposed a new division of the events for a projected Spanish bid for the Winter Games.

This concept would place biathlon and snowboarding in Aragon, with freestyle skiing and ski mountaineering in Catalonia and both regions hosting parts of alpine skiing and nordic skiing.

Aragon would host curling figure skating and short-track, while Catalonia would have ice hockey and speed skating.

The next move is up to the Spanish Olympic Committee to try and find a solution that works for the political leadership of both regions.

● Games of the XXXVI Olympiad: 2036 ● GamesBids.com reported on an interview in a Copenhagen (DEN) newspaper with city council member Mia Nyegaard of the Social Liberal party Radikale, proposing holding the Olympic Games there on a “small budget.” Per the report:

“Radikale party culture spokesperson Zenia Stampe told Berlingske ‘I thought it would be difficult, but now I can see that it could be done in a way so that it develops Copenhagen’s urban space, and that it could develop the way you hold the Olympics.

“‘A kind of moon landing – a goal on the horizon that can be used to create urban development.’”

This is yet another indication of how the International Olympic Committee’s changed bidding format has altered the views of local politicians on the value of having the Games. Of course, there is also the reaction of the marketing manager of Dansk Erhverv (the Danish chamber of commerce), Lars Ramme Nielsen, to a possible hosting of the Games:

“Basically, at the moment, it is not possible – as in not at all – to do so.”

At a minimum, a new main stadium and an Olympic Village would have to be built, making the cost of the event not-so-small after all.

● On Screen ● The big U.S. television stars of the week were the Monday NCAA men’s basketball tournament final between Kansas and North Carolina, drawing 17.952 million combined across TBS-TNT-TRU TV, and the final round of the Masters, with 10.173 million watching on CBS.

In terms of Olympic sport on television, the USATF Bermuda Games, shown on NBC on Saturday afternoon, drew 607,000. The U.S. women’s friendly against Uzbekistan later on Saturday on Fox drew 438,000 viewers.

● Athletics ● “World Athletics, together with the International Athletics Foundation (IAF) and the Members of the Diamond League Association, has today launched a Ukraine Fund to support professional athletes affected by the conflict in their home country.”

The fund was initiated with $190,000 in donations from those three partners, targeted at up to 100 Ukrainian athletes who are qualified (or be expected to qualify) for a World Athletics championship event, as well as to coaches, team leaders and family members of the athletes.

The primary focus is on athletes who are affiliated to the Ukrainian Athletic Association and have qualified, or have a credible chance to qualify, for any upcoming World Athletics Championships. The second priority includes those acting as a designated coach or team leader, as well as parents, spouses and children of those athletes.

The state of Oregon and the city of Eugene continue to spend money on the Oregon22 World Championships coming in July, but now on a free festival site for both locals and visitors to the area.

The Downtown Riverfront Park will be the site, with the event open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. from Monday through Thursday and noon to 10 p.m. on both sets of Friday-Sunday weekends. The show is budgeted at $1.2 million in total, with Eugene contributing $400,000 and Travel Oregon giving $100,000. Sponsorships are being sought by local producer REVERE and added governmental funding.

The state of Oregon has provided $40 million in funding for the World Championships, against a projected budget of $75 million.

Staffing will be provided by professionals and volunteers; the Worlds is recruiting about 1,500 volunteers for its programs, and the festival will wait until those needs have been mostly filled.

More sad news, of the passing of Canadian sprint star Desai Williams, at 62. He was a bronze medal winner at the Los Angeles 1984 Games in the men’s 4×100 m relay, and had career bests of 10.11 (1988) and 20.29 (1983). He also competed at the Olympic Games in Seoul in 1988.

Born in St. Kitts & Nevis, Williams was a consistent contender, but never an outright star in the sprints, and was overshadowed by the infamous Ben Johnson, who won the 1988 Olympic 100 m title on the track, but was then disqualified for steroid use.

Williams coached sprinters in Canada for many years, and was a speech coach for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. He was a coach for Athletics Canada, but was reported to have violated its sexual harassment policy in 2015 and was banned in 2018.

● Football ● FIFA announced the launch of FIFA+, a direct-to-consumer online service that will provide

“access to live football matches from every corner of the world, interactive games, news, tournament information, ground-breaking, unrivalled video content delivering truly global storytelling around the men’s and women’s game and much more. FIFA is the first sports federation ever to offer such an extensive streaming and content experience to its fans.”

The programming will include 29,000 men’s and 11,000 women’s matches in 2022, an archive of FIFA World Cup matches of the past, a live “Match Centre” with data from hundreds of competitions, news, games and original programming, including documentaries and interviews with greats of the game.

It will initially be available with support for five languages – English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish – with six more language editions coming in June.

The service is free at the start, and geo-blocking will be used to protect rights-holding broadcasters in specific territories. But it is an interesting experiment, by the federation best positioned to try it, even if only as value-added for its existing and future sponsors.

“Deloitte and U.S. Soccer Federation announced today a multi-year sponsorship renewal continuing Deloitte’s role as the Official Professional Services Provider of U.S. Soccer and Foundational Sponsor of SheBelieves.”

The worldwide professional services firm has made headlines of late with its TOP sponsorship with the International Olympic Committee, on top of its existing agreements with the LA28 Olympic Organizing Committee and National Olympic Committees in Canada, Germany, Ireland, Poland and the U.S.

The specific goals for the continuation of its sponsorship of the U.S. Soccer Federation are ambitious:

“Deloitte will continue to provide professional services to support the evolution of the Federation and its business needs to meet its 2030 goals and achieve its mission of becoming the preeminent sport in the United States. Deloitte will help support some of the Federation’s most important business opportunities covering a range of strategic initiatives, such as developing U.S. Soccer’s organization-wide sustainability strategy, defining a roadmap for the future of technology across the organization, and helping U.S. Soccer identify a world-class home for a National Training Center.”

● Gymnastics ● The Federation Internationale de Gymnastique confirmed some of the details of the qualification program for the Paris 2024 Games. Of special note are changes in Artistic Gymnastics:

“The qualifying path has been simplified compared to that for the Tokyo 2020 Games. The main changes concern the number of gymnasts per team, with a return to a maximum of five gymnasts, who can take part in both the team and individual competitions.

“Also, while a country that qualifies for the team event may no longer win any additional individual spots above the five places it has already obtained, a country that has not qualified a team can earn up to three places for the individual competitions.”

There will be 192 places for Artistic gymnasts, 94 for Rhythmic and 32 for Trampoline.

Most of the qualifying places will come from the results of the World Championships in 2022 and 2023, with a small number of other places from continental events and some of the FIG World Cup series.

● Judo ● Sad news of the death of Cuban star Estela Rodriguez, who won Olympic silvers in the women’s +72 kg class in Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996. She was World Champion in the Heavyweight and Open-weight classes at the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana.

Just 54, Rodriguez became a coach after her competitive career ended; she passed away on Sunday (10th), reportedly from a heart attack.

● Sailing ● Shocking report of the death of Tunisian Tokyo Olympian sailor Eya Guezguez, 17, on Sunday during a training session.

Eya and her sister Sarra were sailing on Sunday and their boat overturned; Sarra survived, but Eya did not. The pair finished 21st in Tokyo in the 49er FX event at the Games. Per SailingScuttlebutt.com:

“With their coach alongside in a [Rigid Inflatable Boat] while training, he was able help free Sarra from the tangled rigging before locating Eya on whom he attempted CPR. The young Olympian was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead after drowning.”

● Speed Skating ● Japanese superstar Nao Kodaira announced her forthcoming retirement on Tuesday, at age 35, closing a career that included three Olympic medals and four world titles.

She said, “The last race of my athletic career will be the 500 meters at the national single-distance championships in October this year,” which will be held in her home region of Nagano from 22-24 October.

She competed in the 2010-14-18-22 Winter Games, winning a gold in the 2018 PyeongChang 500 m and a silver in the 1,000 m; she had previously won a silver in 2010 in the Team Pursuit.

Kodaira won World Championships golds at 500 m in 2017 and 2020 and the World Sprint Championships in 2017 and 2019. She won a sensational 34 World Cup races during her career.

Her announcement follows the retirement of fellow Japanese star Nana Takagi, 29, who won the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Mass Start race and a gold on the Team Pursuit squad. She was a three-time World Champion in the Team Pursuit in 2015-19-20.

Her younger sister, Miho Takagi, 27, has said she will take some time off from competition, but did not say she was retiring, The younger Takagi owns seven Olympic medals, including golds in 2018 for the Team Pursuit and from Beijing in 2022 for the 1,000 m, and was the 2018 World Allround Champion.

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Swimming ● The rush of national championships over the weekend saw a few more world-leading performances not shown in Sunday’s Highlights review:

● Men/200 m Free: 1:45.44, Lukas Martens (GER)
● Men/800 m Free: 7:46.01, Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA)
● Men/200 m Medley: 1:56.08, Duncan Scott (GBR)

● Women/100 m Fly: 56.70, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE)

Checking the world lists for 2022, just seven star swimmers currently account for the world leads in 19 of the 34 standard individual events:

● 3: Ryosuke Irie (JPN): 50-100-200 m Back
● 3: Lukas Martens (GER): 200-400-1,500 m Free
● 2: Duncan Scott (GBR): 200-400 m Medley

● 3: Katie Ledecky (USA): 200-800-1,500 m Free
● 3: Kaylee McKeown (AUS): 50-100-200 m Back
● 3: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE): 50 m Free, 50-100 m Fly
● 2: Summer McIntosh (CAN): 200 m Fly, 400 m Medley

McIntosh, just 15, could be the break-out star of the FINA World Championships coming in June in Budapest (HUN). The U.S. Trials for the 2022 Worlds will be held from 26-28 April in Greensboro, North Carolina.

≡ THE LAST WORD ≡

Beyond the highlighted Olympic medals and Olympic torches in the recently-closed Ingrid O’Neil Auction 91 were sales of some seemingly trivial items which brought significant money. Some of the highest interest was shown in official’s badges from the Games of the Xth Olympiad in Los Angeles in 1932.

This was long before today’s ubiquitous accreditation badges, so they were important for identification during the Games and highly collectable now:

● Sports Technical Official badge, one of 28 made, sold for $8,000.

● A rowing team badge, expected to bring $300, sold for $6,000.

● Xth Olympiad Official’s badge, one of 41, sold for $1,800.

● A “messenger” badge for the Riviera Country Club venue, sold for $1,700.

● Team Chief de Mission badge, no. 18 of 38, sold for $1,100.

Another stunner was a Berlin 1936 management badge for the Polo competition, expected to bring $1,500, but sold for $5,000. A Tokyo 1964 badge and ribbon for special delegates sold for $3,000. A news film crew credential badge (with ribbon) for the 1972 Winter Games in Sapporo brought $1,400.

Pretty good for items that were little more than a small piece of metal and some colored ribbon.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HEARD AT HALFTIME: LA28 “very, very comfortable” on finances despite deficit; Dillard’s ‘48 100 m gold sells for $120,000; Liu retires at 16?

By
Rich Perelman
-
In the beginning: an 1896 Athens winner's medal, which sold for $80,000 in Ingrid O'Neil's Auction 91 (Photo: Ingrid O'Neil)

(★ THANK YOU to our 51 donors, who have covered 84% of our costs for the first six months of 2022. Can you help? Please donate here. ★)

(For our updated – as of 10 April – 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!)

(For our Highlights of the weekend’s major competitions, click here)

● Plus: Beijing 2022: Chinese government paid $300,000 for U.S. social-influencer campaign = Winter Games 2030: Aragon region “demands respect” in bid = Brisbane 2032: Organizing committee board completed = Athletics: Hurdles star Allen signs with NFL Eagles; U.S. Marathon Trials champ Conover succumbs to cancer; Canada’s Stafford moving on due to Houlihan doping positive = Luge: FIL furious at reversal of Russian sanctions = Scoreboard/Athletics: World leads for Steiner and McLeod ●

News, views and noise from the non-stop, worldwide circus of Olympic sport:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

The Los Angeles City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on the 2028 Olympics and Paralympic Games approved the proposed amendment to the City’s Youth Sports Partnership Agreement with the Los Angeles 2028 organizing committee and the plan for spending for the 2022-23 fiscal year. Final approval will be needed from the City Council.

Monday morning’s meeting had five of the seven Council members present and all four items – two of which were informational only – passed by 5-0 votes.

The Youth Sports Partnership Agreement amendment was a minor change to allow more flexibility in the use of funds, for support services such as transportation. Council member Paul Krekorian noted:

“The single most important factor that should govern all of this is, what investments are going to maximize the greatest degree of youth participation in sports, per dollar. That’s really what our emphasis should be, the most bang for the buck in getting more kids who are not currently active in sports, to become active in sports.”

A long list of action items for the 10 working groups defined in the LA28 Games Agreement was also approved, with nominations the first priority and most of the groups to meet not later than 31 March 2023, and to have approved plans in place by 31 March 2025.

LA28’s team was led on the call by chief executive Kathy Carter, who reiterated the committee’s priority:

“Our number one objective is to make sure that our incredible opportunity also comes with a responsibility to the City, and to the taxpayers, to make sure we actually host a Games that are both fiscally [responsible] and low-risk. And that’s something that is an ongoing mantra inside our offices here at LA28.”

Krekorian asked about the 2020 financial report, which showed a $33.9 million deficit for the year, Carter explained:

“Essentially, what we’ve done is we’re showing the income statement and ultimately how we are [showing] revenue recognition for the year of the report [2020]. And what that means is that because we were just beginning operations, for all intents and purposes, while we are collecting revenue, we have not actually provided the services for the recognition of that revenue in the calendar year.

“So our cash flow is actually very, very healthy. We have money that’s essentially in the bank, but it’s just a timeline by which we are actually reporting out basically the assets and the liabilities. So it should cause no concern; it’s just literally just the way the accounting of the revenues and expenses are coming in. So we feel very, very comfortable with where we are, and we’re tracking as per our initial plans.”

The City staff noted that no change in the projected budget for the Games project – $6.884 billion – has not changed.

Carter was asked about what was learned from the Tokyo Olympic and Beijing Winter Games experiences, both of which took place with heavy anti-Covid countermeasures. Her answer was reassuring:

“What we did learn, though, in Tokyo and Beijing were really key and important lessons around how and what we should do to challenge the operating assumptions of what was perhaps the way we thought we needed to do things previously. So, rest assured, we certainly continue to challenge the operating assumptions of what was the way to host these Games previously, and we look at everything as an opportunity to refine and do it better as we approach 2028.”

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Memorabilia ● Sensational conclusion to Ingrid O’Neil’s Auction 91, with two historic medals going for $120,000 and $80,000.

The star of the program was Harrison Dillard’s gold medal from the London 1948 100 meters, one of four he won in his Olympic career. Offered by his family at $120,000, the lot had no takers until close to the end of the bid period on Saturday, when a bid at that amount came in, and the lot sold. Amazing.

Lot no. 2 was a winner’s medal – in silver; the use of gold started later – from the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens, that pictured Zeus on the front and the Acropolis on the back. It sold for the asking price of $80,000.

And many more Olympic medals were sold, some for impressive prices:

● 1920 Olympic (Antwerp) silver medal: $5,500
● 1924 Winter (Chamonix) silver medal: $30,000
● 1928 Winter (St. Moritz) bronze medal: $9,000
● 1952 Olympic (Helsinki) gold medal: $8,500
● 1960 Olympic (Rome) bronze medal: $12,000
● 1972 Winter (Sapporo) gold medal: $42,500
● 1976 Olympic (Montreal) gold medal: $18,000

The auction was also one of the best ever in its selection of Olympic torches:

● 1936 Olympic (Berlin): $5,000
● 1948 Olympic (London): $7,500
● 1960 Olympic (Rome): $7,000
● 1964 Olympic (Tokyo): $11,000
● 1968 Olympic (Mexico City): $8,000
● 1972 Olympic (Munich): $2,000
● 1976 Olympic (Montreal): $2,600
● 1980 Olympic (Moscow): $3,000
● 1984 Olympic (Los Angeles): $4,000
● 1988 Olympic (Seoul): $5,000
● 1992 Winter (Albertville): $65,000
● 1992 Olympic (Barcelona): $5,000
● 1996 Olympic (Atlanta): $3,000
● 2000 Olympic (Sydney): $3,750
● 2004 Olympic (Athens): $2,800
● 2008 Olympic (Beijing): $5,000
● 2016 Olympic (Rio): $3,500
● 2020 Olympic (Tokyo): $16,000
● 2022 Winter (Beijing); $22,000

Nope, not a misprint on the 1992 Albertville torch: $65,000! Wow!

● XXIV Olympic Winter Games: Beijing 2022 ● A wild scheme by the Chinese government to use U.S. social-media influencers to help support the Beijing Winter Games was widely reported last week. Axios explained:

“The Chinese consulate in New York paid [Vipp] Jaswal’s firm Vippi Media $300,000 for the influencer marketing campaign, according to [Foreign Agents Registration Act] filings.”

The influencers included U.S. Paralympics swimmer Jessica Long, whose representative said that her participation was “to basically to be able to support her fellow team members and Team USA and highlight and showcase that.”

According to the filing, the campaign created 3.8 million impressions.

● XXVI Olympic Winter Games: 2030 ● The drama in Spain over its 2030 Winter Games bid continues with Aragon region President Javier Lamban tweeting last Thursday:

“We want to agree with [the Spanish Olympic Committee and the Catalan government] a winning candidacy for 2030. But, for that, it must be equal and balanced. Out of dignity and in defense of the interest of the #PyreneesAragones we will not accept anything else. We demand respect”

He had earlier shown a map which demonstrated only three venues in Aragon and six in Catalonia. Further meetings are to be held, with Aragon to propose its own version of a Games plan.

● Games of the XXXV Olympiad: Brisbane 2032 ● The Board of the Brisbane 2032 organizing committee was finalized on Sunday, with 21 total members.

Former Dow Chemical Chair Andrew Liveris was named as the President of the Board, with four current and former Olympic athletes and one Paralympic athletes. Also named were two individuals from the Australian Olympic Committee and two from the Australian Paralympic Committee.

The Board includes six elected officials, including four Members of Parliament, led by Annastacia Palaszczuk, Queensland Premier and Australia’s Minister for the Olympics.

● Athletics ● Two-time Olympian and three-time U.S. 110 m hurdles champion Devon Allen signed a three-year agreement to be a wide receiver with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, beginning in the fall.

Allen, now 27, was an accomplished – but often injured – receiver for Oregon, catching 41 passes for 684 yards during the 2014 season. He caught only nine passes in 2015 and four in 2016. But he impressed NFL scouts with his speed, running a “4.35″ – using the NFL’s timing standards – for 40 yards during Oregon’s pro day earlier this month.

His plan is to compete in the 2022 track & field season, which will culminate in August on his home track at the University of Oregon with the World Championships. Allen was fifth in the 2016 Rio Games and fourth in Tokyo, and was a semifinalist in the 2017 Worlds and seventh in Doha in 2019.

He will certainly be favored to make the U.S. team off of his 2021 season, in which he set his lifetime best of 12.99.

The impact of the doping positive and resulting four-year suspension of American middle-distance star Shelby Houlihan in 2021 is still being felt.

Canadian star Gabriela DeBues-Stafford, the national 1,500 m-mile-5,000 m record holder (3:56.12, 4:17.87, 14:44.12) posted on her Instagram account on Sunday:

“It is with mixed emotions that I am announcing that I have left the Bowerman Track Club. I am extremely grateful for the time that I spent with this incredible team. I learned so much about our sport, and made some amazing friendships that I will cherish for a lifetime. I wish this team nothing but the best in their future.

“Last summer, a fellow athlete received an anti-doping ban, and this event was deeply upsetting. I have said this publicly before that learning this news in mid-June almost derailed my Olympics. It was a small miracle that I showed up in Tokyo in shape to run sub 4 twice in 48 hours and place 5th. Going into the fall, I did my best to put this event behind me, and focus on all of the positives this group has to offer, as I truly did and do love this team. However this event and its ongoing aftermath continued to be a major distraction and stress for me. For the sake of my athletic performance and mental health, I needed to move on.

“And so I am excited to have this fresh start back in Canada. I am now working with Trent and Hilary Stellingwerff, based out of Victoria, BC along with the entire Athletics Canada West Hub sport science and medicine staff. I’d like to thank Nike for being supportive through this difficult time and for their continued support through Eugene and beyond.”

Terrible news that Mark Conover, 61, the 1988 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials winner, passed away after a long bout with cancer.

A multi-time All-American at Humboldt State, Conover was the surprise winner of the ‘88 Trials in a lifetime best 2:12:26, but did not finish at the Seoul Games. He came back at the 1992 Olympic Trials and finished 10th in 2:18:17.

He was first diagnosed with cancer in 1992, but beat it and went back to running, qualifying for the 1996 U.S. Marathon Trials, where he finished 71st.

Conover became a highly-respected coach at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, but was diagnosed with cancer again in 2018 and beat the disease again. But a third cancer in 2021 eventually provided too much.

He is survived by his wife, Kelly, and three children. A special sale of socks replicating his iconic striped style is on now, through 24 April.

● Figure Skating ● Staggering announcement from two-time U.S. champion Alysa Liu, 16, on Saturday, verbatim:

“heyyyyy so i’m here to announce that i am retiring from skating i started skating when i was 5 so that’s about 11 years on the ice and it’s been an insane 11 years. a lot of good and a lot of bad but yk that’s just how it is. i’ve made so many friends, and so so sooo many good memories that i’ll have for the rest of my life. i honestly never thought i would’ve accomplished as much as i did LMAOO i’m so happy. i feel so satisfied with how my skating career has gone. now that i’m finally done with my goals in skating i’m going to be moving on with my life. rn i’m probably just gonna spend all my spare time with my family and friends; and i’m also going to study ykwim. but fr this skating thing has taught me a lot more about life than i anticipated. i’m really glad i skated.”

Liu won a Worlds bronze medal in March after finishing seventh at the Beijing Olympic Winter Games. She was the 2019 and 2020 U.S. national champion, initially winning at just 13 years old in 2019.

This is a shock, to say the least. Look for much more to come out about the decision and whether Liu sticks with it.

● Luge ● The Federation Internationale de Luge had a tumultuous week, with the FIL Court of Arbitration setting aside the federation’s penalties on Russia last Thursday, imposed on 2 March in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The FIL Board reacted with considerable anger, issuing a statement today that included:

“The FIL Executive Board intends to have it checked in a suitable manner as to whether any sanctions of any kind against the Russian Luge Federation are actually legally permissible for reasons of ‘political neutrality’, anchored in the FIL statutes.

“The members of the FIL Executive Board, but also the majority of the member federations of the FIL, cannot and do not want to behave neutrally regarding the war of aggression by Russia against the Ukraine. …

“The FIL leadership, together with the FIL Legal Committee, will look for possibilities to solve the unsatisfactory situation caused by the arbitration judgment of the FIL Court of Arbitration by means of a possible change in the statutes, which would have to be decided by a 2/3 majority at the ordinary FIL Congress on June 18-19, 2022 in Riga/LAT.

“In international sport, too, it should be possible to impose sanctions on sports associations and members of a country’s association that demonstrates behavior contrary to international law that has been confirmed by a UN body or the IOC.”

On Friday, a first-ever Extraordinary Congress of the FIL was held online, with votes taken on two Russia-related issued. The first was a vote to expel Russia from the federation, which required a 2/3rds majority to pass. It received 15 votes in favor, 12 against and four abstentions and was defeated. A subsequent vote to expel all Russian officials from elected FIL offices was passed; it required only a majority vote and passed, 16-13, with three abstentions.

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Athletics ● More world-leading performances over the weekend, with Kentucky’s Abby Steiner (USA) getting a wind-legal 10.92 to win the women’s 100 m at the May Invitational in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Saturday and then coming back against a 5.6 m/s headwind to win the 200 m in 22.38, the best outdoors by an American in 2022.

Rio Olympic 110 m hurdles champion Omar McLeod of Jamaica won the Hurricane Alumni meet in Coral Gables, Florida in 13.27, the top mark for 2022 as well.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: City posts LA28’s annual report, showing loss of $33.9 million at the end of 2020, but with major payments starting to come due

By
Rich Perelman
-
A July poll said Americans like the 2028 Olympics being in Los Angeles by 78-4%!

(★ THANK YOU to our 51 donors, who have covered 84% of our site costs for services for the first six months of 2022. If you can help, please donate here. ★)

(For our updated – as of 10 April – 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022
and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!)

(For our Highlights of the weekend’s major competitions, click here)

“LA28 is well on track to deliver an amazing Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los
Angeles in 2028.”

That’s the primary message from Kathy Carter, the chief executive of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Organizing Committee in its annual submittal to the Los Angeles City Council.

Posted late last week, the 135-page package includes a short overview of LA28’s operations in 2020 and 2021 and financial statements through 31 December 2020. Of its current status:

“LA28 completed an integrated strategic plan and annual operating plan for 2022 continuing to focus on: [l] evolving our organizational strategy and expanding business operations; [2] advancing Games delivery plans and models; [3] growing LA28 brand awareness and collaborating with Team USA; [4] advancing development of a legacy plan and social impact strategy; and [5] continuing to solidify our commercial future.”

Achievements in 2021 include an expansion of the LA28 branding and sponsorship sales program, but the three key items included:

● “[A] substantial reduction or deferral of planned contractual, administrative and travel spend, among other near-term savings.”

● “In 2021, LA28 successfully completed key commercial agreements, announcing partnerships with Salesforce, Comcast and Deloitte.”

● “In addition, LA28 [along with the organizing committees for Paris 2024 and Milan-Cortina 2026 and the IOC] entered into an innovative agreement with On Location – transforming the global hospitality model and guaranteeing significant revenue to LA28.”

That last item – “guaranteeing significant revenue to LA28″ – is going to be important soon, as the $180 million in payments from the International Olympic Committee, at $9 million per quarter since the start of 2018, will come to an end at the close of 2022.

The financial statements showed yet another sizable loss for the year, as expected in a time when revenues are not coming in, except from the IOC:

● 2018: net loss of $16.081 million
● 2019: net loss of $22.024 million
● 2020: net loss of $33.865 million

Some $8.344 million (23%) of the 2020 total costs of $36.493 million were attributable to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Properties (USOPP), a wholly-owned subsidiary organization that is a combined effort of LA28 and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee for sponsorship sales and other marketing ventures.

The 2017-20 cumulative net deficit was shown as $74.422 million, including some losses from a partial year of operations in 2017. But more money is coming; in total, the IOC is expected to pay $1.535 billion in cash to LA28 from television rights sales and a share of the TOP sponsorship program. The projected budget of $6.882 billion for the entire project did not change.

Thanks to the IOC’s payments, the LA28 cash balance at the end of 2020 was a very healthy $59.024 million.

However, the agreement between LA28 and the USOPC, however, requires that significant payments were due in 2021 and through to 2028. In 2021, the USOPC was to receive cash and/or value-in-kind of $46.076 million, then $58.0 million in 2022-23-24, and $64.0 million in 2025-26-27-28 for a total of $476,075,684. Wow!

The LA28 organization was still small at the end of 2020, with 48 staff and 28 volunteers, but growing significantly since 2018 (28 staff, no volunteers) and 2019, with 34 staff and no volunteers. There are roughly another 40-50 staff involved today with the Los Angeles 2028 effort on the sales side, coordinated by USOPP (also overseen by Carter).

LA28 made a lengthy series of commitments to the City of Los Angeles in the Games Agreement that was approved at the end of 2021. Last Thursday, the City Administrative Officer and Chief Legislative Analyst posted the initial benchmarks and working priorities of 10 oversight groups designed to create a positive Games experience across the City, including:

● Community Business Procurement Working Group
● Local Hire Working Group
● Sustainability Working Group
● Arts and Culture Plan
● Human Rights Strategy
● Legacy Entity
● 2028 Games Mobility Executives
● Public Safety Cooperative
● Games Energy Council
● Airport Operations Plan

Work with most of these groups is expected to start in 2022.

LA28 is also continuing to fund its Youth Sports Agreement with the City’s Recreation and Parks Department, committing $160 million of the $180 million to be received early from the IOC to sports programs in Los Angeles. The funding commitment is already scheduled for delivery into 2028, and as of 31 December 2020, LA28 had funded $4,481,705 against the $160 million commitment ($2,480,992 in calendar year 2020).

The City’s Recreation and Parks Department filed a 182-page plan last Thursday to ask for authorization to access $17,533,441 for use in 2022-23. Most of the money is for programs and classes at 123 sites for recreational league and special programs in rowing, teqball and golf, with smaller amounts for the continuing SwimLA program, surfing ($402,492), running and track & field, judo, tennis, golf, skateboarding, equestrian, taekwondo, adaptive sports, marketing efforts for all of the sports and $500,000 to the U.S. Center for SafeSport for “training and tools to ensure the safety of all youth participants in RAP sports and fitness programs.”

The plan states that the “baseline” 2018-19 program year served 61,925 youth at recreation centers and another 31,013 in aquatic programs, or 92,938 in total. The target for the 2022-23 program year is 77,470 at rec centers and 38,101 in aquatics, or 115,571 in total, which would be an overall increase of 24.3%.

The Youth Sports Agreement allocates $19.2 million for the 2022-23 period, more than the requested amount.

LA28’s $160 million commitment may be increased, as an amendment to the contract allows the City to propose additional funding – transportation support has been identified as a non-covered need – during the remaining term of the agreement.

All of these items will be considered by the City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on the 2028 Games on Monday, with action items submitted to the Council if needed.

When Los Angeles was awarded the 2028 Games in 2017, it seemed like a long time away. With just more than six years left, it’s getting a lot closer and the financial responsibilities – especially to the USOPC – are getting a lot bigger.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HIGHLIGHTS: Allman’s 235-9 the biggest discus throw in 30 years! U.S. women rout Uzbeks, 9-1; Sweden wins men’s Curling Worlds again

By
Rich Perelman
-
Tokyo Olympic champion and American Record holder in the discus, Valarie Allman

(★ So grateful to our 50 donors, who have covered 83% of our site costs for services for the first six months of 2022. If you enjoy this coverage, please donate here. ★)

(For our updated – as of 10 April – 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!)

Headline results of noteworthy competitions around the world/updated/:

● Artistic Swimming ● USA Artistic Swimming hosted its massive senior and junior national championships in Geneva, Ohio, which also included some guest competitors from other countries.

Among the U.S. performers, Maya Schwickert was the star, winning the women’s Solo Technical, ahead of Ryan Lewis, 71.8753-71.2661, then was third in the Solo Free (74.3833), behind Rebecca Moody (78.4000) and Bianca Hofstatter (75.5250).

Schwickert teamed with Una Tatar-Timburg to win the Duet Technical with 71.4192 points, well ahead of Lilly Ortiz and Valeria Calixto (66.1666). In the Duet Free, Schwickert scored again, this time with Natalie Franson, winning with 74.9667, beating Manasvi Pindi and Nathalia Valdez, 72.5250.

● Athletics ● The first of the 12 World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meets in 2022 was at the Flora Duffy Stadium in Devonshire (BER), with strong winds against the runners on the home straight keeping the times down at the USATF Bermuda Games on Saturday.

Olympic 110 m hurdles silver medalist Grant Holloway, seeing winds of up to 13 miles an hour against the runners, decided not to run on Saturday and there were others who joined him.

Nevertheless, the running events opened with Olympic champ Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR) running into a 2.5 m/s headwind, still getting a world-leading win in 12.67, ahead of American Chanel Brissett (13.06).

None of the other events were good on the clock, but were very competitive. The most interesting race was the last on the track, in the men’s 100 m. U.S. star Noah Lyles had the fastest qualifier, but Canada’s Jerome Blake, Lyles and Olympic 200 m fourth-placer Erriyon Knighton were dueling to the finish and Blake got there first in an upset, 10.38 to 10.39 for Knighton and Lyles. That’s a major win for Blake, 26, whose best is a modest 10.06 last year. The wind was 5.6 m/s against the runners.

Olympic 400 m champ Steven Gardiner pushed to the lead off the turn to win the 200 m in 20.79, into a 4.7 m/s headwind, ahead of Jereem Richards (TTO: 20.86). London 2012 Olympic 400 m gold medalist Kirani James (GRN) was impressive in moving down the straight – against the wind – to win the 400 m in a very creditable 45.63. Shane Brathwaite (BAR) came on late to win the men’s 110 m hurdles in 13.78 (-3.8 m/s).

American Olympic finalist Teahna Daniels and 200 m bronze medalist Gabby Thomas were 1-2 in the women’s 100 m in 11.45 and 11.49 (-5.2 m/s) and former USC star Anthonique Strachan (BAR) won the 200 m with a late rush in 23.24 (-5.0 m/s). Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson, the 100 m bronze winner in Tokyo, won the 400 m in 51.40. Jamaica swept the women’s 400 m hurdles, with Shiann Salmon edging Rushell Clayton, 55.35-55.89.

In the two distance races, World Indoor Champion Ajee Wilson (USA) won the women’s 800 m from the front, with a surge into the home straight in 2:03.10, and Kenya’s Kamar Etiang barely held off a late charge from German Amos Bartelsmeyer, 3:45.26-3:45.35.

