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LANE ONE: The power of the Olympics is limited, but isn’t it the international sports version of Make-A-Wish for athletes?

By
Rich Perelman
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(For Sunday’s Highlights of top international competitions, click here.)

Amid the dozens of commercials shown during sporting events on local television over the weekend was an appeal from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, an organization created in 1980 to provide life-changing wishes for children with a critical illness and which do so much more:

“Wishes impact everyone involved – wish kids, volunteers, donors, sponsors, medical professionals and communities. For wish kids, just the act of making their wish come true can give them the courage to comply with their medical treatments. Parents might finally feel like they can be optimistic. And still others might realize all they have to offer the world through volunteer work or philanthropy.”

Having heard amazing stories about the impact of Make-A-Wish programs on families and donors, and having seen first-hand what programs like the Special Olympics World Games can do for those with intellectual disabilities, the position of the Olympic Games and the worldwide Olympic Movement becomes clearer.

It is not the answer to the world’s problems. But it can be a catalyst.

Last week, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach of Germany told the European Union Conference on Sport Diplomacy exactly that and underlined its limits:

“There are many examples of how sport diplomacy has opened the door to peace. Over the years, the IOC has mediated between governments, building bridges through sport. This has been the case in the last couple of years for our negotiations with governments in Europe and beyond from Spain to Serbia, Kosovo, Tunisia, Israel, Palestine, Iran, Ukraine, Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, South and North Korea, and many others.

“But our discussions and our negotiations were always restricted to sport and to sport only. They always took place with strict political neutrality. Only in this way, could we be successful with sport diplomacy.

“At the same time, we know very well that sport alone cannot create peace. We cannot prevent conflicts or change the laws of sovereign states – this is the exclusive realm of politics.

“The Olympic Games cannot address all the political and social challenges in our world which generations of politicians were not able to solve. But they can set an example for a world where everyone respects the same rules and one another. They can inspire us to solve problems in friendship and solidarity. They can build bridges leading to better understanding among people and cultures.”

Looking at the Games in this way frames the upcoming Tokyo 2020 project in a somewhat different light.

While not widely reported recently, Bach said repeatedly when the Tokyo Games were postponed from 2020 to 2021, that the IOC would have been better off financially to cancel the Games and cash in its insurance policies. It had the power to do so. But, he noted, the purpose of the IOC is to hold the Games on behalf of the thousands of athletes who want to compete, not to watch its bank balances expand.

There will be financial winners and losers from the postponement. The IOC’s status will hardly change – Bach has noted that it has already booked $4.1 billion in revenues for the period of 2029-32! – but the winners will be the 8,174 athletes for whom this will be their one and only chance to compete in the Games.

Where did that number come from?

The Tokyo Games is expected to have 11,091 athletes from 205 countries competing in its 339 events, including the five sports it asked to have added to the program: baseball-softball, karate, skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing. Of this total, some 73.7% will compete only in Tokyo and in no other Games.

Where did that number come from?

Not from the IOC. Dr. Bill Mallon (USA), a PGA Tour golfer in his day and a highly-respected orthopedic surgeon, is also one of the leading historians and statisticians on the Olympic Games and a co-founder of the amazing Olympedia.org site, which includes comprehensive coverage on every Olympic Games ever held, going back to ancient Greece!

At our request, he provided the breakdown of Olympic (summer) participation for the Games of the Olympiad from 1896 through 2016:

● 114,887 total participants in the Olympic Games
● 84,705 (73.7%) competed in one Games only
● 21,542 (18.8%) competed in two Games
● 6,398 (5.6%) competed in three Games
● 2,242 (1.9%) competed in four or more Games

So, for Tokyo, of the 11,091 athletes expected, some 8,174 – 73.7% – will compete there and in no other Games.

Add to that the essentially amateur nature of 18 of the 28 “core” sports on the Olympic Games program, isn’t this truly a “Make-A-Wish”-style moment?

It’s true that athletes in some sports can make a reasonable (or better) living, especially in the big team sports played worldwide such as basketball and football, and to a lesser extent in handball, rugby and volleyball. It’s also true for the top 500-1,000 athletes in a few of the other Olympic-program sports such as tennis, badminton, cycling, golf and table tennis.

But for the rest, even including aquatics, gymnastics, track & field, only perhaps the top 50-250 make enough from prize money or salaries to be able to live, train and compete. The archers, fencers, rowers, modern pentathletes, weightlifters and others are still really amateurs, getting by on National Olympic Committee or government subsidies, a little prize money and maybe some corporate supporters.

This is why the Olympic Games is so important because it is the enormous popularity of the Games which (1) brings in the money on which so many of the International Federations of the less-popular sports survive, and (2) which fuels the interest of governments – excepting the U.S., of course – to fund their national sports programs, and their athletes.

There is method in this seeming government madness of supporting athletes. South Africa’s 1993 Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela – and his country’s president from 1994-99 – told the audience at the first Laureus World Sports Awards in 2000:

“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination.”

Seen against this backdrop, the Olympic Movement offers a service that would be hard to duplicate outside of sport. It is international. It is merit-based, especially in the timed and measured sports. It is open to anyone, from any country, who is good enough.

And, in the parlance of the game show, anyone can play the home version. The addition of mass-participation events in Paris for 2024 is a determined step to bring people closer to the mission of the Games to offer sport for the betterment of society.

On this basis, holding the Tokyo Games despite all the local hand-wringing over the coronavirus and the extraordinarily restrictive conditions imposed in athletes, coaches, officials, media and staff, makes sense.

Perhaps even the Japanese public is beginning to agree. Two public-opinion polls released on Monday (7th) showed significant rises in public support for the Games:

● The Yomiuri Shimbun poll showed 50% support for holding the Games as scheduled, up from 39% in early May; there were 48% in favor of cancellation, down from 59%.

● A Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) poll found 44% in favor of the Games being held, up from 35% a month earlier, vs. 24% for postponement and 31% for cancellation.

The Tokyo Games will be austere, anti-septic and sterile compared with prior editions. But they will fulfill once-in-a-lifetime wishes for thousands of athletes and be yet another confirmation of what determination, hard work and belief can bring.

That should be something we all wish for much more of, for today and tomorrow.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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HIGHLIGHTS: Fraser-Pryce’s sensational 10.63 second only to FloJo; Bromell screams 9.77; Malone surprises Mikulak at U.S. Gymnastics Champs

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

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

● Archery ● The annual SoCal Showdown, in Chula Vista, California, a U.S. Archery Team qualifier series event, was once again a showcase for the American archers who will go to Tokyo.

Jack Williams, the no. 2 men’s qualifier, led the Ranking Round over World Champion Brady Ellison, 674-673, and no. 2 Mackenzie Brown scored 671 to 648 for no. 1 Casey Kaufhold.

In the elimination round, it came down to Ellison and no. 3 Jacob Wukie in the final and Ellison closed him out in three ends, 6-0. Williams won the bronze medal over Olympic alternate Matthew Nofel, 6-5.

The women’s final pitted Brown and Kaufhold once again, and this time it was Brown taking the title by 6-4. Rebekah Hill took the third-place match over Nicole Turina by 6-4.

● Athletics ● Two-time Olympic women’s 100 m gold medalist Shelly-Anne Fraser-Pryce, now 34, set the track & field world on fire on Saturday in Kingston, Jamaica, running a sensational 10.63.

Her victory in the Olympic Destiny Series meet was aided by a modest 1.3 meters-per-second win and was a runaway, with countrywoman Natasha Morrison second in 10.95. It was historic, moving her to no. 2 on the all-time list, with the fourth-fastest time ever run:

10.49 Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA) ‘88
10.61 Griffith-Joyner ‘88
10.61 Griffith-Joyner ‘88
10.62 Griffith-Joyner ‘88
10.63 Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM) ‘21
10.64 Carmelita Jeter (USA) ‘09
10.65 Marion Jones (USA) ‘98

Fraser-Pryce improved her old lifetime best of 10.70, set in 2012 and in doing so, claimed the Jamaican record after having been in a tie with 2016 Olympic champ Elaine Thompson-Herah.

Prior world leader Sha’Carri Richardson of the U.S. hardly cowered after hearing the news. She tweeted:

“My presence in this track game making history happen, no need for a thank you.”

That evoked a thunderous response – for and against – on Twitter, which will only raise the interest in the women’s 100 heading into the U.S. Olympic Trials starting 18 June.

Comment: Thanks, Kerrii. This is exactly what the sport needs. Badly.

Thompson-Herah was also on notice after seeing the 10.63 and responded with convincing wins at the NACAC New Life Invitational in Miramar, Florida. She took her heat in a wind-aided 10.92 (+3.0 m/s), then stormed to a win in the final in 10.87 (+1.2), her second-fastest time of 2021.

American Tianna Bartoletta, the reigning Olympic long jump champion, was second in the final with a stunning 10.96, ahead of Jamaica’s Briana Williams (10.97). That’s Bartoletta’s fastest 100 m since 2016 and makes her an instant contender for Tokyo at the U.S. Olympic Trials coming up in a couple of weeks, in addition to the long jump.

Thompson also won the women’s 200 m in 22.54 (+1.2 m/s).

Maybe the men were inspired too, as world leader Trayvon Bromell set a new lifetime best of 9.77 in the men’s 100 m final, breaking his 9.84 prior best from 2015 and 2016. He brought fellow American Marvin Bracy with him to a new best of 9.85 (wind: +1.5 m/s), improving from 9.93 back in 2015!

How special is this? Bromell is only the ninth man in history to run sub-9.80 and is now seventh on the all-time list, and fourth all-time on the U.S. list. Wow! Bracy’s 9.85 tied him for 14th all-time and ties him for sixth all-time U.S. with former world-record holder Leroy Burrell and Mike Rodgers.

Defending Olympic women’s 400 m hurdles champ Dalilah Muhammad ran her second race of the season and moved to no. 4 on the world list at 54.50, beating no. 2 Ronda Whyte of Jamaica (55.65).

Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan won the women’s 100 m hurdles in a wind-aided 12.44 (+2.2 m/s), barely over the allowable, ahead of Costa Rica’s Andrea Vargas (12.76w).

On Sunday, Dutch star Sifan Hassan smashed the world record in the women’s 10,000 m at the FBK Games in Hengelo (NED), finishing in 29:06.82 vs. Ethiopian Almaz Ayana’s mark of 29:17.45 from the 2016 Rio Games.

Hassan cruised through 5,000 m in 14:38.75, then finished the second half of the race in 14:28.07, winning by more than a minute and a half from Kenya’s Irine Kimias (30:37.24). Hassan now owns world marks in the mile, the hour and the road 5 km.

There was other hot running in Hengelo, with American Fred Kerley winning the 400 m in 44.74; Jake Wightman (GBR) winning the 1,500 m in 3:34.67 from Abel Kipsang (KEN: 3:35.63); and Olympic 110 m hurdles champ Omar McLeod running 13.08 ahead of American Devon Allen (13.32). Swede Mondo Duplantis towered over the men’s vault at 6.10 m (20-0).

Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith won the women’s 100 m in 10.92 (+0.8 m/s), which would normally have been an impressive mark! Puerto Rico’s world-leading Jasmine Camacho-Quinn won the women’s 100 m hurdles in a speedy 12.44 (+0.5 m/s), giving her two of the top three times in the world in 2021. Femke Bol (NED) moved up to a tie for no. 2 in 2021 in the 400 m hurdles, winning in 54.33 over Ukraine’s Anna Ryzhykova (54.59: world no. 5).

Also on Sunday, the women’s discus was the star event at the USATF Showcase at Prairie View A&M. American Record holder Valarie Allman got off her best throw of the season, measuring 67.74 m (222-3) on her final effort, equal to the no. 3 throw in U.S. history and no. 3 on the 2021 year list. Her fourth throw of 67.07 m (220-0) is the no. 10 throw in American history; she now has four of the top 10 ever.

The American Track League’s Music City Track Carnival was held in rainy Nashville, but that hardly mattered to Sydney McLaughlin, running her first 400 m hurdles race since 2019. She destroyed the field by more than two seconds, finishing in a world-leading 52.83, her third-fastest race ever. Pretty good, right? “Definitely have things to work on” is what she said afterwards. The U.S. now stands 1-2-4 in the world for 2021.

Steven Gardiner (BAH) won the men’s 400 m in 45.06 and Ashland’s Trevor Bassitt ran a lifetime best of 48.80 in the men’s 400 m hurdles to best fellow American Kenny Selmon (48.96) and move to no. 8 in the world for 2021.

In the field, New Zealand star Tom Walsh won the men’s shot at 22.00 m (72-2 1/4), but was the only finisher as American Nick Ponzio had six fouls!

World leader Katie Nageotte (USA) won the women’s vault at 4.85 m (15-11), short of her 4.93 m (16-2) earlier this year, but higher than anyone else has cleared in 2021.

The parade of new world-leading marks continues, with American Amanda Eccleston taking the mile in 4:30.06 at the Hoka Festival of Miles in St. Louis on 3 June, and Portugal’s Auriol Dongmo reaching 19.75 m (64-9 3/4) in Huelva, Spain on the same day. It was a lifetime best for Dongmo, who was the 2021 European Indoor Champion earlier this year.

On Sunday, Sandra Arenas (COL) won the World Athletics Race Walking Challenge 20 km in La Coruna (ESP) in a world-leading 1:28:24, ahead of Alegna Gonzalez (MEX: 1:28:40). The men’s 20 km was won by 2018 European silver medalist Diego Garcia (ESP) in 1:19:37 in a tight race with Swede Perseus Karlstrom (SWE: 1:19:44).

● Baseball ● The United States punched its ticket to Tokyo by sweeping through the WBSC’s Baseball Americas Qualifier in St. Lucie and West Palm Beach, Florida.

The American squad, managed by former Angels skipper Mike Scioscia, defeated Nicaragua (7-1) and the Dominican Republic (8-6) in the Opening Round, then stomped Canada (10-1) and Venezuela (4-2) on Saturday.

The U.S. was led by outfielder Luke Williams (Phillies minor leaguer) who batted .444 and had six runs batted in; catcher Mark Kolozsvary (Reds minor leaguer: .417, 2 home runs, 5 RBI) and infielders Triston Casas (Red Sox minor leaguer) and Todd Frazier (free agent; two-time All-star for Cincinnati in 2014-15), who both batted .400. Matthew Libertadore (St. Louis minor leaguer) started twice for the U.S., including the final game vs. Venezuela and finished with a 1-0 record and a 1.86 earned-run average.

The Olympic tournament now includes Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Israel and the U.S. One more team will be included, from the WBSC Baseball Final Qualifier in Puebla, Mexico, coming on 22-26 June. Originally slated to be held in Taichung (TPE), governmental restrictions due to the pandemic forced a change of venue and the Chinese Taipei team had to withdraw. Australia, The Netherlands, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela will compete for the final spot.

● Beach Volleyball ● Americans Sarah Sponcil and Kelly Claes celebrated making the U.S. Olympic team this week by capturing their second straight FIVB World Tour title at the Ostrava Beach Open in the Czech Republic.

They swept aside Brazilians Barbara Seixas de Freitas and Carol Salgado in straight sets in the semis, then defeated Joana Heidrich and Anouk Verge-Depre (SUI), 21-18, 21-15. Said Sponcil:

“We’re on a good roll right now. We had our first gold medal [last week] and qualified for the Olympics, but we tried to put that on the back burner and really focus on this tournament. And we came up with a win. I have an amazing partner and the Czech fans are amazing!”

Salgado and Seixas got past reigning World Champions Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes (CAN) by 21-15, 21-16, for the bronze medal.

In the men’s tournament, Dutch stars Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen – the 2013 World Champions – won a grueling final over home favorites Ondrej Perusic and David Schweiner (CZE) by 13-21, 21-19, 15-13. Brazilians Andre Stein and George Wanderley took the bronze medal from Viacheslav Krasilnikov and Oleg Stoyanovskiy (RUS), 27-25, 21-18.

The U.S. men qualified two teams for Rio at the tournament. Taylor Crabb and Jake Gibb clinched last Friday and Nick Lucena and Phil Dalhausser clinched on Saturday. Going into Ostrava, Crabb and Gibb ranked ninth in the FIVB Olympic Rankings and Lucena and Dalhauser 10th, and when Tri Bourne and Trevor Crabb (ranked 14th; Taylor’s brother) went out in the Round of 16, they were mathematically eliminated from contention.

The theme for the U.S. men in Tokyo has to be “forever summer.” Gibb is 45 and will be participating in his fourth Olympic Games and is reportedly will be the oldest volleyball Olympian ever. Dalhausser, 41, will be making his fourth Olympic appearance and won the 2008 Olympic title with Todd Rogers.

Lucena is also 41 and going to his second Games; he and Dalhauser tied for fifth in Rio. Crabb is the baby of the group at 29, and is making his Olympic debut.

● Cycling ● It was a wild week at the eight-stage Criterium du Dauphine in France, with the overall lead changing after stages 5, 6 and 7.

Austrian Lukas Postlberger took over the leader’s jersey after his win in stage 2 and stayed in front after wins by Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) over Ion Izagirre (ESP) in the Stage 4 time trial and Geraint Thomas (GBR) outrunning Italy’s Sonny Colbrelli in the hilly Stage 5.

But Lutsenko took the race lead with a seventh-place finish in Stage 6, with its difficult triple climb and uphill finish. The stage was won by Spanish star Alejandro Valverde, ahead of Britain’s Tao Geoghegan Hart.

But Lutsenko lost the lead after a 10th-place finish in Stage 7, won by Ukraine’s Mark Padun, who sprinted away in the final 4.7 km. Second was Australian star Richie Porte, 34 seconds behind, but suddenly the race leader by 16 seconds going into Sunday’s six-climb finale with an uphill finish into Les Gets.

Padun won again in stage 8, breakaway from the field with 27 km remaining and taking the victory by 1:36 over Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) and Patrick Konrad (AUT). Porte stuck like glue to the other contenders and finished eighth, right with Lutsenko, Thomas, Wilco Kelderman (NED) and fellow Aussie Jack Haig, who finished 2-3-4-5 by 0:17-0:29-0:33-0:34.

For Porte, 36, he adds the Criterium du Dauphine to a sparkling resume which also include the Tour Down Under, Tour de Suisse, Tour de Romandie and Volta Ciclista a Catalunya. He was third overall in the 2020 Tour de France and will be one to watch again this year.

Also in France was the BMX Freestyle World Championships, in Montpelier, with the Freestyle Park finals scheduled for Monday (7th) and Flatland on Tuesday (8th).

In the Park semifinals, Americans finished 1-2-4 with Daniel Sandoval (94.06), Nick Bruce (92.64) and Justin Dowell (89.48). Australia’s Logan Martin was third (91.94).

The women’s qualification leaders were reigning World Champion Hannah Roberts of the U.S. (84.25), fellow American and former World Champion Perris Benegas (83.80) and American Chelsea Wolfe (80.55).

● Football ● /updated/Mexico has dominated the U.S. over the 87 years since their first meeting in 1934, and the CONCACAF Nations League final showed that misery loves company.

Just 1:11 into the game, U.S. defender Mark McKenzie made a bad clearance in front of the U.S. goal that was taken by Mexican striker Jesus Corona, who dribbled left and sent a laser past keeper Zach Steffen from the left side of the goal into the top right corner for a 1-0 lead. It’s the fastest goal scored against the U.S. since at least 1990.

Mexico scored again in the 24th minute when Hector Herrera sent a cross from the left side to beyond the U.S. goal and Hector Moreno headed it past Steffen, but the goal was disallowed on a video review for a very close offside call.

That sudden change was compounded three minutes later with a U.S. corner that found Wes McKennie for a header past Mexican keeper Memo Ochoa, but it hit the left goal post and rebounded to Gio Reyna standing in front of the net. He slammed it home for a 1-1 tie.

Mexico dominated play in the final 15 minutes of the first half and got Hirving Lozano behind the U.S. defense in the 43rd minute, but Steffen came out and deflected his shot in a one-on-one duel in the middle of the box. Mexico ended with 61% possession and a 7-5 edge in shots.

The U.S. had a better start to the second half and developed a couple of chances, but had to replace Steffen with Ethan Horvath in the 67th minute due to injury. But it was Mexico’s Ochoa under pressure soon after and he made a sensational save in the 72nd minute to deny McKennie on another header off a corner. McKenzie tried the same thing in the 76th minute, but Ochoa saved his header as well.

But in the 79th minute, substitute striker Diego Lainez received a pass with space at the right side of the U.S. goal, moved toward the center and fired a left-footed shot that skipped past Horvath for a 2-1 lead. The U.S. offense came alive quickly, however, finding the equalizer in the 82nd minute on another corner that McKennie stunningly headed into the right side of the Mexican goal for a 2-2 tie.

The game was stopped at 90+6 when a homophobic chant in Spanish was heard in the crowd, under a new CONCACAF anti-discrimination protocol. It resumed two minutes later, and regulation time ran out. Mexico finished the first 90 minutes with 55% of the possession and a 13-11 advantage in shots.

Mexico had a 5-1 advantage in shots in the first extra-time period, but Horvath was not severely challenged.

In the 111th minute, a run by Christian Pulisic into the box was blocked by Mexican defender Carlos Salcedo, who tripped him and was called for a foul. A subsequent video review resulted in a penalty kick, taken by Pulisic in the 114th minute, sending a right-footed rocket into the top right corner of the goal for a 3-2 lead. A hail of bottles from Mexican fans came onto the U.S. players after the goal, one of them hitting Reyna directly.

In the 120th minute, a video review was made on a possible Kellyn Acosta hand-ball and a penalty was given for Mexico. Andres Guardado’s shot flew toward the left side of the goal, but Horvath guessed correctly and blocked it with his right arm, off to the side to a roar from the crowd.

The game was increasingly chippy, with more drinks thrown from the stands, but after 131 minutes, the whistle blew and the U.S. had a 3-2 win and the inaugural CONCACAF Nations League title. Wow.

Mexico ended with 57% possession and a 21-14 lead in shots, but it wasn’t enough.

● Golf ● Yogi Berra was right: it’s not over until it’s over. American Lexi Thompson was sailing through the U.S. Women’s Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco with a one-under 34 through the first nine holes on Sunday, then it all went wrong.

The final-day leader at -1, she started the back nine with a par, then went double bogey-par-par-bogey-par-par-bogey-bogey to finish at +4 for the day and finish third at -3 (281) for the tournament.

The beneficiaries were Japan’s Nasa Hataoka and Yuka Saso of The Philippines, who shot 68 (-3) and 73 (+2), respectively, to finish in a tie for the lead at -4 (280) after 72 holes. On to a playoff!

Both made pars on the first two playoff holes, then Saso made a brilliant approach from the rough and birdied the third hole and Hataoka could not match, giving Saso her first LPGA Tour win! She had won twice on the LPGA of Japan Tour. Amazing.

● Gymnastics ● /Updated/The annual U.S. Championships took center stage this week in Ft. Worth, Texas, a final prep for the Olympic Trials later this month. The format featured a double All-Around for both men and women.

The first men’s competition showcased NCAA All-Around winner Brody Malone of Stanford (86.250), tying for first place on Vault and second in the High Bar. Stanford’s Brandon Briones and veteran Yul Moldauer tied for second (83.600), with Shane Wiskus fourth (83.350). Star Sam Mikulak was seventh (82.450).

On Saturday, Mikulak came back with the best score of the day at 84.950 to top Malone (84.450) and Moldauer (84.350). In the combined standings, Malone won at 170.700, followed by Moldauer (167.950), Mikulak (167.400), Briones (167.150) and Allan Bower (166.150).

The two-session apparatus winners included Eddie Penev on Floor (29.750), Stephen Nedoroscik on Pommel Horse (30.200), Alex Diab on Rings (29.600), Malone on Vault (29.000), Moldauer on Parallel Bars (29.600) and Mikulak on the High Bar (29.600).

The women’s program was, of course, all about Olympic superstar Simone Biles. She had the first-competition top scores in Vault, Beam and Floor and was second the Uneven Bars, scoring a total of 59.550. Well behind, but still impressive were Worlds Team gold medalist Sunisa Lee in second 57.350, followed by Jordan Chiles (56.900), Jade Carey (55.450) and Leanne Wong (55.300).

Veteran stars Morgan Hurd, Riley McCusker and Laurie Hernandez only competed on one or two of the apparatus. All placed 18th or worse, except for McCusker, who was third on Bars in her only event.

The women’s final All-Around competition on Sunday showed Biles at an even higher level, scoring 60.100, posting wins in the same three events, but scoring 15.500 on Vault, 14.700 on Bars, a much higher 14.900 on Beam and a superb 14.950 on Floor.

Biles’ two-competition total was 119.650, a staggering 4.7 points ahead of Lee’s 114.950 (57.350 + 57.600) in second. Chiles was third (114.450: 56.900 + 57.550) and Emma Malabuyo popped up to fourth (110.450: 54.450 + 56.00) as Wong dropped to fifth, scoring 54.850 on Sunday (110.150 total).

In the combined apparatus scores over two days, Biles won on Vault (31.350), Beam (29.250) and Floor (29.600). She was third on Bars (29.450), behind Lee (30.200) and McCusker (29.750). Hurd struggled again on Beam and Floor and Hernandez did not compete on Sunday.

The Olympic Trials are next, in St. Louis from 24-27 June.

Host Brazil dominated the Pan American Artistic Championships in Rio de Janeiro (BRA), winning men’s and women’s Team event, the individual All-Around titles with Caio Souza (men: 84.450) and Rebeca Andrade (women: 56.700), three men’s apparatus titles (all by Souza) and two women’s apparatus victories.

The American men’s squad of Cameron Bock, Vitaliy Guimaraes, Paul Juda and Riley Loos finished second in the Team event and Juda was second to Souza in the men’s All-Around (83.000), picking up an extra Tokyo qualification place for the U.S.

In the men’s apparatus finals, Souza won the Rings, Vault and Parallel Bars, while Colombia’s Javier Sandoval took the High Bar and won silvers on Pommel Horse and Parallel Bars. There were four different winners in the women’s apparatus finals, with Brazil getting wins from Lorrane Oliveira on the Uneven Bars and Ana Luisa Lima on Floor. Argentina’s Martina Dominici won the All-Around silver, gold on Vault, silver on Floor and a bronze on Uneven Bars, plus a Team bronze for five medals in all.

Ukrainian stars dominated the Artistic World Challenge Cup in Cairo, Egypt, winning five events and 11 total medals. Illia Kovtun, the 2021 European All-Around bronze medalist, took the Floor, Pommel Horse, and High Bar titles and won bronzes in Vault and Parallel Bars. Teammate Nazar Chepurnyi won the Vault and took bronze on Floor and Roman Vaschenko won the bronze on Rings.

Diana Varinska, a seven-time World Cup winner, took the Uneven Bars title and won silvers on Beam and Floor. Romanian Larisa Iordache, a two-time Worlds All-Around medal winner, won on Beam and was third on the Uneven Bars.

The FIG Trampoline World Cup tour landed in Brescia (ITA), with the men’s individual event was won by France’s Allan Morante, a 2015 Worlds Synchro bronze medalist, who scored 60.765, ahead of Japan’s Ryusei Noshioka (60.480) and Belarus’s Aleh Rabtsau (60.340).

Japan’s Hikaru Mori won the women’s individual title at 55.110, over Russian Anna Kornetskata (54.055) and American Nicole Ahsinger (53.905).

● Ice Hockey ● The controversial IIHF men’s World Championships held solely in Riga, Latvia, after being removed from Belarus due to the political turmoil there, finally ended with defending champion Finland facing perennial power Canada for the world title.

The Finns overcame Germany in the semifinal, 2-1, thanks to two first-period goals by Iiro Pakarinen and Hannes Bjorninen, then withstanding a 28-17 shots advantage by the Germans.

Canada dispatched the U.S., which had won its group, by 4-2. After a 1-1 first period, Andrew Mangiapane scored 4:15 into the second period for a 2-1 lead and then Mangiapane scored against 46 seconds into the third period for a 3-1 advantage. The U.S.’s Sasha Chmelevski scored about three minutes later to cut the deficit to 3-2, but Arizona Coyotes keeper Darcy Kuemper held strong against 14 shots by the U.S. in the third period. Canada’s Justin Danforth with 24 seconds left in the game for the 4-2 final.

In the final, Finland got the jump on a goal by Mikael Ruohomaa just as a power play had ended, scoring after 8:57 of the first period. But the challengers even things up on power play with Maxime Comtois getting the goal just 4:30 into the second period. A furious third period saw Petteri Lindbohm score for Finland just 27 seconds in, only to have Canada tie it again 10 minutes later with a power-play goal from Adam Henrique.

Regulation time ended 2-2, so the title would be decided in the 3×3 unlimited overtime and it didn’t take long. At 6:26, Nick Paul scored for Canada and brought home a 27th world title to the home of ice hockey.

That’s a reversal of the 2019 Worlds final, where the Finns defeated Canada and is the first world title for Canada since back-to-back wins in 2015 and 2016. Canada has now won 51 total medals (27-15-9) in the IIHF men’s Worlds all-time and is 8-6 in final-game match-ups since the current playoff format was introduced in 1992. Finland won its 15th Worlds medal, but is now 3-9 in finals.

The U.S. defeated Germany, 6-1, for the bronze medal, expanding a 1-0 lead after the first period to 5-0 after the second with goals from Conor Garland, Jack Drury, Jason Robertson and Trevor Moore in the decisive period. It was the fourth bronze medal in the last eight World Championships for the U.S., previously in 2013-15-18.

Canadian forward Mangiapane (Calgary Flames) was named Most Valuable Player after scoring seven goals and adding five assists. The tournament All-Star team included forwards Mangiapane, Garland of the U.S. and Liam Kirk (GBR), defensemen Korbinian Holzer and Moritz Seider (GER) and keeper Jussi Olkinuora (FIN).

● Rowing ● The third World Cup for 2021 took place in Saubaudia, Italy with a full schedule, and favorable tail winds in the final tune-up for Tokyo.

The men’s Single Sculls was one of the most compelling races, with 2018 World Champion Kjetil Borch (NOR) taking charge early and making 2019 World Champion Oliver Zeidler (GER) and silver medalist Sverri Nielsen (DEN) chase hard. It was tight right to the finish, but Borch held on in 6:39.12, with Nielsen just 0.20 seconds behind and Zeidler third in 6:39.47.

Ukraine’s Diana Dymchenko won the women’s Single Sculls with a late effort to maintain her lead over Anna Souwer (NED) by 7:28.78-7:30.41, with Britain’s Lola Anderson third at 7:32.78.

The men’s Double Sculls was a clear win for Poles Miroslaw Zietarski and Mateusz Biskup in 6:06.50, with only Barnabe Delarze and Roman Roeoesli (SUI) anywhere close (6:07.86). Italy won the Quadruple Sculls from Norway, 5:38.41-5:40.84.

In the Men’s Pairs, reigning World Champions Martin and Valent Sinkovic (CRO) looked superb, winning by more than six seconds in 6:16.79. Italy won the Four in 5:48.16 with Britain second in 5:50.54. World Champion Germany won the Eight, 5:24.87-5:28.00 from Italy.

Roos de Jong and Lisa Scheenaard took the women’s Double Sculls for the Netherlands in 6:44.79, winning by almost three seconds. The Quadruple Sculls was much closer, with Germany defeating Italy and Poland: 6:13.43-6:15.17-6:15.36.

Denmark’s Hedvig Berg Rasmussen and Fie Erichsen won the women’s Pair easily, finishing in 6:57.68, with Ivana and Josip Jurkovic second for Germany in 7:00.74. The Dutch Four also won, in 6:20.21 to 6:26.14 for Denmark.

In the men’s Lightweight Double Sculls – the only lightweight event for Tokyo – Kristoffer Brun and Are Strandli won in 6:14.03 with only Pietro Ruta and Stefano Oppo close (6:14.20). The women’s Lightweight Double Sculls saw Marieke Keijser and Ilse Paulis claim a world’s best time for the event, winning in 6:43.79 over Silvia Crosio and Federica Cesarini (ITA: 6:50.32).

● Skateboard ● The 2021 Street World Championships, held at the Foro Italico in Rome (ITA) showcased Japan as the nation to watch in Tokyo as four of the medal winners – all Olympic qualifiers from this event – were from the host country.

In the men’s semifinals, Nyjah Huston (USA) led all qualifiers at 35.86, followed by Japan’s Yuto Horigome (33.46) and Kelvin Hoefler (BRA: 32.11), with Jagger Eaton (USA: 31.56) and Sora Shirai (JPN: 31.34) also over 31 points.

In the final, it was Horigome who came up with the smoothest run and scored 36.75, to claim the world title over six-time winner Huston (35.75), Shirai (34.58), the U.S.’s Eaton in fourth (34.36) and 2015 World Champion Hoefler (33.71). Horigome moved up from silver in 2019 to claim his first world title.

Brazil’s 13-year-old Rayssa Leal led the women’s qualifiers in the semi, scoring 14.40 over Aori Nishimura (JPN: 14.24), Funa Nakayama (JPN: 13.88) and Mariah Duran of the U.S. (12.93).

Nishimura, the 2018 World Champion and third in 2019, got back to the top with a final-round score of 14.73, followed by countrywoman Momiji Nishiya (14.17; first Worlds medal), followed by Brazilians Leal (13.47), Pamela Rosa (13.44) and 2015 World Champion Leticia Bufoni (13.36). Duran finished seventh (11.64).

● Surfing ● The competitors for surfing’s debut in Tokyo were finally sorted out at the World Surfing Games in El Salvador that finished on Sunday. But when the competition was finally over, new world champions had been crowned.

France’s Joan Duru had to come back into the final from the repechage bracket, but once in the final, he scored 14.94 to edge Japan’s Kanoa Igarashi (13.74) and fellow Frenchman Jeremy Flores (12.94). Japan’s Hiroto Ohhara was fourth (6.83).

It’s the second time for Duru on the podium, as he won a silver medal in 2017.

Australia’s Sally Fitzgibbons also had to come back through multiple rounds in the repechage bracket, but she made it back to the final and conquered, scoring 14.10 to dominate the event and win the world title. Well back were Portugal’s Yolanda Sequeira (9.20) and Teresa Bonvalot (9.04), with Daniella Rosas of Peru fourth (5.26).

● Swimming ● The first phase of the U.S. Olympic Trials is underway in Omaha, Nebraska and will conclude on Monday, with more than 600 swimmers trying to qualify for spots in the main Trials that will start on the 13th. The top two finishers in each event in the first “wave” will advance.

The meet information booklet included a Covid warning:

“An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, senior citizens and individuals with underlying medical conditions are especially vulnerable.

“USA Swimming, Inc., cannot prevent anyone from becoming exposed to, contracting, or spreading COVID-19 while participating in USA Swimming sanctioned events. It is not possible to prevent against the presence of the disease. Therefore, if you choose to participate in a USA Swimming sanctioned event, you may be exposing yourself to and/or increasing your risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19.”

All competing athletes must have a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test taken 3-6 days prior to arrival and all athletes, coaches and staff must be tested upon arrival and return a negative finding before being credentialed for the Trials. Athletes and coaches will be tested about every four days during the event.

● Taekwondo ● The Pan American Championships was held in Cancun (MEX), with three countries – Brazil, the U.S. and Mexico – winning four titles each.

Mexico won the most total medals with 16 (4-7-5) and got wins from Brandon Plaza (men’s 58 kg), Carlos Navarro (men’s 63 kg), Rene Lizarraga (men’s 74 kg) and Daniela Souza (women’s 49 kg). The U.S. winners were Melvy Alvarez (men’s 54 kg), Alan Nickolas (men’s 80 kg) and women Makayla Greenwood (53 kg) and Madelynn Gorman-Shore (73 kg).

Brazil took home golds in the men’s 87 kg class with Icaro Miguel Soares and women’s winners Caroline Santos (62 kg), Milena Titoneli (67 kg) and Gabriele Siqueira (+73 kg).

● Triathlon ● Britain’s Alex Yee thrilled the home crowd in Leeds (GBR) with a spectacular win in the World Triathlon Series race on Sunday, finishing the Olympic-standard course in 1:43:27, 25 seconds ahead of runner-up Morgan Pearson of the U.S.

Yee’s edge came on the run, where he clocked 29:46 for 10 km, 18 seconds better than everyone else. Pearson had the second-fastest run at 30:04 and that was 19 seconds better than the rest of the field. Belgium’s Martin Van Riel was third (1:44:03) ahead of Fernando Alarza (ESP: 1:44:12) and Hayden Wilde (NZL: 1:44:27).

Maya Kingma (NED) won her first-ever World Tri Series gold, teaming with 2019 Series silver medalist Jess Learmonth (GBR) and Sophie Caldwell (GBR) on the bike to break away from the field and then taking off on the run.

The three completed the 40 km bike segment in 59:40 (Caldwell), 59:42 for Learmonth and 59:43 for Kingma, but the latter was the best on the run, timing 34:59 to 35:08 for Learmonth and 35:17 for Caldwell. Kingma’s overall time was 1:54:26, good enough for a 11-second over Learmonth with Caldwell at 1:54:46.

The rest of the pack was led by Bermudan superstar Flora Duffy, who had the fastest run (33:05) to sprint up to fourth (1:55:25). Taylor Spivey was the top U.S. finisher in sixth (1:57:00).

● Volleyball ● The FIVB Nations League is playing its 2021 schedule in a sequestered environment over five weeks in Rimini (ITA), with two weeks now completed. The top four teams will advance to the semifinals and so far, the men’s leaders include:

1. Poland: 15 points (5-1: 16-5 sets W-L)
2. Brazil: 15 points (5-1: 15-5)
3. France: 14 points (5-1: 17-8)
4. Russia: 13 points (4-2: 15-9)
5. Slovenia: 12 points (4-2: 14-7)
6. Iran: 12 points (4-2: 13-8)

The U.S. men sit ninth at 3-3 overall (nine points), winning 10 sets out of 20.

The Women’s Nations League is now into its third week of action, with current standings:

1. Turkey: 19 points (7-0: 21-6 sets W-L)
2. U.S.: 18 points (6-0: 18-1)
3. Brazil: 18 points (6-1: 19-5)
4. Netherlands: 16 points (5-2: 17-8)
5. Japan: 14 points (5-2: 15-8)
6. Russia: 10 points (4-3: 13-13).

The women’s playoffs will be on 23-25 June, with the men’s playoffs on 26-27 June.

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THE TICKER: Tokyo 2020 loses 10,000 volunteers, still has 70,000; federation elections; World Tri & UWW giving $318,000 to athletes for Tokyo

By
Rich Perelman
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From the new book “Toon In!” by Michael Payne (www.OlympicCartoon.com), a favorite cartoon by Jim Thompson (USA) from 2016.

(★ Friends: A big new bill for server and support costs has arrived. Your generosity has helped with prior charges – and while there is never a good time to ask – if you would like to support our coverage, please donate here. Your enthusiasm (and support) is the reason this site continues. Thank you. ★)

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

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● The Tokyo 2020 organizing committee disclosed that about 10,000 of its 80,000-strong volunteer corps has resigned their positions, but that there are still plenty of staff to support the Games.

A furor over sexist remarks by former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori that led to his resignation as President of the organizing committee led to the exit of some volunteers, but more left as a result of concerns over the coronavirus.

Still, with about 70,000 volunteers remaining, Tokyo’s support staff contingent is more than double the number from Los Angeles in 1984, where the organizing committee had 33,000 volunteers in the first use of the concept in an Olympic Games. By comparison, the Tokyo Games has 57% more athletes than LA84, 53% more events and 43% more sports, but 112% more volunteer staff, which must also support the Paralympic Games (not held in Los Angeles in 1984).

The awards ceremonies podiums for the Games were unveiled in an online ceremony marking 50 days to go to the Games on Thursday. About 24.5 tons of plastic was collected and recycled in the construction of 98 podia, which were designed by artist Asao Tokolo, who also developed the Tokyo 2020 logos.

Some awards 878 ceremonies will be held for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Tokyo 2020 announced that the awards ceremony music was created by Naoki Sato, a popular Japanese composer for films and television. The recordings reportedly used 256 musicians in all.

The Japan Olympic Committee announced that 95% of all of its athletes competing in the Tokyo Games will be vaccinated. About 600 athletes and more than 1,000 coaches and other officials will receive vaccination.

The International Olympic Committee announced it “is in contact with a few NOCs whose athletes are not yet able to access vaccination programmes and who would therefore be eligible to travel to either [vaccination] hub in Doha (Qatar) or Kigali (Rwanda). They have been set up respectively by the Qatar Olympic Committee and the Rwanda Olympic Committee in relation with the relevant government and medical authorities in their regions and with Pfizer’s support. Concerned NOCs can apply for travel support from Olympic Solidarity should they need it.”

In the latest sign of how strongly the Japanese government is determined to host the Games, it announced the cancellation of a special reception for foreign government officials to be held on the day of the Closing Ceremony on 8 August.

These kinds of events are important diplomatic opportunities for the host country and its elimination is a clear response of a “nice–to-have” program in the face of continuing public unease about the coronavirus and the government response to it in Japan.

“You all know well our position in the context of our state symbolic ban at the Olympic Games. We are not simply objecting to it, but we have been protesting and will continue protesting against the process of politicizing the Olympic Games as well as other international sports tournaments.

“We understand that it is an unfair competition. We understand that it is a part of the strategy to contain our country, considering our sports achievements. However, our national [Olympic] team and our athletes are in high spirits and not a single intrigue stands as an obstacle in their set course.”

That’s Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, speaking on Thursday (3rd) at the 2021 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), continuing Russia’s complaints about the sanctions from Russia’s state-sponsored doping program imposed by the World Anti-Doping Agency and watered down by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

● Games of the XXXIII Olympiad: Paris 2024 ● During the French-language news conference following the IOC Coordination Commission meeting, Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet confirmed that the organizing committee is examining the possibility of possibly holding the Opening or Closing Ceremony in a public location instead of the Stade de France in St. Denis, near Paris.

The decision could be made by the end of the year and is a pet project of IOC President Thomas Bach (GER), who has often insisted, essentially, “we must bring sport to the people instead of making people come to sport.”

The concept, maybe to use the Eiffel Tower as the centerpiece, or perhaps a parade down the Seine River, was endorsed by IOC Coordination Commission chief Pierre-Olivier Beckers (BEL): “Take the ceremonies out of the stadium to bring them to the neighborhoods, in order to share with the population the values of Olympism, would meet the objective of making the Games useful to people. We encourage the Paris 2024 organizing committee to move in this direction.”

The obvious questions of athlete access, security, creating a program which can be appreciated by the worldwide television audience and, of course, the financial impact of losing most (if not all) ticket sales and increased staging costs, have to be factored in.

The IOC announced it has taken over the on-site hospitality sales – travel, accommodations and ticket packages – for the Paris 2024, Los Angeles 2028 and Milan-Cortina Winter Games in 2026 and has contracted with New York-based On Location as “Official Hospitality Provider.”

On Location is primarily owned by Beverly Hills-based Endeavor, which is itself a conglomerate including the venerable William Morris Agency and the IMG sports agency and events firm. On Location is especially known for its work at the NFL Super Bowl and the National Football league is reportedly a minority owner of the company.

This IOC initiative was telegraphed in Olympic Agenda 2020+5, and ticket sales will be the next area to be absorbed as noted in the announcement:

“The reform is part of the Olympic Agenda 2020+5 vision to deliver long-term turnkey solutions that are provided over several editions of the Olympic Games with the aim of simplifying operations and driving efficiency in delivery, as well as driving new revenue sources.

“In addition, and separate to the agreement with On Location, a new, integrated approach regarding global ticket sales will also be introduced from Paris 2024 onwards. It will provide secure, seamless access to Olympic and Paralympic tickets directly via each Organising Committee at standardised prices for each Games for fans in all corners of the world.”

What does this mean for fans interested in going to the Games in 2024, 2026 or 2028? The price just went up, again.

● Aquatics ● The FINA Congress will be held on Saturday (5th) with a rare hybrid of live and online delegates, as the federation reported:

“119 National Federations, represented by 189 delegates will physically be attending the Congress in Doha, respecting a robust and safe COVID-19 protocol, while another 102 National Federations (202 delegates) will be following the programme via a live stream and cast their vote through a highly secured online system. Some NFs will be represented both on-site and online.”

In addition to the usual reports, elections will be held with Kuwait’s Husain Al Musallam running unopposed for President and long-time American member of the FINA Bureau Dale Neuburger running unopposed as Treasurer.

The candidates for Vice President are also running unopposed: Sam Ramsamy (RSA) from Africa, Juan Carlos Orihuela (PAR) from the Americas, China’s Jihong Zhou from Asia, Italian Paolo Barelli from Europe and Matthew Dunn (AUS) from Oceania.

American Bill Hybl, a former head of the United States Olympic Committee, is also running for a seat on the independent FINA Ethics Panel.

● Archery ● World Champion Brady Ellison and teen sensation Casey Kaufhold have qualified as U.S. Olympians for Tokyo, but hope to have two more teammates each with them if the Americans can qualify full teams for the Tokyo Games.

USA Archery concluded a four-stage Trials process last weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah, with four different events in the final stage alone. Ellison, however, persevered and was easily the winner of the Trials program, piling up 169.00 total points to 129.50 for Jack Williams and 126.00 for 2012 Olympic Team silver medalist Jacob Wukie.

They will have a last chance to qualify a full team of three at the World Archery World Cup in Paris (FRA) beginning on 21 June.

The women are in the same situation, with 17-year-old Kaufhold winning the trials with 181.25 points, well ahead of Rio 2016 Olympian Mackenzie Brown (158.25) and Jennifer Mucino-Fernandez (105.75).

● Athletics ● Kahmari Montgomery, the U.S. national champion in the 400 m in 2018, was suspended for one month, from 30 April, due to a positive test for THC above the disciplinary limit. Per the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency:

“The 2021 World Anti-Doping Code newly classifies THC as a “Substance of Abuse” because it is used outside the context of sport. If an athlete who tests positive for a Substance of Abuse establishes that their use of the substance occurred out of competition and was unrelated to sport performance, the athlete will receive a three-month sanction. If the athlete satisfactorily completes a Substance of Abuse treatment program approved by USADA, the sanction may be further reduced to one month.”

As his suspension period has concluded, he should be eligible to compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials later this month.

A new world outdoor leader for Burkina-Faso’s Hugues Fabrice Zango in the men’s triple jump in Montreuil (FRA) on 1 June at 17.67 m (57-11 3/4). He set the world indoor record in mind-January, reaching 18.07 m (59-3 1/2).

At the Stumptown Twilight in Portland, Oregon on Thursday night, Britain’s Josh Kerr, 23, won the men’s 1,500 m in the no. 2 time of 2021, 3:31.55, a lifetime best and no. 7 in British history.

● Beach Volleyball ● Sarah Sponcil and Kelly Claes have clinched the second U.S. spot in the Tokyo 2020 beach volleyball tournament following their win at the FIVB World Tour 4-star event in Sochi, Russia last week and the elimination of contenders Brooke Sweat and Kerri Walsh Jennings in the qualifying round of this week’s Ostrava Beach Open in the Czech Republic.

Sponcil and Claes have 7,120 Olympic ranking points, sixth overall, and cannot be caught by Sweat and Walsh Jennings, currently at 6,960 and seventh.

USA Volleyball noted that “Claes/Sponcil will become the youngest beach duo to represent the United States in the Olympic Games. They have an aggregate age of 49 years (Claes: 25 years old; Sponcil 24), and Sponcil will become the second-youngest American beach Olympian after Misty May made her Olympic debut at age 23 in Sydney 2000.”

Americans April Ross and Alix Klineman are currently top-ranked in the FIVB Olympic rankings with 9,400 points, just ahead of 2019 World Champions Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes (CAN).

Walsh Jennings, now 42, was trying for a sixth U.S. Olympic Team after playing on the fourth-place U.S. indoor team in 2000, then winning beach golds with May-Treanor in 2004-08-12 and a bronze medal with Ross in Rio in 2016. The U.S. and Brazil both have four teams that could have qualified for the Games based on their rankings points, but only two per country are allowed.

● Boxing ● At a time when the International Boxing Association (AIBA) does not need any more issues, it got a new one after a controversial final at the just-completed Asian Boxing Championships in Dubai (UAE), in the men’s 52 kg/Flyweight division between reigning Olympic champion and 2019 World Champion Shakhobidin Zoirov (UZB) and India’s Amit Panghal, the 2019 Worlds runner up.

Zoirov was declared the winner by 3:2, but Panghal told the Times of India that the match was fixed:

“The scoring was rigged … the judging was unfair. I was robbed of a deserved win … This was deliberately done to make him the champion. The coaches and the people who know boxing told me that I was the deserved winner. That’s why the decision was contested.”

The jury refused to review the fight, after an inquiry by India. AIBA posted a notice yesterday (2nd) that “AIBA is aware of potential issues and allegations concerning the judging of certain bouts at the Asian Boxing Championships held in Dubai. AIBA takes such allegations very seriously.

“After liaising with several National Boxing Federations, AIBA anticipates the Refereeing and Judging (R&J) Committee will conduct an immediate investigation into the work of all relevant appointed officials and report their findings to the AIBA Disciplinary Committee as soon as possible, to determine whether there is a case to answer or not.”

The IOC has been highly critical of AIBA’s inability to install and maintain credible refereeing and judging at its events, and this is an area which will have a bearing on whether the federation is reinstated after the Tokyo Games.

● Football ● The inaugural CONCACAF Nations League semifinals were held in Denver on Thursday evening, with the U.S. and Honduras testing each other for the full 90 minutes in the opener.

Both had excellent first-half chances, with Gio Reyna missing an open net for the U.S., and the Americans holding 65% of the possession and a 6-3 edge in shots. The second half went back and forth inconclusively, with the U.S. looking ready to score, but then Honduras threatening on counterattacks.

The U.S. was again setting up in front of the Honduran goal near the end of the match, with defender John Brooks on the ball a few yards above the box. His pass to the right side was to Wes McKennie, with space as two American strikers ran toward the goal and McKennie’s header flew past Brenden Aaronson and found the second man, Jordan Siebatcheu, for a header that found the back of the net in the 89th minute for a 1-0 lead that stood up as the final.

It was Siebatcheu’s first-ever goal for the U.S., as a sub for starting striker Josh Sargent. U.S. keeper Zach Steffen was sharp in goal when it counted, collecting his 10th career shutout.

The U.S. ended with 65% of the possession and a 10-7 edge in shots in a game which became increasingly physical as it wore on, with a total of 25 fouls and five yellow cards issued (including one to U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter.) The two sides hadn’t played since a 1-1 tie in FIFA World Cup qualifying in September 2017.

Mexico and Costa Rica played to a scoreless tie through regulation time, despite Mexico having 58% of the possession and 13 shots to six. The penalty shoot-out was just as close, tied 4-4 after the first five tries. Jesus Gallardo made the sixth try for a 5-4 Mexico lead, then Allan Cruz’s shot was saved by keeper Guillermo Ochoa and Mexico advances to play the U.S. on Sunday.

Amid an local outcry due to a heavy toll from the coronavirus, the South American confederation CONMEBOL announced four host cities in Brazil for the Copa America, due to open on 13 June.

Rio and Brasilia will host eight matches each, with Goiania hosting seven and Cuiaba holding five. No spectators will be allowed in any of the stadia, and the famed Macarena Stadium in Rio will host the final on 10 July.

The tournament was originally supposed to be held in Argentina and Colombia, but both renounced the event due to the pandemic.

● Ice Hockey ● The U.S. and Canada will meet in the semifinals of the IIHF men’s World Championship after both won their quarterfinals, while defending champion Finland will play Germany.

The U.S. slugged Slovakia in its quarterfinal, 6-1, taking a 3-0 lead in the first period and getting two goals each from Conor Garland and Colin Blackwell. Canada got an overtime score from Andrew Mangiapane at the 2:12 to eliminate Russia.

Finland squeezed by the Czech Republic, 1-0, and Germany upset the Swiss in a shoot-out by just 2-1 as Marcel Noebels got the winner.

Both semifinals will be held at the Arena Riga in Latvia on Saturday with the medal matches on Sunday.

● Judo ● International Judo Federation President Marius Vizer (ROU) was unanimously re-elected for a fifth term at the IJF Congress on Thursday (3rd). He ran unopposed.

Vizer has drawn widespread praise for his condemnation of discrimination in the sport, especially in the case of former World 81 kg Champion Saeid Mollaei, who was instructed by his Iranian coaches to lose matches so as not to meet Israeli Sagi Muki during the 2019 World Championships. Mollaei, feeling under threat, left the event and went to Germany with IJF help and now competes for Mongolia. The IJF suspended the Iranian federation indefinitely, and then – under instruction from the Court of Arbitration for Sport – fixed the suspension period at four years.

● Skiing ● After 23 years, there will be a change at the top of the Federation Internationale de Ski, where Swiss Gian-Franco Kasper is stepping down at age 77. The FIS Congress will meet online on Friday (4th), with elections to take place in addition to a lengthy agenda of other business, including the election of the FIS Council.

The election has been enthusiastically contested by four candidates: former FIS Secretary General Sarah Lewis (GBR), Swedish Olympic Committee President and FIS vice-president Mats Arjes (SWE), former World Downhill Champion Urs Lehmann (SUI), and Head equipment chief executive Johan Eliasch (SWE).

Each will make a 10-minute presentation to the Congress and winning requires an absolute majority of votes, thus making multiple rounds likely. At the end of each round, the candidate with the fewest votes will be eliminated.

Arjes has proposed a deep review and consultation on the right way forward, not only for elite competitors, but for skiing as a whole. Eliasch wants to grow the sport’s global participation and make the professional competitions more compelling for viewers through better technology and presentation. Lehmann, as head of the Swiss skiing federation, has overseen a renaissance both in terms of results on the snow, but also at the bank and promises to bring that expertise to FIS. Lewis promotes her deep understanding of the sport from 26 years as a FIS staff member with a view to bringing skiing forward through new investment from the private sector and an evangelical approach to promotion and support for skiers and federations.

The FIS Congress will be livestreamed here with the election expected around 2 p.m. Central European Time.

● Tennis ● After the withdrawal of Japan’s Naomi Osaka from the French Open after skipping her news conference following her first-round match, the Grand Slam tournament organizers released a second statement on Tuesday (1st), expressing support for Osaka’s mental-health challenges, but also amplifying their first notice. It included:

“Together as a community we will continue to improve the player experience at our tournaments, including as it relates to media. Change should come through the lens of maintaining a fair playing field, regardless of ranking or status. Sport requires rules and regulations to ensure that no player has an unfair advantage over another.

“We intend to work alongside the players, the tours, the media and the broader tennis community to create meaningful improvements. As Grand Slams, we aim to create the stage for the players to achieve the highest accolades in our sport.”

Comment: It’s worth commending Osaka for withdrawing from the tournament and not putting other players in the difficult position of deciding whether to support her by also skipping the obligatory post-match news conferences, and then be fined or risk other sanctions. That in itself showed a respect for the sport and for her fellow players which will help everyone’s attitude in looking for a solution that meets the needs of players, media and professional tennis, which needs all the promotion it can get.

● Triathlon ● World Triathlon, which is not one of the wealthier federations in the Olympic world, is spending $100,000 to provide $3,000 or more in financial support to athletes from multiple countries in advance of Tokyo 2020.

This “support fund” is designed “to provide financial assistance to those athletes from National Federations with the greatest needs in order to help them compete at Continental and World level over the Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Period.”

World Tri received 28 applications for support from 14 countries in its first round of requests and a selection panel from the federation’s Executive Board selected 23 triathletes and para-triathletes from 11 countries: Azerbaijan, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Morocco, Philippines, South Africa, Tunisia, Turkey and Ukraine.

The remaining $31,000 of the fund will also be distributed to these athletes, but at the end of June, according to individual needs for travel for qualification purposes.

Comment: This is pretty impressive for a federation with limited resources, especially due to the pandemic; same for United World Wrestling (see next). If there was ever an example of “athlete-centric” focus by International Federations – notably for Paralympic athletes by World Triathlon – this is it.

● Wrestling ● United World Wrestling detailed its own program of direct athlete support for Tokyo, with €180,000 (~$218,325 U.S.) distributed to 121 athletes and coaches from 43 countries through the federation’s Technical Assistance Program, with five of the recipients qualifying for the Tokyo Games from Armenia, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan.

UWW was also able to obtain support from the IOC to fund €40,000 of the total spend.

● The Last Word ● The often acerbic, sometimes insightful and occasionally entertaining of the editorial cartoonist is being celebrated in a unique look at the Olympic Games.

Michael Payne (GBR), best known as the IOC’s marketing director from 1988-2004, used his enforced idleness during the pandemic to put together a 500-page, large-format look at the Olympic world called “Toon In!”

(The image above is by U.S. cartoonist Jim Thompson from 2016 about Russia’s response to sanctions imposed on it for the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.)

There are more than 1,200 cartoons from some 360 cartoonists from 47 countries. Payne researched more than 3,000 works from all five continents before finally making his selections.

He added more than 100,000 words of back stories and commentary, mixing in context, memories and little-known incidents of his Olympic career that stretches back to 1983.

He said it’s quite a different take on the Olympic Movement than his 2006 work Olympic Turnaround:

“’Olympic Turnaround’ effectively told the story of how the Olympics transformed from bankruptcy prior to the Los Angeles ‘84 Olympic Games to the multi-billion-dollar event that it is today. So ‘Turnaround’ was talking of the business journey on the creation of the modeling of the TV rights, the creation of the TOP program, the development of ambush marketing thinking and strategies.

“’Toon In!’ is a very different book. It’s certainly not a business book. It’s, on the one hand, much more light-hearted. It’s, I think, a very easy read, looking at the cartoons and the stories that go with it. But then when you get into the chapter of the Rio Games and all the challenges that it took in the staging those Games, or you look at the sports program and how the hell was wrestling thrown off the Olympics and other sports try to get on the Olympics: how does it all work?

“So, in some ways, it’s sort of, probably, light-hearted primer on the Olympic world, but a tremendous amount of research, intelligence, putting stories into context.”

Printed on heavy paper, the profits from the $95 work will go to four charities, including Cartooning for Peace, a network of 200+ cartoon artists from 60 countries committed to freedom of speech. A special “collector’s edition” of 250 copies, signed by Payne, is available at $250 each.

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LANE ONE: IOC CoComm happy with Paris 2024, because it needs the French to re-shape the meaning of the Olympic Games (and LA28 too)

By
Rich Perelman
-

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“Paris is on track. Paris is where we expected it to be and Paris is confirming all its commitments.”

So said a highly-satisfied Pierre-Olivier Beckers, member of the International Olympic Committee from Belgium and someone who knows about big projects, having been for 14 years the chief executive of the multinational supermarket chain Delhaize (€21.1 billion in revenue when he retired in 2013).

But in a session with reporters following the IOC’s latest Paris 2024 Coordination Commission meeting on 1 June, Beckers was even more enthusiastic about what the Paris organizers foresee for the 2024 Games beyond the simple staging of the largest sporting event in the world:

“What has impressed us today, I would say, more than anything else, is that what we are facing here is not a project about the organization of Olympic and Paralympic Games. This is much more than that.

“It is a project which started, basically, when Paris received the Games [in 2017] and which will last long after the Closing Ceremonies of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Because the project is really about contributing to transform society in all these aspects: through sports, of course, and trying to make the population in France and inspire other populations to move, to be more healthy – physically, mentally – but it is also about, I would say, incredibly strongly about using the Olympic values to help to contribute to rebuild a world that is beginning to show more friendship, more solidarity.

“And it is so needed now. I mean, I don’t have to describe to you the last 16 months have been more about fears between populations, between countries, between neighbors and with feeling that everyone else is susceptible of creating a danger for you and your family. So we need the Games now, in Tokyo more than ever, and we need the Games of 2024.”

For those who have observed the Olympic Movement – and the Olympic Games – even recently, this is change on a mind-boggling scale. It was not long ago that the Sochi 2014 Winter Games in Russia cost a reported $51 billion to stage the Games as the catalyst to upgrade the area to a year-round conference and resort center. A couple of years later, Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro looked like it might not be able to stage the 2016 Games, either because of a lack of funds – its Olympic organizing committee was so poor that it was the first ever not to publish an “Official Report” of any kind – or due to the Zika virus (remember that?).

Now the question is not whether Paris 2024 will happen, but how large will be the impact on society?

Paris 2024 chief executive Tony Estanguet, a three-time Olympic gold medalist in Canoe Slalom, was asked what would constitute success for this Games:

“One century after the last edition of the Games [in Paris], to position France as a country able to organize an event by keeping the plans and the bests of the Games, but also by proposing a new model.

“A new model of the Games with making sure that we will innovate in a way, and for the first time in history, those Games will be inclusive and we will have the 50% of participation, men and women, for the first time in history we will also have some events open to [public] participation and this is really important for us.

“We wanted also to open those Games to the different territories all over the country. You know that we had it also in our concept to demonstrate also all the variety and the richness of this country of France to, in a way, showcase what France has to offer in its best version. And for us, it’s a combination of spectacular Games, but also meaningful Games, making the demonstration that there will be more sustainable, more inclusive, offer opportunities for this country also in terms of employment and demonstrate that the benefits of such a big event is real, for a country such as France.

“So for us, the success relies on these three main objectives: celebration of really a spectacular event, a legacy where sport and the Games demonstrates what the benefits are for the society, and definitely, our ability to engage all the country and all the French people in living a special moment in regards with Paris 2024, whether it is with Terre de Jeux [community activities related to sport of the Games] or the Club [for individuals], it’s important for us to maximize and develop opportunities for people to be active during this experience of Paris 2024.”

Beckers followed up with:

“The messages and the behaviors of Paris 2024 along the now three years that remain will impact and touch the people to behave themselves differently, with more respect, more solidarity, willingness to win and to be open to the world, more inclusive to one another. That is really what excites us.”

And he explained further:

“Even though [there] are structural priorities to make the Games happen, what is very important for us at the IOC is that Paris demonstrates that the Olympic Games can have a role far beyond the organization of three weeks of sports feast. And that is the commitment from Paris, it is the commitment from the IOC with the Agenda 2020, now Agenda 2020+5 – five years – and we are therefore extremely active in our conversations with Paris to make sure that their commitments around sustainability, legacy, gender equality, climate impact are true and will give a lasting legacy to the world not only in France, but [all] around.

“So, I think we are different in that sense from most previous editions of the Games in that we are putting a lot of emphasis, a big amount of our time in the Coordination Commission and other meetings are put on those elements, where potentially several editions ago, the focus was on, ‘are you ready to organize the Games themselves?’ …

“[The Games] in the context of Paris become powerful means to reach social union, economic and [other] goals that are important to the eyes of the entire society. Because times have changed, we live in a different world.”

Beckers, elected in 2012, represents a much different IOC than was seen during the presidencies of American Avery Brundage and Ireland’s Lord Killanin, where the success or failure of the Movement was totally dependent on the Games organizing committees. Spain’s Juan Antonio Samaranch shepherded the IOC into financial independence following the revolutionary Los Angeles Games in 1984 and his successor, Belgian Jacques Rogge, saw the Games go to China and South America for the first time.

Current president Thomas Bach of Germany has re-engineered the IOC to require less of organizers in construction and spending, has guaranteed by contract – for the first time – the exact financial support that the IOC will provide, in cash and services, and is demanding attention to never-before-important elements such as sustainability and carbon reduction.

What is demanded in return is new ways to make the Games not just relevant, but an instrument of societal change. This is not only true for Paris 2024, but especially for Los Angeles in 2028, where no new venues need to be built. LA28 chair Casey Wasserman (USA) told World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe (GBR) during a December 2020 interview:

“The way I tell our staff every day is ‘if all we do is deliver the Games well and financially responsibly, we will have missed our opportunity.’ We should be able to do that, and a lot more, and that’s the bar we’re holding ourselves to.”

Estanguet’s Paris 2024 may have found its signature element in its plan to create mass-participation events, such as perhaps a 10K or half-marathon on part of the Olympic Marathon course or cycling or swimming events. And those can be continued into the future as annual ties back to the Games … not for elite athletes, but for everyone as a portal to personal fitness and better health.

That’s a move in the right direction, but surely there are more opportunities than this. France and food, France and design, France and agriculture are all historic ties which could be exploited if Estanguet and his team have the (1) time, (2) funds and (3) imagination. Unlike the past, the IOC will now support these initiatives, and can not only contribute some start-up funds, but can bring its multi-national sponsor base in as power amplifiers and enablers.

Perhaps LA28 holds more potential, watching quietly while Tokyo 2020 strains to reach the finish line and Paris 2024 thirsts for the reins. It is right now looking to hire a Vice President/Non-Games Programming, focusing on “Ceremonies, Torch Relay, Live Sites, Music & Entertainment, Cultural Olympiad, Paralympic/Adaptive Sport activities, and other opportunities.”

Already in motion at the same time:

● The legacy of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee, the LA84 Foundation, is running full steam ahead on its “Play Equity Fund” movement, raising awareness and funding – guided by continuing, proprietary research – for more physical education and activity opportunities for all children in the greater L.A. area, and

● The Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games – which brought the 1984 Games to Los Angeles – continues to expand its 15-year-old, first-in-the-nation Ready, Set, Gold! program which brings Olympic and Paralympic athletes into direct, continuing contact with students in elementary and middle schools in five Southern California school districts, with marked, measured success in developing and maintaining positive attitudes and higher performance in fitness, schooling and self-belief.