The wind badly damaged the field events. Rachel McCoy of the U.S. won the women’s high jump at 1.84 m (6-0 1/2), and fellow Tokyo Olympian Quanesha Burks (USA) won the long jump with her third-round jump of 6.77 mw (22-2 1/2w: +2.5 m/s).

Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts took the triple jump at 14.15 m (46-5 1/4). American Chris Benard won the men’s triple jump with a very wind-aided 16.57 m (54-4 1/2w) at 5.0 m/s!

Why was this meet in Bermuda? The early schedule showed a meet on this date in Miramar, Florida, but three-time U.S. 800 m Olympian, Hazel Clark – now with the Bermuda Tourism Authority – worked out a deal with USA Track & Field to put the meet in Devonshire, with a nice crowd on hand, despite overcast skies, a slight drizzle and the heavy winds.

Olympic discus champion Valarie Allman of the U.S. extended her American Record with a win at 71.46 m (235-9) at the Triton Invitational in La Jolla on Friday (8th). The big toss came in the second round, moving her to no. 16 on the all-time list.

That improves on her 71.16 m (233-5) from 2021 and is the longest throw this century! In fact, it’s the longest throw since China’s Yanling Xiao in 1992 (71.68 m/235-2) and before that, since 1989. The drug-free world record?

Fellow U.S. Tokyo Olympian Rachel Dincoff was second with 61.27 m (201-0).

A day before, Sweden’s Olympic champ Daniel Stahl got a world-leader in the men’s discus, throwing 69.11 m (226-9) to win an invitational event in Chula Vista, California.

Another world-leading mark came from U.S. Olympian Brooke Andersen, who won the women’s hammer at the Sun Angel Classic in Tempe, Arizona at 77.26 m (250-2).

Sunday’s always-fast Rotterdam Marathon was a fight to the finish for Olympic silver medalist (and Somali-born) Abdi Nageeye (NED) and Leul Gebreselassie (ETH), with Nageeye getting the win as both were timed in 2:04:56.

A large pack crossed the halfway mark in 1:02:16, but only seven were left by 30 km and three by 40 km. While Reuben Kiprop Kipyego (KEN) fell back, Nageeye and Gebrselaisse raced for the line, with the Dutch star setting another national record with the win. Kipyego ended up third in 2:05:12.

Ethiopia’s Haven Hailu ran away with the women’s race, winning by 50 seconds in 2:22:01.

● Badminton ● The BWF World Tour’s Korea Open in Suncheon was a popular one with the home fans, as the hosts qualified finalists in four of five events and got three wins!

The Korean wins came in the women’s Singles, as Seyoung An defeated Pornpawee Chochuwong (THA), 21-17, 21-18; in the men’s Doubles for Min-hyuk Kang and Seung-jae Seo, over Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto (INA), 19-21, 21-15, 21-18, and in the women’s Doubles, as Na-eun Jeong and Hye-jeong Kim sank Benyapa Aimsaard and Nuntakarn Aimsaard (THA), 21-16, 21-12.

In the Mixed Doubles, Kian Meng Tan and Pei Jing Lai (MAS) took down the Korean pair of Sung-hyun Ko and Hye-won Eom, 21-15, 21-18.

China’s Hong Yang Weng defeated Jonatan Christie (INA) in the men’s Singles final, 12-21, 21-19, 21-15.

● Curling ● /Updated/Sweden’s Niklas Edin did it again, leading his team to a fourth straight WCF men’s World Championships in Las Vegas on Sunday.

The 13-team round-robin ended with Brad Gushue’s Canadian rink the best at 10-2, ahead of Sweden (Edin: 9-3), with Italy (Joel Retornaz) at 8-4 and Scotland (Kyle Waddell) and the U.S. (Korey Dropkin) at 7-5.

In the Saturday play-offs, the U.S. took a 4-1 lead over Scotland after four ends and held on for a 6-4 victory, despite single points from the Scots in ends 7-8-9. That sent the U.S. on to face Canada, whom the Americans had tamed, 10-6, during the round-robin.

Gushue got off to a 2-0 lead against the U.S. in the second end and was up, 5-2, at the end of six. But Dropkin got close with two points in the ninth end to close to 6-5, but Gushue finished with two points in the 10th for an 8-5 final.

Italy scored four times in the first end and cruised to 10-4 win that advanced them to meet Sweden in the semis. That match turned in the fifth end, when the Swedes scored four times to take a 7-1 lead, and won, 8-4, to advance to the gold-medal match.

Gushue, the 2006 Olympic winner and 2017 World Champion, and Edin, the three-time defending World Champion and Beijing 2022 winner, are 1-1 in World Champs finals. Gushue won their first match-up in 2017, but Edin won in 2018.

In the bronze-medal match, Retornaz’s Italian squad crushed Dropkin and the U.S., 13-4, scoring four in the first end, and with a 7-4 lead in the sixth end, scored six times in the seventh. It’s the first-ever Worlds medal for Italy!

The gold-medal final was a see-saw affair, with Gushue’s squad leading by 3-0 after the second end, but Edin and Sweden scoring two in the third, one in the fourth and two in the sixth for a 5-4 lead. Undaunted, Gushue got points in the seventh and ninth ends to draw even at 6-6 going into the 10th. But Edin’s Swedes were game and took two points to win by 8-6.

This is the fourth straight Worlds win for Edin, his sixth overall and the second time in four years that he has edged Gushue’s Canadian squad in the gold-medal final. Edin is also the first ever to win the Olympic-Worlds double as a skip in the same season. He and his team are the best, no doubt.

● Cycling ● The 56th edition of the men’s Amstel Gold Race, on a hilly, 254.1 km route from Maastricht to Valkenburg, end in a two-man sprint as Poland’s Michal Kwiatkowski edged Benoit Cosnefroy (FRA) at the line in 6:01:19.

Cosnefroy was initially identified as the winner, but a review of the finish gave the race to 2014 World Road Champion Kwiatkowski, for his second win in this race (also in 2015). Said the winner:

“A tough finish, a tough sprint. I was super-confident that I could win, but at the same time, the last 50 metres were super-tough, when Cosnefroy still accelerated when I got to the side of him.”

Belgian star Tiesj Benoot was third, 10 seconds back, ahead of a pack of eight contenders who ended up 20 seconds back.

The women’s Amstel Gold Race (128.5 km) was a clear win for Italy’s Marta Cavalli, who broke away with less than 2 km remaining and got to the line in 3:17:41. That was four seconds ahead of Demi Vollering (NED), Liane Lippert (GER), Annemiek van Vleuten (NED), Kasia Niewadoma (POL) and Mavi Garcia (ESP).

American Coryn Labecki (nee Rivera) was ninth, nine seconds behind the winner.

The six-stage Itzulia Basque Country looked to be a showcase for two-time champion Primoz Roglic of Slovenia, who won the opening time-trial stage and continued to hold the lead through Thursday’s fourth stage.

But he had a rough time in the uphill finish of the fifth stage, finishing 19th and fell to eighth as Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel took a two-second lead over Daniel Felipe Martinez (COL).

The final stage was another climbing exercise, with seven different uphills in the 135.7 km route from Eibar to Arrate. Spain’s Ion Izagirre won the stage in a final sprint of four riders, including Martinez. Evenepoel wasn’t far behind, but finished 24 seconds back of the lead group and that gave the win to Martinez.

The final tally showed Martinez at 21:59:36 in total, 11 seconds up on Izagirre in second, followed by Aleksandr Vlasov (RUS: +0:16) and Evenepoel (+0:21). It’s Martinez’s second career major multi-stage race win after the 2020 Criterium du Dauphine. Roglic ended in eighth.

The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup opened racing in Cross Country in Petropolis (BRA), with 35-year-old Swiss superstar Nino Schuter showing he is as tough as ever.

The Olympic champ from Rio in 2016 and nine-time World Champion lost the lead in mid-race to emerging Romanian star Vlad Dascalu, but charged home on the final lap to win the seven-lap race at the line in 1:26:52 against familiar rival Maxime Marotte (FRA).

Dascalu took charge (barely) on the fifth and sixth laps, but Schurter had the second-fastest final lap to race to the line, with he and Marotte given the same final times. Dascalu finished third in 1:26:55.

Alan Hatherly (RSA) won the seven-lap men’s Short-Course final in 19:55, ahead of Thomas Litscher (SUI: 19:56).

In the women’s Olympic Cross-Country race, two-time Worlds bronze medalist Rebecca McConnell (AUS) stayed close to the front throughout, then charged to the lead on the sixth and final lap for a 17-second win in 1:29:41 over the 27.05 km course.

McConnell was third entering the final lap, but passed Dutch star Anne Terpstra and France’s 2021 seasonal champ, Loana Lecomte, to win, with Terpstra second and Lecomte, the leader for the first half of the race, third in 1:30:19. American Kate Courtney was ninth (1:34:01).

Three-time World Champion Pauline Ferrand Prevot (FRA) took the six-lap Short Course race in 19:55, just a second better than Laura Stigger (AUT) and Evie Richards (GBR: also 19:56).

● Equestrian ● The FEI World Cup Final in Leipzig (GER) included the Olympic disciplines of Dressage and Jumping, as well as Driving and Vaulting.

In the Dressage World Cup Final – Grand Prix Freestyle, Germany and Denmark dominated, with Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Jessica von Bredlow-Werndl (GER) – on TSF Dalera – winning before the home crowd at 90.836%. Denmark’s Cathrine Dufour (on Vamos Amigos) finished second – a welcome advance over her fourth-place finish in Tokyo – at 86.164%, with the seemingly immortal Isabell Werth (on Weihegold) taking the bronze (85.921%), after getting silver in Tokyo. Danes Carina Cassoe Kruth and Nanna Skodborg Merrald went 4-5.

The amazing Werth, 52, won her 13th career World Cup Final medal (5-5-3).

Von Bredlow-Werndl, Dufour, Werth and Skodborg Merrald were 1-2-3-4 (84.793%, 80.019%, 79.756% and 64.752%) in the Dressage Short Grand Prix earlier in the week.

The Jumping competitions included a two-stage final with a combined score and then Sunday’s finale over two rounds. In the Final I & II, American McLain Ward – the 2017 World Cup champ and a four-time Olympic team medalist – won with a combined score of 67 points, moving from fifth to first with the leading performance in the second final. Dutch rider Harrie Smolders was second (59), followed by Harry Charles (GBR: 57).

Sunday’s two-round Final III ended with a three-way tie – all with no faults – between David Will (GER), two-time Olympic silver medalist Jens Fredricson (SWE) and Martin Fuchs (SUI). In the overall Jumping standings, Fuchs – the 2018 World Equestrian Games silver medalist – was the winner with a total of just five penalty points across three rounds. Smolders was second with eight, Fredricson third (also with eight) and Britain’s Charles was fourth with nine.

● Football ● The U.S. women’s National Team faced Uzbekistan for the first time ever, in a late afternoon game in Columbus, Ohio, that ended with a 9-1 U.S. victory.

The American women had 70% of the possession for much of the first half and generated chance after chance, but no goals in the first 25 minutes.

The U.S. finally broke through in the 26th minute off a corner that landed on the head of Lindsey Horan, who pitched the ball forward to defender Alana Cook, who sent a header to the front of the goal for Andi Sullivan, who finished for a 1-0 lead in the 26th minute.

Off the kickoff, the U.S. got possession and Rose Lavelle took charge and played the ball ahead to Mallory Pugh on the left side. Pugh played a hard shot toward the goal and beat Uzbek keeper Laylo Tilovova at the near post for a devastating goal just seconds later, and a 2-0 lead.

Sophia Smith got a third goal for the U.S. in the 33rd minute, scoring off a long cross from Pugh on the left side and pounding a right-footed shot into the net from in front of the goal. Smith got another in the 35th minute, sending a left-footed rocket past Tilovova and the rout was on, with the U.S. speed, cutting ability and sharp passing shredding the Uzbek defense.

The U.S. finished the half with 74% of the possession and a 17-0 edge on shots.

Off the second-half kickoff, Lavelle got loose in the Uzbek zone and sent a seeing-eye pass to Catarina Macario, who dodged Tilovova and sent a right-footer into the net for a 5-0 lead in the 46th minute. Smith got a third in the 56th minute (6-0) and Jaelin Howell got her first international goal in the 64th for a 7-0 lead.

But Uzbekistan got a stunning goal on the 60th minute. A corner by Solikha Khusniddinova sailed through the U.S. defense in front of goal and found the left knee of Aziza Norboeva, and her shot sailed past keeper Alyssa Naeher for a 7-1 score. It was the first score against the U.S. during a home game since 2020, a streak of 17 straight matches.

Ashley Hatch got an eighth goal on a header in the 86th minute, popping the ball over Tilovova’s head on a punch-away attempt. Ashley Sanchez scored her first international goal on a clever move around a defender in the 90th minute for the 9-1 final.

At the whistle, the U.S. ended with 74% possession and a 33-1 shots advantage. The two sides will meet again on Tuesday, in Chester, Pennsylvania.

● Gymnastics ● The second leg of the FIG Rhythmic World Cup in Sofia (BUL) was a triumph for home favorite – and 2021 European Championships All-Around silver medalist – Boryana Kaleyn.

She won the All-Around at 127.300, comfortably ahead of Sofia Raffaeli (ITA: 124.550) and Stillana Nikolova (BUL: 123.800). American Lili Mizuno was sixth (111.300).

Kaleyn also won individual titles in Hoop (32.100, over Raffaeli, 30.300), Ball (32.650, over Raffaeli, 32.250) and Ribbon (over teammate Nikolova). Nikolova won on Clubs, scoring 31.850, ahead of Raffaeli (31.450).

Mizuno made the final in Hoop, finishing sixth (28.000).

● Rugby Sevens ● The fifth leg of the 2022 HSBC men’s World Rugby Sevens in Singapore got crazy from the start as South Africa – winners of all four tournaments this season, without a loss – was upset by the U.S. in group play by 12-7, thanks to a Perry Baker try at the end of the match. That ended a 36-match winning streak for the Blitzboks.

The U.S., Australia and New Zealand all finished 3-0 in their groups, with Fiji and Ireland both 2-1 in Group D.

In the playoffs, Fiji won tight matches against South Africa (19-14), Australia (19-12) and then won the final with a 28-17 thrashing of New Zealand. The U.S. lost to Ireland, 14-12, in the quarterfinals and ended up sixth. The Kiwis got past the Irish in the semis, 22-19; Australia won the third-place game over Ireland, 21-19.

After five of nine rounds, South Africa remains in the lead with 98 points, with Australia and Argentina at 83 each and the U.S. fourth at 67.

● Sailing ● The first of three legs in the Hempel World Cup Series, the 51st Trofeo Sofia Mallorca in Spain, concluded on Saturday, offering one of the first tests of the Paris 2024 classes in a single, Olympic Classes Regatta. There were some familiar faces on the podium.

Spain’s Jordi Xammar, the Tokyo bronze medalist in the men’s 470 class, won the new mixed-crew 470 racing, teaming with Nora Brugman (ESP) to win with 28 net points (and four race wins) to 45 for Italy’s Giacomo Ferrari and Bianca Caruso.

In the men’s 49er class, France’s Erwan Fischer and Clement Pequin built up a big lead and then survived the medal race against Ian Barrows and Hans Henken of the U.S., 50-53. The French won six races, but were only sixth in the medal race, vs. second for the Americans.

The women’s 49er FX class saw Tokyo bronze medalist Annette Duetz now teamed with Odile van Aanholt (NED) and they held off Olympic champs Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze (BRA) by 51-61, even with the Brazilians winning the medal race.

The men’s Laser class had Britain’s Michael Beckett score three wins and three seconds and finish with 51 net points to win, just ahead of Olympic gold medalist Matt Wearn (NZL), 51-57. The women’s Laser Radial class was a runaway victory for Canadian Sarah Douglas, sixth in Tokyo, over Britain’s Hannah Snellgrove, 28-59.

The new Formula Kite class for men was a 1-2 for France, with Theo de Ramecourt (13) and Benoit Gomez (20), also going 1-2 in the medal race. The women’s Kite winner was American Daniela Moroz, who won the medal race over Lauriane Nolot (FRA).

The men’s Foil, another new class, saw a victory for Britain’s Andrew Brown, 37-56, over Italy’s Nicolo Renna, and these two were 1-2 in the medal race. France’s Helene Noesmoen took the women’s Foil over Spain’s Pilar Lamadrid, finishing 1-2 in the medal race.

The mixed-crew Nacra 17 winners were Italy’s Olympic champs, Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti, who dominated the racing with eight wins and just 16 points, to 52 for Finland’s Sinem Kurtbay and Akseli Keskinen.

● Shooting ● The ISSF World Cup in Shotgun finished in Lima (PER) on Thursday, with the U.S. leading the medal table with 11 total, including four golds (4-3-4).

The second-week Skeet competitions saw Peru’s Nicolas Pacheco get a 4-3 shoot-off win against Federico Gil (ARG) for the gold, with American Hayden Stewart third. Italy defeated Puerto Rico, 6-4, for the men’s Team Skeet victory.

The U.S. went 1-2-4 in the women’s Skeet final, with 2017 World Champion Dania Jo Vizzi taking the all-American final from Tokyo Olympian Austen Jewell Smith, 36-35, hitting her last seven shots. Lucie Anastassiou (FRA) was third, over Caitlin Connor of the U.S., 25-16. It was no surprise that the U.S. women won the Team event, shutting out Italy, 6-0.

However, in the Mixed Skeet Team final, Italy’s Domenico Simeone and Simona Scocchetti won a 4-3 shoot-out against Smith and Dustan Taylor, after a 5-5 tie in the five-round match.

The World Cup series continues this week in Rio de Janeiro (BRA) for Rifle and Pistol events through the 19th.

● Short Track ● /Updated/The delayed ISU World Championships finally took place in Montreal (CAN), with Beijing Olympic stars still in excellent form.

Hungary’s Shaoang Liu won the Olympic 500 m and took his second consecutive world title in the men’s 500 m in 40.573, ahead of Quentin Fercoq (FRA: 40.674) and Stijn Desmet (BEL: 40.710).

Liu was fourth in the Olympic 1,500 m final, but got to the top of the podium in Montreal in 2:15.096, winning by daylight over Canada’s Pascal Dion (2:15.644) and Desmet (2:15.716).

Sunday’s races started with the 1,000 m, which Liu won in style in 1:25.462, edging Koreans June Seo Lee (1:25.529) and Yoon-Gy Kwak (1:25.662). Dion took the 3,000 m Superfinal in 4:42.214 to 4:42.306 for Lee and 4:42.721 for Dutch star Sjinkie Knegt, with Liu seventh.

Added up, Liu won his second consecutive Worlds overall title, with 104 points, to 63 for Dion and 55 for Lee. Desmet finished fourth, with 39. At 24, Liu now owns four Olympic medals (2-0-2) and 13 Worlds medals (6-5-2).

In the women’s racing, Korean star Min-jeong Choi defended her 2022 Beijing 1,500 m gold with a convincing win in Montreal in 2:23.594. Canada’s Kim Boutin, who finished 10th at the Winter Games, got the silver, her third career Worlds medal in the event (0-2-1). Korean Whimin Seo was third (2:24.455).

Olympic relay gold medalist Xandra Velzeboer, 20, showed that she is the next-star-in-line for the Netherlands, winning the 500 m Worlds title in 42.476, ahead of Beijing bronze medalist Boutin (42.570), and Yara van Kerkhof (NED: 42.642).

But Choi would not be stopped. On Sunday, she won her third 1,000 m world title and her third 3,000 m world gold. She won the 1,000 m – where she was second in Beijing – in 1:27.956, just edging Boutin (1:28.076) and Velzeboer (1:29.144). Choi and Boutin were 1-2 again in the 3,000 m – 5:05.641 to 5:05.734 – with Seo third (5:06.840).

That gave Choi her fourth Worlds overall title – also in 2015-16-18 – with 107 points, to 84 for Boutin and 53 for Velzeboer. All this and still just 23, Choi has lots of skating ahead of her.

● Sport Climbing ● The IFSC World Cup season opened in Meiringen (SUI) with a Bouldering test for men and women, with Olympic champ Janja Garnbret (SLO) showing no post-Tokyo letdown.

Garnbret, now 23, led the qualifying with five tops, won the semi with four tops and cruised to the victory in the final with four tops and four zones. American Natalia Grossman, 20, the 2021 World Championships runner-up, scored the silver with three tops and four zones in the final.

No one else had more than one top, with Andrea Kumin (SUI) getting third with one top and two zones.

The men’s final on Sunday had two-time World Champion Tomoa Narasaki (JPN) in charge from the beginning. He led the qualifying, semifinals and won the final with two tops and two zones (3-6), ahead of teammate Yoshiyuki Ogata (also 2T3Z-5-19), and France’s Medji Schalck (2T3Z-7-9).American Colin Duffy was fifth (1T4Z-19-27).

● Swimming ● Britain, Canada, France and Italy were among multiple countries with national championships and/or World Championships selection meets during the week, with multiple world-leading marks:

● Men/100 m Free: 47.88, Lewis Burras (GBR)
● Men/400 m Free: 3:41.60, Lukas Martens (GER)
● Men/400 m Medley: 4:09.18, Duncan Scott (GBR)

● Women/200 m Medley: 2:10.58, Sydney Pickrem (CAN)

More swimming to come today; the U.S. Worlds selection meet comes 26-30 April.

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

For our updated, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SPECIAL: Updated! Our revised, 620-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 now posted!

By
Rich Perelman
-

The continuing Covid-19 pandemic and now the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to plague our world, including the international sports calendar. But sport goes on, and as your guide, here’s our exclusive 620-event listing of events for the remainder of 2022, with a few of the larger events beyond to 2026.

Our updated International Sports Calendar focuses on sports and events on the Olympic and Winter Games program for 2022 and 2024, plus a few other meetings and multi-sports events.

Please note: this listing will change, and some federations have still not posted their complete events list for 2022! However, this edition is a good place to start for following many of the events coming up in a very busy year ahead.

Two calendars are included in the single PDF download: an 14-page listing in chronological order and a 14-page listing by sport (and in date order within each sport).

It’s free! Get your download right here!

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

THE TICKER: U.S. skaters’ medal-ceremony appeal explained; new petition to limit transgender women in sport; Deloitte signs as IOC sponsor

By
Rich Perelman
-
The Beijing 2022 awards podium and backdrop (Photo: Beijing 2022)

(★ WOW! Now 50 donors have covered 83% of our site costs for the first six months of 2022. Can you help? Please donate here. ★)

● Plus: Los Angeles 2028: Flag football? = IOC: Signs CBC for Canadian rights to 2026-28-30-32 Games = USOPC: Kiraly leads Coach of the Year honorees = Women in Sport: 5,446 sign petition asking NCAA and NGBs for fairness to women in transgender regs = Athletics: Schwazer’s doping “manipulation” scenario found false = Diving: Chinese stars Xie and Shi retire = Football: Platini’s criminal complaint vs. Infantino made public = Volleyball: Russian federation wants $80 million from FIVB for removing 2022 Worlds = Weightlifting: USA Weightlifting goes public with Congress, Worlds proposals
= SCOREBOARD = Curling: Canada leads as men’s Worlds round-robin nears the end ●

The latest news, notes and quotes from the worldwide Five-Ring Circus:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

The Court of Arbitration for Sport finally published the detailed, 15-page decision on why it rejected the appeal of the nine U.S. figure skaters who petitioned for a Team Event medal ceremony at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

The appeal was made by the nine skaters as a group, independent from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and without the support of the other medal-winning teams from Russia or Japan, and was turned down. Why the appeal was refused was explained.

The three-member panel, made up of arbitrators from Denmark, France and China, noted the skater’s interest in a public ceremony, and their claims that not having a ceremony in Beijing, during the Winter Games would result in serious damages:

● “31. The absence of the public recognition of the Applicants’ outstanding life achievements to win an Olympic silver medal may cause a mental hurdle and psychological damage, which will affect their future performance.”

● “32. Moreover, not having the medals awarded to them during the OWG 2022 will be damaging to the Applicants, in particular with regard to the possible sponsoring and endorsement opportunities, which will normally only be available during a narrow window after the closing of the Olympic Games and at the momentum of the public exposure of the medal ceremony.”

The appeal was made on technical grounds, taking a very narrow interpretation of the language of the Olympic Charter.

The IOC’s reply was that the skaters cannot pick and choose which language of the Charter and other event regulations it wants to apply, that the situation was unprecedented and that they have not been sanctioned in any way, since the results of their event have not – as the situation developed – been finally determined.

The U.S. skaters had a high bar to clear since Rule 56 of the Charter reads:

“Any decision regarding the awarding, withdrawal or reallocation of any victory medal or diploma falls within the sole authority of the IOC.”

The skaters pointed to the Host City Contract and the IOC’s various operations guides and requirements that a medal ceremony should follow the conclusion of each event, but the Panel held that – under Swiss law – these contractual requirements are only binding between the IOC and the organizing committee, and not between others (such as competing athletes). That finding will be one to remember for the future.

Further, the Panel noted that the U.S. athletes are not being deprived of a medal ceremony, but only of the timing and place of that ceremony, and

“While the Panel appreciates that the Applicants might feel that they have been treated differently than other Olympic athletes, who were competing in different Olympic events and who subsequently were awarded their well-deserved Olympic medals at a public medal ceremony held during the OWG 2022, the Panel agrees with the IOC that the decision to treat a different and unprecedented situation in a different way does not per se constitute or imply an unjustified unequal treatment of the athletes covered by such a decision. The Appealed Decision did cover all of the Olympic medallists in the OWG 2022 Figure Skating Team Event, and the Panel also finds that the Appealed Decision was neither arbitrary nor unjustifiable.”

The decision was not unexpected, especially in view of the IOC’s absolute rights reserved to it under the Olympic Charter. And it did clarify the legal applicability of the Host City Contract and the IOC’s operating requirements for the Games to others who are not a direct party to those agreements.

In the meantime, the Valieva doping positive has still not been resolved and everyone continues to wait.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Games of the XXXIV Olympiad: Los Angeles 2028 ● “We’ve got to make the game matter. If flag football becomes an Olympic sport, more countries will invest in playing that sport.”

So said Damani Leech (USA), the chief operating officer of NFL International, in a CNBC interview. “Over the next five years, we want to expand NFL flag football.”

There are more than a dozen other sports asking the LA28 organizers to include them as added sports on the 2028 program and NFL Flag Football is one of the least-developed on the international level.

However, it will get exposure at the upcoming 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, in the heart of SEC football country, with IOC observers in attendance.

● International Olympic Committee ● The IOC sold its broadcasting rights in Canada for the 2026-28-30-32 Games to incumbent rights-holders the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Radio Canada.

No cost figures were provided in the announcement; CBC/Radio Canada has held the Canadian rights for the Games in recent years – 2014-16-18-20-22-24 – and now through 2032.

Chris Wilson, executive director of CBC Sports, said, “It’s the biggest thing we do as a company. It draws the biggest audiences. It is one of the most relevant things we do that brings the country together. And so I really believe it just sort of cements, as part of our mandate, a really major programming pillar for the company as a whole.”

Wilson said that 70% of Canadians watched some part of the recent Beijing Olympic Winter Games, following 74% for the Tokyo Olympic Games held last year. The comparable figures in the U.S. are under 50% for NBC.

The IOC agreement includes a commitment to showing at least 200 hours of the Olympic Games and 100 hours of the Winter Games on free-to-air television.

The IOC also announced a new TOP sponsorship with the worldwide consulting firm Deloitte, to provide “expertise in management and business consulting to help enhance and secure the IOC’s digital ecosystem supporting the Olympic Movement.”

London-headquartered Deloitte has already been deeply involved with Olympic partners in specific countries, including as a sponsor of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the Los Angeles Olympic & Paralympic Games organizers, and National Olympic Committees in Canada, Germany, Ireland and Poland.

According to the announcement: “Deloitte will utilise its environmental, social and governance services expertise to assist the Olympic Movement in driving progress on critical challenges identified in Olympic Agenda 2020+5 related to corporate governance, strategy, sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion, and athlete support and well-being.”

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ● Coaches of the year were named in multiple classifications, including Karch Kiraly as Olympic Coach of the Year.

Kiraly, acknowledged as one of the greatest players in volleyball history and an Olympic gold medalist both indoors and on the beach, led the U.S. women’s team to its first-ever Olympic gold in Tokyo.

Nathan Manley was named as Paralympic Coach of the Year for his support of athletes training at the USOPC Training Center during the pandemic and for their success in the Tokyo Paralympic Games.

Two coaches from USA Swimming were honored: Ron Aitken (Sandpipers of Nevada) as Developmental Coach of the Year and Todd DeSorbo (Virginia) as College Coach of the Year. Also:

● USA Hockey’s Phil Edwards was selected as Coach-Educator of the Year.

● Physical therapist and athletic trainer Kara Kessans was named Service Provider of the Year for her work with the U.S. women’s indoor volleyball team.

● Mary Murphy of the Madison Speedskating Club was recognized as the Volunteer Coach of the Year.

● The highly-respected sport physiologist Dr. Randy Wilber earned the Doc Counsilman Science Award.

National Governing Bodies nominated their 2021 coaches as part of the USOPC Coach of the Year Recognition Program, and the winners were determined by a USOPC selection panel.

● Women in Sports ● The Women’s Sports Policy Working Group and Champion Women released a 141-page announcement that more than 5,446 individuals – including 297 Olympians and Paralympians – have signed petitions “that call upon legislatures and sports governance organizations to prioritize fairness and safety for females over blanket transgender inclusion or exclusion in girls’ and women’s competitive sports.”

The goal of the petitions is explained thus:

“The WSPWG’s policy position is that sport leaders should work cooperatively to fashion rules so that transgender girls and women are fully welcome into sport. Their sport performances should be respected in girls’ and women’s competitive sports if they are separately scored OR if they can demonstrate that their male post-puberty advantage has been sufficiently mitigated. Similar separate scoring based on performance advantages are already fully accepted in sports, such as age categories, or weight categories in wrestling, rowing, and weightlifting, etc.”

The Champion Women petition asks for international and national governing bodies (including the NCAA) to “adopt transgender eligibility guidelines that are evidence-based and that affirm fairness for females in the women’s sports category” and adds:

“In January, the NCAA asked USA Swimming to create transgender eligibility standards. [USA] Swimming created outstanding policies and procedures that conformed to the fairness tests set out below. The NCAA then quickly reversed course, and allowed Lia Thomas to swim in the NCAA Women’s Championships, even though it knew inclusion would not be fair to the biological women.”

The lengthy explanation of the transgender issue, especially as it relates to swimming included this:

“In the 1970s and 1980s, sport failed to address the travesty of East German women dominating swimming by ingesting and injecting large amounts of performance enhancing drugs. At the time, sport leaders did not stand up for U.S. women who were not testosterone advantaged. Instead, women were told to be gracious losers. Now in 2022, on the 50th anniversary of Title IX, USA Swimming’s 2022 guidelines on transgender inclusion must support competitive equality for biological women. Do not tell women to be gracious losers again.”

● Athletics ● The drama over Italian race walking star Alex Schwazer continues.

Schwazer won the Beijing 2008 Olympic 50 km Walk and the 2010 European Championships 20 km Walk, but tested positive for doping in advance of the 2012 London Games and was suspended for 3 1/2 years in April 2013 by the Italian anti-doping agency.

A January 2016 test that was initially declared clean was re-tested in May and found positive. Schwazer appealed, but was found to have committed a doping violation by the Court of Arbitration for Sport and given an eight-year ban into July 2024.

An Italian court held in February 2021 that Schwazer’s 2016 positive was due to manipulation of his sample and, although not binding against his international doping ban, has cast doubt on the proceedings.

The World Anti-Doping Agency has continued to pursue the issues and stated on Thursday that “the athlete’s sample collected on 1 January 2016 by World Athletics was not subject to any form of manipulation.”

WADA commissioned an independent report on the findings of the Italian judge; the review “establishes that the manipulation scenario devised by Judge Pelino is wholly implausible and that there is no analytical evidence of it.”

The Athletics Integrity Unit independently conducted a test of the DNA levels in the sample, as against a blind sample of 100 others and found that the DNA concentration was within the normal range, disproving another allegation of manipulation, detailed in a nine-page report.

The bottom line: “the manipulation scenario is wholly implausible – if not to say impossible – from a scientific perspective.” Schwazer remains suspended.

● Diving ● Reports in Chinese media indicate that star divers Tingmao Shi and Siyi Xie have retired.

Xie, now 26, won the Tokyo Olympic 3 m Springboard gold and teamed with Zongyuan Wang to win the 3 m Synchro gold. He won the 3 m World Championships title in 2017 and 2019 and the Worlds 1 m Springboard in 2015.

Shi, 30, won a double-double in Rio and Tokyo in the 3 m Springboard and 3 m Synchro (with Minxia Wu in 2016 and Han Wang in 2021), plus eight World Championships golds from 2011-19, including three individual 3 m Springboard titles.

Don’t expect much of a let-down from the Chinese, however, as they went 1-2 in Tokyo in both the men’s and women’s Springboard and Platform events and won three golds and a silver in the four synchro events.

● Football ● Former French football great and ex-UEFA President Michel Platini (FRA) filed a criminal complaint against current FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI) in November in France, alleging influence peddling.

Platini was indicted in Switzerland, along with former FIFA President Sepp Blatter (SUI) on fraud charges from payments made in 2011. They are expected to be tried later this year.

Platini’s action against Infantino appears to target discussions Infantino had with former Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber in 2016, possibly about the payments-to-Platini scandal. Swiss authorities have been investigating the activities, but Infantino has not been charged.

● Volleyball ● The Russian news agency TASS reported an appeal by the All-Russian Volleyball Federation with the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB). According to the federation’s statement:

“The All-Russian Volleyball Federation has filed an appeal with the FIVB Appeals Committee regarding the cancellation of the World Championship. Further steps will be taken following the committee’s decision, including a possible lawsuit [at the Court of Arbitration for Sport].”

The tournament was removed from Russia on 1 March in view of its invasion of Ukraine; it was slated to be held from 26 August-11 September in 10 cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Yaroslavl, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Ufa, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo and Krasnoyarsk.

A prior report stated that a filing had been made with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, asking for $80 million in compensation for the removal of the 2022 men’s World Championship, but this may have been premature.

● Weightlifting ● USA Weightlifting publicly announced its offers to the International Weightlifting Federation to host the IWF Electoral Congress in June and the 2022 IWF World Championships in November.

The Electoral Congress, scheduled for 25-26 June, is proposed to be held in Las Vegas, at the same time as the U.S. national championships. USA Weightlifting is also creating a new event, the Friendship Cup:

“This exhibition concept, not currently sanctioned by the IWF, will see two-person teams where a man is randomly paired with a woman from a different nation. Youth-level athletes will compete June 25-27, followed by juniors June 28-30 and seniors July 1-3. Results will be determined by each team’s Sinclair coefficient.”

The Worlds proposal is centered on Atlanta and the Georgia International Congress Center, with close rail links to Hartsfield International Airport and walking distance from the proposed team hotels. China withdrew from hosting the 2022 Worlds in view of continuing Covid concerns in the country.

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Curling ● The men’s World Championship is ongoing in Las Vegas, with the 13-team round robin continuing through Friday, with the top six teams to make it into the playoffs.

So far, Turin 2006 Olympic gold medalist Brad Gushue’s Canadian squad leads at 7-2, but is closely followed by Scotland (Kyle Waddell), Sweden (Beijing 2022 champ Niklas Edin), and the U.S. (Korey Dropkin) at 6-3., with South Korea (Soo-hyuk Kim) at 5-3.

The championship matches will be on Sunday.

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

For our 832-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THE BIG PICTURE: Life and money advice to athletes by superstars in hockey and track & field: Chris Pronger and Ato Boldon

By
Rich Perelman
-

(★ So grateful to our (now) 48 donors, who have covered 82% of our site costs for services for the first six months of 2022. Want to help? Please donate here. ★)

One of the frustrating aspects of money is that it doesn’t come with instructions. For athletes who are making money, that has often been their financial downfall.

Canadian-born Chris Pronger, now 47, and a National Hockey League star defenseman for all or part of 18 seasons and a two-time Olympic gold medalist in 2002 and 2010, shared some advice about pro athlete money in a 16-tweet thread on Monday that every athlete – and every family member and friend – should read. Spliced together for readability (but unedited):

I played 20 years in the NHL.

I was one of the highest earning NHL players of all time. And friends with many other pro athletes.

My guess is more than 50% of pro athletes have financial issues in retirement.

Here are 3 problems I’ve seen (and some stories).

Point #1: Athletes tend to be wasteful early in their careers and think the money train will last forever. (Been there done that)

It doesn’t. We are only one injury away from retirement. Always!

I had a $1M signing bonus at 18. That’s a huge sum for a young adult. Huge! Understanding the magnitude of that was daunting say the least.

I was lucky to have great mentors early on. Many aren’t as lucky.

When I first turned pro in 1993 a lot of players at that time made around $300k/year.

Nowadays, the median salary in the NHL is maybe around $2m.

On a $2m/year salary, there is anywhere from 39%-56% in taxes give or take.

But there’s also agents fees (3-5%), escrow and much more

Then there’s job related expenses. A chef/nutritionist for some, off-season trainer, $5k-10k/month for a house near the practice facility.

An athlete can easily spend $20k/month.

And since the avg. career is 4 seasons, an athlete might have $2m-$3m in savings when they’re done. But with spending habits already formed, in a few years there will be issues.

And in my opinion, this is a fairly optimistic scenario.

For example, I’ve heard crazy stories about guys spending $1M in a strip club !

I know a guy who had a $2M signing bonus. He immediately bought $400k in cars, dropped $1.5m on a home for his mom. But didn’t realize he owed taxes on it! knock knock it’s the IRS.

So, while the earning can be great. It’s easy to spend a lot…and the income doesn’t last as long as one might think.

Which brings me to point #2: People take advantage of athletes. You always have to have your guard up.

My teammates and I joked that there were professional deals and then athlete deals.

Financial advisors, lawyers, etc…they assume we don’t read the paperwork (often true for many) and charge us more than the average person.

You’re in your 20’s, a public figure, celebrity of sorts and everyone knows you’re making money.

You’re a mark.

At times I felt like they had 2 sets of documents: one for athletes and another for everyone else.

Another example: Very common to get a pitch for an investment that needs $500k and closes in 3 days.

Why are they doing this? Because they can’t get $ from alleged more sophisticated investors.

After a few errors myself, my rule is: If someone needs an answer right now, the answer is always NO. They learn this lesson real fast.

Another example: athletes are convinced to give power of attorney to advisors, which means they do not control their money.

This is crazy!

Aroldis Chapman, NY Yankees pitcher, had $3m stolen from him by his financial advisor thanks to the power of attorney.

We’re pro athletes. Not pro-investors.

So I understand why we sometimes make that mistake.

But the sad part is that shady professionals are far more common than most think. And it’s a common trap many fall into [not] just athletes.

And finally, point #3: Many players have an entourage to take care of.

It can be hard for many to let go of friends from back home.

I’m lucky not to have had too many issues with this. But we have seen many instances of this.

Often, athletes have the attitude of “if one of us makes it, we all make it.”

That means unqualified friends on payroll, investments in deals because we grew up together, and big entertainment bills.

This is another dangerous trap.

Instead, we need to be vigilant about saying NO, which is always tough.

Pronger’s experience in a high-profile team sport like ice hockey is a lot different than that in track & field or swimming. But his advice echoes the brilliant advice of four-time Trinidadian Olympic sprint medalist and NBC analyst Ato Boldon from his presentation at The Business of Sport Conference in Jamaica in 2011. The Jamaica Observer’s story on the list was headlined “The 10 Commandments, according to the gospel of Ato Boldon”:

(10) Save some of all that free gear that you constantly give away — it will end.

(9) No one ever remembers the pain but medals are forever. Push. No pro-track athlete has ever died from a workout. Post-career regret sucks.

(8) No one from that shoe company you love so much loves you. The romance with no finance is a nuisance. The more you love them and the more in love you are, the less you make.

(7) The competitors you think you hate will be your friends when you are retired. Don’t take it that seriously. Compete without hate.

(6) Figure out what job you will do next in early or mid-career not post-career. Few get to decide when they retire. Most get forced out.

(5) One day you’ll awaken and you won’t be fast anymore. Does a career define your whole life or existence? It shouldn’t. Have a life so you don’t have to go get one after.

(4) Make use of the best things about being a track athlete — the travel. Years in exotic locales and all you know are hotels and McDonalds, (that) is pointless. Get outside. Take pictures. Learn something. Experience other lands.

(3) Your career is infinitely more fun with a good training group. Choose your training group wisely. Chances are if you hate your career after, it’s because you either hated your training partners, bounced around several camps or had no training partners.

(2) Europe can be wild and crazy and fun and it can also shorten your career drastically if you are incapable of not acting a damn fool there. European wine and men/women have prematurely ended many a promising career.

(1) Save your money like your life depends on it — it does. Make your money earn more while you are earning a lot of it and yes, get a pro to do this. Your cousin who is good with money does not count.

Great advice then, and now; feel free to share this post with people who should know.

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

For our 832-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: New Olympic-federations report rips U.S. pro-sports model, asks for more government support, and ignores U.S. school-sport systems

By
Rich Perelman
-

(★ THANK YOU to our 48 donors, who have covered 82% of our site costs for the first six months of 2022. If you can help, please donate here. ★)

● Plus: Winter Games 2030: Catalan referenda set for 24 July = IOC: Miro retires = On Screen: Big audiences for NCAA basketball, 537,000 for Tyr Pro Swim = Boxing: Cuba to allow pro boxing after 60 years = Football: CONCACAF Nations draw for 2022-23 = Weightlifting: Six new doping cases in Kazakhstan = Memorabilia: Melbourne ‘56 official’s pin sells for €3,000!?! ●

It’s always nice to know what other people think of you, even if what they think of you isn’t nice, or accurate.

In a new, 40-page report titled The Solidarity Model of Organised Sport in Europe and Beyond, the Swiss-based Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) explains at some length why national governments should commit “to protecting the solidarity model of organised sport in Europe and beyond.”

In particular, the report is hardly enamored with the spreading contagion of American-style professional sports leagues. The core passage is long, but worth reading slowly:

“While largely respecting the international sport pyramid, features of the ‘American Model of Sport’ are increasingly emerging across European sport and exerting an influence from a commercial point of view. This model is essentially an outcome of commodity production of sport where commercial values predominate. Sport is sold as an entertainment product, especially to broadcasters, which constitute the primary consumer with massive bargaining power. It is organised in a way to accommodate TV and franchises relocate to capture new and larger fan bases and viewers. Elite athletes are promoted as celebrities. These features have inspired especially some of the bigger IFs to professionalise their operations, in particular their revenue generation.

“Generally, this is a positive development. However, it must be noted that in the American Model, closed championships and multiple sport federations are standard. Sport is regarded and treated the same as any other business venture. While [International Federations, National Federations and National Olympic Committees] located in [North] America generally have integrated into the pyramidal structure of international sport, the American model is still predominant nationally.

“One example of how the American model has impacted international sport is with the National Hockey League (NHL) in North America. The NHL decided not to interrupt its season, and therefore its players were not able to participate in the men’s ice hockey competitions and represent their countries at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022, even though it had done so for the previous five editions.”

For ASOIF, formed in 1983, it’s all about the “European Model.” This makes sense, since of the 28 International Federations which are part of the permanent program of the Olympic Games – as of Tokyo 2020 – 26 are headquartered in Europe and two in Asia.

And the report makes no secret of its goal, as its recommendations are “first and foremost addressed to the [European Union] institutions and EU Member States. However, in time, as the benefits of a certain and stable structure for the evolution of sport become apparent, these principles should be recognised and applied worldwide.”

So, what is the “European Model”?

“The solidarity model of organised sport referred to in this paper reflects both the international pyramidal system of sport and the European Model of Sport.

“The advantages of this pyramidal structure are that:

“● it reinforces financial solidarity mechanisms from elite or professional sport at the top to grassroots sport at the base;

“● it ensures open access to sport for everyone at grassroots level; and

“● it provides the possibility for athletes to move up from the base of the pyramid to professional levels and vice versa (open system of promotion and relegation).

“It should be noted that physical activity is also organised independently from this structure at grassroots level – either informally or commercially. …

“Thanks to its pyramidal system, any profit made through events and activities at elite level are reinvested at the lower levels into sport development. Any profit made is treated as incidental, not central, which is an important difference to commercial sport event organisers.”

This is an outright slap at the top level of professional sports in the U.S., that displays a clear lack of understanding of the way organized sports have developed in the United States.

First and foremost, the ASOIF paper makes the case for continued and expanded national governmental funding of national federations in each country, to support sport from the top down to the bottom.

The U.S. has no such federal funding program – the only country in the world without it – and yet the U.S. is the world’s leading power in the Olympic Games and has the highest-level leagues in the world in men’s basketball (NBA), ice hockey (NHL), baseball (MLB) and American Football (NFL), with soccer (MLS) on the rise as well and expanding leagues in women’s basketball (WNBA) and soccer (NWSL). Most of the major championships in golf are held in the U.S. and one of the four tennis Grand Slams (the U.S. Open).

It’s essentially only those sports which follow the “American model” the report complains of. And in most of these sports, they happen to be the best leagues in their sports in the world. But you wouldn’t that from the report.

Moreover, contrary to the report’s superficial characterization, the U.S. has deeply-ingrained development programs funded both privately and by governments at the local and regional levels. Private organizations at work with youth and sport for decades include Little League and other levels of baseball, Pop Warner football, AAU basketball, AYSO for soccer, YMCAs and so on: some are affiliated with national federations and professional teams, some not. But government support of sport runs deep through the uniquely-American system of sports-in-schools beginning in the middle school and continuing through the immense high school and collegiate programs.

As of 2020, statistics showed that some 7.94 million boys and girls competed in sports in U.S. high school programs and more than 499,000 competed at the collegiate level. For the most part, their participation was supported – in whole or in part – by local or state governmental entities, and is the finest sports development system in the world. The NCAA estimated that about 75% of the American team at Tokyo 2020 competed at a U.S. college, and hundreds (if not several thousand) foreign athletes receive scholarships to study and train at American universities.

Even more insulting is the sniffling irritation at the enormous commercial success of the U.S. leagues in baseball, basketball and ice hockey (American Football is not widely played – or understood – internationally), as noted by the NHL’s decision not to participate in the 2018 or 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

But if sports are all about the athletes – and that’s hardly mentioned in the ASOIF paper – then what about the fact that most athletes aren’t paid to compete in the Olympic Games. In the NHL, the minimum salary this season is $750,000, and $925,258 in the NBA. It’s in the $700,000 range now for Major League Baseball and the NFL, but much less for the less-well-heeled MLS, WNBA and NWSL. The European model says athletes should compete for national teams to the detriment of their clubs, and if a government is paying them, this makes sense.

But in the Olympic world – at least for basketball, football and ice hockey – the U.S. government pays them nothing.

Moreover, the European model – for which the ASOIF paper asks for more support, while demanding no governmental involvement within national sport organizations – has widely failed to support the Olympic-program International Federations. The report notes:

“Currently, in terms of the Summer Olympic Games, around half of the IFs may be said to have significant reliance on IOC revenues, that is more than 25% of their revenues coming from their Olympic Games revenue share in any four-year cycle, with more than a third of the IFs relying on Olympic Games revenue share for more than 45% of their incomes.”

In other words, if it wasn’t for the enormous financial success of the Olympic Games, primarily powered by American television giant NBCUniversal and American-based Discovery, Inc. (for European rights from 2018-24), multiple International Federations would simply cease to exist.

And so the report states the obvious: “with increasing competition emerging from new sport formats, esports and other entertainment forms, there is a pressing need for [International Federations] to embrace commercialisation.”

Plus the kicker:

“In ASOIF’s view, the commercialisation of sport and upholding sporting values can be compatible if the revenues generated through professional sport are reinvested at the lower
levels for sport development, applying the solidarity model. In fact, IFs can thereby become more professional and develop their sport in a holistic way.”

That is exactly what happens in the U.S., but not in a tidy, top-down, unified, pyramidal scheme. Instead, it’s the usual confused American jumble of public and private interests, in commercial, educational, civic and community-based organizations, all trying to make sport work for kids, parents, sponsors and fans, whether in person, on television or being streamed online. It’s only the most successful sport development system – athletically and commercially – in the world, in the sports that use it.

The ASOIF report speaks little of vision, entrepreneurship, innovation and investment, the driving forces in successful U.S. sport ventures. It talks a lot about the need for more money from government, to be spent without oversight.

European soccer has embraced U.S. concepts and has attracted more and more U.S. ownership, which is learning more about development academies and other structures outside of the American high school and collegiate systems. These, in turn, come back into the U.S. commercial environment and lead to new deals for fans via streaming, and soon, for online promotion through betting and eSports.

It should be noted that the European model is very much alive in America’s Olympic-sport national federations. Those which are not affiliated with professional leagues, are – with some exceptions – dependent on grants from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, whose money comes mostly from a share of U.S. television and sponsorship rights. Kind of like those European national federations that get their money from their governments.

And how are they doing? The vast majority of U.S. Olympic-sport federations would desperately like more revenue for their operations and their athletes, but their commercial popularity ranges from tepid to near-zero. So much for the “European model” in America.

Near the end, the ASOIF report makes a plea not only for government financial support, but for protection:

“In Europe, for example, the inconsistency between the judicial bodies and other institutions leaves not-for-profit IFs exposed to an increasing number of legal challenges from wealthy private entities or individuals.

“IFs’ not-for-profit nature, their cultural values and social contribution all over Europe (and globally) are not always acknowledged by the market-based approach pursued by the courts and legislators. These matters must be allowed to evolve and recent reports from the European institutions indicate there is now a willingness to adopt a new sport-specific approach.”

The “values” and “social contributions” championed by ASOIF in the “European model” are fully present in the U.S., but the report isn’t savvy enough to understand or appreciate them, or the value of passion and vision to drive new ventures. And as for the redirection of large amounts of money from those American for-profit leagues into government hands for other uses, may we introduce you to some other American institutions: the Internal Revenue Service and its state counterparts.

Rich Perelman
Editor

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● XVI Olympic Winter Games: 2030 ● Public voting in nine counties in the Catalan region of Spain will take place on 24 July to determine whether the region wishes to go forward with a bid for the 2030 Winter Games.

The primary vote will be among the six counties which would host events at the Games, with the cumulative vote deciding whether the region would go forward with a bid.

A second vote, on the same day, will be held in each of the three counties that would be “indirectly impacted” by the Games – Ripolles, Solsones and Bergueda – with each county voting “yes” or “no” on being involved. A rejection would result in only that county being removed from the Games plan.

The vote does not apply to the Aragon region, which has said it is not satisfied with the Games plan as currently proposed and intends to submit its own ideas.

● International Olympic Committee ● Only those deeply involved in the Olympic Movement know his name, but Spain’s Pere Miro has been a key member of the IOC’s management team since being invited to Lausanne in 1992 by then-President (and fellow Spaniard) Juan Antonio Samaranch.

Over 30 years, he has been a key advisor to three IOC Presidents and retired today, as Deputy Director General for Relations with the Olympic Movement. He was instrumental in setting up the Olympic Solidarity program and worked to create deeper ties between Lausanne and the 200-plus National Olympic Committees around the world.

He will continue as a Senior Advisor to IOC chief Thomas Bach (GER), but plans to spend more time exploring Switzerland … on foot!

● Russia ● The Court of Arbitration for Sport issued an update on all of the current actions before it from various Russian entities and the status:

● Russian Football Union: Filings were made against FIFA, UEFA and multiple national associations; none of the requests for stays were granted and arbitrators are being lined up in two of the three cases; one appeal was withdrawn.

● Russian Olympic Committee: This filing asked for a stay from the European Olympic Committees ban on Russian athletes at the since-completed Winter European Youth Olympic Festival in Finland. The request for a stay was denied; a full hearing is still to come.

● Russian national federations: Five Russian national federations in figure skating, gymnastics, rowing, rugby and biathlon all filed against their International Federations, trying to annul the bans on Russian participation. None of the six cases have been heard yet; the action against the International Biathlon Union is on hold for now.

The Russian Ministry of Sport stated that as many as 50 actions will be filed against continental and worldwide federations, challenging their bans on Russian participation, so more are coming.

● On Screen ● The sports television blockbusters of last week were, of course, the NCAA Tournament games, for both men and women.

The men’s semifinal between North Carolina and Duke last Saturday drew a combined 17.663 million viewers on TBS, TNT and TruTV, while the earlier Villanova-Kansas match drew 11.701 million combined.

Sunday’s women’s championship between Connecticut and South Carolina drew 4.683 million between ESPN and ESPN2.

The European World Cup qualifying match between North Macedonia and Portugal drew 200,000 viewers last Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. Eastern time, pretty impressive given the day and time. In swimming, the Tyr Pro Swim Series/San Antonio highlights on NBC on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. drew a very good 537,000 viewers.

● Boxing ● Retracting a Fidel Castro-imposed rule from 1962, the Federacion Cubano de Boxeo announced Monday that Cuban fighters will be allowed to box professionally, starting almost immediately.

In a statement provided to BoxingScene.com, FCB president Alberto Puig explained:

“Three and a half years ago a serious analysis began that has resulted in the approved agreement and well seen by the direction of the country’s sport and the Cuban Boxing Federation with Golden Ring Promotions, for the representation of Cuba in its entry into professional boxing.”

Mexico-based Golden Ring Promotions will handle the events for the Cuban fighters, and put on an exhibition card of Cuban stars last June in Aguascalientes. Cuba scored four boxing golds at the Tokyo 2020 Games, from lightweight Andy Cruz, welterweight Roniel Iglesias, light heavyweight Arlen Lopez and heavyweight Julio Cesar La Cruz, all of whom will be sought-after pros.

● Football ● The 2022-23 CONCACAF Nations League draw was completed on Monday night, with the defending champion U.S. men taking on El Salvador and Grenada in Group D, sometime in June.

The U.S. will also play two friendlies in June, continuing its preparation for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in November.

The CONCACAF Nations League group stage will continue in March 2023 and the finals will be played in June of 2023.

● Weightlifting ● The Weightlifting Federation of Kazakhstan has reported six doping positives from out-of-competition testing from 9 February to 2 March, as reported by InsideTheGames.

Among the dopers is Tokyo Olympic 61 kg bronze medalist Igor Sun, 23, who had previously been suspended for a doping positive in 2015 as a teenager. The other five are teenagers who won medals in youth and junior events, or have not competed internationally at all.

It’s another bad sign for weightlifting, and for Kazakhstan; its Rio 2016 Olympic 77 kg gold medalist, Nijat Rahimov, had an eight-year doping suspension confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on 22 March.

● Memorabilia ● The Sporlympic VIII auction by Vermont & Associes of Paris concluded on Saturday, with 227 of the 389 lots sold.

Among the highlights was a 1924 Olympic medal in silver that sold for €4,900 (€1 = $1.09), and an official’s pin from the 1956 Melbourne Games, apparently to be worn by a National Olympic Committee Secretary General. Expected to bring €150-200, it sold for €3,000!

Seven Olympic torches sold (all prices do not include the buyer’s fees):

● 1936: Berlin, sold for €3,000
● 1948: London, sold for €5,100
● 1948: London, sold for €5,000
● 1964: Tokyo, sold for €5,600
● 1972: Munich, sold for €2,900
● 1992: Barcelona, sold for €1,600
● 2008: Beijing, sold for €2,800

The featured lot was an ornate “golden bowl” – Le Bol d’or – created for an 1894 cycling race of the same name as a promotion for a new magazine, Paris-Pedale. Created by the noted French sculptor Francois-Raoul Larche in bronze, it weighs 33 pounds and stands 15 inches high. Expected to sell for between €18,000-20,000, it brought €23,000 plus the buyer fees!

The massive Ingrid O’Neil Auction 91, including Harrison Dillard’s 1948 Olympic 100 m gold medal, continues through Saturday.

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

For our 832-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HEARD AT HALFTIME: Paris 2024 schedule a win for boxing, shooting and swimming; more 2030 Winter bid drama in Spain; four gold medalists in basketball HoF

By
Rich Perelman
-

(★ MANY THANKS to our 46 donors, covering 81% of our site costs for the first six months of 2022. If you would like to join in, please donate here. ★)

● Plus: Athletics: Three more Kenyan suspensions for “whereabouts”; deadly hit-and-run tragedy for Milligan University distance runners = Canoe-Kayak: Oklahoma City and Sarasota picked for 2024-25 ICF Worlds = Football: 1930 host Uruguay at center of four-country proposal for centennial World Cup; ex-USWNT star keeper Solo arrested = Gymnastics: Israeli gold medalist Ashram retires = SCOREBOARD: Golf: Kupcho takes first LPGA title at last major to be played at Mission Hills = Athletics: new world leaders of note in weekend sprints ●

News, views and noise from the non-stop, worldwide circus of Olympic sport:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

The Paris 2024 Olympic schedule announcement last week was an interesting balancing act among the sports and the flow of interest during the Games. But there were some clear winners.

The biggest was boxing: it’s still on the program! Despite all of its many issues with refereeing and judging and substantial concerns with the validity of the International Boxing Association, the sport is on the schedule for Paris.

It has been substantially re-formatted: the 286 fighters in Rio in 2016 competed in 10 divisions for men and just three divisions for women (36 total entries), and 8 vs. 5 in Tokyo. In Paris, there will be 124 men and 124 women competing on seven men’s and six women’s weight classes.

The IBA’s statement included, “The International Boxing Association (IBA) is proud to welcome the IOC Executive Board’s confirmation of the Olympic Qualification System (OQS) and categories for boxing at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.” The confirmation that boxing will still be on the program is the most important thing for the IBA.

Next is swimming, which saw its profile raised once again for the Games. While no new events were announced, the swimming program was maintained at nine days for Paris – same as Tokyo – increased by one day from Rio. By doing so, swimming now stretches right through the second weekend of the Games, but with all evening finals, vs. many morning finals in Tokyo to support U.S. television audiences.

However, the overall aquatics quota was reduced from 1,410 in Tokyo to 1,370 for Paris, and swimming’s quota took most of the cuts from 878 to 852. That leaves athletics – track & field – with the largest sport quota for Paris, with 1,810, down from 1,900 in Tokyo. The next biggest is 514 for cycling.

A third winner is the International Sport Shooting Federation (ISSF), which introduced what are essentially semi-finals into the competitions for pistol, skeet and trap. Not everyone was happy with the changes, but the IOC accepted them for 2024.

The big loser, as has been seen from the original announcement of the program itself, is weightlifting. This sport had 260 athletes in eight men’s and seven women’s divisions as recently as Rio 2016. But thanks to unending doping revelations and later discovery of corruption inside the International Weightlifting Federation, the quotas were cut to 196 in Tokyo (in 14 weight classes) and now just 120 for Paris, in five classes each for men and women.

The IWF will hold an electoral Congress in June – possibly in Las Vegas – with its fate as a future Olympic sport hanging in the balance.

The added sports for Tokyo that were incorporated into the Paris program all got more athletes:

● Skateboarding: from 80 in Tokyo to 88 for Paris
● Sport Climbing: from 40 to 68
● Surfing: from 40 to 48

The new sport, Breaking, gets 32 athletes, compared with 80 for the one-and-done Karate program and the 234 in baseball and softball. However, the Games took an overall, 5% haircut from 11,090 down to an athlete total of 10,500, so many sports lost a few spots to accommodate the new limits.

Look for even more jockeying for position as the Los Angeles 2028 organizers and the International Olympic Committee’s sports staff figure out whether boxing, weightlifting and the in-transformation modern pentathlon will return to the program and what added sports the LA28 folks want to include.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● XXVI Olympic Winter Games: 2030 ● The drama in Spain continues, as the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) announced on Friday a confirmation of the “technical proposal” on the distribution of events for a bid by the regions of Catalonia and Aragon for the 2030 Winter Games.

According to the Catalan-based El Nacional newspaper, “The COE explained that the meeting had ‘validated the proposal presented, debated and agreed by the Technical Commission’, thus ratifying the project even though Aragon apparently now renounces it.”

The COE statement also added, “We hope and trust that the government of Aragon will join this proposal.” Javier Lamban, the President of the Aragon region, stated publicly last week that the project as proposed is unfair to Aragon and cannot be accepted.

It’s not clear what the next steps will be; Lamban said Aragon will offer suggestions for change to the existing plan. Catalonia could also offer to go it alone.

● Athletics ● Kenya’s The Nation reported three more doping suspensions by the Athletics Integrity Unit for Kenyan distance runners:

● Marathoner Morris Gachaga was suspended for two years for “whereabouts” violations, failing to report his location in order to allow out-of-competition drug testing. His results from December 2021 forward have been nullified and his suspension began on 24 March of this year.

He posted a lifetime best in the marathon of 2:05:09 in finishing sixth in the 2021 Marathon de Paris.

● Mathew Kisorio, 32, was provisionally suspended, also for “whereabouts” failures; he had previously served a two-year doping ban from 2012-14. Kisorio was the 5,000 m and 10,000 African Junior Champion in 2007 and has not competed internationally since 2019; he has a marathon best of 2:04:53 from 2018.

● Justus Kimutai, 29, was also provisionally suspended for “whereabouts” issues and has not competed internationally since 2019. His marathon best came in 2016 at 2:09:29.

The story noted that 11 Kenyan athletes “who have either been suspended or banned for having violated anti-doping rules in months.”

Another horrible hit-and-run incident by a drunk driver, this time involving five Milligan University distance runners, this from last Thursday (31st), causing the death of 20-year-old Eli Cramer.

The five athletes were on a run on a road near Williamsburg, Virginia, in advance of a weekend meet when they were hit by a car driven by Jose Efrain Hernandez Mancia, later found to be intoxicated.

Milligan University’s statement included, “Sophomore Eli Cramer succumbed to his injuries. Seniors Alex Mortimer and Eli Baldy also were injured. Mortimer is currently undergoing treatment. Baldy was treated and released.” Mortimer said he suffered a broken leg and a dislocated shoulder. The other two runners were apparently uninjured.

Milligan is a private university in Carter County, Tennessee.

● Basketball ● Four Olympic gold medalists were announced as selections for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame last Saturday.

Among the 13 inductees will be Argentina’s Manu Ginobili, a member of the memorable 2004 Olympic champions; American Tim Hardaway, a member of the 2000 Olympic gold-medal team; Swin Cash (USA), a two-time gold medalist in 2004 and 2012, and Lindsay Whalen (USA), from the 2012 and 2016 Olympic winners.

Coach Marianne Stanley will also be inducted, the coach of the U.S. team that won the 1986 FINA World Championship.

The International Direct Elect Committee approved Yugoslavian star Radivoj Korac, a mainstay on the Olympic silver-medal team of 1968, which lost to the U.S. in the final. He was killed in a car crash in 1969.

Induction ceremonies will take place on 9-10 September.

● Canoe-Kayak ● The impact of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles might extend to Oklahoma and Florida.

The International Canoe Federation announced Saturday that the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships will return to the U.S. for the first time in 12 years in 2026, to be held in Oklahoma City, to be staged by the American Canoe Association.

In addition, Sarasota, Florida was awarded the first-ever, combined World Championships for Canoe Marathon and Stand-Up Paddling Worlds, for 2026, the 2024 Stand-Up Paddling Worlds and the 2026 ICF Junior and U-23 Canoe Sprint Worlds.

The Canoe Sprint Worlds for 2026 was awarded to Poznan, Poland. Also:

“The two-day ICF board meeting also endorsed the executive committee decision to suspend Russia and Belarus from all competitions following the invasion of Ukraine, and also received an update on the ongoing support being provided to Ukrainian athletes and their families.”

● Football ● The centennial of the FIFA World Cup is coming in 2030 and four South American nations – Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile – are working on a comprehensive bid for the centennial World Cup to be held in the same region it started.

Uruguay hosted the first World Cup in 1930, with the idea now to play games in the same Montevideo stadium – the Estadio Centenario – used then.

FIFA is expected to select a site for the 2030 World Cup in 2024, so the jockeying is already beginning. A South American site would be the third World Cup in five to be played in the Western Hemisphere, after Brazil in 2014 and Canada, Mexico and the U.S. in 2026.

After Germany hosted the 2006 World Cup, the event has gone to South Africa (2010), Brazil, Russia (2018) and Qatar this November. Argentina (1978) and Chile (1962) have also previously hosted a World Cup.

Many other bid candidates have announced interest, including prior bidder Morocco, possibly with Tunisia, Algeria and/or Egypt, Spain and Portugal, a multi-nation bids from the Balkans and possibly even another multi-country bid from South America.

For those already planning their vacation and/or viewing schedule around the Qatar ‘22 World Cup, the one-page, game-by-game schedule per last week’s draw is here.

The Associated Press reported that former U.S. Women’s National Team star goalkeeper Hope Solo was arrested Thursday (31st), after “she was found passed out behind the wheel of a vehicle in North Carolina with her 2-year-old twins inside.”

According to the police report, she was taken from her car, parked at a Winston-Salem shopping center and charged with “driving while impaired, resisting a public officer and misdemeanor child abuse.” She was released, has returned home and is scheduled to return for a court appearance on 28 June.

Solo, now 40, completed her 20-year career on various U.S. age-group and senior national teams in 2016 and was a member of the 2008 and 2012 Olympic champion teams and the 2015 World Cup winners.

● Gymnastics ● Israel’s Linoy Ashram, who memorably upset the favored Averina sisters from Russia to win the Tokyo Olympic All-Around title in Rhythmic Gymnastics, announced her retirement on Monday.

“Today, on this festive occasion, I am announcing my retirement from competition.

“Athletes need to know when to retire, and as far as I’m concerned, I achieved my dream. I reached my professional peak, and I decided that this is the right time to continue on the same path, but this time from the other side of the mat.”

Still only 22, she will continue as a coach. Even thought she competed in the shadow of Russian gymnasts her entire career, she piled up 11 World Championships medals (0-6-5), seven European Championships medals (2-2-3) and an impressive 55 FIG World Cup medals (18-17-20).