Access to sport, returning physical education as a basic educational element for youth, creating lifetime fitness opportunities and tying them all back to the continuously  inspirational engine of the Olympic Games is a worthwhile goal for any city, region or nation anywhere in the world. Paris 2024 will take the first steps on this road; perhaps LA28 should re-name its position as Vice President for “Permanent Legacy.”

As Beckers noted, this is much more than putting on the Games, and also, much harder. To Estanguet, let’s say “Bonne chance”!

Rich Perelman
Editor

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HEARD AT HALFTIME: Tokyo’s mixed signals on the virus; Paris 2024 on track; 400 m hurdles world leader for Shamier Little

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● It is possible that the athletes attending the Tokyo Games will be among the least-remembered Olympians ever as all of the attention continues to be focused on “whether or not” the Games will be held.

The state of emergency due to the coronavirus has been extended in Tokyo to 20 June, as the infection rate has remained at what is considered to be a high level.

The state of emergency was slated to end on 31 May, but was extended on the 28th.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced on Tuesday (1st) that Yoyogi Park, slated to be one of two open-air gathering sites for watching the Games, will be used as a mass-vaccination site. There is a public petition to skip using the site for the Games, but its use as a vaccination site will dominate its future use.

Interestingly, large department stores, movie houses and amusement parks (!) re-opened in the Tokyo and Osaka prefectures. Kyodo News reported that Universal Studios Japan in Osaka opened on Tuesday for the first time since 25 April and

“The operator has capped the number of visitors at 5,000 per day and installed acrylic partitions between guest tables at restaurants in the park.”

Kyodo also reported that Games spectators might be required to show proof of vaccination in order to attend events. Also:

“The government and the organizers will also look into the option of only requiring temperature checks before admitting them into venues, a procedure already implemented at many sporting events in Japan held in front of a live audience.”

Australia’s softball team arrived for a training camp in Ota on Tuesday, becoming the first Olympic athletes to enter the country for the Games. About 50 miles northwest of Tokyo, Ota will be the site of a camp through 17 July, when they can move to the Olympic Village in Tokyo.

All 29 members of the delegation had received coronavirus vaccinations, but will be heavily restricted in their movements:

“Members of the national team will also be required to undergo daily virus testing and be prevented from interacting with the general public, with all sleeping, dining and meeting rooms confined to three floors in their hotel.”

On Friday, the International Olympic Committee announced that the National Olympic Committees of Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have all pledged to bring fully-vaccinated delegations to Tokyo. Many more such guarantees are forthcoming.

NBC Sports announced a comprehensive Olympic Trials coverage package of more than 50 hours in primetime and more than 85 hours in all for diving, gymnastics, swimming and track & field across NBC, NBCSN and NBC’s Olympic Channel:

● 04-07 June: Swimming: Olympic Trials I
● 08-13 June: Diving: Olympic Trials
● 13-20 June: Swimming: Olympic Trials II
● 18-27 June: Track & Field: Olympic Trials
● 24-27 June: Gymnastics: Olympic Artistic Trials

The track & field coverage focuses mostly on the finals and skips most of the heats and qualifying competitions.

Given the preoccupation with the pandemic in Tokyo, Trials viewership is key for NBC to build audience interest for the Games.

● Games of the XXXIII Olympiad: Paris 2024 ● The Paris organizers concluded an online meeting with the IOC Coordination Commission today (1st) and held consecutive news conferences with French and English-speaking media online.

Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet and Belgian IOC member and Coordination Commission chief Pierre-Olivier Beckers both reported that the budget, organizational planning and even the sponsorship programs are progressing in line with the existing plan.

The only obvious difficulty in the construction program being managed by Solideo, a special agency of the French government, is construction in the Parc Georges Valbon. Estanguet noted that there are no issues with the shooting venue scheduled for the site, but that the fate of the housing designated as the media village is still to be settled.

Opposed by some local groups, the go/no-go decision is in the hands of a local administrative court and will likely be announced later this month. Estanguet explained that the housing initiative is based on the needs of the area and if not allowed to go ahead, the organizing committee has already secured enough hotel rooms – 45,000 in all, he said – to move media to hotels instead.

He also indicated that sponsorship discussions are continuing, but that announcements won’t be immediately forthcoming in the midst of the pandemic conditions in France.

Both Beckers and Estanguet spent considerable time on the idea that the 2024 effort is not so much about organizing great competitions, but in making the Games stand for much more, both at the time and for the future. This is an interesting concept and they had a lot to say; watch for more on this later this week.

● World University Games ● South Korea has been confirmed as a bidder for the 2027 World University Games, now competing with the U.S. entry from the Raleigh-Durham area in North Carolina.

The Korean city of Gwangju hosted the WUG in 2015, and the 2027 bid is for Daejeon (population: 1.5 million), together with the smaller, nearby cities of Cheongju, Sejong, and Hongseong.

The decision on host is due by the end of 2022, but will likely not be announced until the 2023 Winter World University Games in Lake Placid, New York in January, 2023.

● Athletics ● The American Track League’s Duval County Challenge was held Monday at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida, with strong fields and strong results (U.S. athletes unless otherwise noted), including one world-leading mark:

● Women/400 m hurdles: 53.12, Shamier Little (USA)

Little was in front from the start and crushed a good field; Jamaicans Ronda Whyte (54.33) and Shiann Salmon (54.97) ran 2-3. World no. 2 Gianna Woodruff (PAN) was sixth in 56.68.

Defending Olympic champ Dalilah Muhammad (USA) also raced in her first 400 m hurdles of 2021, winning the first race in 55.01, placing her seventh on the 2021 world list. The 2015 Worlds bronze medalist, Cassandra Tate, was second in 56.34.

The meet included a gimmick in the 100 m, where a 40-yard time was taken mid-race. Jamaican star Yohan Blake ran 4.23 and Andre De Grasse (CAN) clocked 4.24 in the first heat, then Ronnie Baker (USA) ran 4.22 in the second heat, equal to the fastest ever recorded in the NFL Combine (all wind-aided).

At the 100 m distance, De Grasse won the first heat in 9.92w (+3.6 m/s), ahead of Blake (10.05) and Baker cruised to a 9.91w win (+3.1) in the second heat.

De Grasse opted out of the 100 m final, and Baker accelerated past Blake by 30 m and won in 9.99 to 10.09 for Blake and 10.11 for Marvin Bracy. Baker ran through the 40 m mark in a steaming 4.19, to 4.22 for Blake. Baker received a $5,000 check from the Mark Cuban venture, the World1League, for having the fastest 40 m time during the meet.

In the women’s 100 m, Gabby Thomas ran past Jamaican Briana Williams in heat one, 10.94-10.97 wind-aided (+2.5). English Gardner was third (11.10w). Dezerea Bryant won heat two in 11.20 (+2.0). Bryant ran 4.49 in the 40-yard dash, faster than most of the male football players in the Combine.

Thomas skipped the final, and Williams emerged about 40 m and finished in 10.98 (+1.0), a big seasonal best. She crossed the 40 m in an impressive 4.45 (wow!) and she also got a $5,000 check from the World1League.

The most important outcome might have been in the women’s 400, where Allyson Felix got out well, then faded in the middle 200 m, but found an overdrive gear in the final 100 m and won in 50.66. Felix passed 2019 NCAA champ Wadeline Jonathas in the run-in at 51.00 and said afterwards, “kind of a sloppy race, but I wanted to come home strong.” It’s a seasonal best for Felix and her fastest since 2017.

Thomas was third in 51.15, a enormous lifetime best; her prior outdoor best was 55.10 from 2019. The time is an Olympic Trials qualifier; will she try it in Eugene?

In the men’s 400 m, Michael Cherry dealt with winds on the backstraight, then powered down the straight to win in 44.74, with teen Justin Robinson second in 45.00.

In the men’s 200 m, teen sensation Erriyon Knighton (17) – who turned professional in January – came on to edge 100 m world leader Trayvon Bromell at the tape, winning in 20.11 (+1.6) to 20.20, with Britain’s Zharnel Hughes third in 20.30. Knighton is now no. 6 on the all-time U-20 200 m list and set a world U-18 best.

Brittany Brown won the fastest women’s 200 m in 22.43 (+1.0), ahead of Bryant (22.47).

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR) false-started out of the women’s 100 m hurdles final, leaving the door open for Jamaica’s 20-year-old Brittany Anderson with a lifetime best of 12.59 (+0.7), ahead of Christina Clemons (12.64) and 2015 World Champion Danielle Williams (JAM: 12.65).

Camacho-Quinn jumped into the B final, and won in 12.80 (+0.6), ahead of Isabelle Pedersen (NOR: 13.03).

In the men’s 110 m hurdles, Jamaica’s Omar McLeod won the first heat in 13.16 and world-leader Grant Holloway won the second in 13.15, both with legal wind. McLeod skipped the final and was wise to do so, as Holloway exploded out of the blocks and won easily in 13.10 (+1.1), with Devon Allen coming up for second in 13.22 (season best) and Daniel Roberts in 13.23 (season best).

There was another world leader over weekend, at the European Team Championships, where Pole Pawel Fajdek reached 82.98 m (272-3) on his third try.

Good news for fans hoping to see the U.S. Olympic Trials in person, as spectators will be allowed at the event in limited numbers. Per the TrackTown USA announcement:

“‘Oregon health regulations regarding stadium capacity have shifted significantly in the last two weeks,’ said Michael Reilly, CEO of TrackTown USA. ‘We are absolutely thrilled as these changes allow for previously impossible spectator numbers. Alongside our partners, we have developed a plan to maximize attendance while keeping participants and our community safe.

“The policy shift is due to new guidance on outdoor gatherings for individuals who have been vaccinated for COVID-19. There will be both vaccinated and unvaccinated sections in the stadium, with vaccinated sections forming much of the ticket inventory. Ticket holders must provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination in order to sit in a vaccinated section.”

Exactly how many people will be allowed inside Hayward Field – including news media – is still being determined. Stay tuned.

Part of the community support effort of the Super Bowl LVI Host Committee in Los Angeles is its “Business Connect” program, with 225 local businesses offered training and workshops to help grow their businesses.

The 27th Street Bakery is part of the program, run by 1984 Olympic gold medalist and later three-time NCAA champion coach (at UCLA) Jeanette Bolden with her sister Denise and husband Al Pickens. The Los Angeles Times featured her in February, running the shop – founded by her grandparents in 1956 – that features peach cobbler, red velvet cake, pecan pie and their signature sweet potato pie.

More recently, she met with Staples Center officials through the program and the bakery’s pies are now slated to appear at the arena’s dessert carts and concession stands.

● Cycling ● With the Giro d’Italia completed, riders pointing to the Tour de France are in action in southeast France for the 73rd Criterium du Dauphine.

The eight-stage event began on Sunday, with Belgian Brent van Mor breaking away with 17 km remaining for a solo win over Sonny Colbrelli (ITA: +0:25). Monday’s hilly course showcased another breakaway, this time for Lukas Postlberger (AUT), who finished 11 seconds up on Colbrelli and Spain’s two-time winner Alejandro Valverde.

Tuesday’s 172.2 km stage from Langeac to Saint-Haon-Le-Vieux featured an enormous descent to a fairly flat course for the last half of the race. This favored the sprinters and Colbrelli broke through for a win, ahead of a big pack led by Alex Aranburu (ESP) and Brandon McNulty of the U.S.

Wednesday is a 16.4 km time trial, followed by a hilly fifth stage on Thursday, major climbing stages on Friday and Saturday and a significant final test on Sunday, with four climbs and an uphill finish at Les Gets.

Thanks to his solid win on Monday, Postlberger is the overall leader by two seconds over Colbrelli, followed by Aranburu (+0:18) and Valverde (+0:20).

● Football ● The 2021 Copa America will apparently be played in Brazil, with the tournament slated to begin on 13 June and conclude on 10 July.

The South American confederation, known as CONMEBOL, originally selected Argentina and Colombia in 2019 as co-hosts of the event in 2020. It was delayed a year due to the pandemic to 2021, but the political unrest on Colombia resulted in a renunciation of its hosting duties on 20 May. A surge in the coronavirus in Argentina resulted in its default as host on Sunday (30th).

Brazil hosted the last tournament in 2019 and is apparently ready to step in, despite enormous problems of its own with the virus. However, the government said it will host the games without spectators, which is how the Brazil’s league matches have been held successfully so far.

Even so, the tournament will have to be organized at warp speed; it has been noted that the Brazilian league schedule has – of course – not been halted for the Copa America, complicating stadium availability.

But if Brazil can pull this off, who needs bidding?

The implosion of the European Super League continues to reverberate, with FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta (ESP) telling the Associated Press last Friday that “we were not going to apologize and that we were not going to pay a fine that is unjustifiable. If they fine us, we will go to the [Court of Arbitration for Sport].”

Nine of the 12 clubs who were to be the core of the new program have agreed to a settlement with UEFA, the European soccer confederation. These include Italian clubs AC Milan and Inter Milan; Spanish clubs Atletico Madrid, and English Premier League clubs Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester City.

FC Barcelona, Italy’s Juventus and Spain’s Real Madrid have not agreed to terms; the settlement with the nine clubs includes five percent of their 2022-23 European-competition prize money and a combined €15 million euros (~$18.34 million) to support youth football programs. UEFA filed disciplinary actions against the three outstanding clubs last week and the clubs have filed an action against UEFA and FIFA in Spain.

The U.S. Justice Department’s prosecution of corruption in FIFA continued with the finalization of a settlement with the Julius Baer banking group in Switzerland, which agreed to pay $79.71 million in restitution and fines.

The bank “admitted it transported, transmitted and transferred funds from February 2013 to May 2015 that it knew represented proceeds of unlawful activity and the transactions were designed in whole or in part to conceal ownership” from Latin American clients.

A one-time Julius Baer staff member, Jorge Arzuaga, pled guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy in June 2017 and forfeited $1,046,000 to the U.S. and Swiss governments.

● Ice Hockey ● The group stage has been completed in the IIHF men’s World Championship in Riga (LAT), with the U.S. winning its group and moving on to the quarterfinals.

The Americans won Group B with a 6-1 record and 18 points, losing only to defending champion Finland in its opening game, 2-1. The Finns had 17 points on four wins, two overtime wins and one overtime loss (4-2-1-0). The U.S. had the best goals-against total in the group at 21:8. Germany (12 points) and Canada (10) also advanced to the quarterfinals.

In Group A, Russia shut out Belarus, 6-0, on Tuesday to claim 17 points and win the group with a 5-1 and one overtime win (5-1-0-1) record. Switzerland was a surprise second with 15 points (5-2), followed by the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

The quarterfinals will start on 3 June, with Russia vs. Canada and Finland vs. Czech Republic in the upper bracket; the Swiss vs. Germany and the U.S. vs. Slovakia are in the lower bracket.

Peter Cehlarik (SVK) and Canadians Adam Henrique and Connor Brown are the top scorers in the tournament with nine points each; Nicklas Jensen (DEN) and Gregory Hofmann (SUI) lead with five goals apiece. American Cal Peterson (1.01 goals-against average) and Finn Harri Sateri (0.95) continue as the top goalies.

● Weightlifting ● On Friday (28th), the International Testing Agency asked for sanctions against the national federation of Vietnam in view of four athletes testing positive for prohibited steroid use. All four were suspended for four years.

The referral to the International Weightlifting Federation’s independent disciplinary panel should result in Vietnam’s ban for multiple years, including the Tokyo Games and possibly Paris 2024. Sanctions of up to four years are allowed in the IWF’s Anti-Doping Rules for 2021.

● At the BuZZer ● As if there wasn’t enough strife in the world, the Global Assembly of International Sports Federations (GAISF) announced that the next World Combat Games will be held in 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The event includes 15 combat and martial-arts sports, with the details to be announced later. First held in 2010 in Beijing (CHN), it was also held in 2013, but planned events for 2019 in Chinese Taipei and 2021 in Kazakhstan have not been held.

The listed sports for the event include Aikido, Arm wrestling, Boxing, Judo, Ju-jitsu, Karate, Kendo, Kickboxing, Muaythai, Sambo, Savate, Sumo, Taekwondo, Wrestling, and Wushu.

Given the sports involved, is security needed for the athletes at this event?

(Update: Thanks to sharp-eyed reader Brian Springer for catching two typographical errors!)

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 – as of 1 May – 506-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: Naomi Osaka’s French Open withdrawal only the latest athlete vs. media mental-health train wreck; ask Michael Phelps

By
Rich Perelman
-

Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka of Japan withdrew from the French Open tennis tournament on Monday, declaring on Twitter, in part:

“The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since [winning] the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that. … Though the tennis press has always been kind to me (and I wanna apologize to all the cool journalists who I may have hurt), I am not a natural public speaker and get huge waves of anxiety before I speak to the world’s media. …

“I’m going to take some time away from the court now, but when the time is right I really want to work with the Tour to discuss ways we can make things better for the players, press and fans.”

Osaka, 23, announced last Wednesday (26th) that she would not be taking part in any press conferences during the French Open, including:

“I’ve often felt that people have no regard for athletes mental health and this very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one. We’re [sic] often sat there and asked questions that we’ve been asked multiple times before or asked questions that bring doubt into our minds and I’m just not going to subject myself to people that doubt me.”

After a first-round, straight-set win on Sunday over Romanian Patricia Tig, she skipped the post-match news conference and was immediately reprimanded with a $15,000 fine and a warning from the organizers of the four Grand Slam tournaments – the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open – that included:

“Following the lack of engagement by Naomi Osaka, the Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open jointly wrote to her to check on her well-being and offer support, underline their commitment to all athletes’ well-being and suggest dialog on the issues. She was also reminded of her obligations, the consequences of not meeting them and that rules should equally apply to all players. …

“A core element of the Grand Slam regulations is the responsibility of the players to engage with the media, whatever the result of their match, a responsibility which players take for the benefit of the sport, the fans and for themselves. These interactions allow both the players and the media to share their perspective and for the players to tell their story. The facilitation of media to a broad array of channels, both traditional and digital, is a major contributor to the development and growth of our sport and the fan base of individual players. …

“We want to underline that rules are in place to ensure all players are treated exactly the same, no matter their stature, beliefs or achievement. As a sport there is nothing more important than ensuring no player has an unfair advantage over another, which unfortunately is the case in this situation if one player refuses to dedicate time to participate in media commitments while the others all honour their commitments.”

The 2021 Official Grand Slam Rulebook contains a specific section on media obligations:

“Unless injured and physically unable to appear, a player or team must attend the post-match media conference(s) organised immediately or within thirty (30) minutes after the conclusion of each match, including walkovers, whether the player or team was the winner or loser, unless such time is extended or otherwise modified by the Referee for good cause. In addition, all Main Draw players must participate, if requested, in a pre-event press conference to be arranged during the two days before the start of the Main Draw. All media obligations include, but are not limited to, interviews with the host and player’s national broadcaster.

“Violation of this Section shall subject a player to a fine up to $20,000.”

So the responsibilities are clear and Osaka decided to walk away. She is not the first to do so and won’t be the last, but her situation is increasingly uncommon:

● Michael Phelps, whose 28 Olympic medals (23-3-2) are the most in history, made headlines with his comments on depression. In a 2020 story posted on ESPN.com, Phelps told Wayne Drehs:

“Before the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, I shared my mental health issues publicly for the first time. It wasn’t easy to admit I wasn’t perfect. But opening up took a huge weight off my back. It made life easier. Now I’m opening up again. I want people to know they’re not alone. So many of us are fighting our mental health demons now more than ever. …

“I’ve done so many interviews after Rio where the story was the same: Michael Phelps opened up about depression, went into a treatment program, won gold in his last Olympics and now is all better. I wish that were the truth. I wish it were that easy. But honestly – and I mean this in the nicest way possible — that’s just ignorant. Somebody who doesn’t understand what people with anxiety or depression or post-traumatic stress disorder deal with has no idea.

“And really, to be blunt, the media is part of that. They dragged me through the dirt for everything I did wrong over the years – and trust me, I know there was plenty. I’m responsible for every mistake I’ve ever made. Nobody else. I’ve gotten help and I ended my career on a high note, so the nice neat story is to put me back on a pedestal. But here’s the reality: I won’t ever be ‘cured.’ This will never go away. It’s something where I’ve had to accept it, learn to deal with it and make it a priority in my life. And yes, that’s a hell of a lot easier said than done.” (Emphasis added)

● The latest cry for help from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s “Team USA Council on Racial and Social Justice” is its Recommendations for Athlete Expression and Advocacy, released on 19 May.

Eight pages of recommendations exhort the USOPC to provide athletes with “the power to make meaningful change,” especially for “those from historically underrepresented, marginalized, or minoritized populations” and that the USOPC must make “continuous and systematic efforts.”

The core of the recommendations is this: if you are an athlete competing under the USOPC’s jurisdiction – that’s 50 national governing bodies covering Olympic and Paralympic summer sports and 11 more in winter sports – you are entitled to lifetime support:

“Athletes within the Olympic and Paralympic structure have articulated that they feel unprepared for their life after sports, ultimately continuing a strictly transactional relationship between members and the USOPC. Providing resources to athletes for their journey after sports turns a transactional relationship into a transformational one, thus increasing the success of Team USA athletes upon retiring from competition.”

This includes, according to Recommendation 1, “legal support for athletes facing discrimination and/or harassment in and beyond their athletic career” and “career training, professional development, and/or mental health services as needed (this list is not exhaustive).” Plus financial literacy, more contacts for jobs and – interestingly – media training, use of the USOPC’s platforms for athlete campaigns and – contra to Osaka – “more visibility” for the “athlete brand.”

According to the document, 58% of “Team USA respondents” to a survey – of which no details were disclosed – felt “unsupported, unprotected or devalued” after reporting an incident. So the recommendations state that the U.S. Center for SafeSport, founded by Federal statute in 2017 and funded by $20 million annually from the USOPC, is already insufficient:

“Some athletes do not feel sufficiently heard or protected by the current mechanism for reporting racial and sexual abuse, homophobic and ableist microaggressions. Thus, the USOPC should establish a parallel mechanism outside of SafeSport to which reports can be made and sanctions can be issued (or, if not possible, expand the current ethics and enforcement procedures/practices to include independent individuals/entities). This mechanism would create greater protections for athletes, improve transparency and tracking of reports, and give athletes an additional option for resolution.” (Emphasis added)

But nowhere in anything stated by Osaka, Phelps or the USOPC Racial and Social Justice Council is the core need for sports to grow their audiences, and by doing so, expand the money and exposure available to players. In the middle of the note to Osaka from the Grand Slam tournament organizers was this:

“The facilitation of media to a broad array of channels, both traditional and digital, is a major contributor to the development and growth of our sport and the fan base of individual players.”

Today’s millionaire players got that way because of fans. Period. End of story.

Fans buy tickets to matches, watch them on television and other devices, and in the U.S., create opportunities for online, radio and television advertisers to reach that fan base as well as enlist players in many sports to attract interest to their products and services. That’s sports economics in a nutshell.

No fans, no money. And it is because there are few, to very few, fans outside of the two weeks of the Olympic Games – winter and summer – for 90% of the sports on the Olympic program, that so many Olympic athletes find they are little known and little cared about after their careers end, even with a closet full of medals.

Osaka is at the other end of the scale, immensely rich and appreciated, but depressed about all the eyes on her after a match.

At the Olympic Games, a mixed zone concept that allowed athletes and media to meet informally after athletes exit the field of play came from track & field meets in the 1970s and was implemented in all sports at Los Angeles in 1984. No athlete had to talk; they could just breeze through the mixed zone on their way back to the post-event area. Those who wanted to talk could so, and most did, since they were usually ignored the rest of the time.

It was the stars who wanted to escape.

Osaka and Phelps worry about their personal, mental health. But what is their responsibility to their fellow athletes, who need their presence to draw new fans to the sport and keep it healthy, today and in the future?

From the media perspective, more athletes like Osaka will drive disinterest in their sports. Outside of an Olympic-related event such as the Olympic Trials, once-popular track & field receives barely any mention in U.S. news media. Swimming gets less and let’s not even talk about cycling, volleyball or wrestling. It is not hard to see tennis reporting reduced to their level in the future, with interest limited to the legacy Grand Slam events.

Is that what Osaka wants for tennis?

For the USOPC Racial and Social Justice Council, its eight-member “Athlete Voice and Advocacy” Steering Committee should get ready to be disappointed. The USOPC is so desperately underfunded – amid wide U.S. disinterest in almost all of its constituent sports between Games – that it will be difficult to offer more than a series of digital-only initiatives that will be smartly produced, but barely noticed, as a small tree in a forest of better-promoted, year-round sports on CBS, ESPN/ABC, FOX, Turner, NBC, the FloSports universe and many others.

It is not by accident that Wimbledon will finish 12 days before the Tokyo Games start, and that the Games will end on 8 August, with the start of the U.S. college football season just 20 days later. It is the Olympic Games that is the interloper, not the focus.

It will be fascinating to see if Osaka will be playing by then, and what she sees as her responsibility to others as well as herself.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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For our updated – as of 1 May – 506-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HIGHLIGHTS: Bernal wins Giro d’Italia; Malone claims American javelin record; Jim Ryun’s U.S. junior 1,500 m mark falls to Kessler

By
Rich Perelman
-
Colombia's Egan Bernal - in the pink jersey - winner of the Giro d'Italia (Photo: Giro d'Italia)

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

● Archery ● USA Archery continued its Olympic Trials in Salt Lake City, Utah, to determine the top American archers eligible to go to Tokyo. According to the federation, “The U.S. has qualified only one men’s and one women’s spot for Tokyo so far, with one more chance to qualify full teams of three at the final qualification tournament in Paris next month.”

Stage 4 will continue through 1 June with elimination matches among the top eight remaining archers. World Champion Brady Ellison leads the men’s qualifying rankings so far with 133.00 points, ahead of Jack Williams (106.50), Jacob Wukie (95.00) and Thomas Stanwood (72.25).

The women’s leader is Casey Kaufhold (128.25) in a tight battle with Mackenzie Brown (112.25), but well ahead of Jennifer Mucino-Fernandez (85.75) and Erin Mickelberry (74.25).

● Artistic Swimming ● The fourth leg of the FINA World Series was held online, with videotaped submissions, and hosted by Canada Artistic Swimming.

The Solo Technical was won by Asaka Hosokawa (JPN: 82.2329), ahead of American Ruby Remati (82.0855) and Lara Mechnig (LIE: 80.8713). Canadian star Jacqueline Simoneau won the Solo Free (90.7000) over Anita Alvarez (USA: 87.0667) and Hosokawa (84.7333).

Americans won the Duet Technical with Alvarez and Lindi Schroeder (84.6649), over Uta Kobayashi and Ami Wada of Japan (85.5193). Alvarez and Schroeder won the Duet Free, scoring 86.3333, ahead of Spain’s Gema Arquero and Gabriela Fernandez (84.5000).

In the Team events, Belarus won the Team Technical (81.0866); Spain won the Free Combination (87.4333); the U.S. took the Team Free Final (89.0667) and Canada won the Team Highlight (87.9667).

The men’s Solo Technical was a win for Russian Alexander Maltsev (89.8282), with the Solo Free won by Jimma Iwasaki (JPN: 81.8667). The Mixed Duet Technical was a clear victory for Maltsev and Mayya Gurbanberdieva (89.8193); Maltsev and Olesia Platonova took the Duet Free at 92.4667.

● Athletics ● The NCAA Division I Preliminary Rounds in Jacksonville, Florida and College Station, Texas continued the hot competitions from the conference championships, breaking into the record books this time.

At College Station, Texas A&M freshman sensation Athing Mu claimed the collegiate women’s 400 m record at 49.68 – fourth on the 2021 world list – with a win at the NCAA Division I West Regionals in College Station, Texas.

Two women went sub-11 in the 100 m, with USC’s Twanisha Terry winning her quarterfinal in 10.89 (no. 5 in the world for 2021) and Kemba Nelson (Oregon/Jamaica) winning the first quarter at 10.98.

In the men’s 400 m, Texas A&M’s Bryce Deadmon (USA) led all qualifiers with a 44.57 win in the quarterfinals.

At Jacksonville, LSU’s Tonea Marshall (USA) screamed to a 12.44 win in the women’s 100 m hurdles to jump to no. 2 on the 2021 world list (and fastest in the U.S.), while Cambria Sturgis (USA/North Carolina A&T) won her women’s 100 m quarterfinal in 10.92.

Tamara Clark (Alabama/USA) won her quarterfinal of the women’s 200 m in 22.13, no. 3 on the 2021 world list. North Carolina A&T’s Trevor Stewart (USA) won the first round men’s 400 at 44.55, moving to fourth on the 2021 world list (teammate Randolph Ross (USA) won an earlier heat at 44.63), and ran a 43.69 anchor on the school’s world-leading 4×400 m relay win (2:59.21). Stewart won the first quarterfinal at 44.59, with Ross taking the second at 44.86.

The USATF Chula Vista Field Festival had world leads, American records and a lot more:

● Maggie Malone grabbed the American Record in the women’s javelin, winning at 66.82 m (219-3) on her third throw. That’s a 10-foot PR, and displaces Kara Winger and her 66.67 m (218-8) toss in 2010. Malone is now no. 2 on the world list for 2021.

● Nigeria’s Ese Brume claimed the world lead in the women’s long jump with a win over 2012 Olympic champ Brittney Reese of the U.S. at 7.17 m (23-6 1/4), to 7.10 m wind-aided (23-3 1/2w) for Reese.

● Vashti Cunningham (USA) took the outdoor world lead in the women’s high jump, clearing a lifetime best 2.02 m (6-7 1/2) and no. 4 on the all-time U.S. list.

The men’s long jump was hot as well, with Rio 2016 Olympic champ Jeff Henderson leaping to no. 3 on the 2021 world list at 8.39 m (27-6 1/2), ahead of fellow Americans Marquis Dendy (8.29 m/27-2 1/2) and Corey Crawford (also 8.29 m).

One of the fastest 1,500 m races in U.S. history was at the Portland Track Festival on Saturday, with six men running sub-3:35, led by a lifetime best for Craig Engels (USA) at 3:33.64, just ahead of Charlie Grice (GBR: 3:33.82), Jake Heyward (GBR: 3:33.99 PR) and American Henry Wynne (3:34.08 PR) in fourth.

Michigan prep star Hobbs Kessler (Ann Arbor Skyline) was fifth in a fabulous 3:34.36, shattering the high school record of Alan Webb of 3:38.26 from 2001 and the U.S. Junior Record of Jim Ryun (3:36.1) from 1966!

Donavan Brazier won the 800 m in 1:45.09, ahead of Jesus Lopez (MEX: 1:45.14) and Emmanuel Korir (KEN: 1:45.74). Grant Fisher of the U.S. won the 5,000 m in 13:19.52.

The women’s 800 m was a lifetime best for Canada’s Gabriela DeBues-Stafford (1:58.70), over Americans Sabrina Southerland (lifetime best 1:58.82), Kate Grace (1:59.04), Chanelle Price (1:59.12) and Cory McGee (1:59.17). American Elise Cranny won the 1,500 m in a lifetime best of 4:02.62, beating Dani Jones (4:04.26 PR) and Canada’s Natalia Hawthorn (4:04.47 PR).

/Update/ Sunday’s late meets included the Pure Summer Invitational in Clermont, Florida, where Isiah Young continues his charge into contention for the U.S. team in Tokyo, winning the men’s 100 m in 9.89 over Noah Lyles (10.05) and 17-year-old Jaylen Slade (10.09). That’s a lifetime best for Young and puts him no. 2 on the world list for 2021.

Trinidad & Tobago’s Machel Cedenio won the men’s 400 m at 45.37, but look who was second: 34-year-old LaShawn Merritt, in 45.45, his fastest since 2017!

The annual multi-event festival in Gotzis, Austria saw not just a world-leader in the decathlon, but one of the greatest competitions ever, as Canada’s Damian Warner ran away with the event and scored 8,995 points.

That’s a national record and the fifth-highest score in history. Only three others have scored more: world-record holder Kevin Mayer (FRA: 9,126), Ashton Eaton of the U.S. (twice over 9,000) and Roman Seberle (CZE).

Warner won his sixth Gotzis gold and set a first-day scoring record with 4,743 points, including a Canadian national record in the long jump at 8.28 m (27-2). He also won the 100 m (10.14), co-led the high jump (2.09 m/6-10 1/4). He was second in the 400 m at 47.90.

Warner then opened the second day with a world decathlon best of 13.36 in the 110 m hurdles, and then won the discus (48.43 m/158-10). He cleared 4.80 m (15-9) in the vault and threw the spear 59.46 m (195-1) before winning the 1,500 m in 4:25.19.

Warner now owns world decathlon bests for the 100 m (10.12), long jump (8.28 m/27-2) and the 110 m hurdles (13.36).

Fellow Canadian Pierce LePage was second with a big lifetime best of 8.534, followed by lifetime bests for Thomas van der Plaetsen (BEL: 8,430) and Vitaliy Zhuk (BLR: 8,331).

The women’s heptathlon was also a world-leading performance, this time for Xenia Krizsan of Hungary, who scored 6,651 to best Anouk Vetter (NED: 6,536) and Kendell Williams of the U.S. (6,383).

American Annie Kunz led after day one at 3,897, but had three fouls in the long jump and did not continue.

At the European Team Championships Super League in Poland, Germany’s Johannes Vetter continued his assault on the all-time javelin list, reaching 94.24 m (309-2) in the first round – the ninth-farthest throw in history – and then a sensational 96.29 m (315-11) – no. 3 ever! – in the second round.

Vetter has now thrown past 90 m (295-3) in five straight meets; he and world-record holder Jan Zelezny (CZE) now own the top 12 throws ever, with six apiece. Vetter now has 25 career throws beyond 90 m. Wow!

On Saturday, a new contender in the 800 m emerged with Elias Ngeny winning the Kenyan Pre-Trials meet in a world-leading 1:43.84, shortly after Wyclife Kinyamal’s 1:43.91 winner at the Diamond League meet in Doha. Hillary Biwott was second in 1:44.80.

More world leaders are popping up everywhere, with two in Havana, where Jordan Diaz took the men’s outdoor triple jump lead at 17.46 m (57-3 1/2) on 21 May, and women’s discus star Yaime Perez threw 68.99 m (226-4) the next day.

American women’s vault star Katie Nageotte took the world lead on 23 May in a meet in Marietta, Georgia at 4.93 m (16-2), moving her to no. 6 in world history and no. 3 in U.S. history.

● Basketball ● FIBA ‘s 3×3 Olympic Qualifier in Graz, Austria offered three tickets to Tokyo for the men’s and women’s medal winners, with the U.S. women advancing to the Games and the U.S. men eliminated.

The men’s tournament started with the U.S. as the reigning 3×3 World Cup champions from 2019, but with only half of its roster returning, in Robbie Hummel and Kareem Maddox. The Americans won their pool, but were eliminated in the quarterfinals in the playoffs, beaten by the Netherlands by 21-16. The Dutch then secured their place in Tokyo with a 21-13 semifinal win over France, while Poland edged Latvia, 20-18, in the other semi. Latvia took third by beating France, 21-15, in the third-place game.

The Netherlands and Poland moved on, while the U.S. will stay home. Its team was made up of non-current NBA players who were college stars:

● Robbie Hummel: Purdue, for Minnesota in the NBA, and elsewhere
● Dominique Jones: South Florida, played for a dozen pro teams (NBA and elsewhere)
● Joey King: Minnesota, professionally in Finland
● Kareem Maddox: Princeton, professionally in England and the Netherlands

In contrast, the U.S. women’s team featured four current WNBA players:

● Kelsey Plum: WNBA Las Vegas
● Allisha Gray: WNBA Dallas
● Katie Lou Samuelson: WNBA Seattle
● Stefanie Dolson: WNBA Chicago

The American women won their pool games by 21-7, 22-5, 21-17 and 21-12, then beat Belarus in the quarterfinals (21-10) and Spain, 21-13, in the semifinals vs. Spain. France defeated Japan, 15-14 in the other semifinal (France goes to Tokyo), while Japan defeated Spain, 20-18 in the third-place game, to qualify for Tokyo (home team not reserved a place in 3×3 basketball).

Interesting how the WNBA allowed its players to compete, but not the NBA.

● Beach Volleyball ● Americans Sara Sponcil and Kelly Claes picked a good time to win their first FIVB World Tour event at the Sochi 4-star in Russia, defeating Swiss stars Tanja Huberli and Nina Betschart, 21-19, 21-17 on Saturday.

The victory gave the U.S. pair their fourth World Tour medal and first gold after two silvers and a bronze. But it also moved them into a fight with Brooke Sweat and Kerri Walsh Jennings for the second U.S. spot at the Tokyo Games. The latter pair did not make it out of their group and the top-ranked pair between the two sides will go to Tokyo. There are two FIVB 4-star tournaments left before the Games.

The top-seeded pair coming in, Russians Nadezda Makroguzova and Svetlana Kholomina, also won their fourth World Tour medal together, defeating Anastasija Kravcenoka and Tina Graudina (LAT), 21-18, 21-11, for the bronze medal.

The men’s tournament belonged to Poland’s Piotr Kantor and Bartosz Losiak, who disposed of Italy’s Adrian Carambula and Enrico Rossi in the semis (25-23, 21-16), then out-lasted Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan (QAT) in the final by 17-21, 23-21, 15-10. It was the fifth final of the year for the Qataris and their third silver.

For Kantor and Losiak – seeded 18th – it was their third career World Tour win, but their first medal on the circuit since 2018!

Christiaan Varenhorst and Steven van de Velde (NED) won the bronze over Carambula and Rossi in three sets: 21-16, 26-28, 15-9.

● Cycling ● The challengers tried, but could not knock out Colombia’s Egan Bernal, who added the 104th Giro d’Italia to his resume on Sunday, to go with his 2019 Tour de France championship.

Bernal took control of the race after winning the ninth stage and never let go, winning the difficult climbing Stage 16 and falling back just a little the next day. He faced two determined challenges on the rough climbing stages on Friday and Saturday, but was equal to the task.

Stage 19 was a 166 km route with three major climbs and an uphill finish to the Alpe di Mera in Valsesia. Britain’s Simon Yates, standing third (+3:23) at the start of the day, attacked with 5.5 km remaining and managed to win the stage in 4:02:55 over Joao Almeida (POR: +0:11), but with Bernal staying close in third (+0:28) and still adding to his lead over second-place Damiano Caruso (ITA: +0:32).

That left Bernal up by 2:29 over Caruso and 2:49 over Yates.

On Saturday, another triple climb ended at the Alpe Motta after 164 km, with Caruso breaking away in the last two kilometers from France’s Romain Bardet to win in 4:27:53, but with Bernal second, just 24 seconds behind and countryman Daniel Felipe Martinez third (+0:35) and Bardet fourth. Yates was sixth (+0:51) and so lost time to the leader.

The results saw Bernal standing 1:59 clear of Caruso, 3:23 up on Yates and 7:07 ahead of Russian Aleksandr Vlasov, with only Sunday’s 30.3 km time trial from Senago to Milan remaining.

The final-day time trial held no surprises, with World Champion Filippo Ganna (ITA) winning in 33:48, with Remi Cavagna (FRA) second in 34:00 and Edoardo Affini (ITA: 34:01) third. Bernal finished 24th, some 1:53 behind the winner, but took the overall title by 1:29 over Caruso, 4:15 over Yates and 6:40 over Vlasov.

At just 24, Bernal has won the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia and will try for the career Grand Tour sweep at the Vuelta a Espana in August. He stands to win a lot more of these before he is finished.

Bogota, Colombia was the site for the third and fourth legs of the BMX Supercross World Cup for 2021, with races on both Saturday and Sunday.

This was a big weekend for France’s Joris Daudet, who won the opener in 32.694, ahead of Cedric Butti (SUI: 33.143) and Latvia’s Helvijs Babris (33.823). He came back to take Sunday’s race, winning in 32.663, beating Carlos Ramirez (COL: 33.358) and French countryman Arthur Pilard (33.585).

The first women’s race was a 1-2 finish for Colombia, with star Mariana Pajon taking the win (36.474) by daylight in front of teammate Gabriela Bolle Carrillo (38.060) with Russian Maria Afremova third (38.197). American Payton Ridenour was fourth (38.794).

Pajon doubled up on Sunday, winning again by more than a second from Ridenour, 36.244-37.400, with Afremova third again (37.744).

This was the last BMX Supercross for a while; the season won’t continue until October, with four more rounds of races in Sakarya, Turkey!

● Football ● The U.S. men’s National Team provided another desultory performance against a quality opponent with a 2-1 loss to world no. 13 Switzerland in a friendly at St. Gallen (SUI).

The American side started well, with Sebastien Lleget taking advantage of a Swiss defensive breakdown in the fifth minute for a 1-0 lead, firing a left-footed shot from the center of the box. But the advantage was short-lived as a Ricardo Rodriguez shot deflected off of American defender Reggie Cannon and past keeper Ethan Horvath for a 1-1 tie. That’s the way the first half ended, with the U.S. holding a 7-2 edge in shots and surviving a bad penalty shot by Rodriguez in the 42nd minute that missed the goal completely.

But the U.S. defense was compromised time and again in the second half, and a bad clearance in the 63rd minute allowed Steven Zuber to connect from the left side of the box, beating Horvath for a 2-1 lead.

Switzerland had several more excellent chances, and the U.S. offense sputtered. The game ended with the Swiss with a 55-45 possession advantage and each side had 11 shots.

The U.S. men are now 1-4-4 all-time against Switzerland and 1-2-2 on Swiss soil.

● Gymnastics ● The Artistic World Challenge Cup in Varna (BUL) was a tune-up opportunity for mostly European competitors before Tokyo. Ukraine’s Ilia Kovtun, the 2021 European All-Around bronze medalist, won the Pommel Horse (14.550) and Parallel Bars (15.100), the only men’s double winner.

Tin Srbic (CRO), the 2017 World High Bar champ, won his specialty at 14.850, and Austria’s Vinzenz Hock took the Rings (14.800). Croatia’s Aurel Benovic, the 2020 European Floor silver medalist, won the Floor with 14.950 over Israel’s Artem Dolgopyat (also 14.950).

The women’s event winners included Anastasiia Bachynska (UKR) on Beam (13.250), France’s Coline Devillard on Vault (14.150), Dildora Aripova (UZB) on Floor (13.150) and Uliana Perebinosova (RUS) on Uneven Bars (14.500).

The FIG Rhythmic World Cup was in Pesaro, Italy, with a good look at what the Olympic final in Tokyo might look like, headed by Russia’s Averina sisters.

Three-time World All-Around winner Dina Averina scored 108.800 points to win the All-Around, followed by Arina Averina (106.475) and Alina Harnasko (BLR: 105.150). Israel’s Linoy Ashram was fourth (103.950) and American Laura Zeng was seventh (96.425).

In Sunday’s Apparatus finals, Dina Averina won in Hoop (26.900), with Ashram second (26.850) and Arina Averina third (26.800). Arina got the golds in Clubs (28.800) and Ribbon (24.700), and was third in Ball (28.300).

Dina also won medals in Ball (second), Clubs (third) and Ribbon (second). Ashram won in Ball (28.550) and was second in Clubs (28.600). All together, the Averinas won 10 of the 15 medals awarded in Pesaro.

● Ice Hockey ● Round-robin play is almost complete at the IIHF men’s World Championship in Riga, Latvia with Switzerland, Russia and Slovakia leading Group A and Finland and the U.S. the best so far on Group B.

The Swiss and Slovakians are 4-2 this far and Russia is 4-1, so all three teams have 12 points each. Finland, the reigning World Champion, is 4-0 in regulation games, plus one overtime win and one overtime loss (15 points). The U.S. has 12 points, from a 4-1 record, including a 2-1 opening loss to the Finns. The Americans will play Germany (3-2) on Monday in its final group-stage game.

The top four teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals, beginning on 3 June. The medal games will be on 6 June.

The scoring leader so far is Peter Cehlarik, currently playing in Sweden’s professional league, who has 8 points (3 goals + 5 assists), ahead of Swiss Niklas Jensen (7: 4+3) and Roman Starchenko (KAZ: 7: 3+4). Finnish goalie Harri Sateri is the top keeper so far, giving up only one goal – to the U.S. – in 125 minutes so far.

● Sport Climbing ● The second of two IFSC World Cups in Salt Lake City, Utah included both Bouldering and Speed events, including new world marks for Speed!

Indonesia’s Katibin Kiromal won the men’s semifinal round in 5.258, the best on record for a 15 m event, shredding the four-year-old mark of 5.48 by Iran’s Reza Alipour from 2017.

That didn’t last long, as teammate Veddriq Leonardo ripped up the wall in a stunning 5.208 to win the event and grab the world mark for himself, while Kiromal fell in the final and had to settle for second. Poland’s Marcin Dzienski was third and American John Brosler fourth.

The women’s Speed winner, Poland’s Alexsandra Miroslaw, won her fifth career World Cup title, winning in 7.382 in the final over American Emma Hunt, 18, who managed 7.539, but won the first-ever World Cup women’s Speed medal for the U.S. Miho Nonaka (JPN) was third, ahead of Patrycja Chudziak (POL).

/Update/ Sunday’s Bouldering competition was a good one for the home team, as American teen Natalia Grossman scored her second straight World Cup victory. She edged Olympic favorite Janja Garnbret with 4 tops and 4 zones, to Garnbret’s 3 tops and 4 zones. American Brooke Raboutou was third (3T4Z).

The men’s final produced another shocker, as American Sean Bailey won his first-ever World Cup, climbing to 2 tops and 4 zones to best Japanese stars Kokoro Fujii (1T4Z) and two-time World Champion Tomoa Narasaki (1T3Z). American Zach Galla was fifth (0T1Z).

● Swimming ● Remember this name: Summer McIntosh. The Canadian 14-year-old won a Toronto High Performance meet time trial last week in the women’s 400 m Freestyle in 4:05.13, believed to be one of fastest – if not the fastest – ever for that age.

It moves her to no. 2 all-time on the Canadian list and is a bit faster than American superstar Katie Ledecky at the same stage. The latter swam 4:05.00 just after her 15th birthday at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials.

Earlier in May, McIntosh also set Canadian age-group records in the 200 m Free (1:57.65), 800 m Free (8:35.30), and 1500 m Free (16:15.19). Wow.

● Wrestling ● The United States, as expected, dominated the Pan American Championships held in Guatemala City, Guatemala, taking the team titles in the men’s and women’s Freestyle divisions and Greco-Roman:

/Update/ In men’s Freestyle, the U.S. pulled off an almost unbelievable sweep of all 10 weight classes, finishing the team scoring with a perfect 250 points. The champions: Vito Arujau (57 kg), Shelton Mack (61 kg), Joey McKenna (65 kg), Alec Pantaleo (70 kg), Kyle Dake (74 kg), Tommy Gantt (79 kg), David Taylor (86 kg), Nate Jackson (92 kg), Kyle Snyder (97 kg) and Gable Steveson at 125 kg.

Canada ended up second, at 116 points, with three silver medals.

The superb U.S. women’s Freestylers won nine of 10 weight classes, with gold-medal performances from Sarah Hildebrandt (50 kg), Ronna Heaton (53 kg), Jacarra Winchester (55 kg), Maya Nelson (59 kg), Kayla Miracle (62 kg), Jennifer Rogers Page (65 kg), Tamyra Mensah-Stock (68 kg), Alexandria Glaude (72 kg) and Adeline Gray (76 kg). Hildebrandt won her sixth Pan-American title, while Mensah-Stock won her fourth.

The U.S. also overwhelmed the field in Greco-Roman, winning five of the nine titles and finishing second in the other four. The champions included Xavier Johnson (67 kg), Jamel Johnson (72 kg), Peyton Walsh (77 kg), Ben Provisor (82 kg) and John Stefanowicz (87 kg).

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ATHLETICS: Hot weather in Doha leads to six world-leading marks, including 44.27 win for U.S.’s Michael Norman

By
Rich Perelman
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Race of the day: Michael Norman wins the 400 m in Doha, with Anthony Zambrano (COL), Fred Kerley (USA) and Kirani James (GRN) fighting for second (Photo: Wanda Diamond League)

The gloomy, cold conditions in England gave way to bright, dry skies and 99-degree temperatures for the second Diamond League meet of 2021 at the Qatar Sports Club in Doha on Friday. And the performances were as hot as the weather, with six world-leading marks, with four by Kenyans:

● Men/400 m: 44.27, Michael Norman (USA)
● Men/800 m: 1:43.91, Wyclife Kinyamal (KEN)
● Men/1,500 m: 3:30.48, Timothy Cheruiyot (KEN)
● Women/3,000 m: 8:27.49, Beatrice Chebet (KEN)
● Women/Steeple: 9:00.67, Norah Jeruto (KEN)
● Women/Pole Vault: 4.84 m (15-10 1/2), Katie Nageotte (USA) and Sandi Morris (USA)

A fast men’s 400 m was expected with superstars Norman, Fred Kerley (USA) and 2012 Olympic champ Kimani James (GRN) on the line. Norman and Kerley were out strongly and were 1-2 into the home straight, but then Colombia’s Anthony Zambrano came up to challenge and got second at the line (44.57) while Norman won in a world-leading 44.27. Kerley was third (44.60) and James fourth (44.61) in a blanket finish. It was Norman’s sixth-fastest time ever.

In the men’s 800 m, Kimyalal took the lead on the final turn and outsprinted the fast-closing Ferguson Rotich (KEN: 1:44.45) and Britain’s Daniel Rowden (1:44.60). In the 1,500 m, Cheruiyot was second at the bell with Ethiopia’s Sam Tefera, but covered the last lap in 56.4 to run away from the field. Australia’s Stewart McSweyn was second (3:31.57) and Steeple star Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR) was third in a lifetime best of 3:31.95. Tefera finished fourth (3:32.52).

Chebet won the women’s 3,000 m on the final straight, passing fellow Kenyan star Hellen Obiri; Margaret Kipkemboi was second (8:28.27) while Obiri fell to fourth (8:33.98).

The women’s Steeple saw Kenyan stars Norah Jeruto and Hyvin Kiyeng leading for much of the race, but Jeruto took the lead for good on the final lap, with Ethiopia’s Mekides Abebe passing Kiyeng (who stumbled on the final water jump) on the way to a national record of 9:02.52. Winfried Yavi (BRN: 9:02.64) came up for third, with Kiyeng fourth (9:07.58) and American Emma Coburn fifth (9:08.22).

In the vault, Nageotte was the winner based on a perfect record through 4.84 m, while Morris missed twice at lower heights. Neither could clear 4.90 m (16-0 3/4).

American Ken Bednarek won the Diamond League opener in Gateshead in 20.33 and was supremely confident coming into Doha, and with good reason. In much warmer weather, he won in 19.88, just ahead of Canada’s Andre De Grasse (19.89) with Aaron Brown (CAN: 20.25) third. Liberia’s Emmanuel Matadi (20.45) and Justin Gatlin of the U.S. (20.49) went 4-5. Bednarek’s 19.88 moves him to equal-2nd on the 2021 world list, with De Grasse now fourth.

The men’s 400 m hurdles was another showcase for American Rai Benjamin, already the world leader, who cruised to an impressive win in 47.38, the second-best mark in the world for 2021. He had little trouble with contenders like Alison dos Santos (BRA: 47.57, lifetime best and national record), Kyron McMaster (IVB: 47.82) and Abderrahman Samba (QAT: 48.26). American Kenny Selmon was fifth in 49.03.

Home favorite Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT) looked like a winner in the men’s high jump, cruising over the first four bars, including 2.30 m (7-6 1/2). But world leader Ilya Ivanyuk (RUS) cleared 2.33 m (7-7 3/4) on his first try and Barshim could not match him, missing once at 2.33 m and twice at 2.36 m (7-8 3/4).

The men’s shot featured New Zealand star Tom Walsh – wearing a uniform asking for sponsorship and reading “Space for Rent” on the front – who “won” by having the best throw of 21.63 m (70-11 3/4) in the final round. The best mark of the day, however, was by Serb Armin Sinancevic at 21.88 m (71-9 1/2) in the fifth round. But he fouled in the sixth-round “throw-off” and was officially classified in third place.

The women’s 100 m was supposed to feature world leader Sha’Carri Richardson of the U.S. and Jamaica’s two-time Olympic 100 m champ Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, but Richardson did not show. No difference to Fraser-Pryce, who ran away with the race in 10.84, moving her to no. 3 on the 2021 world list (wind: +1.1 m/s). Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare was second (10.90) ahead of American Javianne Oliver (11.03). Americans Hannah Cunliffe (11.22) and Kiara Parker (11.26) finished 5-6.

Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, the reigning Olympic 1,500 m champion, won the women’s 800 m with the no. 2 time of 2021: 1:58.26. She took the lead with 200 m to go and raced in ahead of Jamaica’s Natalya Goule (1:59.70) and Morocco’s Rababe Arabe (1:59.83).

World leader and Olympic favorite Yulimar Rojas won the women’s triple jump at 15.15 m (49-8 1/2) in the first round and then jumped 15.11 m (49-7) in round six as well. American Keturah Orji was fifth (14.37 m/47-1 3/4).

American record holder Valarie Allman posted an impressive “win” in the women’s discus … except that she finished second. Allman had the best throw of the day, 65.57 m (215-1), in the fourth round, but in the Diamond League’s oddball sixth-round throw-off among the top three, was second. She threw 58.58 m (192-2), behind 2019 World Champion Yaime Perez (CUB: 61.35 m/201-3), but ahead of reigning Olympic champ Sandra Perkovic (CRO), who fouled. In the regular competition, Perez had a best of 63.75 m (209-2) and Perkovic reached 63.60 m (208-8). Good work by Allman.

Next up will be the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea in Florence (ITA) on 10 June.

THE TICKER: Tokyo 2020 status now a circus; AIBA vaporizes $10 million debt; Belarus flag removed from ice hockey worlds amid protests

By
Rich Perelman
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The Olympic Rings (and a friend) at Mt. Takao outside of Tokyo (Photo: Tokyo 2020)

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

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● The International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo 2020 organizers have no doubt that the Tokyo Games will, in fact, open on 23 July, but outside groups continue to complain, moan and groan. On Wednesday, SportBusiness.com reported that organizing committee chief executive Toshiro Muto told reporters:

“‘There has been some feedback pertaining to potential cancellation or postponement, but nobody has explicitly mentioned that we should cancel or postpone the Games,’ he said. ‘Rather, the board members mentioned that Tokyo 2020 has come this far and things are being properly managed. We need to communicate that to the Japanese people.’”

Also on Wednesday, the Asahi Shimbun, a major daily newspaper and one of a half-dozen Tokyo 2020 newspaper sponsors, posted an editorial headlined “Prime Minister Suga, please call off the Olympics this summer” and including:

“Of course, there is always the possibility of everything turning out fine. But staging the Olympics requires multiple layers of risk-minimizing preparations that must function properly.

“If problems arise because of hasty decisions, made even though the preparations were known to be insufficient, who should, or can, take responsibility?

“The organizers must understand that gambling is not an option.”

In its report, The Associated Press noted why the call to cancel is subject to scrutiny: “Asahi is typically liberal-leaning and often opposes the ruling party led by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.” Said Muto later on Wednesday:

“Different news organisations have different perspectives on matters and that is very natural given their role in society. With regard to our [other] partners, they are giving us their commitment in continuing to support the Games.”

In the meantime, Nippon Professional Baseball league games played during the current emergency conditions on Thursday showed 4,879 in attendance at the Meiji Jingu Stadium in Tokyo as Yakult defeated the Nippon Ham Fighters, 5-2, and 8,953 at the Tokyo Dome as Rakuten beat the Yomiuri Giants, 2-0.

On Thursday, the European Union announced a major vaccine relief effort for Japan at the conclusion of an online summit meeting, promising 100 million vaccine doses for the country as a direct step toward supporting the Games.

Another wild economic projection was released on Tuesday, with the Nomura Research Institute suggesting the possible loss from a cancellation of the Games would be about $16 billion, or one-third of one percent of Japanese Gross Domestic Product from 2020.

The continuing state of emergency in Tokyo and other prefectures has had a much greater impact on the economy than any issues related to the Games.

The U.S. Department of State issued a travel advisory on Wednesday that Americans should not travel to Japan, but it was also explained:

“The advisory is based on a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notice that was triggered when Japan met the criteria that its current coronavirus incidence rate reached more than 100 new cases per 100,000 people over the past 28 days.”

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee issued a statement noting:

“We have been made aware of the updated State Department advisory as it relates to Japan. We feel confident that the current mitigation practices in place for athletes and staff by both the USOPC and the Tokyo Organizing Committee, coupled with the testing before travel, on arrival in Japan, and during Games time, will allow for safe participation of Team USA athletes this summer.”

● World Anti-Doping Agency ● The long-awaited delivery of the “dried blood spot” technology for doping tests is getting closer, as the WADA Executive Committee approved the technical specifications for the new process.

This new testing program will begin on 1 September of this year and has multiple benefits, including easy sample collection (e.g. finger or upper arm prick); less invasive methods than current urine and blood collection and therefore, a better athlete experience; the test requires only a very small volume of blood; less expensive collection and transport of samples; less space needed to store samples; and possible benefits with regards to sample stability.

Following up on the multiple cases of positive doping tests due to the ingestion of meat that contains prohibited substances, WADA also approved new technical standards “to provide guidance on the management of clenbuterol cases and to assess the risks of contaminants appearing in natural and unprocessed foodstuffs, in particular with meat in certain regions of the world.”

On Russian sanctions: “In the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, WADA’s Legal Affairs Department and independent Intelligence and Investigations Department are focusing all their energy to prevent athletes or athlete support personnel who were identified as part of Operation LIMS from participating in the Games.”

● Athletics ● Greek long jumper Miltiadis Tentoglou took the world lead with a stunning win at 8.60 m (28-2 3/4) win in a meet at Kallithea (GRE) on Wednesday (26th).

His prior outdoor best had been 8.32 m (27-3 3/4) from 2019, but his new mark places him no. 16 on the all-time list. Amazingly, it’s not a national record, as Louis Tsatoumas reached 8.66 m (28-5) back in 2007!

On Tuesday, the USATF Invitational at Prairie View A&M was truncated by rain and lightning, but not before some good marks were recorded. Rachel McCoy won the women’s high jump with a lifetime best (and Olympic qualifying height) of 1.96 m (6-5), while Morgan LeLeux won the women’s vault at 4.60 m (15-1).

The men’s vault was moved indoors and Chris Nilsen won at 5.90 m (19-4 1/4), with Kyle Pater second at 5.80 m (19-0 1/4).

The Wanda Diamond League opener in Gateshead (GBR) last Sunday (23rd) will be remembered as much for the windy, rainy and difficult conditions as for the competition. Said women’s triple jump winner Shanieka Ricketts of Jamaica: “It was brutal. I am just so happy I didn’t end up injured.”

The one person who wasn’t freaked out by the weather was Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who won the men’s 1,500 m in 3:36.27:

“This is normal weather back in the west coast of Norway. It’s really tricky to run fast in these conditions and it turned out to be a tactical race. Today really didn’t have anything to do with the times, racing in these conditions, because all of a sudden if you get a sudden gust of wind then everything is ruined.

“I feel that spectators are eager to see some athletics live and they’re really cheering us which helps push us further. We needed to race to prepare ourselves for Tokyo.”

Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis settled for second in the men’s vault and summed up the feelings of most of the athletes: “It wasn’t ideal, but what can you do about it? I’m ok, I’m healthy, that’s the main thing.”

On the other hand, American Sam Kendricks – the vault winner at 5.74 m (18-10) – was all smiles:

“That was the most fun I have had all year! You had people, you had rainy conditions and we all had a good old rousing time out there. …

“I haven’t beaten Mondo since the [2019] World Championships but I would never aspire to say we are on an even footing – but he is on another level but perhaps the conditions brought us to the same level. I just need to be consistent and to be consistent on a rainy day as I am on a sunny day. That may be my only chance, but he is too good, too talented.”

Fellow American Kenny Bednarek, the men’s 200 m winner (20.33) left full of confidence:

“I feel happy with my performance; I am in a really good place at this point in the season. I am heading back after Doha for the U.S. trials and I have some things to work on now. I believe the only thing that will stop me making the team is me.”

World Athletics announced approval of 23 Russian athletes – including eight race walkers – to compete as neutrals, bringing the 2021 total to 27.

The list included 2019 World Championships medal winners Vasily Mizinov (men’s 20 km walk silver) and Mikhail Akimenko (men’s high jump silver), plus 2017 Worlds medalist Valeriy Pronkin (men’s hammer silver).

The statement also noted: “Council agreed that for the remainder of 2021, no more than 10 Russian athletes will be granted eligibility to compete as authorised neutral athletes at any championship competition, including the Tokyo Olympic Games, World Athletics Series events and the 2021 European U23 Championships.”

The lowlight of the 19 May Golden Spike meet in Ostrava (CZE) was the right Achilles rupture suffered by Olympic and World Champion triple jumper Christian Taylor. He was on Twitter a few days later:

“I strive to lead, inspire, motivate, encourage, challenge, and entertain. You all have shown me that my career has been more than merely jumping in a sandbox and for that I dry my eyes and push forward. My Olympic dream has been lost but my purpose remains. Thank YOU for that.”

He is now pointing for a recovery in time for the 2022 World Championships in Eugene.

● Badminton ● The Badminton World Federation met online last Saturday (22nd) and considered a major change in scoring that was very narrowly refused by the membership.

The proposal was to change match scoring from three sets to 21 points to five sets to 11 points, similar to that used for table tennis. Per the BWF announcement:

“The proposal put forward by the Indonesian Badminton Association and the Badminton Association of Maldives, and seconded by Badminton Asia, Badminton Korea Association and Chinese Taipei Badminton Association, received 66.31% for and 33.69% against, falling just short of the two-thirds majority required.”

That means it passed, 187-95, falling literally one vote short of passage. Said BWF President Paul-Erik Hoyer (DEN):

“While the proposed scoring system change has been part of my vision to make badminton more exciting and to increase the entertainment value for stakeholders and fans, this will not deter us from continuing our efforts to increase excellence in badminton for all concerned in line with our Strategic Plan 2020-2024.”

Hoyer was re-elected unopposed, so look for the scoring issues to come up again.

● Boxing ● The plagued-by-debt International Boxing Association (AIBA) stunningly announced on Wednesday that it “has paid in full its outstanding $10 million USD debt to Azerbaijani company Benkons LLC, which was the main loan for the organization and which had been at the heart of a period of financial instability, as well as other existed debts from the past. The biggest loan had been part of an unsuccessful venture, the World Series of Boxing.

“The settlement of the loan marks the fulfillment of an election promise by AIBA President Umar Kremlev to return the International Federation to financial stability. It is accompanied by a $7 million round of development funding which will see grants issued to National Federations (NFs) and continental Confederations.”

Where did $17 million come from? The notice specifically mentions AIBA’s new, “significant sponsorship” from the Russian energy giant Gazprom and commented:

“AIBA hopes its settlement and the resulting stability will now prove to be a significant step towards resolving the IOC’s concerns.”

Kremlev, formerly the Secretary General of the Russian Boxing Federation before being elected as AIBA President, has apparently cleared AIBA’s debt issues, but the IOC’s monitoring committee will be asking questions about exactly what the relationship with Gazprom is about.

● Cycling ● Colombian star Egan Bernal already owns a Tour de France victory from 2019 and appears to be on his way to a second Grand Tour title after his Stage 16 win in the 104th Giro d’Italia.

Monday’s route was originally set for more than 200 km with four high-mountain climbs, but bad weather required trimming the stage to 153 km from Sacile to Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Italian Alps that finished with a misery-inducing 50 km climb from 376 m to 2,225 m at the top of the Passo Giau before a downhill finish.

Bernal, 24, attacked the field with 4 km remaining before the top of the Passo Giau and 21 km remaining in the race. He was never headed and cruised home with an impressive win in 4:22:41, a full 27 seconds up on Romain Bardet (FRA) and Damiano Caruso (ITA).

The victory extended Bernal’s overall lead to what appeared to be a decisive 2:24 over Caruso, 3:40 over Britain’s Hugh Carthy and 4:18 over Aleksandr Vlasov (RUS). Britain’s Simon Yates was fifth, 4:20 behind the leader.

Tuesday was a rest day, and Wednesday’s difficult, double-climb route from Canazei to Sega di Ala (193 km) saw Bernal give back some time, as he finished seventh, 1:23 behind winner Dan Martin (IRL). Yates finished third and grabbed back almost a minute, but Bernal still led Caruso by 2:21 and Yates by 3:23 overall.

Thursday’s Stage 18 from Rovereto to Stradella was a long 231 km on a hilly course, but good for sprinters. Italy’s Alberto Bettiol and Simone Consonni went 1-2 (5:14:43 and +0:17), but there was no change in the leaderboard.

Friday’s stage to the Alpe de Mesa features a significant uphill finish and Saturday’s 164 km race to the Alpe Motta features three climbs, with an uphill finish, before Sunday’s flat ride into Milan. Bernal would have to collapse to lose now.

● Football ● The U.S. Women’s National Team booked two games with Mexico for its “send-off series” prior to heading to Tokyo for the Olympic Games.

The matches will be played on 1 July and 5 July, both in East Hartford, Connecticut. Mexico is not participating in the women’s Olympic tournament.

● Ice Hockey ● The IIHF men’s World Championship continues with group-stage games in Riga, Latvia, with the U.S. defeating Kazakhstan (3-0) on Tuesday and Latvia on Thursday (4-2). Through Thursday’s games, Finland leads Group B at 3-1 (overtime loss) while the U.S. and Germany are 3-1. Russia, Switzerland and Slovakia are all 3-0 in Group A.

The tournament took a political turn this week when the Belarus flag – of the country which was originally a co-host of the event – was taken down at the direction of the Latvian Foreign Minister and the Mayor of Riga. The IIHF protested in a statement:

“The actions of the Belarus government are separate from the players who are competing under the Belarus flag at this tournament. The players have been welcomed to Latvia as guests and should not have to see their flag removed without their consent from the public display of the 16 participating countries. …

“Therefore, the IIHF has asked the Mayor of Riga to urgently take down the IIHF flag from the same area, as well as the World Championship flag which bears the IIHF name. In accordance with the IIHF Statutes, we are an apolitical sports organization, and are demanding that the IIHF is removed from any association with the political statements the Mayor and Foreign Minister have made by changing the flag of our Member.”

The Russian news site Tass.com reported:

“The state flag of Belarus, raised near the Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija in downtown Riga, accommodating the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship national teams, was replaced on May 24 by the white, red and white flag, which symbolizes the political opposition in Belarus. According to earlier local media reports, the flag was replaced personally by Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics and Riga Mayor Martins Stakis.

“After the flag was replaced, Mayor of Riga Stakis announced on his Twitter account: ‘We raise the flag of the free Belarus, entrusted to me by Belarusian political refugees, among the Hockey World Cup flags. There must be no flags in Riga that symbolize a regime that engages in state terrorism, so we took it off.’”

The flag incident reflects international outrage over the forced landing of a Ryanair civil aircraft flight from Greece over the past weekend. It was required to land because of a supposed bomb threat, but was in fact a ruse to arrest Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich, a co-founder of the Nexta Telegram Channel, sparking protests worldwide.

● The Last Word ● The Belarus situation has now spread beyond the IIHF men’s World Championship. On Thursday, the European Cycling Union announced that its 2021 Elite Track Cycling Championships would not be held in Minsk, but at another venue.

“In light of the current international situation, the Management Board has decided to cancel the 2021 Elite Track European Championships scheduled in Minsk (Belarus) from 23 to 27 June 2021.”

UEC Vice President Alexander Gusyatnikov (RUS) said, “Political motivations were not behind this decision since we made it proceeding from present-day options of transporting the participating teams to Minsk. This was the main reason while the rest of the reported reasons are speculations.”

Really? Yeah. Right. Sure.

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For our updated – as of 1 May – 506-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: IOC Athletes’ Forum endorses “10 Commandments” for Tokyo; Bach says Olympics is “where we show that we can co-exist in friendship”

By
Rich Perelman
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IOC President Thomas Bach (standing) during his Q&A at the International Athletes Forum (Photo: Screenshot of IOC video)

The International Olympic Committee’s 10th International Athletes’ Forum was held online on Wednesday and Thursday, with a focus on a variety of issues beyond the Tokyo Games. But Tokyo highlighted the discussions on Thursday, with a reassurance that the event will take place as scheduled.

More than 2,000 current and former athletes, many of whom are members of the Athlete Commissions in their own countries or for their own sports, took part in the program, which began with a taped greeting from Tokyo 2020 chief Seiko Hashimoto. It included:

“Some of you may feel worried or uncertain about the Tokyo 2020 Games. But I am here to tell you that my mission is to make absolutely sure the best possible Covid-19 preventive measures are in place and prepare a Games that all of you can participate in with confidence and pride. …

“To make sure that the Games are safe and secure for all of you, and for the people of Japan, we have compiled the rules and guidelines included in your Playbooks. The final edition will be released in June.

“Next week, on 3 June, Tokyo 2020 will share a first look at the victory ceremonies, and the announcement will be live-streamed worldwide.”

That will be of high interest, especially to the protesters-in-waiting, already planning their demonstration.

The IOC also announced a new program, called the Athlete Moment, where an athlete can invite up to five people to join a video chat for 60 seconds or so following their final competition. As they exit the field, court or pool, a monitor (apparently) is to be set up for them to they can greet their family and friends (up to five) via a Web link, before they head to the mixed zone.

This is a poor substitute for having family and friends in the stands, but as this is not possible in Tokyo with no foreign fans allowed, it’s a technology-based substitute. And, of course, it comes at the expense of the news media, including the rights-holding broadcasters.

As for the Tokyo experience, the IOC’s Olympic Games Operations Director, Pierre Ducrey (SUI), emphasized:

“We feel in the Village we can deliver a protected environment. Outside, it’s much more difficult. … There will be no opportunity to go roam around town and discover Tokyo. We know it’s very unfortunate, but we feel this is the price to deliver safe and successful Games. So this will be, I would say, the biggest change when it comes to the experience of the athletes.”

As for getting the Olympic athletes and staff to do the right thing, a suggestion from the Argentine athlete commission got a smile from everyone:

“We want help for the ‘10 Commandments’ as we call them – those 10 top issues that cannot be forgotten and that athletes have to remember 24/7 – we want to guarantee that those ‘10 Commandments’ are read by everybody, memorized and not forgotten. So if you could help us in setting up these ‘10 Commandments’ with those 10 absolutely essential ideas that they cannot forget when they are in Tokyo, that would be of great help.”

IOC Athletes’ Commission chair Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) replied:

“We love the idea. We’re totally going to steal the ‘10 Commandments’ and make more work for the Commission and team. But we love the idea of taking those ‘10 Commandments’ and putting them into the welcome packs, which now will be on the phones that all of the athletes get, so we love that idea, we’ll definitely look at doing that.”

(Look for something like this as a laminated card that can be worn with an accreditation badge to help keep the points top of mind.)

IOC President Thomas Bach (GER) took the stage for almost two hours, answering questions from athlete representatives from around the world. He was not asked even once about whether the Games will take place, but was thanked again and again for the IOC’s efforts, in cooperation with Tokyo 2020 and the Japanese government, for working to make the Games happen.

Many of the questions had to do with governance issues, especially within International Federations and National Olympic Committees, about more promotion of Olympic athletes and Olympic sports in their regions, corruption and so on. But there was one exceptionally interesting exchange, with China’s Yang Yang – a two-time Olympic gold medalist in short track and a Vice President of the World Anti-Doping Agency – proposing new rules to “protect clean and qualified athletes right to participate” in the Games.

With the Beijing 2022 Winter Games coming next February, this was an obvious invitation for Bach to launch into an anti-boycott address and he was ready, with a 518-word reply, delivered without notes:

“With regards to the politicization of the Olympic Games and boycotts, the position of the IOC and the Olympic Movement is very clear. Our mission, enshrined in the Olympic Charter, is to unite the world and to be the event – the only event – which brings the entire world together in a peaceful competition. And we can accomplish this mission only if we are always building bridges. If we are erecting walls, then we become divisive. And politics, as you know, is divisive. There are always different points of view, and if one wants to impose his or her point of view on others – and vice versa – this becomes very divisive and we could never accomplish the mission. And this means, and I am coming to your proposal with regard to the Olympic Charter, that we have to be politically neutral.

“In the Olympic Games, there can be no discrimination for whatever reason, whether it’s religious, whether it’s political, whether it’s sexual orientation; there, in the Games, we all need to be equal and we all need to respect each other and we need not only to respect the diversity, we need to embrace the diversity. We need to be happy that it’s possible to come together even if you have a very different culture, even if you have a very different political opinion. That we can come together and that we can agree on the Olympic values. And that this is what we are standing for, beyond all the differences we may have.

“Therefore, we have in the Olympic Charter, enshrined not only these values, we have also enshrined the political neutrality of the IOC and the Olympic Games and in order to protect there, the National Olympic Committees from political pressure in their countries which may arise. And myself, I had to make this experience at the time when we had to boycott Olympic Games there in 1980. And as a consequence, we then put later into the Olympic Charter the obligation for National Olympic Committees to take part in the Games of the Olympiad. You cannot make it for the Winter Games because not every country can offer winter sports, but it shows the overall philosophy and obligation on the one hand, political neutrality has to be respected by all the components of the Olympic Movement, and on the other hand, not only the right to take part in the Games, but the obligation to take part in the Olympic Games and in this way to contribute to this unifying mission, to this unifying power of the Olympic Games.

“I think this is what we, now, in this divisive – in this aggressively divisive – world we are living in this moment. This is something what is maybe more needed than ever and what also the world is really looking for, to have at least this one area, of sport and in particular, Olympic Games, where we can still come together, where we are sharing the same values, and where we show that we can co-exist in friendship while having, maybe, the toughest competition of our life.”

Comment: Having this question come from a Chinese Winter Games icon and directed specifically at boycotts while calls mount for removing the 2022 Games from China for its abuse of its Uyghur minority and other provocative actions begs disbelief that this was not arranged in advance. Bach gave his standard, detailed answer, but it wears thinner and thinner over time. The issue is not Moscow in 1980, but holding a Games in a country under circumstances more like Berlin in 1936.

There was also a question from 2010 American Olympic Pairs skater Mark Ladwig about athletes signing “waivers” in advance of going to Tokyo; he noted “I don’t remember having to sign anything like that.”

In fact, he did, but it came from the U.S. Olympic Committee, not the IOC directly. IOC Chief Operating Officer Lana Haddad (IRQ) explained:

“The entry forms have been actually in place for previous Games and have been updated to include Covid-19-related consideration. This is really to provide transparency and ensures informed consent from the Games participants.”

Bach added:

“It’s even in the regulations … Even I, when I was participating in the Games – just a couple of years ago! – I remember that I had to sign the entry forms.”

The entry form’s genesis is from the by-law to Rule 44 of the Olympic Charter, including:

“All participants in the Olympic Games in whatever capacity must comply with the entry process as prescribed by the IOC Executive Board, including the signing of the entry form, which includes an obligation to (i) comply with the Olympic Charter and the World Anti-Doping Code and (ii) submit disputes to CAS jurisdiction.”

Agreeing to abide by the Olympic Charter means, among other things, accepting the strictures of Rule 40 on commercial rights and Rule 50 on protests. Every athlete who wants to compete in the Games must agree to abide by the event owner’s requirements … or they can skip the Games.

This was the 10th International Athletes’ Forum and was held 40 years after then-IOC chief Juan Antonio Samaranch (ESP) created the first IOC Athletes’ Commission, of which Bach was a member. Bach’s IOC has demonstrated, as much or more than any other IOC administration, their devotion to athlete opportunities, especially in Tokyo.

That stance used to be a sure winner, but the question of how “athlete-centric” plays in today’s “aggressively divisive” world will be tried in Tokyo this summer and then in Beijing next February.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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For our updated – as of 1 May – 506-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THE BIG PICTURE: FIFA Congress agrees to study biennial World Cups; Infantino proposes 11 “action areas” for development

By
Rich Perelman
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI) during his opening address to the FIFA Congress last week (Photo: screenshot from the FIFA video)

Already the wealthiest of the International Federations, FIFA had a busy 71st Congress, held online last Friday (21st), taking several interesting decisions with an eye to expanding its global impact and reach:

● The selection of future hosts for the FIFA Women’s World Cup will be decided by the full Congress in the future, not the FIFA Council. This places the women’s event on the same platform as for the men’s World Cup.

● A Saudi proposal was approved to conduct a feasibility study on holding the FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup every two years instead of every four.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI) told reporters afterwards that the study must consider how to make the World Cup more global, in order to encourage further investment at the national level for countries which are not consistent World Cup qualifiers in both the men’s and women’s tournaments:

“Are we really convinced that playing qualifying games in September, October, November, March, June, September, October, November, March for a competition which takes place in June the second year – whether it’s the Euro or the World Cup, or Copa America or the World Cup, it doesn’t really matter – do we really think this is the right way for football, when we are saying, ‘fans, maybe they want more meaningful games, less meaningless games.’ So all of these points have to be considered.”

● A Jamaican proposal was approved for a comprehensive consultation on the “opportunities for women’s global competitions, including a women’s world league.”

● A Liberian proposal was approved for a review and a new proposal for FIFA youth competitions (the U-17 and U-20 World Cups, and others), including age categories, the number and type of events and the qualifying procedures, with an eye to better future development paths for players.

Infantino’s 45-minute opening address listed 11 areas for future action, including:

(1) The international match calendar: “How many matches can a player play per year? How many competitions do we want or do we need? And what kind of competitions? Do we play too much? Or don’t we play enough, maybe, in some parts of the world? Do we want more games, or do we want less, but more meaningful? And what about the intercontinental travel of players when they have to play for their national teams?” He insisted that the status quo is not a solution, and that the discussion should start from scratch.

(2) Men’s competitions: The 2026 World Cup will increase to 48 teams and the new Club World Cup will also bring new interest.

(3) Women’s competitions: From the 140 teams which participated in Women’s World Cup qualifying in 2019, more than 180 will compete for 2023. And a women’s Club World Cup is coming, part of FIFA’s promised $1 billion investment in women’s football over four years.

Infantino also noted that the women’s World Cup television and sponsorship rights will be sold separately in the future, not as part of a package with the men’s World Cup: “We will commercialize women’s football independently. We are not going any more to our broadcasters and sponsors and tell them, ‘you want to buy the men’s World Cup, we give you in addition the women’s as well.’ These times are over. Gone.”

(4) Youth competitions: Should these be yearly, to offer the greatest possible opportunities to young players, or every other year as is done now?

(5) Financial regulations: Especially in the area of player transfers, with better transparency on payments. Caps on transfer fees, on salaries and the like should be considered. A clearinghouse to assure that clubs which are training future stars – which receive about 1% of the total transfer fees now – are properly compensated will be set up.

(6) Laws of the Game: Continued focus on the offside rule, especially in the era of replay, to encourage more offense. More substitutions to allow for player health are also coming, perhaps also adding a special substitution opportunity for concussions.

(7) Football development: FIFA has poured $1.75 billion U.S. in this area for the 2019-22 period, five times more than from 2011-14, and more is coming.

(8) Technical development: More player development programs are promised, as well as much more development of referees in a professional capacity, especially those who work with professional leagues.

(9) Social role of football: Infantino emphasized “zero tolerance on discrimination” calling racism “another virus, and football, sadly, is not immune.” He added, “We will continue to educate, but we will also sanction – very harshly – because it is intolerable.” He also noted that FIFA has had some success in pushing for human rights, and stated that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will leave a positive social legacy there. Infantino also voiced concerns about protecting children playing sports and would like to see an international organization which can help.

He also expressed concern about match integrity; he said around 0.4% of games each year (about 140), showed some suspicious activity. FIFA is working with the international organizations, including branches of the U.N. on this.

(10) Fans: What can FIFA do for football’s five billion fans, “something with which he can live his passion”?

(11) Digital: Joining the global appeal of football and the new communications opportunities could be a powerful accelerator for the sport. A “new digital FIFA venture” is promised soon.

He also noted FIFA’s payment of $1.5 billion in Covid support payments to national federations, made from FIFA’s reserves (he pointedly stated, “in FIFA, money does not evaporate any more”).

On FIFA’s responsibilities, he said: “Article 2 of our statutes – you should read it once – says that it is our duty to improve the game of football and to promote it globally. And it is also our duty to organize our own international competitions.

“Our competitions are your competitions, because you are FIFA. And in whatever we do, we always have to think about the fans, we always have to think about the countries – all the countries in the world – and we always have to think about the players.

“We are at the service of football. We are not the protagonists of football. We have to set the scene for the players to shine, and for the fans to enjoy, to live football with passion. We have to know what our job is.”

In this area, Infantino stated he wants to see 50 “top” national teams worldwide and 50 top club teams worldwide, in both men’s and women’s football. Even with FIFA’s resources, that will take some doing. He noted that the top 30 clubs in terms of annual revenue are all European, the top 20 are in just five European countries, and that the trend is toward imbalance rather than parity. He said that has to change.

With the payments to the national associations alone, Infantino could have claimed plenty of credit and would have received it at the Congress. But he has ideas, has welcomed ideas from others and wants to do more; it will be fascinating to see what grows from the 11 seeds he planted.

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LANE ONE: Bad news for anti-Olympic whiners: Tokyo Games will go on, and it appears some spectators may be allowed!

By
Rich Perelman
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The roller-coaster ride that has been the Games of the XXXII Olympiad just whipped through another barrel roll with not only an assurance that the event will be held, but a Saturday news report that a limited number of spectators will likely be allowed as well!

The final meeting of the International Olympic Committee’s Coordination Commission for the Tokyo Games was held online last week, with Chair John Coates (AUS) asked if the event could be held during a local state of emergency owing to the coronavirus infection rate in the Tokyo area:

“We’ve successfully seen five sports hold their test events during the state of emergency, all of them with the plans that we had in place to protect the safety and security of the athletes, and the people of Japan, based around the worst possible circumstances, so the answer is absolutely yes.”

The IOC’s announcement at the conclusion of the meeting added:

“The Coordination Commission was further encouraged by the many sporting events taking place successfully around the globe, noting that more than 54,000 athletes have competed in over 430 major sports events since September 2020, all held safely for participants and the local population.”

Coates and the organizers pointed to the countermeasures which have been developed to assure the safety not only of the competitors, but also the local population. Kyodo News reported:

“Coates said unfavorable public opinions over the games are a ‘correlation’ with the low vaccination rate, though he expects they will improve when more people are vaccinated.

“‘But if it doesn’t (improve), then our position is that we just have to make sure we get on with our job, and our job is to ensure these games are safe for all participants and all of the people in Japan who might come into contact with the participants,’ he said.”

Tokyo 2020 chief Seiko Hashimoto explained the confidence of the organizing committee further:

“At present, there are people who feel uneasy that the Games will be held with a lot of people coming from abroad and being together. There are other people concerned about the possible burden on the medical system in Japan by organizing the Games. To these concerns, I would like to implement what I call ‘three thoroughs’:

“The first one is the thorough reduction in the number of the inbound people.

“The second one is the thorough restriction of the activities and behavior.

“The third is the thorough review of the medical system.”

She isn’t kidding. The reduction of the number of visitors to Japan has been cut dramatically and is continuing. Foreign spectators have been banned and the expected 180,000 officials and technicians of all kinds for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games has been cut to 78,000 (so far). The Associated Press reported Hashimoto explaining:

“Olympic ‘stakeholders’ would amount to 59,000, of which 23,000 were Olympic family and international federations. She said an added 17,000 would involve television rights holders, with 6,000 more media.”

(If accurate, then the number of news media coming to Tokyo won’t be much less than that for Rio in 2016, when 25,696 media were accredited, with an almost identical split between press and broadcast.)

Also on Friday, the British Olympic Association announced that all of its Olympic and Paralympic athletes and staff will be vaccinated prior to the Tokyo Games. PanAm Sports is arranging for 6,000 vaccinations, using the Johnson & Johnson single-shot dose, to be available to its athletes at centers in Miami and Houston, and offering free air transport to get there.

Look for many more countries to announce that their teams will be fully vaccinated before arrival in Japan.

On Saturday, Kyodo reported:

“More Japanese government officials and Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics organizers are inclined to allow a certain number of spectators at this summer’s games if thorough anti-coronavirus measures are taken, sources close to the matter said Saturday.”

This sounds like a surprise, but tracks exactly with what the organizers and the Japanese government have said about spectators, taking their cue from the ongoing professional baseball and soccer seasons. The Kyodo story noted: “Adding to the push to have spectators is the track record of pro baseball and pro soccer in admitting fans without significant trouble.”

During the current state of emergency, attendance at events has been allowed, for up to 5,000 or 50% of the venue capacity, depending on the facility involved. The decision on whether Olympic spectators will be allowed and how many, is due next month.

This is pretty amazing, and it is also very possible that no spectators will be allowed in order to eliminate one more problem related to the Games. But if Nippon Professional Baseball games are being played with fans in the stands, why not the Olympics as well? For example, in games played on Friday (21st), attendance included:

● 11,788 at Chiba (Chiba 3, Rakuten 1)
● 10,047 at Tokorozawa (Seibu 8, Nippon 1)
● 5,192 in Nagoya (Yomiuri 5, Chunichi 4)

What about attendance in Tokyo? On Saturday, Yakult defeated Yokohama, 1-0, before 4,976 at Meiji Jingu Stadium in Tokyo. The famous Tokyo Dome hosted 4,550 on the 19th for a game between Hiroshima and the Yomiuri Giants.

You don’t hear much about this in discussions about Games attendance, do you?

The Olympic Charter states that “The practice of sport is a human right.” It does not say – by the way – that the “Olympic Games are a human right.”

No one is required to go to the Olympic Games. It’s fully optional. If you don’t want to go, don’t go. Someone else will be happy to go in your place.

That applies to individual athletes, as well as entire National Olympic Committees. It also applies to journalists and people with social media accounts. In fact, because of the foreign-spectator ban, a majority of people who want to go to the Games from outside Japan will not be able to.

The Olympic Games originated as a religious festival in ancient Greece and was attended by athletes from Greek city-state entities. Now we have National Olympic Committees from around the world and the event does bring nationalities together – in one place, at the same time – like nothing else on the planet today.

Thanks to television, almost everyone can watch. The most put-upon folks during the Games period won’t be the Japanese people, whose lives will barely be touched by the hermetically-sealed Olympic Village and venues with modest numbers of spectators (if any at all). It will be the athletes and attending officials and news media, who are going to go through a daily routine of being tested, re-tested and told where they can’t go.

But they all volunteered – and want – to be there.

And for those whimpering, sniveling malcontents who scream about accountability for those officials who are allowing this? Remember that there will be national elections in Japan in the fall, which must be held on or before 22 October: just 7 1/2 weeks after the closing of the Paralympic Games on 5 September.

In a democratic country like Japan, that’s real accountability. And that says something for the confidence that its leadership has in hosting something as relatively small as the Games in Tokyo (and Sapporo), while fighting the much larger issue of the coronavirus across the entire country.

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 – as of 1 May – 506-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HIGHLIGHTS: Crouser shot puts awesome 75-6 in Tucson; Biles vaults into history at U.S. Classic; Euro Swim Champs end with two world records

By
Rich Perelman
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Olympic and World Champion shot put star Ryan Crouser (USA) (Photo: University of Arkansas)

Headline results of noteworthy competitions around the world:

● Archery ● The second stage of the Hyundai World Cup was held in the Olympic capital of Lausanne (SUI), with another win for World Champion Brady Ellison of the U.S.

Ellison shut out Spain’s Yun Sanchez, 6-0, in the semifinal and then faced Germany’s Maximilian Weckmueller in the final, and triumphed 6-2. The Rio 2016 bronze medalist, Ellison is one of the favorites heading into Tokyo.

Sanchez won the bronze over Nicholas d’Amour of the U.S. Virgin Islands, 6-4.

The women’s Recurve gold-medal match was an all-Russian affair with a stunning win for 22-year-old Svetlana Gomboeva, who defeated 2017 World Champion Ksenia Perova, 6-0, to win her first World Cup in her first try! France’s Audrey Adiceom won the bronze over Lisa Unruh (GER) by 6-4.

In the team events, Germany beat Spain, 6-0, in the men’s Recurve final; Italy beat Mexico, 5-1, in the women’s final and the Netherlands won the Mixed Doubles final over Bangladesh, 5-1.

● Athletics ● The 2021 Wanda Diamond League got going in Gateshead (GBR) on Sunday, with overcast skies, rain, wind and cold.

How bad was it? The women’s 100 m heats had headwinds of 4.2 and 4.4 m/s, which contributed to pedestrian winning times of 11.53 for Sha’Carri Richardson of the U.S. and 11.45 for Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith.

In the final, the headwind was down to 3.1 m/s, but Asher-Smith was easily the best, winning in 11.35 to 11.44 for Richardson, 11.48 for Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV) and 11.51 for Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. American Javianne Oliver was sixth in 11.58. Maybe we’ll know more in Doha on the 28th?

Said Richardson after her heat win, “This won’t be the last time that I’m going to line up against these ladies and I want to let the world know and let the ladies know that I’m here to compete just as well as they’ve done for many years. I’m here to show them what I’m good at.

“I’m definitely looking forward to running in some sunshine next week in Doha!”

Americans scored four wins, including an impressive 20.33 performance into a 3.0 m/s wind by Kenny Bednarek in the men’s 200 m, over Canadians Aaron Brown (20.79) and Andre De Grasse (20.85). World Champion Sam Kendricks got the best of world-record holder Mondo Duplantis (SWE) in the vault, cleaning 5.74 m (18-10) on his second try, while the winds held Duplantis to 5.55 m (18-2 1/2). Hillary Bor won the men’s Steeple in 8:30.20 over Kenyan Leonard Bett (8:31.52), and Kendall Ellis won a difficult women’s 400 m while battling the wind in 51.86.

Said Bednarek: “I felt very good despite the terrible conditions. My coach told me to work on my technique and that’s what I did so I am really pleased; I would have liked to run faster but with the rain and a headwind and it was cold, so you can only go so far.”

The home crowd – such as it was – was thrilled to see Laura Muir (GBR) run away with the women’s 1,500 m, winning in 4:03.73 despite the conditions, with Rababe Arafi (MAR: 4:07.73) a distant second. In the men’s 1,500 m, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen managed to win the straightaway sprint from Australians Ollie Hoare and Stewart McSweyn, 3:36.27-3:36.58-3:37.32.

The adidas Boost Boston Games, a Continental Tour Gold meet, featured the usual oddball events and the elevated, temporary track on Boylston Street in downtown Boston, but also some serious running in the sprints:

● Men/100 m: Noah Lyles led the qualifying at 10.03, but Isiah Young (USA) got out well in the final and Lyles could not catch him, finishing second in 10.10 to Young’s 9.94, a seasonal best and his third-fastest race ever (wind: +0.5 m/s). Jamaica’s Nickel Ashmeade was third (10.17). Lyles’ usual late rush failed him this time and in his three meets in 2021, he’s run 10.08 (4th), 10.17 (2nd) and now 10.10 (2nd). That will not make the U.S. team for Tokyo in the 100 m.

● Men/200 m straight: Great interest in the fitness of Rio 400 m champ Wayde van Niekerk (RSA), who now trains in the U.S. This was his first race in more than a month, since winning the national title in 20.38 on 17 April.

He was out smoothly, but pulled up, feeling something wrong with about 40 m to go, with pain on his right side. He hopped off the track and removed his right shoe, pointing to his right thigh to fans. Canada’s Jerome Blake won in 19.89 (-0.3 m/s), with Zharnel Hughes (GBR) second in 19.93. Not a good day for the 400 m world-record holder, but his coach Lance Brauman (USA), thought he would be fine.

● Men/110 m hurdles: With a still wind, World Champion Grant Holloway (USA) won easily in 13.20, his fifth-fastest time of 2021.

● Women/100 m: American Aleia Hobbs charged over the last 25 m to win in 11.05 (+0.5), ahead of Gabby Thomas (11.16) and Morolake Akinosun (11.17).

● Women/200 m straight: Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH), already the 200 m world leader at 22.03, won the 200 m straight race in 22.08 into a slight headwind of 0.1 m/s.

● Women/100 m hurdles: An impressive 12.49 win for world-record holder Keni Harrison  (USA), well ahead of Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan (12.62), into a 0.9 m/s headwind, just 0.01 off of her season’s best.

Also worth noting: Erriyon Knighton, 17, who turned professional earlier this year, prior to his junior season at Hillsborough High School in Tampa, Florida, won the “Future Stars men’s 100 m” in 10.16 into a slight headwind of 0.3 m/s. That’s as fast as Houston McTear ever ran in high school – in 1976, and still no. 8 on the all-time prep list – and moves Knighton to no. 2 on the 2021 World U-20 list; there will be World U-20 Championships in August in Kenya.

On Saturday, a fabulous USATF Throws Festival was held in Tucson, Arizona with great performances including two amazing world leaders:

● Men/Shot: 23.01 m (75-6), Ryan Crouser (USA)
● Women/Discus: 70.22 m (230-4), Jorinde van Klinken (NED)

Crouser won a sensational shot competition from World Champion Joe Kovacs of the U.S. (22.04 m/72-3 3/4), Darrell Hill (USA: 21.88 m/71-9 1/2) and New Zealand’s Tomas Walsh (21.62 m/70-11 1/4).

Crouser authored a staggering series of 22.44 m (73-7 1/2), 22.59 m (74-1 1/2), 22.20 m (72-10), foul, 23.01 m (75-6: lifetime best) and 22.86 m (75-0). Crouser’s 75-6 is the number four throw of all time and he is only the third to ever reach 23 m. His 75-0 in the final round is the equal-10th throw in history and the apparently unstoppable Crouser now owns four of the top ten throws ever. Wow! Wow!

Van Klinken’s mark was an enormous lifetime best for the 21-year-old Arizona State junior. She had set the Dutch national record of 65.94 m (216-4) on 20 May, but now stands 25th on the all-time list and is only the fourth woman to throw past 70 m this century!

American Vashti Cunningham won the women’s high jump at 1.99 m (6-6 1/4) to move to no. 2 on the world outdoor list for 2021.

Pan American Games champ Gwen Berry won the women’s hammer and moved to no. 3 on the world list for 2021 at 76.79 m (251-11), beating World Champion DeAnna Price (third: 75.88 m/248-11) and world no. 2 Brooke Andersen (second: 76.36 m/250-6).

American world-leader Rudy Winker won the hammer at 81.44 m (267-2), a distance no one else has reached thus year. Fellow American Shane Donnelly was second at 79.27 m (260-1) to move to no. 2 on the 2021 world list and Daniel Haugh got his second lifetime best in three days (79.03 m/259-3) to move to no. 3!

With both the American men and women now – astonishingly – dominant in the hammer, where are the sponsorships from Stanley? Lowe’s? The Home Depot?

Elsewhere, Sweden’s Daniel Stahl took the world lead in the men’s discus at 69.71 m (228-0) in Helsingborg (SWE) on Saturday. In a meet in Andujar, Spain, Venezuelan triple jump star Yulimar Rojas scored a world-leading win at 15.43 m (50-7 1/2), a new national record and the no. 2 jump of all time. Only Inessa Kravets (UKR) world record of 15.50 m (50-10 1/4) from 1995 is further.

Germany’s Johannes Vetter continued his dominance of the men’s javelin, throwing past 90 m twice in the same series to win on Friday in a Continental Tour Bronze meet in Dessau (GER). He won at 93.20 m (305-9) and also reached 91.86 m (301-4).

Earlier in the week, Russian Ilya Ivanyuk took the world lead in the men’s high jump at 2.37 m (7-9 1/4).

● Badminton ● The re-scheduled BWF World Tour Spain Masters was held in Huelva, with Indonesia claiming finalists in all five events and winning four titles.

In the women’s Singles final, Putri Kusuma Wardani (INA) dispatched Line Christophersen (DEN), 21-15, 21-10. The all-Indonesian final in the men’s Doubles saw Pramudya Kusumawardana and Yeremia Rambitan (INA) skate past Sabar Gutama and Moh Reza Isfahani (INA) in a see-saw final: 21-15, 8-21, 21-14.

The women’s Doubles was a straight-set victory for Yulfira Barkah and Febby Valencia Gani (INA) over Amalie Magelund and Freja Ravn (DEN), 21-16, 21-14, and in Mixed Doubles, Rinov Rivaldy and Pitha Mentari (INA) defeated Niclas Nohr and Magelund (DEN) by 21-18, 21-15.

In the men’s Singles, however, it was France’s Toma Junior Popov who scored a 21-15, 21-17 win over Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo (INA). But four out of five is pretty good!

● Canoe-Kayak ● A few more precious spots in the Tokyo Games were available at the Olympic Sprint Qualifier on Thursday and Friday, followed by a Sprint World Cup in Barnaul (RUS) over the weekend.

In the qualifying races, one spot each was available to racers in the men’s and women’s K-1 200 m, K-1 500 m for women, K-1 1,000 m for men and C-1 200 m for both. In some cases, a quota place was won on Thursday or Friday, but who actually qualified was decided by the succeeding World Cup results.

In the men’s K-1 200m, Lithuania’s Mindaugas Maldonis, 30, claimed his Tokyo entry by winning in the qualifier and also during the World Cup, taking the World Cup final in 36.411.

In the men’s K-1 1,000 m, China’s Dong Zhang did the same, winning the qualifier in 3:45.215, then the World Cup final in a speedy 3:42.057.

The men’s C-1 1,000 m, Moldova’s Serghei Tarnovschi, 23, won the qualifier in 4:14.861, and will go to Tokyo thanks to the postponement to 2021. He won the bronze in Rio in 2016, but was disqualified for doping; because the Games were moved from 2020 to 2021, he has competed his four-year ban and is eligible to compete this year.

In an amazing twist, Tarnovschi won at the line over Russia’s Ilia Shtokalov, who was awarded the Rio bronze after Tarnovschi was disqualified!

The women’s K-1 200 m was a triumph for Russian Natalia Podolskaia, who won the qualifier by 42.731-43.670 over Lisa-Maria Gamsjager (SVK).

The women’s K-2 500 m saw Portugal’s Joana Vasconcelos qualify for her second Games – also in London – winning in 1:57.831, just ahead of Pole Justyna Iskrzycka (1:58.370).

Croatia’s Vanesa Tot took the women’s C-1 200 m qualifying race to earn her spot in the Games. In the World Cup final, Cuba’s Yarisleidis Cirilo Duboys, 19, earned her place in the women’s C-1 200 m field in Tokyo with a convincing win in 48.736, while countrywoman Katherin Nuevo Segura was seventh (but both will compete in the C-2 500 m at the Games).

In the World Cup races on the weekend, Cuba dominated the field, winning five races, including the men’s C-1 1,000 m with Jose Ramon Pelier Cordova, the men’s C-2 1,000 m with Serguey Torres and Fernando Jorge, and Jorge won the men’s C-1 5,000 m. In addition to Cirilo Duboys’s win in the C-1 200 m, she and Nuevo Segura won the women’s C-2 500 m.

Austria’s Viktoria Schwarz celebrated two wins, in the women’s K-1 200 m and with Ana-Roxana Lehaci in the women’s K-2 500 m.

● Curling ● The WCF World Mixed Doubles Championship was finally held in Aberdeen (SCO) with the top seven teams qualifying for the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games.

In round-robin play, Scotland won Group A at 8-1, followed by Canada (7-2) and Italy (7-2), who all advanced to the playoff round. In Group B, Sweden was undefeated at 9-0, followed by Norway (8-1) and Switzerland (5-4). The U.S., with Tabitha Peterson and Joe Polo, was fourth (also 5-4).

The Czech Republic, fourth in Group A, beat the U.S., 8-6, in the Olympic qualification match; the U.S. will have to try and get to 2022 via the Olympic qualifying tournament later this year.

In the playoff rounds, Canada beat the Swiss (7-6) and Norway defeated Italy (7-5) to get to the semifinals. There, Scotland’s Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds skipped past Canada’s Kerri Einarson and Brad Gushue, 7-4, and Norway’s Kristin Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten edged Almida de Val and Oskar Eriksson of Sweden, 7-6, to advance to the title match.

Mouat and Dodds scored early and often in the final, taking points in five of the eight ends and winning the title with a 9-7 final against Norway. The Norwegians had a 5-3 lead after four ends and 7-5 after six, but the Scots put up four straight points in the final two ends to win their first-ever World Mixed Doubles title. Mouat had gotten to the 2016 bronze-medal match, but finished fourth.

Sweden’s de Val and Eriksson took the bronze medal with a 7-4 win over Canada.

● Cycling ● The 104th Giro d’Italia headed into its final week with Colombia’s Egan Bernal – the 2019 Tour de France champion – poised to win his second career Grand Tour.

Saturday’s brutal 205 km ride from Cittadella to Monte Zoncolan ended with a steep uphill climb of 1,379 m over the final 25 km. The winner was yet another first-time UCI World Tour victor, Italy’s Lorenzo Fortunato, who broke away in the last 2.3 km and won in 5:17:22, 26 seconds up on Jan Tratnik (SLO) and Alessandro Covi (ITA: +0:59). Overall race leader Bernal was fourth (+1:43).

Stage 15’s hilly, 147 km route ended in a one-on-one sprint to the line between Belgian Victor Campenaerts and Oscar Riesebeek (NED), with Campenaerts taking the stage for his second career World Tour victory. German Niklas Arndt led for others from the chase pack for third, seven seconds back.

Through 15 of the 21 stages, Bernal now owns a 1:33 lead over Britain’s Simon Yates, the 2018 Vuelta a Espana winner. Italy’s Damiano Caruso is third (+1:51) and Russian Aleksandr Vlasov (+1:57) is the only other rider within two minutes of the lead.

The UCI Women’s World Tour was in Spain for the second edition of the four-stage Vuelta a Burgos Feminas. The first three stages were hilly, with the toughest stage on Sunday, finishing uphill at Lagunas de Neila.

Australian Grace Brown, Russia’s Anastasia Chursina and Danish vet Cecile Uttrup Ludwig won the first three stages, with Niamh Fisher-Black of New Zealand the overall leader, but essentially in a tie with Brown and with the top 27 riders bunched within 30 seconds.

On Sunday, the final 10 km of the 121.6 km route was a 747 m ascent that would decide the race. A breakaway group was finally caught on the uphill and left three Dutch stars – Anna van der Breggen, Demi Vollering and Annemiek van Vleuten – to battle for the win and the overall victory.

It was van der Breggen who managed to stay on the inside and finished just ahead of van Vleuten, with Vollering falling back by 20 seconds in the final kilometer. Overall, van der Breggen maintained her three-second edge over van Vleuten that she had at the start of the day – when they were in sixth and 12th place – and that was enough for the overall title. Vollering was third (+0:23).

● Gymnastics ● The U.S. Classic in Indianapolis was another tour de force for American superstar Simone Biles, who dominated the event with 58.400 in the All-Around, despite a 15th-place finish in the Uneven Bars after a fall.

She started with a historic 16.100 in the Vault on a Yurchenko double pike – reportedly never before tried in women’s competition – and also won on Beam (14.850) and Floor (14.250). She finished 1.3 points up on Jordan Chiles (57.100), who was followed by Kayla DiCello (56.100, also the Uneven Bars winner at 14.600) and Grace McCallum (55.100).

Many of the other U.S. stars performed on only some of the apparatus and none placed highly. Rio gold medalist Laurie Hernandez scored 13.250 on Vault and 12.200 (22nd) on Beam after a fall. Former World Champion Morgan Hurd was 11th on Beam (13.200) and tied for 10th on Floor (12.900).

The U.S. Olympic Team Trials will be held from 24-27 June in St. Louis, with only Biles and Chiles looking to be in strong form. But it’s still a month away.

In Friday’s junior division, Katelyn Jong won the All-Around title at 54.750, taking the Vault (14.200), Uneven Bars (13.300) and Beam (13.750) and finishing second on Floor (13.500).

● Ice Hockey ● The IIHF men’s World Championship finally opened in Riga, Latvia, with Russia beating the Czech Republic, 4-3, in Group A, and Latvia defeating Canada, 2-0 in Group B on Friday (21st).

On Saturday, Russia stomped Great Britain, 7-1, and reigning champ Finland beat the U.S., 2-1, in Group B. All the goals were scored in the second period, with Atte Ohtamaa scoring at 6:54 of the period and Iiro Pakarinen at 15:41 for a 2-0 lead. Jason Robertson scored in a power play at 18:01 of the period, but there was no further scoring, despite a furious third period where the U.S. out-shot the Finns, 14-8.

The 0-1 U.S. and 0-1 Canada tangled on Sunday at the Arena Riga, with Robertson opening the scoring with a first-period goal with 7:42 to go, assisted by Conor Garland. The Americans did not let up in the second period, scoring just 1:19 into the period on an Adam Clendening goal and then again just 2:08 later on a power-play goal from Trevor Moore (on an assist from Robertson), for a 3-0 advantage. Moore scored again at 18:20 of the period for a 4-0 lead going into the second intermission.

The third period showed one goal for each side and the final at 5-1. The U.S. is now 1-1 in Group B and Canada is 0-2, with five more group games to be played. The top four teams in each of the eight-team groups advance to the playoffs; group play continues through 1 June.

● Judo ● This week’s Pan American Open was in Guayaquil (ECU), with Colombia and the home team each winning three classes.

Juan Hernandez (men’s 66 kg), Francisco Balanta (men’s 90 kg) and Luz Alvarez (women’s 48 kg) won for Colombia, while Ecuador celebrated golds from Freddy Figueroa (men’s +100 kg), Estefania Garcia (women’s 63 kg) and Celinda Corozo (women’s 70 kg).

The U.S. also got two wins, from Nicolas Yonezuka in the men’s 81 kg all-American final against Kell Berliner, and from Katelyn Jarrell won at 52 kg over Mexico’s Renata Ortiz.

● Rowing ● China and Great Britain had the most to cheer abut at the second World Cup of 2021 in Lucerne (SUI), with three wins each.

The Brits won the men’s Eight – by 0.03 over Germany! – and men’s Four, plus the Lightweight women’s Double Sculls, while China collected golds in the men’s Double Sculls (Zhiyu Liu and Liang Zhang), women’s Quadruple Sculls and Li Huiru in the Lightweight women’s Single Sculls. A total of 15 nations won at least one medal.

In the men’s Single Sculls final, Oliver Zeidler (GER: 6:48.26) and Denmark’s Sverri Nielsen (6:50.13) repeated their 1-2 finish in a re-match of the 2019 World Championships. Reigning women’s champ Sanita Puspure of Ireland finished third (7:30.02) in the women’s final, behind Russian Hanna Prakhatsen (7:28.07) and American Kara Kohler (7:29.57), who won bronze at the Worlds in 2019.

The U.S. women’s Double Sculls team of Kristina Wagner and Gevvie Stone was third in 6:53.44, behind Romania (6:46.72) and the Netherlands (6:52.55).

● Skateboard ● The only U.S.-based Olympic qualifying event left before Tokyo is the Dew Tour Des Moines, held in the impressive Lauridsen Skatepark, a two-acre facility reported as the largest in the country. Riders are trying to pile up points in the World Skate rankings, which are the primary qualifier for Tokyo.

Competitions were on in both Street and Park, with no. 1-ranked Pamela Rosa (BRA) winning the women’s Street final, scoring 14.08 to best no. 2 Rayssa Leal (BRA:12.20; age 13) and Roos Zwetsloot (NED: 7.75).

The women’s Park win went almost to form: no. 3-ranked Sakura Yosozumi (JPN: 61.71) won over the now-recovered-from-injury British sensation, no. 2-ranked Sky Brown (58.50; age 12), with Japan’s top-ranked Misugu Okamoto (57.00) a close third.

The men’s Park final was a stunning win for 22-year-old American Zion Wright – ranked 114th worldwide! – who scored 91.04 to best no. 13 Oskar Rozenberg (SWE: 86.10) and no. 22 Gavin Rune Bottger (USA: 86.00).

The men’s Street final was another upset, and all about Brazil’s 21st-ranked Felipe Gustavo, who won with at 12.10, a clear victor over second-ranked Yuto Horigome (JPN: 9.06), seventh-ranked Aurelian Giraud (FRA: 8.62) and American Nyjah Huston, the three-time defending World Champion (8.21).

Next up will be the Street World Championships from 30 May-6 June in Rome, Italy.

● Sport Climbing ● Czech World Champion Adam Ondra and American Natalia Grossman took the top honors at the IFSC Bouldering World Cup in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Ondra, who won the Bouldering world title in 2014 and the Lead title three times, beat a good field and was the only one to achieve four tops (4T4Z), finishing ahead of Mejdi Schalck (FRA: 3T4Z) and 2019 Bouldering Worlds silver medalist Jakob Schubert (AUT: 3T3Z). Sean Bailey was the top U.S. finisher in eighth.

Grossman led a 1-3 American finish, reached four tops and four zones (4T4Z) in the final, winning over Oriane Bertone (FRA: 3T4Z) and fellow American Brooke Raboutou (3T3Z). Grossman, 19, won her first IFSC World Cup at the senior level after winning bronze in the season opener in Switzerland last month.

● Swimming ● The European Championships in Budapest came to a furious finish on Sunday, with a powerful showing by Italy, Great Britain and Russia.

Always a high-stakes meet, the record books were re-written, including world marks in two events:

● Men/50 m Back: 23.80, Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS); old: 23.93, Kolesnikov in semifinals.

● Women/50 m Breast: 29.30, Benedetta Pilato (ITA) in semifinals; old: 29.40, Lilly King (USA), 2017.

Pilato set a World Junior Record of 29.50 in the preliminaries and at 16, will challenge King in Tokyo. It’s worth noting that the 50 m is not an Olympic distance except in Freestyle. Russian Yuliya Efimova was second in a not-very-close 30.25.

Italy won the most medal with 21 total (2-8-11), followed by Great Britain (20: 9-7-4) and Russia, which win 17 medals (8-2-7); no one else had more than nine. Britain had the most wins with eight.

There were championship records everywhere and world-leading marks for 2021 in 10 different individual events:

● Men/400 m Free: 3:44.18, Martin Malyutin (RUS)
● Men/50 m Back: 23.80, Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS: world record)
● Men/100 m Back: 52.09, Kolesnikov (relay lead-off)
● Men/50 m Breast: 26.21, Adam Peaty (GBR)
● Men/50 m Fly: 23.00, Szebasztian Szabo (HUN)
● Men/100 m Fly: 50.18, Kristof Milak (HUN)
● Men/200 m Fly: 1:51.10, Milak

● Women/50 m Free: 23.97, Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED)
● Women/50 m Breast: 29.30, Benedetta Pilato (ITA: world record)
● Women/400 m Medley: 4:34.76, Katinka Hosszu (HUN)

Multiple stars won multiple individual events:

● Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS): men’s 100 m Free, 50 m Backstroke
● Martin Malyutin (RUS): men’s 200-400 m Frees
● Mykhallo Romanchuk (UKR): men’s 800-1,500 m Frees
● Adam Peaty (GBR): men’s 50-100 m Breaststrokes
● Kristof Milak (HUN), 100-200 m Butterflys

● Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED): women’s 50 m Free, 50 m Butterfly
● Simona Quadarella (ITA): women’s 400-800-1,500 m Frees

In the men’s Breaststroke events, Peaty won his fourth European titles in both the 50 m and 100 m events. Hungarian star Hosszu won her fourth European 400 m Medley title.

There was an unusual occurrence in the women’s 100 m Back final, where Britain’s Kathleen Dawson won in a European Championships record of 58.18, ahead of Dutch star Kira Toussaint (59.02). But two swimmers – Louise Hansson (SWE) and Maaike de Waard (NED) – apparently could not hear the start, so the race was re-ordered to be re-done 45 minutes after the end of the same session on Friday.

Inevitably, the results were not the same the second time around. Dawson won again in 58.49, but Toussaint faded to fourth in 59.32, with Margherita Panziera (ITA) second in 59.01 and Russian Maria Kameneva again third (59.22).

Wrote Toussaint on her Instagram account: “I’m proud of how calm and positive I remained, but at the end of the ‘second final’, my tank was empty. 4th…seems unfair, it feels like I’m robbed of a silver medal, it is painful. But, it’s only a bump in the road. I will be back stronger.”

American Freestyle superstar Katie Ledecky ended up winning four events to highlight the Longhorn Elite Invite in Austin, Texas, but Madisyn Cox claimed the only world-leading mark.

Ledecky edged her former Stanford teammate (and reigning Olympic champ) Simone Manuel in the women’s 100 m Free, 53.82-53.83 on Thursday, but wasn’t challenged otherwise. She won the women’s 400 m Free in 4:00.37 later that night and the women’s 200 m Free (1:55.47) and 800 m Free (8:14.48) on Friday.

Manuel came back to win the 50 m Free in 24.74, while Cox dominated the 200 m Medley – with the best time in the world in 2021 in 2:08.51 – and 400 m Medley (4:36.61 lifetime best). Isabelle Stadden took the backstroke events in 59.33 (100 m) and 2:07.28 (200 m).

On the men’s side, Carson Foster – still just 19 – won three events, taking the 200 m Free (1:47.59) and both Medleys in 1:58.57 (200 m, ahead of brother Jake in 1:59.71) and 4:11.13 (400 m). The other men’s multi-event winners were Shaine Casas in the 100 m Back (53.26) and 100 m Fly (52.05) and Daniel Roy doubled in the 100-200 m Breaststroke events in 1:00.88 and 2:09.48.

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VOX POPULI: Why cancel the Olympics?

By
Rich Perelman
-

By Jean-Loup Chappelet
(Lausanne, Switzerland)

I would like to reply to the calls for the Tokyo Olympic Games to be cancelled. Cancelling the Olympics, together with all other large gatherings in the fields of sport, culture and business might, I suppose, seem like the easiest option at the current time, but is it the right thing to do?

The modern Olympics have been cancelled only three times (1916, 1940, 1944), each time because of a world war. Antwerp (Belgium) staged a successful Olympics in 1920, even though the Spanish flu pandemic was just ending. However, the Olympics at this time were still a relatively small sports competition, not the global mega-event they are today.

Fewer than one hundred thousand athletes, trainers and officials will enter Japan for this summer’s Olympics – a tiny figure compared with Tokyo’s population of 35 million. In addition, there will be no foreign spectators and events will be held with small numbers of local spectators or, possibly, behind closed doors. Nevertheless, the Japanese people’s understandable concerns about the Games have led a Tokyo politician, who has failed three times to be elected the city’s governor, to launch a petition to cancel the event. Japan’s and Tokyo’s democratically elected governments have proposed a more considered response, announcing strict measures to minimise the health risks posed by the Olympics. The World Health Organisation recently affirmed its confidence in the organisers and Japanese authorities, which it believes “will make the right decisions regarding how best to manage the risks.”

Five Olympic test events (volleyball, athletics, diving, marathon, triathlon) involving overseas athletes were held safely at the beginning of this month in Tokyo and Sapporo. Moreover, Pfizer-BioNTech has donated enough vaccine to vaccinate all Olympic competitors, if they wish, and participants will be tested daily and quarantined if necessary. The famous athletes who have publicly expressed concerns about the Tokyo Olympics have also said they would like the event to go ahead, as would thousands of lesser-known athletes, some of whom have been preparing for this all their lives.

Of course, there is no such thing as zero risk. In fact, the Olympics have often been held in risky situations. Athens (1896 and 2004) and Los Angeles (1932 and 1984, with a third edition planned for 2028) have hosted the Olympics despite a non-negligible earthquake risk, whereas the Zika virus threatened Rio 2016. The risks posed by Tokyo 2020 appear to be eminently manageable.

Jean-Loup Chappelet is an emeritus professor of public management at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, and the author of The IOC and the Olympic System, the Governance of World Sport.

[≡The Sports Examiner encourages expressions of opinion – we really do – but preferably based on facts. Comments may be sent to [email protected] We do not guarantee publication of any comment, but all comments submitted will be considered and your submission implies your agreement to publication (and light editing if needed to meet our grammatical and punctuation standards) at our sole discretion. Please include your name and hometown on any comment submitted for publication.≡]

THE TICKER: More vaccines for PanAm delegations; LA28 signs Deloitte; five world leaders in Ostrava; Olympic champ Lee Evans passes in Nigeria

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● The Covid-19 vaccination express in the Americas picked up steam on Thursday with another announcement from PanAm Sports that 2,000 additional doses of the one-and-done Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be made available by the City of Houston, Texas in cooperation with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

The vaccines will be done at a Houston airport beginning on 1 June. The new allocation brings the total of doses offered through PanAm Sports to 6,000 for athletes and officials going to Tokyo or to the first Junior Pan American Games in Cali (COL) in November.

In addition, PanAm Sports has said it will pay for the flights to get athletes and officials to either Miami or Houston.

Kyodo News reported that visiting Olympic officials, including news media, will be expected to turn in a self-administered saliva test – perhaps as often as daily – during at least their first 14 days in Japan.

The number of visiting officials of all types was estimated at 180,000 before the pandemic, but is now down to 78,000 and dropping under pressure from the Tokyo organizers. The report noted:

“Instead of setting up special facilities to collect the samples, organizers plan to distribute containers for submission at one of around 60 locations, including hotels and venues, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.”

● Games of the XXXIV Olympiad: Los Angeles 2028 ● The LA28 organizing committee announced its third major sponsor with Deloitte joining as “Official Professional Services Provider of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.” The agreement also includes an extension of the existing Deloitte sponsorship of the USOPC into 2028.

This continues a hot period for professional services firms in consulting, audit, tax and related practices with major Games. Last Friday, the 2022 Commonwealth Games organizers in Birmingham, England announced PwC (which stands for Price Waterhouse Coopers) as a sponsor for “professional advisory services” and

“As part of the new relationship, and in addition to the provision of professional advisory services, PwC will continue to work with local charities and non-profit organisations to maximise the social and environmental impact of the Games and its footprint.”

For Los Angeles, involvement of professional services firms was a key element of the success of the 1984 Olympic Games. Arthur Young & Co. – now merged with Ernst & Whinney (commercially known as “EY” today) – had a crucial early role in the financial oversight and projections for the organizing committee and its primary partner on the LAOOC program, Mike Mount, became the LAOOC’s Group Vice President for administration, including technology, materiel logistics, press operations, uniforms and more.

Ernst & Whinney was selected to operate the must-not-fail results processing and distribution program, running a stand-alone computer processing site in Long Beach as well as the results distribution at all of the venues.

Both were impressive performers on which the successful organization of the ‘84 Games relied heavily.

● Athletics ● Competition is heating up everywhere, no more so than in Ostrava, Czech Republic on Wednesday for the 60th Golden Spike meet (Continental Tour Gold), with five world-leading (outdoor) marks:

● Men/800 m: 1:44.14, Max Burgin (GBR)
● Men/3,000 m: 7:33.24, Joshua Cheptegei (UGA)
● Men/Steeple: 8:09.47, Getnet Wale (ETH)
● Men/10,000 m: 26:33.93, Jacob Kiplimo (UGA)
● Men/Javelin: 94.20 m (309-1), Johannes Vetter (GER)

Cheptegei was reported to be going after the 3,000 m world record of 7:20.67 from 1996, but was well short. Even so, it was a lifetime best for him. His countryman Kiplimo, the 2020 World Half Marathon Champion, ran away with the 10,000 m and moved to no. 7 on the all-time world list, with the no. 12 performance ever. He left a fine field in the dust: Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew was second in 27:07.49, a national record, and Illiass Aouani (ITA) scored a 27:45.81 lifetime best in third.

Irish journalist Cathal Dennehy tweeted: Kiplimo “ran in Nike Mamba spikes. I asked him why he didn’t run in the new-age super-spikes like the Dragonfly: ‘It’s not comfortable for me, but maybe in the Olympics I will use it. This Mamba is comfortable for me.’” Cheptegei and Kiplimo are scheduled to meet in Rome on 10 June over 5,000 m!

Vetter’s throw in the javelin was his third meet over 90 m this season; he’s the only one to get that far this season.

Beyond the leading marks were a slew of interesting sprints. American Fred Kerley braved cool, drizzly conditions to win the men’s 100 m in 9.96 over Justin Gatlin (10.08) and Canada’s Andre De Grasse (10.17). Kerley came back to finish second in the 200 m in 20.27, behind American Kenny Bednarek, who won in 19.93, his third sub-20 performance in three races in 2021!

In the women’s 200 m, American star Sha’Carri Richardson won convincingly in 22.35 into a 1.1 m/s headwind, in her first race outside of the Americas. She is scheduled to run in the Diamond League opener in Gateshead (GBR) on the 23rd against a strong field, including Jamaican superstar Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

Grenada’s 2012 Olympic men’s 400 m champ Kirani James won his race in 44.72, giving him two wins on the season. Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis edged American Sam Kendricks in the vault: 5.95 m (19-4 1/4) to 5.90 m (19-2 1/4).

The men’s triple jump was won by world leader Hugues Fabrice Zango (BUR) at 17.20 m (56-5 1/4), but the bigger news might have been the season-ending right Achilles tendon rupture of reigning Olympic champ Christian Taylor of the U.S. He apparently underwent surgery in Germany the next day, but his opportunity to compete at the U.S. Trials in a month cannot be imagined. Taylor was fourth in the event at 16.36 m (53-8 1/4) through three rounds, but then passed his fourth round jump and fouled in the fifth round and retired.

On Tuesday (18th) in Eisenstadt (GER), Austria’s Lukas Weisshaidinger took the world lead in the discus, winning at 68.40 m (224-5)

Bad news from Nigeria, where 1968 double Olympic gold medalist Lee Evans of the U.S. finally succumbed on Wednesday (19th) to the effects of a heart attack suffered the week before.

Evans, 74, had been recovering and receiving support at the Babcock University Teaching Hospital in Ilishan (NGR) after collapsing on 12 May during a dinner with friends.

A legend at San Jose State during the “Speed City” days of the late 1960s and a superstar at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, Evans won the 400 m in world-record time at 43.86 – the first man to run under 44.00 – and then anchored the U.S. men to a world-record 2:56.16 in the 4×400 m relay.

He held the 400 m record for 20 years and won five U.S. titles in the 400 m or 440 yards, in 1966-67-68-69-72. He made the 1972 Olympic Team on the relay, but never got to run as Vince Matthews and Wayne Collett were banned from the Games after their protest on the awards stand and John Smith was injured and couldn’t compete further.

Evans was a part of the “Olympic Project for Human Rights” at Mexico City and he and many other Black athletes wore black socks at the Games as a visible – if now forgotten – sign of protest, as well as “OPHR” buttons on their sweats. The 4×400 m medal winners – Evans, Larry James, Ron Freeman and Matthews – wore black berets on the podium as their form of protest during the awards.

Evans was also one of the sport’s biggest attractions indoors, especially in 1970 in duel after duel with Martin McGrady, usually over 600 yards. He spent most of the last 20 years of his life as a coach in Nigeria, helping runners at all levels there.

● Boxing ● The new sponsorship of the International Boxing Federation (AIBA) by the Russian energy giant Gazprom is having immediate effects.

The federation has been in debt for years, last tracked at $16 million-plus in its financial statements, yet it announced $400,000 in prize money for the Asian Boxing Championships on Tuesday:

“Asian Boxing Championships medalists will receive prize money from AIBA for the first time in the history of the event. The prize fund is 400’000 USD, it will be distributed among gold, silver and bronze medal winners in each weight category.

“For the boxers who take first place, both men and women, the award is 10’000 USD. For the second, the prize money is 5’000 USD and for both bronze medalists, it is 2’500 USD each.”

Said AIBA chief, Russian Umar Kremlev of the breakthrough offer, “We are following the initially planned strategy.”

● Cycling ● The 104th Giro d’ Italia continues with 13 of the 21 stages now complete and Colombia’s Egan Bernal maintaining an impressive 45-second lead over Russian Aleksandr Vlasov and 1:12 over Damiano Caruso (ITA).

In Wednesday’s 11th stage in Tuscany, Swiss Mauro Schmid, 21, took his first-ever professional win, outsprinting Alessandro Covi (ITA) to the line in 4:01:55 over the hilly 162 km route. Belgium’s Harm Vanhoucke was third, breaking away from a four-rider chase pack. Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel fell back from second to seventh overall, losing two minutes to the leader.

On Thursday, the 212 km stage 12 had four significant climbs from Turin to Bagno di Romana, with Italy’s Andrea Vendrame, 26, winning his first UCI World Tour race. He outleaned Chris Hamilton (AUS) at the line, both timed in 5:43:08. New Zealand’s George Bennett crossed ahead of Gianluca Brambila (ITA) for third, 15 seconds back.

Friday’s race is a sprinter’s special with a flat course over 198 km into Verona. Saturday’s race features a major uphill finish, with a modestly hilly course set for Sunday.

The UCI announced significant increases in minimum salaries and conditions for riders on the UCI Women’s World Tour on Thursday:

“This minimum salary for salaried female riders was €15,000 in 2020, rising to €20,000 in 2021. It will reach €27,500 in 2022, before joining the minimum salary for riders of the men’s UCI ProTeams (second level of men’s professional road cycling teams) in 2023, which is currently €32,100.

“The introduction of the minimum salary in the UCI Women’s WorldTeams was accompanied by other developments such as the introduction of health insurance, maternity leave, life insurance, a maximum number of race days and paid holidays. In addition to these developments, which are already in force, there will be an obligation to contribute to a pension plan from the 2022 season.”

(€1 = $1.22 U.S.)

Why not raise the women to the same level as the UCI World Tour for men? The announcement noted: “The men’s UCI ProTeams are the nearest equivalent to the UCI Women’s WorldTeams in terms of resources, structures and the number of people they employ.”

This is an improvement for sure, but signals that women’s cycling has a long way to go to begin to approach the earning power of the men’s World Tour.

● Football ● The Saudi Arabia football federation has proposed that the FIFA World Cup be held every two years. The proposal was announced on Wednesday (19th) in advance of the 71st FIFA Congress to be held online on Friday.

The proposal asks for a feasibility study to be carried out against the backdrop of an ever-busier calendar of domestic league matches and international games, either as friendlies or in continental competitions.

The idea has been floated numerous times and the tournament is expanding to 48 teams for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. Whether the calendar can be coordinated to allow for the hundreds of qualifying matches needed to select the teams, and also allow for domestic leagues and major continental events like the European and South American championships – major events on their own – is a major question to be reviewed.

● Gymnastics ● There is no resolution in sight to the USA Gymnastics bankruptcy case still ongoing at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana, but the lawyers are still billing.

The report of operations for April was filed on Thursday, with total billings in the case now surpassing $14 million at $14,012,315. Of this amount, only $8,334,548 has been paid – 59.5% – and only $300,000 during the month.

A court-ordered settlement program has been underway for months without any reported movement according to court documents filed since. A potentially important hearing on an “end run” around the bankruptcy proceedings by four plaintiffs in the case could be heard on 26 May.

● Ice Hockey ● The IIHF men’s World Championship is set to get started on Friday in Riga, Latvia, split among two arenas in the aftermath of the removal of planed co-host Belarus due to the continuing political unrest there.

The U.S. is slated to open on Saturday (22nd) in a tough Group B match with Finland at the Arena Riga. With the NHL playoffs in full swing, only one member of the 2019 Words team returns – Christian Wolanin, a defenseman with the non-playoff Los Angeles Kings.

A late addition to the squad was its head coach, Jack Capuano. An associate coach of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, Capuano was named on 10 May. He was the U.S. U-18 head coach at the 2005 Five Nations Cup and served as an assistant at both the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and the 2017 IIHF World Championship. Ottawa also did not make the NHL playoffs this season.

● Swimming ● Russian Kliment Kolesinkov continued his domination of the 2021 European Championships with his third gold medal in the 100 m Freestyle in 47.37, the second fastest time of the year behind only his world-leading 47.31 from April.

Kolesnikov already set two world records on the way to winning the 50 m Backstroke and added a leg on the winning 4×100 m Free Relay. And we’re only halfway through the meet!

The other world-leading marks so far:

● Men/400 m Free: 3:44.18, Martin Malyutin (RUS)
● Women/50 m Free: 23.97, Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED)
● Women/400 m Medley: 4:34.76, Katinka Hosszu (HUN)

On Thursday evening, Hungary’s Boglarka Kapas claimed the no. 2 time of 2021 with a 2:06.50 win in the 200 m Fly over Hosszu (2:08.14). Russian Anton Chupkov defended his Euro 200 m Breast title in 2:06.99, moving him to no. 3 on the year list.

In the meantime, a special, closed-entry meet of current and alumni American swimmers from Stanford, Texas and Texas A&M are in Austin for a high-level tune-up called the Longhorn Elite Classic.

In the Thursday morning sessions, Carson Foster ripped through a 4:11.56 in the men’s 400 m Medley to move to no. 4 on the world list. Katie Ledecky won her 400 m Free heat in 4:02.38, which only she and two others have bettered this year.

Thursday evening’s finals showed that Ledecky has not given up on the 100 m Free, as she out-touched reigning Olympic and World Champion Simone Manuel, 53.82-53.83. Those times are seasonal bests, but only around 20th on the 2021 world list. Ledecky then won the 400 m Free in 4:00.37, faster than anyone else in the world (but behind her world-leading 3:59.25)

Madisyn Cox won the women’s 400 m Medley in 4:36.61, now no. 6 on the world list. The meet continues through Sunday.

The second edition of the arbitration hearing between Chinese Olympic Freestyle star Yang Sun and the World Anti-Doping Agency is set for 25-27 May. Sun was banned for eight years for doping in February 2020 by a Court of Arbitration for Sport panel, but the swimmers successfully appealed to the Swiss Federal Tribunal that one member of the panel was prejudiced against him.

A second hearing was ordered, set to begin next week. WADA has taken pains to point out that the Tribunal’s order concerned only one of the arbitrators and made no finding against the substantive award of the eight-year ban. Stay tuned.

● Wrestling ● The long-delayed National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductions for the Class of 2020 will take place online on 4-5 June, originating from Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The wrestlers and coaches inducted will include Dremiel Byers, the 120 kg World Greco-Roman champion in 2002; two-time NCAA Champion at 177 pounds for Lehigh in 1977 and 1978, Mark Lieberman; legendary coach Bruce Burnett and 2006 World 66 kg Champion Bill Zadick, who has gone on to coach the U.S. national Freestyle team, including at the 2016 Rio Games.

A special Order of Merit award will be presented to longtime USA Wrestling Communications Director Gary Abbott, a much-deserved honor for his devotion to promoting the sport at all levels. Congrats, Gary!

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For our updated – as of 1 May – 506-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: For Tokyo and beyond, the IOC should heed the Captain’s warning on communications from “Cool Hand Luke”

By
Rich Perelman
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Paul Newman (at left) in a lighter moment from the 1967 film, "Cool Hand Luke" (Photo: Wikipedia from the original trailer)

“What we’ve got here is … failure to communicate.”

That immortal line came from the iconic 1967 prison drama, “Cool Hand Luke,” starring Paul Newman as Luke and Strother Martin as the Captain, who first delivered those words after Luke’s first escape attempt.