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Athletics ● Lots of action on the weekend, with 10 world-leading outdoor marks on Saturday, most of which were good – but not great – marks in the early season. But there were some noteworthy performances.

The women’s 100 m got its first sub-11 mark of the season with American Brittany Brown clocking 10.99 to win the Baylor Invitational in Waco. Namibian star Christine Mboma, the Olympic 200 m silver medalist, is racing in the U.S. and stormed to the best 200 m of the outdoor season in 22.12 to win the UAB Invitational in Birmingham, Alabama. She also won the 100 m in 11.03.

● Golf ● The first LPGA major of the season concluded in Rancho Mirage, California on Sunday with the last edition of the Chevron Championship – known since its founding in 1972 for its association with singer Dinah Shore – to be held at Mission Hills Country Club.

The 2022 edition was dominated by American Jennifer Kupcho, who co-led after a first-day 66, but ran away from the field with an eight-under-par 64 in the third round to enter Sunday’s final round with a six-shot lead.

She withered a little in hot conditions with a four-over 74, but withstood a charge from fellow American Jessica Corda (69-276) to finish at 274, two shots up and three up on Japan’s Pia Babnik, who shot a 66 to finish at 277 and move up eight places to third in the final standings. Defending champ Patty Tavatanakit (THA) finished in a four-way tie for fourth at 278.

It was Kupcho’s first LPGA win in her fourth full-time year on tour!

With Chevron now at title sponsor, the tournament will move to Houston next year, ending a 50-year run at Mission Hills.

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

For our 832-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HIGHLIGHTS: Curzan wins four, Casas three at Tyr Pro Swim San Antonio; van den Poel and Kopecky win Flanders; teen Grimes wins 10 km nationals

By
Rich Perelman
-
Triple winner at the Tyr Pro Swim Series in San Antonio: Shaine Casas (Photo: USA Swimming)

(★ BRAVO to our 46 donors, who have supported 81% of our site costs for the first six months of 2022. If you can help, please donate here. ★)

Headline results of noteworthy competitions around the world:

● Alpine Skiing ● Despite multiple changes due to weather, the U.S. Alpine nationals wrapped up on Friday at Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine, combined with the Nor-Am Cup.

After the Downhill a week earlier and the cancellation of the Super-G, the Slaloms were held on the 29th, with Jett Seymour leading a U.S. men’s sweep in 1:28.18, followed by Benjamin Ritchie (1:28.71) and George Steffey (1:28.98).

The Giant Slalom saw Steffey take the title (2:08.29), ahead of Brian McLaughlin (2:08.62) and Austria’s Tobias Kogler third (2:08.63).

American World Cup veteran Paula Moltzan led a U.S. 1-2-3 in the women’s Slalom, finishing with a time total of 1:32.28, with Katie Hensien a distant second (1:35.09) and A.J. Hurt in third (1:35.13).

Canada’s Britt Richardson won the women’s Giant Slalom (2:01.89), with Moltzan taking the U.S. title (2:02.04) and Hurt third (2:03.80).

● Archery ● The first USA Archery qualifier for 2022, the AAE Arizona Cup in Phoenix, saw U.S. Olympians Brady Ellison and Casey Kaufhold sail through to the finals in the men’s and women’s Recurve divisions.

In the men’s final, Ellison, the 2019 World Champion, got a challenge from sixth-seeded and 19-year-old Joonsuh Oh, seventh at the 2021 Junior Pan American Games, but triumphed 7-1 (28-27, 28-27, 29-29, 29-28).

Jackson Mirich won the men’s bronze medal over Dallas Jones, 6-5. Atlanta 1996 gold medalist Justin Huish, now 47, reached the quarterfinals, but was eliminated by Oh, 6-5.

Tokyo Olympian and 2021 World silver medalist Kaufhold, 18, was upset in the women’s final by Olympic alternate (and no. 6 seed) Catalina Noriega. Kaufhold took a 3-1 lead after the second end, but Noriega won three straight by 28-27, 27-24 and 28-26, to record a 7-3 win. Gabrielle Sasai took the third-place match by 6-4 against Savannah Vanderweir.

● Artistic Swimming ● The second leg of the FINA World Cup was in person, in Paris (FRA), with the home team finding a new star.

In the women’s Solo class, France’s 16-year-old Oriane Jaillardon won the Technical event, scoring 83.5476 to best Audrey Lamothe of Canada (age 17), who scored 83.3653. The women’s Solo Free was a win for Spain’s Iris Tio Casas (86.7333), ahead of Federica Sala (ITA: 85.8000).

Jaillardon took a second gold in the women’s Duet Technical, teaming with Romane Lunel to win at 83.7000, followed by Greece’s Eleni Fragkaki and Krystalenia Gialama (82.7753).

Americans Megumi Field and Natalia Vega won the Duet Free, scoring 85.7667 to 83.8000 for Shelly Bobritsky and Nicol Nahshonov (ISR).

The U.S. won the women’s Team Highlight event (87.8333); Israel was the only entry in the Team Free Combination (84.0667) and Spain took the women’s Team event (90.7000).

In the Mixed Duet Technical, Spain’s Emma Garcia and Pau Ribes won with 84.3804, followed by Ivy Davis and Ken Gaudet of the U.S. (79.0104). The same pairs went 1-2 in the Mixed Duet Free: 85.5667 for Garcia and Ribes and 83.0333 for Davis and Gaudet.

● Athletics ● Sharp racing at the Marathon de Paris, with Ethiopia’s Deso Gelmisa winning a tight battle from countryman Seifu Tura, 2:05:07-2:05:10 for the nos. 5-6 places on the 2022 world list.

Gelmisa set a lifetime best by nine seconds by winning the final sprint from Tura, the 2021 Chicago Marathon champion. France’s Morhad Amdouni was third in 2:05:22.

Kenyan Judith Korir Keptum won the women’s race in a lifetime best of 2:19:48, uncontested for most of the last half of the race. Ethiopia’s Fantu Jimma was second, also with a lifetime best, in 2:22.52.

● Boxing ● The AMBC Elite Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador drew 197 contestants from 25 countries, including a record 75 in the women’s division. Brazil and the U.S. dominated, with the Brazilians taking wins in six divisions and the Americans in six.

Brazil scored four golds in the men’s division, with Luiz Gabriel Oliveira winning at 57 kg, Wanderson Oliveira at 67 kg, Worlds silver medalist Keno Machado at 86 kg and Olympic bronze medalist Abner Teixeira da Silva at +92 kg. They also got victories from Olympic silver medalist Beatriz Ferreira in the women’s 60 kg class (over Worlds bronze medalist Rashida Ellis of the U.S.), by Beatriz Soares at 66 kg and Barbara Dos Santos at 70 kg.

The U.S. got wins from Worlds silver medalist Roscoe Hill in the men’s 51 kg class (beating Cuba’s Erislan Romero, 5:0), Obed Bartee-El at 75 kg, World Champion Robby Gonzales at 80 kg and Jamar Talley at 92 kg. Women’s winners started with the women’s 50 kg division with Jennifer Lozano and women’s 63 kg with Jajaira Gonzalez.

Silver medalists for the U.S. included 2021 World Champion Jahmal Harvey in the men’s 57 kg division, Arjan Iseni at 86 kg and Ellis in the women’s 60 kg class.

Canada scored two women’s golds from Scarlett Delgado at 54 kg and 2019 Worlds bronze medalist Tammara Thibeault at 75 kg, and the Dominican Republic won two men’s classes: Pan American Games champ Rodrigo Marte at 54 kg and Pan Am Games bronze winner Alexys de la Cruz at 60 kg.

● Cycling ● The spring “Cobbled Classics” season continued in Belgium with the 76th Dwars door Vlaanderen from Roeselare to Waregem in a hilly, 183.7 km loop course perfect for Dutch star Mathieu van der Poel.

He won his second title in this race – also in 2019 – in a two-man sprint to the line with Belgium’s home favorite Tiesj Benoot, in 4:05:39 and 4:05:40. They emerged from an eight-rider breakaway in the final 2 km and finished ahead of Tom Pidcock (GBR), Victor Campenaerts (BEL) and Mils Politt (GER), all five seconds behind the winner.

One of the major races of the spring season, the 106th Tour of Flanders – Ronde van Vlaaanderen – took place on Sunday, covering 272.5 km from Antwerp to Oudenaarde.

A lot of the interest pre-race was on two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar (SLO), now competing in one-day races, and he was game for the challenge. He stormed into the lead multiple times during the race and was in front over the final climb –  Paterberg – heading into the final 13 km.

He then got into a cat-and-mouse game with the favored van der Poel, which allowed chasers Dylan van Barrle (NED) and Valentin Madouas (FRA) to catch up with 300 m left. And on the final sprint, van der Poel got to the line first, with van Baarle and Madouas 2-3 and Pogacar a disappointed fourth, all in 6:18:30.

It’s the second career win for van der Poel in this race (also 2020) and his third straight podium after being runner-up in 2021.

The women’s Tour of Flanders – the 19th – was 158.6 km along much of the same route as the men, but with a Belgian winner for the first time since 2010 as Lotte Kopecky got her second major win of the year!

The race came down to a three-women finale over the last 10 km, as Kopecky dueled with Dutch superstar Annemiek van Vleuten – the defending champion – and Chantal van den Broek-Blaak, the 2020 winner. It came down to Kopecky and van Vleuten and the Belgian was fastest to the finish, winning in 4:11:21 to wild cheers from the home crowd and van den Broek-Blaak two seconds behind.

Kopecky, 26, had already won the Strade Bianche this season and finished third at the Ronde van Drenthe, but this was the biggest win of her career.

Good news for Italian star Sonny Colbrelli, who collapsed just past the finish of the first stage of the Volta Cyclista de Catalunya on 26 March. He was diagnosed with unstable cardiac arrhythmia and after treatment in Spain, was flown to the Padova University Hospital.

After tests, he had a successful subcutaneous defibrillator (ICD) implantation operation last Thursday and was discharged. While he continues to recover, his future in the sport is uncertain.

● Gymnastics ● The final leg of the 2022 FIG Artistic Gymnastics Apparatus World Cup was the AGF Trophy in Baku (AZE), with a gold-medal performance by Ukraine’s Worlds All-Around bronze medalist Ilia Kovtun.

Kovtun won in Baku on Parallel Bars, scoring 15.333 to beat Turkey’s Ferhat Arican and won the event at all four Apparatus World Cups to take the seasonal title, with Arican second.

Israel’s Olympic Floor Exercise winner Artem Dolgopyat won on Floor at 14.700m ahead of Milad Karimi (KAZ: 14.300), and won three of the four World Cups to take the season crown. On Rings, Italy’s Salvatore Maresca won with 14.800, ahead of Ibrahim Colak (TUR: 14.766), but Armenia’s Vahagn Davtyan – with two prior wins – was the seasonal champion. American Alex Diab finished fifth in Baku (14.333).

The men’s finals on Sunday saw Nariman Kurbanov (KAZ) win on the Pommel Horse (14.633), ahead of Albania’s Matvei Petrov (14.466). Ukraine’s Nazar Chepurnyi (15.016) took the Vault, with Andrey Medvedev (ISR: 14.500) second and Dolgopyat (14.450) third. Britain’s Joe Fraser was the Horizontal Bar winner at 14.000, ahead of Austria’s Mitchell Morgans (13.966) and Kovtun (13.866).

Kurbanov won the seasonal Pommel Horse title; Armenia’s Artur Davtyan won the seasonal Vault crown and the Horizontal Bar champ was Israel’s Alexander Myaknin.

The women finals saw France’s Lorette Charpy win on Uneven Bars (13.866), with Naomi Visser (NED: 13.100) second, and the amazing Oksana Chusovitina (UZB) – now 46 – won on Vault, scoring 13.266, but winning on degree-of-difficulty over Csenge Bacskay of Hungary (also 13.266). Ukraine’s Daniel Batrona won the seasonal Bars title and Chusovitina won the seasonal Vault competition.

On Beam, Germany’s Sarah Voss won at 13.733, well ahead of Charpy (12.966) and Ukraine’s Daniela Batrona (12.900). Brazil’s Julia Soares was the Floor winner, scoring 13.433, with Dorina Boeczoego second at 13.166.

Batrona won the seasonal Beam title as well, and Hungary’s Boeczoego was the seasonal Floor champion.

● Judo ● A major event on the IJF World Tour, the Antalya Grand Slam was held in Turkey, with 525 judoka in attendance from 63 countries!

France led all nations with seven total medals, including wins from 2019 World Champion Marie Eve Gahie in the women’s 70 kg division and Lea Fontaine at +78 kg, over Israel’s Raz Hershko.

Georgia also got two wins, taking the men’s 73 kg class with Giorgi Terashvili defeating Manuel Lombardo (ITA) in the final, and 2018 World Champion Guram Tushishvili winning at +100 kg over Alisher Yusupov (UZB).

Three current World Champions won their classes. Portugal’s Jorge Fonseca won the men’s 100 kg division, Canada’s Jessica Klimkait, the 2021 World 57 kg gold medalist, won her class, as did German Anna-Maria Wagner at 78 kg.

● Shooting ● The non-stop ISSF World Cup tour is in Lima (PER) for a Shotgun World Cup, with the U.S. sending a strong team.

Trap events were featured in the first week, with Alberto Fernandez (ESP) winning the men’s final in 2-1 shoot-off with Erminio Frasca (ITA), with American Derrick Mein third (20). Mein, Casey Wallace and Will Hinton won the men’s Team event, 7-6, in a shoot-off with Spain.

Italy’s Gaia Ragazzini, 21, was an upset winner of the women’s trap final, scoring a 30-27 win over Kayle Browning of the U.S., the 2020 Olympic silver medalist. Alessandra Della Valle (ITA) was third (20). Browning, Aeriel Skinner and Rachel Tozier took the women’s Team event for the U.S., 6-4, over Guatemala.

The Tokyo Olympic gold-medal team of Fernandez and Fatima Galvez won the Mixed Team event for Spain, 6-0, over Mexico in the final.

The shooting continues through the 7th.

● Swimming ● The Tyr Pro Swim Series in San Antonio was a warm-up for a major event for American swimmers: the Philips 66 International Team Trials from 26-30 April. Everything in San Antonio was about the racing to come in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Some stars – like five-time Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel – are still in heavy training. Others are starting to sharpen.

The big winners in San Antonio were 17-year-old Tokyo Olympian Claire Curzan and emerging star – and 2021 World Short-Course 100 m Back gold medalist – Shaine Casas.

Curzan was everywhere, winning the women’s 50-100 m Freestyles, the 100 m Backstroke and the 100 m Fly. Her times were solid: 24.43, no. 3 on the world list for 2022; 53.68 (equal-3rd), 58.73 in the 100 Back (no. 2) and 57.02 in the Fly, where she is already the world leader.

Casas won three events: the men’s 100 m Back (53.54), 100 m Fly (51.09, no. 2 in 2022) and 200 m Medley, with a world-leading 1:56.70, ahead of French star Leon Marchard, 2017 World Champion Chase Kalisz of the U.S. and do-everything star Michael Andrew.

Andrew logged two wins, in the 50 m Free (21.73, no. 2 in 2022), ahead of Dressel (21.86), and in the 100 m Breaststroke (59.02, no. 2), beating Nic Fink (59.32, no. 4). He said afterwards that he’s targeting the 50 m Free, 100 m Breast and 100 m Fly at the International Team Trials.

French distance specialist Tommy-lee Camblong also won twice, in the men’s 800 m and 1,500 m Freestyles (7:59.08 and 15:23.33). Marchard got the other world leader in the meet, winning the 400 m Medley in 4:10.38; he was initially disqualified for an improper stroke, but was reinstated.

Dressel tied for the win in the 100 m free with Slovenian Andrej Barna in 49.13, was second in the 50 m Free and the 200 m Free (1:49.12) and second in the 100 m Fly to Casas.

The women’s distance Freestyles, of course, belonged to superstar Katie Ledecky, who won the 200 m Free in 1:55.66 and the 400 m Free in 4:03.84. She also finished fourth in the 100 m Free in 54.93, behind Curzan.

Five-time Olympic medalist Lilly King doubled in the 100 m and 200 m Breast events, winning in 1:05.32 (no. 2 for 2022) and 2:23.69 (no. 3). Two-time Olympic bronze medalist Hali Flickinger won her specialties: the 200 m Fly (2:08.57) and the 400 m Medley, in 4:40.62.

Rio 2016 Olympic champ Ryan Murphy of the U.S. lowered his own world-leading time in the men’s 200 m Back at the Fran Crippen Swim Meet of Champions in Mission Viejo, timing 1:56.43. He had already swum 1:56.78 earlier this season.

Tokyo Olympian and sprinter Abbey Weitzeil won the women’s 100 m Free in 54.01, second only to Curzan on the 2022 world list. The meet concludes late Sunday afternoon.

The USA Swimming National Open Water Championships were held off Ft. Myers Beach, Florida in windy and difficult conditions, but ultimately produced 10 km wins for France’s Axel Reymond and American teen Katie Grimes.

Reymond – a two-time world 25 km Champion – overtook American Brennan Gravely on the final lap to win in 2:02:49 to 2:02:53. Brennan’s younger brother, Dylan Gravely, moved up on the final lap to finish third in 2:03:13, ahead of Joe Tepper (USA: 2:03:39).

Grimes, 16, fourth in the Tokyo Olympic 800 m final in the pool, won the women’s 10 km national title in 2:16:40, swimming away from Marian Denigan (2:17:50) for a U.S. 1-2, with France’s Caroline Jouisse third (2:18:34).

Early leader – and fellow Tokyo Olympian – Erica Sullivan was passed by Grimes heading in the fourth lap, then faded and did not finish.

It was Grimes’ first national title; she said afterwards, “I really had a good time out there today; the conditions were a little rough but I’m learning to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. …

“The tide was really strong and the wind was making it really choppy, but like I said, it is just about being comfortable with being uncomfortable, learning to adjust your stroke and adapting each lap to the new challenges.”

Sunday had the men’s and women’s 5 km racing, with Gravley winning the men’s race, ahead of Reymond and Marcel Schouten (NED).

The women’s event was a French 1-2, with 2015 and 2017 10 km World Champion Aurelie Muller and Caroline Jouisse, and Bella Sims of the U.S. third.

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

For our 832-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: U.S. draws England, Iran and maybe Ukraine for ’22 World Cup; Paris ‘24 announces daily schedule; Andrews leaves USA Weightlifting

By
Rich Perelman
-

(★ Can you help? Now 46 donors have covered 81% of our costs for the first six months of 2022. If you wish to help us reach the goal, please donate here. ★)

● Plus: Paris 2024: Daily schedule announced; IOC to organize new qualifying series for four sports in 2024 = Los Angeles 2028: IOC announces added-sport criteria = L.A. Mayor Garcetti’s nomination as Indian Ambassador slows = Rose Bowl celebrates its centennial = IOC: More than $2 million raised for Ukrainian sport relief = On Screen: over 1.0M watch USA-Panama and World Figure Skating = Athletics: World Athletics starts online store = Cycling: UCI bars undeclared British transgender Bridges from competing = Football: U.S. Soccer extends bargaining period with national teams = Gymnastics: USA Gymnastics bankruptcy case legal fees pass $19M = Modern Pentathlon: fifth discipline choices narrowing = Skiing: FIS chief Eliasch unopposed for election = Swimming: American open-water Olympic medalist Anderson retires ●

Key status updates on the urgent stories in Olympic sport:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

The FIFA World Cup Draw was held Friday evening in Doha (QAT), determining which teams will play in the group stage. The groups, with each team’s FIFA world rankings:

● Group A: Qatar (51), Netherlands (10), Senegal (20), Ecuador (46)

● Group B: England (5), United States (15), Iran (21), Wales (18) or Scotland (39) or Ukraine (27)

● Group C: Argentina (4), Mexico (9), Poland (26), Saudi Arabia (49)

● Group D: France (3), Denmark (11), Tunisia (35), UAE (68) or Australia (42)

● Group E: Spain (7), Germany (12), Japan (23), Costa Rica (31) or New Zealand (101)

● Group F: Belgium (2), Croatia (16), Morocco (24), Canada (38)

● Group G: Brazil (1), Switzerland (14), Serbia (25), Cameroon (37)

● Group H: Portugal (8), Uruguay (13), South Korea (29), Ghana (60)

The presenters included former English player Jermaine Jenas, British sports anchor Samantha Johnson and American women’s soccer icon Carli Lloyd.

On to the matches, beginning 21 November. The draw program had its usual razzmatazz opening, followed by short remarks from FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI) and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Infantino made a plea for the war in Ukraine to stop, to be replaced with dialogue and understanding.

Russia, world-ranked 36th, was excluded from the tournament by FIFA.

The instant analysis: the U.S. got a difficult draw in Group B, especially if Wales qualifies in the continuing European playoffs, and hard games against England and Iran. Group C with Argentina, Mexico and Poland is also going to be rough and tough, and Group G will be a test for Brazil, as the Swiss and Serbia will both be difficult to score against.

The defending champion French got a favorable group, with Denmark, Tunisia and either Australia or the UAE. The wild card of the tournament might be Canada, the CONCACAF regional winner, matched up in Group F with Belgium, Croatia and Morocco.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Paris 2024 ● The Paris organizers announced the day-by-day time schedule for the 2024 Games, maintaining the general pattern of the last 50 years.

Artistic gymnastics, diving and swimming will dominate the first week, followed by athletics in the second week, with 2-3 days of competitions in all three. The marathons will come at the end of the Games, as will weightlifting and wresting. Track cycling, often held in the first week, will be held during the second week.

All of the swimming and athletics finals are scheduled for the evening, placing them in the afternoon in the U.S. Eastern time zone and morning and early afternoon on the West Coast.

There will be 32 sports, 329 events and 762 competition sessions.

Following up on its plan to introduce new qualifying events as part of its Agenda 2020+5, the International Olympic Committee announced a four-sport qualification series for the Paris Games, to include cycling BMX freestyle, break dancing, skateboarding, and sport climbing.

Three events of four days each will be held from March to June in 2024, expanding the visibility of breaking, skateboarding and sport climbing, each of which have small International Federations, none of which are supported by an IOC television rights distribution.

The IOC also approved the qualification procedures for each sport for Paris 2024, with the details to be released over the next week.

The IOC Executive Board, following up on the Kamila Valieva (RUS) case at the Beijing Winter Games, “recommended to the International Federations (IFs) that they should address the question of minimum age in their sports and, if needed, make the appropriate adjustments to their regulations.”

● Games of the XXXIV Olympiad: Los Angeles 2028 ● The IOC also announced its “program principles” for the 2028 Games, in order to evaluate the sport, discipline and events:

● Cost and complexity
● Best athletes and athlete safety
● Popularity and host country interest
● Uniqueness, universality, gender equality and relevance for youth
● Integrity and fairness
● Environmental sustainability

“The finalisation of the disciplines for each sport will be completed in 2023, along with the LA28 OCOG-proposed sports. The events and athlete quotas are expected to be confirmed in December 2024.”

The Los Angeles Times reported that the confirmation of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to be the U.S. Ambassador to India has been significantly slowed.

At issue are concerns are about what Garcetti knew about the activities of a former aide who was accused of abuse; while the allegations were already well known, there are some added details which have drawn the interest of some Senators and will delay a vote on Garcetti’s nomination at least until the end of April.

Garcetti, a Democrat, was elected Mayor twice and is heading toward the end of his second term and cannot run again. He was deeply involved in the Los Angeles bid for the 2024 Games and the ultimate agreement to host the 2028 Games.

Pasadena’s Rose Bowl Stadium will turn 100 in 2022, opening for the first time on 28 October 1922. The centennial is not going unnoticed, with a “Party of the Century” being staged on 30 July on the Rose Bowl floor, featuring a parade of stars and memories, hosted by NFL Network anchor Rich Eisen.

The Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation is the organizer and the event is planned to cap a multi-year campaign to raise $40 million for additional upgrades to the stadium, now the home to UCLA football home games as well as the iconic Rose Bowl Game on New Year’s Day.

Attendees will be encouraged to dress in 1920s style, befitting the centennial, with tickets beginning at $750. An auction, a “speakeasy” and plenty of entertainment are on the program.

The Rose Bowl was the site of cycling at the 1932 Olympic Games and football in 1984, plus the finals of the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the memorable 1999 Women’s World Cup final, won by the U.S. over China on penalty kicks before a then-record women’s football crowd of 90,185 (just surpassed by the 91,553 at the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarterfinal in Barcelona on Wednesday, where FC Barcelona defeated Real Madrid, 5-2).

It’s planned to be used for football again in 2028.

A Rose Bowl centennial commemorative book has also been issued, celebrating the amazing history of the facility in photography, from the black-and-whites of the early days to the full-color imagery of today.

● International Olympic Committee ● The IOC reported that more than $2 million has been received for the fund established to aid the Ukrainian sports community.

The IOC put up $1 million to found the fund and $500,000 was contributed by the European Olympic Committees. Other donations have brought the total to more than $2 million; per the IOC:

“The main objective of the Fund is to maintain the level of Ukrainian sport by meeting the immediate humanitarian needs of the Ukrainian elite and high-level athletes, and to cover their participation in training camps at home and abroad, thus allowing them to prepare for competitions.”

Support programs using the fund and assistance from other National Olympic Committees has been given to athletes and teams in archery, artistic swimming, fencing, freestyle skiing, handball, track & field, and International Federations in shooting and swimming.

The Ukrainian Paralympic Team was brought back from Beijing with help from the Polish NOC, and the NOCs of Poland, Italy, Finland and Austria made it possible for the Ukrainian team to compete at the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Finland, last week.

The IOC’s statement noted that for the EYOF, support included not only “border crossings, accommodation and transport, but also to fully kit out the whole team, as sadly the warehouse in which the national team uniforms were stored had been destroyed a few days previously.”

● On Screen ● The U.S. men’s 5-1 thrashing of Panama in World Cup qualifying in Columbus drew a respectable audience of 1.036 million last Sunday, the best of the Olympic sports on U.S. television last week.

The other major event was the ISU World Figure Skating Championships, which had 1.001 million watching on NBC last Saturday evening. Saturday’s earlier shows on USA Network drew only 265,000 for the men’s Free Skate and 252,000 for the Ice Dancing Free Dance.

The biggest audience of the week was for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, with Sunday’s North Carolina-St. Peter’s East Regional final drawing 13.584 million on CBS. All 12 games had viewership of at least 2.364 million. The top women’s NCAA tournament game was Connecticut’s win over Indiana, which drew 1.437 million on ESPN.

● Athletics ● World Athletics announced its first online store, to be coordinated by Britain-based Cube Partnership, with apparel from official sponsor ASICS.

A “Belgrade Collection” of six items was available for the recent World Indoor Championships: T-shirts, a hooded sweatshirt, caps, a water bottle, a coffee mug and a collector’s pin. An “Oregon Collection” is promised in advance of the 2022 Worlds in Eugene, as well as other items.

Unusually, no items featuring the World Athletics logo are yet available. The agreement with Cube runs through 2025.

● Cycling ● The Union Cycliste Internationale ruled that 21-year-old British rider Emily Bridges, who previously competed as a man, cannot compete in this weekend’s National Omnium Championships as she has not changed her registration from male to female.

British Cycling was going to allow her to compete, but the UCI’s rules – adopted in 2020 – require (1) that a formal declaration of a change of gender be filed, (2) that the transgender-to-female rider maintain a serum testosterone level of 5 nmol/l or less, (3) continuously for at least 12 months.

Bridges was reported to have begun hormone therapy in 2021; as a male rider, she set a national junior record for 25 miles in 2018.

UCI President David Lappartient (FRA) told the BBC on Wednesday, in part:

“The question is, is there a memory from your body from what you were before? Do you have an advantage for this? Do we have a breach of fair competition? ..

“I believe that maybe the situation we have now, of the rules of five nanomoles per litre, is probably not enough.

“Clearly this is something we have to put on the agenda of the Association of Summer International Olympic Federations because we can’t solve this alone, we have to work together. We can’t just close our eyes on what is happening and this is something we have to do within the next months.”

World Athletics has adopted similar rules, as has World Rowing and the International Tennis Federation and FINA is in the process of doing so. World Triathlon is also working on new regulations.

● Football ● Although the U.S. Soccer Federation and the men’s and women’s national teams had hoped to wrap up new collective bargaining agreements by the end of March, the USSF announced that the discussions are continuing into April:

“Over the past two weeks, U.S. Soccer and representatives from the Players’ Associations for our U.S. Men’s and Women’s senior National Teams have been in all-day collective bargaining sessions. … The discussions, which have included equalizing FIFA World Cup Prize money and a first-ever framework for revenue sharing as part of each respective labor agreement, are complex and require significant due diligence from all parties. Nevertheless, we feel we are closer to reaching agreements on these issues than ever before.”

The women’s team agreement terminated at year’s end, but was mutually agreed to extend to 31 March, while the men have continued playing under the terms of an agreement which ended on 31 December 2018.

● Gymnastics ● U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) and Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) demanded Tuesday that the U.S. Justice Department revisit their decision not to prosecute two former FBI agents for their roles in botching the investigation into abuses by former USA Gymnastics team physician Larry Nassar. The letter included:

“We write to urge the Department to conduct a comprehensive review of all information in its possession to determine whether any additional investigations should be opened or widened, and if other individuals and institutions who enabled the cover up this egregious abuse should be charged and held accountable.”

Beyond the review of the decision not to prosecute, Blumenthal and Moran also asked what the Justice Department has done concerning allegations referred to it by their subcommittee about possible filings against former USA Gymnastics head Steve Penny and former United States Olympic Committee chief executive Scott Blackmun. “To date, we do not know what, if anything, the Department did with this referral … it is not clear whether the Department has ever investigated these events.”

Four of the survivors who testified before the subcommittee asked for this kind of follow-up to ensure transparency – in fact, a much broader investigation was requested – and accountability.

Legal fees in the USA Gymnastics bankruptcy case continued to pile up in February – $586,514 in all – with the cumulative total in the case now $19,135,837. Of this amount, $11,016,090 has been paid: that’s 57.6%.

The final approval of the plan agreed to between USA Gymnastics, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the Survivors’ Committee has yet to be finally approved and declared effective by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana. The next scheduled hearing date is 13 April.

● Modern Pentathlon ● The Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne announced Friday that it “received 61 discipline proposals, sent by 39 different stakeholders from 37 nations” on a new, fifth discipline and its working group will meet at the end of April “to make its final decision of the discipline to be tested, in order to start more detailed competition rules and format study within Q2.”

The new discipline will be tested as soon as 3 May, although exactly how was not disclosed.

Riding will remain in the sport through the 2024 Paris Games.

● Skateboarding ● World Skate confirmed Friday “that it will not allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in any of its international competitions, with immediate effect and until further notice.

“World Skate also clarifies that no events are scheduled to take place in Russia or Belarus in 2022.”

This was the first comment from the federation in a month, when it agreed with the IOC’s February request to not Russian or Belarusian entrants to compete under their country’s name or flag. Almost every other international federation has adopted the IOC’s further request not to permit Russian or Belarusian entries at all, and now World Skate has joined in.

● Skiing ● The Federation Internationale de Ski (FIS) announced the candidates for office for the 2022 elections at its 26 May Congress, with President Johan Eliasch (SWE) to run unopposed for a full term..

Eliasch won a heavily-contested election to replace long-time chief Gian Franco Kasper (SUI) in June 2021, but was the only candidate to file for the four-year term from 2022-26.

Two-year terms will be available for the FIS Council: 23 candidates are running for 18 positions, including influential American businessman Dexter Paine, already a member of the Council. Of the 23 running, 14 are existing FIS Council members, including Russian Elena Vyalbe, a three-time Olympic gold medalist in cross-country skiing in 1992-94-98.

American Freestyle star Hannah Kearney is one of the two athlete representatives on the FIS Council, elected in 2020 and will serve to 2023.

● Swimming ● Two-time World Champion and Olympic silver medalist Haley Anderson announced her retirement at age 30 after a brilliant career, especially as an open-water swimmer.

She posted a message of thanks on Instagram, and that she will now be working at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee in an unspecified capacity. She wrote, “The little girl that started swimming on her local summer league team could have never dreamed up this journey.”

Anderson was a three-time Olympian and won a silver at the 10 km swim in London in 2012, then finished fifth at Rio and sixth in Tokyo. She won five World Championships medals, including golds in the 5 km races in 2013 and 2015, a silver in 2017 (Team event) and a silver (10 km) and bronze in 2019 (Team), making her one of the finest – if not the best – American women’s open-water swimmer ever.

● Weightlifting ● Stunning announcement from USA Weightlifting that chief executive Phil Andrews (GBR), who had led a significant upsurge in the federation’s competitive and financial situations, will resign as of 15 July 2022.

Andrews “leaves a legacy of great achievement,” said Board Chair and President Paula Aranda, adding “We understand his desire to pursue other opportunities and wish him the very best.”

Andrews came to USA Weightlifting in 2013 and began its chief executive in 2016. He has been a leader not only inside the American federation, but within the International Weightlifting Federation, pushing for change as the sport teeters on the edge of Olympic oblivion. He was so highly respected that he served for a time as the Deputy Secretary General of the IWF during the interim term of American Ursula Papandrea, later thrown out in a Board coup. Papandrea is expected to be a candidate for IWF President at elections this June.