The line comes back in the movie again and again, as now applies to the International Olympic Committee. The IOC is working with the Tokyo 2020 organizers to stage the Games of the XXXII Olympiad this summer with one hand, while dealing with the broad disapproval of the Japanese public to its government’s activities against the coronavirus that has also spread to worry about the Games as a threat to public safety.

And the IOC and its partners in the Olympic Movement, including the National Olympic Committees, are hardly being passive:

● On 6 May, the IOC announced “the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE to donate doses of the companies’ COVID-19 vaccine to Games participants from National Olympic and Paralympic Committees around the world. National Olympic Committees (NOCs) will work with their local governments to coordinate local distribution in accordance with each country’s vaccination guidelines and consistent with local regulations.”

● On Tuesday (18th), PanAm Sports confirmed an agreement on Tuesday to provide 4,000 doses of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine to athletes and officials in the Pan American region headed for Tokyo, including the cost of airfare to come to Miami, Florida for the injection, in cooperation with the University of Miami and the Consulate General of Mexico in Miami.

● Also on Tuesday, the AroundTheRings.com site posted a news release – with the source not disclosed or linked – stating that “The National Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Argentine Olympic Committee (COA) communicate that the Olympic and Paralympic athletes qualified to compete in Tokyo, together with their coaches and assistants will be vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to the trip to participate in the games, after four years of preparation and training”

and

“It should be noted that countries such as the United States, Russia, China, Japan, Brazil, Germany, Australia, France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Colombia and Peru have already started or will start vaccination plans aimed at athletes who have qualified for the competition.”

● On Wednesday (19th), the latest meeting of the IOC Coordination Commission was held online, accompanied by an open letter from Commission Chair John Coates (AUS) that noted in pertinent part:

“The [IOC] President confirmed that as many as 75 per cent of the residents of the Olympic Village are already vaccinated or have secured vaccination. And we have good reason to believe that this figure will be well over 80 per cent at the time of the Games.”

At the same time, the online petition to cancel the Games from a former, three-time candidate for Tokyo Governor has run out of steam. It gathered 200,000 signatures in its first 49 hours and 23 minutes from 5-7 May, and only 175,000 additional signatures as of 2 p.m. Japanese time on Thursday, 20 May, across the following 13 days. The petition attracted about 5,000 signatures over the last 49-plus hours, hardly a flood.

There will be more announcements coming, day by day, to try and shore up support for the Games:

● On Thursday in Tokyo, Kyodo News reported that the organizing committee, which had originally expected about 180,000 official visitors for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, now expects the total to be not more than 78,000, with further reduction possible (probable, actually).

● Look for more National Olympic Committees to announce that their entire delegations will have been vaccinated prior to arriving in Japan for the Games, amid even stricter regulations to be imposed on Olympic visitors to Japan in the third version of the IOC’s “playbooks,” coming in June.

● It will be little surprise if the Tokyo organizers confirm that no spectators will be allowed to attend the Games. This decision is due around the end of this month.

All of these actions make sense, all are or will be welcomed, but will have only limited effect on the view of the Games by the Japanese public if the overall coronavirus situation does not improve, at least in the Tokyo area.

This is, for the most part, due to public concerns about the virus, but also to the difficult communications challenges faced by the IOC and the rest of the Olympic Movement. The coronavirus makes promotional events, rallies and public programming impossible and news releases, videos and social media postings are passive, not active, responses.

The stern and austere Tokyo Games will come and go over the next 82 days, when the Closing Ceremony will be held, followed by the much smaller Paralympics that will end on 5 September. Then the work will start.

The IOC will get no rest as the debate over the staging of the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing next February is already hot, with calls from activists in and around China for boycotts, and National Olympic Committees and others standing for the right of athletes to compete apart from the issue of host country policies, no matter how horrific.

But then there will be more than two years until Paris 2024 and an opportunity for the IOC to get its message out in a clearer way. But videos on the Olympic Channel, news releases on Olympic.org and Twitter traffic will not get the IOC to where it wants to go.

Although not created for this purpose, the formation of the IOC’s Future Hosts Commissions for the Olympic and Winter Games offers an opportunity to change the way future Games opportunities are understood.

Take the 23 March 2021 vote of the Brisbane City Council to support hosting the Games of the XXXV Olympiad in 2032. It passed by 24-1, with Queensland Greens Party member Jonathan Sri voting against it.

Sri explained at length why he voted against the proposal, regurgitating the old criticisms against the Games, many of which have been targeted by current IOC chief Thomas Bach (GER):

● The Games are so expensive they now draw no interest, so why should Brisbane bid? In fact, when Brisbane was identified as the “targeted” bidder for 2032, there were howls from multiple countries, including Germany, Hungary, Qatar, India, a possible joint bid  from the Koreas and others.

● The Games are too costly, then going on to criticize the Australian plan – not requested by the IOC – to spend up to A$1 billion on expanding an iconic, existing stadium and creating a civic plaza and public transit link for the area (which is in Sri’s own district!). That’s not the IOC’s doing; in fact, the IOC is not especially in favor of this, and neither is Sri, even with the benefits for his own constituents!

● The Games are an environmental disaster because a lot of people will attend. So, you’re against tourism, right, Mr. Sri? Ready to vaporize one of Australia’s important employment centers?

● Residents will be locked down during the Games, with “dramatic curtailments of basic civil liberties.” Sounds like Sri needs to speak with his own police force, not the IOC. You are a Council member, right?

● The cost of housing, short-term and long-term, will go up because the Games will make Brisbane a more popular area. Count on the Greens to be against anyone doing better, unless it’s them.

● “Given the current state America is in, an Olympics budget that depends on a big chunk of the money flowing in via American broadcasting rights agreements and American tourists looks pretty risky.” Sri failed to note that the IOC’s rights agreement with NBC already covers the 2032 Games, as do many TOP sponsor agreements.

● The 2032 Games will be a distraction from more important work. Sounds like the Greens need more votes, right mate? That’s your business, not the IOC’s.

Sri’s comments resonate among those – like himself – who don’t know what the actual bidding situation is, the actual commitments the IOC has made to Paris, Los Angeles and for 2032 and the IOC’s much-changed stance on spending, sustainability, gender equity and other issues.

This failure to communicate is an unsurprising result of the lack of any significant public IOC involvement with potential bid cities, regions or countries. Australian IOC member Coates, who was an important member of the Sydney organizing committee for the 2000 Games, has been visible, but as a promoter of the 2032 bid. As an explainer of the IOC’s bid policies, his credibility is compromised in his home country.

But the IOC has multiple, accomplished members on its Future Host Commissions. Norway’s Kristin Kloster Aasen – a 10-year Board member of the environmental energy & technology providers association Green Business AS – chairs the 10-member Games of the Olympiad group, along with members from Canada, Cape Verde, Croatia (former Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic!), China, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Italy, Kenya and New Zealand.

Romania’s Octavian Morariu chairs the 8-member Winter Games group, with members from Afghanistan, Chile (the impassioned PanAm Sports chief Neven Ilic), Sweden, Austria, China, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

(Update: Thanks to reader Greg Harney for correcting Ilic’s nationality!)

Where are they on the speaking circuit in front of national-regional-local government associations across the globe? Finance ministers on all governmental levels in possible host countries? The Association of National Olympic Committees and regional NOC associations?

Along with IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi (SUI), they could make formidable presentations, backed up by the publicly-available Host City Contracts and IOC commitments through Olympic Agenda 2020 and Agenda 2020+5.

The rules for staging an Olympic Games are changing dramatically in Tokyo, and Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028 have signaled their willingness to change the way the Games are organized to maximize public benefits. LA28, for its part, has committed $160 million to waive participation costs for youth in the City’s Recreation and Parks Department program through 2028 thanks to its agreement with the IOC.

Does Sri know about this? No doubt the answer is no. That’s a failure in communication that only persistent, person-to-person presentations can change, starting about a year from now.

As the Captain said in “Cool Hand Luke”: “Now, it’s all up to you.”

Rich Perelman
Editor

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For our updated – as of 1 May – 506-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HEARD AT HALFTIME: Some doctors say cancel Tokyo, others sign up to help; 4,000 J&J doses for PanAm athletes; Cheer Cards return for Canada

By
Rich Perelman
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"Cheer Card" versions of Cheerios on sale in Canada! (Photo: Business Wire)

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

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● The Tokyo Medical Practitioners Association, which represents about 6,000 physicians, sent an open letter last Friday to Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga asked the government to convince the International Olympic Committee to cancel this summer’s Olympic Games.

On Monday, Kyodo News reported that the organizing committee’s call for 200 volunteer physicians to help with the Games has now had 395 doctors sign up to help.

The current state of emergency in the Tokyo area and other prefectures in Japan is expected to last through the end of this month.

PanAm Sports announced an agreement on Tuesday to provide 4,000 doses of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine to athletes and officials in the Pan American region headed for Tokyo, including the cost of airfare to come to Miami, Florida for the injection.

The shots will be provided under an agreement with the University of Miami and the Consulate General of Mexico in Miami. The announcement noted that “The NOCs must send their request listing the athletes and officials they wish to be vaccinated as soon as possible so they can be inoculated at least 30 days before entering Japan.”

Comment: Wow; very impressive achievement by PanAm Sports.

Not everyone is unhappy with the plans for an austere Games in Tokyo. New Zealand’s two-time Olympic 1,500 m medalist Nick Willis, 38, told Reuters:

“I actually think people are going to perform at a really high level and a greater depth because there won’t be the same distractions that athletes from all the different sports face.

“Track and field, it can be quite challenging because we’re in the second half of the Games. So you get all the swimmers partying it up in the second week of the Games, and coming home from the parties at 4 a.m. outside of your apartments, making a hell of a noise.

“So there’s not going to be any of those distractions this time round so that will be quite nice.”

Further to our 6 May story on British sprinter Adam Gemili, who intends to protest at the Tokyo Games because “We are not in the public eye that often,” are parallel comments from Olympic icon and triple gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee (USA).

Last week, Joyner-Kersee, 59, told Fox2Now in St. Louis:

“For a lot of athletes, really, the Olympic movement is the only time they can really know that the world is watching, and so you can say it is a political stance, but I think it is people just fighting for their own civil rights.

“I think the most important thing is for the athletes is to get out there and to perform well. And once they perform well, now whatever place they decide they are going to be on the podium then what comes after that, that’s up to the athlete. And then it will be left up to the judge and jury.”

Reporter Katherine Hessel asked her about the 1968 Mexico City protests by Americans Tommie Smith and John Carlos after the men’s 200 m final. Joyner-Kersee observed:

“That expression, they were talking about hunger and poverty and equal opportunity for all. It’s still some of the same issues we are facing today.”

As noted in the story on Gemili, what does this say about so many Olympic sports that have modest, little or no worldwide impact?

A unique Canadian promotion by General Mills has returned for the Tokyo Games: Cheer cards.

Created in partnership with the Canadian Olympic Committee, the program offers “Cheer Cards” on boxes of Honey Nut, Multi-Grain and Yellow Box Cheerios, for a limited time (of course). The process is simple enough: get a “Cheer” box of Cheerios, cut out the postcard from the box, write a message to the team or a favorite athlete and “MAIL the postcard at any Canada Post mailbox or post office. No stamp is necessary as postage is pre-paid.”

More than 100,000 such Cheer cards have been sent to Canadian athletes over the past 10 years while the promotion has been used. General Mills has partnered with Canadian stars Andre De Grasse (track & field), Penny Oleksiak (swimming), Rosie MacLennan (trampoline), Matt Berger (skateboarding) and Jennifer Abel (diving). Nice.

● XXIV Olympic Winter Games: Beijing 2022 ● The Associated Press reported Sunday (16th) on a new call by eight groups representing activists in Hong Kong, Tibet, Taiwan and the Uyghurs for a full-scale boycott of the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.

“‘The time for talking with the IOC is over,’ Lhadon Tethong of the Tibet Action Institute said in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press. ‘This cannot be games as usual or business as usual; not for the IOC and not for the international community.’”

The groups have posted a Web site called BoycottBeijing2022.net, including:

“We call on all governments and people, including all National Olympic Committees and Olympic athletes, to boycott the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games. The Chinese government is committing genocide against the Uyghur people and waging an unprecedented campaign of repression in East Turkistan, Tibet and Southern Mongolia, as well as an all-out assault on democracy in Hong Kong. At the same time, the Chinese Communist Party is engaged in a merciless crackdown on Chinese human rights defenders, activists, faith communities and journalists, and implementing an intense strategy of intimidation and geopolitical bullying against Taiwan.

“Participating in the Beijing Olympic Games at this time would be tantamount to endorsing China’s genocide against the Uyghur people, and legitimizing the increasingly repressive policies of the totalitarian Chinese regime.”

On Tuesday, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) called for a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Games in comments during a program hosted by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China and Human Rights Commission, including:

“Let’s not honor the Chinese government by having heads of state go to China to show their support for their athletes. For heads of state to go to China in light of a genocide that is ongoing while you’re sitting there in your seats, really begs the question, ‘What moral authority do you have to speak about human rights anyplace in the world if you’re willing to pay your respects to the Chinese government as they commit genocide.’”

U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah) brought up the concept in a 15 March editorial, emphasizing pushback against the Chinese government and not placing athletes in the middle of the issue.

● World University Games ● The 2021 World University Games in Chengdu (CHN) has had its new dates confirmed for 26 June to 7 July of 2022.

The International University Sports Federation (FISU) announced its 2025 World University Games hosts as Rhine-Ruhr, Germany (summer) and Turin, Italy (winter).

With the 2023 World University Games set for Yekaterinburg in Russia, look for the U.S. to be awarded the 2027 WUG for the Raleigh-Durham region. It would be the second time the summer University Games would be held in the U.S., after the 1993 WUG in Buffalo.

● World Anti-Doping Agency ● Even with a change of administrations, the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy (US ONDCP) is withholding the U.S. dues payment of $2.93 million to the World Anti-Doping Agency.

A new report concerning WADA was delivered by the US ONDCP to Congress on Monday, continuing to call for reforms. Much less confrontational than the prior report last June, it still asks for “fundamental change” in the organization.

Importantly, however, the report does not repeat the “we pay, so we must play” stance of the June 2020 report, which essentially demanded seats on the WADA Executive Committee in proportion to its dues commitment. Instead, the new report states “we would welcome a dialogue with WADA colleagues that would result in a predictable process through which we would get a fair chance to represent the U.S. on the Executive Committee.”

(Comment: One way would be to show up and get nominated, which the U.S. failed to do the last time an opening for the ExCom was available at the Pan American level.)

Conversely, the report demands more independent voices within WADA, not tied to any other body: “Progress may be difficult to achieve until WADA decides as an institution to empower enough independent voices inside the organization to represent a voting majority on important decisions.”

The report lists “Ten Challenges” for WADA, mostly in governance, asking for “fully independent” WADA appointees, “independent athletes,” more participation by national Anti-Doping organizations, make the Executive Committee more “independent,” remove “potential undue influence by the Olympic Movement,” and, as expected, given its decision in the Russian doping scandal case:

“The Court of Arbitration for Sport lacks transparency and independence and has failed to adequately sanction state-sponsored doping – WADA’s voice is needed to help address this.”

As to funding, the report notes that “no decision on paying all, or a portion of WADA dues, will be made until after those meetings in May.”

WADA posted a reply the same day, with President Witold Banka (POL) quoted: “WADA takes note that the ONDCP recognizes the hard work and considerable progress achieved by the Agency during the past year” and “I look forward to welcoming the Acting Director of the ONDCP, Regina LaBelle, to her first meeting of the Foundation Board later this week. Indeed, I have personally invited Acting Director LaBelle to play a leading role in WADA’s development of a Code of Ethics and formation of an independent Ethics Board.”

However, after seeing the lengthy lecture from the US ONDCP on WADA’s shortcomings, Banka also got in the agency’s regular dig at the U.S. sports system and anti-doping:

“In addition, WADA continues to offer its support to the U.S. Government, the ONDCP and the United States Anti-Doping Agency in their efforts to strengthen the fight against doping in their country. Currently, approximately 90% of American athletes do not compete under the terms of the World Anti-Doping Code, with the main professional leagues and college sports so far operating outside that protection.”

Perhaps not coincidentally, WADA announced a new contribution of C$936,108 (~$748,390 U.S.) from the government of Canada on Tuesday. This “will be dedicated primarily to the Agency’s scientific research and intelligence and investigations (I&I) activities.”

This is in addition to Canada’s $1.47 million (U.S.) contribution to the WADA budget for 2021. The WADA headquarters are in Montreal.

WADA’s campaign for additional fund for its investigatory arm has now received $7.07 million in donations and pledges from governments in China, Cyprus, Greece, India, Poland and Saudi Arabia, Egypt, France, and now Canada.

● Athletics ● The 2021 USATF Open in Ft. Worth, Texas had to deal with swirling winds, but that did not stop some excellent marks from the strong fields assembled.

In the men’s 400 m, Michael Cherry exploded to a lifetime best of 44.37, no. 2 in the world this year; his prior best of 44.66 came in 2017. In the field, world leader Rudy Winkler won the men’s hammer at 79.69 m (261-5), further than anyone else has thrown so far this year.

Allyson Felix won the women’s 400 m in an encouraging 50.88, the no. 12 mark in 2021 and no. 7 among Americans. It was her first open 400 m since 2019 and her fastest since 2017.

The sprint races were hampered by headwinds and the times reflected this: Ronnie Baker won the men’s 100 m in 10.39 (wind -3.2 m/s); Mikiah Brisco won the women’s 100 m in 11.42 (-3.3); Aaron Mallett won the men’s 110 m hurdles in 13.64 (-1.9) and Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn took the women’s 100 m hurdles in 12.84 (-2.1).

The Pac-12 Conference championships were held at USC in Los Angeles last Friday through Sunday, with the most notable mark coming from Trojan senior Anna Cockrell. She won the 100 m hurdles in 12.79 (wind 0.0), then took the 400 m hurdles in a lifetime best of 54.77, moving her to no. 3 on the world list for 2021. Her prior best was 55.14 from 2017.

One of the less appealing aspects of the meet, and another sign of disrespect for distance running, was the 5,000 m. The men’s race had 55 starters (yes, 55!), to which Pac-12 Networks announcer Jim Watson, asked “Does the health department know about this?,” followed by 46 starters in the women’s race. Ridiculous.

Strong running at Sunday’s Generali Milano Marathon in Italy, with world-leading marks in both the men’s and women’s races. Kenya’s Titus Ekiru won the men’s race with a lifetime best of 2:02:57, followed by Reuben Kiprop Kipyego (2:03:55) and Barnabas Kiptum (2:04:17). That places Ekiru – with a prior best of 2:04:46 – equal-5th on the all-time list and one of only six men to break 2:03 on a record-legal course. He’s also on a five-marathon winning streak from 2018 on.

The women’s winner was Ethiopian Hiwot Gebrekidan, who ran away from the field to win in 2:19:35, more than three minutes clear of Racheal Mutgaa (KEN: 2:22:50) and Eunice Chumba (BRN: 2:23:10). Gebrekidan’s prior best was 2:23:50 from 2019, so the questions start with (1) was she drug-tested and (2) what shoes was she wearing?

American triple jumper Omar Craddock, 29, the 2019 Pan American Games champ and the 2013 and 2015 U.S. champion, was suspended for 20 months from 13 November 2020 to 13 July 2022 and will miss the U.S. Olympic Trials and the Tokyo Games (if qualified).

Craddock was held responsible for “whereabouts” failures, and given his prior cooperation with testing, had his suspension reduced from 24 months to 20. He missed doping tests on 20 August 2019, a failing failure effective on 1 April 2020 and a third missed test on 29 July 2020.

The decision is appealable to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The New York Road Runners Club confirmed that it will hold the 50th New York City Marathon on 7 November with a field of 33,000 runners. This is a reduced-size field from the 53,640 finishers in 2019, but was worked out in cooperation with the State of New York and the City of New York.

Lee Evans, the 1968 Olympic 400 m champion and long-time world-record holder at 43.86, suffered a traumatic stroke in Nigeria last week (13th) and has been hospitalized in Ilishan-Remo, Nigeria.

A long-time coach in Nigeria, Evans is now 74 and being treated at the Babcock University Teaching Hospital. Chief Segun Odegbami, writing on the Vanguard news site, updated Evans’ situation over the weekend:

“If there is any doubt in my mind that America is the greatest country in the world, the last ounce evaporated with the developments on the Lee Evans’ matter in the past 24 hours.

“With the help of some Nigerian former athletes living in the United States, all of whose lives were impacted by Lee, I made contact with two of Lee’s children. They have swung into action immediately.

“I also reached out to the American embassy in Lagos ( and they have also reached out to me too since then) and had a robust conversation with the officials who left an indelible impression on me. …

“A whole army of Lee’s friends, former athletes, and colleagues in various countries around the world have risen and are aligning with the plans being put in place by the family, his siblings in America, and the American embassy in Nigeria.

“There is no lack of anything needed to take care of Lee’s present and future state.”

● Cycling ● Monday’s Stage 10 of the 104th Giro d’Italia was a hilly course that wound down to a long downhill finish after 139 km in Foligno, perfect for sprinters and especially for Slovakian superstar Peter Sagan.

He managed to get to the line ahead of Fernando Gaviria (COL) and Davide Cimolai (ITA) in the mass finish, claiming his second career Giro stage victory, after also winning stage 10 in 2020!

The overall leaders did not change, with Egan Bernal (COL) leading Remco Evenepoel (BEL) by 14 seconds and Russian Aleksandr Vlasov by 22 seconds.

The UCI Track Champions League was formally announced in an online event from France and Great Britain on Tuesday, promising six events in a streamlined format from 6 November to 11 December.

The racing will be held each week for six weeks – a perfect format to develop fan interest – and will be staged in velodromes in Spain, France, Lithuania, Israel and two in Great Britain. Just four events will be held: Sprint and Keirin in the Sprint category and Elimination and Scratch races in the Endurance category. Prize money of more than €500,000 will be available, with payouts for the individual races as well as seasonal standings.

The project is part of an important partnership between the UCI and American television powerhouse Discovery, which owns Eurosport and is now trying to acquire the Time Warner media assets from AT&T.

● Football ● North Korea pulled out of the Asian World Cup 2022 qualifying tournament and will miss the World Cup Finals in Qatar.

This throws Group H of the second round of the Asian qualifiers into trouble, with the North Koreans having played five (2-1-2) and still due to play Turkmenistan and Sri Lanka.

● Judo ● USA Judo competed its 2021 National Championships over the weekend in Reno, Nevada, crowning national champions in a slew of categories. Among the seniors, only two repeated as champions from 2019: Adham Ramadan in the men’s Open weight category and Nina Cutro-Kelly in the women’s +78 kg class.

There were four women who moved up from silver to gold from 2019 to 2021, including Jeannette Hong (48 kg), Mariah Holguin (57 kg), Sara Golden (63 kg) and Melissa Myers (70 kg).

● Swimming ● The European Championships are on in Budapest, Hungary and the first two days of swims saw two world records from Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov in the 50 m Backstroke.

Already the record holder at 24.00 in 2018, he zoomed 23.93 to win his semifinal, and then did it again in the final, lowering the standard to 23.80! He crushed the field, with Romania’s Robert Glinta second in 24.42.

Dutch sprinter Ranomi Kromowidjojo won the women’s 50 m Free in 23.97, taking over the world lead for 2021. It’s her second European title, also in 2016.

Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu, the European record holder won the 400 m Medley in a world-leading 4:34.76.

Russia got a second world-leader in the men’s 400 m Free, with Martin Malyutin closeing hard to win in 3:44.18 to 3:44.63 for Austrian Felix Auboeck.

British star Adam Peaty won his fourth straight European title in the 100 m Breaststroke in 57.66, ahead of Arno Kamminga (NED: 58.10). Peaty’s mark is the no. 9 time in history.

● Collegiate Sports ● After seeing some $30 million in contributions to support the retention of 11 varsity sports set to be cut, Stanford agreed to reinstate all 11 varsity sports set to be ended last July.

The official announcement noted: “Stanford leaders announced today that while the structural financial challenges facing Stanford Athletics remain very real, changed circumstances including newly galvanized philanthropic interest have provided a new path to support the 11 sports.”

An activist group, 36SportsStrong had been lobbying the school to reinstate the sports for five years in order to allow fund-raising of $200 million to endow the sports in perpetuity. It appears they will get their chance.

The sports include men’s and women’s fencing, field hockey, lightweight rowing, men’s rowing, co-ed and women’s sailing, squash, synchronized swimming, men’s volleyball and wrestling.

● At the BuZZer ● Toyota made a major commitment to U.S. Paralympic sport, announcing on Monday that it will contribute “nearly $5 million in stipend and sponsorship opportunities that will directly impact the lives of eligible U.S. Paralympic athletes aiming to compete at the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 or the Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.”

A one-time stipend of $3,000 will be made “to all eligible Team USA Paralympic athletes who are currently training and in contention to represent the United States at the Tokyo and Beijing Games.”

Toyota will also sponsor some individual Paralympic athletes for Tokyo and Beijing. It’s another expansion of Toyota’s involvement with Paralympic sport, both as a sponsor of the International Paralympic Committee, but also many of the U.S. Paralympic national governing bodies.

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For our updated – as of 1 May – 506-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: College football showed that being “athlete-centric” means the Tokyo 2020 Games will go on

By
Rich Perelman
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Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, the Offensive Most Valuable Player in the 2021 Allstate Sugar Bowl (Photo: Allstate Sugar Bowl)

(For our Highlights of last week’s top national and
international sports competitions, click here.)

The news reports from Japan are filled with anti-Olympic petitions and polls, screaming for the cancellation of the Tokyo 2020 Games, set to begin on 23 July.

A weekend poll by the Kyodo News Service received 1,065 responses with some interesting results from its report:

● Holding the Games: 59.7% favor cancellation, 25.2% approve if without spectators, 12.6% approve with limited spectators.

● Virus concern: 87.7% concerned about virus spread by athletes and officials.

● Virus trend: 90.3% concerned about the spread of Covid-19 in Japan.

● Vaccine availability: 85.0% said the vaccine rollout has been too slow.

● Government response: 71.5% are upset with the handling of the virus.

Against all this was a remarkable response to another question:

“Asked whether Japanese Olympics and Paralympics athletes should be given priority in being vaccinated, 53.9 percent of respondents said the athletes should be, while 13.1 percent said otherwise and 32.7 percent replied they cannot give a clear response.”

Huh?

If the Games are so unpopular and the vaccination program so poorly rolled out, why a 54-13% favorable reply to priority vaccinations of Japanese athletes?

Last Friday, three-time Tokyo gubernatorial candidate Kenji Utsunomiya “delivered” his online petition to cancel the Games, with 351,868 signatures. It’s still available and as of 11 a.m. Pacific time today (17th), it had 370,241 signees.

However, it’s worth noting that it reached 200,000 signatures in just more than two days (49:23 from 5 to 7 May) but not even that many in the succeeding 10 days.

What does all this tell us? The Kyodo poll results as reported show high concern about the coronavirus and the country’s vaccination rate (85-87-90%), high concern about the government’s response (71.5%) and a significantly lower percentage in favor of canceling the Games (59.7%).

Does this ring a bell?

Late last summer, the college football season was supposed to collapse, right? Remember the timeline:

● 08 August: The Mid-American Conference postpones its season.
● 10 August: The Mountain West Conference postpones its season.
● 11 August: The Big Ten and Pacific-12 Conferences postpone their seasons.

At that point, all of college football was widely expected to cancel for 2020. But:

● 12 August: The Big 12 announced a 10-game season schedule.
● 16 August: Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields starts a “We Want to Play” petition
● 17 August: The Southeastern Conference announces its schedule.

Fields’s petition gathered more than 240,000 signatures in just more than a day and it had an impact:

● 16 September: The Big Ten Conference announces it will play.
● 24 September: The Pacific-12 Conference announces it will play.
● 24 September: The Mountain West Conference announces it will play.
● 25 September: The Mid-American Conference announces it will play.

Only three schools in the 130-member Football Bowl Subdivision – independents Connecticut and New Mexico State, and Old Dominion (C-USA) – decided not to play in the fall. (At an average of 100 players per school and 127 schools, that’s 12,700 players: more than will participate in Tokyo by more than 1,500!)

The season was held and a champion was crowned. There were trials and tribulations across the five months of games from September to January, but it worked. The Olympic and Paralympic Games will come and go in two weeks apiece.

The Japanese public is right to be concerned with its public health status, and with elections due in the fall, its political leaders are under pressure to step up the pace of vaccinations across the country.

But the college football season – and the NFL season for that matter – demonstrated that sport can be played in an ascetic, antiseptic and austere environment as is being planned for the Tokyo Games. That will likely include:

● No spectators of any kind.
● Continued pressure to lower the number of officials attending.
● Extreme attention to testing, including daily testing for athletes.
● Tokyo residents told they must stay away from the Games.

With a third edition of the IOC’s “Playbooks” for athletes, officials, media and others coming in June, look for even stiffer requirements. The current program is for athletes to come as much as five days prior to their events and leave two days after; look for this to be shaved further.

Tokyo 2020 chief executive Toshiro Muto said last week that the expected 180,000 visiting officials will total no more than 90,000 now … and Muto added, “The number may be really small if we consider (narrowing it down) to just individuals without whom the Olympics cannot take place.” Look for that 90,000 figure to get smaller.

The cynics who wail that the Games are going on only to allow the International Olympic Committee to collect its television and sponsorship monies conveniently forget last year’s comments that, for its part, the IOC would have been better off financially to cancel the Games, based on its insurance coverage.

But it did not and has stayed the course. Thanks to excellent research provided by Olympedia.org founder Bill Mallon (USA), Tokyo will be the only Olympic opportunity for 73.7% of the expected 11,091 athletes.

That’s 8,147 one-and-done Olympians. Mallon’s analysis of all Olympic Games showed that of 114,887 athletes who have ever competed in the summer Games, 84,705 (73.7%) were in one Games only. Some 21,542 (18.8%) appeared in two Games and just 6,398 (5.6%) in three. That’s 98.1% of the all-time total.

This is the responsibility that comes with being “athlete-centric.” The Big Ten Conference did not take into account the determination of Ohio State’s Fields and others who used their voice – there’s that “athlete’s voice” again – to change the stance of a conference which had stated that its decision to postpone “will not be revisited.”

Is it possible that the 2020 Games will be cancelled? Sure, if the coronavirus rages out of control, at a level far greater than it is now, but even the current higher infection rate is a fraction of what has been experienced elsewhere and Tokyo and other prefectures are already taking steps against the spread, including increased vaccinations.

Fear is a factor, but a locked-down, spectator-less Games offers protection for both participants and the Japanese public. And it gives more than 8,000 athletes their once-in-a-lifetime chance to participate in the Olympic Games. Supporting them in a responsible way is the definition of “athlete-centric.”

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 – as of 1 May – 506-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HIGHLIGHTS: American Junior 400 m mark for Mu; Andrew brilliant trifecta in Tyr Pro Swim Series; Knibb wins World Tri Yokohoma!

By
Rich Perelman
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A win for American Taylor Knibb at the World Triathlon Series in Yokohama! (Photo: Worth Triathlon/Janos Schmidt)

Headline results of noteworthy competitions around the world:

● Athletics ● Fireworks were expected at the SEC Championships in College Station, Texas and LSU’s JuVaughn Harrison delivered on Friday with a sensational win at 2.36 m (7-8 3/4), the world leader for 2021 and equal-seventh all-time U.S. Harrison had to be that good to beat Darryl Sullivan (USA/Tennessee), who finished second at 2.33 m (7-7 3/4).

The big marks kept coming on Saturday, with LSU’s Terrance Laird (USA) winning both the 100 m and 200 m with big-time marks of 9.80w (+3.2 m/s) and a legal 19.82 (+1.7), the no. 2 mark in the world this year before his own 19.81 at the Texas Relays.

World leader Noah Williams (USA/LSU) won the 400 m in 44.37, the no. 2 time of the year, ahead of Texas A&M’s Bryce Deadmon (USA), at 44.50, a lifetime best and no. 3 on the year list. Third was Georgia soph Elija Godwin (USA), with a huge lifetime best of 44.61, now no. 6 in 2021. His old best was 45.21!

Alabama’s Tamara Clark (USA) also sizzled in the women’s sprints, winning in wind-aided times of 10.87 (+2.7) and 21.89 (+4.1). Then came Texas A&M fresh superstar Athing Mu, who won the 400 m in a stunning 49.84, no. 4 on the year list for 2021. That makes her equal-19th all-time U.S. and gives her the American Junior Record, moving Sanya Richards-Ross’s 49.89 time from 2004 out of the record books.

What event(s) will Mu run at the Olympic Trials? 400 or 800? 400 and 800? Could we see a leg on the 4×400 m in Tokyo?

Trinidad’s Tyra Gittens, competing for Texas A&M, won the SEC title with a world-leading 6,418, the no. 3 performance in U.S. collegiate history.

At the Big 12 Championships in Manhattan, Kansas, Iowa State soph Wesley Kiptoo (KEN) won all three distance events in 8:31.82 (Steeple), 13:29.92 (5,000 m) and 28:22.98 (10,000 m). Certainly not world leaders, but still pretty impressive!

The first outdoor stop of the 2021 American Track League circuit – “The Track Meet” – at Crean Lutheran HS in Irvine, California featured strong fields, including impressive wins by two Rio 2016 gold medalists:

● Matthew Centrowitz powered away at the finish to win the 1,500 m in 3:35.26, his fastest since the 2019 World Championships (8th: 3:32.81) and his fastest before June 1 since 2017.

● Jamaica’s Omar McLeod won the men’s 110 m hurdles in 13.11 (wind +1.4 m/s), the no. 2 mark in the world for 2021, ahead of Devon Allen (13.26) and Daniel Roberts (13.30).

In the men’s 100 m, Trayvon Bromell continued his undefeated 2021 outdoor season in the event, winning easily in 9.92 (+1.5 m/s), well ahead of fellow American Chris Royster (10.22).

Saturday’s evening session saw a world-leading 14:35.34 win by Dutch superstar Sifan Hassan in the women’s 5,000 m, and a 13:18.49 win for Canada’s Mo Ahmed in the men’s 5,000.

● Canoe-Kayak ● The first ICF Sprint World Cup of the season was on in Szeged (HUN), with the home team taking home 15 medals to 10 for the Ukraine and nine for Germany. The regatta also included the European Olympic Qualifier for Tokyo.

In the open racing, American Nevin Harrison – the 2019 World Champion in the C1 200 m, held at this site – won again in 47.59, clearly ahead of Yarisleidis Cirilo Duboys of Cuba (47.88) and Liudmyla Luzan of Ukraine (47.91). Harrison also teamed with Ken Kasperbauer to finish fifth in the C2 Mixed 200 m final.

Ukraine’s Luzan came back to win the women’s C1 500 m race and two medals with Anastasiia Chetverikova in the C2 200 m final (bronze) and a win in the C2 500 m.

Germany won seven events in all, including the men’s C1 500 m (Moritz Adam), C1 1,000 m (Conrad-Robin Scheibner), the C2 1,000 m (Sebastian Brendel and Tim Hecker), the men’s K1 1,000 m (Jacob Schopf) and K2 1,000 m (Max Hoff and Schopf). Their two women’s wins came in the K2 500 m and K4 500 m events.

Hungary scored individual wins in the men’s K1 500 m (Bence Nadas), men’s K1 5,000 m (Balint Noe) and women’s K1 1,000 m (Emese Kohalmi).

● Cycling ● The 104th Giro d’Italia took a turn to the favorites on Sunday, as 2019 Tour de France winner Egan Bernal (COL) won the challenging 158 km from Castel di Sangro to Campo Felice, with six climbs and an uphill finish to the Rocca di Cambio.

Simon Carr (GBR) and France’s Geoffrey Bouchard broke from the peloton with about 27 km left in the stage, then Bouchard carried on alone and had a 25-second gap on the field. But he was slowly being reeled in as the race went uphill to the finish and was joined by Koen Bouwman (NED) with 1,000 m left.

But with less than 500 m remaining, Bernal stormed past both, with Italy’s Giulio Ciccone close behind and they roared to a 1-2 finish in 4:08:23-4:08:30, with the rest of the overall contenders strung out over the next 12 seconds.

That gave Bernal the race lead, 15 seconds up on Dutch star Remco Evenepoel, 21 seconds clear of Russia’s Aleksandr Vlasov and 36 seconds ahead of Ciccone. Twelve riders are within 1:20 of the leader and there is a lot of racing still to do. Prior race leader Attila Valter (HUN) fell to fifth overall, 43 seconds back.

Saturday’s four-climb route of 170 km from Foggia to Guardia Sanframondi was yet another breakthrough victory, this time for France’s Victor Lafay, his first win in a UCI World Tour event. He was a clear winner, breaking away 11 km from the tape, finishing 36 seconds up on Francesco Gavazzi (ITA) and 37 seconds ahead of Germany’s Niklas Arndt.

The race has a rest day on Monday, then continues on Tuesday.

The UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup tour got going in Hong Kong last week, with an impressive performance by Japanese rider, who led the medal table with seven golds and 15 total medals.

Yudai Nitta and Yuta Wakimoto went 1-2 in the men’s Sprint and then 2-3 with Wakimoto and Nitta in the Keirin behind winner Muhammad Mohd Zonis (MAS). Eiya Hashimoto won the Omnium and the men’s Elimination race.

In the women’s division, Yumi Kajihara was the star, winning the Omnium, and the Elimination Race, teaming with Kisato Nakamura to win the Madison and also placing second in the Scratch race. Japanese sprinter Yuka Kobayashi won the Keirin and was second in the Sprint to home favorite (and three-time World Champion) Wai Sze Lee (HKG). Lee also finished second in the Keirin.

Americans won two medals: Maralyn Godby took the bronze in the women’s Sprint and Ashton Lambie won the men’s Individual Pursuit over Germans Domenic Weinstein and Leon Rohde.

Germany had three winners on the men’s side, with Felix Gross winning the 1,000 m Time Trials, Moritz Malcharek and Theo Reinhardt winning the Madison and Gross, Reinhardt, Rohde and Marco Mathis taking the Team Pursuit.

The second leg of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series, this week in Nove Mesto (CZE), was a showcase for young riders.

Britain’s Tom Pidcock, 21, has already made a name for himself with the U-23 World Championships Cross Country gold in 2020, and now he’s a World Cup winner as well. He took over the race with breakaway efforts on the second, fourth and fifth laps and won by exactly a minute – 1:20:55 to 1:21:55 – over Dutch star Mathieu van der Poel, with Swiss Mathias Flueckiger well back in third (1:22:10). Reigning World Champion Jordan Sarrou (FRA) was fifth (1:23:16).

France’s Loana Lecomte, also 21, backed up her win last week in Albstadt (GER) with a second straight triumph, casting the field aside for a 1:25:13-1:26:52 win over American Haley Batten, who moved up from third last week. Lecomte simply exploded from the start and was never headed. Australia’s Rebecca McConnell was third (1:27:04) and reigning World Champion Pauline Ferrand Prevot finished fourth (1:27:23).

Van der Poel did beat Pidcock in the Short Track race, as both and Sarrou all timed 20:48. Batten won the women’s Short Track race by 23:35-23:51 over Lecomte.

● Modern Pentathlon ● The UIPM World Cup Final in Szekesfehervar, Hungary was a confirmation that Britain’s Kate French is the one to beat in Tokyo.

She sailed through the abbreviated 2021 World Cup season finishing gold-silver-gold after winning by 1,384-1,378 over Annika Schleu (GER) and Michelle Gulyas (HUN: 1,376). French was third in fencing (23 wins), then posted good marks in swimming (17th) and riding (11th) to set a charge at the Laser Run leader, Amira Kandil (EGY), who started with a 25-second edge.

But French got to the lead just after halfway and got home first to cement her status. Schleu passed Gulyas on the final lap to capture silver. Kandil finished 10th.

France’s Valentin Prades had won the World Cup Final in 2013 and 2017, so four years later, he finished on top again in 2021. He was in a tough fight with Britain’s Thomas Toolis, a first-time World Cup medal winner, starting one second behind Toolis on the Laser Run. And while Prades established a lead, he spent 25 seconds on the last shooting stop and Toolis took over. But Prades regained his composure, shot past Toolis in the final 200 m and claimed the win. China’s Shuai Luo was third (1,471).

Germany’s Christian Zillekens and Schleu won the Mixed Relay title with the third-fastest Laser Run in the field, 1,447-1,443 over Ilya Palazkov and Volha Silkina of Belarus.

● Rowing ● A prediction of stormy weather canceled the final day of the World Rowing final Olympian qualifier in Lucerne, Switzerland, but all of the racing got done in time, and completed the fields for Tokyo.

Some 18 nations claimed qualifications spots for Tokyo, after the uneven qualifying program over the past year. Russia fared well with qualifiers in five events; Canada qualified in three.

Russian Alexander Vyazovkin won the men’s Single Sculls, and teammates Ilya Kondratyev and Andrey Potapkin won the Double Sculls. Estonia edged the Russians, 5:50.94-5:50.99 to win the Quadruple Sculls. Estonia’s win means that Tonu Endrekson, who rowed third, will be off to a fifth Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Dutch rowers Nicolas van Sprang and Guillaume Krommenhoek won the men’s Pairs; South Africa won the men’s Four and New Zealand took the men’s Eight. The Lightweight men’s Double Sculls went to Patrick Keane and Maxwell Lattimer of Canada.

Anneta Kyridou of Greece took the women’s Single Sculls title by more than four seconds; Russians Ekaterina Pitirimova and Ekaterina Kurochkina won the Double Sculls over Germany, and Australia was a clear winner in the women’s Quadruple Sculls.

Russia won a fourth event with Vasilisa Stepanova and Elena Oriabinskaia in the women’s Pairs; the Irish Fours were an easy winner, and China took the women’s Eight.

The U.S. won a Tokyo place with a win in the women’s Lightweight Double Sculls, thanks to Molly Reckford and Michelle Sechser. They finished in 7:06.62 over 2,000 m to win by almost a second over Switzerland.

● Shooting ● The United States finished as the top medal winner in the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Lonato, Italy, winning two events and reporting seven total medals.

The American medals parade started with the first event, as Austen Smith, 19 – the 2019 World Junior Champion – won the women’s Skeet final, scoring 55/60 to best Britain’s top-ranked Amber Hill (52) and London Olympic bronze medalist Dante Bartekova (SVK: 43). It was Smith’s first World Cup medal on the senior level.

In men’s Skeet, two-time Olympic champ Vincent Hancock of the U.S. was locked in a tight battle with Egypt’s Azmy Mehelba, but missed his last shot to fall short of a shoot-off, 56-55. It was Mehelba’s first World Cup win, and the 17th career World Cup medal for Hancock (who also coaches women’s winner Smith!).

Italy won the men’s and women’s Team Skeet titles, with the women’s squad of Diana Bacosi, Chiara Cainero and Chiara di Marziantonio besting the American trio of Smith, Amber English and Sam Simonton, 6-4 in the final. The Italian men defeated Denmark, 7-5, while France defeated the U.S. (Hancock, Hayden Stewart, Philip Jungman) for the bronze, 6-4.

The U.S. scored a fourth Skeet medal with a victory in the Mixed Team event, with Hancock and English defeating Italy’s Cainero and Tammaro Cassandro, 36-34.

In men’s Trap, Kuwait’s Talal Al-Rashidi won the gold, defeating Russian Gennadii Mamkin in the final, 46-45, with Egypt’s Abdel Aziz Mehelba third (36). The women’s Trap was a win for San Marino’s Alessandra Perilli, her first World Cup win in 10 years! She edged American Madelynn Bernau in a shoot-off by 2-1 after a 42-42 tie in the 50-shot final. Spain’s Fatima Galvez won the bronze.

In the Trap team events, France defeated Russia by 7-1 for the men’s gold and Croatia won the bronze over Kuwait (6-4). Spain defeated Italy, 6-0, for the women’s title, with the U.S. easing past Finland, 6-2, for the women’s bronze (by Bernau, Kayle Browning and Rachel Tozier).

Great Britain won the Mixed Team Trap event by edging San Marino, 39-34, while Spain defeated Italy, 46-38, for bronze.

● Swimming ● The final leg of USA Swimming’s Tyr Pro Swim Series finished on Saturday in Indianapolis, with Michael Andrew stealing the show with wins in three events:

● 100 m Breaststroke: 58.67, moving him to no. 4 on the 2021 world list;
● 100 m Butterfly: 50.80, placing him no. 2 on the 2021 world list;
● 200 m Medley: 1:56.84, now no. 4 on the 2021 world list.

Andrew, 22, set lifetime bests in the 100 m Breast and 100 m Fly and missed his best in the Medley by 0.01. The 58.67 win on Thursday in the 100 Breast was the no. 2 performance in American history, just 0.03 of the U.S. record by Kevin Cordes in 2017. Very, very impressive.

Rio gold medalist Lilly King continued her domination of the women’s Breaststroke events, winning the 100 m race in 1:05.47, the no. 2 performance of the year (she’s already the world leader) and the 200 m distance in 2:21.82, a season’s best and maintaining her position at no. 5 on the 2021 world list.

Two other women won multiple events: Ally McHugh posted two impressive wins in the 800 m and 1,500 m Freestyles and Regan Smith won both the 100 m Backstroke (58.77: no. 7 performer of 2021) and the 100 m Butterfly.

Just as many of the big names in U.S. swimming were competing at the Atlanta Classic, held at Georgia Tech, with Olivia Smoliga posting a sensational win in the 100 m Backstroke. She dueled with Rhyan White to the finish, touching first in 58.31, moving her to no. 3 on the world list for 2021. White finished second in 58.43, and is now no. 4 on the world list.

Double Olympic champ Ryan Murphy also starred in the men’s 100 m Back final, winning in 52.95; that puts him no. 5 on the 2021 world list.

The meet finishes tonight.

The Australian Sydney Open produced four world-leading performances, mostly by 19-year-old Kaylee McKeown:

● Women/100 m Free: 52.29, Emma McKeon
● Women/100 m Back: 57.63, Kaylee McKeown
● Women/200 m Back: 2:04.31, McKeown
● Women/200 m Medley: 2:08.73, McKeown

McKeown scared the world record in her 100 m Back win on Friday (14th), improving her lifetime best by 0.30 and just 6/100ths behind the 57.57 world mark set by American Regan Smith in 2019.

All this in preparation for the Australian Olympic swimming trials, coming up on 12-17 June.

● Triathlon ● The opening leg of the 2021 ITU World Triathlon Series in Yokohama, Japan, also served as an Olympic qualifier and the best possible news for American Taylor Knibb.

She broke away during the 40 km bike phase with Maya Kingma (NED) and established a lead of two minutes over the rest of the racers heading into the run. But Knibb took over quickly and had a 35-second lead on Kingma by the halfway mark of the 10 km run and cruised home in 1:54:27, a full 30 seconds ahead of everyone.

American Summer Rappoport passed Kingma for second, 1:54:57 to 1:55:05 and American Taylor Spivey was fourth (1:55:23). Katie Zaferes, currently ranked no. 1 worldwide, finished 22nd in 1:57:12.

Knibb joins Rappoport as an automatic qualifier for Tokyo under the USA Triathlon selection program; the U.S. will be eligible for a third women’s entry, but the USA Triathlon Games Athlete Selection Committee will decide who goes, likely between Zaferes and Spivey.

In the men’s race in Yokohama, Norway’s Christian Blummenfelt pulled away from Jelle Geens (BEL) in the final 2 km of the race to win in 1:42:55, with Geens at 1:43:05. It was Blummenfelt’s second career World Triathlon Series win.

American Morgan Pearson also surged during the run and won his first-ever World Triathlon Series medal in third (1:43:12), securing his place for Tokyo this summer. Britain’s Alex Yee was fourth (1:43:17) and American Kevin McDowell was 11th (1:43:41).

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 649-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THE TICKER: Tokyo may be the only Olympic opportunity for 8,174 athletes; EOPAAA Commission won’t meet until October? Metcalf earns T&F 0.49 TV rating

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● Calls to cancel the Tokyo Games are all the news, but there are also calls from athletes to hold the event, as this may be their only chance.

In fact, it may well be the one-and-only Olympics for about 8,174 athletes if history holds for Tokyo, Paris and beyond. Based on comprehensive research by Olympedia.org founder Bill Mallon (USA), Tokyo will be the only Games competed in for 73.7% of the expected 11,091 athletes.

That’s 8,147 one-and-done athletes. Mallon’s analysis of all Olympic Games, provided to TheSportsExaminer.com, showed that of 114,887 athletes who have ever competed in the summer Games, 84,705 (73.7%) competed in one Games only. Some 21,542 (18.8%) appeared in two Games and just 6,398 (5.6%) in three. That’s 98.1% combined.

For the Winter Games, 13,213 of the 20,605 participants (64.1%) competed in just one Games, with 4,847 (23.5%) competing in two and 1,824 (8.9%) in three. That’s 96.5% of the total. Mallon surmised that the higher number of two-Games participants may have been influenced by the short, two-year gap between the 1992 and 1994 Winter Games, when the cycle was changed to having Games every two years instead of only in four-year cycles.

So there’s a lot at stake for athletes coming to Tokyo as well as for the host country.

Tokyo 2020 chief executive Toshiro Muto announced that it now expects the number of Olympic officials to be halved, from an expected 180,000 total prior to the pandemic, to 90,000 at present.

The athlete total of 15,000 – about 11,000 for the Olympic Games and 4,000 for the Paralympic Games – is unchanged, but the organizers continue to pressure National Olympic Committees and International Federations to reduce their staff. Kyodo News reported:

“Muto said the number of officials may be cut further, depending on the situation of infections. …

“‘The (final) number may be really small if we consider (narrowing it down) to just individuals without whom the Olympics cannot take place,’ he said.”

The pre-Games training camps arranged by many National Olympic Committees and national federations are being cancelled in view of the pandemic. Kyodo News noted:

“Olympic minister Tamayo Marukawa said 45 municipalities across Japan have so far given up their plans to host athletes for pre-Olympic training camps and cultural exchanges due to concerns over the pandemic.

Marukawa told a press conference that 32 of the 45 municipalities that decided to pull out of the government’s ‘Host Town’ programs said they were notified by their prospective guests that they will abandon their plans to visit.”

USA Track & Field decided to cancel its training camp in Chiba prefecture as a safety measure for its athletes.

The “host town” concept – pioneered by the Special Olympics for its World Games – was being used for the first time on a mass scale, with 528 Japanese municipalities registered to host 184 National Olympic Committees. That number is being reduced.

The Tokyo organizers had asked for 200 volunteer physicians to assist with the Games, and despite some criticism about taking away practitioners from the public, some 280 doctors have signaled their willingness to assist.

● Games of the XXXV Olympiad: 2032 ● The IOC announced that a three-day session was held with the prospective Brisbane 2032 organizers, the Australian National Olympic Committee and representatives of several levels of the Australian government.

A “final submission” by Brisbane is expected in the “coming weeks.” Norwegian IOC member Kristin Kloster Aasen, Chair of the Future Host Commission for the Games of the Olympiad, said:

“Under the new approach to host elections, the Olympic Games adapt to the needs of the people living in the host region, rather than expecting the region to adapt to the Games. Brisbane 2032 has clearly been designed to complement long-term development plans for Brisbane and Queensland.”

If all goes as expected, Brisbane could be selected as host for 2032 at the IOC Session prior to the Tokyo Games in July.

● Pan American Games ● The coronavirus has hit the inaugural Junior Pan American Games, scheduled to held in Cali, Colombia from 9-19 September.

PanAm Sports, however, announced on Wednesday (12th) that the event has been postponed to 25 November to 5 December. Said Cali-Valle 2021 Executive Director, Jose Luis Echeverry:

“The decision we have made is very positive. It will be very beneficial to be able to wait a little longer given the emergency caused by Covid-19 not only in Colombia, but throughout the continent. With this new date, it gives us the possibility of having safer Games for everyone because when the time comes, we will have a higher vaccination rate in the host country.”

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ● Multiple sources confirm that the Commission on the State of U.S. Olympics and Paralympics is unlikely to begin its work until after the Tokyo Games are concluded, perhaps in October of this year.

No funding for the Commission has been arranged as yet, and although the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic and Amateur Athletes Act specified that the group was to have its first meeting within 30 days of the appointment of its last member – that was on 2 April – that has proved impossible without funding, or the naming of a co-chair by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey). Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) tabbed University of Baltimore law professor Dionne Koller as one of the co-chairs in April.

Further, the EOPAAA statute requires the Commission to hold at least one public hearing and to conclude its work, with a report and recommendations, 270 days after the bill became law on 30 October. That’s the end of July, which would be during the Tokyo Games. It appears the Commission will not even meet by then; look for a revision of the bill to allow for the later dates, and provide funding.

USOPC President Sarah Hirshland sent a letter to the U.S. Congress on Thursday, underscoring the organization’s view that “an athlete boycott of the Olympic and Paralympic Games is not the solution to geopolitical issues.”

Hirshland noted prior athlete boycotts, such as the U.S.-led boycott of the 1980 Moscow Games did not have the desired impact and led to further boycotts by Warsaw Pact of the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

● Alpine Skiing ● The Federation Internationale de Ski’s Alpine Committee confirmed on Wednesday the calendar for World Cup competitions for 2021-22. The announcement was good news for critics of the balance between speed and technical events, with 18 of each scheduled for both men and women. Two parallel events will be held, but none in the long-disfavored Alpine Combined.

Five different proposals were submitted for a new starting order protocol, aimed at a better television program, but these were tabled and a working group formed to create a unified concept for 2022-23. On the safety front:

“[T]he use of cut-resistant underwear, as well as Dainese [body] airbags will be recommended for the coming season and dicussions to make them mandatory as of the 2022/23 will be held.”

● Athletics ● Even with all the advance publicity about Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf joining the sprint field for the last Sunday’s USATF Golden Games at Mt. SAC, the event didn’t draw many viewers.

The ratings for sports programs during the Sunday (9th) late-afternoon slot showed:

● 1.71 rating/3,091,000 viewers on FS1: NASCAR Cup Series/Darlington
● 1.77 rating/3,051,000 viewers on CBS: PGA Tour/Wells Fargo Championship
● 0.80 rating/1,587,000 viewers on ESPN: NBA/Knicks at Clippers
● 0.49 rating/861,000 viewers on NBC: USATF Golden Games
● 0.34 rating/620,000 viewers on ABC: MLS/Seattle at Portland

While the event got a modest rating against other events last Sunday, the Golden Games did draw the no. 2 audience of the year against other track events:

● 24 Jan.: American Track League 1/ESPN: no rating; less than 200,000 total audience
● 31 Jan.: American Track League 2/ESPN2: 0.16 rating; 254,000 total audience
● 07 Feb.: American Track League 3/ESPN: 0.19 rating; 310,000 total audience
● 13 Feb.: New Balance Grand Prix/NBC: 0.64 rating; 969,000 total audience
● 21 Feb.: American Track League 4/ESPN: no rating, less than 200,000 total audience
● 24 Apr.: Drake Relays/NBCSN: 0.16 rating; 237,000 total audience
● 24 Apr.: Oregon Relays/NBCSN: 0.22 rating: 319,000 total audience

Happily, there is more T&F coming on television in the coming weeks.

On the track this week, Italy’s Marcell Jacobs ran a lifetime best and national record of 9.95 in the heats in Savona on Thursday (13th), to move to no. 5 on the world list for 2021. He felt a small cramp during the warm-up for the final and skipped it to be safe.

The meet also featured the outdoor 200 m debut of British sprint star Dina Asher-Smith, who won in 22.56, no. 8 on the world list for 2021.

On Wednesday night in Bergamo (ITA), Kenyan Mark Owon Lomuket claimed the world lead in the 5,000 m, winning in a lifetime best of 13:01.68, over Worlds silver medalist Selemon Berega (ETH: 13:02.47) and Ugandan Oscar Chelimo (13:06.79).

On Thursday, Notre Dame’s 2019 NCAA 1,500 m champion Yared Nuguse (USA) ran a stunning 3:34.68 to set the collegiate record in the heats of the Atlantic Coast Conference championships in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Nuguse was all alone almost from the start and finished with a 57.95 last 400 m to remove Josh Kerr (GBR) and his 3:35.01 for New Mexico from 2018 from the record books. Wow!

The Swiss Federal Tribunal dismissed an appeal by Italian race walker Alex Schwazer on Friday, rejecting his request to have his eight-year doping suspension by the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned.

Schwazer, the 2008 Olympic 50 km gold medalist, was found to have taken synthetic testosterone in July 2016 and was banned, as a second-time doper, for eight years, into 2024.

Former IAAF President Lamine Diack, 87, convicted in a French court of corruption during his term, returned to Senegal last Friday after more than five years under house arrest in Paris. The BBC reported:

“Despite the convictions, he has been allowed to return to Senegal thanks to Cheikh Seck, the owner of Senegalese football club Jaraaf, who paid a [500,000] euro bond that will ensure Diack continues to respond to summonses by French authorities.”

● Basketball ● Australian star center Liz Cambage backed off her threat to skip the Tokyo Games and confirmed she will play for the Australian national women’s team, nicknamed the Opals. She wrote on her Instagram page:

“For everyone wondering so desperately what my decision is for the Opals, I’m in baby…I’m in.

“I’m going to play with my sisters that I’ve been playing with since I was a wee little thing and I’m going to ball out for all those young brown kids back in Australia watching me, baby. I’m going to do it for you.”

● Cycling ● The 104th Giro d’Italia is heading toward its second weekend, with seven stages completed and Hungary’s Attila Valter wearing the Maglia Rosa.

American Joe Dombrowski gave U.S. fans a thrill with a win in the rain-soaked Stage 4, his first-ever World Tour victory. He triumphed on the final, uphill climb to Sestola and won by 13 seconds over Italy’s Alessandro de Marchi. Alas, Dombrowski crashed in Wednesday’s fifth stage, suffered a concussion and is out for the rest of the event.

The flat sprinter’s stage on Wednesday was a win for Australian star Caleb Ewan in another mass finish in Cattolica. Ewan won his fourth career Giro stage, crossing ahead of Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA), Elia Viviani (ITA), Peter Sagan (SVK), Fernando Gaviria (COL) and many others.

Thursday’s climbing stage included the monstrous Forca di Gualdo in mid-race and then ended with an uphill finish to San Giacomo in Ascoli Piceno. This was an impressive win for Swiss rider Gino Maeder, 24, who won by 12 seconds over Colombia’s Egan Bernal and Irish star Dan Martin. Valter took over the race lead with a 12th-place finish, leading Remco Evenepoel (BEL) by 11 seconds and Bernal by 16.

Friday’s hilly stage has a long, flat second half, perfect for the sprinters and Ewan was to the line first again, ahead of Davide Cimolai (ITA) and Tim Merlier (BEL), the winner of stage 2. Valter continues to lead overall, with Russian Aleksandr Vlasov in contention in fourth (+0:24) and Britain’s Simon Yates in 10th (+0:49).

The weekend stages will have challenges, including Saturday’s climb up and over the Bocca della Selva (1,388 m at its peak) and Sunday’s five-climb route with an uphill finish at Campo Felice before a rest day on Monday.

The Amaury Sport Organization, which puts on the Tour de France, confirmed that a women’s Tour de France will be held in 2022, with the details to be announced in October.

The lead organizer, Frenchman Christian Prudhomme said that the race would have been held this year but for the Tokyo 2020 postponement. But he noted that a women’s Tour must also stand on its own, after the first try – from 1984-89 – failed:

“In my view, you have to put to one side the idea of parity between men and women. Why? Because there was a reason why that race only lasted for six years, and that was a lack of economic balance. What we want to do is create a race that will stay the course, that will be set up and stand the test of time. What that means is that the race cannot lose money.

“Today, all the women’s races that we organise lose us money. Even so, we’ve been running Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, La Course by Le Tour. There was the Tour of Yorkshire and the Tour de Qatar Feminin, there will be Paris-Roubaix in October. If it makes money, that’s great, but it mustn’t lose money or it will end up like the Tour in the 80s and it will die.

“If that balance had been achieved then, we would be on our 35th women’s Tour now. The challenge is to set up a race that can live for 100 years. That’s why we want it to follow the men’s Tour, so that the majority of the channels which broadcast the men’s Tour will cover it as well.”

● Figure Skating ● Vanessa James, half of the European Pairs Champions in 2019, has had her application for a change of nationality from France to Canada approved by the International Olympic Committee.

In December of 2019, James’s partner, Morgan Cipres, was accused of sexual harassment of a minor while training in Florida, prior to the Olympic Winter Games in 2018. The two split in September 2020.

In April of this year, James announced that she would be skating with Canadian Eric Radford and applied for a change-of-nationality exemption from the IOC. The Executive Board granted the requested exemption to the necessary three-year waiting period, which will make James eligible – subject to qualification – for the 2022 Beijing Winter Games.

● Football ● In the continuing soap opera that is/was the European Super League, the head of Spain’s La Liga, Javier Tebas, is accusing FIFA President Gianni Infantino of being “behind” the failed project.

Tebas said in interviews, “It’s [Infantino] who is behind the Super League and I already told him in person. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, behind all of this is FIFA president Gianni Infantino.”

Infantino, however, announced on 20 April that FIFA disapproved of the Super League concept, saying “We can only and strongly disapprove of a Super League which is a closed shop, breakaway from current institutions. No doubt whatsoever of FIFA’s disapproval. Full support to UEFA.”

On and on, on and on, on and on …

CONCACAF announced the men’s Gold Cup schedule for 2021, with a Preliminary Round from 2-6 July, then the Group Stage from 10-20 July and the eliminations and finals from 24 July to 1 August.

The group games will be played in Dallas, Frisco and Arlington, Texas (Group A, including Mexico); in Kansas City, Missouri and the Dallas area (Group B, including the U.S.); in Orlando, Florida (Group C) and Houston, Texas (Group D).

The playoffs will be held in Glendale, Arizona and Arlington, Texas; the semis will be in Austin and Houston, Texas and the finals in Las Vegas, Nevada.

● Gymnastics ● The new tug-of-war between USA Gymnastics and a group of four plaintiffs trying for an end-run around the federation’s bankruptcy process has been put on hold for three months.

After a hearing before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana on 28 April, the matter was continued and both sides were asked for proposed findings of facts and conclusions of law by 12 May. Both sides asked, and the Court agreed, to extend this deadline to 19 August 2021.

In a joint filing, the federation and the plaintiff group “agreed it would be productive to hold
the Stay Motions in abeyance for the next three months to see if the Parties can amicably resolve the issues in the Stay Motions.” Let’s hope so.

Still no word at all on any progress in the court-ordered meditation toward settlement between the federation, its insurers, the USOPC and the survivors committee.

USA Gymnastics announced that the Olympic Team Trials for Artistic Gymnastics will now be held at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri instead of at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis.

This is due to capacity limits and other coronavirus-related restrictions. USAG noted that “With this move, the U.S. Olympic Team Trials will be held alongside the USA Gymnastics Championships, which serves as the annual national championships for the acrobatic, rhythmic, and trampoline and tumbling disciplines, as well as the final Olympic selection event for rhythmic and trampoline in 2021.”

The dates for the Artistic Team Trials remain the same: 24-27 July. All tickets purchased for the Enterprise Center – which was sold out – will be refunded.

● Sailing ● The World Sailing Council met Friday and approved two alternative events to the IOC in view of its negative reaction to the proposed Mixed Offshore event for the Paris 2024 Games. The decision-making process was straightforward, but the debate was not:

“World Sailing’s Council received the Events Committee recommendation to select the Men’s and Women’s 470 as first alternative and Men’s and Women’s Kiteboarding as the second alternative. After a lengthy debate, Council voted against the recommendation with 23 against, 15 supporting and 3 abstentions.

“They moved into the Equipment Committee recommendation to select Men’s and Women’s Kiteboarding as the first alternative and Men’s and Women’s 470 as the second alternative.

“Men’s and Women’s Kiteboarding was approved as the first alternative with 33 votes in favour, 2 against and 6 abstentions. Men’s and Women’s 470 was approved immediately after as the second alternative with 37 votes in favour, 1 against and 2 abstentions.”

The recommendation for Kiteboard or 470 will now go to the IOC by its 26 May deadline.

● Swimming ● The final stop in the 2021 edition of USA Swimming’s Tyr Pro Swim Series is in Indianapolis, continuing through Saturday. The meet can be seen tonight on NBC’s Olympic Channel at 6 p.m. Eastern time and on Saturday on NBCSN at 6 p.m. Eastern. Live results are here.

On Thursday evening, Michael Andrew won the men’s 100 m Breast in 58.67, a U.S. Open record and just short of the American Record of 58.64 by Kevin Cordes in 2017. Blake Pieroni came from behind to win the men’s 100 m Free, 48.76 to 48.91 over Nathan Adrian. World-record holder Lilly King won the women’s 200 m Breast in 1:05.47, more than two seconds up on Emily Escobedo in second (1:07.66).

The International Swimming League announced that its “regular season” program of five weeks of matches will be held in a sequestered environment at the Piscina Felice Scandone in Naples, Italy.

The 10 teams will compete over five weeks, qualifying eight to a three-week playoff phase in November, with the ISL final in December 2021 or January 2022. Those venues are yet to be announced.

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For our updated – as of 1 May – 506-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THE BIG PICTURE: IOC spokesman Adams confident that “the Games can go ahead and will go ahead” as anti-Olympics petition fades in Japan

By
Rich Perelman
-

“We are confident we can deliver good Games and we will continue working towards that.”

There’s your summary of Wednesday’s brief International Olympic Committee Executive Board meeting, held by videoconference, from IOC spokesman Mark Adams (GBR).

The meeting considered the progress in Tokyo for the Olympic Games coming up this summer and the IOC also unveiled further initiatives on sustainability and gender equity.

But the questions in the half-hour news conference that followed were centered on Tokyo and its continuing battle against the coronavirus. Adams’s comments reflected the IOC’s view that the continued re-emergence of sporting events worldwide confirms the viability of the Games in Tokyo:

● “More than 7,800 athletes have already secured their berths for Tokyo 2020. 70% of the quota places have been allocated. Qualification has finished in a number of sports and disciplines: among those, diving, equestrian, football, handball, hockey, sport climbing, volleyball, water polo, wrestling, and the disciplines of track cycling and road cycling, have all finished their qualifications now.

“More than 260 major events have been successfully organized by [International Federations] in the five continents around the world since September: 20 in the past two weeks, with a cumulative participation of some, in fact, more than 40,000 elite athletes. International competitions have returned across all sports.

“Of the places that still remain to be filled – so that’s the 30% that’s left – 20% will be allocated by rankings and only 10% by the remaining qualification events. And the qualification deadline is the 29th of June.”

● “We are fully, fully concentrating now, in this last implementation phase of delivering excellent Games which really will bring the world together, which really will mark a moment, I think, and something we’re all looking forward to. There are a lot of sporting events going on around the world now, and I think this one will be, the kind of the real tentpole moment that will bring the world together.”

● “There has been a small extension of the emergency situation, but we continue to plan for full Games. That’s the way it has to be and that’s the only way it can be for us.

“And everything is telling us from the test events to the international events that the Games can go ahead and will go ahead.”

Adams was questioned about the consistently negative public opinion surveys concerning the Games, reflecting great concern in Japan about an influx of athletes and officials to a country where widespread vaccination has not yet taken hold. He replied to Graham Dunbar of The Associated Press:

“I’m not going to comment on polls which I haven’t seen and haven’t seen how they’ve been conducted. I’m certainly not going to give you a headline saying I distrust them or mistrust them. They are what they are. We obviously do our own polling. As you know, these are very specific times and very different moment to normal, but as you know, there’s always a dip ahead of the Games quite often. So we take note of them, we take note of public opinion and we think that, at this stage, the Games can go ahead, and I think that you will see – when they do go ahead – and when there is an amazing moment, that will be reflected in public opinion in general.

“As with all organizations, we have to pay attention to public opinion, but not be totally driven by it.”

He also responded to another questioner about the loud voices online, with the equally loud interests of athletes:

“[W]e know social media, quite apart from what’s happening with these Games, is always a very difficult place to be and you find extreme opinions there. What I will say is a lot of athletes are really concentrating on the Games, are really looking forward to the Games and have expressed that. Of course, they have caution as well. I have read one or two interviews where [athletes] are cautious, but the huge majority of views I’ve seen expressed by athletes, by those qualified for the Games, is that they’re looking forward to the Games and they think they can be safe and secure.”

And Adams felt the situation would turn as the Games begin:

“[T]here will be ups and downs and we understand the kind of problems that they are seeing there that will affect public opinion. But I think in the end what we have to do is take account of public opinion, but over a longer term, and try to see what the people will want and, as I said to an earlier question, when the Games happen and when the Japanese people can be the proud hosts of an event which really will be – it’s an overused word – a historic moment to bring the world together after this terrible moment.

“I think, I’m very confident we will see public opinion hugely in favor of the Games. So, of course, we pay attention to these things and of course we must do, but I think we need to keep now, with 78 days to go, we need to keep our eyes very much on what will eventually be, I think, a key moment for the world and for Japanese people who will be very proud to have been able to host it, I think.”

And he was also optimistic about the vaccination rate of those who will be in the Olympic Village:

“We estimate that a large majority of those in the Olympic Village will be vaccinated, and I think that’s a very clear message also for the Japanese people that they will know that not just the athletes, but all those entourage support people who have to be in the Village too. We know a large proportion will be vaccinated.”

The last “questioner” called on was supposedly a “David O’Brien from Yahoo,” who was a protestor instead, holding up a black and white “No Olympics in Tokyo 2020″ banner and screaming against the Games in Tokyo, and Los Angeles for 2028, expletives included.

Adams motioned to have him cut off and sighed, “I’m quite used to this.”

This last incident is emblematic of the anti-Olympic and some of the other protest movements going on in many other places. In the Olympic sphere, there are those who are against the Games in Tokyo this summer, and elsewhere. But that does not mean that the loudest voices in the room accurately reflect the group sentiment.

Take the Change.org petition to “Cancel the Olympics to protect our lives” started by lawyer and three-time Tokyo gubernatorial loser Kenji Utsunomiya.

It got lots of worldwide coverage after launching on 5 May at noon, Japanese time. It received 56,312 signatures in its first 24 hours online and had 190,000 signatures after 48 hours online.

But in almost seven days since then – by 4 a.m. Friday, 14 May (Tokyo time) – the signatures have slowed. The petition has 350,583 signees, so less in the last week than in the first two days. By comparison, Utsunomiya received 844,151 votes in last July’s election for Tokyo Governor, about 13.8% compared to winner Yuriko Koike’s 3.66 million (59.7%), out of 6.13 million ballots cast.

The loud voices can be counted on to be loud. That’s what they do.

That does not mean that’s what the IOC should do. Its President, German Thomas Bach, remembers all too well the broken dreams of athletes – like himself – who could not compete in the Moscow Games in 1980, due to a U.S.-led boycott. Their voices are among those driving him and the IOC to work with the Japanese governments and the Tokyo 2020 organizers to give today’s athletes their chance-of-a-lifetime opportunity, even if in a sequestered, sterile environment in spectator-less stadiums.

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For our updated – as of 1 May – 506-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HEARD AT HALFTIME: WHO’s Ryan explains Olympic virus risk; sprint star Richardson ready to protest? More on DK Metcalf, but not track & field

By
Rich Perelman
-
Unstoppable? World 100 m leader Sha'Carri Richardson (USA) (Photo: USA Track & Field Twitter account)

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

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● The Tokyo Games continue as a political fight in Japan, with anti-Olympics activists pointing to the “Cancel the Tokyo Olympics to protect our lives” petition on Change.org and Dr. Michael Ryan of the World Health Organization saying “It is not whether we will have Olympics or not; it is how those individual risks within that framework are being managed.”

The cancel-the-Games petition was posted on 2 May by Kenji Utsunomiya, a 74-year-old attorney who ran a distant second to Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike in the July 2020 Tokyo Metropolitan elections. Through Monday morning (Pacific time), the posting had attracted 321,543 signatures, and the head of the leading opposition party in Japan, the Constitutional Democratic Party, insisting that the Games cannot be held safely.

But then there is the World Health Organization’s Ryan, an Irish surgeon who is the Executive Director of the Health Emergencies Program, who explained the situation in depth during a Friday media briefing (a long read, but worth it):

“The issues regarding the Olympics are multi-dimensional. There is the issue with regard to the safety of athletes and their teams within the environment of the Olympic Village and the Olympics themselves. Then there is the issue of the venues and whether spectators attend or don’t attend. Then there is the issue of social mixing around those venues, and then there is the issue of whether spectators or attendees will come from outside the country.

“And all of those have to be considered separately. It’s not whether we will have an Olympics or not; it’s how those individual risks within that framework are being managed.

“There has been a tremendous amount of work done on the Playbooks for the teams and the delegations that are coming; a lot of preparations amongst those teams regarding testing and quarantines and arrival. And measures that are being taken in the Olympic Villages, in the training facilities and around the venues themselves.

“Then there is the matter of attendance within the facilities themselves and I believe the Japanese authorities and the IOC still have not made final decisions regarding the level of attendance at those venues because of variance in the incidence situation in Japan itself. Positivity rates in Japan are around seven percent. Japan has experienced an increase –like everybody else – over a period of weeks and months; that has leveled off, it is not continuing to increase. And it is our hope, as it is our hope for every country, that continues on a downward trend.

“We will leave it to the authorities in Japan, who are highly competent, to decide what level of attendance could occur in the Olympics. I think the authorities have already decided that spectators and others will not be allowed to the Olympics from abroad, so that’s something that’s not on the table at the moment.

“And then the issue will be extent to which social mixing and socializing is allowed around the Olympic venues themselves. And again, I believe the measures are being put in place for that and the decisions around that level of mixing will be made by the Japanese authorities in due course.

“And I’ve said the word ‘mixing’ a number of times and we’ve said this again and again with this virus: this virus transmits in places where people mix in higher density for prolonged periods of time. The aim of the protection around the athletes is to prevent that kind of contact and mixing and close proximity, to create an environment of safety for the athletes, to create and maintain an environment of safety for everyone who attends – whatever that proportion is – and to create an environment of safety around the venues themselves.

“Some of those decisions cannot be made until closer to the event, because it will depend on the epidemiologic situation at that time. So it is not a failing at all on behalf of the organizers that they haven’t made certain decisions, because those decisions can only be made on the basis of the epidemiologic parameters that pertain at that time.

“It is our hope that the Olympics can occur; many other events – and we’ve seen sporting events and leagues – run very safely over the last six months without spectators, with special bubbles and arrangements for athletes and for others, footballers and many, many others. It is a complex event; there are so many different events, there are so many different delegations, it is a test of logistics, it is a test of risk management, and we have confidence that the International Olympic Committee and the host city Tokyo, and the Government of Japan, will make the right decisions regarding how best to manage the risks, and are working extremely hard right now to ensure that those risks are well managed.

“And we will leave any decisions regarding the extent to which the Olympics have attendance at venues and other decisions to them, as we believe they are applying a very systematic risk management approach to protect public health at this moment, and as needed, they will make the decisions that are needed based on the epidemiologic situation as we approach the July date.”

More on Tokyo: GamesBids.com editor Robert Livingstone – who covers bidding very closely – tweeted on Monday this historical reminder:

“[A] Japanese government poll taken one week before the [IOC] election showed 92 percent across Japan supported the #Tokyo2020 bid – perhaps the largest level of support ever for a bid (from a democratic nation). The IOC can’t be responsible for buyers’ remorse.”

The newest fight over the Tokyo Games concerns boxing, but this time outside of the ring.

Canadian boxer Mandy Bujold, 33, is a flyweight-class fighter who finished fifth in Rio in 2016, but lost an opportunity to qualify for Tokyo when the Americas qualifying tournament was canceled due to the pandemic.

Advancement to the Games is now being made through rankings as of the end of 2019, when Bujold was pregnant. So she is challenging the qualifying system at the Court of Arbitration for Sport as “discriminatory,” asking for a quick ruling to allow her into the Games based on her pre-pregnancy standing.

● Games of the XXXVI: 2036 ● London Mayor Sadiq Khan was re-elected as expected in balloting last Thursday, projected to take 55.2% of the vote against 44.8% for Conservative Shaun Bailey.

That means a likely approach to the IOC’s Future Hosts Commission, as Khan proposed holding another Olympic Games in London in 2036 or 2040, essentially as political cover for new spending:

“Not only would future London Olympics bring the world’s finest sportsmen and women to London, it would help fast track much needed green infrastructure projects such as Crossrail 2 and the Bakerloo Line extension, bringing with them long term jobs and investment.

“My ambition is for London to host the most sustainable games ever, showcasing the Green New Deal for London with investment in low carbon projects, action to clean up London’s air and showcasing the city’s status as the world’s first national park city to huge amounts of international tourists.”

● XXIV Olympic Winter Games: Beijing 2022 ● The IOC posted a statement last Friday noting a telephone conversation between President Thomas Bach (GER) and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping concerning the progress of the organizing effort, including:

“The two leaders spoke about the close cooperation between the IOC and Chinese authorities with regard to health questions and the measures already being taken to ensure safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, as well as the preparations by Chinese athletes for the upcoming Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

“President Bach thanked the Chinese leader for his great support since their last meeting, during which time the Chinese Olympic Committee has assisted in making vaccines available for Games participants in countries where regulatory approval has been granted by their governments. Now others are also joining this initiative.”

Bach will have his hands full dealing with protests against the Beijing Winter Games after Tokyo is concluded. How much help he can get from Xi is a question whose answer will be closely watched.

● Athletics ● Much more on the brilliant Sha’Carri Richardson, who stormed to stunning wins at the USATF Golden Games at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California in 10.74 (heat) and 10.77 (final).

In her four 100 m races in 2021, she has run (and won) in 11.00, 10.72, 10.74 and 10.77. She’s no. 6 on the all-time world list and at age 21, already has four legal marks under 10.80! There are only six others in history who have done that in a career:

● 15: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM: 2008-19) ~ active
● 13: Marion Jones (USA: 1997-2000)
● 8: Elaine Thompson-Herah (JAM: 2016-21) ~ active
● 5: Carmelita Jeter (USA: 2009-12)
● 4: Merlene Ottey (JAM: 1990-96)
● 4: Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA: 1988)

Richardson, from Dallas, Texas, turned pro after winning the NCAA 100 m title as a frosh for LSU in 10.75 in 2019. She’s also extremely active on social media, recently declaring an interest in protesting at the Olympic Games.

On 6 May, in response to a tweet from @MyMixtapez, stating “Tokyo Olympics have banned all Black Lives Matter apparel and will permanently ban any player kneeling during an anthem playing” – which is not correct, at least at present – Richardson replied:

“Let me make the team, I WILL REPRESENT MY PEOPLE !!”

On a lighter note, last Saturday she also posted:

● “My brain my biggest enemy.”

● “Me wanting love is my biggest downfall”

We’re not making this up, folks.

Congratulations to Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf for conclusively stating what had to be said. After running a creditable 10.37 (changed from 10.36 originally posted), he finished last in his heat of the 100 m at the USATF Golden Games on Sunday; he told Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times:

“These are world-class athletes. They do this for a living. It’s very different from football speed, from what I just realized.

“Personally, it was a good experience. Anybody else who has a different opinion, you’re entitled to your own opinion. But I think I did very well for myself.”

The real issue is not whether Metcalf is fast. He is fast for a football player, but not compared to the world-class sprinters competing on Sunday at Mt. SAC. The issue, as well framed by 1996 Olympic 200 m and 400 m gold medalist Michael Johnson last week, is why it takes a stunt like this to draw attention to the sport. From Twitter last Friday:

● “With @dkm14 competing this weekend at @usatf meet, sprinters rightly feel disrespected. People don’t understand their talent. But that’s not DK’s fault or the media’s fault. The sport has done little to show the immense skill and talent it takes to run 100m in under 10 seconds.”

● “I agree @dkm14 competing in the @usatf meet will draw needed attention to the sport, but NFL, NBA, tennis, and golf don’t need athletes from other sports for them to draw attention. The best sprinters in the world should be enough. Track and Field, market your own product!”

That is the issue. On ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption” on Monday, the first four minutes of the show were devoted to Metcalf. To Metcalf and only to Metcalf! Said host Tony Kornheiser:

“We begin today with something we rarely discuss: track & field.” He added “It worked out like Skeets Nehemiah said it would, that he would finish back in the pack, but he wasn’t embarrassed. He wasn’t embarrassed at all” and then went on to note that Metcalf is 6-4 and 240 pounds, which makes sense for football. Then:

“The guy who won, Mike [Wilbon, co-host], who ran a 9.96, which is like a kite flying in the air it’s so fast, is 6-feet, 160 pounds. That’s like 80 pounds different!”

The winner of the 100 m, 2019 NCAA runner-up Cravon Gillespie, was never mentioned by name. This was great publicity for Metcalf, but will have any benefit for track & field? Not likely.

A very busy weekend had even more strong performances in Europe, including four more world leaders over the weekend:

Ethiopian superstar Gudaf Tsegay debuted in the women’s 10,000 m in a startling 29:39.42 to win in Maia, Portugal. For someone best known as an 800 m (1:57.52i) and 1,500 m (3:53.09 indoor world record), her mark places her no. 5 all-time in the event! Still just 24, which events will she run in Tokyo?

In Ibiza, Spain, Venezuela’s triple jump superstar Yulimar Rojas opened at 15.14 m (49-8 1/2) to take over the world lead from American Keturah Orji, while the men’s triple jump lead was taken by Hugues Fabrice Zango (BUR) at 17.40 m (57-1) in a meet at Montpellier, France.

The women’s world javelin lead was grabbed by Pole Maria Andrejczyk, with a 71.40 m (234-3) toss at the European Throws Cup in Split (CRO) on Sunday. It’s not only the world leader for 2021, but a lifetime best by more than 4 m from her 2016 best of 67.11 m (220-2) and moves her to no. 3 on the all-time world list!

Reuters reported that the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected on Friday the appeal by 2008 Olympic 50 km Walk winner Alex Schwazer (ITA) against an eight-year suspension for doping issued in 2016.

An Italian court in Bolzano had “cleared” Schwazer in a ruling under Italian law – in which doping is a criminal offense – and led to the appeal. An infuriated World Anti-Doping Agency opposed the motion and cited contrary evidence, with which the Court of Arbitration for Sport agreed.

Schwazer will now take his appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, where his chances of reversal are very poor.

Rio Olympic triathlon champion Gwen Jorgensen changed her focus to the marathon for Tokyo, but now says she will try to make the U.S. team in the 5,000 m or 10,000 m in June.

She has qualified in both events, running a lifetime best of 15:08.28 for fifth in March at the Sound Running Invite in San Juan Capistrano, California, and 32:12.12 in San Juan Capistrano in December 2020.

Jorgensen told Milwaukee’s WTMJ4: “Going into Rio Olympics, I was like I’m going to do the Rio Olympics and have a family and that’s it. I didn’t think I could have both. I didn’t think I could be a mom and an athlete. And I’m so thankful for the women before me who showed me that they could do it. That you can be a mom and an athlete and that inspired me to be like ‘whoa! Maybe my career life doesn’t have to be over just because I have a child.’”

● Cycling ● Monday’s third stage of the 104th Giro d’Italia was a 190 km, moderately-hilly ride from Biella to Canale in northern Italy. The route ended in a second straight mass sprint, this time favoring Dutch rider Taco van der Hoorn, who broke away with 8 km remaining and finished four seconds up on Davide Cimolai (ITA), Peter Sagan (SVK), Elia Viviani (ITA) and Australian Patrick Bevan.

The first climbing test comes on Tuesday, during a 187 km ride that finishes uphill after three prior climbs, in Sestola.

● Diving ● The FINA World Cup concluded in Tokyo as both a test event and an Olympic qualifier last Thursday, and the post-mortems were positive:

From Canadian star Jennifer Abel: “We need to adapt, everyone needs to cope with these conditions. The main goal for everyone is to be and feel safe, and we are very safe here. We cannot ask for better conditions with this COVID situation.”

From Colombia’s Alejandro Solarte: “Concerning the conditions of participation, they are strict – and it’s a pity we cannot leave the hotel… – but we have to think that our health should always be the priority. Everyone needs to adapt, but I feel very safe in this so special environment.”

From Britain’s Eden Chang: “The sanitary conditions? As long as we’re in the ‘bubble’ we feel safe and we’re happy.”

FINA and the Tokyo organizers issued a joint statement on the event, noting in part:

“Among the 438 participants, including athletes, coaches and team officials, only one Covid-19 positive case, which was found to be in a team official upon arrival at the entry in Japan, was confirmed and announced on April 29. This individual was immediately quarantined, following the national procedure in place, and no close contacts were identified by Japanese authorities.”

● Wrestling ● USA Wrestling noted the success of its qualifying efforts in light of the close of the World Olympic Qualifier tournament:

“Russia leads all nations with 17 Olympic qualifiers in the 18 weight classes. Russia has full six-athlete teams in men’s and women’s freestyle, plus five wrestlers in Greco-Roman. The United States is in second with 15 qualifiers, with a full six-athlete women’s freestyle team, five in men’s freestyle and four in Greco-Roman.

“The next two nations on the list are Cuba and host Japan with 12 qualifiers. China, Iran and Kazakhstan is next with 11 qualifiers. Coming in with 10 qualifiers are Tunisia and Ukraine.

“Five nations have full six-athlete women’s freestyle teams: China, Japan, Mongolia, Russia and the United States. In men’s freestyle, Russia and Iran are the only nation with full six-athlete teams. Cuba is the only nation with a full six-athlete team in Greco-Roman.”

A total of 62 countries have qualified one or more athletes for the Tokyo wrestling tournament.

● At the BuZZer ● Australian basketball star Liz Cambage, one of the top players in the world, may consider not playing for the country’s Olympic team in Tokyo because of a lack of representation of black athletes in an ad by Jockey, a sponsor of the Australian Olympic Committee.

She wrote on her Instagram account, in part: “HOW AM I MEANT TO REPRESENT A COUNTRY THAT DOESN’T EVEN REPRESENT ME” and added “y’all really do anything to remove POCs from the forefront when it’s black athletes leading the pack until I see you doing more @ausolympicteam imma sit this one out.”

Cambage, 29, was born in London (GBR), but moved to Australia as a toddler. She has played professionally in Australia, China and in the WNBA, where she is a star center for the Las Vegas Aces.

For its part, the Australian Olympic Committee posted a statement including “the athletes made available to Jockey could and should have better reflected the rich diversity of athletes who represent Australia at the Olympic Games.”

Settled? Nope, far from it. Cambage replied on Instagram, writing in part, “words don’t mean anything to me. Actions mean something to me.”

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For our updated – as of 1 May – 506-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: Revisionist Olympic historians beware; the veterans of Los Angeles 1984 are watching out for you!

By
Rich Perelman
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The magnificently-decorated peristyle end of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the Opening Ceremonies of the 1984 Olympic Games (Photo: Wikipedia)

(For our Highlights of last week’s top national and
international sports competitions, click here.)

In today’s edgy, confrontational, only-my-facts-are-right environment, even experts sometimes go astray. A wholly fictional, April Fool’s post on the highly-respected GamesBids.com site “reported” – in fun – that entrepreneur Elon Musk had contacted the International Olympic Committee to inquire about hosting an Olympic Games himself. It included:

“With many cities dropping out of recent bid races due to the public pushback of projects deemed too expensive and too risky, the IOC has been searching for more viable solutions. There has never been a privately organized and financed Olympic Games, but after successfully privatizing space travel – Musk might be the best person to privatize hosting the Olympics.”

Wait, just wait right there.

Let’s not even say in jest that “There has never been a privately organized and financed Olympic Games.” Because the little organizing committee that could – the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee – did just that for the Games of the XXIIIrd Olympiad in 1984.

In correspondence with the GamesBids.com editor, Canadian Robert Livingstone, I asked for a change in the story to ensure that no one, reading this April Fool’s post, would take that idea from the piece and believe it.

Livingstone noted the concern, but explained that “from what I understand the ‘84 host city contract was signed by the Mayor, representing ‘some kind of’ public undertaking, where the Elon Musk proposal would, in theory, be signed by himself – a private citizen.”

Stop. No. Not for a moment.

I replied that the “host city agreement,” which was a one-page telex (!) signed in October 1978, included this key paragraph:

“The [organizing committee] will assume all commitments set forth in this agreement in accordance with the attached IOC Charter 1978, the attached responses and the attached minutes of the presentation by the City of Los Angeles at the IOC Athens Session, thus relieving the City of Los Angeles from responsibility and/or liability for any obligations incurred in the organisation or operation of the Games. Notwithstanding any other provisions to the contrary, the City of Los Angeles shall be neither responsible nor liable for any obligations incurred in the organisation or conduct of the Games in accordance with Rules 51 and 52.”

My note continued: “From the very award of the Games to Los Angeles, the IOC clearly understood it was giving the Games – lock, stock and barrel – to a private organizer (which became the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee), which would be responsible, not the City in any way. The Games was not given to the City of Los Angeles, which was later allowed to transfer its interest; the Games was handed to a private organizer and all sides knew this from the very beginning, as it was a key element of the bid.

“This is the reason I must insist that the 1984 Games be recognized as privately organized and financed from the very start. To say that a future Games given to Elon Musk or someone else would be a first is true only to the extent it would be handed to an individual and not an entity. But the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games (later, LAOOC) was handed the Games as a private organization in 1978.”

To his credit, Livingstone attached a clarification noting my comments, so no one reading the post in the future will be confused. There are revisionist historians still circulating wholesale falsities about the private financing of the Games of the XXIIIrd Olympiad; they are liars of the first order.

Now almost 37 years after the 1984 Games, the facts speak for themselves:

● First completely, privately financed Olympic Games in history
● ~$781.7 million in revenue ($1.99 billion in 2021 dollars)
● ~$549.2 million in expenses ($1.40 billion in 2021 dollars)
● ~$232.5 million in surplus ($592.7 million in 2021 dollars)
● $2.30 billion in net economic impact ($5.86 billion in 2021 dollars)

These figures are updated from the last audited financial statements of 31 March 1985 and account for additional commemorative coin revenues and refunds due the not-for-profit LAOOC, plus expenses to the actual dissolution date of 11 June 1986.

The former Times of London sports editor and long-time IOC historian David Miller (GBR) wrote in the Sport Intern newsletter in July 2014:

“Los Angeles ’84, privately budgeted without a dollar of public money, rescued the IOC.”

(What about the Games of the Xth Olympiad in 1932? The Tenth Olympiad Committee was initially funded by a voter-approved California state bond of $1 million in 1929. Happily, there was a stunning, first-ever surplus of $1.25 million (about $24.85 million in 2021), and the bond was repaid with interest – $1,053,733 – with the remaining surplus of ~$196,267 (about $3.90 million in 2021), given to city and county of Los Angeles.)

The impact of the 1984 Games and its financial innovations hardly ended at the Closing Ceremony. It continues today in Los Angeles through the work of the LA84 Foundation, created in 1985 with 40% – $93.0 million – of the LAOOC surplus. As Founding Chairman John Argue – the man most responsible for bringing the 1984 Games to Los Angeles – put it, the Foundation’s goal was “to put bats and balls in the hands of boys and girls.”

According to the LA84 Web site, the results have been impressive: 3.9 million kids impacted, more than 193,000 coaches trained and grants made to 3,300 non-profit organizations in the Southern California area.

Under current Chair Debra Duncan – an LAOOC star in her own right, in the ticketing department – and current President Renata Simril, LA84 has developed the “Play Equity” concept to get more and better sports opportunities for children in Southern California. This work developed in part from a crucial commitment to research in its Youth Sports Participation survey, with revealing insights into the problems and solutions which are at hand.

Although LA84 no longer provides a financial summary of its long-term impact – the last accounting was in 2014 – reference to subsequent tax filings shows how the Foundation has stayed financially healthy and able to expand its efforts:

● Formed 1985 with $93.0 million in LAOOC surplus
● Spent $153 million+ on grants & sports programs
● LA84 assets maintained at $163 million today!

There has also been more than $41 million spent on education, including the formation and expansion of the LA84 Sports Knowledge Center, one of the finest sports libraries in the world.

The other 60% of the LAOOC surplus went to the United States Olympic Committee (40%) and the U.S. National Governing Bodies (20%). The USOC’s share of the surplus and proceeds from U.S. commemorative coins issued celebrating the 1984 Games was $111.4 million and formed the corpus of the U.S. Olympic Foundation (now the U.S. Olympic Endowment). From that baseline, those funds have provided more than $330 million in Olympic-related grants through mid-2019, while the net assets have grown to $209 million.

The 1984 Games is, quite literally, the gift that keeps on giving, not only financially but in the way events are organized, staffing and staged. Let no one ever say differently.

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 – as of 1 May – 506-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HIGHLIGHTS: Richardson screams 10.74 and 10.77 at Mt. SAC + five world leaders (Benjamin 47.13!); Swiss win, U.S. women get Worlds Curling bronze

By
Rich Perelman
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World 100 m leader Sha'Carri Richardson (USA) (Photo: USATF/Josh Gurnick)

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

● Archery ● The Easton Foundation Gator Cup in Newberry, Florida was the second leg of the USA Archery World Team Trials for 2021, with familiar names at the top of the standings.

World Champion Brady Ellison was the clear winner in the men’s Recurve division, scoring 687/700 from the 70 m line, followed by Jack Williams (668), Tom Stanwood (660) and Joonsuh Oh (653). Ellison and Williams are 1-2 in the Team Trials standings, with one more event to go.

Rio Olympian Mackenzie Brown won the women’s Recurve division with 659 points, beating 15-year-old Gabrielle Sasai on having more 10s, 33-25. Casey Kaufhold, 17, was third with 639, ahead of Jennifer Mucino-Fernandez (628). Brown and Kaufhold are  now tied at the top of the World Team Trials.

In the elimination finals on Sunday, Ellison faced off against Rio Olympic teammate Zach Garrett, winning three tight ends by 29-27,. 29-26 and 29-28 for a 6-0 victory. Williams won the bronze by 6-2 over Michael Plummer.

Brown and Kaufhold met for the women’s title, with Brown winning by 6-0 (30-26, 27-23 and 29-28). Mucino-Fernandez took the bronze, shutting out Nicole Turina, 6-0.

● Athletics ● Sunday’s USATF Golden Games at Mt. San Antonio College had sunshine, a brilliantly renovated Hilmer Lodge Stadium and sensational fields and even without spectators, produced four world-leading marks, and a tie:

● Men/400 m hurdles: 47.13, Rai Benjamin (USA)
● Men/Pole Vault: 5.91 m (19-4 3/4), Chris Nilsen (USA)
● Men/Triple Jump: 17.15 m (56-3 1/4), Will Claye (USA) (equals world lead)
● Women/1,500 m: 3:58.36, Elle Purrier (USA)
● Women/400 m hurdles: 53.65, Shamier Little (USA)

The men’s 100 m went to former Oregon star Cravon Gillespie, finishing in 9.96 over Isiah Young (9.99) and Chris Belcher (10.01); favored Mike Rodgers did not finish. What about Seattle Seahawks receiver D.K. Metcalf, who ran the 100 m? He was eliminated in the heats, finishing ninth (and last) in heat two in 10.36, with Gillespie, Rodgers and Britain’s CJ Ujah running 1-2-3 in 10.11. Metcalf’s time is respectable, but he’s no world-class sprinter: 10.36 tied for 366th on the 2019 world list in the 100 m and equal-94th on the U.S. list for that year. So much for football speed.

World Champion Noah Lyles had to watch emerging star Kenny Bednarek pass him in lane six in the 200 m, but Lyles charged into the straightaway and finally caught Bednarek about 7 m from the line and eased in for a 19.90 to 19.94 win (+0.7 m/s). The times move Lyles and Bednarek to nos. 3-4 on the world list, but this was easily the best showing for Lyles in 2021.

In the men’s 400 m, Tokyo medal favorite Michael Norman went out strongly and looking comfortable down the finishing straight, won in 44.40. That’s the no. 2 performance in the world for 2021 and he was unpressed in the last 50 m.

Bryce Hoppel was impressive in winning the 800 m in an American-leading 1:44.94, pulling away from Michael Saruni (KEN: 1:45.18) and Clayton Murphy (1:45.31). Australia’s Ollie Hoare, under pressure to show his fitness in order to get named for the Tokyo team, ran powerfully from the start and out-lasted Justin Knight (CAN) down the straight in lifetime bests for both: 3:33.19 to 3:33.41, the nos. 2-3 performers of the year.

In the 400 m hurdles, Benjamin ran strongly down the back straight, then charged away on the far turn and ran away from an excellent field in 47.13, an astonishing time for a season opener and the equal-14th fastest race in history! It is also the fastest race ever run before 8 June (!), showing how ready Benjamin right now! Wow!

Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands was second in 47.50, a national record and previous world leader Alison dos Santos (BRA) was third in 47.68, also a national record.

Nilsen won the vault at 5.70 m (18-8 1/4) as no one else could claim a higher height. He then went to a world-leading 5.91 m (19-4 3/4) and cleared on his first try, but missed three times at 6.00 m (19-8 1/4). In the men’s triple jump, two-time Olympic silver medalist Claye rallied in the fifth round to win at 17.15m (56-3 1/4), equaling the world best for 2021.

Shot putter Darrell Hill exploded to 22.34 m (73-3 1/2) for third on the world list in 2021; he’s the third over 22 m, and all are Americans, including Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs.

The women’s 100 m was expected to be a showcase for world leader Sha’Carri Richardson, and she delivered. In the heats, she exploded with the no. 2 time in the world for 2021, 10.74, with a +1.1 m/s wind. American Javianne Oliver won the second heat at 10.97. In the final, Richardson got out slowly, then steamed to the lead and ran away from the field in 10.77, the no. 3 performance of the year, but this time into a headwind of 1.2 m/s. The conversion tables say that hurt her time by 0.08, so her win was “worth” 10.69?!? Almost unimaginable, especially in May. Oliver was second in 11.08.

Gabby Thomas won the 200 m in a mass finish with Allyson Felix, Lynna Irby and Jenna Prandini. The time was slightly wind-aided (2.1 m/s), with Thomas at 22.12, then 22.26 for Felix, 22.27 for Irby and 22.30 for Prandini.

British icons Jemma Reekie and Laura Muir came from Europe to star in the 800 m, running 1-2 in 1:58.27 and 1:58.46, the nos. 2-3 performers of 2021. Reekie, who broke through to stardom indoors, passed Canada’s Melissa Bishop-Nriagu (1:58.62) on the home straight and Muir passed her in the final meters as well. Britain’s Adelle Tracy got fourth in a lifetime best of 1:59.50.

In the women’s 1,500 m, Purrier broke away from Canada’s Gabriela DeBues-Stafford and American Shannon Osika around the final straight, and smashed her lifetime best of 4:00.77 with a win in 3:58.36, moving her to no. 6 all-time U.S. (and eighth American to break 4:00). DeBues-Stafford finished in 4:00.69 and Osika claimed a personal best of 4:00.73.

World-record holder Keni Harrison won the 100 m hurdles in 12.48 (+2.0 m/s), equaling her seasonal best and equal-no. 2 position on the world list. Cindy Sember (GBR: 12.53) and Tobi Amusan (NGR: 12.61) went 2-3, but note Sidney McLaughlin getting a lifetime best and Olympic qualifying time of 12.56 in fifth!

Little, who has been running brilliantly in the 400 m (49.91 lifetime best), finally ran her specialty and exploded for a world leader in 53.65, She crushed the prior world leader, Puerto Rico’s Gianna Woodruff, who ran a lifetime best and national record of 54.70 in second.

Update: There were no additional world-leading marks in the evening section of distance races. The men’s 3,000 m Steeple was won by American Sean McGorty in 8:20.77, no. 5 on the 2021 world list, with Dan Michalski (USA: 8:21.25) second and Obsa Ali (USA: 8:22.67) third. Former Worlds silver medalist Courtney Frerichs won the women’s Steeple over fellow Americans Leah Falland and Marisa Howard, 9:27.70-9:28.72-9:29.65 for the places 2-3-4 on the 2021 world list. Canada’s Julie-Anne Staehli won the women’s 5,000 m in a lifetime best 15:02.34, and Mason Ferlic (USA) set a lifetime best of 13:24.94 to win the men’s 5,000 m.

At the Ready, Steady Tokyo test event at the Olympic Stadium, American Justin Gatlin led a small continent of star foreigners with a 10.24 win in the men’s 100 m. Qatar’s World Champion in the high jump, Mutaz Essa Barshim, tied with Japan’s Naoto Tobe at 2.30 m (7-6 1/2), no. 3 on the world list (with others) for the year.

Elsewhere, Olympic shot champ Ryan Crouser won the Arkansas Twilight meet in Fayetteville at 22.69 m (74-5 1/2), the no. 2 outdoor mark in the world for 2021. Crouser had four throws over 22 m (72-2 1/4): 22.42 m (73-6 3/4), 22.53 m (73-11), 22.37 m (73-4 3/4), foul, 21.89 m (71-10) and the winner at 22.69 m on his final try. Incredible.

Swiss high jumper Loic Gasch claimed the world lead, clearing 2.33 m (7-7 3/4) in Lausanne on Saturday (8th) and setting a national record.

Germany’s javelin world leader – and 2017 World Champion – Johannes Vetter claimed the no. 2 mark in the world this year with a mighty 91.12 m (298-11) throw to win the European Throws Cup event in Split (CRO) on Saturday. It was his 12th career toss beyond the 90 m mark (295-3).

● Curling ● One of the stranger editions of the WCF women’s World Championship was finally completed in Calgary, Canada. While the tournament itself was completed with only one Covid incident – on the German team – at the start of the round-robin, the broadcast of the event was severely disrupted.

Due to positive tests from six broadcast staff on 2 May, television coverage of the event was suspended – although the games continued – until Friday (7th), using a minimal crew for the rest of the tournament.

On the ice, reigning (2019) champs Switzerland dominated the round-robin, compiling a 12-1 record, trailed by Russia (11-2), Sweden (10-3), Denmark (8-5), the U.S. (7-6) and Canada (7-6).

The defending world champion Swiss, skipped by Silvana Tirinzoni, achieved an amazing feat in its game against Denmark, scoring all eight stones in the seventh end, the first time this has been done in World Championships history, on the way to a 13-4 win. Wow!

In the quarterfinals, the U.S., skipped by Tabitha Peterson, edged Denmark (Madeleine Dupont) by 8-7 with a point in the 10th end. Sweden (Anna Hasselborg) eliminated Canada (Kerri Einarson) by 8-3 after piling up a 5-1 edge after the first five ends.

Switzerland and Tirinzoni then defeated the U.S. for the second time in the tournament in the semifinals, 7-3, scoring in five of the nine ends. Russia, skipped by Alina Kovaleva, raced off to a 6-1 lead against Hasselborg and Sweden after five ends, mostly thanks to a four-point fourth end. But the Swedes closed to 7-6 before both teams scored in the final ends and the Russians moved on to their second Worlds final ever, 8-7.

In the final, the Swiss jumped out to a 3-1 lead after four ends, but this was a taut, defensive battle. Russia scored once in the eight end to close to 3-2, but Tirinzoni & Co. added a point in the 10th end and won, 4-2. It was Switzerland’s sixth world title – 2012-13-15-16-19 – in the last nine championships and second straight for Tirinzoni!

Russia, hardly known as a curling power, won its fifth Women’s World Championships medal – and second silver – in the last six editions.

Peterson and her U.S. teammates – Nina Roth, Becca Hamilton, Tara Peterson and Aileen Geving – won the bronze medal with a 9-5 victory over Sweden. The difference was the seventh end, where the U.S. came from 4-2 down to score five points and take a 7-4 lead that it did not relinquish. It’s the first U.S. medal in the women’s Worlds since a silver (to Sweden’s gold) in 2006!

● Cycling ● The first of the 2021 Grand Tours, the Giro d’Italia, got underway in Turin on Saturday, with home favorite – and World Time Trial Champion – Filippo Ganna leading a 1-2 Italian finish.

Ganna finished the flat, 8.6 km course in 8:47, 10 seconds ahead of Edoardo Affini (ITA) and 13 seconds up on Tobias Foss (DEN).

Sunday’s second stage was a fairly flat sprinter’s course of 179 km from Stupinigi to Novara, with Belgium’s Tim Merlier getting to the line first ahead of Italians Giacomo Nizzolo and Elia Viviani, with Dylan Groenewegen (NED) fourth and Peter Sagan (SVK) fifth, all in 4:21:09.

The 2021 route includes five flat stages, nine hilly stages and seven climbing stages (21 total), with the decisive final week featuring five mountain routes in the final eight stages, half of which have uphill finishes! Ouch!

The projected contenders for one of cycling’s great prizes include:

● 2019 Tour de France winner Egan Bernal (COL)
● 2017 Giro bronze medalist Mikel Landa (ESP)
● 2020 Giro fourth-place Joao Almeida (POR)
● 2018 Vuelta a Espana winner Simon Yates (GBR)
● 2016-17 Tour de France medalist Romain Bardet (FRA)
● 2013-16 Giro d’Italia champ Vincenzo Nibali (ITA)

The sprint stages will be contested by a great line-up, including Fernando Gaviria (COL), Caleb Ewan (AUS), Sagan, Viviani and many more.

The 2021 UCI BMX World Cup got underway in Verona (ITA) with races on Saturday and Sunday, with the Swiss enjoying a nice weekend with four medals across the four finals.

Swiss Simon Marquardt won Saturday’s men’s final in 35.093, a clear victory over Arthur Pilard (FRA: 35.518) and Argentina’s Nicolas Torres (35.850). Teammate David Graf led a 1-2 with Marquardt on Sunday, timing 34.912-34.958, with Dutch star – and former World Champion – Niek Kimman third (35.205).

Dutch stars Judy Baauw and Merel Smulders went 1-2 in the women’s Saturday final, 35.982-36.021, with Sae Hatakeyama (JPN) third in 36.353. Americans Payton Ridenour, Felicia Stancil and Ashley Verhagen went 4-5-6.

Sunday’s women’s final saw 2018 World Champion Laura Smulders – Merel’s older sister – take the win in 35.120, ahead of Zoe Claessens (SUI: 35.440) and Russian Natalia Afremova (35.960). Merel Smulders was fourth and Stancil was seventh.

Albstadt, Germany was the site for the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, but it was two French stars who carried away the victories in the featured Cross Country races.

Dutch star Mathieu van der Poel led the men’s race in the early stages, then gave way to Brazil’s Henrique Avancini. But while Swiss stars Nino Schurter (the 8-time World Champion) and Mathias Flueckiger battled at the front, France’s Victor Koretzky moved up to challenge and when Schurter made his move on the final lap, Koretzky stayed close, then surged ahead and won by just two seconds: 1:20:23 to 1:20:25, with Flueckiger third (1:20:46) and Czech Ondrej Cink fourth (1:20:48).

The women’s race was a runaway for 21-year-old Loana Lecomte, who rushed to the lead and was never headed, winning by 53 seconds in 1:21:38, ahead of reigning World Champion Pauline Ferrand Prevot (FRA: 1:22:31), with Americans Haley Batten (1:22:53) and 2018 World Champion Kate Courtney (1:22:58) third and fourth.

In the 9.5 km Short Track race, van der Poel won in 20:39, just two seconds ahead of Koretzky (20:41) and three seconds up on Schurter (20:42). Ferrand Prevot won the women’s 8.3 km Short Track event in a four-way fight over Linda Indergand (SUI), 20:37-20:38, with Annie Last (GBR) and Courtney third and fourth, both in 20:39.

● Diving ● With China sending only a couple of athletes, Great Britain was the big winner at the twice-delayed FINA World Cup in Tokyo, Japan.

After winning both of the men’s synchro events last week, two-time World 10 m Champion Tom Daley won the men’s Platform title, outscoring Mexico’s Randal Willars, 541.70-514.70, with Canada’s Rylan Wiens third (488.55).

The men’s 3 m Springboard title went to Germany’s Martin Wolfram (467.75), ahead of Britain’s James Heatly (461.25) and Alexis Jandard (FRA: 434.25).

China sent 2017 women’s World 3 m Champion Yani Chang and 2019 World 1 m Champion Yiwen Chen to Tokyo and they won the 3 m Synchro event easily and went 1-3 in the 3 m Springboard event. Chen won at 383.55, ahead of American Sarah Bacon (348.75) and Chang (344.40, continuing after hitting the board with her legs in the semis). Bacon was the silver medalist in the World 1 m event in 2019, behind Chen.

In the women’s 10 m, Malaysia’s Pandelela Rinong – the 2016 Olympic silver medalist – won in Tokyo, scoring 355.70, defeating Japan’s Matsuri Arai (342.00) and Caeli McKay (CAN: 338.55).

This was a significant test event for the Tokyo organizers, with 224 athletes from 46 countries competing, in contrast to most events with solely Japanese competitors. The event, once it started, went smoothly enough to be a confidence booster for the Games.

● Gymnastics ● The FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup in Baku (AZE) saw Russia score a 1-3 finish in the All-Around with second-line stars Daria Trubikova (98.800) and Lala Kramarenko (97.600) sandwiched around Bulgarian star Boryana Kaelyn (98.525). Of note was the fifth-place finish of Israeli star – and three-time Worlds All-Around medalist – Linoy Ashram, a Tokyo medal contender, but who scored only 96.575 on Saturday. American Laura Zeng was ninth (91.500).

In the Sunday apparatus finals, Ashram was on a mission, winning in Hoop (27.150) and Clubs (27.800) and also finishing fifth in Ball (25.750). Kramarenko (26.850) and Alina Harnasko (BLR: 26.600) were the other Hoop medal winners and Zeng finished sixth (24.450).

In Clubs, Kaleyn (27.400) and Kramarenko (27.150) finished 2-3 and Kaelyn, Harnasko and Katrin Taseva (BUL) went 1-2-3 in Ribbon: 24.300-23.450-21.500. Italian star Alexandra Agiurgiuculese won in Ball (26.350), followed by Trubnikova (26.100) and Kaelyn (26.100).

● Ice Hockey ● The 2021 IIHF men’s World U-18 Championships was completed on 6 May, with Canada winning its fourth title in this competition, 5-3, over Russia.

The event was held in Frisco (Comerica Center) and Plano (Children’s Health StarCenter) in Texas, with Canada sweeping through Group A (4-0) and then through the three playoff rounds to win the title with a combined score of 51-12. Finland won Group B ahead of Russia, with both earning a two wins, one overtime win and one overtime loss (9 points). The U.S. was third, with one win, two overtime wins and one overtime loss (8 points).

Russia, Canada, Finland and Sweden won the quarterfinal games; the Swedes eliminated the U.S., 5-2. Canada stomped Sweden by 8-1 in its semi and Russia slid past Finland, 6-5, in their rematch from the group stage. Canada won the final, 5-3, while Sweden shut out the Finns, 8-0, in the third-place game.

Matvei Michkov of Russia led in goals (12) and points (16) and was named Most Valuable Player and Best Forward by the tournament committee. The top keeper was Canada’s Benjamin Gaudreau (2.20 goals-against average) and the top defenseman was Finland’s Aleksi Heimosalmi.

● Judo ● A rare week-day IJF World Tour Grand Slam in Kazan, Russia drew 407 athletes from 79 countries, with the home team dominating with four wins and 15 total medals. Japanese competitors claimed three wins and France two.

The home team claimed victories in the men’s 66 kg class (Murad Chopanov), men’s 73 kg (Makhmadbek Makhbedbekov) and men’s +100 kg (Tamerlan Bashaev), plus Madina Taimazova in the women’s 70 kg division.

Japan earned golds in the men’s 90 kg class with Sanshiro Murao and the two lightest women’s classes: 48 kg (2019 Worlds runner-up Funa Tonaki) and 52 kg (2019 World Champion Uta Abe).

The 2019 World Champion in the men’s 60 kg class, Lukhumi Chkhvimiani (GEO), won in Kazan, beating Russia’s Robert Mshvidobadze in the final.

● Wrestling ● The UWW World Olympic Qualifier was filled with drama in Sofia, Bulgaria, as the final tickets for Tokyo were handed to the finalists in all 18 divisions (six each for men’s and women’s Freestyle and for Greco-Roman).

Russia earned four additional spots in Tokyo, the most of any country, with Sergey Kozyrev winning the men’s Freestyle 125 kg class, and Olga Khoroshavtseva (53 kg), Veronika Chumilova (57 kg) and Lyubov Ovcharova (62 kg) all winning in the women’s Freestyle tournament.

The U.S. gained no additional qualifiers. Jordan Oliver lost in the semifinals at 65 kg in men’s Freestyle and finished fifth. In Greco-Roman, Jesse Porter (77 kg) lost in the Round of 16 and Adam Coon (130 kg) lost in the quarterfinals.

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THE TICKER: Losing Tokyo gubernatorial candidate petitions to cancel Games; anti-doping tests back up to speed; USATF Golden Games focus on football?

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2032 ● A prominent Japanese attorney who has unsuccessfully run for Tokyo Governor three times created an online petition against the Tokyo Games that has gathered more than 165,000 signatures since being posted a few days ago.

The English-language headline reads “Cancel the Tokyo Olympics to protect our lives” and claims “it is highly possible that holding the Olympics will be a super-spreader and worsen the situation that we are currently in.”

The petition was started by Kenji Utsunomiya, a 74-year-old attorney who ran second to Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike in the July 2020 Tokyo Metropolitan elections. Koike received 3.66 million votes (59.7%) to 844,151 (13.8%) for Utsunomiya, running as an independent, but with endorsements from four groups, including the Japan Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party, formerly known as the Japan Socialist Party. It was his third loss in governor’s races, having also lost in 2012 (placing second) and 2014 (second); the 2020 results showed his lowest vote total of the three attempts.

Observed: The Tokyo Games is not going to be canceled because of a petition, which is much more a political play against the government’s response to Covid-19 than anything else. However, the petition – as hysterical as it is – demonstrates the likely positive political response to not allowing any spectators at the Games. That decision is expected as soon as the end of this month.

Further on the Covid-19 front, the International Olympic Committee announced on Thursday (6th):

“As part of the plans to ensure safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE to donate doses of the companies’ COVID-19 vaccine to Games participants from National Olympic and Paralympic Committees around the world.

“National Olympic Committees (NOCs) will work with their local governments to coordinate local distribution in accordance with each country’s vaccination guidelines and consistent with local regulations.”

The statement noted:

● “[Pfizer Chairman and Chief Executive Albert] Bourla [GRE] made an offer to donate the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for athletes and their delegations participating in Tokyo 2020. Following this conversation, the Japanese government had a meeting with the IOC and now the donation plan has been realised.”

● “[A]ny additional doses delivered by Pfizer and BioNTech will not be taken out of existing programmes, but will be in addition to existing quotas and planned deliveries around the world.”

The IOC has not required athletes to be vaccinated as a condition for participation, but has urged everyone coming to the Games to get shots if available in their home countries.

The World Anti-Doping Agency announced that sample collections have almost returned to pre-pandemic levels, in advance of the Tokyo Games.

Thursday’s statement shows that worldwide samples collections reached 22,649 in March 2021 (by 145 anti-doping organizations), compared to just 11,207 when the pandemic hit in March 2020. The new total is still short of the 26,933 collected in March 2019.

Importantly, however, the total for out-of-competition testing up actually up against 2020 and 2019: 15,130 for March 2021 vs. 6,868 for March 2020 and 13,139 for March 2019. This is a very good indicator of the level of anti-doping efforts, as many competitions have been either canceled or downsized.

The IOC and TOP sponsor Proctor & Gamble announced a $520,000 donation by the company that will go – in $10,000 grants – to charitable organizations designated by 28 Olympic-sport athletes and 24-Paralympic-sport athletes, representing 20 countries and in 25 different sports.

This is called the “Athletes for Good Fund” and the recipients are to be posted on a special Web page on the IOC’s Athlete 365 platform. Recipients identified in the announcement include U.S. skateboarder Mariah Dunn, supporting Skate Like A Girl to encourage female participation. U.S. Para-triathlete Melissa Stockwell, founder of Dare2Tri, which uses sports to support individuals with physical disabilities.

Observed: This is a very shrewd pilot program by the IOC. If this project has the hoped-for impact, the Olympic Movement can be positioned as a social-service gateway for its sponsors on a worldwide basis, offering significant corporate social responsibility rewards as part of its TOP program, going well beyond the commercial impact of the Olympic Games. Moving forward, this could be a potentially significant element offered to IOC corporate partners that can be activated all-year-round, in addition to the traditional commercial elements of sports sponsorships.

● Games of the XXXIII Olympiad: Paris 2024 ● Clearing and construction work on the Parc Georges-Valbon, north of Paris, has been stopped on part of the site and allowed to continue on a smaller portion. The area has been designated as the media village for the Paris 2024 Games, as well as the competition area for climbing and shooting. An anti-development group filed suit against the project, leading to the stoppage until a final administrative decision is made, perhaps as early as 14 May.

● Games of the XXXVI Olympiad: 2036 ● Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London (GBR) said on Monday (3rd) that if re-elected on Thursday, he wants the city to explore bidding for a fourth Olympic Games in the city in 2036 or 2040.

London successfully staged to 2012 Games and Khan wants to use that existing infrastructure again, but also as a base from which to launch significant new capital projects:

“Not only would future London Olympics bring the world’s finest sportsmen and women to London, it would help fast track much needed green infrastructure projects such as Crossrail 2 and the Bakerloo Line extension, bringing with them long term jobs and investment.

“Not only that, but, by ensuring the games are staged across the UK, and visitors encouraged and supported to explore every corner of our country, London 2036 or 2040 could be a huge boost to levelling up our cities and regions.”

The 2012 Games ran well past the financial projections, with the government picking up £8.77 billion in costs (~$14 billion U.S. in 2013 dollars) vs. the projected £3.4 billion public cost when the bid was won in 2005.

● Athletics ● Following up on Thursday’s Lane One column about British sprinter Adam Gemili and how important the Olympic Games is as a protest platform … since he gets little or no attention anytime else, is the spike in interest in the USATF Golden Games coming this Sunday at the newly-renovated Hilmer Lodge Stadium, at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California.

The entries show a brilliant field that includes men’s World 200 m Champion Noah Lyles, former U.S. 200 m champ Ameer Webb, 2018 NCAA 400 m champ Michael Norman, World 800 m Champion Donavan Brazier, 2020 USATF Indoor 800 m champ Bryce Hoppel, 2016 Olympic Steeple silver winner Evan Jager, World 400 m hurdles silver winner Rai Benjamin, women’s world 100 m leader Sha’Carri Richardson, two-time Olympic 200 m gold medalist Veronica Campbell-Brown (JAM), Allyson Felix vs. Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH) in the women’s 200 m, world 100 m hurdles world-record holder Keni Harrison and many, many more stars.

If you look at indicators of national interest, however, it’s only about Seattle Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf – a high-school hurdler – running in the 100 m.

He will be facing two-time Olympian Mike Rodgers (9.85 in 2011) and British Olympian CJ Ujah (9.96 in 2014), among others and will be pressed to even make it into the final. But all the chatter is about whether he can run the Olympic Trials auto-qualifier of 10.05, or around 10.20, which could get him invited to the Trials to fill out the field. Sad, just so sad.

But coverage will be on NBC, starting at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, so you can see for yourself.

Former IAAF President and IOC member Lamine Diack of Senegal, convicted of corruption in covering up Russian doping positives against payment, was cleared to leave house arrest in Paris (FRA) as his former football club in Senegal paid a €500,000 bond (~$603,500 U.S.).

The club, Jaraaf de Dakar, sold part of its headquarters property and used part of the proceedings to fund the bond. Diack, 87, had been the head of the club twice in previous decades.

Diack will be allowed to return home to Senegal for the first time since 2015. He was continuing to be held in Paris as a second case concerning vote-buying in Olympic host-city elections was being prepared. According to Agence France Presse, “[A] judge recently lifted the ban on Diack leaving France, provided he paid a bond and that he continues to respond to summonses.”

● Football ● U.S. Soccer announced summer matches for its men’s and women’s national teams, including a busy schedule for the Olympic-bound, no. 1-ranked women’s team.

The USWNT will face Portugal on 10 June, then Jamaica on 13 June and Nigeria on 16 June, with the first two games at BBVA Stadium in Houston, Texas and the final game at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. Jamaica and Nigeria will play on 10 June and Portugal will play Nigeria on 13 June.

The U.S. is the only Olympic qualifier among the four teams.

The men’s National Team will play Costa Rica on 9 June in Sandy, Utah in a friendly, following a friendly on 30 May against Switzerland in St. Gallen (SUI) and the 3 June CONCACAF Nations League semi-final against Honduras in Denver, Colorado.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino won a significant victory in court on Wednesday as the Swiss Federal Criminal Court removed special prosecutor Stefan Keller from his position. According to the FIFA statement:

“The FCC emphatically declared that the bias of Mr Keller, as demonstrated by his various media releases, repeated procedural errors, and consistent denial of rights, could not guarantee a fair process.

“In particular, the FCC stated that by attempting to look into matters that had nothing to do with his mandate and then publicly raising his own personal suspicions about them without any objective justification, Mr Keller had clearly violated the presumption of innocence and damaged the standing of the FIFA President, contrary to his personal rights protected under the law.

“The FCC underlined that for a public prosecutor to communicate distorting, injurious, misleading and factually incorrect information, as well as mere polemics and propaganda, is plainly inadmissible.”

To underline its unhappiness, the Court ordered Keller to pay Infantino the sum of CHF 5,000 to cover court costs. Wow.

● Gymnastics ● Gabriele Frehse, a longtime coach at an eastern Germany training center, has been removed after more than 30 years. The Associated Press reported:

“The German Gymnastics Union commissioned an investigation which found evidence of ‘psychological violence’ in 17 incidents. She was also accused of giving painkillers to gymnasts. The board of the gymnastics union recommended in January that Frehse should be fired from the training center.”

Frehse has denied the accusations and promises legal action. This is the latest country to find abusive behavior in gymnastics, especially in coaching. The AP cited other investigations in “Australia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Britain, Japan and New Zealand.”

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LANE ONE: British sprinter Gemili wants to protest at the Tokyo Games, since no one cares about him any other time

By
Rich Perelman
-
British sprint star Adam Gemili

Sad, so sad, but so true.

Adam Gemili, Britain’s powerfully built, two-time Olympic sprinter, with bests of 9.97 from 2015 and 19.97 from 2016, is a medal contender for the Tokyo Games in the 200 m and especially on the 4×100 m relay. He told Eurosport late last month:

“We get one moment every four years, and, with the world’s eyes focused on the Games, athletes will use their moment to protest.”

Re-read that statement, slowly. Now consider the meaning by inverting it. Translation:

“No one cares about me or my sport for three years and 50 weeks, but only at the Olympic Games, once every four years.”

Gemili understood clearly what he was saying. He doubled down on it:

“We are not in the public eye that often, so when we do get that moment, why are we not able to use our voices like other athletes do?

“We are protesting as the minority and the fact that they [the IOC] are trying to limit that goes against everything the Olympics says it stands for. I get sport has to be separate from politics. But this is more than politics; this is humanitarian and about decency – this is not political at all. It is so disappointing that if that moment comes [making the podium], I am not allowed to really have a voice, to do anything.”

Gemili, 27, has obviously been spending his time in training and hasn’t made a close study of the month-long poll taken by the IOC Athletes’ Commission, made public on 21 April. In the survey, the following question was asked of all respondents:

“In Olympic venues, during the Olympic Games, how appropriate do you think it is for athletes to have an opportunity to demonstrate or to express their individual views on political issues and other topics, in the following places?”

Respondents responded on a scale from 1 to 5, “where 1 means ‘Not at all appropriate” and 5 means ‘Very appropriate’.” The results (remaining results short of 100% were “don’t know”):

● Expression in media: 42% in favor( 4-5); 17% not sure (3); 37% against (1-2)

● Expression in interviews: 38% in favor (4-5); 17% not sure (3); 40% against (1-2)

● Expression at Olympic Village: 28% in favor (4-5); 17% not sure (3); 49% against (1-2)

● Expression on the field of play: 14% in favor (4-5); 11% not sure (3); 71% against (1-2)

● Expression at Opening Ceremony: 14% in favor (4-5); 11% not sure (3); 69% against (1-2)

● Expression on awards podium: 16% in favor (4-5), 12% not sure (3); 67% against (1-2)

The story noted:

“The IOC said that the decision was made after surveying 3,547 athletes from 185 countries; the results of said survey found that 67% supported a ban on podium protests. However, Gemili points out that 30% is a substantial number, adding that the blanket ban goes against Olympic values.

“‘[The survey results] mean that 30% are in favour of protest and having that freedom of speech is pretty much what the Olympics stands for. Everyone is trying to focus on training as it is an Olympic year and the Games provides an opportunity to affect change with the whole world watching. And [the IOC] are saying you can’t do anything!’”

Sorry, Adam, it’s 16% in favor of podium protests, not 30%. And among the 135 British athletes who responded, 64% were against podium protests, 69% were against protests at the Opening Ceremony and 70% against protests on the field of play.

But the real tragedy of his comments is the invisibility of his sport – track & field – and almost all of the other sports on the Olympic program. Football’s visibility and impact are enormous, and basketball – especially the NBA in the U.S. – is not far behind, thanks to vibrant leagues in multiple countries, competing on a regular schedule, with matches televised worldwide.

Gemili’s own International Federation, World Athletics, is well aware of this. It has just recently closed an international polling program of its own across six weeks, which by the halfway mark had attracted 10,000 respondents from 141 countries – more than two and a half times the IOC Athlete survey – to its “Global Conversation” project. The early findings were hardly a surprise:

“Better quality and more facilities, greater coverage of athletics in the media and on television and more athletics in schools are emerging as key drivers of growing athletics across the world. That’s according to early findings in the Global Conversation , the survey currently being conducted by World Athletics that will shape the future direction of the sport for the next decade.”

Translation: give us more access to the sport (1) at close-by locations (such as schools) and (2) in our daily media consumption. The final results are being tallied now and a draft action plan is due by mid-year, to be formally approved for action in November. There is a lot of work to do.

By the way, these early results are hardly an endorsement of the all-powerful cure that social media was promised to be. Gemili complains “We get one moment every four years,” but check out his follower numbers:

● Adam Gemili on Facebook: 59,862
● Adam Gemili on Instagram: 54,458
● Adam Gemili on Twitter: 105,308

Remember he said, “We are not in the public eye that often.” Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are not the solution, but are part of the effort. Has he maximized his impact with his followers, or are they too casual to really care? Many marketers are asking the same question, as is World Athletics, with two million combined followers on its platforms, but according to the early replies, apparently not making much of a dent.

Gemili’s incomplete attention to what the IOC Athletes’ Commission did and its recommendations mirrors what he views as insufficient interest in social justice in society. Aren’t they, in fact, the same thing?

If he gets onto the medal stand in Tokyo, Gemili will have his opportunity to make his statement, and by then the IOC’s Legal Affairs Commission will have determined what sanctions – if any – will be imposed. Depending on the number of protests in Tokyo – and Gemili said, “athletes will protest – I expect a lot of the older athletes to protest but I hope a lot of the younger ones who are passionate do too” – it will be a major story, or perhaps nothing more than a note.

Then the Games will be over and Gemili and 95% of the athletes who competed in Tokyo will go back to anonymity, this time for three years until the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad in 2024. Good night, then. Sleep well. See you in Paris.

Or will things change?

Rich Perelman
Editor

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HEARD AT HALFTIME: Tokyo spectator decision to reflect baseball & soccer situation; Australian gymnast abuse documented; Judo suspends Iran

By
Rich Perelman
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The Olympic Rings (and a friend) at Mt. Takao outside of Tokyo (Photo: Tokyo 2020)

(For our updated, 506-event,
International Sports Calendar for 2021, click here)
(For our Highlights of the weekend’s competitions, click here)

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

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● Japan’s former Olympics minister and now a Tokyo 2020 Vice President projected confidence in a television interview that the Olympic Games will be held this summer.

Toshiaki Endo, a Liberal Democratic Party member of the Japanese Diet, said:

“In case [the virus] is widespread in the society, it’s not impossible that we could decide they can’t be held, but we’re preparing thinking we can definitely hold them given Japan’s situation and countermeasures.”

Asked about possible cancellation, he replied, “We’re not considering that” and also responded to the call from an infectious disease expert interested in discussing it, saying the comments were “reasonable from the standpoint of an expert’s opinion,” but that the organizers are continuing toward hosting the Games.

As for spectators, Endo noted:

“It’s easier to prepare for no spectators but we’ll decide based on [what is permitted for] professional baseball and J-League. [A decision] could be made in May should the situation permit.”

Tokyo 2020 reported that six traffic control officers were diagnosed with Covid-19 while involved with the Olympic Torch Relay on 27 April.

Three were in Amami and the other three in Kirishima, both in the southern prefecture of Kagoshima. The relay continues on.

“We all certainly wish to hear our beautiful anthem being played, but the most important thing now is for our athletes to win. Their wins will compensate for everything.”

Russian government spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters last week that although the Russian anthem cannot be played at the Tokyo Games – due to the World Anti-Doping Agency sanctions – winning, in the end, cures all.

The International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced on Saturday that a “celebratory half-marathon event” would be held in Tokyo in the fall of 2022.

The event will “be an occasion for the IOC to express its gratitude to the Japanese people for their support in playing host to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.”

That’s it? You get a half-marathon for all that trouble?

● Athletics ● Ethiopia held its Olympic marathon trials on Saturday in Sebeta, with the distance fixed at 35 km instead of the full 42.2 km as an accommodation to the 2,200 m altitude, and the race produced a full complement of medal contenders for Tokyo.

In the men’s race, 2020 London Marathon champion Shura Kitata pulled away at the end, winning in 1:46:15 to 1:46:16 for 2019 World Champion Lelisa Desisa, with 2019 Berlin Marathon bronze medalist Sisay Lemma close behind in 1:46:19.

Due to injury, three-time Olympic gold medalist – in the 5,000 and 10,000 m – Kenenisa Bekele did not run in the race, but it was reported that he could be placed on the Olympic team at the discretion of the Ethiopian federation. Stay tuned on this one.

The women’s race ended with a surprise winner in Tigist Girma, 27, who has a marathon best of 2:19:52 from 2019, and finished in 1:59:23. Birhane Dibaba, a two-time Tokyo Marathon winner, was second in 1:59:45 and Roza Dereje, the 2018 Chicago runner-up, was third in 2:00:16.

Long-time observers of Ethiopian distance running will note that coach Haji Adilo is the coach of four of the six qualifiers: Kitata and Desisa for the men and Girma and Dereje among the women.