Andrews tweeted: “After 10 years and the journey of a lifetime, I’m open to my next adventure. Thank you @USWeightlifting.”

USA Weightlifting, under Andrews’ direction, has offered to stage the 2022 Electoral Congress in Las Vegas and after China withdrew as the host of the 2022 World Championships in November, wrote to the IWF to present Atlanta as a new host for the event.

The federation stated that the USAW Board would begin a search for a replacement.

Observed: USA Weightlifting posted the announcement at 7:49 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, not wanting to wait until Friday, when it would likely have been considered an April Fools’ joke. Andrews was a star at the Congressional hearings on athlete abuse and the role of National Governing Bodies and will be missed in the weightlifting community.

It will not be a surprise to see him re-appear in a high-level appointment within the Olympic Movement. The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee is advertising for a new International Relations director and he would be – with his British background – a sensitive and savvy choice for the position.

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

For our 832-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THE BIG PICTURE: FIFA chief Infantino says of biennial World Cup concept: “We are not in a hurry.”

By
Rich Perelman
-
FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI) at the 72nd FIFA Congress (Photo: FIFA video sctreenshot)

(★ PLEASE HELP: Our 45 donors have covered 77% of the site costs for the first half of 2022, but we’re not at the finish line yet. So, please donate here. ★)

The 72nd FIFA Congress took place in Doha, Qatar on Thursday, a day ahead of the FIFA World Cup Draw, with no decisions on a possible change in the staging of future World Cups, but a lot of politics.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI) was asked directly about the status of the every-two-years World Cup proposal in the post-Congress news conference:

“On the international match calendar … 88% of the Congress asked us last year to study the feasibility of a World Cup every two years, amongst other things.

“We did study that. We found out that it’s feasible and it would even be positive for a big part of the world, but there is, of course, also big opposition to it. And that’s exactly where the discussions have to start.

“Because, we could go for a vote, and get a majority vote for more competitions, but we are aware that it’s more important to exchange, to discuss and to see and try to convince everyone that it is important to do something more for football. Now, whether it’s a World Cup every two years, or every three years, a different type of competition – we had the Confederations Cup in the past – we have to think about what is best for the development of football and everyone has to realize that it’s not to the benefit of anyone to close itself, even if you are the biggest and the richest. It’s always better to be open, it’s always better to share a little bit, because those who are on the top, they will grow even more, but you give as well to all the others a chance. (Emphasis added)

“So we are looking at all different options. We are discussing with all confederations, with all member associations, and we will take the time that it takes. We are not in a hurry. The calendar is there until 2024, we have now a World Cup that takes place. Every final agreement in one week is great, if we find it in one year, it’s great as well. What we want to do is have an impact on the global football, an impact on really making football global and we take the time it takes, again, with the utmost of understanding for all the positions, respect for everyone, respect mainly as well for the institutions and I think this is crucial as well. …

“Now, some 100 years ago, some wise men decided that the World Cup should take place every four years. Times are evolving, let’s see what we can do better and how we can do better.

“But again, we take all the time it takes, we are not in a rush, we are not a hurry. It’s better to take a little more time and to do it right.”

So, for now, status quo. Infantino’s remarks inferred that the biennial proposal could be forced through, but the blowback from both inside and outside FIFA need to be addressed before introducing such a radical change to football and to the rest of the international sports world.

There were plenty of other issues on the table.

At the top was November’s World Cup in Qatar, around which significant debate was had on the Congress floor. Norwegian Football Federation President Lise Klaveness criticized the 2010 selection of Qatar and the acceptance by FIFA of holding the event in a country with unacceptable labor and social acceptance conditions, including:

“FIFA has addressed these issues, but there is still a long way to go. The migrant workers injured or families of those who died in the build up to the World Cup must be cared for. FIFA, all of us, must take all necessary measures to really implement change.”

Her comments were rebutted by organizing committee chief Hassan al-Thawadi, who noted the major labor reforms which have taken place since 2016, and by Infantino, whose closing remarks noted, “It has to be recognized that, six years later, the work that has been done, is exemplary. The work that in other countries has taken decades, has been done in a few years” and that the 2022 World Cup presents “an opportunity for the Arab world to present itself to the entire world.”

The Congress also saw an emotional, three-minute video from Ukrainian football federation head, Andriy Pavelk, delivered from Kyiv and while wearing a protective vest, which received wide applause.

Infantino said of the Qatar World Cup, it “will simply be the best World Cup ever and the biggest show on earth.” He also announced that he would be standing for a third term as FIFA President at the 2023 Congress.

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

For our 832-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: WADA survey shows doping is about performance, but also meeting expectations; education seen as the key to prevention

By
Rich Perelman
-

(★ BRAVO to our 45 donors, who have covered 77% of our site costs for services for the first six months of 2022. If you enjoy this coverage, please donate here. ★)

● Plus: Russia: Expect appeals from 50 national federations to the Court of Arbitration for Sport = Milan Cortina 2026: Organizing committee says CEO will stay = Winter Games 2030: Vancouver referendum motion rescinded = Athletics: USA Track & Field issues ‘24 Marathon Trials RFP; Philippine star Obiena settles with federation = Football: Riot mars Ghana-Nigeria qualifier as doping control physician dies, and Egypt’s Salah hit with laser pointers on penalty shot vs. Senegal; British teen gets six weeks in jail for racist Tweet re Euro 2020 Final; Qatar 2022 sells more than 800,000 tickets in first sales effort = SCOREBOARD: Football: U.S. men finish World Cup qualifying with 2-0 loss at Costa Rica, but are in for Qatar ‘22 ●

Why do athletes use performance-enhancing drugs?

The obvious answer is to enhance performance, but a new survey from the World Anti-Doping Agency show that there are also other factors in play.

The “Athlete Vulnerabilities Research Project” was released Tuesday and reports the results of a modest mid-2021 survey designed to find out the motivating factors in doping and the view of athletes and support staff in prevalence and prevention.

It’s hardly comprehensive – “Completed questionnaires were obtained from 355 sport personnel (coaches/technical personnel, medical personnel and administrators/leaders of sport federations) from 85 countries and 46 sports, and 219 athletes from 30 countries and 35 sports, a total of 574 respondents from 85 countries and 59 sports” – but it gives an insight into the thinking of a small sample of people on the front line of sport in multiple countries. Some highlights:

● Motivations

Sure, increasing performance was no. 1, but there are other significant factors in play other than an athlete’s own desire to do better. The nine identified motivators among athletes:

1. 57% said Performance Enhancement
2. 49% said Meeting Expectations
3. 32% said Compensate for Deficiencies
3. 32% said Concentration Enhancement
5. 29% said Search of Approval
6. 27% said Gain of Financial Rewards
7. 23% said Medical Motivation
8. 22% said Aesthetic Enhancement
9. 20% said Recreational Motivation

That half cited the pressure of “Meeting Expectations” is a major red flag in looking at doping, and was a major factor in one of the most infamous doping cases, that of American sprint star Marion Jones. She said she turned to doping prior to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, fearing that she was slipping back from her 1997 and 1999 World Championships form, where she was dominant.

Coaches and support staff saw athlete motivation a little differently; their top five:

1. 73% said Performance Enhancement
2. 55% said Meeting Expectations
3. 42% said Compensate for Deficiencies
4. 41% said Search of Approval
5. 37% said Gain of Financial Rewards

Again, the pressure element ranked high, although better performances were still most important.

● Vulnerabilities

When considering doping itself, the top risks in doping differed significantly between athletes and support staff. For athletes, the factors cited by more than 15% out of 35 factors:

1. 30% said Need for Fast Physical Change
2. 26% said Negative Social Environment
2. 26% said Health Condition
4. 25% said High Rate of Injury
5. 21% said Strength-driven Sport
6. 20% said Nutritional Supplements
7. 18% said Goal Orientation
8. 16% said Pressure of Expectation
8. 16% said Increased Physicality Requirement

There was no one outstanding factor seen as more risky than others. For coaches and support staff, the answer was much different:

1. 50% said Nutritional Supplements
2. 25% said Pressure of Expectation
3. 24% said Need for Fast Physical Change
4. 23% said Goal Orientation
5. 21% said Negative Social Environment

In terms of who is going to be doping, the answer was clear: the higher the level, the more the pressure for doping. Among male athletes, 37% said the pressure was highest at the international level, compared to only 18% at the national level or 16% among youth. For women, 29% of athletes said the international-level athlete was most likely to dope, compared with only 12% at the national level.

Once again, it’s about pressure, something to keep in mind as we observe athletes rising in the public consciousness and especially those who are not part of teams, with permanent care teams of coaches, trainers and other support staff.

A fascinating question was asked about the perceived prevalence of doping:

“Overall, the total sample estimated 21% of athletes to be doping. Athletes had a higher estimation at 25% compared to all stakeholders at 21%. Stakeholder types varied with their estimates, with coaches/technical personnel estimating 22%, medical personnel 17% and administrators/federation leaders the lowest at 15%.”

Asked who the most important influencers are at varying stages of their careers, athletes at the top levels of competition – including national and international level – cited their coach, trainer and manager. Younger athletes paid more attention to coaches and parents, but also to their teammates and peers.

What’s the best way to prevent doping and reduce the vulnerabilities? Athletes cited four elements more than any others:

1. 64% said Education
2. 39% said Nutritional Support
3. 37% said Psychological Support
4. 36% said Education of Athlete Support Personnel
(no others above 22%)

Among athlete support staff, “education” was cited 84% of the time as the best way to prevent doping, followed by more education of athlete support staff (34%) and psychological support (also 34%).

The report was compiled by WADA, in cooperation with the University of Sherbrooke in Canada.

Observed: This is only the first step, and a small one at that, to learn more about athlete and support staff attitudes toward doping and prevention. What is does show – clearly – is that athletes have to be constantly reminded not to use prohibited substances in a race to get to the top and/or stay there.

Given the extreme demands of being a professional athlete and the short careers of even the biggest superstars in most sports, one cannot directly compare being an athlete with a lifetime career in accounting or law or being an electrician or a plumber. But many professions require continuing education to maintain licenses as a way to ensure a basic level of knowledge that the public can expect from any licensed individual.

Are we not at the stage today that all athletes – and that means all – should be required to attend and complete a mandatory anti-doping and competition integrity session before participating in (1) annual national championships, (2) selection events for World Championships or regional or Olympic Games, if not part of the nationals and (3) at all World Championships and major regional championships and Games.

Is it too much to ask that athletes from as many as 200 different countries sit for 90 minutes to be sure they understand that there are worldwide penalties based on the World Anti-Doping Code and if they cooperate with bettors or others engaged in match-fixing?

There are now well-developed educational program within the World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Testing Agency to do this, and emerging tools in the competition integrity area to be sure everyone knows what the rules are.

Would that have stopped American sprint star Marion Jones from doping in 2000? Maybe not, but it would have been a counterbalance to other messages she was getting at the time, and if someone of her stature had been telling younger athletes what happened to her – including imprisonment – would they listen?

Yes. The first Games to implement this should be Paris in 2024, with electronic certificates of completion issued, eventually to be a requirement to enter any major international competition.

Being a world-class athletes is a serious undertaking; no reason they should be not be just as serious about refraining from doping.

Rich Perelman
Editor

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Russia ● The Russian Minister of Sport, Oleg Matytsin, told the Russian news agency TASS that more than 50 Russian national sports federations are working together to file appeals against the widespread bans imposed by international sports federations.

The appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport will ask for the bans to be annulled or reduced, tracking back to the International Olympic Committee’s request to ban Russian participation back on 28 February.

● XXV Olympic Winter Games: Milan Cortina 2026 ● In response to a widely-picked-up La Repubblica story that Milan Cortina 2026 chief executive Vincenzo Novari will be replaced, the AroundTheRings.com site reported a denial from an organizing committee spokesperson.

Saying “we haven’t any news about changes in our future,” the spokesperson added “The relationship between our president Mr. [Giovanni] Malago and Vincenzo Novari is super and the relationship between Novari and our stakeholders is also very strong.”

The Milan Cortina 2026 board is scheduled to meet on 6 April.

● XXVI Olympic Winter Games: 2030 ● Vancouver City Council member Colleen Hardwick withdrew her motion to ask for a referendum on the bid for the 2030 Winter Games on Tuesday evening, prior to any consideration.

The politics of the motion, seen as challenging an understanding with the historic tribes in the region who have agreed to lead the bid effort, were fragile at best and may not have attracted even a second in the City Council.

Hardwick, who is challenging incumbent Mayor Kennedy Stewart – who is against the motion – said she will re-introduce the motion in two weeks after more discussion.

● Athletics ● USA Track & Field released a 70-page Request for Proposal for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, with a $100,000 rights fee and a projected “$20 million Economic impact to your city.”

Interested bidders must signal their intention on 15 April and the proposal is due by 20 May. A site visit will be made and a decision is expected by 14 July. As usual, any bidder has very limited revenue opportunities:

“The USOPC owns all revenue sources, as well as all media and licensing rights, associated with the Olympic Team Trials – Marathon. No sponsor or partner that is not a USOPC sponsor may receive any recognition associated with the Olympic Team Trials – Marathon and no sponsor or partner may receive any benefits in association with the Olympic Trials without the express written consent of USATF and the USOPC. Furthermore, USATF and USOPC sponsors and suppliers shall have a right of first refusal with respect to business opportunities related to the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon.

“Notwithstanding the above, via USATF’s contract with USOPC, certain opportunities may be made available to local supporters of the LOC and others. In general, USATF and the USOPC will grant the LOC certain rights (subject to Visa’s exclusivity outlined below) to ticket sales, in-stadium food and beverage concessions, and agreed upon local partnerships (local revenues) to the LOC. The grant of these revenue sources will be subject to venue-specific negotiation and revenue sharing. Accordingly, LOCs should propose a complete revenue plan as part of its bid. This plan must include a comprehensive ticket and event marketing plan and promotions program. Advice may be provided to LOCs as it relates to marketing and promotions packages upon request.”

The Road Race Management site commented, “At least the last four cities to host the trials, Atlanta in 2020, Los Angeles in 2016, Houston in 2012 and New York and Boston in 2007 lost money on the event, in some reported instances over $1 million.”

Rich Kenah, the head of the Atlanta Track Club, indicated that his group would not bid for 2024.

Philippine vault star and Tokyo Olympian E.J. Obiena has reportedly reached an agreement with the Philippine track & field federation which will allow him to represent the country in international competitions such as the Southeast Asian Games and the World Athletics Championships in Eugene in July.

The federation had accused Obiena last October of misusing funds intended for his coach, which both he and the coach vigorously denied, but suspended him anyway. That has been ended. Obiena was not allowed to compete at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Serbia, despite ranking fifth on the 2022 year list, with a national record of 5.91 m (19-4 3/4).

● Football ● The qualifying contests for the FIFA World Cup are coming to a close, but not always in a pleasant way.

In Dakar (SEN), Egypt had won the first of the home-and-home series by 1-0 and after a 1-0 win by Senegal that tied the cumulative score at 1-1, extra time was held and then penalty kicks. Egypt’s star forward Mohamed Salah lined up for his penalty shot, but had what appeared to be dozens of laser pointers aimed at his face in an effort to distract him, and his shot went high and over the goal.

Senegal won the shoot-out by 3-1 and advance to the World Cup. The Egyptian Football Association released a statement, including:

“The Egyptian team was subjected to racism after offensive banners appeared in the stadium stands against the players, specifically against Mohamed Salah, the team leader.

“The crowds also terrorized the players by throwing glass and rocks at them during the warm-up process.

“Additionally, the Egyptian mission’s buses were attacked, causing their windows to break, injuring and wounding some, which was documented with photos and videos that were taken and risen with the complaint.”

FIFA said it was aware and would review the incidents.

In Abuja (NGR), Ghana and Nigeria tied, 1-1, with the aggregate score of the two matches tied as well (0-0 first match). Ghana advanced due to scoring an away goal, allowing it to advance to the World Cup, but causing a riot on the field.

Spectators without tickets had rushed the stadium prior to the game, and some ticketholders were turned away as a safety precaution. Fans rushed the field after the game, overturned the team benches and were rushed by police, who also used tear gas to clear the field.

Even worse was the death of Zambian physician Joseph Kabungo, serving as an anti-doping officials on behalf of the Confederation of African Football. The official report stated:

“Kabungo had a cardiac arrest when walking towards the team dressing rooms and collapsed on the floor. Both team doctors and other medical personnel administered CPR on him, but after a while, he was taken to hospital, and that’s when the terrible news was confirmed.”

A 19-year-old British man, Justin Lee Price, was given a six-week jail sentence for posting a racist Twitter message targeting English striker Marcus Radford after he missed a penalty shot against Italy in the UEFA 2020 final in London.

Said prosecutor Mark Johnson: “Price targeted a footballer based on the colour of his skin and his action was clearly racist and a hate crime. I hope this case sends out the message that we will not tolerate racism and offenders will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

FIFA reported that the first round of sales for the Qatar 2022 World Cup resulted in 804,186 ticket purchases, with Qatar, the United States, England, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, India, Brazil, Argentina, and Saudi Arabia the top-ten purchasers.

The next phase will open on 5 April, following the Final Draw coming up on Friday.

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Football ● The CONCACAF World Cup qualifying marathon concluded on Wednesday, with Canada, Mexico and the U.S. heading to Qatar, but as the Americans lost to a young Costa Rican side, 2-0, on the road in San Jose.

The first half was physical, with 13 fouls – nine by the home team – and the U.S. maintaining 61% of the possession. Playing most of the half in Costa Rican territory, the U.S. got eight shots to six, with two good chances. Off a corner, Miles Robinson brought down a volley to the left of the box in the eighth minute, and sent a right-footed missile straight at goal that got behind keeper Keylor Navas, but he was able to cover it short of the goal line. Striker Ricardo Pepi hit a hard shot from the right side in the 13th minute, that was blocked out of bounds by Navas.

The U.S. got a quick triple chance in the 48th minute, but could not score. Off a free kick by Christian Pulisic, Miles Robinson sent a swift header to the corner of the Costa Rican goal that was blocked by Navas. But the ball came right to Tim Weah and his shot was saved, with the rebound hit by Walker Zimmerman at goal again, but Navas handled it.

But the game changed just three minutes later, as a Costa Rican out-swinging corner by Brandon Aguilera met the head of a charging Juan Vargas, with the shot flying past U.S. keeper Zack Steffen for a 1-0 home lead.

It got better for the home team as the U.S. defense got sloppy. Costa Rica went up 2-0 after a save by Steffen on striker Anthony Contreras resulted in the rebound going wide and midfielder Jewison Bennette’s pass across the U.S. net found a running Contreras behind Steffen and he pounded the ball into the net in the 59th minute.

The U.S. had most of the remaining possession, but could not finish its attacks, either against Navas, or his replacement, Esteban Alvarado, who came in at the 77th minute due to injury. The Americans ended with 65% possession and 15 shots to 12.

The loss means the U.S. has still never won in Costa Rica, now 0-11-2 all time, and 0-10-1 in road World Cup qualifying games. But they are back to the World Cup – for the 11th time – after infamously missing the 2018 event in Russia.

Elsewhere, Mexico defeated El Salvador, 2-0, in Mexico City; Panama scored a rough, 1-0 win over Canada in Panama City in a game with 32 fouls, and Jamaica finished with a 2-1 win over Honduras in Kingston. So, in the end, the CONCACAF standings:

1. 28 points: Canada (8-2-4; +16 goal differential)
2. 28 points: Mexico (8-2-4; +9)
3. 25 points: United States (7-3-4; +11)
4. 25 points: Costa Rica (7-3-4; +5)
5. 21 points: Panama (6-5-3; -2)
6. 11 points: Jamaica (2-7-5; -10)
7. 10 points: El Salvador (2-8-4; -10)
8. 4 points: Honduras (0-10-4; -19)

The impressive scoreless draw with Mexico in Mexico City on 24 March ended up being the key to the U.S.’s third-place finish; otherwise, the Americans are in the inter-continental qualifier.

Costa Rica finished 6-0-1 in its last seven qualifiers and will face New Zealand in a play-off for another slot at the World Cup.

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

For our 832-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THE TICKER: Dillard’s 1948 Olympic 100 m gold on auction; Spain’s 2030 Winter bid in disarray; gymnasts ask Sport Canada to investigate abuse

By
Rich Perelman
-
Harrison Dillard's 1948 Olympic men's 100 m gold, now on auction (Photo courtesy Ingrid O'Neil Auctions)

(★ THANK YOU to the 45 donors who have covered 77% of our site costs for services for the first six months of 2022. Like the coverage? Please donate here. ★)

● Plus: Seoul 1988: Seoul Sports Complex in $1.8 billion renovation = Milan Cortina 2026: New chief executive to be named next month = Biathlon: IBU suspends Belarus and Russia = Gymnastics: USA Gymnastics to replace women’s program head with three; names 2022 Hall of Fame class = Swimming: USA Swimming announces Indianapolis as 2024 Trials site = Wrestling: USOPC & USA Wrestling ask NCAA to table training center rule change = SCOREBOARD: Football: Portugal and Poland qualify for Qatar ‘22; U.S. faces Costa Rica in final CONCACAF qualifier ●

The latest news, notes and quotes from the worldwide Five-Ring Circus:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

Another massive auction of Olympic memorabilia by veteran dealer Ingrid O’Neil is underway and will conclude on 9 April. The dazzling program includes 502 lots, starting with the men’s 100 m gold medal won by legendary American sprinter and hurdler Harrison “Bones” Dillard.

Inspired by Jesse Owens, who attended the same high school – Cleveland East Technical – Dillard was best known as a hurdler, but failed to make the London ‘48 U.S. team in his specialty. But he did make the American team in the 100 m and won the gold in a major upset over teammate Barney Ewell, 10.3-10.4, with favored Mel Patton sixth.

Four years later, in Helsinki, he won the 110 m high hurdles in another tight finish, this time with fellow American Jack Davis, both timed in 13.7. And Dillard ran on both of the winning U.S. men’s 4×100 m teams in London and Helsinki for four career golds in all.

Dillard, universally known not only as a great athlete, but as a gentle, pleasant and kind man, passed away in 2019 at age 96.

Offered with the original case, the medal was made available by Dillard’s daughter, Terri, with bidding starting at $120,000.

There are plenty of other interesting lots in the auction, including:

● An amazing winner’s medal from the first modern Games in 1896! These were in silver – not gold yet – picturing Zeus on the obverse and the Acropolis in Athens on the reverse. A bid of $80,000 has already been received!

● A solid gold winner’s medal for the football (soccer) tournament at the 1904 St. Louis Olympic Games, won by the Galt Football Club of Ontario, Canada. Bids start at $95,000.

● A Stockholm 1912 silver medal, in its presentation case, starting at $7,000, and a bronze medal, starting at $5,000.

There is a staggering selection of additional Olympic medals offered, from Antwerp 1920, from the first Winter Games in Chamonix (FRA) in 1924 (one already has a $26,000 bid), Paris 1924, Amsterdam 1928, St. Moritz 1928 Winter, Los Angeles 1932, Berlin 1936, London 1948, St. Moritz 1948 Winter, Oslo 1952 Winter, 1952 Helsinki, 1956 Melbourne, 1960 Rome, Innsbruck 1964 Winter, 1972 Sapporo Winter, 1976 Innsbruck Winter, Montreal 1976, Moscow 1980, Lake Placid 1980 Winter, Calgary 1988 Winter, Seoul 1988, Albertville 1992 Winter, Salt Lake City 2002 Winter and Rio 2016, plus the 1906 10-year Anniversary Games in Athens and many Paralympic Games medals.

And, of course, no Olympic memorabilia auction would be complete without Olympic torches, and there are 31 to choose from:

● 1936 Berlin: $5,000 starting bid
● 1948 London: $7,500
● 1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter: $22,000
● 1960 Rome: $7,000
● 1964 Tokyo: $11,000
● 1968 Mexico City (2): $3,000 and $2,000
● 1972 Munich: $2,000
● 1976 Montreal: $2,600
● 1976 Innsbruck Winter: $22,000
● 1980 Moscow (2): $2,800 and $1,500
● 1984 Los Angeles: $4,000
● 1984 Sarajevo Winter: $5,500
● 1988 Seoul: $5,000
● 1988 Calgary Winter: $28,000
● 1992 Barcelona: $5,000
● 1992 Albertville Winter: $65,000
● 1996 Atlanta: $2,400
● 2000 Sydney: $3,750
● 2002 Salt Lake City Winter: $3,250
● 2004 Athens: $2,800
● 2006 Turin Winter: $1,800
● 2008 Beijing: $5,000
● 2010 Vancouver 2010 Winter: $1,800
● 2012 London: $5,000
● 2014 Sochi Winter: $2,600
● 2016 Rio de Janeiro: $3,500
● 2020 Tokyo (2): $12,000 and $9,500
● 2022 Beijing Winter: $12,000 already bid

An enormous sampling of Olympic participation medals is also available; truly a sensational offering of Olympic hardware spanning the entire modern Olympic era. Bidding continues to 9 April.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Games of the XXXIV Olympiad: Seoul 1988 ● The Seoul Sports Complex, built for the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988 Olympic Games, is being redeveloped in a $1.8 billion project that is expected to begin construction in mid-2023.

The Populous architectural and planning firm detailed the program on Monday, with the Olympic Stadium preserved and new facilities to be added or revamped, such as a convention center, concert hall, an 11,000-seat sports arena, 35,000-seat baseball park, 3,000-seat swim complex and 2-3 hotels or office towers.

Now known as the Jamsil Sports MICE Complex, it hosted track & field, football and equestrian jumping in the Olympic Stadium in 1988, plus swimming, basketball, volleyball, boxing and baseball in other facilities.

● XXV Olympic Winter Games: Milan Cortina 2026 ● Italian media are reporting that Vincenzo Novari, head of the Milano Cortina 2026 organizing committee, will be replaced soon.

Hired in November 2019, Novari is expected to move on after the 6 April board meeting, being seen as slow to integrate himself into the international-sport community in Italy. According to La Repubblica:

“To replace Novari, there are various solutions: one could be Michele Uva, now at UEFA. Certainly, Uva has strong experience in sports management and excellent contacts also at an international level. Then, other candidates could be Alessandro Antonello, CEO of [Inter Milan], [retail executive] Alberto Baldan and Gianfranco Battisti, former CEO of Ferrovie dello Stato [railway].”

Novari stated that the organizing committee’s financial responsibilities include domestic sponsorships, ticketing, merchandising, but these have been seem as lagging so far.

● XXVI Olympic Winter Games: 2030 ● “It is unacceptable that the bid benefits one party to the detriment of the other, it is unacceptable for a part of the Pyrenees to be left without the benefit of the Games.”

So much for the technical agreement on the organization of the Spanish bid for the 2030 Olympic Winter Games, reported last week from discussions brokered by the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE).

Javier Lamban, President of the Government of Aragon, blasted the plan on Tuesday, saying the distribution of events was “unbalanced” between Aragon and Catalonia. He plans to present a different plan, which is not yet ready to be divulged.

Lamban complained that the proposal from the COE assigned curling to Jaca and figure skating and speed skating to Zaragoza and did not place any events within the section of the Pyrenees Mountains in Aragon. Biathlon and cross-country skiing were also to be held in Aragon.

This stops the Pyrenees-Barcelona bid in its tracks, and referenda are still to be held to determine the public attitude towards the concept of chasing the Games. The bids for Salt Lake City and Sapporo continue on, along with a developing concept from Vancouver (CAN), which hosted in 2010.

● Biathlon ● The International Biathlon Union’s Executive Board suspended both Russian and Belarus, “with immediate effect.” The announcement included:

“Both federations have violated the humanitarian obligations for member federations under the IBU Constitution. These violations by RBU and BiFB bring the IBU and the sport of biathlon into disrepute, and their active membership would undermine the IBU’s and its members’ efforts to promote its constitutional principles and purposes with credibility.

“In addition, the EB agreed that given the Russian invasion of Ukraine has stopped the activities of the Ukrainian Biathlon Federation it would be unfair for the NFs of the attacking countries to continue to enjoy the full rights of IBU membership when their nations have disrupted the conduct of sport in Ukraine.”

Both countries are biathlon powers. Belarus scored an Olympic silver in Beijing and 12 World Cup medals this past season and Russia won four Olympic medals (0-1-3) and had 15 World Cup medals, including four wins. But the season won’t start up again until the end of November.

The Russian Biathlon Union has filed an appeal to the decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

● Gymnastics ● “We are coming forward with our experiences of abuse, neglect, and discrimination in hopes of forcing change.

“We ask Sport Canada to take action to ensure the next generation of Canadian gymnasts is not subject to the physical and psychological trauma that we have had to endure.”

This from a letter signed by 70 current and former Canadian gymnasts, alleging emotional, physical, and sexual abuse from Canadian coaches, reported on Monday.

The letter explains that “The current Board and CEO of GymCan have failed to address these issues and have failed to earn the trust and confidence of athletes. Their inability to adequately respond to ongoing systemic abuse, mistreatment, and discrimination is troubling.”

Canadian bobsledders and skeleton racers sent a similar request for governmental oversight three weeks ago.

Sport Canada is a governmental agency responsible for “access to sport as part of a healthy and active lifestyle, and help high performance athletes participate and succeed in competitions.” It is not the Canadian Olympic Committee, which is the recognized National Olympic Committee in the country.

The gymnasts, like the bobsled & skeleton athletes, are looking for a public investigation and report on the situation in their sport.

USA Gymnastics is changing the staff leadership of its women’s high-performance program to include three people instead of one.

Tom Forster retired as the federation’s women’s elite performance director after the Tokyo Games, but will be replaced with three people instead of one. The Associated Press reported that the federation explained to members that having a single manager

“created either the perception or reality of one person having total control over the program and National Team athletes. Such control – whether real or perceived – is not healthy or balanced for athletes or for the sport. Those perceptions also put untenable pressure on a single person.”

So, individuals to manage (1) athlete development (2) technical training and performance and (3) overall direction and strategy of the program are being sought. This newest step in response to the tight scrutiny the federation is under following the massive Nassar scandal will succeed or fail, of course, on the people selected.

The Federation Internationale de Gymnastique announced a “Special Aid for Ukraine” fund, coordinated through the federation’s Foundation for Solidarity, to support the Ukrainian federation and their FIG-licensed athletes.

USA Gymnastics announced its 2022 Hall of Fame class, including Olympic medal winners Annia Hatch and Jonathan Horton.

Hatch came to the U.S. from Cuba, where she was the 1996 Worlds bronze medalist on Vault. After becoming an American citizen in 2001, she was a National Team member from 2002-04 and won a Team silver and Vault silver at the 2004 Athens Games. She has continued her support of the sport as a coach.

Horton was an 18-time All-American at Oklahoma and was the U.S. men’s All-Around champ in 2009 and 2010. He won an Olympic Team bronze and Horizontal Bar silver at the 2008 Beijing Games and claimed World Championships medals in 2010 (All-Around bronze) and 2011 (Team bronze).

Also named with Lifetime Achievement Awards were Artistic coaches Tammy Biggs and the late Tim Rand; London 2012 Olympic and University of Michigan coach Kurt Golder; 2008 Olympic Trampoline performer Erin Blanchard and Acrobatic Mixed Pair World Championships medalists Kiley Boynton and Ryan Ward.

● Swimming ● USA Swimming and the Indiana Sports Corporation formally announced that the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials will be at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The project will include:

● “Three temporary pools, two 50-meter and one 25-meter, will be installed over the field”;

● “The Indiana Convention Center, connected to the stadium, will feature USA Swimming’s Toyota Aqua Zone”;

● “USA Swimming and the Indiana Sports Corp expect to create a city-wide festival throughout the course of the event to celebrate the sport of swimming.”

The Trials were a huge hit in Omaha, Nebraska in 2008-12-16-21, with a 14,500 spectator capacity at the CHI Health Center. The 2024 Trials are expected to double that capacity or more, with a proposed layout shown as:

Projected layout of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium (Image: USA Swimming)

Beyond the pool, “USA Swimming and the Indiana Sports Corp. will commit a total of $400,000 to Legacy Projects to ensure increased access to water for children in underserved areas of the Indianapolis region. The entities will work with programs and facilities in need of financial and programmatic assistance, with the ultimate goals of promoting the sport of swimming and the life-saving skills of water safety.”

● Wrestling ● A modest test of the expanding cooperation between the NCAA and the U.S. Olympic community – specially USA Wrestling – is coming in mid-April in the form of a proposed rule change at the NCAA Division I Council.

At issue is the use of wrestling Regional Training Centers, established in 2009 to help stem the loss of college wrestling programs – 55 had closed over the prior 28 years – by allowing high school and college athletes to train in the Olympic classes of Freestyle and Greco-Roman, vs. the Folkstyle rules used by the NCAA.

There are 44 schools using RTC program and the emerging women’s wrestling movement has 30 athletes currently involved, including 13 active U.S. national team members. Proposal 2019-50 was submitted by the Mid-American and Southern Conferences, concerned that Regional Training Centers have also become recruiting mills for the top collegiate programs.