One more world leader from the weekend, from the Trials of Miles meet in Leavenworth, Kansas. Mexican Jose Lopez won the 800 m in a lifetime best and national record 1:44.40, taking the world outdoor lead for 2021. Still just 23, he smashed his old best of 1:45.03 from 2019.

The Associated Press reported that the 2008 Olympic silver medalist in the decathlon, Andrei Krauchanka, is now on a hunger strike in his native Belarus in protest against the government’s persecution of political protestors.

This is a continuation of the protests against Alexander Lukashenko, who won a sixth term as the country’s President last August amid questionable circumstances. The AP reported, “Police cracked down harshly on the protests, arresting more than 34,000 people and beating many of them. Krauchanka was among those detained and beaten.”

World Athletics confirmed its approval of four Russians as Authorized Neutral Athletes last Friday (30th), including two reigning World Champions:

● Ilia Ivanyuk, men’s high jump ~ 2019 Worlds bronze medalist
● Aksana Gataullina, women’s pole vault ~ 2019 European Junior Champion
● Mariya Lasitskene, women’s high jump ~ 2019 World Champion
● Anzhelika Sidorova, women’s pole vault ~ 2019 World Champion

The World Athletics Doping Review Board declined to consider a quick-turnaround application from 14 race walkers who wanted to compete on 16 May in the European Team Championships, but applied after the 8 April deadline.

The World Athletics Council agreed to a maximum of 10 Russian entries at this summer’s Olympic Games, but no limited on the number of “ANA” athletes in other events.

● Gymnastics ● A 110-page report by the Australian Human Rights Commission on gymnastics in Australia found widespread abuses of athletes – some as young as eight or nine – by coaches and others. The Australian reported:

“Australian sport’s worst secrets are now out in the open and they are a national disgrace.

“For decades, young Australian gymnasts, mostly girls, were molested, abused and bullied by the same people who were supposed to protect them.

“For reasons that still haven’t been properly explained, taxpayer sporting authorities didn’t intervene.

“The accusation is that they either turned a blind eye to the abuse because they were so obsessed with winning, or they didn’t know it was happening even when it was taking place right in front of them.”

The report made five findings and 12 recommendations for the future; the findings start with “Current coaching practices create a risk of abuse and harm to athletes.” The recommendations focus on more coaching education, a bigger voice for athletes and easier ways for athletes to report possible abuse and concerns.

Britain’s Daily Mail reported that Olympic icon Nadia Comaneci – immortalized by scoring the first “perfect 10″ in Montreal in 1976 – and other Romanian gymnasts were allegedly “beaten, starved, and denied medical treatment to girls at their training camps” by coaches Bela and Martha Karolyi.

The revelations came from a new book published in Romania by Stejarel Olaru, based on “old files from the Securitate, Romania’s communist-era secret police, who kept a close eye on the Karolyis because of the importance of Romania’s gymnastics team to state propaganda efforts.”

The Daily Mail story noted that Comaneci was aware of the project, but did not participate in it and that her side of the story was in her 2003 book, “Letters to a Young Gymnast.”

The Karolyis continue to be involved in litigation in the U.S. around the Larry Nassar abuse scandal, now tied up in the USA Gymnastics bankruptcy case.

The latest report of operations from the ongoing USA Gymnastics bankruptcy proceedings at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana shows total legal fees approaching $14 million at $13,909,469. However, only $8,099,991 has been paid so far – that’s 58.2% – and the rest is being paid slowly by the USA Gymnastics insurers.

A hearing last week on whether cases filed in New York against the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee resulted in requests for more information from the parties, due in two weeks.

● Judo ● The Court of Arbitration for Sport finally published its 40-page decision of the appeal by the Iran Judo Federation against the International Judo Federation’s suspensions in 2019, following the 2019 World Championships in Tokyo in which Saeid Mollaei, Iran’s 2018 World 81 kg Champion, was directed to lose a match in order not to face Israel’s Sagi Muki, who ended up winning the class. The decision concluded in part:

“The Panel also considers that by instructing the Athlete to deliberately lose a contest in order to avoid competing against an Israeli athlete, the Appellant caused the Israeli athlete to be treated differently from other athletes solely because of his nationality or religion. Such a conduct would clearly constitute a discrimination based on nationality or religion, which is expressly prohibited under Article 1.2.4 of the IJF Statutes and the Fundamental Principles of Olympism as provided under the Olympic Charter. …

“The Panel therefore concludes that by instructing the Athlete to deliberately lose his contests at the 2019 Judo World Championship Senior, the Appellant breached the principles of political neutrality and non-discrimination as provided under the IJF Statutes and the Olympic Charter.”

Mollaei fled the event after his competitions concluded and now wrestles for Mongolia.

While the arbitration panel upheld Iran’s contention that the IJF’s suspension of the Iranian federation until such time as it guaranteed that its fighters would compete against Israelis was not in line with the IJF’s own sanctions statutes, the IJF’s later provisional suspension of the Iranian federation was proper.

Following the completion of the CAS decision on 1 March 2021 and its public publication, the IJF announced last Thursday (29th):

“The IJF Disciplinary Commission pronounced against the Iran Judo Federation a provisional withdrawal of its status as IJF member and all its affiliated components for four (4) years, from 18 September 2019 until 17 September 2023 …

“The Disciplinary Commission considers that this sanction, especially given the backdating and the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic (which led to no competition being organised for most of 2020), is proportionate to the extremely severe offenses committed by IRIJF.”

● Sailing ● World Sailing, under pressure from the International Olympic Committee to come up with an alternative to its proposed Mixed Two Person Offshore Keelboat, confirmed three possibilities based on 26 submissions from interested classes:

● Men’s and Women’s Individual Kiteboard
● Men’s and Women’s Two-Person Dinghy (470)
● Mixed Team Racing (ILCA 6)

The World Sailing Council will meet on 14 May and submit its top two proposals to the IOC, which has a 26 May deadline.

● Weightlifting ● The International Weightlifting Federation’s Constitutional Congress is coming on 30 June 2021, and the federation has now released both the draft constitution as well as 102 pages of comments from 43 national federations and one continental federation, plus the World Anti-Doping Agency, the International Testing Agency and the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF).

The ASOIF’s comments included:

“Overall, we believe that adopting the draft Constitution would represent a significant step forward for the IWF. There are numerous positive proposals in the draft, including on reforming the composition of the Executive Board with the introduction of athlete representatives, independent members and increased gender balance. Other important measures which ASOIF welcomes are the introduction of term limits (plus staggered terms), eligibility and vetting rules, the out-sourcing of investigations to an independent body, and provisions to ensure greater transparency.”

However, the ASOIF letter also raised some concerns about the amendment process, which requires a 75% vote at an IWF Congress!

Many national federation comments debated the provisions concerning doping suspensions. Russia asked for no sanctions to be imposed by the IWF Board, with the entire doping program outsourced to the International Testing Agency. USA Weightlifting, on the other hand, asked for a re-write of the sanctions section that would implement penalties after just two doping violations from a single country at international competitions, on a rolling, four-year average!

Lots of debate coming on this; one thing that all of the IWF federations know for sure is that the IOC is watching, closely.

● World University Games 2027 ● The North Carolina bid committee for the 2027 World University Games issued its April e-mail update, noting its proposed sports program:

“There are currently 15 sports required to be held in the Summer World University Games. Those required sports are Archery, Artistic Gymnastics, Badminton, Basketball, Diving, Fencing, Judo, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Track & Field, Volleyball, and Water Polo. This lineup includes a number of more high-profile sports that you would typically expect to see in an Olympic sports event, such as Basketball, Diving, Gymnastics, Swimming, Track & Field, Volleyball, and Tennis, but actually every one of the required Summer WUG sports is an Olympic sport that will be contested in this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

“In addition to those 15, the Local Host can recommend up to 3 additional sports for the Games. Our North Carolina Bid Committee is proposing Baseball, Rugby 7s, Soccer, and Softball,” explaining that baseball and softball are part of the same International Federation and therefore count as “one” sport.

The selection process with the Federation Internationale de Sport Universitaire (FISU) for the 2027 Games is expected to take about another year. Support for the bid is continuing to expand, with the newsletter presenting 14 partner logos, most from the Research Triangle area in North Carolina, but also … Wasserman, the Los Angeles-based talent, branding and properties firm, headed by LA28 organizing committee chief Casey Wasserman!

● At the BuZZer ● May Day was the 81st anniversary of the final, certain cancellation of the 1940 Olympic Games. But the cancellation was made by the Finnish Olympic Committee in Helsinki, not the Japanese.

Tokyo was awarded the Games of the XIIth Olympiad in 1936, and was the first Asian city to be selected to host the Games. But Japan went to war against China in 1937 and the Japanese government renounced the event on 16 July 1938. The International Olympic Committee turned to Helsinki, which was the second choice to Tokyo.

The Finns were preparing to hold the Games from 20 July-4 August 1940. But with the outbreak of World War II in Europe in September, 1939, it became impossible to hold the event. But the Finns did not formally renounce the Games until 1 May 1940.

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For our updated – as of 1 May – 506-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: Is the skiing world ready for energy and evangelism? It could get both with the election of British skier and executive Sarah Lewis

By
Rich Perelman
-
Britain's Sarah Lewis (third from left) at a Roller-skiing development program in China in 2019 (Photo: Sarah-Lewis.com)

(For our updated, 506-event,
International Sports Calendar for 2021, click here)
(For our Highlights of the weekend’s competitions, click here)

“So I have the vision to transform FIS, to become a global movement, for world skiing and snowboarding. The skills that I have, I’ll use them as a successful advocate, a promoter for FIS in our global community of national associations, our sport, most especially – always at the center – and our athletes.

“Really promoting us even further within the IOC, within the Olympic Movement, global sports landscape, and with new partners, with our existing partners, of course.”
~ Sarah Lewis, FIS Presidential candidate

There have been just four Presidents of the Federation Internationale de Ski (FIS) over the past 97 years – all men – from Sweden (Ivan Holmquist: 1924-34), Norway (Nicolai Ramm Ostgaard: 1934-51), and Switzerland, with Marc Hodler from 1951-98 and Gian-Franco Kasper, from 1998 to today.

On 4 June, the FIS will elect a new President as Kasper, 77, is retiring, after 23 years as Secretary General, followed by 23 years as President. Grim and gruff, Kasper could hardly be called inspirational, although the federation has prospered during his term.

Which way will FIS turn? The four candidates include:

● Swede Johan Eliasch, chief executive of the equipment and sportswear brand Head;
● Former World Downhill champ and Similasan chief executive Urs Lehmann (SUI);
● Swede Mats Arjes, a FIS Council Vice President from 2010-present, and
● Lewis, a 1988 Olympic Slalom and Giant Slalom skier for Great Britain who joined FIS in 1995 and rose to be Secretary General for 20 years until removed by the FIS Board in an internal rift in October last year.

Now Lewis is back and in a big way, with a sharply-honed message and a detailed Web presentation. But after the internal politics went against her last year, why? She is clear:

“Very importantly, I have been actively encouraged by national associations, by the snow sports, and the global sports community to pursue a candidacy, in order to fully represent everyone. Not just the elite nations, not just the emerging nations, everybody. the stakeholders as well: that means the ski industry, that means winter sports tourism.

“Look, I understand our sport, our federation, inside and out, from all perspectives, and I think, most importantly, I’ve got an international vision. I am not tied to any nation; I’ve worked now internationally for 27 years.

“I’ve been an Olympic athlete, I worked in the ski industry – alongside when I was an athlete, as a trainee, and then ran my own company as well as worked through the ski industry, I worked through the ski media, I was a volunteer team manager for the English national junior team, and where I originally came from, then I was the national association director for four years before I then started to work for FIS, directly after the Lillehammer Games. First of all in a technical function, as the coordinator for the Alpine Continental Cup [competitions], building up this global series of the five global Continental Cups, and then took over as Secretary General, initially the Director in 1998 and then Secretary General in 2000, for 20 years.”

Over a 52-minute interview, it was hard to get a word in edgewise, as Lewis enthused over her vision of creating a much broader skiing and snowboard community worldwide, with an impressive grasp of specifics:

● “FIS will undergo a complete digital transformation to strengthen its commercial potential, to harness innovations, to showcase the outstanding athletes, the iconic competition venues, to excite fans, to inspire young people, new participants around the world to ski, to snowboard, to be part of our sport. Maybe only digitally, but hopefully also be trying it themselves. And basically, things are limited at the moment to nations who have [TV] rights holders; they’re already fans, and the potential to do some much more is absolutely crucial.”

● “We absolutely have to have wider visibility in promotion of our sport, of the athletes growing and interacting with the global fan base is a priority, partner activation, high-profile athlete ambassadors through the Athletes Legends Club that we’ll set up … generating revenue through the rights to the World Championships and World Cup events, aggregating those rights through investment from private equity.

“This represents an opportunity to bring in new resources, not just tapping out the loyal sponsors who have been part or the organization for 10, 20 or more years. So working with the national associations and their organizers as shareholders with a proven commercial partner who is ready to invest in the sport and grow its value. That’s the reason they get involved. So this is an exciting opportunity.”

She saw the failure of the proposed European Super League in football – with its promised private-equity financial bonanza – as a lesson in governance: “We will not achieve anything like the European Super League did, then you just fall flat on your face. We have to do this together.”

● “[eSports] is a very strong part of my program. It does stimulate interest. Also, through digitalization, we are going to create a big community. … I mean they don’t have to participate necessarily, it will be a reason to do it: eSports and around eSports, so we’re going to connect the practicing recreational skiers.

“You know the global market is currently about 150 million skiers. … There’s no reason why winter sports, why skiing, can’t be the football of the winter sports. Not everybody will be able to do it, but not everybody can play football either. But you can enjoy watching it, you can enjoy following it, you can find some sort of connection to it, and from so many different angles.”

This is a fascinating insight into the future, one that Lewis is insistent on. And it makes sense as a pathway to skiing that could change its place in the sports world.

As FIS Secretary General, Lewis played a role in the development of the current game for alpine skiing – noting, “without the help of the leadership, very much against it” – and sees the opportunity for new games for cross country, ski jumping, the Nordic Combined, and the freestyle and snowboard events.

As a way to reach non-skiers in Africa, Oceania, South America and elsewhere, this could be a pivotal moment. It is not hard to imagine that once launched, a full-size, week-long world championship for e-skiing and snowboarding could be held during the summer, with prize money and all the rest, as a promotional platform for those who ski in person and/or on a computer. It could make skiing and snowboarding a truly year-round sport.

It’s also a potentially explosive promotional opportunity for U.S. Ski & Snowboard, which continues to be one of the world’s top powers in Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard, but which has seen less and less success at the FIS Alpine and Nordic World Championships. At the 2021 Worlds, the U.S. had one medalist in Alpine (Mikaela Shiffrin) and none in Nordic (comprising Cross Country, Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping).

The feeder system for ski and snow sports is much different than for the big summer sports. At the high school level, just 21,030 students competed in skiing or snowboarding in 2018-19 compared to 1,093,621 in track & field. At the collegiate level, NCAA track & field programs had 60,589 participants in 2020 as a feeder program directly to U.S. Olympic and World Championships teams. NCAA skiing is sponsored by just 34 schools across all divisions, with 434 total athletes, and coordination between the federation and colleges is just now accelerating. Might digital skiing be the key which creates interest in U.S. youngsters the way EA Sports’ Madden NFL game does for American Football, with national championships held in ski and snowboard resorts where the players can try the real thing?

The eSports development experience crystalized for Lewis the need to run for FIS President. As Secretary General, her ability to create change was limited; she was first and foremost responsible to implement the decisions and directions of Kasper and the FIS Council (which he dominated). As President, she can lead, and wants to.

“So, my overall vision is for us to transform FIS to become, really, a global movement for world skiing and snowboarding. From being a very good, stable International Federation, organizing of great competitions, with thanks to outstanding organizing committees, national associations, very professional people. But that’s been the main platform and the main focus.

“Now in addition to that, we’ve got the capacity to really grow FIS. That’s the foundation of [my] FIS Piste Map, which is the basis of the strategic plan for us to take the organization into a new, exciting future. For FIS to become a modern, versatile, diverse organization, for the national associations to be fully integrated into the governance of FIS, doing things together we will achieve more.”

This kind of evangelical zeal for the future of skiing and snowboard is well beyond the staid countenance of Hodler or Kasper, but is in line with today’s promotional efforts; if you stay quiet, you stay behind. But Lewis is well aware of the pitfalls:

“We will not be boxing and weightlifting. We will make sure the FIS leads with integrity, with diversity, and with all of the necessary values. And there’s no question we’re going to reach out and use the outstanding experts we’ve got in the organization, within the Council, within the committees, to increasing the athlete engagement and, of course, welfare, safety, injuries – there’s too many. We have a fantastic athlete’s commission, Hannah Kearney (USA), a former Moguls Olympic champion, multiple World Cup champion, World Champion as well. She is the co-chair, but it’s only kind of an overall commission. We need sub-commissions, down in the disciplines, getting their elbows rolled up and really involved in the governance of their own discipline too.”

Lewis faces formidable opposition, but what is fascinating is that everyone feels the urgent need to do more and expand the FIS impact. Arjes, a FIS Council Vice President since 2010, has said, “I am proposing an immediate review and consultation process, which will identify where we can improve and what tangible action we should take.” Eliasch has suggested better, more compelling broadcasts as a key to growth. Lehmann is the chief executive of the Similasan heath and beauty products company and would step back from his work there to concentrate on the FIS Presidency if elected (he is currently the head of Swiss Ski). He is also emphasizing better broadcast formats, more competitions outside of Europe and expanding new markets.

All of the candidates are spending a lot of time in front of their computers, talking with voters at the national federations, sharing ideas and trying to earn trust. The FIS election will be a revealing window into the minds of its members, whether to continue with expanding its existing programs, or to embrace a wider vision. If the national federations decide that this is the time for an evangelist who – also – already knows everyone in the sport, Lewis is ready and willing.

Rich Perelman
Editor

(Thanks to reader and retired U.S. Ski & Snowboard Communications Director Tom Kelly for noting a typo: the FIS Presidential election will take place on 4 June, not 5 June as originally shown. Thanks, Tom!)

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For our updated – as of 1 May – 506-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HIGHLIGHTS: World leaders 9.88 for Bromell and 74-6 1/2 for Kovacs; Pan-Am title for Lily Zhang; two British diving titles in Tokyo World Cup

By
Rich Perelman
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Trayvon Brolmell, the 2016 World Indoor 60 m champ (Photo: Wikipedia/Erik van Leeuwen)

(For our updated, 506-event
International Sports Calendar for 2021, click here)

Headline results of noteworthy competitions around the world:

● Athletics ● The fifth World Athletics Relays in Chorzow, Poland, did not have many of the top teams as in years past, as the U.S., Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and several European countries did not come, or sent only small squads.

But like every relay meet, it was fun, watchable and had plenty of drama. The top eight teams in the 4×100 m and 4×400 m events qualified for Tokyo and that alone gave the event lots of excitement. No spectators, but lots of smiles for those athletes who earned a ticket to Tokyo. The marks were not outstanding, but the racing was intense. The main races:

● Men/4×100 m: 38.71, South Africa over Italy (39.21) and Japan (39.42) as Brazil (2nd) and Ghana (3rd) were both disqualified. Akani Simbine won it for South Africa with a great lean at the tape over Paulo de Oliveira (BRA).

● Men/4×400 m: 3:03.45 for The Netherlands, winning a down-the-stretch battle with Japan (3:04.45) and Botswana (3:04.77) after South African anchor Oscar Mavundla stormed to the lead entering the home straight, but then faded to fifth (3:05.76). All credit to Dutch anchor Tony van Diepen for sliding past Mavundla and taking control with 90 m left.

● Mixed 4×400 m: 3:16.60, Italy over Brazil (3:17.54) and the Dominican Republic (3:17.54), thanks to Davide Re’s final leg and strong finish for the Italians.

● Women/4×100 m: 43.79, Italy surprised themselves by winning against Poland (44.10) and the Netherlands (44.10). Dutch anchor Naomi Sedney was in position to win, but a bad take-off and a worse exchange with third leg Nadine Visser let Italy’s Vittoria Fontana take a lead which she did not relinquish.

● Women/4×400 m: 3:28.41, Cuba, which surprised even themselves with a strong final leg from Roxana Gomez to hold off Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek on the home straightaway (3:28.81). Jessie Knight brought home Great Britain (3:29.27) in third.

Germany won the men’s 4×200 m in 1:22.43 over Kenya (1:24.26) and Poland won the women’s 4×200 m (1:34.98 national record), beating Ireland (1:35.93 national record). The duo of Joanna Jozwik and Patryk Dobek won the Mixed 2x2x400 m for Poland (3:40.92) and Germany won the Mixed Shuttle Hurdles Relay in 56.53.

Elsewhere, the comeback story of Trayvon Bromell took on another dimension as he raced to his fourth-fastest time ever in 9.88 – the world leader for 2021 – in winning at the North Florida Invitational in Jacksonville on Friday. He finished well ahead of Canada’s Andre De Grasse and Nigeria’s Divine Oduduru, both timed in 10.05.

Oduduru came back with the no. 2 in the world for 200 m later in the meet to win in 19.88 and Trevor Stewart (USA) won the 400 m in the no. 2 time for 2021 at 44.52 (with Randolph Ross (USA) now no. 4 at 44.69).

At the Texas Invitational in Austin, world-record holder Keni Harrison zipped to the no. 2 time in the women’s 100 m hurdles this year at 12.48, winning over Tara Davis of Texas (12.75). Davis, the world leader in the long jump, won at 6.97 m (22-10 1/2); she’s the world leader at 7.14 m (23-5 1/4).

At the Jesse Owens Classic in Columbus, Ohio, men’s shot World Champion Joe Kovacs showed that he’s not conceding anything to indoor world-record holder Ryan Crouser with a win at 22.72 m (74-6 1/2).

Kovacs was brilliant all day: 21.91 m (71-10 3/4), 22.72 m (74-6 1/2), 21.97 m (72-1), 22.28 m (73-1 1/4), 21.91 m (71-10 3/4) and 22.32 (73-2 3/4). His second throw is the outdoor world leader and equal-14th best in history. It’s the equal-9th performance in U.S. history. Wow!

● Badminton ● Canada was everywhere at the XXIV Pan American Championships in Guatemala City (GUA), with players or teams in all five finals! However, while Canada won three titles, the U.S. took two.

The all-Canadian men’s Singles final ended with a win for second-seed Brian Yang, who split the first two sets with top-seed Jason Anthony-Ho-Shue, but then Ho-Shue had to retire due to injury. That also meant the U.S. pair of Phillip and Ryan Chew were awarded the men’s Doubles title in a walkover against Ho-Shue and Nyl Yakura.

American Lily Zhang – the top seed – won the women’s Singles with a 21-14, 21-18 finals effort over Rachel Chan (CAN).

Canada enjoyed wins in the women’s Doubles, as Rachel Honderich and Kristen Tsai took Americans Francesca Corbett and Alison Lee, 21-12, 21-7 and in the Mixed Doubles, where Joshua Hurlburt-Yu and Josephine Wu defeated Christopher Martinez and Mariana Paiz (GUA), 21-18, 21-18.

● Beach Volleyball ● The third of three FIVB World Tour competitions in a sequestered environment in Cancun, Mexico, had some very familiar faces on the podium.

For the third tournament in a row, Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan made the final, but this time against Konstantin Semenov and Ilya Leshukov of Russia. And the third time was a charm as Younousse and Tijan won, 21-15-21-12, for their second career win together in an FIVB World Tour event.

American Phil Dalhauser and Nick Lucena – both now 41 – scored their first medal of the season, winning the bronze over Adrian Carambula and Enrico Rossi of Italy, 21-19, 21-15. The Italians finished fourth for the second tournament in a row.

The women’s final pitted Brazil Agatha Bednarczuk and Duda Lisboa, winners of the second tournament and third in the first one, against Australian veterans Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho.

The Brazilians medaled in all three Cancun events, but Clancy and Artacho won their first  World Tour tournament since November 2019 – also in Mexico, with a determined, 19-21, 22-20, 16-14 effort.

Americans April Ross and Alix Klineman, bronze-medal winners in the second tournament, went for bronze again on Sunday against familiar opponents – and reigning World Champions – Sarah Pavan and Melissa Paredes-Humana of Canada, and got it, with a 21-16, 21-15 victory.

● Curling ● The WCF women’s World Championship is ongoing in Calgary, Canada, but with some difficulty with the coronavirus. Last week, two cases were reported on the German team, just as the tournament was about to start, delaying the action until the 30th, when the games began. The German team was cleared to play with the remaining three players who did not test positive.

On Sunday, several positives were reported among the broadcast crew for the event:

“The entire competition broadcast staff have now been isolated in their hotel while additional testing and contact tracing takes place. The broadcast staff are situated in a different hotel from the athletes and competition officials in order to ensure the integrity of the competition bubble.”

No broadcasts of Sunday’s sessions are expected and the morning session was delayed. Oy.

On the ice and through the first six draws, only four teams remain undefeated: Russia (4-0; Alina Kovaleva, skip); Switzerland (3-0, Silvana Tirinzoni); Sweden (3-0, Anna Hasselborg) and Scotland (3-0, Eve Muirhead). The U.S., skipped by Tabitha Peterson, was 2-2.

The round-robin will continue through 7 May, with the playoffs to follow on the weekend.

● Cycling ● It was back to the future for 2018 Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas (GBR), taking the title at the five-stage Tour de Romandie this week in Switzerland.

Now 34, Thomas was second in the flat Prologue to Rohan Dennis (AUS), then watched Peter Sagan (SVK), Sonny Colbrelli (ITA) and Marc Soler (ESP) take the first three legs, leading up to the mountainous fourth stage.

Soler was the overall leader heading into Saturday’s race, with 22 riders within a minute of the lead and Thomas sitting second, 14 seconds behind. The triple-climb, 161.3 km route from Sion to an uphill finish at Thyon 2000 was an impressive win for Canada’s Michael Woods, 17 seconds ahead of Ben O’Connor (AUS) and 21 seconds up on Thomas in third.

That made Woods the overall leader heading into the final-day, 16.19 km Individual Time Trial in Fribourg, with Thomas now 11 seconds behind and O’Connor, 21 seconds back. Dutch star Remi Cavagna was the fastest, clocking 21:54 on the hilly course, followed by Stefan Bissinger (SUI: 22:00) and then Thomas (22:11) in third. Woods, much more a climber than sprinter, finished 28th (+1:11) and that gave Thomas a clear win by 28 seconds over Australian sprint star Richie Porte (AUS) and 38 seconds up on Fausto Masnada (ITA), with Soler fourth (+0:39) and Woods fifth (+0:43).

It was Thomas’s first win since his Tour de France triumph three years ago.

● Diving ● The much-delayed FINA Diving World Cup is underway in Tokyo and will continue through Thursday as both an Olympic qualifier and a test event for the organizing committee. The dominant Chinese have only a modest entry into the meet, mostly to check on the facility.

The synchronized events went first as usual, with Britain’s Jack Laugher and Daniel Goodfellow win the men’s 3 m Synchro with 440.94 points to 433.92 for Germany’s Patrick Hausdig and Lars Rudiger. The U.S. pair of Andrew Capobianco and Mike Hixon qualified for Tokyo in fourth place (414.18).

The British scored again with the men’s 10 m Synchro title, thanks to star Thom Daley and Matthew Lee, who won at 453.60 to 405.69 for Mexico’s Randal Willars and Ivan Garcia. Americans David Dinsmore and Brandon Loschiavo were eighth (369.18).

The women’s 3 m Synchro was a demonstration of excellence by Yani Chang and Yiwen Chen of China, who scored 317.16 to 289.98 for runner-ups Jennifer Abel and Melissa Citrini Beaulieu of Canada. Italy’s Chiara Pellacani and Elena Bertocchi were well back in third (283.77). Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook of the U.S. finished fifth (278.49), but will go to Tokyo as China had already qualified.

Canada took the women’s 10 m Synchro title behind Caeli McKay and Meaghan Benfeito (305.94), over Lois Toulson and Eden Cheng (GBR: 302.88) and Tina Punzel and Christina Wassen (GER: 292.86).

● Fencing ● The Pan-American Qualifying Tournament was on in San Jose, Costa Rica, with competition in three events: men’s Epee and Sabre and women’s Foil.

The men’s Epee was won by Marc-Antoine Blais-Belanger of Canada, who defeated Yunior Reytor Venet of Cuba in the final, 15-10. The men’s Sabre was a triumph for Venezuela’s Jose Quintero, a 15-14 victor over Argentina’s Pascual Maria Di Tella.

The women’s Foil was a win for Chile’s Katina Proestakis, by 15-12 over Nataly Michel (MEX).

Blais-Belanger, Quintero and Proestakis all punched their tickets for Tokyo.

● Karate ● A big field of 573 fighters from 79 countries gathered in Lisbon (POR) for the Karate-1 Premier League contests, with two reigning World Champions – from 2018 – taking golds: Steven Da Costa (FRA) in the men’s 67 kg class and Jovana Prekovic (SRB), at 61 kg.

No country won more than one class in either the men’s or women’s individual events. Only Turkey was able to win both a men’s and women’s event: Turkey (Enes Ozdemir/men’s Kata and Meltem Hocaoglu/women’s +68 kg).

● Rowing ● The first World Cup of 2021 was held successfully in Zagreb (CRO), with a full program and significant performances from France and Germany, with three wins each.

The French wins came from Hugo Boucheron and Matthieu Androdias, who won the men’s Double Sculls by nearly three seconds, the men’s Fours over Poland and in the women’s Lightweight Double Sculls, with Laura Tarantola and Claire Bove.

Germany enjoyed gold-medal performances from Oliver Zeidler in the men’s Single Sculls, also in the women’s Quadruple Sculls, and by Jonathan Rommelmann and Jason Osbourne in the men’s Lightweight Double Sculls.

The home team did well, too, with Croatian stars – and World Champions – Martin and Valent Sinkovic taking the men’s Pairs impressively, and Ivana and Josipa Jurkovic winning the women’s Pairs by more than five seconds.

● Wrestling ● The USA Wrestling national championships completed a busy three days in Coralville, Iowa by crowning 30 winners in men’s and women’s Freestyle and Greco-Roman, with 11 repeat winners.

In the men’s Freestyle division, three men won their second national titles. James Green won at 70 kg over Alec Pantaleo, 7-2; Austin Schafer defeated Nathan Rotert by technical fall (10-0) at 97 kg and Nick Gwiazdowski stopped Tony Casioppi by technical;, 12-0, in 1:48. Gwiazdowski was named the Outstanding Wrestler in men’s Freestyle and did not give up a point at the meet.

The women’s Freestyle competition had three prior champions who won again. Jennifer Page won her second national title at 65 kg, dominating a three-wrestler round-robin with a 20-0 total in her two matches. Erin Golston won at 50 kg and Alex Hedrick took the 53 kg title again. However, the Outstanding Wrestler selection went to Maya Nelson at 59 kg. Wrestling in a four-entry round-robin, Nelson won her three bouts by a combined score of 31-6.

In Greco-Roman, five former winners earned another national title, with Nick Boykin repeating at 97 kg by pinning James Souza in 1:48. The other multi-time national winners included Max Nowry (55 kg, over Brady Koontz, 1-1/criteria), Dalton Roberts (60 kg, over Dylan Koontz, 8-0), Hayden Tuma (67 kg, over Alston Nutter, 10-1) and Ben Provisor (82 kg, over Peyton Walsh, 6-3). The Outstanding Wrestler award went to Xavier Johnson, the winner at 72 kg.

While the U.S. Olympic Trials have already been held, the top finishers at the national championships will now go to the U.S. World Championships Trials in September, as United World Wrestling will also holds a Worlds in 2021 in early October in Oslo (NOR).

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 – as of 1 May – 506-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

SPECIAL: Updated! Revised as of 1 May, our 506-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 is now posted!

By
Rich Perelman
-

The continuing pandemic continues to make a hash out of the worldwide sports calendar, so we’ve updated our 7 February edition to 1 May 2021.

Our updated International Sports Calendar for sports and events on the Olympic and Winter Games program covers the rest of 2021 and includes 506 events, and a few beyond the end of the year.

But: this listing will change! The coronavirus will see to that, but this edition is a good checklist for following many of the events coming up.

Two calendars are included in the single PDF download: an 11-page listing in chronological order and a 12-page listing by sport (and in date order within each sport).

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

THE LATEST: New Tokyo 2020 playbooks for federations, sponsors and news media confirm plenty of restrictions

By
Rich Perelman
-

Four new Tokyo 2020 “playbooks” were delivered on Friday as promised, for International Federation staff, press, broadcasters and “marketing partners,” with most of the same, glum verbiage used for the athlete playbook released on Wednesday:

● “These Games will be different and we all have to adjust. In addition to no overseas spectators, you will face restrictions to the places you can go, as well as hygiene and physical distancing measures. These ‘safety first’ decisions are there to protect you, all Games participants and the people of Tokyo and Japan.”

● “We trust that the measures laid out will mitigate the risks and impacts involved in participating in the Games, and we fully count on your support to comply with them. However, despite all the care taken, risks and impacts may not be fully eliminated, and therefore you agree to attend the Olympic and Paralympic Games at your own risk.”

The primary requirements are the same as for athletes, but with a significant exception of not being in the Olympic Village. So, the requirements include:

● Download and use the “Contact Confirming Application” app;
● Monitor and record temperature for 14 days prior to travel;
● Take two separate Covid-19 tests within 96 hours prior to departure;
● Take a Covid-19 test on arrival;
● Quarantine for three days, unless you test negative each day;
● Wear a mask essentially all the time other than during meals or sleeping;
● File and follow a detailed “Activity Plan” for the first 14 days in Japan;
● Don’t use public transport; eat only in designated places (preferably at venues);
● Don’t visit public venues such as bars, restaurants, gyms and shopping centers.

Staff who are in “regular contact” with athletes must be tested daily; for those with some contact, testing every four days will be required, or seven days if not in contact with athletes.

Access to venue seating for sponsors is only through the “dedicated pre-booking app to reserve seats in Olympic/Paralympic Family stands and lounge areas at competition venues. Only Olympic and Paralympic Family members with a valid prebooked seat for the ongoing session will be able to access the stands and lounge areas.”

The International Federations playbook had some added restrictions or suggestions:

● “Activities will be held online or in open air spaces where possible”

● “Transparent acrylic panels will be installed at the desks”

● “Printing documents is not recommended. If you do need to print something, avoid sharing documents with others unnecessarily”

The playbook for Press and photographers confirms the very difficult conditions envisioned for Tokyo 2020:

● “Requirements for physical distancing in the venue media centres, press tribunes, press conference rooms, mixed zones, photo positions and media lounges have resulted in a significant reduction of capacities for all press and photo areas.”

Specifics on the actual reductions of seating and spaces were not provided in this edition.

● “As a result, a booking system for daily access to competition venues will be in place throughout the Games that will require every member of the accredited Press to make a daily request in advance. Requests will be approved in accordance with the venue capacity for the different press and photo areas. …

– “Requests can be made by venue, day and (where applicable) session

– “Once the application is processed, an approval e-mail will be sent to the applicant

– “The e-mail will be checked at the entry of the venue and admission will be allowed upon
presentation of the confirmation email and an accreditation card. If the application is not successful, a ‘not confirmed’ notification will be sent

– “Those with E-accreditation can book up to 10 sessions every day”

● “All press conferences will be made available online via a dedicated platform. Live Q&A will be also managed online for the Olympic Games.”

● “The daily IOC/Tokyo 2020 press briefings at the [Main Press Center] and all medal events press conferences will be available in different languages, and streamed live on the Info system. The feed will be archived in the system for ‘on demand’ consumption and the file will be downloadable in the original language.”

● “Access to the [Olympic Village] mixed zone will be permitted only to E-accredited Press who have a pre-booked interview. A booking will need to be made in advance on site at the Olympic and Paralympic Venue Media Centre or by emailing the Venue Media Manager.”

An accommodation for media accredited for Tokyo, but who will not be traveling to the Games, has been made, and “can request an access token to myInfo from their country of residence” by writing directly to the Tokyo 2020 Press Operations team.

The playbook for the rights-holding broadcasters includes many of the same rules:

● “Capacities in venue broadcast facilities will be adjusted in order to comply with the adopted physical distancing measures. This includes mixed zones, dedicated camera positions, announce positions/occasional presentation positions (OPPs), commentary positions, observer seats and broadcast compounds, as well as at the mixed zone of the Olympic and Paralympic Village Plaza and the TV studios.”

● “All ENG mixed zone positions, ENG camera positions and observer seats will require booking through [Olympic Broadcast Services].”

● In the commentary positions, “At least a one-metre distance will be maintained without enlarging the overall footprint” and “Clear acrylic partition will be installed where physical distancing is not possible.”

● In the venue mixed zones, “At all venues, a maximum crew of two people will be allowed at all dedicated TV positions (MZ01). In radio positions (MZ02), only one person will be
allowed” and “The use of a boom microphone (or an alternative suitable solution) will be mandatory in order to ensure the two-metre distance between athletes and interviewers is maintained.”

● “Interviews with athletes should last for no more than 90 seconds.”

Similar distancing requirements are mandated everywhere, including the International Broadcast Center, Village mixed zones, and team transport loading zones. Look for lots of taped-off markers on the ground, indicating suitable distances for interviews.

Broadcasters, in a sense, have already specified which events they will cover since commentary positions must be ordered more than a year ahead of time. But the mixed zones, once a fairly casual meeting place between athletes and media, will be among the most complicated places in the Games this summer with distancing requirements, time constraints and everyone trying to their job in near-impossible circumstances.

A third version of the playbooks will be delivered in June, with more specifics and perhaps, more restrictions.

Veteran Games attendees, especially among media, often see comical “I survived [name of Games]” T-shirts near or at the end of any Olympic or Winter Games. In 2020, they will be well earned.

THE TICKER: No-spectator Games in Tokyo still possible; T&F gets modest ratings from 4-hour Saturday showcase; rider banned for “electric spurs”!

By
Rich Perelman
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Statues of Tokyo mascots Miraitowa (l) and Someity (r) at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government headquarters (Photo: Tokyo 2020)

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

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● “We are in a very tense situation.

“A full stadium is possible depending on the situation. So is 50%, 20,000, 10,000, 5,000 and no spectators. Those are the ranges. While we are prepared as the last possible option to have the games with no spectators — since we have the current situation under the state of emergency — we have hope that fans are possible.”

That’s Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto, speaking to reporters on Thursday after an online meeting with the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee and multiple levels of governments in Japan.

“If the situation is expected to cause problems for the medical system, in order to put the highest priority on safety and security, there may come a time when we have to decide to go ahead with no spectators,” she added.

Kyodo News reported “On Wednesday, a senior Cabinet official said the Japanese organizers will secure about 30 hospitals capable of accepting athletes and officials during the Olympics.”

The IOC released a statement which included, “we have agreed that a decision regarding spectator capacity at the Olympic and Paralympic venues will be made in June, in line with the government’s general guidance concerning the upper limit of spectator capacity in sports events.”

Kyodo reported last Sunday that fans are not being allowed into J-League football matches during the current state of emergency and Nippon Professional Baseball has closed stadiums for games scheduled through 11 May.

The difficulties for the Tokyo organizers continue to grow as time goes on, especially implementing a restrictive ticketing program in just weeks; Kyodo reported:

“The Japanese organizers have been studying several possibilities, including limiting the number of spectators to 50 percent of venue capacity and only allowing the entry of people who have already purchased tickets, according to officials with knowledge of the planning.”

● Games of the XXXIII Olympiad: Paris 2024 ● Tony Estanguet, a three-time Olympic gold medalist in canoeing, told The Associated Press that as the head of the Paris 2024 organizing committee, he knows his responsibility:

“I have to admit over the last years it was not easy to carry a bid, especially because in Europe you saw what happened to other bid cities.

“I don’t want to disappoint … I feel there is an urgency to deliver promises. We feel this responsibility since the beginning when we launched this bid.

“We knew we had to challenge this reputation that the budget of the games can explode. That’s why we built the project based on 95 percent of existing venues to make sure we will be confident to be able to deliver our promises.”

The Paris organizing committee budget has been pegged at €3.8 billion (~$4.61 billion) and the government-provided infrastructure tab at €3 billion (~$3.64 billion).

● Athletics ● U.S. track & field fans got a treat last Saturday with four straight hours of coverage from the Drake Relays from Des Moines, Iowa and then the Oregon Relays and USA Track & Field Grand Prix from Eugene, Oregon, from 3-7 p.m. Eastern time.

Ratings data showed the Drake Relays telecast earned a 0.16 rating with 237,000 viewers and 28,000 in the age 18-49 demographic; the Oregon Relays and USATF Grand Prix did a 0.22, with 319,000 viewers and 55,000 from ages 18-49.

So how does that compare with the competition? There was no major event to steal the spotlight, so interest was spread among multiple events:

On Saturday: 3-5 pm. Eastern time ratings and audience:
● 1.05 ~ 1.60 million for PGA Zurich Classic on CBS
● 1.04 ~ 1.60 million for NASCAR (Talladega) on Fox
● 0.64 ~ 1.06 million for NBA (76ers at Bucks) on ESPN
● 0.41 ~ 659,000 for NHL (Avalanche at Blues) on NBC
● 0.18 ~ 310,000 for MLB (Nationals at Mets) on FS1
T&F did 0.16 ~ 237,000 for the Drake Relays

On Saturday: 5-7 p.m. Eastern time ratings and audience:
● 0.33 ~ 616,000 for UFC 261 prelim fights on ESPN2
● 0.28 ~ 498,000 for MLS LAFC at Sounders) on ESPN
● 0.17 ~ 277,000 for LPGA L.A. Open on The Golf Channel
● 0.14 ~ 245,000 for SuperCross (Salt Lake City) on NBCSN
T&F did 0.22 ~ 319,000 for the Oregon Relays/USATF Grand Prix

There was some bleed-over from the 3-5 p.m. slot for the golf on CBS and the NASCAR racing on Fox, which impacted the 5-7 p.m. ratings.

Was this good or bad? Compare the audiences to the five indoor T&F telecasts:

● 24 Jan.: American Track League 1/ESPN: no rating; less than 200,000 total audience
● 31 Jan.: American Track League 2/ESPN2: 0.16 rating; 254,000 total audience
● 07 Feb.: American Track League 3/ESPN: 0.19 rating; 310,000 total audience
● 13 Feb.: New Balance Grand Prix/NBC: 0.64 rating; 969,000 total audience
● 21 Feb.: American Track League 4/ESPN: no rating, less than 200,000 total audience

Except for the New Balance Grand Prix, the audience last Saturday was about the same as for the indoor meets. In terms of viewer interest, the sport is treading water, and in the shallow end.

The World Relays are on this weekend from Silesia in Poland, but with many of the top countries missing. The United States, Canada, India, Australia, The Bahamas, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago will all skip the event, primarily for Covid-19 safety reasons.

According to the Nassau Guardian, “Host country Poland had in excess of 9,000 new coronavirus cases yesterday [28th], and over 600 new deaths. With 2,776,927 total cases, it is the 13th most impacted nation in the world.”

However, the show will go on, with most European teams competing, along with quality teams from Brazil, Colombia, South Africa and elsewhere. NBCSN will have coverage on both days, and qualification spots for Tokyo are on the line.

The program includes the typical 4×100 m for men and women, and 4×400 m for men, women and a mixed team, plus men’s and women’s 4×200 m, a mixed shuttle hurdles relay and a mixed 2x2x400 m. Nice for the sprinters; the distance runners lose out again.

Another victim of the coronavirus in California is the announcement by the California Interscholastic Federation that state championships in swimming, track & field and wrestling will not be held.

Southern California regional champs will be held in baseball, basketball, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, and boys volleyball. No Northern California championships will be held as only two of the six regions involved are holding championships.

Para-Athletics star Blake Leeper of the U.S. confirmed his appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the decision of World Athletics Mechanical Aids Review Panel not to allow him to compete with his revised prosthetics in open competition.

The appeal will be expedited in order to allow Leeper to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene from 16-27 June.

● Cycling ● The Union Cycliste Internationale is yet again trying to pump up interest in track cycling, and announced this week the format for its new Track Cycling Champions League, to start in November at European sites to be determined.

With the idea of creating a compact and meaningful track cycling “season,” the program includes six competitions in six weeks, divided into two groups: Sprint and Endurance.

The Sprint events are limited to the Sprint and the Keirin; the Endurance events are the Elimination and the 5 km Scratch race. In this way, the usual lengthy program that includes the Individual Pursuit, Points Race, Omnium and Madison and team events are eliminated and only 18 riders are entered in each group (for men and women = 72 total).

It’s an interesting idea; let’s see if any – especially in Europe – tunes in.

● Diving ● Amid all the bad news from Tokyo, the FINA World Cup, with nearly two dozen Olympic qualifying slots at stake, is getting ready to go from 1-6 May at the Olympic venue in Tokyo.

FINA reported that 225 divers from 46 countries are on-site at the Tatsumi Aquatics Center. The U.S. is fully qualified with two spots in the men’s 3 m Springboard and men’s and women’s 10 m Platform, but will be looking to qualify in the women’s 3 m Springboard.

● Equestrian ● The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) banned American jumping rider Andrew Kocher for 10 years for using “electric spurs.” Ouch!

The FEI’s disciplinary tribunal disqualified Kocher from eight events held in the U.S., Canada and Great Britain between June 2018 and November 2019 and fined him CHF 10,000, plus legal costs of CHF 7,500. The investigation into the use of the spurs was opened in June 2020 on a tip about the use of the spurs, which constitutes animal abuse.

The suspension will run through 27 October 2030.

● Sailing ● Dutch stars Kiran Badloe and Lilian de Geus defended their 2020 titles as World Champion in the RS:X World Championships off Cadiz, Spain that ended on Tuesday.

An Olympic class for Tokyo 2020, Badloe was a clear winner, taking four of the 10 races and finishing in the top in four more, ending with a net of just 22 points. Second with 46 points was Italy’s Mattia Camboni, with one win and a silver in the medal race. Greek Vyron Kokkalanis won the bronze, 56-60, over Piotr Myszka (POL).

De Geus won a three-way battle for the women’s title, finishing with 29 points to 36 for Israel’s Katy Spychakov and French star Charlene Picon. De Geus finished in the top eight in all 10 races, won twice and had three seconds. Spychakov won twice and finished two places ahead of Picon to pull into second. Britain’s Emma Wilson was fourth (45).

● Volleyball ● The third and final FIVB World Tour competition in the sequestered environment of Cancun, Mexico got underway on the 27th and will conclude on Sunday (2nd).

The second tournament finished on Monday, with a repeat of the first tourney final: Norway’s Anders Mol and Christian Sorum defeated Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan (QAT) by 21-18, 21-18. Third went to Brazilian stars Alison Cerutti and Alvaro Filho, by 21-17, 21-17 over Italy’s Enrico Rossi and Adrian Carambula.

The women’s event saw Brazil’s Agatha Bednarczuk and Duda Lisboa move up from third in the first tournament to first, with a 21-15, 21-19 win over Russians Nadezhda Makroguzova and Svetlana Kholomina. American April Ross and Alix Klineman, ranked no. 1 worldwide, finished third, defeating Sanne Keizer and Madelein Meppelink, 21-17, 21-17, for the bronze medal.

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For our 649-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THE BIG PICTURE: Expanded Tokyo 2020 athletes and officials “playbook” mandates heavy preparation, daily testing, masks, and not much fun

By
Rich Perelman
-

“These Games will be different and we all have to adjust. In addition to no overseas spectators, you will face restrictions to the places you can go to, as well as hygiene and physical distancing measures. These ‘safety first’ decisions are there to protect you, all Games participants and the people of Tokyo and Japan. …

“The COVID-19 countermeasures described in the Playbook are designed to create a safe Games environment for all Games participants. Equally, they offer an additional layer of protection for our hosts, the residents of Japan. You must fully adhere to the Playbook throughout your time in Japan, keeping your interaction with non-Games participants to a minimum.”

That’s the main message of the second edition of the IOC’s Tokyo 2020 “playbook” for this summer’s Olympic Games, released on Wednesday. Expanded from 33 to 60 pages, the second version of the Athletes and Officials Playbook presents a formidable program of restrictions, testing and countermeasures for those heading to Tokyo:

● Athletes and officials are instructed to take their temperature daily for two weeks prior to leaving for Japan and to take Covid-19 tests on two separate days within 96 hours of leaving for Japan, and to get a certificate of negative test results.

● For contact tracing if needed: “Prepare a list of the people you will spend time with regularly while in Japan (format to be agreed with your [Covid-19 Liaison Officer]), for example, your roommate, coach, physiotherapist and immediate members of your team.”

● Once in Japan, the “Contact Confirming Application” smartphone app (“COCOA,” in six languages) must be on, in case contract tracing is needed, and a Covid test (“currently saliva antigen”) will be administered at the airport.

Sign of the times: “All visitors to Japan are required to have a smartphone. In the exceptional case of someone arriving without one, an alternative solution will be explored. All athletes will receive a Samsung smartphone at the Olympic and Paralympic Village.”

● Quarantining on arrival has been relaxed, from 14 days after arrival to none, so long as “you test negative for COVID-19 every day” and “you operate under a higher level of supervision by Tokyo 2020.”

● That means: (1) “Wear a face mask at all times to protect you and everyone around you.” The only exceptions are for “eating, drinking, sleeping, training or competing” (also interviews) and

(2) Physical contact is again proscribed: “Keep physical interactions with others to a minimum” and “Keep two metres’ distance from athletes and at least one metre from others, including in operational spaces.”

● Pre-Games training camps or post-Games Host Town exchange programs are also part of the restrictions: “In principle, your destinations will be limited to your accommodation, training facilities and exchange programme locations. Public transport cannot be used unless it is the only option to reach certain locations, such as remote venues.”

● An activity plan for time to be spent in Japan is required and will be reviewed by the Japanese authorities. The plan requires a list of “All planned and possible destinations – restricted to official Games venues and limited additional locations, as defined by the list of permitted destinations.”

● Athletes will be expected to monitor and report their temperature daily on another smartphone app, and to have their temperature checked on arrival at any Games venue. A reading of 37.5 C (99.5 F) or higher will not allow you to enter.

● Covid testing will be done daily, usually by the saliva antigen method, with results reported within 12 hours. If positive, a second test will be required and the athlete will be required to wait at the Village clinic until the results are confirmed (3-5 hours). If an athlete has Covid:

“You will either be required to continue isolating or be hospitalised. You will not be allowed to compete/continue your role. The location and length of your isolation period will be determined by the Japanese health authorities, depending on the severity and symptoms of your infection”

● “Follow only the activities you have outlined in your Activity Plan: (1) You must only leave your accommodation to go to official Games venues and limited additional locations, as defined by the list of permitted destinations. Permitted destinations are those that are critical for the Games and will have COVID-19 countermeasures in place; (2) Minimise contact (within one metre [or 2 m for athletes]) with Games participants who have been in Japan for more than 14 days, and with residents of Japan; (3) Wear a face mask at all times; (4) You must not use public transport; (5) You must not visit tourist areas, shops, restaurants or bars, gyms, etc; (6) You are strongly encouraged to stay at accommodation provided by Tokyo 2020.”

Essentially, the message is “‘come, compete and leave.” Acrylic panels will be everywhere. Look for athletes to be putting masks on immediately after competitions; mixed-zone interviews will last no more than 90 seconds and require boom microphones. Masks will be required during victory ceremonies. Athletes are expected to leave within 48 hours after their last competition. This is a business trip. And, of course:

“Failure to comply with these rules, such as the intentional refusal to take a test, may result in disciplinary consequences, such as the withdrawal of your accreditation and right to participate in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

More details are coming at the end of May, with the issuance of further guides for athletes, team leaders and technical officials. The third edition of the playbooks are expected in June, and “could include more restrictions than those currently listed.”

Not much fun, huh? And the new Playbook also includes the expected:

“However, despite all the care taken, risks and impacts may not be fully eliminated, and therefore you agree to attend the Olympic and Paralympic Games at your own risk.”

This really will be a Games like no other and how well athletes, coaches, officials and their National Olympic Committee staffs handle these protocols will have a significant impact on the competitions.

As noted in a previous commentary on dealing with anti-doping procedures – which will be in full force in Tokyo – it’s not all glory and free shoes.

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For our 649-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HEARD AT HALFTIME: Tokyo 2020 plans heavier testing; Australia backs Brisbane ‘32 finances; U.S. TJ record for Orji, Leeper’s legs DQ’d again

By
Rich Perelman
-
American triple jump star Keturah Orji (Photo: University of Georgia Athletic Association)

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

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● The Tokyo organizers are continuing to increase the virus testing protocol for athletes and officials coming to the Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer.

Kyodo News reported today (27th) that plans are now being made for daily testing of visiting sports officials for their first three days in Japan, and then from 4-7 days after that, depending on their level of contact with athletes. Athletes and team officials are expected to be tested daily, using a saliva sample.

The Kyodo story noted “the government and the organizing committee have emphasized that protecting the health of participants and the Japanese people is their top priority.”

More details are expected tomorrow when the second edition of the IOC’s “playbook” for athletes and teams is released, with the second editions for officials and media due on Friday.

The first athlete boycott of Tokyo 2020 was announced on 10 April on the Facebook page of swimmer Win Htet Oo, 26, who stated he will not represent his country of Myanmar at the Games.

“I shall not march in the parade of nations under a flag steeped in my people’s blood,” he wrote, adding, “It is my hope that the IOC refuses to acknowledge the [Myanmar Olympic Committee] as the rightful organization responsible for the Olympic Movement in Myanmar.”

The military seized power on 1 February of this year and removed elected President Aung San Suu Kyi. Protests ensured and have continued across the country, with 745 deaths reported as of last week. Oo lives and trains in Melbourne, Australia.

“The IOC takes note of the letter and continues to evaluate the alleged issues.”

That’s the International Olympic Committee’s reply to an inquiry by the Jerusalem Post about a letter sent by the UnitedforNavid group of activists in Iran, calling for a suspension of Iran from participation in the Tokyo Games.

Named for Navid Afkari, a former Greco-Roman wrestler who was executed in 2020 after participating in anti-regime protests in 2018, the UnitedforNavid group has sent the IOC lists of athletes who have been “tortured, beaten, arrested and denied access to competition and sport” and asked for the IOC to act against the Iranian National Olympic Committee, which “has failed to protect athletes and their wellbeing.”

The International Olympic Committee approved an excerpt from Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto no. 1 to be used in place of the Russian national anthem for the Tokyo Games.

The use of the actual anthem had been barred by the World Anti-Doping Agency’s sanctions and confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport decision.

The Tokyo organizers continued to run scaled-down test events to prepare for the Games, including a single-day event for Rugby Sevens last week. World Rugby reported:

“Organisers from the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and the Japanese Rugby Football Union tested a variety of operational measures around exhibition matches featuring players from Japan’s men’s and women’s national sevens teams, albeit with no fans in attendance.

“Match-day operations were simulated as they will be during the Olympics, complete with match officials, ground staff, the teams being announced on the stadium speakers and music being played after every try.

“The event also provided organisers with another chance to test out COVID-19 countermeasures, including players wearing masks during the warm-up, all areas being frequently disinfected and the use of a small vehicle to return stray balls to the field of play.

“The Japanese players on show are currently within their own training bubble and were kept separate from media and officials during the event.”

Watch for more abbreviated test programs at future Games as a money-saving measure, especially for sports which are already played in host cities. Does Los Angeles really need a test event for basketball?

● Games of the XXXV Olympiad: 2032 ● The Brisbane candidature for the 2032 Games took a giant step forward with confirmation from the Australian federal government of funding support for the infrastructure elements of the event.

ABC News Australia reported “The [Queensland] state government struck a 50-50 infrastructure funding deal with the federal government for Brisbane’s Olympics bid on Monday afternoon” and “Prime Minister Scott Morrison agreed to the joint funding arrangement, provided that a jointly owned, funded and run Olympic infrastructure agency was be set up to oversee all projects.”

The federal guarantee was reported to be received about an hour before the IOC’s requested deadline for confirmation of the guarantees. This paves the way for Brisbane to be formally awarded the 2032 Games at the IOC Session in Tokyo in July.

● XXIV Olympic Winter Games: Beijing 2022 ● Reuters reported the latest condemnation of the Chinese government last week, urging a diplomatic boycott:

“The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom in an annual report encouraged Washington to continue to impose targeted financial and visa sanctions on Chinese government agencies and officials responsible for ‘systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations.’”

“It also recommended that the U.S. government ‘publicly express concerns about Beijing hosting the 2022 Winter Olympic Games and state that U.S. government officials will not attend the games if the Chinese government’s crackdown on religious freedom continues.’”

● XXVI Olympic Winter Games: 2030 ● A business group from Quebec City (CAN) pitched the city as a possible host for the 2030 Olympic Winter Games, but has apparently been pushed away by the Canadian Olympic Committee.

Canada has emerged as a possible destination for the 2030 Winter Games, as no clear leader has emerged, although there is clear interest from Barcelona, Spain and Sapporo, Japan. Vancouver – successful host of the 2010 Winter Games – is being promoted as a possible site once again, perhaps in concert with other venues in British Columbia.

The Quebec City project, announced on 22 April, was reportedly ended by David Shoemaker, the COC Secretary General, on Monday (26th). The French-language site FrancsJeux posted a story which included Shoemaker as writing:

“Although we believe that Quebec City has the potential to present the viable candidacy in the future, the COC assessed, based on our overall analysis and the [negative] position of the current mayor, that the ideal conditions were not present to try to host the Winter Games in 2030.”

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee has designated Salt Lake City, Utah as its bid city for a future Winter Games, but with Los Angeles hosting the 2028 Olympic Games, the 2034 Winter Games would appear to be the earliest for a U.S. winter host.

Calgary was a possible bidder for the 2026 Winter Games, but a referendum on the bid project was defeated.

● Athletics ● Yet one more world leader – and an American Record – from last weekend, by U.S. triple jump star Keturah Orji. She regained the American Record in Chula Vista, California on Sunday, winning at 14.92 m (48-11 1/2) on her first jump, placing her at no. 31 on the all-time world list.

Orji, still just 25, finished fourth in Rio, reclaimed the record she set twice in 2016, but lost in 2018 to Tori Franklin, who jumped 14.84 m (48-8 1/4) in May in Baie-Mahault, Guadeloupe.

World Athletics declared American para-sprinter Blake Leeper ineligible for the Tokyo Games using the new prosthetics created for him to comply with a prior negative decision on another set of prosthetics. The Mechanical Aids Review Panel head, David Grace (AUS) noted:

“World Athletics has satisfied its burden of proof on the balance of probabilities that the use of the mechanical aids by Blake Leeper in the form of passive-elastic carbon-fibre running specific prostheses (RSPs) that give him a leg length of 104 centimetres and a standing height of 184 centimetres [6-0 1/2] provides Blake Leeper with an overall competitive advantage over an athlete not using such aids, with the result that the use by Blake Leeper of such RPSs in any World Athletics sanctioned events is not allowed pursuant to Rule 6.3.4 of the Technical Rules of World Athletics.”

Leeper was tested in the new prosthetics in Dallas in February and March of this year and his arguments concerning the use of the Maximum Allowed Standing Height (MASH) rule and possible racism of that rule were considered and rejected.

There is no doubt that this decision will be appealed immediately to the Court of Arbitration for Sport; Leeper’s attorneys may also file for injunctive relief in the U.S. to allow him to run in the U.S. Olympic Trials as the CAS process will likely not be completed by that time.

The Russian news agency TASS reported that three Russian athletes – Yekaterina Koneva (women’s triple jump), Alexander Menkov (men’s long jump) and Valery Pronkin (men’s hammer throw) have submitted applications for neutral status, allowing them to compete internationally.

They are apparently the first from Russia to apply.

TrackTown USA, the local organizers of the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials, informed all of its ticket buyers last week:

“Based on state and local health regulations for stadium capacity and the high volume of tickets that already have been sold, the LOC has determined that the tickets held by existing customers cannot be fulfilled. As a result, all ticket customers will have their tickets refunded. A revised ticketing program with an updated seat inventory that is compliant with new regulations will be announced in May.”

The announcement noted, “The State of Oregon recently changed its regulations to allow spectators at sporting events, but those regulations specify limitations on stadium capacity based on the county’s risk level. Additionally, social distancing will be required in the seating bowl. Those two components will significantly reduce the number of seats and limit the distribution of seats that will be available for the Olympic Trials.”

Once the capacity is determined for the Trials, athlete families will get the first opportunity to purchase tickets, followed by previous ticket purchasers.

Oregon has been very stringent with its Covid-19 protocols, and an Olympic Trials – now just eight weeks away – with just a few scattered spectators is looking more and more likely.

The World Anti-Doping Agency made a lengthy, rare, public statement on the wild Alex Schwazer case, concerning doping infractions by the Italian race walker who won the 2008 Olympic 50 km title and was suspended for three and a half years in 2012, just prior to the London Games. WADA noted that “He was also prosecuted in Bolzano for doping (which is a crime in Italy), and entered into a plea bargain after admitting intentionally taking EPO and testosterone.”

As his ban was coming to an end, he was tested in January of 2016. The test came back negative, but his testosterone levels were elevated from his baseline Athlete Biological Passport levels and so the independent Athlete Passport Management Unit at the anti-doping laboratory in Montreal (CAN) asked for an additional test to see if the testosterone in the sample was natural or synthetic. It came back as synthetic and so Schwazer was charged with a doping violation.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport heard Schwazer’s appeal in 2016 and agreed that he had committed another doping violation and banned him for eight additional years.

As doping is a crime in Italy, a case was opened in Bolzano in 2016. The WADA statement noted:

“The investigating judge [Walter Pelino] has now decided that an unidentified person secretly obtained a third party’s sample that contained synthetic testosterone, exposed it to ultra violet rays to remove all traces of that third party’s DNA, mixed it with Mr. Schwazer’s January 2016 urine sample, then heated the combined sample to increase the concentration of synthetic testosterone in the (combined) sample.”

This appears to be ludicrous on its face, and does not impact Schwazer’s ban from the Court of Arbitration for Sport, since the Italian court was looking into a breach of the Italian criminal code. WADA, for its part, concludes:

“WADA is shocked that the investigating judge would see fit to issue a decree making these very serious accusations without first giving WADA or the other parties an adequate opportunity to defend themselves. That is not due process. WADA utterly rejects the allegations made against it by the investigating judge. So too will any fair-minded observer who is prepared to listen objectively to all of the evidence.”

One of the world’s great female athletes of the 1960s, but who was touched by controversy, passed away on Monday at age 83. Tamara Press was a Soviet star at the 1960 and 1964 Olympic Games, winning gold in the women’s shot in both, and a discus silver in Rome and gold in Tokyo. The Athletics International newsletter noted:

“She set six world records at the shot from 17.25 m [56-7 1/4] in 1959 to 18.59 m [61-0] in 1965 and six at the discus from 57.15 m [187-6] in 1960 to 59.70 m [195-10] in 1965. … Both Tamara and her younger sister Irina retired from the sport in 1966; perhaps coincidentally with the advent of sex testing.”

Perhaps? The Press sisters retired in 1966, when sex testing on-site became mandatory. Irina, a double gold medalist in 1960 (80 m hurdles) and 1964 (pentathlon) passed away in 2004.

Clemson University reinstated its men’s cross country and track & field programs, after announcing the programs would be cut in November of 2020:

“The decision comes after revised financial projections show the impacts of COVID-19, while significant, did not harm the University in as drastic a way as anticipated. Last fall, facing significant financial challenges due to COVID-19, the difficult decision to end men’s track & field and cross country was deemed the most prudent path forward. Today, significant contributions from philanthropic fundraising, along with state and federal financial support and appropriations, have positioned the University and the Athletics Department to reconsider its decision. Their generosity allows Clemson to reinvest in supporting the men’s track programs and to expand its women’s sports offerings.”

Clemson will also add one or more women’s sports as well, in order to keep the athletic program within overall Title IX gender-equity guidelines.

● Curling ● The World Curling Federation’s Women’s World Championship was re-scheduled for 30 April-9 May, but has now suffered two positive Covid-19 tests in the sequestered environment in Calgary, Canada. The WCF statement included:

“The initial positive result was discovered in day-zero testing taken during the pre-competition quarantine period on Friday (23 April) and the second positive case was identified within the same team after enhanced testing protocols on Sunday (25 April).

“All recent arrivals to Calgary were isolated in the pre-competition quarantine hotel, and in an abundance of caution, will remain at that hotel following all the protocols required in order to protect themselves and the community at large, as Alberta Health continue to investigate the positive results and carry out all contact tracing. …

“The existing protocols developed with the public health authority will now feature enhanced testing to determine the safe return to sport for the existing members of the impacted team.”

● Football ● The repercussions of the imploded European Super League continue to be felt, as the national football federation of Italy (FIGC) added a new rule which bans any team participating in a “privately run competition.”

Inter Milan, Juventus and AC Milan were all primed to be part of the Super League, but – despite reports of signed agreements to participate – the proposed league fell apart due to public pressure last week.

● Skiing ● The Federation Internationale de Ski’s Ski Jumping subcommittee did not approve a proposal by the Norwegian Ski Federation to permit women’s ski flying for safety reasons:

“The next step will be the women’s World Cup on the HS 147 hill in Willingen in the 2021/22 winter season.

“The Muehlenkopf-hill in Willingen is considered a small flying hill, the perfect introduction to Ski Flying hills. The hill in Willingen is the largest in the women’s World Cup so far. The experts want to have these competitions first and then make a decision concerning Ski Flying events next winter. …

“After a long and emotional debate, the committee voted 9-7 against the proposal of the Norwegians. Especially the arguments [on] safety and calendar planning led to the close vote against Ski Flying events for the women already this upcoming winter.”