USA Wrestling and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee have urged the proposal to be tabled in view of operating changes which have narrowed the use of the RTC programs to high school wrestlers and an infractions oversight program to avoid abuse. The outcome will provide a noteworthy signal on the progress of cooperation between the pressure on recruiting prep stars and maintaining and expanding the wrestling pipeline to the elite level.

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Football ● Europe dominated the 2018 World Cup in Russia, producing six of the eight quarterfinalists and all four semifinalists. On Tuesday, UEFA nearly completed its qualifying competitions for 2022, with Portugal and Poland advancing to the Qatar World Cup in November.

Portugal defeated North Macedonia, 2-0, in Porto, with Bruno Fernandes scoring in the 32nd and 65th minutes in “Path C”; Robert Lewandowski scored on a penalty kick in the 50th minute to key Poland’s 2-0 win in Chorzow in “Path B”. Still to be determined is “Path A,” with Wales waiting to meet the winner of Scotland and Ukraine, right now expected to be played in June.

UEFA’s 10 qualifying group winners, already set for Qatar, include Germany, Denmark, France, Belgium, Croatia, Spain, Serbia, England, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

The U.S. men’s National Team will finish its CONCACAF World Cup qualifying schedule with a final match at San Jose, Costa Rica on Wednesday at 9:05 p.m. Eastern time, shown on the CBS Sports Network and Universo.

According to U.S. Soccer, “the USA would punch its ticket to Qatar 2022 with a win, draw, or loss by less than six goals against Los Ticos.”

Costa Rica stands fourth in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying standings with 22 points to 28 for Canada (clinched), and 25 for the U.S. and Mexico. However, the U.S. has a goal-differential advantage of +13 compared to +7 for Mexico and +3 for Costa Rica.

The U.S. beat Costa Rica by 2-1 last October in Columbus, but is 0-10-2 against them on the road and 0-9-1 in road World Cup qualifying games. Los Ticos are 5-0-1 in their last six qualifying matches and if fourth, will face an Oceanian team in a playoff for Qatar 2022.

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

For our 832-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: USOPC, Salt Lake City to rev up 2030 bid; U.S. teams from Tokyo and Beijing to be saluted at White House in May

By
Rich Perelman
-

(★ BRAVO to our 45 donors, who have covered 77% of our site costs for services for the first six months of 2022. If you enjoy this coverage, please donate here. ★)

● Plus: Russia: Poll shows not much outrage about athlete bans = World Games 2022: Birmingham organizers to help fund Ukraine participation = Olympic Winter Games 2030: Spanish coordinating regional cooperation on bid = Athletics: ‘84 200 m silver winner Baptiste passes at 59 = Swimming: NCAA head Emmert sees no change on transgenders = SCOREBOARD: Swimming: France’s Marchand, Americans Curry
& Finke star at NCAA men’s champs ●

Finally getting some time to breathe after fielding teams for the Olympic Games in Tokyo and the Beijing Winter Games, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s board of directors met last week, with future programs already needing attention.

During a Monday briefing with reporters, USOPC Chair Susanne Lyons explained that the 2030 Winter Games candidature of Salt Lake City had been stalled by the back-to-back Games in 2021 and 2022, in addition to the Covid issues still dogging major events around the world.

But, the process is starting up again:

● A technical team from the International Olympic Committee is expected in Salt Lake City in April, to see the proposed facilities – all existing and in use – for the 2030 Winter Games, and to better understand the concepts for financing and organization.

● A USOPC and the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games plan to visit the IOC in Lausanne in June for more discussions, a session that had been hoped for last November or December, but is only now possible.

Salt Lake City is a front-runner, along with Sapporo (JPN), the 1972 host city, with bids from Canada (Vancouver) and Spain (Pyrenees-Barcelona) still in the organizing phase.

Discussions between the USOPC, the Salt Lake City team and the Los Angeles 2028 organizers are continuing, especially in the context of how the domestic sponsorship program could be expanded to include opportunities for more continuity, with back-to-back Games in 2028 and 2030.

Lyons said that no selection is expected in 2022 and that a decision should be made by mid-2023.

Also coming in the future may be a change in the way that Paralympic sport is organized in the U.S., with the idea being to have Olympic-sport National Governing Bodies taking on responsibility for Paralympic programming as well. USOPC chief executive Sarah Hirshland noted that there is no definitive timeline for this effort: more of a concept than a plan, but which would relieve the USOPC of some of the direct governance responsibilities it currently has for many of the Paralympic sports.

This is a project which is being seen worldwide as well, for example, with the International Paralympic Committee discussing a transfer of international governance of elite-level para-skiing with the Federation Internationale de Ski (FIS). In the U.S., this could be a powerful boost for individual Paralympic sports, but the question of added NGB funding is sure to come up.

Looking back at Tokyo and Beijing, Hirshland noted the excellent results of the U.S. teams in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. She made a special point of the outstanding work of the USOPC medical team, with just two Tokyo positives and nine in Beijing, and of the 11 total, only three were athletes.

That’s pretty impressive.

There has been no further word on the resolution of the Figure Skating Team event from Beijing, where the U.S. skaters placed second, while the winning Russian team may be disqualified if the initial doping positive for Kamila Valieva is confirmed. The matter is being reviewed by both the Russian Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and the U.S. can only wait for a resolution.

A major celebration of the Tokyo and Beijing Olympic and Paralympic teams – possibly over 800 athletes in total – is being planned for May at the White House in Washington. D.C. The first in-person USOPC Assembly in a while is also being planned for 22-24 June.

The Board also had extensive discussions about sport integrity, including doping and the expanding questions around transgender athletes, but regarding the latter, the rule-making authority is in the hands of the International Federations.

Lyons underscored that while it’s almost back to business-as-usual, there is a lot of business to be done.

Rich Perelman
Editor

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Russia ● According to a new poll reported by the Russian news agency TASS, the Russian public may not be all that worked up about its athletes being barred from international competitions.

While 91% of the 1,600 respondents in the 21 March survey said they were aware of the widespread athlete bans in response to the “special military operation” in Ukraine, only 32% thought the invasion was the sole reason and 62% thought Russians would have been banned in any case, based on prior scandals.

Moreover, just 15% said Russia should fight for restoring athlete’s competitive opportunities and 24% thought Russia should hold its own competitions and invite other countries. Less than half – 48% – suggested Russia should do both.

● XI World Games: Birmingham 2022 ● The International World Games Association has agreed with the Birmingham organizers of July’s World Games to share a portion of the ticket and merchandising revenue to support the Ukrainian delegation.

Some 103 Ukrainian athletes have qualified for the World Games, but getting to Alabama is not going to be easy. IWGA President Jose Perurena (ESP) said Monday, “I am happy to have received great support for this idea. This is also about using the money to rebuild the bombed sports venues after the war, which hopefully will end soon.”

If possible, funding could allow some Ukrainian athletes to come to the U.S. early for training prior to the Games; the IWGA will also ask for assistance from the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Solidarity fund.

● XXVI Olympic Winter Games: 2030 ● The Spanish candidature for 2030 was reported by local media to have become better formalized, in an agreement between the regions of Aragon and Catalonia.

Friday’s “technical agreement” placed biathlon, cross-country skiing, figure skating, and speed skating in Aragon, with the remaining events in Catalonia, mainly in Barcelona (ice events) and the Pyrenees Mountains (skiing).

The Spanish Olympic Committee coordinated the discussions and is liaising with the Spanish government. A referendum on the bid is expected to be held in both regions this summer.

● Athletics ● Sad news with the confirmation of the 24 March passing of 1984 Olympic 200 m silver medalist Kirk Baptiste, at 59.

He was the NCAA 200 m champion in 1984 and 1985 for the University of Houston and was runner-up to Carl Lewis at the 1984 Olympic Trials and at the Los Angeles Games, posting a best of 19.96.

Baptiste was twice the U.S. national champion, winning the 100-200 m double in 1985; he had a 100 m best of 10.11.

● Swimming ● SwimmingWorld.com reported on a letter sent by NCAA President Mark Emmert in reply to a women’s swimming activist concerned about having transgender women – such as NCAA 500-yard champion Lia Thomas of Penn – swimming against biological females.

Emmert wrote that the association plans no changes to the approach it used with Thomas, including:

“As the top governing board of the NCAA, the Board of Governors firmly and unequivocally supports the opportunity for transgender student-athletes to compete in college sports.

“We understand there are differing views on transgender student-athlete participation in sport. The NCAA’s current policy is anchored in the evolving science on this issue and in the sport-specific policies of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s national governing bodies, of international federations and of the International Olympic Committee when relevant. Further, the policy provides the Board of Governors and the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports the opportunity to review and approve each policy to ensure it aligns with the core values of the NCAA. The resulting sport-by-sport approach preserves opportunities for transgender student-athletes while balancing fairness, inclusion and safety for all who compete.”

In Thomas’s situation, USA Swimming introduced fairly stringent transgender regulations on 1 February – which would not have allowed Thomas to compete – but the NCAA ignored them, and maintained its prior eligibility standards that did allow Thomas to swim.

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Swimming ● The men’s NCAA Championships concluded last Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia with Cal winning the national title, 487.5-436.5 over Texas, with Florida (374) third.

The individual standout was Arizona State freshman Leon Marchand, a Tokyo Olympian for France, who won the 200-yard Breaststroke and the 200-yard Medley, plus a second in the 400-yard Medley.

The other double winner was sprinter Brooks Curry (USA-LSU), who took the 50-yard Free and 100-yard Free. Double Olympic distance gold medalist Bobby Finke of Florida, won the 1,650-yard Free for the second straight year.

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

For our 832-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HEARD AT HALFTIME: Int’l Swimming League to skip 2022, return in 2023; not much NIL money outside of football & basketball; ‘24 swim trials to Indianapolis

By
Rich Perelman
-

(★ THANK YOU to our 45 donors, who have covered 77% of our site costs for services for the first six months of 2022. If you enjoy this coverage, please donate here. ★)

(For our Highlights of the weekend’s major competitions, click here. For coverage of the U.S.’s 5-1 win over Panama in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, click here.)

● Plus: Russia: New U.S. sanctions include three Olympic champs who are Duma members = NCAA: Most NIL money goes to football & basketball, little to others; adidas announces massive NIL program for its 109 Div. I schools and more = Amsterdam 1928: “Fascist salute” statute removed from outside Olympic stadium = Badminton: Four Chinese players get suspended sentences for 2018 honest-effort violations = Cycling: Italian star Colbrelli recovering from “unstable cardiac arrhythmia” at Volta a Catalunya = Figure Skating: Russian Valieva re-appears, places second in all-Russian team event = Gymnastics: German gymnast Sarah Voss saluted for new, modest option to the leotard = Modern Pentathlon: PentUnited athletes group criticizes season-opening World Cup in Cairo = Swimming: Indianapolis reported to get 2024 U.S. Trials = Weightlifting: USA Weightlifting offers Atlanta venue for 2022 Worlds = AT THE BUZZER: Big memorabilia auction Saturday in Paris includes 13 Olympic torches! ●

News, views and noise from the non-stop, worldwide circus of Olympic sport:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

“The war in Ukraine is a tragedy, having destroyed lives, families and homes. Many of our ISL colleagues remain trapped in Kyiv, and the conflict seems poised to continue for the foreseeable future.

“In light of this force majeure situation, we cannot, in good faith to our swimmers and our fans, commit to hosting any commercial matches in 2022. As such, we have made the difficult decision to postpone Season 4 to 2023.

“Importantly, the ISL is not going away. The League still has plans to expand our Junior League, to collaborate with the Master’s swimming community, and to ensure continuity with our Clubs through non-match events.”

Founded by Russian-born, Ukrainian billionaire Konstantin Grigorishin, the International Swimming League promised to revolutionize swimming with an expansive series of meets focused on soccer-style, region or nation-based clubs with an international mix of swimmers.

Now it’s on hiatus. Sunday’s announcement follows messaging from Grigorshin that access to funding from his usual banks has been strained (if not cut off) by the war.

The short-course league started in 2019, with eight teams and seven events from October to December, expanding to 10 teams with 13 events for 2020 and 17 matches in 2021, from August into December. A further schedule expansion from June through December was announced for 2022, but is now canceled.

More than 300 swimmers were contracted for the 10 teams, which paid salaries and performances bonuses, although some payments for prior seasons have not been made. The prize pool for the third season was reported at $13 million, and a message sent to ISL swimmers included:

“This decision has been made because we recognise that we cannot ask you to travel, train and compete on a promise alone. Rather, we must settle all of the ISL’s outstanding payments to each of you before we can push forward to another Season.”

This is a major development in elite swimming, which will create significant winners and losers, including in the courtroom, where the ISL and some of its swimmers have a continuing action against the international federation FINA in U.S. District Court.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Russia ● The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced last Thursday an expansive set of sanctions against Russian companies and 328 members of the Duma:

“OFAC is designating The State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (the Duma) and 328 of its members for their complicity in [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s war. The Duma, which is the Russian Parliament’s lower chamber, passed a resolution asking Putin to recognize [Donetsk People’s Republic] and [Luhansk People’s Republic] as independent states, though they are part of Ukraine.”

This includes three Olympic champions: Sergey Chepikov, the 1994 Lillehammer winner of the 10 km Sprint in Biathlon; Vyacheslav Fetisov, a defenseman on the 1984 and 1988 Olympic ice hockey winners, and Irina Rodnina, a triple gold medalist in Pairs skating in 1972-76-80.

● NCAA ● Football, women’s basketball and men’s basketball are by far the most popular sports for athletes to get Name-Image-Likeness compensation according to a survey of clients of Opendorse, a highly popular NIL service provider.

Through the end of February, football players received 50.0% of all NIL compensation tracked by Opendorse, with women’s basketballers at 18.5% and men’s basketball players at 15.0%.

Then it drops way down to 2.4% for women’s swimming & diving and volleyball, 1.8% for men’s swimming & diving, 1.6% for softball, 1.4% for baseball and 1.0% for men’s track & field and 0.9% for women’s track & field.

In terms of the number of deals getting done:

1. 31.6% for Football
2. 8.8% for Baseball
3. 6.7% for men’s Basketball
4. 5.6% for women’s Volleyball
5. 5.4% for women’s Track & Field
6. 4.9% for women’s Soccer
7. 4.6% for men’s Track & Field
8. 4.4% for Softball
9. 4.3% for women’s Basketball
10. 2.6% for women’s Swimming & Diving

Football completely skews the distribution of funding between men and women athletes: 71.7% of funds go to men in Division I, 66.7% in Division II and 69.8% in Division III. But we’re not talking about all that much in most cases; average compensation per athlete was $561 per deal for Division I and just $57 for Division II and $35 for Division III.

What do athletes get paid for?

1. 33.9% for posting content to their social accounts
2. 18.3% for signing something
3. 13.8% for licensing rights
4. 11.4% for creating content
5. 3.3% for appearing somewhere

The category of “other activities” constituted 16.2%. Translation: this entire concept is in its infancy.

The worldwide apparel brand adidas announced a remarkable Name-Image-Likeness program last week that it says will create a more “equitable future in sport.” According to the announcement:

“With the ability to reach over 50,000 student-athletes across 23 sports and 109 Division 1 NCAA schools, the new NIL program will give eligible student-athletes of all genders the opportunity, directly with adidas, to become paid affiliate brand ambassadors. Launching in four phases over the next 12 months, the network will begin with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Power-5 conference partners in Fall 2022, scaling across all schools by April 2023.”

Exactly what this means in dollars and sense was not detailed, but will be promoted by, among other things, “More is Possible” shirts provided the team members of adidas-affiliated schools.

● Games of the IX Olympiad: Amsterdam 1928 ● /Updated/A statue on the grounds of the Olympic Stadium which shows an athlete giving what appears to be a Fascist salute has been removed by the stadium authorities.

Known as the Van Tuyll monument, the figure was installed in 1928 – the same year as the Games were held in Amsterdam – and even though it pre-dates the rise of Nazi Germany by five years, it is known that the Fascist salute was originated in Italy in 1922 by Benito Mussolini’s National Fascist Party.

The statue has been criticized for several years and was scheduled to be moved to a less obvious location, but the decision was challenged and is yet to be resolved in court.

(Thanks to reader Brian Russell for noting this is a statue and not a statute!)

● Badminton ● “The four players were found to have violated Article 3.1.2 of the 2017 BWF Code of Conduct in Relation to Betting, Wagering and Irregular Match Results for failing to use best efforts to win a match at the Fuzhou China Open 2018.”

The Badminton World Federation issued three-month bans against four Chinese players: the now-retired Junhui Li, Jiting Li, Qiang Tan and Yuchen Liu, but suspended the sentences in favor of a two-year probationary period beginning 25 January 2022.

Junhui Li and Liu won the Tokyo Olympic silver medal in men’s Doubles and were the 2018 World Champions. Jiting Li and Tan were the 2021 World Championships silver medalists.

● Cycling ● Italian star Sonny Colbrelli – the Paris-Roubaix winner in 2021 – who was second at the line in last Monday’s opening stage at the just-completed Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, collapsed after the finish and had to be taken to a local hospital. His team, Bahrain Victorious, stated:

“Following the end of Stage 1 of Volta a Catalunya, our medical team can confirm that Sonny Colbrelli suffered from an unstable cardiac arrhythmia that required defibrillation.

“The cause is still to be determined, and the Italian rider will undergo further tests tomorrow at the Hospital Universitari de Girona.”

Colbrelli quickly stabilized; he told La Gazzetta dello Sport, “I’m here in the hospital, resting, I don’t remember anything. Only that I crossed the line, I stopped, I took the water and I collapsed. Then the emptiness, and I woke up in the hospital.”

● Figure Skating ● Russian star – and 2022 European Champion – Kamila Valieva re-appeared in competitive skating at the all-Russian Channel One Cup in Saransk, a team event held parallel to the ISU World Championships in France, from 25-27 March.

The “Red Machine” team defeated the “Team of Firsts” by 145-141, with Russian stars Mikhail Kolyada (men/Red), Anastasia Mishina and Aleksander Galliamov (Pairs/Time) and Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov (Ice Dance/Red) winning their events.

In the women’s event, Beijing gold medalist Anna Shcherbakova (Red) was the winner, scoring 259.02 to 257.51 for Valieva (Time) and 2015 World Champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (Time/247.86). Valieva, still just 15, won the Short Program – she was the leader at the Beijing Games after the Short Program – but Shcherbakova edged her in the Free Skate to earn the win.

● Gymnastics ● This is worth watching. The German Olympic Committee (DOSB) awarded its annual “Fair Play” prize to:

“Peter Fischer, President of Eintracht Frankfurt, who has been involved in socio-political matters for many years and has positioned himself very clearly against racism, and on gymnast Sarah Voss. At the European Championships in Basel, the gymnast made a strong statement against sexualization in sport with her performance in a body suit instead of the usual skimpy gymnastics outfit.”

Prof. Dr. Gudrun Doll-Tepper, the jury representative of the DOSB and the German Olympic Association, explained:

“Unfortunately, we have to realize that the sexualization of women and girls is still a hot topic in sport. With the choice of her competition outfit, Sarah Voss gave this important topic a platform and showed all those affected a simple and effective way to defend themselves. In this way, it unfolds a radiance that goes beyond sport.”

Observed: Simple, effective and not costly: the easiest path to compliance and expansion of an idea which needs to expand from gymnastics to all other sports. Brilliant and important.

● Modern Pentathlon ● While the first use of the Paris 2024 format for the sport – which still includes riding – was being used at the season-opening World Cup in Cairo (EGY), the athlete group PentUnited was busy on Twitter. A sample:

● “The @WorldPentathlon are not more important than athletes. Why are they allocated luxury treatment like VIP areas when none are given to the competing athletes. In fact, athletes were actively removed from this area as if they are an inconvenience. This is not ok.”

● “Who is responsible for the sport being where it is? The buck stops at the top. This team lost our Olympic place …. Why would anyone trust them to get it back? “Enough is enough. We deserve better.”

● “The problem is not riding. The problem is the UIPM. The UIPM has mismanaged riding, and they have mismanaged the entire sport for decades.”

The athlete group has been pushing to retain riding in the sport, as designed by modern Olympics founder Baron Pierre de Coubertin (FRA), but the International Olympic Committee is waiting for the UIPM to present a new fifth discipline and will weigh whether to invite the sport back onto the Olympic program for 2028 in Los Angeles.

● Swimming ● The Indianapolis Star reported on Sunday that the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials in swimming will be awarded to Indianapolis.

Reporter David Woods said a news conference will be held Tuesday, specifying the event to be held with temporary pools placed inside the Lucas Oil Stadium, the 67,000-seat home of the NFL Colts.

A custom configuration, including warm-up pools, would create a capacity of 30,000 or more, perhaps the largest-ever indoor swimming arena. The Trials were held before enthusiastic crowds in the CHI Health Center arena in Omaha, Nebraska in 2008-12-16-21, but the plan for the Indianapolis facility would allow for more than double the crowd (and the resultant revenue).

Omaha wanted the event back again, of course, and Minneapolis and St. Louis were also bidders.

● Weightlifting ● The ever-active USA Weightlifting is at the ready to help the floundering International Weightlifting Federation.

Already having offered Las Vegas as a possible site for the crucial IWF Electoral Congress in June, at which American Ursula Papandrea will be a candidate for President, USA Weightlifting chief executive Phil Andrews sent a letter to the IWF last Thursday, offering Atlanta as the site for the 2022 World Championships.

The letter notes that the U.S. has been a quality host of recent Worlds in Houston in 2015 and Anaheim in 2017, and that the Georgia International Conference Center, close by the city’s massive Hartsfield International Airport, is offered as the venue.

The 2022 Worlds were returned to the IWF by China in view of continuing Covid outbreaks; USA Weightlifting envisions maintaining the early November dates for the event.

It’s a good idea and once again provides new opportunities to raise the profile of a troubled sport when it needs it the most.

≡ AT THE BUZZER ≡

Another major auction of Olympic and sports memorabilia is coming from Paris-based Vermot & Associes, with 389 lots and 13 Olympic torches on offer.

More than half the lots deal with cycling, a great passion in France, but there are lots of Olympic-related items, from a set of matchboxes with pictograms from Mexico City ‘68 to a silver medal from the 1924 Paris Games to participant’s medals from London 1908, Paris 1924, the 1956 equestrian competition in Stockholm, Winter 1960 in Squaw Valley, California, Rome 1960, Tokyo 1964 and the 1972 Winter Games in Sapporo.

The Olympic torch line-up is impressive (1 Euro = $1.10):

● 1936: Berlin, expected to bring €4,500-5,500
● 1948: London, expected at €5,500-6,500
● 1948: London, expected at €6,000-8,000
● 1960: Rome, expected at €6,000-7,500
● 1964: Tokyo, expected at €6,000-6,800
● 1972: Munich, expected at €3,000-4,000
● 1980: Moscow, expected at €2,500-3,500
● 1992: Barcelona, expected at €2,000-2,500
● 2004: Athens, expected at €2,500-3,000
● 2008: Beijing, expected at €3,000-4,000
● 2012: London, expected at €4,000-5,000
● 2014: Sochi Winter, expected at €1,800-2,300
● 2020: Tokyo, expected at €8,500-9,500

The headline item of the show is a “golden bowl” – Le Bol d’or – created for an 1894 cycling race of the same name as a promotion for a new magazine, Paris-Pedale. Created by the noted French sculptor Francois-Raoul Larche in bronze, it weighs 33 pounds and stands 15 inches high. It is expected to sell for between €18,000-20,000!

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

For our 832-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

FOOTBALL: U.S. men stomp Panama, 5-1, to close in on World Cup 2022 berth, but not clinched yet; Canada is in

By
Rich Perelman
-
American star Christian Pulisic was the difference in the U.S.'s 1-0 win over Iran in the World Cup (Photo: U.S. Soccer Federation)

(★ THANK YOU to our 45 donors, who have covered 77% of our site costs for services for the first six months of 2022. If you enjoy this coverage, please donate here. ★)

There was no doubt that the U.S. men’s National Team needed a win against Panama in front of a full house at Exploria Stadium in Orlando on Sunday to get close to a Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup berth. But more than just a win, the U.S. provided a highlight reel in a dominant, 5-1 victory.

The game started indifferently, but the U.S. gained control after 10 minutes, pressuring the Panamanian goal. In the 13th minute, a U.S. corner saw Panamanian midfielder Anibal Godoy throw down U.S. defender Walker Zimmerman in the box; nothing was called immediately, but when play stopped, a video-review was called and the U.S. was awarded a penalty.

Although U.S. striker Jesus Ferreira held the ball as if he was going to take the penalty, it was Christian Pulisic who stepped up and smashed the ball to his left as keeper Luis Mejia went to the right for a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute.

Panama rallied in the 20th minute, as the U.S. failed to clear a free kick in its zone and then Michael Murillo whacked at the ball and American keeper Zack Steffen barely got a hand on it to change its trajectory and keep it out of the net. The U.S. had a hard time clearing before Pulisic was fouled outside the box.

But the Americans got back to work immediately, with Pulisic chasing down a long pass to get control to the left of the Panamanian goal, then feeding Antonee Robinson, who sent a laser into the box that Paul Arriola headed into the goal – beating defender Eric Davis to the ball – at the far post and a 2-0 lead in the 23rd minute.

And the U.S. wasn’t done, using another long pass that ended with Arriola spinning to deliver a left-footed pass into the front of the box from the right side of goal. Ferreira was right there and used his right foot to slam it into the net for a startling 3-0 lead after 27 minutes.

The pace increased with Panama desperate to score, as it had to win this game to have a chance to qualify. Steffen, a little gimpy after some rough play in front of the U.S. goal, dropped a long shot at the left goalpost in the 28th minute, but recovered and did not allow a Panamanian tip-in for a gift goal.

The U.S. continued to pressure, and got a long lead pass into the Panamanian zone in stoppage time that ended up in a free kick. The ball went into the box, with Godoy pushing Miles Robinson to the ground and a penalty was immediately called, no review needed. Pulisic stepped up again and while Mejia guessed right, the ball rocketed over his head and into the net for a 4-0 lead in the 49th minute.

Panamanian frustration boiled over as Pulisic was pushed hard at the sideline a minute later by Murillo, and the U.S. captain pushed right back and the sideline officials stepped in between a lot of players. A ball was then kicked toward Pulisic from the Panama bench, but a melee was eventually averted.

At the half, Panama had 60% of the possession, but the U.S. had a 10-5 lead on shots in a game that had 18 fouls in the first 45 minutes.

The U.S. did not let up much to start the second half.

Ferreira missed a great chance on a cross from Reyna in the 61st minute and then Pulisic got his first U.S. hat trick in the 65th, taking a pass from the left side from Antonee Robinson in the box, splitting two defenders and punching a right-footed shot past Mejia for a 5-0 lead.

But Panama kept coming as the U.S. was mostly defending and in the 86th minute, a free kick by Davis sailed into the box and was headed in by Godoy to cut the lead to 5-1. That’s the way it ended, with Panama holding 61% of the possession, but the U.S. taking 15 shots to 10 for Panama.

The U.S. did not clinch a World Cup berth, but is awfully close; Panama is eliminated with the loss. Canada swamped Jamaica, 4-0, to clinch its first World Cup berth since 1986, and Costa Rica defeated El Salvador, 2-1, to assure itself a place in the top four in the CONCACAF qualifying standings.

Mexico finally got the lead on Honduras in the 70th minute on an Edson Alvarez goal and held on for a 1-0 win. So, with three automatic qualifiers and a fourth CONCACAF team heading to a playoff match with an Oceanian team, the “final four” are set:

1. 28 points, Canada (8-1-4; +17 goal differential)
2. 25 points, United States (7-2-4; +13)
3. 25 points, Mexico (7-2-4; +7)
4. 22 points, Costa Rica (6-3-4; +3)

The final match window is on Wednesday, with the U.S. playing Costa Rica in San Jose, where it has an 0-9-2 record all time. Canada will play at Panama (5-5-3), Jamaica (1-7-5) will host Honduras (0-9-4) and El Salvador (2-7-4) will be at Mexico.

Canada is set, Costa Rica would have to win against the U.S. to get to 25 points, but even so, is far down in the goal differential. If all three teams – Costa Rica, Mexico and the U.S. – finished with 25 points, Costa Rica would have to make up a four-goal deficit against Mexico or -10 vs. the Americans. It all gets settled Wednesday, but only a catastrophe would keep the U.S. out of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

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

For our 832-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HIGHLIGHTS: Ghana’s Azamati zooms 9.90 at Texas Relays; Uno wins Worlds men’s skating gold as U.S. medals five!

By
Rich Perelman
-
He's the World Champion: Japan's Shoma Uno (Photo: International Skating Union)

(★ So grateful to our 45 donors, who have covered 77% of our site costs for services for the first six months of 2022. If you enjoy this coverage, please donate here. ★)

Headline results of noteworthy competitions around the world/Updated/:

● Alpine Skiing ● The U.S. Alpine Championships – held in conjunction with the NorAm finals – began during the week at Sugarloaf, Maine, with wins for Jared Goldberg in the men’s Downhill and Bella Wright in the women’s Downhill.

Goldberg finished 1:10.34, ahead of Canada’s Jeffrey Read (1:10.64) and Broderick Thompson (1:10.65), with American Sam Morse fourth (1:11.15). Wright led a U.S. sweep, timing 1:12.83, trailed by Jackie Wiles (1:13.59) and Keely Cashman (1:13.62).

The NorAm racing and the U.S. champs continue through 1 April.

● Athletics ● The 94th Texas Relays in Austin was once again a magnet for great performances, including the mark of the weekend as Ghana’s Benjamin Azamati (of West Texas A&M) won his 100 m semi in a world-leading 9.90 (wind: +2.0 m/s), the best ever by an NCAA Division II athlete and equal-fourth on the all-time collegiate list.

He didn’t run the final, which was won by Britain’s Toby Makoyawo (Boston University) in 9.90, but heavily wind-aided (+4.6!)

There were plenty of other individual outdoor world leaders in Austin:

● Men/400 m hurdles: 49.14, Nathaniel Ezekiel (NGR-Baylor)
● Men/High Jump: 2.30 m (7-6 1/2), Vernon Turner (USA-Oklahoma)
● Men/Pole Vault: 5.75 m (18-10 1/2), Sondre Guttormsen (NOR-Princeton)
● Men/Decathlon: 8,131, Leo Neugebauer (GER-Texas)

● Women/100 m: 11.07, Celera Barnes (USA-USC)
● Women/100 m hurdles: 12.87, Kaylah Robinson (USA-Texas A&M)
● Women/400 m hurdles: 54.37, Britton Wilson (USA-Arkansas)
● Women/High Jump: 1.96 m (6-5), Lamara Distin (JAM-Texas A&M)
● Women/Pole Vault: 4.70 m (15-5), Emily Grove (USA) & Bridget Williams (USA)
● Women/Long Jump: 6.80 m (22-3 3/4), Monae Nichols (USA-Texas Tech)
● Women/Heptathlon: 6,412, Anna Hall (USA-Florida)

Barnes won the collegiate 100 m final in a windy 10.82 (+2.8), with Jada Baylark (Arkansas) at 10.83w.

Also of note was Tokyo Olympic medalist Gabby Thomas, who won the women’s 100 m in 10.92w (+2.9), with Tamara Clark at 10.94. They went 1-2 again in the 200 m in 21.69w (+3.1) and 21.72w.

World record holder Keni Harrison in the women’s 100 m hurdles (12.32w [+3.9]). American Alia Armstrong of LSU won the women’s collegiate 100 m hurdles in 12.33 (!), but with a +2.5 m/s wind.

Further east, Olympic 100 m silver medalist Fred Kerley won the Hurricane Invitational in Coral Gables, Florida in Orlando in 9.99 and Britain’s Joshua Zeller (running for Michigan) won the men’s 110 m hurdles in 13.42, the world leader in 2022.

● Badminton ● The Yonex Swiss Open in Basel featured two wins for Indonesia, as fourth-seeded Jonatan Christie (INA) zipped past H.S. Prannoy (IND) by 21-12, 21-18 and the men’s Doubles team of Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto defeated Sze Fei Goh and Nur Izzuddin (MAS), 21-18, 21-19.

In the women’s Singles final, Indian star V. Sindhu Pursarla was too much for Busanan Ongbamrungphan (THA), 21-16, 21-8. The women’s Doubles title went to Gabriela Stoeva and Stefani Stoeva (BUL) over Linda Efler and Isabel Lohau (GER), 2-14, 21-12 and the Mixed Doubles final saw Germany’s Mark Lamsfuss and Louhau get past Soon Huat Goh and Shevon Jemie Lai (MAS), 12-21, 21-18, 21-17.

● Beach Volleyball ● /Updated/The first elite-level event in the newly-formatted Volleyball World Pro Beach Tour was held in Rosarito, Mexico, with the finals to be played later today.

In the men’s tournament, Tokyo Olympic bronze winners Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan (QAT) disposed of the Rio bronze medalists, Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen (NED) in straight sets, 21-17, 21-15.

Norwegian stars Anders Mol and Christian Sorum, the Tokyo Olympic champs, won the bronze with a 12-21, 21-17, 15-12 comeback win over Poland’s Michal Bryl and Bartosz Losiak.

The women’s final had Katja Stam and Raisa Schoon (NED) – runners-up in the season opener – down Anastasija Kravcenoka and Tina Graudina (LAT), 21-14, 21-13.

Brazil’s Talita Antunes and Rebecca Cavalcanti shut down the American pair of Betsi Flint and Kelly Claes in the tightly-played third-place match, 22-20, 21-19.

● Cross Country Skiing ● The U.S. nationals, combined with the Canadian nationals, were held at Whistler Olympic Park in British Columbia, Canada, intertwined with a series of races held all week.

The men’s 1.4 km Sprint Classical had Norway’s Andreas Kirkeng – skiing for the University of Denver – as the winner in 3:09.82, trailed by Luke Jager (USA: 3:10.23) and Logan Hanneman (USA: 3:10.70). Julia Kern won the women’s 1.2 km Sprint Classical in 3:11.14 over Canada’s Dahria Beatty (3:17.72) and American Alayna Sonnesyn (3:18.68).

The 45 km Mass Start Freestyle saw American Graham Ritchie cross first in 1:40:32.6, followed by Jager (USA: 1:40:39.3) and Canada’s Antoine Cyr (1:40:40.4). The women’s race, also 45 km, had Kern winning again, in 1:58:55.6, with fellow American Caitlin Patterson second (1:59:29.6) and Sophia Laukli (USA: 1:59:56.5) in third.

● Curling ● /Updated/The Women’s World Championship in Prince George (CAN) saw Switzerland bring an undefeated tournament run into the final against Korea, with the match decided on the final shot.

Through the end of the round-robin, the two-time defending champion Swiss, skipped by Silvana Tirinzoni, were undefeated at 12-0. Korea (EunJung Kim), Canada (Kerri Einarson) and Sweden (Anna Hasselborg) were all 9-3, with the U.S. (Cory Christensen) fifth at 8-4.

In the playoffs, Sweden came from 6-4 down in the final end to score four times and defeat the U.S., 8-6, and Canada scored three times in the eighth end and out-lasted Denmark, 9-8.

That brought on the semifinals, with the Swiss continuing their mastery with a 7-5 win over Hasselborg’s Swedish rink. Korea’s Kim led an impressive 9-6 win over Canada and Einarson, scoring in six of the 10 ends.

In the final, it was Tirinzoni’s rink that took the lead, scoring three times in the second end, but the Koreans closed to 4-3 after five ends, then got two in the seventh and one in the ninth to get even at 6-6.

A tense final end saw a cat-and-mouse game, coming down to the last shot. Two Korean stones were in the house – close together – and one Swiss stone, with Alina Paetz taking the final throw and blasting the two opposing stones away from the scoring area, leaving the Swiss with a 7-6 win.

The Swiss squad, with Paetz – a former World Champion skip in her own right – Esther Neuenschwander, Melanie Barbezat and alternate Carole Howald, won all 14 games they played and finished with a 120-63 scoring margin.

The third straight win for the Swiss moves them into elite company as only the third three-peat or more in the 43 editions of the women’s Worlds. The Swiss were the last to do it, in 2014-15-16 and Canada won four in a row from 1984-87. That’s the list.

Korea got its second-ever Worlds medal, after a bronze in 2018.

In the bronze-medal game, Einarson’s Canadian squad scored twice in the eighth end to win by 7-5. It’s Canada’s first women’s Worlds medal since 2018.

● Cycling ● The 101st Volta Ciclista a Catalunya in Spain finished on Sunday, with Colombia’s Sergio Higuita holding on to the lead he took after Saturday’s sixth stage to win the seven-stage race by 16 seconds over Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz and 52 seconds over Portugal’s Joao Almeida.

The seven stages had seven different winners, with Higuita winning none. He was usually close to the top, however, finishing 5-26-4-3-49-2-9, with that second-place finish on the hilly sixth stage giving him a lead he would not relinquish. He finished in the lead pack on the 138.6 km stage in and around Barcelona on Sunday to secure his first World Tour stage-race victory.

Italy’s Andrea Baglioli won Sunday’s final stage in 3:19:09, ahead of Attila Valter (HUN) and Fernando Barcelo (ESP).

Sunday saw the 84th running of Belgium’s famed Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields, with a sensational final sprint finish in the men’s race.

The men’s race was 248.8 km from Ypres to Wevelgem and was only finally decided when four riders staged a late breakaway, with 24 km left. Belgian stars Jasper Stuyven and Dries van Gestel joined France’s Christophe Laporte and Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay in a battle to the finish, with Girmay’s long sprint from 250 m out proving to be decisive.

He won in 5:37:57, with Laporte closest, followed by van Gestel and Stuyven; it’s the first-ever win in this famous race for an African rider!

The women’s covered 159 km and saw a mass sprint to the finish, won by Italy’s Elisa Balsamo, who got the third straight win in a week after taking the Trofeo Alfredo Binda and Brugge-De Panne!

She won in 3:19:15, ahead of Dutch star Marianne Vos, Italy’s Maria Giulia Confalonieri, Lotte Kopecky (BEL) and Emma Norsgaard (DEN).

● Figure Skating ● The ISU World Championships in Montpelier (FRA) concluded on Saturday with the competitions for men and Ice Dance, with historic results for the U.S.

Japan completed a sweep of the individual events with Shoma Uno winning his first world title in the men’s division, winning both the Short Program and the Free Skate to total 312.48 points. He was far ahead of teammate Yuma Kagiyama (297.60) with American Vincent Zhou scoring the bronze medal with 277.38 points.

For Uno, it was his best score ever, well past his 293.00 total for the Beijing Olympic Winter Games and he set a personal Free Skate best of 202.85. His total of 312.48 makes him no. 3 all-time behind Nathan Chen of the U.S. and Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu; only six scores – five by Chen – have ever been higher.

It’s Uno’s third career medal at the Worlds, after silvers in 2017 and 2018, to go along with his Olympic silver in 2018 and bronze in 2022.

Kagiyama got his second consecutive Worlds silver to go along with his Olympic silver in Beijing. Zhou leaped up from sixth after the Short Program to take the bronze, following up on his Worlds bronze in 2019. He missed out on the Beijing Games due to Covid, and said afterwards, “That medal definitely was very difficult for me to come by and one of the most meaningful and significant moments of my career.”

American Camden Pulkinen, 22, competing in his first Worlds with the withdrawal of Olympic champ Nathan Chen, finished fifth at 271.69, moving up from 12th thanks to the no. 3 Free Skate score of 182.19. Pulkinen added nearly 27 points to his lifetime best and got his best-ever championship placing; he was sixth at the 2018 World Junior Championships.

Ilia Malinin, 17, the third U.S. performer, was fourth after the Short Program, but fell to 11th in the Free Skate and finished ninth in his first Worlds.

The Ice Dance finished as expected, with France’s Olympic champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron pleasing the home fans with a dramatic Free Dance performance and the victory with 229.82 points, their best ever and the best on record. They now own the top seven scores in history.

Immediately behind were the American duos of Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue for silver and Madison Chock and Evan Bates for bronze.

Hubbell and Donohue were second in both the Rhythm Dance and the Free Dance, scoring 222.39, more than four points better than ever before. Chock and Bates were third in both segments and also got a lifetime best score of 216.83. Hubbell and Donohue added to their Olympic bronze by winning their fourth Worlds medal: silver in 2018, bronze in 2018 and silver in 2021.

Chock and Bates, fourth in Beijing, won their third Worlds medal, after a silver way back in 2015 and a bronze in 2016. The third American entry, Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker, finished eighth (191.61).

The U.S. team had a banner Worlds, in part due to the Russian ban, winning medals in all four events for the first time since 1967! Peggy Fleming won the women’s title, Gary Visconti took the men’s bronze, Cynthia and Ronald Kauffman won the Pairs bronze and Lorna Dyer and John Carrell took the Ice Dance silver.

● Freestyle Skiing ● The U.S. Freestyle Moguls nationals in Deer Valley was a showcase for 2018 Olympian and 2019 Worlds bronze medalist Tess Johnson.

She took the women’s Moguls final on Saturday, scoring 80.52, well ahead of August Davis (67.90) and Sami Worthington (66.37). Johnson, still just 21, came back on Sunday to win the Dual Moguls, taking down Lulu Shaffer in the final; Worthington took the bronze.

In the men’s Saturday Moguls final, Charlie Mickel scored 78.55 to edge Tristan Cayolle (76.12) and Tyler Damore (74.70). The Dual Moguls title went to Oliver Smith, who crossed first ahead of Ryan Tam in the final; Mickel won the bronze medal.

At the U.S. Freestyle Aerials Championships at Bristol Mountain, New York, Chris Lillis and Megan Nick took the wins. Lillis, a member of the Beijing gold-medalist Team Aerials, scored 100.46 to best Connor Curran (91.59) and Derek Krueger (90.52)

Nick, the Aerials bronze medalist in China, won at 86.62, ahead of Kalia Kuhn (84.10) and Beijing team Aerials gold winner Ashley Caldwell (82.21).

● Modern Pentathlon ● The Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne unveiled a new format for this troubled sport, moving from a qualifying round to cut the field to 36, then a semi-final round to cut to 18, followed by a 90-minute final to decide the medal winners.

The program continues to include riding, since it will be part of the sport for Paris in 2024. The first World Cup, in Cairo (EGY), was the testing ground.

In the men’s final, just 40 seconds separated the top 12 as Matteo Cicinelli (ITA) had a 19-second lead on the field to start the Laser Run. But he was passed by France’s Christopher Patte before the final shooting stage and after hitting five targets cleaning, was able to win cleanly. Patte totaled 1,487 points to 1,481 for Hungary’s Csaba Bohm and teammate Balazs Szep (1,477), who passed Cicinelli (1,475) in the final meters.

Italy’s Elena Micheli and Hungary’s Michelle Gulyas were the class of the field in the women’s final and Micheli started with only a seven-second lead in the Laser Run. They were essentially together after four laps, but Micheli pulled away on the final circuit and won by five seconds. She totaled 1,417 to 1,412 for Gulyas. British newcomer Emma Whitaker was an impressive third with 1,384 points, ahead of 2021 Worlds silver winner Elodie Clouvel (FRA: 1.,371).

Host Egypt won the Mixed Relay, with Mohanad Shaban and Salma Abdelmaksoud scoring 1,359 points to finish ahead of Jessica Varley and Ross Charlton (GBR: 1,341).

● Snowboard ● The Slopestyle World Cup concluded in Silvaplana (SUI), with two-time Olympic Big Air gold medalist Anna Gasser getting the final victory of the season.

Gasser won with a sensational ride scored at 95.40 points to edge Canada’s Laurie Blouin (90.20) and Japan’s Kokomo Murase (87.20). In the seasonal standings, Murase – with two wins and four medals in the six events – got the title with 320 points to 240 for Boulin.

The men’s event saw the sixth different winner in the six events as Norway’s 2021 World Champion Marcus Kleveland scored his sixth career World Cup win (four in Slopestyle), scoring 91.60 to out-score countryman Mons Roisland (90.20) and Australia’s Valentino Guseli (89.40).The seasonal crystal globe went to Tiarn Collins (NZL), who had 236 points, ahead of Leon Vockensperger (181) and Roisland (173).

● Ski Jumping ● The giant 240 m hill in Planica (SLO) was the final stop on the 2021-22 World Cup circuit, with two World Cups and a team event.

The first individual competition saw a home sweep, with Ziga Jelar (468.2), Peter Prevc (464.8), Anze Lanisek (458.5) going 1-2-3, with Timi Zajc fourth (454.8) for good measure. Seasonal leader Ryoyu Kobayashi (JPN) was fifth, picking up important points in the race for the World Cup.

Saturday’s team competition was – of course – won by Slovenia, with the same four scoring 1,601.1 to 1,576.9 for Norway and 1,544.2 for Austria.

The World Cup title was decided on Sunday, with Marius Lindvik (NOR) scoring his fifth win of the season, scoring 455.1 to defeat Yukiya Sato (JPN: 446.8) and Slovenian star Prevc (438.6). Kobayashi was eighth and that was enough to give him a second career World Cup seasonal championship with 1,621 points to 1,515 for Karl Geiger (GER) and 1,231 for Lindvik.

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

For our 832-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

PANORAMA: Sakamoto wins women’s figure skating Worlds; Vancouver pols fight over 2030 OWG vote; IIHF to review pro-Russian acts of its ex-President!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Dominant: Japan's 2022 World Champion Kaori Sakamoto (Photo courtesy International Skating Union)

(★ So grateful to our 45 donors, who have covered 77% of our site costs for services for the first six months of 2022. If you enjoy this coverage, please donate here. ★)

● Plus: Athletics: Want to host the 2024 World Athletics Relays? = Figure Skating: Cain-Gribble better; announcers excused after vulgar comments = Football: U.S. men’s team depleted, but can just about clinch World Cup berth Sunday = Skiing: More retirements, including two from U.S., in cross-country skiing = SCOREBOARD: Cycling: van Aert and Balsamo win Belgian weekday classics ●

Key status updates on the urgent stories in Olympic sport:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

No event at the 2022 ISU World Championships was more shaken by the exclusion of Russia than the women’s competition. Russian women had been 1-2 at the Beijing Winter Games and had swept the 2021 Worlds podium. But in 2022, what mattered was who was on the ice in Montpellier, France.

In the final group, American Alysa Liu stood fifth after the Short Program (71.91), but starred in the Free Skate, scoring 139.28 to total 211.19 and take the lead with four skaters left. She remained in front after Korea’s Young You scored 132.83 and ended up at 204.91.

Fellow American Mariah Bell, 10th at Beijing, was next, in third after the Short Program (72.55). Her Free Skate was considered just behind Liu – 136.11 – and she fell behind her U.S. teammate with a final total of 208.66, standing second.

Belgium’s Loena Hendrickx was fifth at the 2021 Worlds and eighth at Beijing (206.79)and was ready for her moment in the spotlight, scoring 142.70 to leap to the top of the standings and assure herself not less than the silver medal at 217.70.

That left Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto, the Beijing bronze medalist, 21, and the clear leader after the Short Program, scoring 80.32 to 75.00 for Hendrickx. Sakamoto completed her routine with grace and style, incorporating six triple jumps, scoring a season’s best of 155.77 to clinch a runaway gold medal at 236.09, an impressive margin of 18.39 points.

It’s Sakamoto’s first Worlds medal, after a fifth in 2019 and sixth in 2021. It’s the first win for Japan since 2014 (Mao Asada). For Hendrickx, she won Belgium’s first-ever women’s Worlds medal.

Liu – still just 16 – was seventh in Beijing, scored her first Worlds medal in her first appearance and has a bright future ahead. She’s the first U.S. women’s Worlds medal winner since Ashley Wagner’s silver in 2016.

There were also historic performances in the Ice Dance Rhythm Dance, where Olympic champs Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France won at 92.73, the best score ever!

They were trailed by the Americans Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue and Madison Chock and Evan Bates, both scoring lifetime bests of 89.72 and 87.51 points, respectively.

The championships continue through Sunday.

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● XXVI Olympic Winter Games: 2030 ● A political fight has started in Vancouver about its bid for the 2030 Olympic Winter Games, as City Council member Colleen Hardwick has asked for a referendum on the bid effort.

This may actually have little to do with the bid at all, as Hardwick is running for Mayor in October. Kennedy Stewart, the sitting Vancouver Mayor, tweeted back a four-part reply:

● “@CllrHardwick’s action violates the signed agreement between the governments of Vancouver and Whistler with the Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Lílwat upon whose unceded lands our cities are built. 1/4″

● “City Council approved a formal Memorandum of Understanding to work in partnership with host First Nations to explore how the 2030 Winter Olympics might become the world’s first reconciliation games. 2/4″

● “The MOU is a critical component of our [United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples] obligations – now formalized in provincial law – as it outlined a clear process for all to follow in good faith which, at it’s conclusion, includes council voting on a recommendation and may still involve community votes. 3/4″

● “I will not second this motion. I urge other councillors to consider what supporting
@CllrHardwick’s decision to essentially tear up our MOU says about their own commitments to reconciliation. 4/4″

Hardwick’s motion will be debated on the 29th.

A recent possible bid by another former Olympic Winter Games host city in Canada – Calgary – was ended by a referendum on a bid for the 2026 Games, losing 43.6-56.4% in November 2018.

● Athletics ● Interested in hosting the 2024 World Athletics Relays?

The event will be a direct Olympic qualifier for the Paris Games, but it isn’t free. There is no fee for hosting the event, but direct costs are projected at $3.5-4.0 million U.S. for the organization and staging of the races across three days. Local-organizer revenues are limited to ticket sales, domestic sponsorships in available categories and government and private donations.

Interested parties must submit a form to World Athletics by 1 June 2022.

● Figure Skating ● After three falls during her Pairs Short Program at the World Championships and being taken to a hospital for further oversight, U.S. Pairs star Ashley Cain-Gribble appears to be doing much better. U.S. Figure Skating tweeted:

“Update from #WorldFigure: @icegirlash was released from the hospital overnight and is resting at the official hotel.

“Sending our best wishes to Ashley for a quick and full recovery!”

Announcers are taught early on to never assume that their microphone is off. British commentator Simon Reed, working with fellow Briton Nicky Slater on the International Skating Union’s broadcast of the 2022 World Championships, forgot this rule at the end of Wednesday’s Pairs Short Program.

Surely assuming his mic was off, Reed referred to former two-time Worlds Pairs champ Megan Duhamel, “that bitch from Canada.”

Duhamel was among many who have criticized past comments by Reed and Slater; the ISU was instantly, overwhelmingly, embarrassed, and stated on Thursday:

“There is no place for harassing and abusive language or remarks and behaviour in sport and our society. The ISU took instant action with its service provider to suspend both commentators with immediate effect and neither will cover any future Figure Skating events for the ISU.”

Duhamel, who is also working as a television commentator at the World Championships in Montpelier, France, tweeted: “I have received personal apologies from Simon Reed and the ISU president and I don’t think a public apology is necessary at this point. I appreciate and respect their apologies.”

● Football ● The U.S. men have never won a FIFA World Cup qualifying match at Mexico’s Estadio Azteca, going 0-5-3 prior to last night’s 0-0 draw. On that basis, earning a point for the tie was a worthwhile result, but there is more to do.

The U.S. sits second to Canada – 25 points to 22 – and ahead of Mexico (also 22 points) on goal differential, with two matches left: Sunday in Orlando vs. Panama (18 points) and Wednesday in Costa Rica (19), the two teams trying to chase qualifying positions.

Panama has played inconsistently, beating Jamaica (3-2), but losing to Mexico and Costa Rica (both 1-0) and playing to 1-1 ties with Honduras and in a January friendly with Peru. A win on Sunday would give the U.S. 25 points, eliminating Panama and clinching World Cup qualification if Costa Rica ties or loses to sixth-place El Salvador.

U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter will have to shuffle his line-up again, as defender DeAndre Yedlin and forward Tim Weah received yellow cards in the first half, meaning they are suspended for the Panama game. The American men were already short four starters because of injuries, and defender Reggie Cannon was out for Covid.

● Ice Hockey ● In what can only be considered an astonishing turn of events, the International Ice Hockey Federation announced on Thursday:

“The IIHF Council also decided to refer IIHF Life President Rene Fasel to the Ethics Board for review, following reports of his involvement with Russia and the [Kontinental Hockey League] as well as public statements made about the war.

“The IIHF has referred this matter to the independent Ethics Board in order to determine whether Fasel’s actions have violated the IIHF Integrity Book. The IIHF Ethics Code, which is an integral part of the IIHF Integrity Book, requires ‘[a Life President to] conduct themselves in accordance with the principles of dignity, integrity, loyalty and responsibility in all relations of a competitive, economic, social (including social media) and moral nature.’ The IIHF Integrity Book is applicable specifically when a Life President is acting within the scope of his duties for the IIHF or whenever his conduct reflects upon the IIHF or might otherwise undermine the objectives of the IIHF.”

Fasel (SUI), was IIHF President from 1994-2021, and has long been seen as favoring Russian interests. He denied a report from earlier this month that he had been hired as an advisor to Russia’s KHL, generally seen as the second-best league in the world.

The IIHF Council also referred the “Russian Ice Hockey Federation to the Ethics Board for review, due to reports that the RIHF allegedly sent instructions to Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) teams to take demonstrative actions in support of the Russia-Ukraine war.”

The Ethics Board will determine whether the cases will be forwarded to the IIHF Disciplinary Board for possible sanctions. Wow.

● Skiing ● The retirement announcements continue in cross-country skiing, already including Olympic stars Therese Johaug (NOR) and Dario Cologna (SUI).

Other saying goodbye to the World Cup circuit include Swede Charlotte Kalla, 34. Across 17 seasons, she won 59 World Cup medals, including 12 wins. She owns nine Olympic medals, including golds from 2010 (10 km Freestyle), 2014 (4×5 km) and 2018 (15 km Skiathlon). She won 13 World Championships medals, including victories in 2011 (Team Sprint), 2015 (10 km Freestyle) and 2019 (4×5 km).

Kalla said her decision to retire came only in the final weeks of the season, explaining “The curiosity about life outside of elite sports weighs heavier than what a continued investment would entail.”

Also moving on is American Caitlin Patterson, 32, who joined the World Cup circuit in 2012 and was a 2018 Olympian. She competed in 89 World Cup races, with a best of fourth in the 15 km Skiathlon at the 2017 test event in PyeongChang (KOR). She also had five top-10 finishes in relay and team events.

FIS lists fellow American Katharine Ogden as also retiring, at age 24. Her best World Cup finish was 18th in the 10 km Freestyle in Toblach (ITA) in January 2021.

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Cycling ● The UCI World Tour is in full swing now, with the seven-stage Volta Ciclista a Catalunya continuing through Sunday and the one-day Classics races ongoing in Europe.

In Spain, there has been a new leader after each of the five stages so far, with Portugal’s Joao Almeida holding just a one-second lead on Colombia’s Nairo Quintana and seven seconds on teammate Sergio Higuita (COL).

Friday saw the 64th edition of the E3 Saxo Bank Classic in and around Harelbeke (BEL), with home favorite Wout van Aert thrilling the crowd with a win in a breakaway duel with France’s Christophe Laporte, both from the Jumbo-Visma team. They both covered the hilly, 203.9 km course in 4:38:04 and broke away with about 42 km left and were never headed.

Swiss Stefan Kung led a group of finishers in third, 1:35 behind the top two.

In the UCI Women’s World Tour race on Thursday, the Exterioo Classic Brugge-De Panne – from Brugge to De Panne in Belgium – Italy’s Elisa Balsamo won her second straight major trophy with her final sprint in 3:52:11 for the flat, 162.8 km course.

Balsamo edged a mass of riders right behind her, with the top 19 all within three seconds. Dutch star Lorena Wiebes was second and Marta Bastianelli (ITA) was third.

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

For our 832-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THE TICKER: U.S. men draw Mexico, 0-0, get closer to Qatar ‘22; Worlds gold for Knierim & Frazier; FINA bans Russians from ‘22 Worlds, removes Short-Course Worlds

By
Rich Perelman
-
World Champions: American Pairs stars Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier! (Photo: International Skating Union)

(★ So grateful to our 45 donors, who have now covered 77% of our site costs for services for the first six months of 2022. If you enjoy this coverage, please donate here. ★)

● Plus: Russia: Griner visited by U.S. officials; EuroLeague basketball removes Russian teams; Russian sports minister wants to continue IF contacts = Paris 2024: Basketball prelim arena dropped = Los Angeles 2028: City Council asked to approve expanded adaptive sports program = Olympic Games 2030: Madrid drops out = Athletics: Los Angeles Marathon suffers death of charity runner = Football: Russia asks to host 2028 or 2032 European Championship! = Skiing: four-time Olympic cross country champ Cologna retires; U.S. Ski & Snowboard adds Patty as Chief of Sport and Rimi as Alpine Director = Tennis: What does Barty’s retirement at 25 say about Serena Williams? = Weightlifting: China hands back 2022 Worlds due to Covid = SCOREBOARD: Football: Shocker as Italy to miss FIFA World Cup again ●

The latest news, notes and quotes from the worldwide Five-Ring Circus:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

The U.S. Men’s National Team did not win its fourth straight match against Mexico on Thursday evening, but it was more than happy to leave with a 0-0 draw and another points in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying play.

The conditions were favorable at the Estadio Azteca – even at 7,350 feet – with 67-degree (F) temperatures to start the game.

The U.S. has a sensational opportunity in the 35th minute, as Timothy Weah sent a cross from the right of goal across to the middle of the field for a charging Christian Pulisic, who sent a left-footed shot forward, but saved by Mexican keeper Guillermo Ochoa, flying to his right and sending the ball out of bounds for a corner. Pulisic pounded the ground in front of the goal in frustration.

But the half ended scoreless, with the U.S. controlled 57% of the possession, but both teams had four shots.

Pulisic got another chance in the 49th minute, sending a diagonal ball across the box, with Ochoa making a left-handed save as it headed for the top corner of the net.

After a disputed ball deep in the U.S. end almost created a penalty against defender Walker Zimmerman, the U.S. almost immediately got a great chance, as Kellyn Acosta found Gio Reyna at the right side of the Mexican goal; Reyna sent a cross to a running Jordan Pefok in front of goal, but his shot went wide.

Mexican striker Hirving Lozano got more active in the final 15 minutes, sending three shots at U.S. keeper Zack Steffen, who tipped one over the crossbar and the other two were saved.

U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter used his substitutions in the final third of the game to compensate for the altitude effects and get fresher legs into the game, especially Reyna. The Americans played mostly on defense for the last 15 minutes of the game, including the five minutes of stoppage time. Mexico played in the U.S. end almost continuously and with desperation, with striker Alexis Vega earning a yellow card for a flop in the box in the 90th minute.

The U.S.’s defensive stance showed as Mexico ended the game with 63% of the possession, but the U.S. totaled 10 shots to nine for the home team.

In the other games, Panama and Honduras drew, 1-1, as did Jamaica and El Salvador. Costa Rica took a 1-0 lead on Canada in stoppage time at the end of the first half – after the Canadians had to play with 10 men after the 34th minute – and held on for the win. So, with two match days left, the CONCACAF contenders are (W-L-D):

1. 25, Canada (7-1-4: +13 goal differential)
2. 22, United States (6-2-4: +9)
3. 22, Mexico (6-2-4: +6)
4. 19, Costa Rica (5-3-4: +2)
5. 18, Panama (5-4-3: +1)

The top three teams qualify to the World Cup; the fourth-place team will go to a play-off against an Oceanian team. The U.S. plays Sunday against Panama in Orlando, Florida at 7 p.m. Eastern time, to be shown on FS1, Unimas and TUDN. A win would could clinch a World Cup berth, depending on the results of the other games.

Although missing multiple Beijing Winter Games stars and all of Russia’s skater, the International Skating Union’s World Championships in figure skating are ongoing in Montpellier, France with an astonishing result coming in Thursday’s Pairs final.

In Beijing, China’s Wenjing Sui and Cong Han won the Pairs gold, followed by three Russian teams and another Chinese team. Americans Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier were an impressive sixth after just more than a year of working together. The Russians were banned and China withdrew, perhaps due to Covid outbreaks, perhaps for other reasons.

That left Knierim and Frazier as the class of the field and they became the first American duo to win the world title since Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner back in 1979. Knierim and Frazier led the Short Program at 76.88, ahead of fellow Americans Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc (75.85) and Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara (JPN: 71.58).

Knierim and Frazier won the Free Skate, scoring 144.21 for an overall total of 221.09, but Cain-Gribble suffered three falls and was taken to a hospital for further examinations. That allowed Miura and Kihara to take the silver (199.55 total) and Canada’s Vanessa James and Eric Radford won the bronze (197.32).

In the men’s Singles, Japan took the top three places in the Short Program with Beijing bronze winner Shoma Uno (109.63), Beijing silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama (105.69) and Kazuki Tomono (101.12). American Ilia Malinin, 18, scored 100.16 for a lifetime best by nearly 20 points to stand fourth.

Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto, the bronze medalist in Beijing, led the women’s Short Program at 80.32, ahead of Belgium’s Lorena Hendrickx (75.00) and American Mariah Bell (72.55). Alysa Liu of the U.S. stands fifth (71.91).

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Russia ● The U.S. State Department reported that two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner was visited by U.S. consular officials for the first time since her detention began February on Tuesday (22nd).

Spokesman Ned Price told CNN: “We were able to check on her condition, we will continue to work very closely with her legal team, with her broader network, to see to it that she is treated fairly.

“Our official found Brittney Griner to be in good condition and we will continue to do everything we can to see to that it she is treated fairly throughout this ordeal.”

Griner has been consulting with her legal representation, as she is being held on a charge of carrying a prohibited substance into the country (a vape cartridge apparently containing hashish oil). A Moscow court ruled that she will be held until at least 19 May and she faces a potential trial.

CNN noted that Americans Paul Whelan and Trevor Reed are also being detained in Russia.

The worldwide governing body for aquatics, FINA, announced Wednesday:

“[T]he FINA Bureau met today and confirmed that athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus will not take part in the upcoming 19th FINA World Championships Budapest 2022.

“Following these decisions, FINA was informed by the Russian Swimming Federation of the withdrawal of all Russian aquatics athletes from all FINA events for the rest of this year.”

FINA has been under public and private pressure to ban Russian and Belarusian participants, with Switzerland, Poland and Germany reported as stating they would not participate if either Russia or Belarus did.

Further, FINA finally announced the removal of the World 25 m Swimming Championships from Kazan in December; it will be relocated. A new host for the World Junior Swimming Championships in August – previously removed from Kazan – is expected to be Lima (PER). And:

“Separately, the FINA Executive confirmed that the FINA Disciplinary Panel has opened a procedure against Russian swimmer Evgeny Rylov for a potential violation of the FINA rules following his alleged participation in a pro-war rally at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. The FINA Executive has requested that the Panel’s proceedings be expedited.”

Rylov was one of many Russian athletes at the event; he was one of the swimming stars of the Tokyo Games, winning the 100–200 m Backstroke events and a silver on the 4×200 m Freestyle Relay. He told the Russian news service TASS:

“To be honest, I am very surprised that a disciplinary action was opened in my regard; it’s an unpleasant situation and we must deal with it.

“Perhaps, I need now to come up to arguments with FINA, filing a written protest, explaining and proving something to them. The whole world and FINA decided that I had no right of attending a concert event in the capital of my country – this is insane!

“I believe that they have opened a very queer disciplinary case.”

Imagine the Oklahoma City Thunder being suspended – as a franchise – from the National Basketball Association.

That’s essentially what happened on Tuesday, as Executive Board of the Basketball European League (EuroLeague) decided:

“To withdraw the participation of Russian Federation teams in both the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (CSKA Moscow, UNICS Kazan, Zenit St Petersburg) and the 7DAYS EuroCup (Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar) for the 2021-22 season, as the situation in Ukraine has not evolved in a favorable way.”

Further, as regards the games already played against these four teams, “all regular season game results versus Russian teams will be removed from any calculation of EuroLeague and EuroCup team standings.”

Recalculated standings are now posted, removing the games played so far. Wow.

As Russian athletes, teams and officials have mostly been barred from international competitions, the country’s sports minister, Oleg Matytsin, told TASS:

“We believe it to be important not to severe contacts with international federations, to continue the dialogue and maintain diplomatic channels.

“We hope that this period will not be long, it is important to preserve bridges in order to reach the regular level on cooperation in line with the tournaments’ calendar. China has been and remains our main partner.”

It’s a good idea, but will be very difficult – at least publicly – in practice.

● Games of the XXXIII Olympiad: Paris 2024 ● The Paris organizers and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) have agreed to look for an alternative to the Arena Paris Sud – hall six of the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles convention center – for some of the preliminary-round games.

The facility meets all of FIBA’s technical specifications, but has been panned by players and commentators; French forward Evan Fournier, a Tokyo silver medalist who plays for the New York Knicks, complained:

“Is this a joke? … It doesn’t make any sense! The major sport of the Olympics is athletics. But as a team sport, basketball is number one. We are Olympic vice-champions, we are at home, and they do not guarantee a real room? Again, if so, they’re suckers and they’re kidding us.”

Basketball has apparently never been played at the proposed site and it has a ceiling height of 9 m (~29 feet) – pretty high, but far less than in an NBA arena. Other sites were considered, but ceiling heights of 11-12 m (~36-39 feet) are required for badminton or gymnastics; such are the tribulations of working with existing facilities. But:

“Following the most recent sporting and technical assessments, Paris 2024 and FIBA have agreed that this venue will no longer host basketball competitions due to its specificities.

“Paris 2024 and FIBA will continue working closely together to identify a new venue for the preliminary round, which will meet Olympic requirements whilst respecting Paris 2024’s guiding principles on environmental and budgetary responsibility.”

● Games of the XXXIV Olympiad: Los Angeles 2028 ● The Los Angeles City Council will consider a motion from its Arts, Parks, Health, Education and Neighborhood committee to use a portion of the $160 million in funding from the LA28 organizing committee to:

“develop a citywide adaptive sports program, including recommendations for physical accessibility infrastructure improvements to its existing or emerging facilities, with a focus on the expansion of services to transitional age youth (18 – 24), adults, and older adults, including equipment, staffing, training or other particular needs.”