As might be imagined, Norway’s Maren Lundby, the 2018 Olympic gold medalist, was not happy, calling the decision “unbelievable.” Norwegian officials felt the discipline will be added for 2023.

● Weightlifting ● World records fell at the “2020″ Asian Weightlifting Championships, held in Tashkent (UZB) from 16-25 April, with China dominating the medal table as expected.

New world marks for the combined lifts of Snatch and Clean & Jerk:

● Women/49 kg: 213 kg, Zhihui Hou (CHN)
● Women/59 kg: 247 kg, Hsing-Chun Luo (TPE)
● Women/+87 kg: 335 kg, Wenwen Li (CHN)

Chinese lifters won 10 of the 20 classes, with men’s victories from Fabin Li (61 kg), Lijun Chen (67 kg), Zhiyong Shi (73 kg; set a world Snatch record of 169 kg), Dayin Li (81 kg, world Snatch record of 175 kg) and Tao Tian (96 kg).

China won five of the 10 women’s classes, including Hou (49kg), Qiuyin Liao (55 kg), Wangli Zhang (76 kg), Zhouyu Wang (87 kg) and Li (+87 kg).

Iran won three golds, all in the men’s division, and Chinese Taipei won another women’s gold from Wen-Huei Chen (64 kg); those three nations were the only ones with more than one win.

● At the BuZZer ● An ultra-rare, golden badge with a white ribbon from the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo that was issued for use by the Imperial Family was purchased for $130,000 to highlight Ingrid O’Neil’s Auction 89 that ended last Saturday.

The 459-item sale included many rare items such as Olympic medals and torches; some of the high-end items sold:

● $70,000: Oslo 1952 Winter torch
● $35,000: Los Angeles 1932 gold medal
● $35,000: Lake Placid Winter 1932 silver medal
● $28,000: Lake Placid Winter 1980 gold medal
● $22,000: Oslo 1952 Winter bronze medal
● $22,000: Innsbruck 1976 Winter torch
● $20,000: Turin 2006 Winter silver medal
● $14,000: Antwerp 1920 gold medal
● $12,000: Los Angeles 1984 silver medal
● $12,000: Tokyo 2020 torch

Many of the medals and torches did not sell. One unusual item that did sell was an Olympic Order in Bronze set of a necklace and pin, in original, green-leather cases. It went for $3,000.

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For our 649-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: China’s impact: 14% of all votes in IOC Athletes’ Commission survey of athlete attitudes on Olympic protests

By
Rich Perelman
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(For our updated Highlights review of last week’s top competitions, click here)

Voting matters, and Chinese athletes did so early and often, helping to shape the outcome of the discussion on athlete protests at the Olympic Games.

The IOC Athletes’ Commission released a lengthy report last week concerning its research and recommendations concerning Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter, which bans demonstrations and protest at the Olympic Games.

The outcome was that a significant majority were against protests during the Opening Ceremony, on the field of play, or during award ceremonies (not all totals add to 100% due to rounding):

● Opening: 14% in favor – 69% against – 11% maybe – 5% don’t know
● On-field: 14% in favor – 71% against – 11% maybe – 5% don’t know
● Podium: 16% in favor – 67% against – 12% maybe – 5% don’t know

There was more support for more athlete expression off the field, but none of the other options offered for more expression reached 50% approval:

● Oly. Village: 28% in favor – 49% against – 17% maybe – 6% don’t know
● Mixed Zone: 36% in favor – 41% against – 18% maybe – 5% don’t know
● Press Conf.: 38% in favor – 40% against – 17% maybe – 5% don’t know
● Interviews: 42% in favor – 37% against – 17% maybe – 5% don’t know

Wow! So where did this come from? The report also included a 53-page appendix of the survey data from Publicis Sport & Entertainment, with some fascinating numbers concerning who responded and how.

The overall totals showed 3,547 athletes – 55% Olympians and 45% Olympic “hopefuls” – responded, covering 185 of the 206 National Olympic Committees, all 41 sports on the Olympic and Winter Games programs and with 50% female respondents, 49% male and 1% who preferred not to specify. There were 13 NOCs with 60 or more responses and this was fascinating:

(1) 489, China, or 14% of the total
(2) 249, United States, or 7% of the total
(3) 195, Japan, or 5.5% of the total
(4) 181, France
(5) 159, Germany
(6) 148, Canada
(7) 135, Great Britain
(8) 120, Australia
(9) 96, South Korea
(10) 75, Italy
(11) 68, Mexico
(11) 68, Russia
(13) 61, Netherlands
(14-16) Brazil, New Zealand and South Africa all cast 40 or more votes

The top 13 comprise 1,969 or 55.5% of all votes cast; the other 172 NOCs cast 1,578 votes or an average of nine votes each. If we assume that Brazil, New Zealand and South Africa averaged 45 votes each, the other 169 NOCs are down to an average of 8.5 votes each.

China (489), Japan (195) and Korea (96) cast 780 votes or 21.9% of the total! The six European countries in the top 13 cast a total of just 679 votes, or 19.1%. The U.S., Canada and Mexico together comprised 13.1% of the total, less than China alone.

So the impact of the Asian vote was significant and say what you will about China – a thoroughly totalitarian regime – they know how to vote when given the opportunity. And the contrast between the views of the Chinese athletes, often mirrored by the Russians, and those of the U.S., Japan and France – with the next highest vote totals – was stunning. Consider:

On Opening Ceremony protests or demonstrations:
● 91% against: China
● 84% against: Russia
● 76% against: France
● 64% against: Japan
● 61% against: United States

On Field-of-Play protests or demonstrations:
● 92% against: China
● 85% against: Russia
● 78% against: France
● 66% against: Japan
● 62% against: United States

On Awards Ceremonies protests or demonstrations:
● 91% against: China
● 84% against: Russia
● 77% against: France
● 68% against: Japan
● 53% against: United States

Moreover, Chinese and Russian athletes were against all forms of “athlete expression” offered in the survey:

● Olympic Village: 90% against for China, 72% against for Russia
● Mixed Zone: 87% against for China, 56% against for Russia
● Press Conf.: 87% against for China, 56% against for Russia
● Interviews: 85% against for China, 56% against for Russia

None of the other large-vote countries reached 50% against for the Mixed Zone, press conferences or media interviews. Five other countries – South Africa, Brazil, Netherlands, Australia and France – were from 50-59% against expressions in the Olympic Village.

The survey also explored new avenues for “expression,” and the results mostly reflected the same general views, with some differences:

On a “moment of solidarity against discrimination” in the Opening Ceremony:
● In favor: Mexico (72%), Canada (69%), Italy (67%)
● Against: China (12% in favor), Japan and Russia (26%)
● U.S. was 59% in favor

On an area for free expression in the Olympic Village:
● In favor: Mexico (68%), Brazil (57%), Canada (56%)
● Against: China (11% in favor), Japan and Netherlands (18%)
● U.S. was 51% in favor

On apparel or armbands in the venues with a “collective message”:
● In favor: Mexico (59%), Italy (53%), Canada and Brazil (47%)
● Against: Russia (18% in favor), Japan (21%), Netherlands (25%)
● U.S. was 36% in favor; China was 28% in favor

On apparel or armbands with a “personal message”:
● In favor: Mexico (46%), Canada (43%), South Africa (39%)
● Against: China (6% in favor), Japan (10%), Russia (13%)
● U.S. was 35% in favor

On allowing “physical gestures” as demonstrations in venues:
● In favor: Canada (41%), U.S. (40%), Mexico (34%)
● Against: China (4% in favor), Russia (10%), Japan (15%)

What do these figures tell us?

If the Olympic Movement values diversity as much as it says it does, this was a good survey: it reflected a wide range of opinions, values and cultures. Asian cultures have historically valued societal consensus and that’s exactly what the survey showed for demonstrations in public places; individual expressions were frowned upon.

By contrast, the more individualistic cultures of Canada, Mexico and the U.S. were generally in favor of collective, positive messaging, of personal expression in private spaces such as interviews, but against personal messages in public forums like awards, where one person’s protest could impact that moment for someone else.

Europe has been the home of the modern Olympic Movement, but the modest participation by European athletes in the survey was remarkable. Only France (4th), Germany (5), Great Britain (7) and Italy (10) were among the 10 highest vote totals. Perhaps Europe cast the most votes overall, but the totals by National Olympic Committee were not released in depth.

Perhaps most disturbing is that there were 34 NOCs which sent 100 or more athletes to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, but only eight NOCs which registered 100 or more responses to the IOC Athletes’ Commission questionnaire.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama famously said in 2016 that “elections matter and that voting counts.” With 14% of all votes cast on “athlete expression,” Chinese athletes did not determine the outcome, but made a significant impact, especially when so relatively few others bothered to participate.

Athletes and NOCs may want to remember that when the details on implementation and sanctions come out later this year.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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For our 649-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HIGHLIGHTS: 400 m star Kerley runs world-leading 9.91; T&F world leads for Miller-Uibo, Winkler, Duplantis and eight more from Saturday!

By
Rich Perelman
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Fred Kerley set a collegiate record with this 43.70 run in 2017, but now he's the fastest man in the world? (Photo: Texas A&M)

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

● Archery ● The World Archery World Cup circuit opened for 2021 in Guatemala City, Guatemala, with a full program and plenty of surprises.

India’s 40th-ranked Atanu Dias, 29, won the men’s Recurve final with a 6-4 decision over Spain’s 35th-ranked Daniel Castro, 24, both surprise finalists. Mexico’s Angel Alvarado defeated Dutch star Steve Wiljer, 6-2, for the bronze medal.

India swept the individual Recurve finals as veteran Deepika Kumari – currently ranked ninth worldwide – out-lasted American Mackenzie Brown in the women’s gold-medal match, 6-5, on a closer-to-the-center nine on the final shots. Mexico claimed another bronze as Alejandra Valencia defeated Madalina Amaistroaie of Romania, 6-4.

In the Recurve team finals, Spain won the men’s team gold with a 6-2 finals win over the U.S., with Germany defeating France, 5-3 for bronze. India’s women defeated Mexico, 5-4, for the women’s gold, with Germany clubbing Spain, 5-1 in the bronze final.

The Mixed Team gold went to Mexico’s Ana Vasquez and Angel Alvarado with a 6-2 win over Germany (Lisa Unruh and Florian Unruh), while India beat the U.S. in the bronze final, 6-2.

● Athletics ● /Updated as underlined/A sensational Saturday across the U.S. – and Europe – produced 13 world-leading performances!

At the Oregon Relays and USA Track & Field Grand Prix in the new Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, some late rain did not deter some great performances and three world leads:

● Men/Steeple: 8:17.74, Isaac Updike (USA)
● Men/Hammer: 81.98 m (268-11), Rudy Winkler (USA)
● Women/400 m: 49.08, Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH)

Winkler, 26, was sensational and his mark – a lifetime best – is the no. 2 performance in the U.S. history, behind only Lance Deal’s 1996 American Record of 82.52 m (270-9).

The 100 m was won by comebacking Trayvon Bromell, who won his heat in 10.01 and won the final in 10.01 again. Second in the final, but lacking his usual finishing fire was Noah Lyles, in 10.17. In the 400 m, Michael Norman showed excellent finishing speed to log the no. 2 performance of the year in 44.67, ahead of friend Rai Benjamin (44.98). Australia’s Ollie Hoare won the 1,500 m in the no. 2 performance of the year in 3:33.54, making a strong claim to be selected for the Olympic Team.

The women’s 100 m was an impressive 10.97 win for Nigerian star Blessing Okagbare, ahead of American Morolake Akinosun (11.09). Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn underlined her world-leading 12.32 from last week with a dominant 12.46 win, the second-best performances of 2021. In the field, emerging U.S. star Brooke Andersen scored her first win over World Champion DeAnna Price, 77.99 m (255-10) to 76.15 m (249-10).

At the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, there was more sunshine and four world-leading performances:

● Men/400 m hurdles: 48.15, Alison Dos Santos (BRA)
● Men/Pole Vault: 5.86 m (19-2 3/4), Sam Kendricks (USA) /see below/
● Men/Shot Put: 21.93 m (71-11 1/2), Ryan Crouser (USA)
● Women/400 m hurdles: 55.02, Gianna Woodruff (PUR)

In the men’s hurdles, Dos Santos’s lifetime best was enough to hold off previous world leader Kenny Selmon of the U.S., second in 48.87. Kendricks was pushed in the vault by Chris Nilsen of the U.S., who cleared 5.80 m (19-0 3/4) for second. Woodruff’s national record for Puerto Rico in the 400 m hurdles came at the expense of American Ashley Spencer, who was second in 55.52, the no. 2 performance on the season.

The USATF Road Mile Championships were also held in Des Moines (on the 21st), with Rachel Schneider running away from Shannon Osika for a 4:30.3 to 4:31.3 victory and her first U.S. mile title. The men’s winner, Eric Avila, chased down early leader Jeff Thies and then held off Craig Engels and Clayton Murphy to win by 3:59.0-3:59.2-3:59.4.

/Update/There were even more world leads at the LSU Alumni Gold in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Apparently just about the same time that Kendricks vaulted 5.86 m at the Drake Relays, world-record holder Mondo Duplantis (SWE) managed 5.90 m (19-4 1/4). Among the collegians, LSU’s JuVaughn Harrison (USA) moved to no. 1 on the year list with his win at 8.44 m (27-8 1/4) and teammate Noah Williams (USA) won the 400 m in 44.30, setting a lifetime best and taking the world lead (ahead of former world leader Bryce Deadmon of the U.S., second in 44.58).

Also worth noting were Americans Aleia Hobbs and Tamara Clark running 10.91 and 10.96 in the women’s 100 m

Perhaps the surprise of the weekend came at the Tru Fit Sprint Classic in Miami, Florida, where 2019 World 400 m bronze medalist Fred Kerley took the world lead in the 100 m, running 9.91 with the maximum-allowable wind of 2.0 m/s, ahead of Jason Rogers (10.01).

Kerley started 2021 with a 100 m best of 10.49, but has run 10.15, 10.11, 10.06 and 10.03 and now 9.91! He’s also equaled his personal best of 20.24 in the 200 m and won his only 400 m race in 45.03 indoors. Wow!

Jamaica’s Natasha Morrison, a 2015 Worlds finalist at 100 m, won the women’s 100 m in 10.87 (wind: +1.3), a lifetime best by 0.09 and the no. 2 performance in the world for 2021. Britain’s Zharnel Hughes took the men’s 200 m in a windy 19.93 (+3.6).

In Offenburg (GER), 2017 World Champion Johannes Vetter took the seasonal lead in the javelin at 91.50 m (300-2), his sixth-best throw ever.

● Curling ● The Grand Slam of Curling completed its 2020-21 season with the second straight event held in a sequestered environment in Calgary (CAN). The Players’ Championship ends this (shortened) season, but on a happy note for Canada’s Kerri Einarson.

She skipped her squad to a third Grand Slam of Curling title, winning 5-2 over fellow Canadian Rachel Homan in the final.

The men’s final was a second win in a week for Scotland’s Bruce Mouat, the 2021 Worlds silver medal winner, with a 6-5 win over Canada’s Brad Gushue, thanks to two points in the eighth end.

The Champions Cup, also held in Calgary and finishing last Monday (19 April), saw Homan’s team edge the Swiss squad skipped by Silvana Tirinzoni by 6-3 in the final. The men’s final was a happy win for Scotland and Mouat, who won by 6-3, over the Canadian team skipped by Brendan Bottcher. Mouat’s team defeated World Champion Niklas Edin (SWE) and his squad in the quarterfinals by 6-5 in a rematch of the Worlds final.

For Homan, it extended her record as the winningest women’s skip in the Grand Slam of Curling, with her 11th victory. It was also Homan’s third Champions Cup title, after wins in 2017 and 2018.

The 2011-22 season will begin in September with the Tour Challenge.

● Cycling ● Two of the famed springtime Classics were held this week: La Fleche Wallonne – “The Flemish Arrow” – and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, and the races were indeed classics.

The 85th La Fleche Wallonne for men was 193.6 km from Charleroi to the Mur de Huy in Belgium, with French star Julian Alaphilippe winning his third title in the last four runnings. He barely edged Slovenian superstar Primoz Roglic at the line, with both given the same time of 4:36:25. Spain’s Alejandro Valverde – a five-time winner – was third (+0:06) and Canada’s Michael Woods was eight seconds back.

Roglic burst to the lead with 400 m to go, but Alaphilippe and Valverde were both in hot pursuit. The Frenchman caught Roglic with 75 to go and managed to hang on for the victory.

The women’s La Fleche Wallonne was another showcase for Dutch star Anna van der Breggen, who is set to retire at the end of this season. Already the six-time defending champion, she was part of a nine-rider group chasing American Ruth Winder, who had a 30-second lead with 5 km left in the 130.2 km route. On the final climb up the Mur de Huy, Dutch rider Demi Vollering led the charge that passed Winder, with van der Breggen and Pole Kasia Niewiadoma taking the lead with less than 500 m left. Van der Breggen then powered away with 75 m left for her seventh straight win in this race; Niewiadoma finished seconds back with Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA) and Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) six seconds behind. Winder finished seventh and Vollering was 10th.

On Sunday, Vollering got her revenge with a brilliant victory at Liege-Bastogne-Liege, outlasting van Vleuten, Longo Borghini, Niewiadoma and van der Breggen in a five-woman sprint to the line.

Van der Breggen had the lead for most of the 13 km run-in to the finish after the final climb of the 140.9 km route, but van Vleuten attacked with 300 m to go, but Vollering blew by for her first Women’s World Tour victory. The top four received the same time and van der Breggen was two seconds back,

The 107th Liege-Bastogne-Liege was a another five-man sprint, but this time it was Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar who edged Alaphilippe at the line in 6:39:26.

Pogacar and his UAE-Team Emirates squad were not allowed to ride in La Fleche Wallonne over what turned out to be false Covid-19 positives. So they were motivated on Sunday, and the race came down to five riders – Pogacar, Alaphilippe, Valverde, Woods and France’s David Gaudu – enjoying a 30-second gap on the field with 7 km left.

The final placings were not decided until the finishing straight into Liege, with Valverde moving first, but Alaphilippe charged ahead, only to be shadowed and then passed late by Pogacar, who added his first “Monument” race to his already-glowing young career.

● Gymnastics ● Eight women gymnasts achieved a qualifying mark of 52.000 in the All-Around to qualify for the U.S. Gymnastics Championships at the 2021 American Classic in Indianapolis on Saturday.

Skye Blakely won the All-Around at 55.350, ahead of Leanne Wong (54.450), Karis German (53.250), Addison Fatta (52.900) and Kara Eaker (52.700). Three-time Worlds medalist Sunisa Lee competed in a partial program, and won the Uneven Bars at 15.200 and Beam at 14.550.

● Judo ● The home team – the Dominican Republic – dominated the Pan American Open in Santo Domingo, this weekend, taking home eight wins in the 14 classes.

The Dominicans earned men’s golds at 66 kg (Wander Matteo), 73 kg (Antonio Tornal), 90 kg (Eduardo Guzman), 100 kg (Lewis Medina) and +100 kg (Jose Nova Alcantara). Women’s winners included Ariela Sanchez at 63 kg, Eiraima Silvestre at 78 kg and Moira Morillo at +78 kg.

The U.S. had two winners: Kell Berliner at 81 kg for men and Nicole Stout in the wome’s 70 kg class, both leading a 1-2-3 sweeps!

● Volleyball ● The second FIVB World Tour event in Cancun, Mexico is heading for its conclusion on Monday. Look for match results here.

Norway’s Anders Mol and Christian Sorum are looking for a second straight win on tour and are into the semifinals. The no. 1-ranked women’s team, Americans April Ross and Alix Klineman, are also into the semifinals.

● Weightlifting ● Colombia and the U.S. dominated the “2020″ Pan American Championships, held in Santo Domingo (DOM) this past week.

Columbia won a total of 15 medals – seven gold – in the Combined category only, trailed close by the U.S., with 14 (6-3-5).

All seven Colombian winners were in the men’s division and included Miguel Suarez at 55 kg (242 kg combined); Francisco Mosquera at 61 kg (280 kg total); Luis Javier Mosquera at 67 kg (318 kg total); Brayan Rodallegas at 81 kg (363 kg total), Diego Betancur at 89 kg (365 kg total); Jhonatan Rivas at 96 kg (393 kg) and Lesman Paredes at 102 kg (390 kg total).

The U.S. had won men’s winner in Clarence Cummings, Jr., who won at 73 kg and lifted a combined total of 343 kg. American women won five titles, with Cicely Kyle winning at 45 kg (166 kg total); Jourdan Delacruz won at 49 kg and set Pan-Am records for the Snatch (89 kg), Clean & Jerk (111 kg) and total (200 kg); Meredith Alwine won at 71 kg (238 kg total); Mattie Rogers won at 81 kg and set a Pan-Am record for the 251 kg total, and former World Champion Sarah Robles won at +87 kg, winning both lifts and combining for a 280 kg total.

The 2019 World Champion at 71 kg, Katie Nye of the U.S., moved up to 76 kg and was second to Ecuador’s Neisi Dajomes, who listed a total of 250 kg to 235 kg for Nye.

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For our 649-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

THE TICKER: Tokyo spectator decision postponed; A$1 billion for Brisbane ‘32 stadium? USOPC ticket seller sued; IOC now seriously into eSports!

By
Rich Perelman
-
Will there be any fans at Tokyo 2020's Olympic Stadium for the Games? NOPE. (Photo: Tokyo 2020)

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

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● The question of whether there will be any spectators at the Tokyo Games is being asked again, with the announcement that the decision on the number of spectators to be allowed may be put off until June.

Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto told reporters on Wednesday (21st) that a “basic policy” regarding spectator capacities is still hoped for by the end of this month, but that a final decision may take some time.

Japan’s incidence of the coronavirus is quite low compared with many other countries, but there is public reluctance to have thousands of Olympic athletes, staff and officials coming into the country this summer.

At Wednesday’s news conference following the IOC Executive Board meeting, President Thomas Bach (GER) reiterated his firm belief that the extensive countermeasures being taken at the Games will make it safe for both the participants and the host country:

“This will be about the creation of different bubbles, this will ensure the direct transport to and from the venues. This will also include the interaction between the [Olympic participants and the public] and, you know, we have seen that this works, that there have been 340 world championships and world cups being organized, with the participation of – cumulatively – far more than 40,000 athletes. And none of these events has been a virus-spreader. And they did not even have the benefit of the vaccines. But there in Tokyo, we will have on top of this, the benefit of the vaccine, and again, we can be very confident that it will be a high number of people being vaccinated.

“And taking all this together, the very strict measures, the reduction of the days of staying in the Village, which will allow to lower the capacity of the Village, which is allowing social distancing much better, the regular testing, these bubbles, and-and-and, all these, and on top, high vaccination rate, I think will really make the Olympic Village a pretty safe place for everybody.”

The Kyodo News Agency reported Wednesday that athletes at the Games will be tested for the virus daily, using saliva tests, in order to stay on top of any potential outbreak.

The test event for track & field, scheduled for 9 May, will be held, but without spectators and possibly with only Japanese athletes.

Comment: Pushing a decision on spectator attendance as far as June – for a Games which will begin on 23 July – is cause for concern. At that late stage, the logistics of ticketing, seating and informing people where they will enter and sit for hundreds of sessions of sports could be overwhelming.

Japan already has significant experience with managing crowds for professional baseball games, so the issue may be more political than logistical. All of this might be a set-up to declare that no spectators will be allowed, a decision which will be welcomed by many Tokyo residents already frayed by worries about the virus.

Wednesday’s announcement of the IOC Athletes’ Commission findings that Games protests during the Opening Ceremony, competitions and on the victory stand are highly unpopular – by 69%, 71% and 67% – in its poll of 3,547 athletes from 185 National Olympic Committees brought the expected rebuke from the so-called “Global Athlete start-up” which included: “We acknowledge that the IOC conducted a survey among athlete groups,” then called the survey flawed and quoted Irish karate athlete Caradh O’Donovan:

“One cannot survey how people feel about human rights and freedom of expression.”

On Thursday, the World Players Association, a Swiss-based “union” which says it represents “85,000 players across professional sport through more than 100 player associations in over 60 countries” promised to provide legal support to any athlete who protests at the Tokyo Games.

Comment: The IOC Athletes’ Commission report and recommendations left the entire question of sanctions up to the IOC Legal Affairs Commission, which is now on the clock to determine possible penalties. But it is clear that the vast majority of athletes don’t want their moment on the field of play, during the Opening Ceremony or on the podium to be hijacked.

It will be fascinating to watch the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee reaction to all of this, as the new Chair of the Athletes Advisory Council is Bree Schaff, 40, a former bobsledder and skeleton racer. According to the announcement of her election, “Schaaf works professionally as the program manager for Global Athlete, a progressive athlete-led startup movement.”

Does that mean the USOPC will adopt the Global Athlete position and thumb its nose at the IOC Athletes’ Commission and the worldwide polling? Worth noting: 53% of U.S. athletes polled were against podium protests, 61% were against protests at the Opening Ceremony and 62% against protests on the field of play. Watch this one closely.

Texas resident Suzanne Caruso filed a class-action complaint on 16 April in U.S. Federal Court against the USOPC Authorized Ticket Reseller, New Jersey-based CoSport, for breach of contract and fraud. The complaint states:

“Plaintiff brings this class action lawsuit on behalf of all people who purchased tickets and accommodations for the Summer Olympics through CoSport, which is the sole entity authorized to sell tickets to the American public. … [and as] the Japanese Olympic Committee recently announced that no international spectators will be allowed to attend. As a result, the Olympic tickets and accommodations purchased by Plaintiff and the putative class through CoSport are worthless.

“Regardless, Defendant CoSport refuses to grant Plaintiff and the class a full refund under its Terms and Conditions. Instead, CoSport only offers a partial refund (75%) IF the customer elects her refund by the eight (8) day deadline and the customer agrees to hold CoSport harmless for retaining the remainder of their refund (25%). This conduct not only constitutes a breach of contract, but it is also unfair and deceptive in violation of the New Jersey [Consumer Fraud Act] and [Truth-in-Consumer Contract, Warranty and Notice Act].”

Caruso purchased a package of tickets, accommodations and meals totaling $16,375, apparently for five days stay at the Games; the complaint cites the terms of the purchase contract, which included:

“If a Customer is actually charged by THE COMPANY for any Product(s) (including but not limited to accommodations, transportation, Tickets or any combination thereof) without their respective order(s) being completed as detailed above, THE COMPANY will refund Customer in full by crediting their respective Account at the earlier of either THE COMPANY detecting the error or Customer notifying THE COMPANY of the error.”

The suit asks for damages, punitive damages, attorney’s fees and other relief; the case is Caruso vs. Jet Set Sports, LLC d/b/a CoSport, case no. 3:21-cv-9665 in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Watch the timing in how this suit progresses, as this is another headache for the USOPC. CoSport is already deep into planning for packages to the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing and the Paris 2024 Games are only three years away. A significant judgment against CoSport could leave the USOPC looking for another solution for 2024, and impact what everyone expects to be a bonanza for the Los Angeles Games in 2028.

● Games of the XXV Olympiad: 2032 ● Brisbane is the IOC’s preferred target for the 2032 Olympic Games, and despite its pledges to host the event with minimal financial impact, the Queensland Premier is already touting a major renovation of the Brisbane Cricket Ground, known as The Gabba.

Premier Annastacia Palasczuk released a statement on Wednesday noting:

“Every games needs a home. The Gabba has been home to our sport since 1895. A home for the 2032 Olympic Paralympic Games could be its crowning glory.”

The stadium, build in 1895, would be expanded to 50,000 seats for the Games, with a major upgrade to the surrounding area, such as a pedestrian plaza to connect it to the Cross River Rail transit station. The cost? Reported as up to A$1 billion (~$771 million U.S.).

The IOC’s Future Hosts Commission has asked the Brisbane bid group for documentation to be completed this month, with the actual selection of Brisbane for 2032 possible at the IOC Session in Tokyo this summer. Watch to see if there is any pushback against this project – and its cost – beforehand.

● XXV Olympic Winter Games: Milan Cortina 2026 ● The IOC’s Coordination Commission praised the Milan Cortina 2026 organizing committee for its work so far, after an online meeting on 19 April.

However, a continuing push for economy by the IOC has met with resistance regarding the historic bobsled & luge track on Cortina, which was built and used at the 1956 Winter Games:

“[T]he Coordination Commission once again expressed its concerns with regard to the legacy of the track. It was pointed out that the IOC had made a number of proposals for alternative tracks, none of which were accepted.

“On the other hand, the Commission took note that the final plans for the venue are not an investment in a sliding track for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games but are part of a wider entertainment park project that is completely unrelated to the Games. The IOC is therefore not in a position to go any further in this discussion, as this is a sovereign decision of the Veneto Region.

“It has been confirmed to the IOC and the Organising Committee that this outlay will not form part of the investment budget for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Milano Cortina 2026. The track will therefore only be used by the Organising Committee for the duration of the Games. Before and after the Games, the venue will be under the sole authority of the region and will not be run by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) or the Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee.”

Bach was asked about this during his news conference and explained:

“[T]he region of Veneto will and has decided to build an entertainment park. And one part of this entertainment park will be an installation which will be used – one part only; it’s all over an entertainment park – it will be used in summer for all sorts of sports activities, and then in the winter also for leisure activities, with regard to luge and others.

“This is a sovereign decision of the parliament of the region of Veneto. There, the IOC cannot tell the region of Veneto, ‘you are not allowed to build an entertainment park in your region.’ So then, the question for the Coordination Commission was, what to do? And there, the least-costly alternative, then, was to say, ‘OK, if this is there, then we can use it and can use it on the spot rather than taking the event to another country or to another place. But maintaining there the concerns for the purely sporting legacy of this installation, and this is why it was made very clear that this is not an Olympic project, and this is not a project for the Games but that there the organizing committee will benefit from this overall investment.”

Discussions are continuing about the speed skating oval. Stay tuned.

● International Olympic Committee ● “Worldwide Olympic Partner Airbnb, in partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has announced the launch of a new initiative that will provide elite athletes, Olympians and Paralympians with Airbnb accommodation credits.

“Over the next eight years, the Athlete Travel Grants programme will offer up to 500 athletes per year a USD 2,000 Airbnb credit to use for travel-related accommodation costs linked to their sporting careers.” That’s $1 million a year, for eight years.

This is an extension of Airbnb’s “Olympian & Paralympian Online Experiences” program which offers direct-contact programs with athletes – for a modest fee – that began in 2020. Airbnb signed a nine-year TOP sponsorship agreement in 2019.

All of this is another step in direct-athlete support from the IOC, which does not yet include participation honoraria at the Olympic Games or prize money, but which continues to rise over time.

The IOC has been asked once again to take action against Iran, with the UnitedForNavid group posting an appeal after sending a new list of violations of the Olympic Charter by the Iranian government.

Sardar Pashaei, coordinator of the campaign, said “By opening an investigation on athlete abuse in Iran, the IOC will send a strong message that they are first and foremost an athlete-centered organization. The Games cannot go on if athlete rights are not upheld.”

Formed in the aftermath of the imprisonment and then execution of Greco-Roman wrestler Navid Afkari in 2020, the organization is lobbying for Iran to be excluded from international sports competitions. Iran has a long history of, among other incidents, requiring its athletes to lose matches in order not to compete directly against Israeli athletes.

The IOC made a major announcement on Thursday (22nd) with the launch of its first eSports venture, the “Olympic Virtual Series.”

This program partners five International Federations – for baseball, cycling, rowing, sailing and auto racing – with game publishers for Olympic-licensed events that mimic physical sports.

This is in line with the IOC’s announced policy to support electronic versions of actual sports and staying away from the often-violent world of competitive gaming. It’s worth noting that two of the five federations included in the first group are for non-core sports of the Olympic Games: baseball (WBSC) and auto racing (FIA), both of which are Recognized International Federations.

Promotional support is promised through the IOC’s Olympic Channel and the statement also noted future interest in joining this program from FIBA (basketball), FIFA (football), ITF (tennis) and World Taekwondo.

Comment: This is an enormous first step for the IOC, but seeing the breadth of sports involved and ready to be involved, it’s not hard to imagine a new concept which does not place eSports as part of the Olympic Games, but in a stand-alone, multi-eSport event as a digitally juiced-up version of the Youth Olympic Games, to hype interest in eSports as a gateway for youth to get involved in enhanced physical fitness.

● World Anti-Doping Agency ● The Institute of National Anti-Doping Organizations (iNADO) issued a statement on Monday (19th) following its Annual General Meeting, urging the World Anti-Doping Agency to promptly adopt three major reforms:

“(1) The Foundation Board must be representative of a wider group of stakeholders.

“(2) The Executive Committee should be composed of more independent experts.

“(3) An independent monitoring mechanism should be established. For the Foundation Board to conduct this task with credibility, a strict separation of the roles and people between the Foundation Board and Executive Committee should be implemented.”

The call for greater independence in the anti-doping movement sounds fine on the surface, but the details of how such independence also offers accountability has not yet been detailed.

● Beach Volleyball ● The first of three FIVB World Tour competitions in a sequestered environment in Cancun, Mexico saw familiar faces on the podium once again.

Norwegian stars Anders Mol and Christian Sorum, the 2018 World Tour Final winners, triumphed in the men’s division, winning their 11th World Tour event together. They defeated Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, 21-19, 22-20 in the final. Czechs Ondrej Perusic and David Schweiner took the bronze medal.

Brazil dominated the women’s competition, finishing 1-3 in two marathon matches. Taiana Lima and Talita Antunes took the title with a 19-21, 24-22, 15-10 victory over Canada’s reigning World Champions, Saran Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes. Agatha Bednarczuk and Duda Lisboa won the bronze by 37-35, 21-16 over Germany’s Chantal Laboureur and Cinja Tillmann.

The second event started today (Thursday) and will run through next Monday (26th).

● Boxing ● The International Boxing Association’s report on its 21 April meeting of the Board of Directors asserted that the organization’s financial problems – with debts of $16 million or more – are behind it:

“A finance report was presented to the Board of Directors, reflecting the financial independence that has been secured through the signing sponsors agreements. A plan for the settlement of AIBA’s outstanding debts was approved as part of this report. …

“‘Before my election, I promised to ensure that AIBA’s debts would be settled through my efforts,’ said President [Umar] Kremlev [RUS]. ‘As the leader of AIBA’s team, I am very proud to welcome a company, Gazprom, that has a track record of prestigious sports sponsorship. This partnership is more than financial and AIBA is grateful that Gazprom will also provide the expertise that comes with its status as a world leader in a vital area of the global economy, together with its and its social responsibility support and participation in social projects.’ Moreover, all National Federations will be provided with annual financial and equipment support. The Board of Directors approved criteria and procedures for this assistance.”

That the sponsorship is ”more than financial” will be of interest to the IOC’s oversight committee, which is considering what to do about the federation, which has been stripped of its responsibility for the 2020 Tokyo Games tournament. As a further indication that AIBA’s problems are not behind it was this:

“The AIBA Board of Directors discussed the previous investigation by AIBA officials into the conduct of those involved with judging and refereeing at the boxing tournament of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. President Kremlev proposed that a fresh investigation be conducted by an Ad Hoc Investigation Committee, this time with independent oversight and involvement.”

● Cross Country Skiing ● Estonia’s Andrus Veerpalu, now 50, the two-time Olympic gold medalist from 2002 and 2006, was suspended by the Federation Internationale de Ski for two years for aiding and assisting in the Operation Aderlass blood-doping scandal.

Veerpalu was a coach for Estonia at the time of the 2019 Nordic Skiing World Championships in Seefeld (AUT). Raids by police of athlete accommodations turned up a wide-ranging doping program among several countries, including Estonia. Four other Estonians – three athletes and a coach – have already been suspended, including Veerpalu’s son, Andreas.

● Football ● The draw for the Olympic football tournament was held on Wednesday, with the U.S. women getting a tough assignment in Tokyo.

The men’s groups:

● A: Japan, South Africa, Mexico, France
● B: New Zealand, South Korea, Honduras, Romania
● C: Egypt, Spain, Argentina, Australia
● D: Brazil, Germany, Cote d’Ivoire, Saudi Arabia

The women’s groups:

● E: Japan, Canada, Great Britain, Chile
● F: China, Brazil, Zambia, Netherlands
● G: United States, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand

The American women will face tough opposition against the Australians and Swedes; the U.S. was fortunate to come out with a 1-1 draw against Sweden on 10 April in Stockholm.

Real Madrid President Florentino Perez said on Thursday that the European Super League “is on standby,” even after nine of the initially-disclosed 12 teams have publicly withdrawn.

He noted, “You cannot get out of the contract like this – they are binding contracts. …

“I’ve been in football for 20 years and I’ve never seen threats like this. It was like we killed someone. It was like we killed football. But we were trying to work out how to save football.”

All six English Premier League teams withdrew after furious reactions from fans about the proposal, along with Athletico Madrid from Spain and AC Milan and Inter Milan from Italy.

The Super League may be dead as planned, but the interest of Europe’s super clubs for more revenue is not going to be ended any time soon.

● Ice Hockey ● The coronavirus has struck down the IIHF Women’s World Championship tournament, to be held in Halifax and Truro, Canada from 6-16 May.

The provincial government of Nova Scotia would not allow the event to proceed; the IIHF’s statement noted that “the IIHF and Hockey Canada have pledged to work towards finding new dates for the tournament, with the goal to host the event in the summer of 2021.”

● Sailing ● A major issue for World Sailing has developed with the implosion of its proposal for an open-ocean race as part of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The IOC informed World Sailing that its review of the proposed Mixed Two-Person Offshore Keelboat Event of significant concerns regarding “Field of Play security, scope and complexity, broadcast cost and complexity and World Sailing not having the opportunity to deliver an Offshore World Championship” in this class.

Moreover, World Sailing was requested to offer an alternative event instead. A deadline of 26 May must be met, for consideration at the IOC Executive Board meeting of 8 June. The federation has called for submissions from 10-14 May and a decision by the World Sailing Council on the 14th. Any event submitted must have an equal number of male and female sailors. If not handled deftly, it is possible that sailing’s 10th event at the Games could disappear.

● Swimming ● The newest wrinkle in the International Swimming League program is to stock its 10 teams through a draft process, similar to that of the National Football League.

ISL announced that each team will be able to retain 15 swimmers from their 36-person roster from last season, with all others combined in a draft-eligible pool. Fans will be able to vote on one additional swimmer that each team can retain.

Each team will then select, in reverse order of their final standings from last season, 11 swimmers to bring the team total to 27. Teams can then sign their last nine swimmers from the remaining free agents and swimmers not on any team.

The draft is scheduled for the week of 21 June 2021.

● Weightlifting ● The International Weightlifting Federation announced a Court of Arbitration for Sport decision to “largely uphold the suspension of the Thai Amateur Weightlifting Federation.

“The suspension followed extensive anti-doping rule violations by Thai weightlifters in 2018. One Thai weightlifter at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games tested positive for exogenous testosterone in October and nine tested positive for exogenous testosterone at the IWF World Weightlifting Championships in November of 2018. Twenty targeted tests conducted at a training camp in October 2018 returned no fewer than fifteen adverse analytical findings.”

The Thai federation was suspended for three years through 1 April 2023, no Thai lifters can participate in Tokyo 2020, but junior lifters are allow to compete in IWF events after a five-month moratorium and others after an 11-month moratorium that ends on 18 June 2021. The Thai federation was also fined $200,000 and ordered to pay $6,000 in court costs.

It’s another doping story for the IWF which it does not need, but does clear the air regarding Thailand, which was heavily embarrassed by the ARD documentary on the sport aired in 2019.

● The Last Word ● An 459-lot auction of Olympic memorabilia is underway online, headlined by a solid-gold participation medal from the 1912 Stockholm Games, with a floor bid of $300,000.

The auction closes on Saturday and includes medals from 1904, 1908, 1912, 1920, 1924 Winter, 1932, 1932 Winter, 1936 Winter, 1952 Winter, 1956 Equestrian, 1956 Winter, 1960 Winter, 1968 Winter, 1972 Winter, 1980 Winter, 1984, 1984 Winter, 1988, 1992 Winter, 2004, 2006 Winter, and the 2014 Winter Games.

Olympic torches include 1936 ($5,000 minimum), 1952 Winter ($70,000 minimum), 1964 ($12,000 minimum), 1968 ($2,400 minimum), 1972 ($2,000 minimum), 1972 Winter ($28,000 minimum), 1976 ($2,600 minimum), 1980 ($2,800 minimum), 1984 Winter ($4,500 minimum), 1988 Winter ($30,000 minimum), 1988 ($6,000 minimum), 1992 ($5,000 minimum), 1994 Winter ($22,000 minimum), 1996 ($2,400 minimum), 1998 Winter ($6,000 minimum), 2000 ($3,500 minimum), 2002 Winter ($2,800 minimum), 2004 ($2,800 minimum), 2006 Winter ($1,800 minimum), 2008 ($5,500 minimum), 2010 Winter ($1,800 minimum), 2012 ($5,000 current bid), 2014 Winter ($2,800 minimum), Rio ($3,500 minimum) and even Tokyo 2020 ($12,000 minimum)!

And there is a lot more. Bidding ends on Saturday (24th).

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LANE ONE: IOC Athletes’ Commission recommends no protests on podium or ceremonies at Games; sanctions deferred to Legal Commission

By
Rich Perelman
-

“Essentially, nothing really changes for athletes as far as field-of–play, ceremonies, podiums are concerned; everything remains the same as far as that angle is concerned, is that correct?

“That’s correct.”

That exchange between Karlos Grohmann of Reuters and International Olympic Committee Athletes’ Commission Chair (and seven-time Olympic swimming medalist) Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) sums up the months-long inquiry concerning Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter, which states “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”

Coventry presented the results of the “consultations” in an online news conference following the IOC Executive Board meeting held today (21st). Among the highlights:

● Following the IOC Executive Board’s 10 June 2020 resolution against discrimination, issued in the aftermath of the George Floyd killing in Minneapolis, discussions with athlete representatives and athlete commissions of International Federations and National Olympic Committees (21 in all) began.

● A formal survey was made from 7 December 2020 to 7 January 2021, with the results presented today, along with a detailed file of response data.

● The 19-question quantitative survey – available in 10 languages – was responded to by 3,567 athletes, representing 185 National Olympic Committees and all 41 Olympic sports. About 65% of the respondents were from ages 16-34.

● The results were clear: only 14% were in favor of protests on the field of play (71% against, 11% maybe, 5% not sure); 14% in favor of protests during the Opening Ceremony (69% against, 11% maybe, 5% not sure ), and 16% in favor of protests on the victory stand (67% against, 12% maybe, 5% not sure).

It’s worth noting that of the 16 NOCs with 40 or more athletes responding, 14 had more than 50% voting against demonstrations on the podium. This included China (91% against), Russia (84% against), France (77% against), Australia (75% against) and also the U.S. (53% against). Only Canada and South Korea were less than 50% and both were at 49% against.

All 16 had majorities against demonstrations during the Opening Ceremony; South Korea had the lowest total at 57%; the U.S. was at 61% against. Similarly, all 16 were against demonstrations on the field of play, with Canada the lowest at 57% (U.S. was 62% against).

● There was some interest in a “moment of solidarity” during the Opening Ceremony: 48% thought this was important vs. 28% against and 15% in the middle and not sure (9% had no opinion).

● There was a recommendation to significantly change the Olympic Oath:

“We promise to take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules and in the spirit of fair play, inclusion and equality. Together we stand in solidarity and all commit ourselves to sport without doping, and without cheating, and without any kind form of discrimination. We do this for the glory of sport, honour of our teams, and in respect for the Fundamental Principles of Olympism, and to make the world a better place through sport.”

● Athlete apparel with “inclusive messaging” such as “Peace,” “Respect,” “Solidarity,” “Inclusion” and “Equality” should be created and made available to athletes and staff members during the Games.

● As the right to free speech is not absolute, the recommendations included a request for further work:

“As it is the current practice according to the IOC disciplinary procedures and IOC Rule 50 Guidelines, examine breaches of the current paragraph 2 of Rule 50 on a case-by-case basis to ensure due process and the proportionality of sanctions.

“The IOC AC recommends that the Legal Affairs Commission clarify, in due course, the range of sanctions that would be imposed for a breach of the Rule, taking into consideration the respective context of each individual case.”

So who is on the Legal Affairs Commission?

The eight-member group starts with Australian IOC member John Coates, already one of the most powerful movers in the Olympic World and also the head of the Coordination Commission for the Tokyo Games this summer. It also includes high-profile members such as American Anita DeFrantz; Spain’s Juan Antonio Samaranch, Jr., head of the Beijing 2022 Coordination Commission; Aruba’s Nicole Hoevertsz, head of the Los Angeles 2028 Coordination Commission; Denis Oswald (SUI), who headed the IOC’s disciplinary group concerning Russian athlete eligibility in the wake of its national doping scandal; Federation Equestre Internationale chief Ingmar de Vos (BEL), Canadian Olympic Committee President Tricia Smith and Finn Emma Terho. Coates, DeFrantz, Hoevertsz, Oswald and Smith are lawyers.

They have the hot potato now; as Coventry noted, “we’re asking the Legal Affairs Commission now to come up with proportionate range of different sanctions so that everyone knows, going into a Games, where and what everyone can and cannot do.”

But the survey also made clear that demonstrations and protests are of interest to a minority of athletes. An optional question asked what areas of Rule 50 and the IOC Guidelines that they would like clarification on, only 9% responded at all.

The outcome of the Athletes’ Commission survey, announced a day after the guilty verdicts were announced against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, were hardly a surprise and had been telegraphed well in advance by many athletes and numerous organizations. The recommendations were adopted by the IOC Executive Board, with the details still to be worked out on sanctions.

There is a lot more to chew on from the responses and the in-depth data made available, but in the short term, Rule 50.2 lives on. It will be rewritten, expanded and sanctions will be included, but while the raised fists of Tommie Smith and John Carlos from the 1968 Mexico City Games may be iconic – and even celebrated – their peers of 50 years on believe their actions are bad form.

And therefore, the debate will go on.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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THE BIG PICTURE: European Super League soccer concept radicalizes its opposition into solidarity on solidarity!

By
Rich Perelman
-

Just when you thought that no one could get together on anything:

“UEFA, the English Football Association and the Premier League, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and LaLiga, and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Lega Serie A have learned that a few English, Spanish and Italian clubs may be planning to announce their creation of a closed, so-called Super League.

“If this were to happen, we wish to reiterate that we – UEFA, the English FA, RFEF, FIGC, the Premier League, LaLiga, Lega Serie A, but also FIFA and all our member associations – will remain united in our efforts to stop this cynical project, a project that is founded on the self-interest of a few clubs at a time when society needs solidarity more than ever.

“We will consider all measures available to us, at all levels, both judicial and sporting in order to prevent this happening. Football is based on open competitions and sporting merit; it cannot be any other way.”
~ 18 April statement by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA)

“I cannot stress more strongly at this moment that UEFA and the footballing world stand united against the disgraceful, self-serving proposals we have seen from a select few clubs in Europe that are fuelled by greed above all else.

“Not only the football world is united. Society is united. Governments are united. We are all united against this nonsense of a project. …

“This idea is a spit in the face of all football lovers and of society as a whole. We will not allow them to take it away from us.

“Our game has become the greatest sport in the world based on open competition, integrity and sporting merit. We cannot and will not allow that to change. Never, ever. We urge everyone from the millions of football lovers around the world, the world’s media, politicians and football’s governing bodies to stand tall with us, as we do everything in our power to ensure this never ends up in fruition.”
~ 20 April statement by UEFA President Aleksandr Ceferin (SLO)

“But the last 48 hours obviously changed everything. And it seems there is only one topic that is of interest. Yesterday we’ve been hearing reading about ‘war’, ‘crime’ – terrible words, and even more terrible if linked with the game we all love; with football, that should give joy to everyone. Of course I’m speaking about this ‘Super League’ project. So let me be extremely clear from the very beginning. FIFA is an organisation which is built on values: the true values of sport, and our statutes which define the institutional framework, the pyramid, with FIFA, the Confederations, the associations, the leagues, the clubs, the players. And at FIFA we can only, and strongly, disapprove the creation of a Super League that is a closed shop and a breakaway from the current institutions – from the leagues, from the associations, from UEFA and from FIFA – and which is outside of the system. There is no doubt whatsoever of FIFA’s disapproval for this. …

“So if some elect to go their own way, then they must live with the consequences of their choice. They are responsible for their choice. Concretely, this means: either you are in, or you are out.”
~ 20 April remarks by FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI), at the opening of the 45th UEFA Congress

“The European Sport Model reflects the specific organisation, as well as the fundamental social and educational function, of sport. It is built on solidarity and volunteers. It is based on the twin principles of financial solidarity, which allows revenues generated at the elite level to be reinvested at the lower level. It is grounded in the openness of fair competition, which gives priority to sporting merit.

“But unfortunately, we have to realise that this European Sport Model is under threat today. In fact, the very existence of the values-, solidarity- and volunteer-based model is under threat. It is challenged by a purely profit-driven approach that ignores the intrinsic values and social mission of sport and the real needs of the post-coronavirus world. It is under threat because the social mission of sports organisations is losing ground to the purely profit-oriented goals of commercial sport providers and investors.

“If everything is only looked at from a business perspective, if only economic rules are applied to measure the impact of sport on society, then the social mission of sport is lost.”
~ 20 April remarks by International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (GER), at the opening of the 45th UEFA Congress

Not since the founding of Poland’s “Solidarity” trade union in 1980 have we heard so much talk about “solidarity.” All this over European soccer?

Yes, and it has important implications for the entire Olympic Movement, not just soccer. In case you’re not following all of this:

● A group of 12 major European clubs – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur from the English Premier League, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid from Spain’s La Liga and AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus from Italy’s Serie A – confirmed plans for a breakaway European league over the weekend.

However, the British “Football Daily” show reported on Twitter today that Chelsea and Manchester City might be pulling out due to the negative reaction to the announcement.

● The “European Super League” would include 15 core clubs, who could not be removed, plus five clubs to be invited in based on their results in domestic and other European competitions. The 20 teams would play home-and-away matches in two groups of 10, followed by playoffs.

● The games would take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, preserving the domestic-league match schedules on weekends.

● The Super League would replace, for competing clubs, participation in the UEFA Champions League, a hugely-popular program which began in a smaller format in 1955. UEFA announced plans to expand the competition from 32 to 36 teams on Monday.

● J.P. Morgan Chase confirmed that it was financing the project, committing $4.8 billion over 23 years in support, charging 2-3% interest and expecting a major return from television and streaming rights. One report noted the clubs collect from £50-70 million annually in the Champions League (~$70-98 million), but could make up to £250 million (~$350 million) in the Super League.

The head of the Super League project, Real Madrid chief Florentino Perez said on a Spanish television program that “We have to explain to everybody that this is not a league for the rich clubs. It’s a league to save all the clubs. Otherwise, football will die.” He added:

“We are all going through a very difficult situation. When you don’t have revenue, the only way to change that is to attempt to have more competitive games, more attractive games. Football has to evolve, just like businesses have to evolve and everyone has to evolve. Football needs to adapt. We felt that we needed to change something to help make football more attractive.

“With the way revenues are now in the Champions League, all clubs will die. The big ones, medium ones and small ones. By 2024, when this new format is supposed to start, the clubs will all be gone.”

To help all of the other clubs not in the Super League, it would have its own “solidarity” program of $10 billion U.S. distributed over 23 years, promoted as three times more than is paid now.

There are a lot of holes in Perez’s reported comments, and the reaction against the Super League is quite real, especially in England, where six high-profile teams are part of the program.

There are lessons to be learned from this:

(1) For the breakaway clubs, this is about money. The high-profile European clubs which have worldwide fan bases feel they aren’t maximizing their revenue in a Champions League where they have to play early-round games against smaller teams of no interest (at least to them).

(2) For those against the Super League, the concept of an American-style “closed” league, without relegation, is anathema. The European tradition is that you have to play well every year to maintain your status as a top-tier club.

(3) The Super League concept raises questions – once again – about the “solidarity model” which Bach defined in his UEFA speech as an approach “which allows revenues generated at the elite level to be reinvested at the lower level.”

One of the reasons this is questioned is the invisibility of “solidarity” payments, not just in football, but especially at the Olympic level, both for the IOC and for the International Federations and the National Olympic Committees. In many quarters, the gaudy claims of millions paid to support sport are simply not believed.

Oh sure, the money is paid. But who gets it? Athletes? Coaches? Or does it go to federation officials and staff? No one really knows and this fracas over the Super League and the continued sniping at the IOC, federations and NOCs – like the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, whose finances will be examined by the new Commission on the State of the U.S. Olympics and Paralympics – will not stop until a much better accounting is provided of who got what:

● The exact amounts paid – even with a copy of the bank transfer slips! – to supported organizations, like NOCs and national federations. As an example, check out the publicly-available Youth Sports Agreement between the City of Los Angeles and the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic organizers on how $160 million will be paid to support the City’s Recreation and Parks Department, the schedule of payments and how it will be spent.

● The exact amounts paid – just like in any other grant program – to athletes, coaches and clubs, by name, and an accounting of any other uses of money, for facilities, maintenance, insurance, anti-doping and so on.

● An accounting of the number of athletes, coaches and others paid and a comparison of the amounts paid to athletes, coaches and clubs in proportion to the total amounts provided.

Regardless of how the Super League mess turns out – it could fold altogether with an agreement with UEFA for better marketing and some more control by the larger clubs – the IOC, FIFA and others have once again staked out the social-responsibility ground as the foundation of their reasons for being. If they expect to stand on that ground, than they must, in the future, do much more to prove they are doing the good they actually believe they are.

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LANE ONE: Beijing 2022 is the IOC’s new challenge as it wrestles with changes to its Rule 50 on protests; FIFA is already in

By
Rich Perelman
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Germany's football team makes a statement before its World Cup qualifier on 25 March vs. Iceland in Duisburg

/Updated/Last month’s opening day of the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualification matches in Europe’s Group G saw Norway win, as expected, at Gibraltar by 3-0 in a game that was even more lopsided than the final score.

But the story was the T-shirts worn by Norway’s players prior to the game, inscribed with the message: “Human Rights” in bold letters and “On and off the pitch” in smaller letters below.

The object of the shirts was to show support for migrant workers in Qatar, which will host the FIFA World Cup in 2022 and has built seven new stadiums for the event, primarily using construction workers from other countries. It has been reported that 37 workers directly involved with stadium construction have died, but also that since the World Cup was awarded to Qatar in 2010, there have been some 6,500 deaths among the migrant worker population, leading to heavy criticism of the Qatar government.

FIFA, the worldwide governing body for football, responded to the Norwegian incident with a statement including “FIFA believes in the freedom of speech, and in the power of football as a force for good. No disciplinary proceedings in relation to this matter will be opened by FIFA.”

The next day, 25 March, saw the first day of matches in Europe’s Group J, including powerhouse Germany hosting Iceland at the MSV Arena in Duisburg. It was also a 3-0 final, with the Germans scoring twice in the first seven minutes. But once again, the real action came before the game.

The German team lined up for introductions and its anthem wearing black shirts that spelled out “HUMANRIGHTS” in block letters, again focused on the activities in Qatar.

FIFA’s statement was essentially the same: “FIFA believes in freedom of expression and in the power of football to drive positive change.”

Football’s Laws of the Game covers this area in Law 4:

“Equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images. Players must not reveal undergarments that show political, religious, personal slogans, statements or images, or advertising other than the manufacturer’s logo. For any offence the player and/or the team will be sanctioned by the competition organiser, national football association or by FIFA.”

While shirts worn for warm-ups and not during competition could be considered a gray area, there’s no doubt that FIFA could have imposed sanctions. It didn’t and that’s worth remembering as the International Olympic Committee gets ready to receive recommendations from its Athletes’ Commission on possible changes to Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which reads:

“No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”

A set of guidelines was issued in January 2020 by the IOC’s Athletes’ Commission, prohibiting protests on the field of play, on the victory stand, during ceremonies and in the Olympic Village. But protests were welcomed on social media, within team meetings and in interactions with news media.

In the aftermath of multiple deaths in the U.S. later last year – including George Floyd in Minneapolis on 25 May – the IOC’s Executive Board asked its Athletes’ Commission to revisit the issue and a lengthy consultation process will result in recommendations being sent back to the Executive Board this month.

As regards taking a knee or raising a fist on the victory stand, that outcome has already been telegraphed by Athletes’ Commission Chair Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) in a 10 December 2020 tweet that included:

“While the consultation is still ongoing, from what we have heard so far through the qualitative process, the majority:
● emphasise the right of free speech which is respected at the Olympic Games; and
● express support for preserving the ceremonies, the podium and the field of play.”

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee has said that it will not sanction its athletes for such behavior at the Games, but has held off on formal regulations on protests for the Games until the IOC has concluded its review. (The USOPC has issued guidelines on protest activity at Olympic Trials events, here.)

And U.S. athletes are considering their options; Ashleigh Johnson, the gold-medal-winning goalkeeper for the U.S. women’s water polo team at Rio in 2016 – who is Black – said at the Team USA Media Summit:

“I think that how I developed, on field protests, versus from where I started to where I am now, has gone along with how I matured as an athlete. Like, it takes a while to see your role in the grand context and it takes a while to understand how you can apply your beliefs and clarify those, and how those translate to like, what’s going on. …

“It’s really hard to grow as an athlete when you’re so focused on your career, in the pool, or on the field, and like, there’s also this expectation to bringing this voice that has so much behind it, has so much greater reach than just you.

“I think that a lot of people are now taking the time to understand where they fit in, in the context of not just their sport, not just who they are as an individual, but like within the context of the Olympic Movement, within the context of the world, and what’s going on. … I think it just takes time to see yourself in that, and to understand like where your placement is.”

But as Tokyo 2020 looms, with possible protests from U.S. athletes concerning issues at home, the spectre of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China looms, and its treatment – already labeled as genocide by multiple governments, including the U.S. – of the Uyghur Muslim minority in the Xinjiang province. The Chinese government has pushed back hard against any characterization of its treatment of the Uyghurs – including movement into “re-education camps” – as improper and promises an unspecified “response” to any actions, demonstrations or protests about the issue.

In considering the future of Rule 50, the IOC now faces the question of not just whether some American athletes will raise a fist or take a knee in Tokyo this summer, but how to handle protests against the Chinese regime in 2022.

What will be tolerated? What won’t?

My own view is that athlete boycotts are the wrong answer, because when teams are missing, so is their voice, both individually and collectively. But once we get past that, other questions open:

● Will governments support their teams by sending them – this applies to all countries except the U.S. – and then show their disgust with the Chinese government by recalling their ambassadors and shunning the Games by not sending any national representatives? U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who headed the 2002 Olympic Winter Games organizing committee in Salt Lake City, has eloquently expressed this view and much more in a 15 March editorial.

● It will be fascinating to see whether athletes – especially those in the U.S., whose voices have been the loudest on Rule 50 – take up the cause of the Uyghurs, whose situation appears to be even worse than for Germany’s Jews when the 1936 Olympic Games took place in Nazi-led Berlin, when the Beijing Games open next February.

● What will athletes and teams be able to do in Beijing – with IOC approval – to show their concern? Will Norwegian- or German-style T-shirts during warm-ups be accepted? What about special pins? What is national teams include a reference – by color or symbol – to the Uyghurs on their uniforms?

Interestingly, the pale-blue color used on the Uyghur flag is more-or-less already part of the Beijing 2022 logo!

● FIFA has already declared that it is willing to support at least some limited protests, and in circumstances that draw close attention from the television cameras, just prior to the start of matches. That’s a significant evolution for the federation.

Now, it’s the IOC’s turn, and its deliberations on Rule 50 cannot be limited to what American athletes might do in Tokyo, because an even bigger target is coming just seven months later.

Johnson was right: “it just takes time to see yourself in that, and to understand like where your placement is.” The time is almost here for the IOC to make some difficult decisions on how to accommodate expressions of athlete attitudes, potentially by U.S. athletes about their superpower home – which will host the 2028 Olympic Games – and by the U.S. and others about the actions of another superpower as it plays host to the 2022 Winter Games.

Rich Perelman
Editor

(Thanks to sharp-eyed reader Derrick Salisbury, noting that Mitt Romney helmed the 2002 OWG organizing committee, not 2022; now corrected. Thanks!)

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HIGHLIGHTS: World-leading 1:57.73 for Athing Mu; 2:04:30 marathon win for Kipchoge; Russia win ISU Figure Skating Team Trophy

By
Rich Perelman
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She's at it again! Texas A&M's Athing Mu with a collegiate record 1:57.73! (Photo: Texas A&M/Tyler Pounds)

Headline results of noteworthy competitions around the world:

● Artistic Swimming ● The third leg of the FINA World Series was in Kazan (RUS) this weekend, with Russia dominating the event as expected.

Daria Kirsanova, age 15, won the Solo Technical (87.6972) and the Solo Free (90.7000); Olympic favorites Svetlana Kolesnichenko and Svetlana Romashina took the Duet Technical (96.1017) and Team Technical and Team Free events.

Japan’s Yukiko Inui and Megumu Yoshida won the Duet Free (93.0000) in the absence of Kolesnichenko and Romashina; Russia’s Violetta Evenko (16) and Elizaveta Minaeva (18) took silver (92.6000).

Russia’s veteran Mixed Duet team of Mayya Gurbanberdieva and Vladimir Maltsev won the Technical (92.5174) and Free (94.1333) events convincingly.

● Athletics ● What was supposed to be the Hamburg Marathon was changed to the NN Mission Marathon in Enschede (NED), but it made little difference to reigning Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge (KEN).

Running with two pacemakers, he was clear of the competition by the halfway mark and cruised home in a world-leading 2:04:30, his ninth-fastest marathon ever. Jonathan Korir, one of the pacesetters, actually continued on and was second in a lifetime best 2:06:30, with Goiten Kifle (ERI) third in a lifetime best of 2:08:07.

“Mission accomplished,” said Kipchoge. “The conditions were really good, a bit windy, but I had no complaints. The race was perfect. This was the real test towards Tokyo. It’s good to have a marathon a few months before the Olympics to test my fitness.”

More hot running in the U.S., especially at the Tom Jones Invitational in Gainesville, Florida, with world leaders including:

● Men/100 m: 9.94 (=), JoVaughn Martin (USA)
● Men/110 m hurdles: 13.07, Grant Holloway (USA)
● Women/100 m hurdles: 12.32, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR)

Martin’s 100 m win was unbelievable: in his first 100 m of the season, the Florida State sophomore improved his lifetime best from 10.40 in 2019 to an equal-world leading 9.94 (wind: +1.6 m/s)! He won by 0.29 in his section; the first section was won by Cravont Charleston (North Carolina State) in 10.15 over Georgia star Matt Boling (10.21).

In the Olympic Development 100 m that followed, Justin Gatlin (USA) beat a good field in 9.98, over Andre De Grasse (CAN: 9.99), Kenny Bednarek (USA: 10.03) and Noah Lyles (USA: 10.08). Lyles tweeted afterwards, “10:08 for my season opener and I’m proud of it.”

In the men’s 400 m, Steven Gardiner (BAH) showed he is in strong form with a 44.71 win, equal-second best for the year.

Holloway’s 13.07 win equaled his second-fastest time ever; in 2019, he ran 12.98-13.07-13.10-13.10-13.10 for his then-top five ever.

In the women’s 200 m on Friday,. Sha’Carri Richardson braved the rain and ran her second-fastest 200 m ever at 22.11 (+1.0 m/s); that’s no. 2 on the 2021 world list.

And Camacho-Quinn shattered her own national record in the 100 m hurdles, rising to equal-seventh on all-time performers list. Ignoring three Eastern European performers from the 1987-92, all of whom were likely chemically enhanced, Camacho-Quinn stands equal-fourth on the all-time list from 2000 on. Only world-record holder Keni Harrison (USA: 12.20), Rio Olympic champ Brianna McNeal (USA: 12.26) and London Olympic champ Sally Pearson (AUS: 12.28) are ahead of her, and 2015 World Champion Danielle Williams (JAM) is tied.

Texas A&M frosh Athing Mu continued to tear up the track, setting a collegiate record in the 800 m at the Michael Johnson Invitational in Waco, Texas at 1:57.73. That smashed the prior collegiate best by Raevyn Rogers (Oregon) of 1:59.10 from 2017. It’s also the world leader for 2021.

Mu now owns the collegiate 800 m records indoors (1:58.40) and out. She won by more than three seconds in Waco; what will happen when she gets pushed?

More thrills from Christina Mboma, 17, of Namibia, who lowered her world-leading women’s 400 m mark – and World U-20 record – to 49.22 at the Namibian championships in Windhoek. She had run 49.24 in Zambia the week prior, but won the national title and now has the two fastest performances in the world this year.

Beatrice Masilingi, who chased her home in Lukasa last week, was second in 50.05 this time.

In South Africa, stars Akani Simbine and Wayde van Niekerk both showed fitness at the national championships in Pretoria. Simbine won the 100 m in 9.99 and van Niekerk won the 200 m in 20.38.

● Cycling ● The Amstel Gold Race was the focus of the UCI World Tours on Sunday, with the women’s race a 1-2-3 sweep for the home Dutch riders Marianne Vos, Demi Vollering and Annemiek van Vleuten.