The City’s Recreation and Parks Department is already planning to offer 10 sports for youth with physical disabilities: sitting volleyball, para equestrian, adaptive swimming, para surfing, wheelchair basketball, adaptive skateboarding, goalball, adaptive athletics, wheelchair tennis and para canoe. Five sports are being considered for future inclusion including judo, archery, boccia, tee ball, and climbing.

This emphasis on adaptive sports is noteworthy as the Paralympic Games are coming to Los Angeles for the first time. The 1984 Los Angeles organizers did include two wheelchair races – 800 m for women and 1,500 m for men – in the track & field portion of the Games, the first such races held as part of any Olympic Games.

● Games of the XXXVI Olympiad: 2036 ● GamesBids.com reported:

“Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) president Alejandro Blanco confirmed Wednesday that plans for a Madrid 2036 Olympic Games bid have been abandoned on the advice of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) who believe Spain will have a better shot at hosting the 2030 Winter Games instead.”

A regional bid for the Pyrenees and Barcelona has been in the works for some time, but has suffered from political infighting within the organizing effort.

The Spanish bid for 2030 appears to be behind the current level of detail achieved by Sapporo (JPN) and Salt Lake City in the U.S. Vancouver (CAN), host in 2010, is also in the development phase of a 2030 Winter Games bid.

● Athletics ● Sad news from Sunday’s Los Angeles Marathon, as 46-year-old Trisha Paddock of Rancho Palos Verdes collapsed at the finish line and died shortly afterwards.

She was running in the Charity Challenge Half Marathon, raising money for the Asian American Drug Abuse Program. She was treated immediately by the Los Angeles Fire Department and transferred to a local hospital, but passed away. It was the first death related to the race since 2007.

The race had 12,354 finishers, including 116 starters who had run all 36 prior L.A, Marathons; John Korir (KEN) won the men’s race in 2:09:08 (his second L.A. victory); fellow Kenyan Delvine Meringor won the women’s race in 2:25:04, and won the men vs. women’s challenge, crossing the line first after the women started with a 16-minute advantage.

● Football ● The Football Union of Russia declared its candidature to be the host of either the 2028 or 2032 UEFA European Championship, despite being banned from UEFA competitions! The deadline was set for 23 March for declarations of interest.

Bids for the 2028 European tournament have come from Turkey and a joint bid from Great Britain and Ireland, along with Russia. For 2032, Italy is a formidable bidder, along with Russia and Turkey once again.

The decisions on the hosts are expected in September 2023.

● Skiing ● Although announced last November, Swiss cross-country superstar Dario Cologna is now retired with the conclusion of the FIS World Cup season last weekend.

Now 36, he won the overall FIS World Cup title four times – in 2009-11-12-15 – with 26 World Cup wins and 73 (!) total medals. He won four Olympic golds in 2010 (15 km Free), 2014 (15 km Classical and 30 km Skiathlon) and 2018 (15 km freestyle), plus three World Championships medals, with one gold, in the 2013 30 km Skiathlon.

He competed at the Beijing Winter Games, finishing 44th in the 15 km Individual, 14th in the 30 km Free and seventh with the Swiss team in the 4×10 km relay. He said:

“The decision came within the last months and after the Olympics, it will be the perfect timing for me. I have achieved everything I ever dreamed of in the sport.”

U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced important senior hires in Anouk Patty as Chief of Sport and Patrick Rimi as Alpine Director.

Patty was a former member of the U.S. Ski Team in the 1980s and comes to the federation after most recently serving as Director of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships at Dropbox. Her charge will be to “develop and implement the organization’s athletic strategic plan working with the elite programs and pipeline development in all disciplines across the U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Snowboard Team and U.S. Freeski Team.”

Austria’s Rimi returns to the federation, as he was a coach in 2001, served as the head coach of the women’s team in 2003-08 and was the Alpine Director from 2011-18. He is coming back to USSS after serving as the alpine director for Austria!

● Tennis ● Australia’s Ash Barty shocked the sports world on Tuesday with the announcement of her retirement from the sport at age 25.

She won the Australian Open in January, but cited injuries in withdrawing from the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California and the Miami Open in Florida. She finishes as a three-time winner of tennis majors, including the French Open in 2019 and Wimbledon in 2021.

“I’m so happy, and I’m so ready. I just know at the moment, in my heart, for me as a person, this is right,” she said during an interview posted on Instagram. “I don’t have the physical drive, the emotional want and everything it takes to challenge yourself at the very top of the level any more. I am spent.”

Barty had taken leave of tennis before, for two years beginning in 2014 due to the stress of playing on the WTA Tour. She won 15 pro tournaments all told and had an outstanding career Singles record of 305-102. She was a Tokyo Olympian, but lost in the first round.

Observed: Barty has been widely saluted for her play, poise and sportsmanship. Her pro career lasted, with the sabbatical, from 2010-22, retiring at 25. It makes the astonishing career of Serena Williams, now 40, even more stunning and impressive, with 73 career tournament wins, 23 majors and four Olympic golds (one Singles, three Doubles).

● Weightlifting ● “After careful consideration due to the current COVID-19 situation in China, Chinese Weightlifting Association (CWA) have had to re-evaluate China’s ability to host the upcoming 2022 IWF World Championships.

“Given the much stricter COVID-19 prevention and control rules being implemented, which would mandate that all teams and officials would have to carry out a 21-day quarantine, CWA considered that it is no longer viable for the 2022 IWF World Championships to be delivered to the standard of the IWF requirements.

“Therefore, after careful evaluation, it is with regret that the CWA has had to withdraw from hosting this year.”

Olympics? Yes. Single-sport worlds? No. The International Weightlifting Federation is asking for a new host to come forward, with expressions of interest due in two weeks.

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Football ● In a truly unbelievable turn of events, European Champion Italy failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the second time in a row, losing to North Macedonia, 1-0, on Thursday in Palermo, Sicily.

The game was scoreless beyond 90 minutes, but Aleksandar Trajkovski scored in stoppage time to win the match, despite Italy piling up 32 shots to four for the visitors and enjoying 65% of the possession.

Italy finished second in the European Qualifiers Group C (4-0-4) and then was placed in a group with North Macedonia, Portugal and Turkey. Portugal defeated Turkey, 3-1, in Porto and advances to play North Macedonia for a spot in Qatar 2022 on the 29th.

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

For our 832-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HEARD AT HALFTIME: Coe sees fragility in women’s sport over transgenders; Griner a Russian bargaining chip?; U.S. men at Mexico Thursday in World Cup qualifier

By
Rich Perelman
-
Testosterone chemical structure formula

(★ So grateful to our 45 donors, who have covered 77% of our site costs for services for the first six months of 2022. If you enjoy this coverage, please donate here. ★)

● Plus: World Games: Aid for Ukraine and Bach to attend opening = PanAm Sports: Ilic to meet directly with all 41 NOCs in Miami = Aquatics: FINA reports $6.6 million in development activities during pandemic year = Athletics: Okagbare does not appeal 10-year ban = Basketball: U.S. Senator thinks Griner may be bargaining chip for Russia = Boxing: Is IBA going to allow Belarus boxers in women’s Worlds? = Football: World Cup draw coming up on 1 April = Swimming: ISL’s Energy Standard team suspends Russian swimmers and staff = Weightlifting: Another doping positive, another 2012 gold medal lost = SCOREBOARD: Athletics: Kerley 20.04 and Allman 223-6 discus world leads = Football: Final CONCACAF World Cup qualifying window starts Thursday = Gymnastics: Italy and Israel star in first FIG Rhythmic World Cup ●

News, views and noise from the non-stop, worldwide circus of Olympic sport:

≡ SPOTLIGHT ≡

Double Olympic gold medalist Sebastian Coe (GBR) is the head of World Athletics, which has been at the forefront of the debate about women in sport with naturally high levels of testosterone (hyperandrogenism). His federation has been deeply engaged in scientific research on the issue and created the current standard in regulations to apply testosterone limits to specific events – not all – in trying to ensure a level playing field between participants in a restricted sector.

Now, in swimming, the issue of transgender athletes has come to the fore as American Lia Thomas won the NCAA women’s 500-yard Freestyle title last week amid fierce controversy on whether she should be allowed to compete against biological females.

World Athletics has regulations on transgenders also, but the sport has not seen the furor – yet – but Coe knows it is coming. He told Britain’s Daily Mail:

“It is inevitable that as in any element of science you will go on understanding and learning, but there is no question to me that testosterone is the key determinant in performance.

“Look at the nature of 12 or 13-year-old girls. I remember my daughters would regularly outrun male counterparts in their class but as soon as puberty kicks in that gap opens and it remains. Gender cannot trump biology.

“I think that the integrity of women’s sport if we don’t get this right, and actually the future of women’s sport, is very fragile.”

USA Swimming’s new regulations on transgender participation are modeled on the World Athletics research and guidelines, but were deemed too strict by the NCAA, which is not a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code and does not adhere to it. If Thomas, who swam as a man at the University of Pennsylvania for three years, then transitioned during the pandemic – wishes to swim in international competitions, the USA Swimming rules will apply.

Coe added:

“Science is important. If I wasn’t satisfied with the science that we have and the experts that we have used and the in-house teams that have been working on this for a long time, if I wasn’t comfortable about that, this would be a very different landscape.”

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● XI World Games: Birmingham 2022 ● Ukraine has become an important element of July’s World Games, to be held in Birmingham, Alabama.

There are 103 Ukrainian athletes listed as qualified in 63 of 223 disciplines for the Games in July, but getting to the U.S. will be difficult. The head of the Ukrainian Sports Committee, Illia Shevliak wrote to International World Games Association chief Jose Perurena (ESP):

“Let me also inform you, Mr. President, that a lot of Ukrainian sportsmen, including those who are qualified for The World Games 2022, are either taking up arms and defending their country or volunteering to help the Armed Forces and people in need. With grief and pain, we note that some of them have been murdered because of military operations or brutal bombing of the civil population.”

Perurena asked for donations from the international sports federations which make up the IWGA and added:

“We are urging our colleagues on the Birmingham Organising Committee to do everything in their power to persuade the US State Department to facilitate visa issue to UKR participants in TWG 2022. The IWGA will do everything possible to help Ukrainian athletes and officials to participate, despite all the difficulties they are facing.”

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (GER) accepted Perurena’s invitation to attend the opening of the Birmingham Games on 7 July. Perurena is an IOC member and also the head of the International Canoe Federation.

The event is an important incubator for sports and events that want to be included in a future Olympic Games. About 3,600 athletes are expected in Birmingham from 100+ countries, contesting 34 sports, and the IOC will have observers at the event.

● PanAm Sports ● An engineer by trade, Chile’s Neven Ilic has been building support for international sport in the Western Hemisphere since his election – by a single vote – in 2017. He was quickly recruited into the International Olympic Committee in 2017, placed onto the Coordination Commission for the Los Angeles 2028 Games in 2019, and was unanimously re-elected as PanAm Sports President in 2020.

In a rare show of public diplomacy and support, Ilic announced Tuesday a series of meetings with 38 of the 41 member National Olympic Committees between 2 April and 20 May, to take place in Miami. Meetings with the U.S., Canada and Brazil will take place later. Said Ilic, 59:

“There is not always time to meet alone with the Presidents and Secretaries General of the NOCs and learn about their concerns and their real needs. All countries have different realities, and we, with our programs and our experience, are willing to help them. Panam Sports has always kept its doors open but this is an activity that is very necessary to begin this new Olympic cycle and the great number of challenges and competitions that lie ahead.”

Observed: The meetings are less interesting in and of themselves than for Ilic’s desire to meet with all of them in a short timeframe, and to confront their issues a year ahead of the 2023 Pan American Games coming to Santiago, Chile. The Pan American Games is facing dangerous issues of relevance, met so far by making the PAG a required qualifying competition for the next Olympic Games, but this has not yet raised its profile in a significant way.

And beyond the Pan American Games, his energy and insight has his name in the discussion about possible successors to Bach as IOC President in 2025. But he needs to solve the Pan American Games issues first.

● Aquatics ● FINA released its 2021 report on its development activities, including direct assistance to swimmers and federations. Among the highlights:

● Scholarship support of $1.8 million was provided to 75 swimmers and 12 divers across 61 countries, with 4 qualifying to compete at the Tokyo Games.

● Some 350 coaches received certification in swimming (three levels) and artistic swimming during the year, using online courses to replace in-person instruction due to the pandemic.

● Technical Officials training, an often-looked part of the sport, worked with 900 officials across 35 schools in all FINA disciplines and across all continents. There were 768 beginners in the program and 132 received certification as FINA officials.

● FINA provided $4.1 million to directly support 172 national federations, and it working with three federations to create new swimming facilities in smaller countries which do not have a regulation competition pool.

The total financial commitment was $6.6 million during a pandemic year.

● Athletics ● Nigerian sprint star Blessing Okagbare has not filed an appeal against the 10-year ban for doping violations by the 18 March deadline and will be ineligible through 30 July 2031.

Now 33, she was found to have used two prohibited substances – Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and recombinant erythropoietin (EPO) – and was pulled from the Tokyo Olympic 100 m semis on 31 July 2021 and then was charged with a refusal to cooperate with the investigation.

● Basketball ● American star Brittney Griner continues to be held in Russia and U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) said on the syndicated “Full Court Press” show Sunday:

“I think there’s no doubt that her detention, and then this continuation of the imprisonment, is all to try to make her a hostage and a part of this chess game.

“And so, I think Vladimir Putin and the Russians want to use her as a negotiating chip and what a horrific thing to do to someone.”

Griner was arrested on 17 February for possession of a vape cartridge that apparently contained hashish oil and has been imprisoned since then. A Moscow court extended her detention until at least 19 May.

● Boxing ● The FrancsJeux site reports that while Russian and Belarusian boxers were excluded from International Boxing Association competitions on 4 March, there is a move within its Board of Directors to allow Belarusian boxers to compete as neutrals in May’s Women’s World Championships in Istanbul.

This could be in contravention of the IOC’s recommendation to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from competitions and will certainly be noted by the IOC, which is considering whether to allow the sport onto the 2028 Olympic program in Los Angeles.

At the same time, the IOC expressed significant unhappiness that it was not able to see the agreement between the IBA and the Russian energy giant Gazprom, which was used to wipe away millions in debt. Now, multiple national boxing federations are pushing for public disclosure of the agreement and a termination of the agreement in view of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

It’s worth remembering that the IBA President is Russian Umar Kremlev, formerly the Secretary General of the Russian Boxing Federation.

● Football ● The draw for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final will take place in Doha, Qatar on 1 April, with 29 of the 32 teams identified.

The ceremony will start at 7 p.m. local time, which is noon Eastern time and draw teams into eight groups. The only missing teams will be the winners of playoff matches in Europe, between CONCACAF and Oceania and between Asia and South America.

● Swimming ● France-based Energy Standard, one of the highest-profile teams in the International Swimming League, suspended its contractual agreements with its Russian swimmers and other Russian staff on Tuesday. Its statement included:

“In recent days we have seen high profile Russian athletes demonstrating very public support for the invasion of Ukraine. We acknowledge that, due to the propaganda War, these athletes may not understand the magnitude of the true atrocities being committed by the Russian military. However, their actions have caused considerable harm and this cannot go without consequence.

“In line with other major international sporting codes and with immediate effect the Energy Standard International swimming club has suspended all agreements with Russian athletes & support staff.”

Energy Standard had five Russian swimmers on its 2021-22 team.

● Weightlifting ● Another doping positive, another gold medal disqualification, this time of Kazakh lifter Nijat Rahimov, now 28, who won the Rio 2016 77 kg class at 379 kg, including a record Clean & Jerk lift of 214 kg.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport’s Anti-Doping Division released its decision Tuesday, including:

“The Sole Arbitrator found Nihat Rahimov to be responsible for four urine substitutions which constitute ADRVs of ‘Use of a Prohibited Method’ under Article 2.2 of the IWF Anti-Doping Rules and for which the Sole Arbitrator determined that the appropriate sanction would be an eight-year period of ineligibility and the disqualification of all competitive results from 15 March 2016 (date of the first disputed sample) to 18 January 2021 (start of the provisional suspension), including the Olympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro (gold medal in Men’s 77kg).”

The suspension is to run from 18 January 2021, but can be appealed.

Rahimov’s disqualification will move China’s Xiaojun Lu into the gold medal spot, giving him three consecutive Olympic golds in 2012-16 (at 77 kg) and 2020 at 81 kg.

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Athletics ● With the World Indoor Championships completed, there were some weekend outdoor marks of note, including a 20.04 200 m by American 100-200-400 star Fred Kerley (USA) in Tempe, Arizona and fellow American Cooper Teare running a world-leading 13:06.73 in the 5,000 m at the Stanford Invitational.

Women’s world leader includes a 22.27 for the 200 m by Tokyo 100 m hurdles winner Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR) in Carolina, P.R., and a 68.13 m (223-6) discus throw for U.S. gold medalist Valarie Allman, in San Antonio, Texas.

● Football ● The FIFA World Cup qualifying race on CONCACAF is at the final stage, with three matches remaining for all of the teams, with games on the 24th, 27th and 30th.

The top three teams advance to Qatar 2022 and a fourth will be in a play-off against an Oceanian team. At present:

1. 25 points: Canada (7-0-4)
2. 21 points: United States (6-3-2)
3. 21 points: Mexico (6-3-2)
4. 17 points: Panama (5-4-2)
5. 16 points: Costa Rica (4-3-4)

Canada has games remaining at Costa Rica, vs. Jamaica and at Panama, with two of the three teams in contention and needing wins badly. The U.S. will face Mexico at the legendary Estadio Azteca on Thursday, host Panama on the 27th and travel to Costa Rica on the 30th. Mexico’s final two games will be at Honduras and at home to El Salvador.

Thursday’s U.S.-Mexico match will kick off at 10 p.m. Eastern time and shown on the CBS Sports Network, Univision and TUDN.

● Gymnastics ● One more weekend result, from the FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup in Athens (GRE). Italy’s Sofia Raffaeli won the All-Around at 122.650, ahead of Israelis Daria Atamanov (120.650) and Michelle Segal (116.650).

Atamanov won the individual Hoop final (32.700) and Ribbon (31.300), while Raffaeli took honors on Ball (33.150) and Clubs (32.450).

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

For our 832-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: Russia’s Paralympic chief explains IOC’s continuing obsession with “unity,” even including outlaw countries

By
Rich Perelman
-

(★ So grateful to our 45 donors, who have covered 77% of our site costs for services for the first six months of 2022. If you enjoy this coverage, please donate here. ★)

(For our Highlights of the weekend’s major competitions, click here; for coverage of the World Athletics Indoor Championships, click for Saturday and Sunday.)

● Plus: Paris 2024: ticket sales program outlined = Athletics: Ithaca A-A not impressed with World Indoor tie settled by a blind draw; Ingebrigtsen gets Covid; Lashimova loses London 2012 walk gold due to doping; Lira pleads innocent on Okagbare drugs case = Biathlon: U.S.’s Egan helps create new farewell tradition at Oslo; Russia to appeal suspension = Bobsled & Skeleton: Canadian athletes pressuring federation = Football: Vanuatu withdraws from qualifiers due to Covid = Snowboard: Longtime coach Foley suspended by SafeSport, let go by USSS = Sport Climbing: Russia and Belarus federations suspended = Swimming: possible Worlds boycotts by Poland and Germany over Russia; conservative women’s group asks U.S. Title IX help on banning transgenders = SCOREBOARD: Curling: Japan, Korea and Swiss unbeaten at women’s Worlds ●

Last week’s short report from the Russian TASS news agency noted:

“The upcoming Paralympic Games ‘We Are Together. Sports’ in Russia may be organized in the future on a regular basis, Pavel Rozhkov, the acting president of the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC), said on Thursday.

“‘We are pondering the organization of the Games on a regular basis,’ Rozhkov told journalists. ‘A matter of their frequency would be decided later. We plan organizing such Games for the BRICS [Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa] and SCO [the Shanghai Cooperation Organization] member states. Participation invitations to other countries, including from Europe, are also possible.’

“‘We have grand opportunities for hosting such tournaments and they include the infrastructure, the refereeing staff, the organization and, most importantly, our desire to host them,’ the RPC high-ranking official stated.”

The competition in six sports took place from Thursday through Sunday in Khanty-Mansiysk, as “Athletes from Russia, Belarus, Tajikistan, Armenia and Kazakhstan competed in the games. The Russian national team won the medal count, winning 39 gold, 40 silver and 27 bronze medals.”

This was a small event, but rest assured it was noticed by the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne and the International Paralympic Committee in Bonn.

For them, the great strength of both the Olympic and Paralympic Movements is their worldwide appeal, their “universality.” Without this, the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games could be in danger. IOC President Thomas Bach said so explicitly while defending his organization’s stance on political neutrality vis-a-vis 2022 Winter Games host China in a December 2021 news conference:

“By not commenting on political issues, you are not taking a side, neither the one nor the other. This is the mission of the IOC, otherwise we could not manage to accomplish the mission of the Games to being, to unite the world. If we would start to take political sides on one way or the other, we would never get the 206 National Olympic Committees to the Olympic Games.

“This would be the politicalization of the Olympic Games, and this, if I would think it further, could be the end of the Olympic Games, as it was the end of the ancient Olympic Games, when politics got involved after 1,000 years of Olympic Games, and then the Roman Emperor intervened for political reasons that it was the end of the Games.”

In the context of Russia’s blatant, state-sponsored doping scandal from 2011-15, China’s oppressive actions against Tibet, Hong Kong and the Uyghur minority in Xinjiang and now Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it is not hard to imagine Rozhkov’s little Paralympic “make-up” event turning into something bigger on both the Olympic and Paralympic side.

He talked about “organizing such Games for the BRICS [Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa] and SCO [the Shanghai Cooperation Organization] member states.”

Brazil’s rightist government has been silent on the invasion on Ukraine, as has India. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization includes China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as full members, with Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia as “observers” and six more countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Turkey – as “dialogue” partners.

These countries are primarily in Asia, but include a NATO member (Turkey) and a major South American power in Brazil. Would Cuba join? North Korea?

Those with longer memories of the Olympic Movement in the difficult days of the 1970s and 1980s – after boycotts in Montreal, Moscow and Los Angeles – remember the Ted Turner-driven Goodwill Games that started in Moscow in 1986 and generated significant interest until IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch (ESP) managed to get a record 159 countries – including the USSR and China – to compete in Seoul (KOR) in 1988. The Goodwill Games faded into obscurity after the fifth edition in Brisbane (AUS) in 2001.

Turner’s vision was driven by private television money; a state-run event could have longer legs and could be a symbol of an East vs. West political divide in which a new Games could be a symbol.

Neither the IOC or the IPC wants this, but the environment is present for a new event that could be designed by Russia and China to show off their sphere of influence, using the sporting world as a proxy. As the Russians are likely to be penalized for a long time due to their Ukraine adventure, this threat is not going to go away any time soon.

In his 11 March message asking for a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions, Bach emphasized the responsibility of the Russian government for the invasion and that “his war has not been started by the Russian people, Russian athletes or Russian sports organisations.”

With the fighting ongoing and no end in sight, Russian and Belarusian athletes are being largely (but not completely) shut out of worldwide events. But once the shooting stops, look for the IOC and IPC to recommend a path for the return of all athletes to the Games, to keep the Olympic and Paralympic Movements from shattering.

In this case, it’s not about money, because none of the aggressor countries or their acolytes are significant funders of the Olympic Movement, although China is moving up. But for the Games to retain its status as a worldwide beacon of hope, the IOC and IPC will insist that their athletes be allowed to compete, even if under a neutral flag and perhaps after a “time-out” of a single Games, as was the case for Germany and Japan after World War II.

But a break-away Games that could sprout from the tiny event held this past weekend could threaten the “universal” appeal of the Olympic and Paralympic worlds.

Rich Perelman
Editor

≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡

● Games of the XXXIII Olympiad: Paris 2024 ● The Paris organizers unveiled the outlines of their ticketing program for the 2024 Games, with 10.0 million tickets expected to be available for the 700 Olympic sessions and 3.4 million for 300 Paralympic competition sessions.

The lowest-priced tickets for the Olympic Games are expected to be €24 (~$26.50) with half of all tickets at €50 (~$53.00) or less.

Tickets will be sold through a lottery system, with the first in February 2023, the second in May 2023 and remaining tickets available at the end of 2023.

The Paralympic tickets will start at €15 (~$16.50), with half at €25 (~$27.50) or less.

The ticketing process will be 100% digital and accessed through a single Web site, eliminating separate selling programs in different countries, with registration required.

Paris 2024 is guaranteeing that 80% of all tickets will be sold to the public; the remaining 20% will be used by Games stakeholders and for hospitality sales. Host areas in France will be able to buy 500,000 tickets for each Games to be given to youth, sports clubs and other local audiences.

● Athletics ● Not everyone was impressed with the way the tie between Britain’s David King and Japan’s Shusei Nomoto in the World Athletics Indoor Championships semis of the men’s 60 m hurdles was settled. Opined Katelyn Hutchison, a 2021 Division III All-American in the 400 m for Ithaca College, on Twitter:

“Two guys in the hurdle semis tied so they pulled a name out a bag to determine who gets to finals. …

“This why nobody like track”

The obvious option would have been to stage a run-off, especially since the schedule had two hours between the semis and the final. One commenter wrote:

“Katelyn, USTAF should hire you for marketing and social media,” which she is fully in tune with:

“Thatd be the dream! Id have our already superstar athletes looking like gods and goddesses”

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the Olympic 1,500 m champ, announced that he tested positive for Covid-19 upon his return to Norway after the World Indoors, where he won silver in the men’s 1,500 m.

“Bad timing, but in some way unavoidable. Now it’s all about recovering and getting back to training,” he wrote on Instagram.

The Athletics Integrity Unit disclosed yet another Russian doping positive from the 2012 Olympic Games in London:

“Following AIU charges based on LIMS data and the McLaren evidence, Russian race walker Yelena Lashmanova has been banned for two years, starting 09 March 2021, for the use of prohibited substances, a violation of @worldathletics anti-doping rules. …

“Lashmanova has accepted the sanction proposed by the AIU, including DQ of her results b/we 18 Feb ’12 & 3 Jan’14. She is set to lose gold medals from the women’s 20K race walk event at the London 2012 Olympic Games and 2013 World Athletics Championships in Moscow.”

Lashmanova won the event in a world-record time of 1:25:02, originally followed by Olga Kaniskina (RUS: 1:25:09), then China’s Shenjie Qieyang (1:25:16), Hong Liu (CHN: 1:26:00), Anisya Kirdyapkina (RUS: 1:26:26), and Xiuzhi Lu (CHN: 1:27:10). All three of the Russian walker have now been disqualified and assuming the medals are re-allocated, the Chinese will sweep the event!

Nick Zaccardi of NBC Sports, noted that all nine Russian race walkers from 2012 have now been disqualified and the original Russian track & field medal total from 2012 of 18 is now down to seven and from eight golds to two!

Eric Lira, accused of aiding suspended Nigerian sprint star Blessing Okagbare and others with doping, pleaded not guilty to U.S. charges under the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act of 2019 on Friday in New York.

Lira was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury earlier this month of supplying prohibited substances to athletes looking to compete at the Tokyo Games last year, Okagbare tested positive and was yanked from the Tokyo’s women’s 100 m after the quarterfinal round; she was subsequently suspended for 10 years.

● Biathlon ● Maybe the start of a new tradition in the sport, as American Clare Egan – on the advice of her coach, Italian Armin Auchentaller – got the organizers of the final stop of the 2021-22 IBU World Cup in Oslo (NOR) to stage a farewell ceremony for the 21 athletes retiring at the end of the season.

All skied a relaxed lap of honor, including Egan and fellow Americans Susan Dunklee and Leif Nordgren, and got a champagne bath along with the cheers of an appreciative crowd in the famed Holmenkollen stadium.

“It’s an easy way that we can all be together and have some closure to this beautiful experience we have all had together. So, I hope it’s the start of a tradition that we can do every year to recognize the athletes for all the ups and downs of their careers, and it’s nice to share it.”

A member of the IBU Athletes Committee, Egan plans to stay in the sport, as an athlete advisor and mentor to those coming up.

Egan, 34, finishes with one World Cup medal, a 2019 bronze in Oslo and as a two-time Olympian. Dunklee, now 36, made headlines with a World Championships silver medals in 2017 (Mass Start) and in 2020 (Sprint), and won seven World Cup medals in her career.

Nordgren, 32, was a member of three U.S. Olympic teams and appeared in nine IBU World Championships.

The Russian Biathlon Union will appeal its forthcoming suspension by the International Biathlon Union at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“If a ruling is passed to deprive us of membership it will be a decision which lacks legal grounds,” said RBU President Viktor Maigurov.

● Bobsled & Skeleton ● A group of 87 current and former athletes, plus former Canadian star Kaillie Humphries and the U.S. Athletes’ Advisory Council of USA Bobsled/Skeleton, are continuing to pressure Bobsled Canada Skeleton for “governance and leadership failures.”

The group rejected mediation offers and sent a third letter to the federation on Monday, and asked for the resignation of chief executive Sarah Storey and High Performance Director Chris Le Bihan. The Canadian Press reported that the first letter, on 7 March, complained “about issues with culture, safety, transparency and governance, claiming staff makes arbitrary decisions on matters like team selection based on biases, and has little concern for athlete safety” and other items.

In Monday’s letter was, “The athletes believe that mediation will not result in a meaningful resolution until a comprehensive, independent and transparent investigation is conducted into the matters brought forward.”

● Football ● Covid isn’t over.

The Vanuatu Football Federation has withdrawn from its remaining qualifying matches for the 2022 FIFA World Cup due to excessive cases of the disease in advance of its match vs. Tahiti, to be played in Qatar.

“In line with the applicable protocol and given the seven-day quarantine requirement, the Vanuatu Football Federation has confirmed to FIFA that it’s not in a position to play its upcoming FIFA World Cup qualification matches.”

● Shooting ● The International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) announced Saturday that it has agreed to cover the entry and room and board for the Ukrainian team competing in five major ISSF events this season, including the World Championship for Rifle and Pistol in Egypt.

● Snowboard ● The founding coach of the U.S. Snowboard Team, Peter Foley, has been released by U.S. Ski & Snowboard.

The federation stated that Foley has been on a leave of absence since 21 February and is no longer with the organization. He was suspended last Friday (18th) by the U.S. Center for SafeSport for “allegations of misconduct,” but without further details.

Foley denied allegations against him that swirled during the Beijing Winter Games; he has worked most recently with the Snowboarcross team.

● Sport Climbing ● The International Federation of Sport Climbing General Assembly met Saturday and concerning the federations from Russia and Belarus, agreed “to move to a suspension of their membership. The Executive Board was subsequently mandated to continually assess the situation and consider the removal of the suspension when the circumstances allow.”

The IFSC had previously noted that only the General Assembly had the authority to suspend member federations.

● Swimming ● The decision by FINA to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals – for now – at the 2022 FINA Aquatics World Championships is drawing announcements of withdrawals.

On Friday, the Polish Swimming Federation said it would not compete in Budapest this summer if the Russians were there. The Swiss federation had previously said it would not compete if Russia was allowed to participate.

Later that day, the President of the German Swimming Federation was reported to have told swimmers that if the Russians were allowed to compete in Budapest, Germany would likely skip the meet.

SwimSwam.com noted a report on the Russian pro-war rally in Moscow on Friday that stated many Russian star athletes were there, including Tokyo medalists Dina and Arina Averina (rhythmic gymnastics), gymnast Viktoriia Listunova and swimmer Evgeny Rylov, and Beijing Winter stars Alexander Bolshunov (cross-country skiing), Pairs skaters Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov, and ice dancers Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov.

The NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships are over, but The Hill reported:

“Concerned Women for America (CWA), a conservative, evangelical Christian organization, has filed a civil rights complaint against the University of Pennsylvania for allegedly failing to protect the rights of collegiate female athletes by allowing Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer, to compete on the university’s women’s team.”

The letter was sent to U.S. Department of Education Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon, complaining that “Thomas is anatomically/biologically a male who should not be eligible to compete in women’s sports, depriving anatomically/biologically female athletes of the opportunities afforded to them by law.”

It concludes with, “We plead for you to issue clear, decisive guidance to clarify the law and prevent colleges and university athletic programs from violating women’s rights by allowing biological male athletes to compete in the women’s category of sport.”

Errata: A correction was made to Sunday’s Highlights summary of the NCAA Championships, where Virginia’s Alex Walsh won three individual events, not four. Her sister Gretchen, won the 100-yard Freestyle. Congratulations to both swimmers!

≡ SCOREBOARD ≡

● Curling ● The Women’s World Championship is continuing in Prince George (CAN), with Japan (Ikue Kitazawa, skip) at 4-0 and Korea (EunJung Kim) and Switzerland (Silvana Tirinzoni) undefeated as well at 3-0. The U.S., skipped by Cory Christensen, is 2-1 so far.

Scotland (Rebecca Morrison) had to withdraw due to Covid infections. The tournament continues through the 27th.

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

For our 832-event International Sports Calendar for 2022 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

1...303132...102Page 31 of 102
© 2017-2025 Perelman Pioneer & Company