The hilly, 116.3 km loop course from Valkenburg to Berg en Terblijt ended as expected in a mass sprint, with 10 riders in contention. While defending champion Kasia Niewiadoma (POL) and Italian star Elisa Longo Borghini had a small lead about 300 m out, Vos steamed by with 150 m to go and was followed by Vollering and van Vleuten – and others – at the finish. Vos was timed in 3:00.20; Longo Borghini was eighth across the line and Niewiadoma finished 10th. It was Vos’s first win in this race; she was third in 2019.

The men’s race, the 55th edition, was 218.6 km on the same loop course and ended with another sprint finish, this time favoring Belgian star Wout van Aert.

A large group raced together with about 20 km remaining, but then Britain’s Tom Pidcock broke free and only van Aert and Germany’s Maximilian Schachmann could stay with him; this trio had a lead of up to 20 seconds with 10 km remaining. The chase group kept attacking and closed in, but at the end it was van Aert and Pidcock and the Belgian lunged at the finish to claim the victory … which required a close look at the phototimer to confirm.

Van Aert claimed his fourth win of the season, after taking two stages of the Tirreno-Adriatico and Gent-Wevelgem on 28 March. His next appearance will be the Criterium du Dauphine in late May, to warm up for the Tour de France.

● Figure Skating ● The final major event of the ISU schedule was the seventh edition of the World Team Trophy competition in Osaka, Japan, which turned out to be a triumph for Russia and for American Nathan Chen.

The Russian entry won the trophy for the first time; the prior six titles had all been won by either Japan or the U.S. Anna Shcherbakova and Elizaveta Tuktamysheva went 1-2 in the women’s Short Program and 1-3 in the Free Skate and the Russian entries of Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov (Pairs) and Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov (Ice Dance) both won. Adding in Mikhail Kolyada’s fifth in the men’s Short Program and third in the Free Skate and Evgeni Semenenko’s seventh and fifth, and Russia totaled 125 points to 110 for the U.S.

Chen was sensational, out-pointing double Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN) by 109.65-107.12 in the Short Program and then by 203.24-193.76 in the Free Skate for a total of 312.89. Those were the only two wins for the U.S., as Jason Brown was third (Short) and eighth (Free) for the men and Bradie Tennell finished fifth and fourth for the women and Karen Chen was sixth in both events. Pairs skaters Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier were fourth (Short) and second (Free) and the Ice Dance pair of Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker were third in both the Rhythm Dance and Free Dance.

● Gymnastics ● Russian superstars Dina and Arina Averina were in good form and dominated the FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup stop in Tashkent (UZB).

Dina, a 13-time World Champion, won the All-Around at with 104.10 points, with Arina second, scoring 97.40, ahead of Anastasiia Salos (BLR: 96.50). American Laura Zeng was 12th (87.90).

In the apparatus finals, Dina won in Hoop (27.750), was second in Ball (28.150) and Clubs (28.150) and third in Ribbon (21.500), winning medals in all five events. Arina won the Ball (28.400) and Clubs (28.650) titles and Alina Harnasko (BLR) won in Ribbon (22.750).

Zeng made the finals in Hoop (7: 21.800) and Ball (8: 21.150).

● Judo ● Some 115 judoka from 20 countries gathered in Guadalajara, Mexico for the Pan American Championships on Thursday and Friday, with Brazil dominating the action: seven wins and 14 total medals.

Brazil claimed three men’s divisions: 66 kg (Willian Lima), 81 kg (Guilherme Schmidt) and +100 kg (two-time Olympic bronze medalist Rafael Silva). Four Brazilian women won: Larissa Pimenta at 52 kg; Ketleyn Quadros at 63 kg; Ellen Santana (70kg) and Beatriz Souza at +78 kg.

Ecuador and Cuba won two events each; the U.S. earned seven medals (0-2-5), with Angelica Delgado and Nina Cutro-Kelly making the final at 52 kg and +78 kg, respectively.

● Modern Pentathlon ● The second of two World Cup competitions in a row in Sofia (BUL) featured heavy rain, but impressive performances from no. 1-ranked Joseph Choong (GBR) and Michelle Gulyas (HUN).

Choong was strong in fencing (2nd), swimming (1st) and riding (8th) and paced his way to a clear win, finishing with 1,435 points. Belarus’s Ilya Palazkov made it close during the Laser Run, but finished second (1,427). Hungary’s Robert Kacsa was third (1,419).

Gulyas, 21, started fifth in the Laser Run, but won easily, finishing with 1,353 points to 1,345 for Francesca Summers (GBR) and 1,343 for 2018 World Champion Anastasiya Prokopenko (BLR). Gulyas was eighth in the fencing and fourth in swimming, but only 25th in riding. Her fourth-best time in the Laser Run pulled her through. It’s worth noting that Prokopenko recorded the fastest time in the Laser Run, at age 36!

The UIPM World Cup Final comes next, in Szekesfehervar (HUN) from 13-16 May.

● Rowing ● The second stage of the U.S Rowing Olympic Trials, held in West Windsor, New Jersey, resulted in a third Olympic berth for Gevvie Stone.

The silver medalist in the women’s Single Sculls in Rio in 2016, Stone finished second in the U.S. trials for that event in February. But she teamed up with the third-place finisher, Kristina Wagner, and now the two are headed to Tokyo as the winners of the Double Sculls.

Stone and Wagner had to come from behind in the final, trailing Meghan O’Leary and Ellen Tomek, but took charge with 650 m left. They crossed first in 7:07.21 for the 2,000 m course, with Michelle Sechser and Molly Reckford coming up for second in 7:11.09 and O’Leary and Tomek third in 7:11.94.

It will be the third Games for Stone and the first for Wagner.

Two other U.S. boats will try to get to Tokyo through the World Rowing Final Olympic Qualifier in Lucerne (SUI) from 15-17 May. The men’s Quadruple Sculls team of Charles Anderson, Justin Keen, Eliot Putnam and Sorin Koszyk won in 5:57.57, with a margin of 4.14 seconds. The Pairs entry of Tom Peszek and Mike DiSanto won their uncontested race in 6:41.72, fast enough to move on to Lucerne. Both Peszek and DiSanto are Olympic veterans from 2012 and 2016, respectively.

● Sport Climbing ● The IFSC World Cup season opened, as usual, in Meiringen (SUI) with two of the medal favorites – Adam Ondra (CZE) and Janja Garnbret (SLO) – recording convincing wins in Bouldering.

Ondra, the 2014 World Champion in Bouldering, was the only men’s climber to complete three tops, ahead of Japan’s Yoshiyuki Ogata (JPN: 2T4Z) and Tomoaki Takata (1T4Z). Garnbret, the two-time defending World Bouldering Champion, also managed four tops (4T4Z) and won easily from Oriane Bertone (FRA: 2T4Z) and American Natalia Grossman, 19 (2T4Z), who won her first career World Cup medal.

● Swimming ● The USA Swimming national Open Water championships were held over the weekend at Ft. Myers Beach, Florida, with first-time winners in both the men’s and women’s divisions.

David Heron won the men’s 10 km race in 2:05:24, just ahead of Brennan Gravley (2:05:25), with Theodore Smith third in 2:06:25. It was the 10th Open Water 10 km nationals for Heron, and he finally won it. “I’m happy to finally win my first 10K after so many years,” he said. “It was a pretty smooth race— I felt pretty good. I never really felt like I was struggling and felt actually way stronger the last couple of laps there.”

Erica Sullivan won the women’s 10 km title, beating American stars (and Olympic qualifiers) Ashley Twichell and Haley Anderson, 2:02:43-2:03:01-2:05.21. “It’s really exciting, this is my first (10 km national title),” said Sullivan. “It hurt really bad because I was pretty much by myself for most of the race but I was pretty happy with it.”

Heron came back on Sunday to win the 5 km title – his third – over Gravley, 59:29-59:33. Twichell won the women’s 5 km – her fourth – over Anderson and Sullivan by 1:01:31-1:01:38-1:01:41.

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THE TICKER: Tokyo cancellation comes up again; Coleman’s suspension for Tokyo Games confirmed; Talakhadze lifts 1,069 pounds!

By
Rich Perelman
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The guy in the middle is the world's strongest man: Lasha Talakhadze (GEO), all 6-6 and 389 lbs. of him, fresh from two world records at the European Championships! (Photo: Lasha Talakhadze Instagram account)

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

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● It took less than a day after the “100 days to go” celebrations in Tokyo for the Secretary General of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party to bring up possible cancellation of the Games.

Toshihiro Nikai, considered the second-ranking member of the LDP, said on a television program on Thursday (15th):

“If it becomes impossible, then it should be called off. What is the point of the Olympics if it’s responsible for spreading infections? We will have to make a decision at that point.”

He added in a statement issued later: “What I meant was, if you are asking whether the Olympics and Paralympics should be held no matter what, I would say no.”

Kyodo News reported:

● “Nikai later downplayed his comments, saying the decision to cancel lies with organizers and that the LDP remains committed to supporting the games being staged in a safe and secure way.”

● “Taro Kono, the minister in charge of Japan’s vaccine rollout, said in a separate TV program the games will be held in ‘whatever way is possible,’ possibly without spectators.”

That’s the real upshot of these comments, that the Games could be held spectator-free. An announcement on possible capacities at the venues is expected by the end of this month, but could be pushed back into May.

Haruo Ozaki, the head of the Tokyo Medical Association, warned on Tuesday (13th), “”If infections spread further, in reality it would be difficult to hold the Olympics in its regular form with athletes coming from various countries, even if the Games are held with no spectators.”

All of the worry is predicated on worsening coronavirus infection rates in Japan, which at present are quite modest by European and U.S. standards.

On Friday, Seiko Hashimoto, the head of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee and an LDP politician herself, told reporters, “I’m not thinking about cancellation. By taking measures to ensure safety and security, we are focusing on hosting the games.”

For those who felt that Russian athletes should have been banned from the Tokyo Games on account of the massive, state-backed doping scandal from 2011-15, Russian Olympic Committee President Stanislav Pozdnyakov had bad news on Friday.

“All in all, we expect about 300-350 athletes to participate in the Olympic Games,” he said in a news conference. The delegation could include up to 650 members, including coaches and staff.

Russian participation in 2016 in Rio was also compromised to some extent by reaction to its doping program and 282 Russian athletes competed in 26 sports there. In London in 2012, a full Russian squad included 436 athletes, competing in 24 sports.

The coronavirus has significantly impacted the qualification for the Games in boxing, at least for the Americas region.

The International Olympic Committee’s Boxing Task Force announced on Thursday that the Americas qualifier tournament scheduled for 10-16 May has been cancelled:

“In recent weeks, tighter travel restrictions and lockdowns have been implemented across the region, which have significantly disrupted international travel and pose logistical challenges to teams travelling to and from Buenos Aires, jeopardising their ability to participate in the event. …

“[A]fter a thorough assessment and consultations with teams, the BTF’s Athlete Ambassadors and boxing experts plus the Local Organising Committee, the BTF has decided to cancel the event and restructure the Tokyo 2020 qualification pathway for the Americas region.”

Because of the late date and the number of people involved (400 expected in all), relocation of the tournament was considered impractical. So:

● “Considering that only the boxers registered to compete in the Americas qualifier would have had a chance to gain one of the Olympic quota places originally at stake in the event, the allocation of the 49 athlete quota places (33 for men, 16 for women) of the Americas Olympic Qualifier will remain exclusive to the athletes registered for the event.”

● “All 49 quota places of the Americas Olympic Boxing Qualifiers will be allocated via the BTF Ranking.”

There are an additional 13 quota places for the Americas which are due to come from the final World Olympic Qualifier and these will be allocated after the 49 places from the Americas qualifier are made.

USA Boxing issued a statement which included:

“[W]e are continuing to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and understand the safety and health of all those involved in this event, as well as fair opportunities for all boxers to compete, led to this extremely [sic] decision of canceling this event during such a close and crucial time to the Tokyo Olympics.”

It expects the 49 places from the cancelled American Qualifier to be awarded around 10 May and the additional 13 from the World Qualifier by 4 June.

This will likely not be the last chances to the qualifying program for boxing, or for other sports.

● Winter World University Games: Lucerne 2021 ● The long-delayed Winter Universiade in Lucerne, Switzerland and the surrounding area has been confirmed for 11-21 December of 2021, with 60 events over 10 sports and 11 days. There will be added costs:

“The budget for the Winter Universiade 2021 now amounts to CHF 42 million. The fact that the additional costs were kept to around 10 percent of the original budget is down to a number of factors. These include the early decision not to hold the event in January 2021, adaptations to the concept such as a slightly shorter stay for the competitors, and the goodwill of numerous partners such as those renting out the competition venues. The additional costs will be borne particularly by the members of the association, Swiss University Sports and Swiss Olympic.”

The CHF 42 million figure equates to about $45.54 million U.S., up from about $41.19 million U.S. originally. Keep those figures in mind as the 2023 Winter World University Games will be held in Lake Placid, New York.

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ● The wild back-and-forth tug-of-war on the use of trademarks like “Puma Tokyo 2021″ between the German sportswear company Puma S.E. and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ended quietly this week as Puma abandoned what always appeared to be a long-shot strike at use of Olympic-related marks in the U.S.

The exclusive use of the word “Olympic” and related terms are protected by the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act in the U.S. and the USOPC filed suit against Puma’s attempt to trademark a whole series of phrases related to the Tokyo 2020, Beijing 2022 and Paris 2024 Games, claiming the USOPC had abandoned the marks.

But on 2 April, Puma withdrew its applications, as well as some related to the FIFA World Cup. Law360.com reported that the USOPC filed to dismiss its suit against Puma last Monday (12th), ending the matter. A joint statement of the parties noted an “amicable settlement.”

● Athletics ● The Court of Arbitration for Sport announced its decision on U.S. sprinter – and World 100 m Champion – Christian Coleman’s appeal of his suspension for “whereabouts” failures, reducing his suspension to 18 months, which will rule him out of participation in the Tokyo Games.

A three-member panel heard the appeal by videoconference on 15 February; the statement noted:

“In coming to its decision, the CAS Panel determined that Christian Coleman had indeed committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation under Article 2.4 of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules, but found the athlete’s degree of negligence to be lower than that established in the Challenged Decision: the Athlete was not at home during the 60-minute time slot on the day of the out-of-competition doping control (9 December 2019), as he should have been, and the Athlete should have been on ‘high-alert’ on that day, given the two existing whereabout failures against him. On the other hand, however, had the Athlete been called by the Doping Control Officer, he would have been able to return to his apartment during the 60-minute window and a test would have been concluded. Although a telephone call during the 60-minute window was not required by the rules, it was nevertheless reasonable for the Athlete to expect such a call, as a matter of standard practice among other Doping Control Officers.

“In conclusion, the CAS Panel determined that an 18-month period of ineligibility was the appropriate sanction in the circumstances.”

The suspension period dates to 14 May 2020, so Coleman will be eligible again on 14 November 2021, after the Tokyo Games, but in time for the full 2022 season, potentially including the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Coleman can appeal the Court of Arbitration for Sport finding to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, which has only limited grounds for hearing it and is unlikely to disturb the ruling.

The Wanda Diamond League is still more than a month away, but it is already being reshaped by the coronavirus.

The circuit was supposed to start on 23 May in Rabat (MAR), but the situation there has caused the opener to be relocated to Gateshead, England instead. The annual Golden Gala Pietro Mennea in Rome (ITA) has had to be moved to Florence due to the European Championships in football taking over the Stadio Olimpico, and the date has changed from 4 June to 10 June.

That was to have been the date for the famed Bislett Games in Oslo (NOR), but the pandemic has changed that date, with the event re-scheduled (hopefully) for 1 July.

More changes are likely; stay tuned.

Race walking usually doesn’t get as much attention as other events, but it got big support on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! Show on Monday evening (12th) when the host and sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez got an in-person lesson from 1992 (20 km) and 1996 (50 km) U.S. Olympian Allen James.

The “Slow Road to Tokyo” segment included James whistling by both of them on a trip down the straightaway of a local track. Asked to evaluate the two, James offered:

“Guillermo, you’re probably about a 3 or a 4, somewhere in there,” and on Kimmel, he opined: “With your build, I’d say about a 4 to 5.” Those were on a scale of 10!

● Cycling ● Last February, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) adopted new regulations concerning the leaving of water bottles and trash along the course during road races, requiring that all such items can only be discarded in pre-set zones, effective on 1 April.

Along came the Tour of Flanders – Ronde van Vlaanderen on 4 April – during which Swiss rider Michael Schaer was disqualified for throwing aside a water bottle outside of a designated zone. He said he was throwing it as a souvenir for young fans, but the jury was unmoved.

On Thursday (14th), the Professional Cycling Council – which governs the UCI World Tour – and representatives from women’s road cycling amended the sanctions program:

● “Throwing bottles and waste outside dedicated zones provided by the organiser for this purpose remains forbidden. However, the riders have the possibility to get rid of their bottles and waste by giving them to team assistants positioned on the roadside, in charge of feeding, and to the following vehicles of teams and the organisers.

“Throwing bottles to the public, in particular, is a proven danger both for the riders and the public: on multiple occasions, crashes have been caused by bottles thrown to spectators and coming back onto the road, and spectators have been injured by bottles thrown by riders into the public. Moreover, the UCI wants to avoid fans, notably children, trying to get close to riders during races, to avoid accidents with potentially dramatic consequences (collision with riders or vehicles in the race caravan for example).”

● “At a one-day race, the first infringement will be punished by a fine and a deduction of UCI points (respectively 100 to 500 Swiss francs and 5 to 25 points depending on the class of event), whereas a second infringement will result in the disqualification of the offending rider. Previously, the regulation stipulated a fine, deduction of UCI points and immediate disqualification from the first violation.”

● “At stage races, the first infringement will be punished by a fine and a deduction of UCI points (respectively 100 to 500 Swiss francs and 5 to 25 points depending on the class of event). The second infringement will result in a time penalty (1 minute) and the third to disqualification. Previously, the regulation stipulated a fine, deduction of UCI points and a 30-second time penalty for the first infringement, a 2 minute time penalty for the second infringement and disqualification for the third.”

Thus, littering is still a bad idea.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency suspended 52-year-old Masters division mountain biker Vahe Aivazian (Woodland Hills, California) for four years on Thursday, and nullified his results going back 10 years for the use of 10 different prohibited substances!

The USADA statement noted that its investigation was initiated from information provided to it by tipsters:

“This type of information led USADA to discover that Aivazian purchased products containing five different prohibited substances. After investigating further and reviewing additional materials, which USADA received in January and February 2021, USADA learned that Aivazian possessed and used and/or attempted to use five additional prohibited substances. …

“Aivazian’s four-year period of ineligibility began on April 7, 2021, the date on which he accepted the sanction. In addition, Aivazian’s competitive results obtained on and subsequent to June 16, 2010, the date on which he first used prohibited substances, have been disqualified, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.”

The substance list included such doping favorites as Testosterone, Nandrolone, other anabolic agents and hormones. While he was found out, it is also true that he managed to dope successfully for at least 10 years, albeit in the less-scrutinized Masters division.

● Figure Skating ● The season-ending ISU Team Trophy competition in Osaka, Japan will end on Saturday with a team victory for the Russian team, but American star Nathan Chen has once again underscored his dominance in the men’s division.

Chen won both the Short Program and Free Skate in Osaka, both times besting two-time Olympic champ Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN). In the Short Program, Chen was the final starter and edged Hanyu, 109.65-107.12, winning on his Technical Element Score advantage. American Jason Brown was third (94.86).

In the Free Slate, Chen overwhelmed everyone, scoring 203.24 against 193.76 for Hanyu and 180.72 for Russian Mikhail Kolyada; Brown finished eighth (160.33).

Competition continues Saturday and an exhibition will be held on Sunday.

● Weightlifting ● The world’s strongest man is at it again!

Georgia’s Lasha Talakhadze set world marks for the Snatch lift and the Combined lifts total at the European Weightlifting Championships in Moscow last Sunday (11th), finishing with a mind-bending total of 485 kg or about 1,069 pounds.

Now 27, he successfully completed all six of his attempts and was rewarded with his fifth European title and two new world records:

● Snatch: 211 kg (~465 lbs.), 217 kg (~478), 222 kg (~489) World Record
● Clean & Jerk: 245 kg (~540), 253 kg (~558), 263 kg (~580)
● Total: 485 kg (~1,069 lbs.) World Record

Talakhadze broke his own marks of 220 kg in the Snatch from the 2019 World Championships and 484 kg total, also from the 2019 Worlds. He is now credited with a total of 20 world records across two weight classes, at +105 kg and +109 kg: eight in Snatch, four in Clean & Jerk and eight for the combined total.

In case you were wondering, Talakhadze is 6-6 and weighs 389 pounds, so he was lifting 126% of his bodyweight in the Snatch, 149% in the Clean & Jerk and 275% in the total! Wow!

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For our 649-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HEARD AT HALFTIME: Coronavirus fears dampen Japan’s Games enthusiasm; group tells Stanford to restore sports; Kynard wins 2012 OG high jump in court

By
Rich Perelman
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Statues of Tokyo mascots Miraitowa (l) and Someity (r) at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government headquarters (Photo: Tokyo 2020)

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

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● A Kyodo News poll of 1,015 Japanese citizens that was released Monday (12th) captured perfectly the link between the coronavirus and concerns over hosting the Olympic Games this summer:

“In the poll, 92.6 percent said they feel anxious about a resurgence of novel coronavirus infections, with 56.5 percent disapproving of the government’s handling of the pandemic and 35.9 percent expressing approval.

“Amid lingering concern over a fourth coronavirus wave and the slow progress of vaccination, the poll found 39.2 percent believe the postponed Olympics and Paralympics should be canceled, while 32.8 percent think they should be rescheduled. Only 24.5 percent responded that the games should be held as scheduled.”

Wednesday (14th) marked 100 days to go until the Opening Ceremony in the new National Stadium on 23 July. Several events were held in and around Tokyo, including the unveiling of a set of Olympic rings on Tokyo’s Mount Takao, and statues of the Olympic (“Miraitowa”) and Paralympic (“Someity”) mascots at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government headquarters.

The International Olympic Committee promoted the milestone with full throat on its Web site and social-media platforms, including a video news release with praise for Japan and the organizers from Tokyo 2020 Coordination Commission chief John Coates (AUS):

“They will commence the Games on the 23rd of July, and I think this is a great credit to what President [Thomas] Bach and I and others have described as the best-prepared ever Games. And the work of the Organising Committee has just been quite outstanding in this regard and I have no hesitation in saying that the Games will take place and they’ll be the safest Games possible. All of the countermeasures have been put in place to deal with COVID to ensure that the public, the athletes and all of the other participants are safe. They will take place as scheduled.”

Kyodo reported last Sunday that coronavirus countermeasures will include the reservation of a 300-room hotel to sequester athletes who test positive for the virus, but have few or no symptoms.

The International Paralympic Committee announced Tuesday that it will minimize non-essential visitors to the Paralympic Games in Tokyo in order to reduce foreign visitors to Japan.

Village guests, dignitaries, representatives of non-Paralympic sport federations, winter Paralympic federations and many other groups will not be accredited for the Games. However, there was no targeted number provided of the reductions to be made.

● XXIV Olympic Winter Games: Beijing 2022 ● The Beijing organizers, in cooperation with the Chinese government, was reported to have completed a 10-day trial of potential monitoring measures against the coronavirus at multiple test events.

Kyodo News reported on some of the measures, which should bring a chill to any supporter of individual civil liberties:

“At a venue for ice hockey, around 1,000 staff members had wireless chip-type thermometers placed under their arms and other parts of the body. The data was sent to the management center via smartphone. …

“Spectators have been allowed to enter some venues, but they have been prohibited from sitting side-by-side. Before the entry, they have also been required to present their health code on a smartphone, which can confirm whether they have a high risk of infection.

“The system, launched by the Chinese government in early 2020, assigns citizens multicolor QR codes to register where they went and whether they had contact with infected patients.

“With a green light shown on their smartphones, they are permitted onto trains and expressways and into shops, restaurants and office buildings.”

● U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee ● The USOPC announced a digital platforms campaign called “We are Team USA.” The new program:

“highlights the collective competitive success and personal stories of Team USA athletes. Recognizing America’s elite Olympic and Paralympic athletes as the most diverse group of athletes in the world, the new ‘We Are Team USA’ campaign honors the beauty of differences and individual experiences coming together to represent the best of American possibility.”

The program is available on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and will run through the Paralympic Games in Tokyo; involved partners include DeVry University, Reese’s, Samsung, and United Airlines.

One of the program segments is “Road to Tokyo, presented by DeVry University,” as part of a re-formatted “Team USA Summer Fest – originally planned for 2020 as an interactive cross-country roadshow featuring activities and special moments with Team USA athletes – into a four-month journey across digital platforms.”

Although designed in time for the Tokyo Games to take place in 2020, USOPC uniform supplier Ralph Lauren had an updated unveiling of the Closing Ceremonies uniforms for the U.S. team for Tokyo.

The “Team USA Collection” is also on sale to the public, with polo shirts, jeans, belts and jackets offered from $98-495 for men and $98-550 for women.

On the NCAA front, a support group for the 11 sports announced to be cut by Stanford University – 36SportsStrong – met with the school’s administrators on Wednesday:

“We took the first step in reinstating the 11 cut sports at Stanford today. We met with Stanford leaders and the Board of Trustees members for about an hour in a video conference, and we presented our vision for a new partnership between the school and 36 Sports Strong.

“President Marc Tessier-Lavigne said he will take the next few weeks to consider our plan to reinstate the sports. We were encouraged by the meeting, and look forward to continuing to work with the president and Board. We believe President Tessier-Lavigne and the Board’s Athletics subcommittee are trying to lead an earnest effort to review the decision. We look forward to continuing the conversation about how this plan will work for Stanford students.”

The group solution to the funding of these sports is raising enough money to endow them permanently into the future. It is asking the university to provide “5 years of runway for the 11 sports to self-endow and instituting a new financial structure in which 34 sports become self-funded, while football and men’s basketball retain their profits.”

● Artistic Swimming ● A late report on last weekend’s second leg of the FINA World Series, held in Budapest (HUN). It was a showcase for Canada’s Jacqueline Simoneau, four-time Pan American Games gold medalist, who won the Solo Technical, Solo Free, and the Duet Technical and Duet Free with partner Claudia Holzner.

● Athletics ● One of the exciting aspects of an Olympic or World Championships year is to see unknowns suddenly come onto the scene, as from an all-comers meet in Lukasa, Zambia on Sunday.

In the women’s 400 m, Namibians Christine Mboma (17) and Beatrice Masilingi (18) ran the two fastest times of 2021, finishing in 49.24 – a World U-20 record – and 49.53. Mboma had won the 800 m on Saturday in 2:03.27, a lifetime best, but hardly a predictor of that 400 mark.

Lukasa is at altitude – 1,289 m – so that helped, but even so, it’s a big leap from her 2020 best of 51.57 and 50.42 for Masilingi!

Other world leaders reported from Sunday included a 77.89 m (255-6) hammer throw by American Rudy Winkler, giving the U.S. the world leaders in both the men’s and women’s hammer!

Japan’s Satoshi Maruo won the Japanese national walk championships 50 km race in Wajima (JPN) and claimed the world lead at 3:38:42, his first-ever win at the distance, in eight tries.

Ethiopian superstar Gudaf Tsegay, who set a World Indoor Record of 3:53.09 in the women’s 1,500 m in February, took the world lead in the women’s 5,000 m by winning at the Ethiopian nationals in Addis Ababa in 14:49.7 (hand time). Letesenbet Gidey was second, seven secons back in 14:56.7.

Kenya’s Angela Tanui won the elites-only Xiamen Marathon on Sunday, held in the Italian town of Ampugnano, Italy instead of in China due to the pandemic, in 2:20:08, to take the world lead in the women’s marathon. Kenyan Erick Kiptanui took the men’s race in 2:05:47 for no. 2 on the men’s world list for 2021.

Rio 2016 Olympic marathoner Des Linden did not make the U.S. marathon team for Tokyo, but now owns the world’s best time for the 50 km distance – 31.07 miles – winning the specially-arranged Brooks Running 50 km & Marathon on Tuesday (13th).

She finished in 2:59:54 on the loop course just outside of Eugene, Oregon (5:47 per mile average), smashing the prior best of 3:07:20 by Alyson Dixon (GBR) from 2019.

With the Court of Arbitration for Sport decision to suspend Russian high jumper Ivan Ukhov for two years and nine months (through 31 October 2021), he also loses his 2012 Olympic victory in London in 2012 at 2.38 m (7-9 3/4).

The beneficiary is American Erik Kynard, who will be elevated to the gold medal spot after clearing 2.33 m (7-7 3/4) on the field. There will now be three silver medalists: Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT), Derek Drouin (CAN) and Robbie Grabarz (GBR), who all cleared 2.29 m (7-6).

Kynard, now 30, was sixth in Rio in 2016 and has already cleared 2.30 m (7-6 1/2) this season and is a serious contender to go to a third Games this summer. The International Olympic Committee has yet to formally re-allocate his medal from London, but perhaps – if he makes the U.S. team – it could happen in Tokyo!

● Curling ● One of the strangest World Championships in history finished near midnight last Sunday evening in Calgary, Canada, with Sweden winning a third men’s title in a row on a sensational finish by skip Niklas Edin.

Sweden and Scotland – skipped by Bruce Mouat – were deadlocked at 5-5 going into the ninth end. Sweden put four stones in the house and then Mouat placed a second Scot stone in the circle, but both were lined up so that a perfect shot by Edin could displace both. The Swedish star – now the only skip to win five world titles – did just that and gave his team five points and the win by 10-5. Said Edin:

“It was probably the toughest field ever at a World Championship. We were in really good form after winning the Worlds two years ago, and we were super pumped up and eager to play in the Worlds last year and when that got shut down. We didn’t really know if we were still that good [this year]. We are super confident normally going into events like this, but we couldn’t really know if our form and will to win was still the same, so I think winning this one feels unreal.”

Because of three positive tests to players not in the playoff round and then one from a team in the playoffs, competition was not held on Saturday and the entire playoff round – six matches – was held on Sunday.

Initially, the player from a playoff team – later identified as an American – who had tested positive was not going to be allowed to play. But he had a negative test on Saturday and was then, in consultation with medical officials, allowed to play, since he had been fully vaccinated before coming to the tournament.

However, Canada’s TSN network declined to show the Switzerland vs. USA quarterfinal game out of concerns over having an infected player on the ice. The U.S. was eliminated, and TSN resumed coverage, but without a cameraman at ice level, for the remainder of the tournament.

On Monday, the World Curling Federation announced

“After extensive reviews conducted with Alberta Health, the testing facilities, event medical officers and an expert in infectious disease, four positive tests for COVID-19 that put the World Men’s Curling Championship 2021 on hold for a day are now considered “False Positives” resulting from potentially contaminated samples.”

Wow.

● Football ● The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated France, 2-0, in Le Havre on Tuesday (13th), thanks to goals from Megan Rapinoe (5th minute, on a penalty shot) and Alex Morgan in the 19th minute. The Americans controlled 55% of the possession and had a 16-3 edge in shots.

The result was far better than the 1-1 tie against Sweden on 10 April, but the French squad was without six of its 2019 World Cup starters due to coronavirus complications. Nonetheless, the won extended the U.S. unbeaten streak to 39 straight games and coach Vlatko Andonovski is now 17-0-1 in his career with the women’s squad.

Last Friday, Federal District Court judge R. Gary Klausner approved, as expected, a settlement from last December between the U.S. Women’s National Team and the U.S. Soccer Federation on staffing and travel support. In legal terms, this creates a final decision on all aspects of the suit filed by the women’s team over unequal pay and other issues.

By doing so, the plaintiffs can now appeal Klausner’s summary judgement dismissal last May against the women’s team on its claims under the Equal Pay Act and the 1964 Civil Rights Act, to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

FIFA suspended the national football federations of Chad (FTFA) and Pakistan (PFF) last week (7th), citing government interference in Chad and third-party meddling in Pakistan. In Chad:

“The suspension was prompted by the recent decisions of Chadian government authorities to permanently withdraw the powers delegated to the FTFA, establish a national committee for the temporary management of football and seize control of the FTFA’s premises.”

In Pakistan:

“This situation was prompted by the recent hostile takeover of the PFF headquarters in Lahore by a group of protestors and an alleged decision by certain individuals to remove the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee of the PFF led by Haroon Malik and to hand over the leadership of the PFF to Syed Ashfaq Hussain Shah.”

● Skiing ● Two more U.S. retirements in alpine skiing, as Alice McKennis Duran and Laurenne Ross have both ended their careers.

Both were two-time Olympians, with McKennis Duran (now 31) in 2010 (Downhill) and 2018 (Downhill, Super-G) and Ross (32) in 2014 and 2018, in the Downhill and Super-G both times.

McKennis had 121 World Cup starts and won two medals, including a Downhill victory in 2013. Ross also won two World Cup medals – both silvers – in 153 starts.

McKennis wrote on Instagram that the fractured right ankle she suffered at the Val d’Isere World Cup last December proved too hard to come back from; Ross decided to race for a final time at the U.S. Nationals in Aspen, Colorado, then retire.

It was a good choice: Ross won the Downhill on Saturday (10th) with a combined time of 2:18.49, ahead of A.J. Hurt (2:18.94) and Lauren Macuga (2:19.38).

Thanks to some difficult weather, the U.S. Alpine National Championships are still ongoing, and are scheduled to finish on Friday (16th).

● Swimming ● The amazing Adam Peaty, reigning Olympic champ in the 100 m Breaststroke, won that event at the British Olympic Trials in London on Wednesday in 57.39. That’s the no. 5 performance in history and, amazingly, gives Peaty all of the top 20 performances in history!

Safe to say he’s the prohibitive favorite in the event for Tokyo.

Recovering Japanese star Rikako Ikee finished with four wins at the recent national championships, taking titles in the 50 and 100 m Freestyles and 50 and 100 m Butterfly events. She did not meet the national standards for Olympic entry as an individual, but did qualify for Olympic entry on at least two relay teams.

“Both my swimming and my times came back more quickly than I expected,’ Ikee told reporters in an online interview. ‘Now I have to build on that with the kind of normal growth I expect from myself. I’m looking forward to the real thing.’”

Pretty good for someone diagnosed with Leukemia two years ago!

● At the BuZZer ● Amid all the chatter over future Olympic boycotts, it’s worth remembering that Monday – 12 April – was the 41st anniversary of the darkest day in the U.S. Olympic Movement, when the United States Olympic Committee’s House of Delegates voted 1,704-697 to accede to demands from the Carter Administration and decline to participate in the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, USSR.

The late Mike Moran, the long-time USOC spokesman, wrote, “The deplorable decision by the USOC came after intense pressure from the Carter administration that included pointed calls to USOC sponsors urging them not to make critical payments to the organization unless it supported the boycott.”

Moran noted other threats that included the loss of some of the Olympic Training Center property in Colorado Springs that still belonged to the Defense Department and possible elimination of the USOC’s charitable deductions for contributions.

Worth remembering with Beijing 2022 less than 10 months 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 649-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE THREE: At Team USA Media Summit, U.S. fans are “catching up” to women’s hoops; diver Boudia overcame fear of heights; validating skateboarding

By
Rich Perelman
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Weightlifting history for Mattie Rogers (left, silver) and Katie Nye (gold) of the U.S. at the 2019 IWF 71 kg Worlds, with North Korea's Hyo-Sim Kim (bronze) and Emily Godley (GBR, fourth). (Photo: IWF)

(For part one of our Team USA Media Summit review: click here;
for part two: click here)

Last of a three-part review of last week’s online Team USA Media Summit, with some of the most noteworthy highlights (these are from the closed-caption transcripts, with errors corrected as identified).

These are U.S. Olympians-to-be (already qualified), or leading U.S. contenders; what they had to say was pretty interesting:

BASKETBALL/Sue Bird, 2004-08-12-16 Olympic gold medalist:

● “I think simply put, I think the world, America, our country, is catching up to us. We’ve already been here. We’ve already been doing the basketball thing. We’ve already had that product. It’s already been what it is, which is great. I think from just the thing we stand for in terms of social justice. We’ve always been doing this. I think that’s what I mean when I say the country is just seeing it now.

“And when it comes to Draymond [Green‘s comments], to be honest, he does have a platform and I think he has every chance to get in the nuance of this conversation because a lot of these conversations around the sport lives in the nuance. They’re nuanced topics and there’s reasons why. The investment is belated. The media coverage is belated. It’s not as simple as, oh, they don’t have revenue. That’s the easy way out. It’s unfortunate with all of the resources he does have, he didn’t have those conversations with the people he can. He could have hit me, he could have hit all of us up. It’s unfortunate he didn’t have the conversations to understand the nuance.

“Because again his platform now allows people to just jump on that, quote/unquote ‘necessity that’ quote/unquote ‘they don’t have the revenue train’ and that’s not what it is. And I see his point, his point is, why is company X going to be able to capitalize on talking about women during Women’s History Month, but not put their money where their mouth is and support women sport, WNBA, whatever the case may be. To his point, he tagged people; he should be tagging companies, having conversations with the companies that maybe endorsed him. That’s really my take on it.”

BASKETBALL/Nneka Ogwumike, 2014-18 FIBA Women’s World Cup gold medalist:

● “There’s been a lot of eyes on women’s sports especially in the last year. I think when it comes for us, the inside looking out, I think most of us on this call can say, like, we always knew how cool we are and it’s fun to see people on the outside really taking note. And not just in how we are able to lead our communities, but also in our game, you know. I think at the end of the day there’s no platform without what we do. and for us to be able to be highlighted in ways that extend to college, professional ranks, and now we’re here talking about us continuing on a record-breaking performance with team USA, I think now more than ever that we’re experiencing a pivot and a true appreciation for women in sports.”

BASKETBALL/Dawn Staley, 1996-2000-04 Olympic gold medalist, 2020 U.S. coach:

● “It’s why we play, it’s why we sacrifice, it’s why we’ve come to put that pressure on ourselves to win. We like winning. It is every time we step on the floor we like that pressure. we also like the fact that we can say we’re competing for our 7th, right, our 7th consecutive gold medal. I mean, it has an incredible ring to it. It is why we get our players to commit during the down times in their off season or sometimes during the season. It’s what our commitment is in and, you know, when you’ve experienced any type of USA Basketball team or competition you’ll understand how everybody is, you know, everybody’s coming at you with their very best and it’s the norm for us. We want to beat every team, every opponent that we face, including in the upcoming Olympic Games.”

DIVING/David Boudia, 2012 Olympic 10 m Champion; 2016 silver:

● “I’m actually in quarantine now … I was positive about six days ago, and it’s just another road block. … Where did it come from? Obviously it can happen to anyone, anywhere.

“We couldn’t figure it out but it doesn’t matter, my wife and daughter are negative. We’ve been testing them once every two days to see if they are, to make sure that we, just, know.

“Where do I start, I was supposed to leave for Tokyo on Sunday and they cancelled the [18-23 April FINA World Cup] event because of precautions and just not everything under control. I had just gotten in maybe three minutes ago, that they’re now scheduling it for May 1st. So again, I just go back to, just adversity and athletes, that is your best friend. If you can train through this, then the Olympics should be a breeze. You block out the cameras and media and everything that comes, and you just do your job there.

“I think my symptoms, definitely Monday and Tuesday, I wasn’t a believer, I was like, I’m young, I probably won’t get it, or if I do get it, I probably won’t have anything. But I was out cold, Monday and Tuesday, slept. … It’s definitely not a joke, and right now I’m feeling good. It’s maybe day five since I’ve had my symptoms.”

● “I think [overcoming my] fear of heights, you just, you have a goal, you want to accomplish it and so that’s just a stumbling block. And when I first started [diving from] three stories in the air, 33 feet high, going head first at 35 miles an hour, I think anyone would be petrified of getting up there and jumping off. But for me, I wanted to go to the Olympics since I was seven years old.

“That was just something I had to get over, because my drive, my ambition and my tenacity to get through to the Olympics was more than my fear of heights, so I pushed through it. I worked with a sports psychologist who was phenomenal out of Indianapolis to just learn how to set goals … and eventually just trusted my coaches and my parents and decided, all right, this is just something i have to get over.”

SKATEBOARDING/Mariah Duran, USA Skateboarding national team member:

● “You can take it wherever you want and I feel like the core of skateboarding will always be there. It’s not the ideal sport everyone goes for, can’t really get scholarships or whatever like that, but I feel like now being in the Olympics, the conversation for people to start skating will be a little bit more easier. Like with the parents allowing their kids to do it because now it’s, like, okay, there’s a future. Take that as a possibility. But, yeah, I think it’s all up to the skateboarders themselves where’s they want to take it. I feel like that’s the main thing that the USA, like, promotes, kind of just, like, if you want to do these things, this is how you enter the contest and just do it, if you don’t, they’re not pushing it on anybody. Whoever wants it goes for it. So I think that’s really cool.”

SKATEBOARDING/Heimana Reynolds, 2019 World Skate Park Champion:

● “I’m a professional skateboarder and I’m really excited for skateboarding to finally be part of the Olympics. and really exciting for skateboarding to be kind of recognized as, like, a real sport, I guess, and have it, just be, get the respect at, like, for skateboarders can get the respect being known as a real athlete instead of just a little skateboarding hobby they do on the side or delinquent kids do when they want to trespass and vandalize stuff. Ha Ha. Yeah, I’m just excited to be part of it. …

“And I think that once it’s in the Olympics, it’s just gonna be an awesome way to kind of open the eyes of people who don’t really know much about skateboarding. So, yeah, that’s how I think that it’s gonna be an awesome way for skateboarding when it does.”

● “Coming from Hawaii, we don’t have the best skate parks and I’m really hoping maybe after the Olympics that the city will see that this is something that is a respectable sport and we will build more skate parks, we will build better parks and places for people to want to skateboard, you know.”

SURFING/Kolohe Andino, qualified for Tokyo 2020:

● “The surf culture in Japan is huge. It was really cool just to be at that event and surf in front of the fans, and they’re very passionate about being a fan but also very polite which is kind of a unique thing, for me at least. Sometimes fans can be very passionate but overly passionate. But Japanese culture was very, very polite. Just their gestures, they wanted to shake your hand instead of yell at you. Yeah, it was super cool, super respectful, polite culture. I was really glad to be part of it. also for me, it’s nice to go somewhere new, that’s really rad too. So I’m really excited on a lot of levels to compete over there again.”

SURFING/Carissa Moore, 4-time Women’s Championship Tour; qualified for Tokyo 2020:

● “A year delay actually hasn’t been all that bad to be completely honest. I mean, I’ve just kind of been surfing and training like I was for a normal event and I think some more time I had actually let me kind of go back to really look at my surfing to make improvements in this season, this year, so, yeah, it’s been a whole other year to train and build excitement, and yeah, get excited.”

● “I don’t know what to expect with surfing being in the Olympics. It will be broadcast to a bigger audience so more people will see it, hopefully more people will fall in love with it and actually tune in on a more regular basis. And maybe it will even inspire them to get out and try it. I have seen, like, a boom of new surfers in the ocean just during this pandemic. So I don’t know how many more people the lineups can hold. but it will be interesting to see what happens.”

WEIGHTLIFTING/Katie Nye, 2019 World 71 kg Champion:

● “I think all of us as lifters, especially for me, a country like ours we have a very comprehensive anti-doping program, and it’s hard to see the [International Weightlifting Federation] make mistake after mistake – well, it’s not really a mistake if they’re doing it on purpose, I guess – and seeing that representatives from our country, our [USA Weightlifting chief executive] and they are trying to make changes at the head of the International Federation and as a result, the International Olympic Committee is threatening the IWF. It’s really hard to see it happen. For Tokyo I’m not that worried, but I’m absolutely worried for Paris.”

WEIGHTLIFTING/Mattie Rogers, two-time Worlds 69-71 kg silver medalist:

● “In weightlifting, we are lucky to need minimum requirements, so just a bar and weights you can train. I had to cut my carpet to make my garage level so I have a place to train, but I think, just in general [the pandemic has] made me a lot tougher as an athlete, mentally. I feel like I can train any time anywhere now, good for competition, you never know what is thrown at you. …

“Most normal garages they’re at a bit of a slope, and as a weightlifter you need a very level platform. I didn’t have basically the ground to do it on, so I had to make my garage a little bit more level. I couldn’t physically change anything because I rented at the time, so I cut up some carpet. I think I had cardboard boxes and did what I could to make the front a little bit higher so it’s kind of level and then tried various things to be able to drop the weight because noise was an issue as well. We weightlifters definitely got a little bit creative during this time.”

USOPC/Jessica Bartley, Director of Mental Health Services:

● “We historically had a program called ‘Pivot’ and we are completely revamping that and so we are prepared to do a post-Games transition program, so if athletes are looking to retire, looking to figure things out, we’re starting to plan a two-day workshop. I pitched Hawaii but that got turned down.

“But we’re looking for a fun location where athletes can come together with some experts in the field and talk about what does the post-Games blues look like for them, what is the next step, how do you make the decisions around sticking a sport or if you’re going to move on, are there losses of identity, grief and loss so there’s a lot of components that we’ve all started to talk about and how we can do that. At this point, we’re looking to do a two-day in-person workshop and a year-long virtual kind of group and so based on the interest that will break the athletes in different groups.

“One of the things I would also mention is we’re trying to focus on a post-Games blues model to start to normalize that and start to talk about what it could look like, what it might look like, what might be different. One of the newest support groups that we’ve opened up is actually for athletes who don’t qualify for the Games, so we’ve gotten that support group up and running and [with] quite a few athletes as they’re not qualifying.”

USOPC/Dr. Jonathan Finnoff, Chief Medical Officer:

● “Vaccinated individuals have to follow all of the same protocols unvaccinated individuals need to follow. While vaccinated individuals are certainly at lower risk of sustaining or acquiring a case of Covid-19, it’s not zero and if your community prevalence is relatively high and you have repetitive exposures, each time you get exposed you have an increased chance of developing a Covid-19 infection.

“So if you said vaccinated people do not have to actually follow any of the Covid mitigation protocols and there is a high community prevalence, you bring people from all over the world together, the chances that some vaccinated people will end up getting sick is relatively high, so it is appropriate to do screening tests, and to have Covid mitigation measures for people whether they’re vaccinated or whether they’ve had a prior infection, until the prevalence of Covid-19 has significantly decreased, therefore the exposure is much lower.”

● “If somebody tests positive, and they’re asymptomatic and they have no known exposure, they’re going to immediately receive two follow-up PCR tests. If either one of those follow-up PCR tests are positive, that individual is considered to have Covid-19 or be positive, then they will be subject to public health guidelines within Japan, which at this point [means] placing somebody into isolation for a specific period of time until they are no longer contagious. At this time, based on the information that we have available, these people will not be allowed to compete.”

● “We have a fantastic exercise physiology team who has put together an entire heat acclimatization plan for athletes [for Tokyo], working with them by team and on an individual basis to customize a program.

“Heat acclimatization takes time. If you’re not acclimatized, heat-related illness is a life-threatening condition, it is serious from a health-performance standpoint. We have a fantastic team in place led by Randy Wilbur, one of our exercise physiologists and I’m happy and excited to see the results of their work.”

USOPC/Lindsay Shaw, Senior Sport Psychophysiologist:

● “There are so many features of the sort of five-year quad into Tokyo which leads to a contrast three-year quad into Paris so I’ve had more athletes previously contemplating retirement saying oh, it’s only three years, I’m thinking seriously about Paris at this point. I think that will be a pretty novel quirk.

“I think every National Olympic Committee is preparing as ourselves for governing bodies, athletes, what will removal from play look like in Tokyo, something we don’t care to think about but we need to prepare carefully for.”

Just a small sample of the 500+ American athletes who are going, or trying to make the team for Tokyo this summer. Rest assured, you will hear many of their voices again, and likely much louder.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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LANE TWO: At Team USA Media Summit, Crouser throws medicine balls into bridges; diving scoring via Zoom; “it’s crazy to me to play a sport … and not be rewarded for it”

By
Rich Perelman
-
Shot put superstar Ryan Crouser (USA)

(For part one of our Team USA Media Summit review, click here)

/Updated/Last week’s online Team USA Media Summit gave Olympic and Paralympic athletes and hopefuls a chance to chat with news media from around the world. In part two of our review, here are some of the most noteworthy highlights (these are from the closed-caption transcripts, with errors corrected as identified).

These are U.S. Olympians-to-be (already qualified), or leading U.S. contenders; what they had to say was pretty interesting:

ATHLETICS/Michelle Carter, 2016 women’s Olympic Shot Put gold medalist:

● “ I would say winning a medal does help raise your profile, but I just kind of fell into the things that I loved to do, that I was already doing prior to winning. I have a youth camp where we build up the confidence in young female athletes to believe that they are great in who they are, on and off the field.

“So having a different platform can do that, and bring more eyes to the cause and to the nonprofit and one golden shot, and it has definitely helped, because for me, I definitely want to use my gift and pour that into others, especially the next generation, so that’s what I have spent time doing, and bring awareness to the issue with the young female athletes and female athletes in general. I guess that’s how I raised my profile by using the platform to help build up those who are around me, and those I get to touch and interact with on a regular basis.”

ATHLETICS/Ryan Crouser, 2016 men’s Olympic Shot Put gold medalist:

● “It was Monday afternoon [in March 2020], an e-mail came down from [the athletic department], saying you guys got to be out by 5 p.m. today. So that evening, I was at Home Depot buying plywood and getting in contact with track and field suppliers to build my own portable shot put ring and just kept that in the back of my truck, and would go to the elementary school by my house and would throw off this vacant lot. got some weird looks.

“It was around a jogging trail; people would come by and there were lot of comments with that. Pretty entertaining. … I was in [my coach’s] bigger garage with higher ceilings and he’s been really generous letting me lift in there, so I’ve been in there since March and still do half my workouts there when I can’t fit them in at the University of Arkansas.

“Probably the most unusual is med ball’s a big part of throwing, just developing rotational power and strength, so I’ve been doing my med-ball workouts underneath a bridge [between] the concrete supports. That also gets unusual looks. I’m on the same trail I’ve been throwing at off the sidewalk, so people see me throwing one way, and when they are running the other way they will see me throwing a med-ball into a concrete support. It’s definitely been a lot of improvising and figuring out ways to get what I need done, but I’ve enjoyed the challenge in the sense that I feel like I’ve been able to make a system that works for me.”

● “A touch on diet a little bit. I’m a big guy: 6’7″, around 320 and I’m always trying to maintain that weight. For me, it is difficult to keep my weight up. I hang around 5,000 calories a day to maintain, and do that over four or five meals, and my normal meal is a thousand calories.

“If you think of what the average person should eat in one day, take half of that and that is one of my four to five meals for a thousand calories. Four to five meals a day, a thousand calories each and the rest filled with snacks, and that is how you get to be 320 pounds.”

● “We’ve done lot of work with radar technology, that is used to track the shot. It is the same or almost the exact same technology that you see in golf and the telling you how far the drive goes. So it is tracking the shot, and it will give you release angle, velocity, you don’t have [golf] spin really on the shot, you don’t have wind resistance, so it makes it actually easier to track and you are just following projectile motion.

“So we use that technology and … where you make progress is reconciling the sports science side of things along with the throw-specific side of things, because you have physics telling you that 45 degrees is farthest, optimal for projectiles. But the human body throws a shot little better at 38-40 degrees, and for me personally, I seem to throw a shot better at 36 degrees. So just kind of figuring out how can we pick up distance using this analysis without getting too in-depth and just committing blindly to it. So that is kind of the art form to it.”

CANOE-KAYAK Sprint/Nevin Harrison, 2019 women’s C-1 World 200 m Champion:

● “Leading up to the Games, I will be over on the East Coast and it hasn’t been my favorite just because I love my [Seattle] home so much, but it’s been worth it. You know, we put so much hard work in we hardly have time to look around and see where we are.

“So, you know, it’s training and resting and kind of the daily schedule for me, obviously, I imagine for these women, too, so it’s been hard. It’s been challenging to be away from my family, away from my friends. I started training here when I was 17, so about a little over a year ago, so, it was definitely a hard transition for someone that was supposed to be a senior in high school and doing all those things, going to prom and having the regular life.

“I was living pretty much alone in training and competing, traveling all over the world and [then] Covid hitting me; everything slowed down a lot and maybe spending a lot more time in [her training base in] Georgia than I expected to.”

(Special thanks to reader Jean Folger for straightening out Harrison’s comments from those of Evy Leibfarth, following below.)

CANOE-KAYAK Slalom/Evy Leibfarth, 2018-2019 women’s U.S. K-1 champion:

● “I do buy my boats; when I travel, we check it in oversize [with airlines]. We are lucky to have that, you really hope it doesn’t get broken of course, things do happen. You kind of have to be prepared for that and have a back-up plan, but you saw those and I’m sure they’re all very customized, like this is the thing for you. So it is very hard to find another boat if that doesn’t happen or if you are not able to get it on the plane.”

DIVING/Kassidy Cook, 13th in the 2016 Rio Olympic women’s 3 m springboard:

● “I think what brought me back [in 2019] was just missing the sport, and feeling like I was regretting it if I didn’t at least try once more. After I graduated from college [in 2018], I was coming off a couple of injuries, I had had my third shoulder surgery the summer before my last season, and you know, my body was kind of exhausted and I got the senior-in-college feeling: what do I do for the rest of my life, I need to get a job and working and set myself up for after sports and I think the pressures combined with the toll that it took on my body ultimately led me to the decision to retire.

“But actually, with the retirement, I started feeling really good and working out and got into really good shape and I went and watched the USA team, which was in California, and the first time I went to a meet as a spectator and I was watching them, and it really made me miss it, and I was like, okay, like I think if I trained back, and you know, I quit my job, packed up from San Francisco and moved back to Texas to train with my coach that I went to the 2016 Olympics with, and the rest is history.

“I just really miss the sport and I knew that, you know, I’m able to dive and be an Olympic athlete for such a short period of my life and these years are special to me and I would regret if I wouldn’t at least try to go to the Olympics.”

● “For me, personally, when I’m Zooming mock competitions in practice, I do get that adrenaline and the nerves going, sometimes more than [an actual] competition,, because in a competition, you have a lot of downtime, [and] in between doing dives, you can calm yourself down, but in a mock meet, you don’t have that time, so you’re definitely thinking and definitely the nerves and the adrenaline are going. … It is really hard to replicate what it feels like in a competition so to be able to do that, you know, on a regular Friday during practice is really cool.”

FENCING/Alex Massialas, 2016 Olympic Foil bronze medalist:

● “When the [Stanford sports] cuts were announced, one of the first thoughts I had was that this would be, you know, devastating to not only the fencing pipeline – not just because Stanford has strong programs on the West Coast for fencing – but it sets an example among all of the rest of the NCAA schools as to how to have successful programs while also maintaining academic and athletic excellence across every single sport. …

“I was speaking with a lot of USOPC members and members of the Athletes [Advisory Council] over there, and their worry was that in eight years we would really start to see the effects of these cuts and as we can see that, since Stanford announced their cuts, we’ve seen so many other schools follow suit, and even have schools plagiarized Stanford’s announcement to cut sports.

“So it just shows that Stanford’s such a leader in these sports, and in this area right now, it is extremely dire, and I think everyone can acknowledge that at times the NCAA model is broken and that’s why there’s so many different people, so many different organizations, trying to fix this model and what we’re trying to do as alumni, what I’ve been trying to do is try to do that from within Stanford, to do it within the first school, to start with, and then hopefully, we can set the base, and really lead when it comes to building a successful platform for NCAA sports and Olympic sports moving on into the future.”

GYMNASTICS/Sam Mikulak, 2-time Olympian & 6-time U.S. All-Around champion:

● “What has changed the most [with the postponement] is the amount of time that it takes for me to be able to go in the gym and be [able] to continue doing the sport at a high level. Really what I was telling myself before, is I was younger and healthier of course when I was making those statements, but what has happened is, as I took like three months off in gymnastics and then I started coming back I realized how much harder it is to come back and do all these high-impact events and be able to do that safely because I started getting a lot of small injuries that just kept nagging and getting worse. …

“It was just becoming clear that my body can’t hold up and really the only way I’m able to keep going right now is because I’m doing about at least an hour of manual treatment every day, an hour of rehab a day, an hour of strength and conditioning and then I have to do gymnastics, and I think the big change is that I never had to do all of that just to be able to do gymnastics. Now it’s like, here’s my final push, I’m going to give it everything I’ve got the way I’ve always done it. The task on my body is so much more now than it’s ever been before and I just don’t want to do this for another three more years.”

SKATEBOARDING/Bryce Wettstein, 2019 U.S. women’s Skateboard Park champion (age 16):

● “The competition in the Games is, I think honestly, going to enlighten skateboarding a little more than ever because I think skateboarding has been known as this dynamic art. It’s basically kind of something that people illustrate, and it’s very fluid. There’s nothing that rigid about what skateboarding has to be and what it is. I think it’s a sport that makes you feel very introspective about yourself, and I think putting on a competition with a high platform, you’re finally meshing the art and the sport together, which is completely enhancing.

“I think skateboarding, people now know, that it doesn’t have to just be restricted as an art or a sport, it can be both. And the competition in the games, I think it’s really going to fulfill skateboarding and let everyone know you can do it because it doesn’t have to stick to one thing. It can be an art and a sport together … I think the competition is definitely going to light up skateboarding because it’s going to basically lift away the boundaries people thought were around skateboarding.”

● “Honestly, I can say that it means more than the world to me to be part of it because I think the first time just the notion that skateboarding was being drafted as a sport in the Olympics was already kind of mind-boggling to all of us.”

SOFTBALL/Haylie McCleney, 2016-2018 World Championships gold medalist (outfielder):

● “I think for our sport to be on the biggest stage in all of sports is extremely critical. For us, we want to constantly get our game in as many living rooms and as many family rooms and … wherever you are in the world, we want you to be able to watch and having access to our sport. It really is a beautiful sport.

“I think when you put softball on the biggest stage, more little girls will want to play it, more little girls will want to sign up, more little girls will want to come into our sport, realize how many life lessons they can learn from it. They will want to be us. That’s the point of us playing. I’m not playing right now so I can say I went to the Olympics in 2021. That’s not why I play. I play to give more women more opportunities, to give young women opportunities, like, we’re already thinking about essentially getting back in the [Games] in 2028 as well, in L.A.”

● “We need to, I think, get our sport in the eyes of more European countries to be honest and they hold a lot of votes in the IOC as well, so getting our game in front of people that have a vote and a say is critical. If those people were to give us a chance, I guarantee they will like what they see. They’re going to want to keep us in the Games full time.

“Our sport is literally the best sport, so many life lessons, so many women that played it, it deserves to be in the Olympics full time. We don’t have a lot of professional opportunities. This is our biggest stage and we, to be blunt, we fight like hell to make it you know the best sport and a real experience for people that actually watch it. So, I like where we’re headed, I think we are doing a lot of good things in sport. … We’re not in a European country. Go figure.”

● “It’s crazy to me to play a sport, to dedicate my life to a sport, to train as hard as I do, as seriously as I do, and then to not be rewarded for it as like if I was a man, I would be rewarded for it. It’s very, very difficult.

“You know, most people don’t know, we have to have two or three side jobs to make a decent living so we can train to play our sport. It’s mind blowing for us. I think it’s that way for a lot of other women’s sports as well. There is just not a lot of professional opportunities in the United States.”

SWIMMING/Katie Ledecky, five-time Olympic gold medalist (2012-16):

● “I actually graduated in the fall, this past fall [2020] I, as you said re-enrolled in classes at the start of the pandemic. The start of spring quarter at Stanford coincided perfectly with the postponement of the Olympics and the pandemic. I had been taking the 2019/2020 Olympic year off, and so in March of 2020 I was able to hop back into classes, virtually, and finish up my degree.

“It was great to have that to keep my mind occupied and to complete my degree earlier than I expected. It was a really nice silver lining for 2020 and I took some really interesting classes in the spring, which was right at the beginning of the pandemic. I took a class called ‘Global Change and Emerging Infectious Disease,’ and that class was scheduled before the pandemic really broke out. So they really adapted the class to focus on coronavirus … and so we got a little insight and it was really neat to just hear from experts. … I majored in psychology and finished up a minor in political science as well.”

● “I turned pro in April of 2018 coming off of my second national championship with Stanford, and … I am very happy with that decision. I’ve been able to continue to train with Stanford, the collegiate team along with a handful of professional swimmers who swam for Stanford, so we have … our little professional group as well as the Stanford swim team. It’s just a great team to be a part of and I feel very fortunate to have had the best of both worlds, really, to be able to compete for a college and really get that experience of having those friends, having those teammates. I have friends for life on that team.”

● “I haven’t seen my family in over a year, not one family member, so it is coming soon and I’m really excited about that.”

● “I’m not planning on competing in the 100 [m] Free in Tokyo, but I am working towards swimming the 200, 400, 800 and 1500 [m] and hopefully the 4×200 Freestyle relay as well. With the addition of the 1500 Free, there is the potential that there will be the prelims of those races … in the same session for the women, and the 200 and 1500 Free finals are also in the same session.

“So that is a little bit of a challenge for me and something I’m really trained for. I would point out the males don’t have that double. … but I am excited for the challenge and excited to really show my range and have that opportunity to both, you know, compete hopefully in the shorter races like the 200, which I swam in Rio and also in the 1500 for the first time at the Olympics for women, which is extremely exciting and just something that I want to kick off the U.S. on a good note for that race.”

TABLE TENNIS/Nikhil Kumar, 2019 Pan American Games men’s Team gold medalist:

● “So for me a day’s a little different than many of the professional athletes given that I’m still in high school [age 18]. Normally for me, I’m going to school during the first half of the day and 12:30, 1:00, I’m done with school. From then I end up going to a training club near my area in Santa Clara [California] and over there I start training about 3:30 or 4:00 in the afternoon, normally playing with my coach and other training partner.

“Most of it is on the table, training where I’m practicing, like different drills and putting the ball different locations on the table for about two to three hours every day and then after that I also do some physical training which involves normally like some cardio, a lot of agility and speed, change of direction, and then also some weight and resistance training too.”

TRIATHLON/Summer Rappaport, four-time World Triathlon Series medalist:

● “My NCAA career is actually what pushed me towards triathlon. My collegiate swim coach [at Villanova] put me in touch with USA Triathlon, and it let my Olympic dreams be realized … to be honest, I always struggled to pick up biking, especially in the beginning. But I’m somebody that doesn’t accept defeat, so I kept coming back every day even when it was really difficult, and here I am now.”

● ”I have tried to fill that [no-racing] gap with some race visualizations [that] I worked on with my sports psychologist in [2020] as we definitely tried to incorporate some aspects of racing that we weren’t worried about in 2019. I raced once in 2020 at the Hamburg World Triathlon Series event and I was really surprised at just how hard racing felt, so we really worked on incorporating some of the feelings of going hard and other feelings and emotions I remember feeling in that race that I was surprised about, so it won’t be as much of a surprise when we return to racing in the coming months.”

VOLLEYBALL-Beach/Alix Klineman, world-ranked no. 1 with April Ross:

● “I think we had a lot to gain from this extra time [from the postponement]. Obviously I’m really new to the beach game and to have an extra year has been a lot more time to keep learning and kind of bonding as a team.

“I also was able to get a little healthier too. I took a lot of that down time and trusted my physical therapy and things like that. I feel like we’re in a pretty good position after the pandemic and we’re really excited to get back on the court and looking forward to Tokyo.”

VOLLEYBALL-Beach/April Ross, 2012-2016 Olympic medalist:

● “I never really had a plan for after Tokyo, it was supposed to happen when it was supposed to happen. But now that there’s only three years between Tokyo and Paris it seems more attainable to do three more years. There are other things i want to do in life, so I might try to do those and see how things go, but I don’t want to retire prematurely.

“Physically, I feel great, still love competing, and I would love to go to Paris for the Olympics and like [U.S. men’s player Matt Anderson] said, have my family be able to be there if that’s going to be my last one. I think I will go forward with the intent of competing in Paris now that it’s only three years away … that is my argument with my husband all the time. …

“It can go quick. I have three kids, my oldest is 10 and I’m hoping that by Paris they can all come along and I hope if everything goes as planned and again still being worthy of being on the team, going out on home soil in L.A. would be really awesome. I don’t know that my husband is on board with that, though; we’re working on it.”

WATER POLO/Maggie Steffens, two-time Olympic gold medalist (defender):

● “For us, right now, we don’t get a chance to play games, but luckily, with this day and age, there’s a lot of video online, so there have been European games the past few months, there was the qualifier tournament for Europe, so we’ve actually been able to watch a lot of our competition online and been able to scout them from our computers.

“A little bit different than getting to play them physically and have the emotions involved, and have somebody grabbing your suit, and something you will remember when the game comes, but we have been really capitalizing on preparing our own team and making sure we’re the best Team USA, the most prepared Team USA we can, and competing against each other at the highest level at our training in SoCal, and then at the same time, making sure we are scouting these other team, watching old video, watching new games, being able to even like see each other’s faces on-screen reignites that competitive energy, that obviously [keeper] Ashleigh [Johnson] and I are craving, but we’re still able to get it, and we can be intelligent now with our scouting, just in a different way.”

Still one more column to come of comments from U.S. stars of this coming summer.

Rich Perelman
Editor

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For our 649-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

LANE ONE: At Team USA Media Summit, Felix says 2021 is her last Games, King wants no protest limits, Gray says no Village partying for her

By
Rich Perelman
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For five-time World Champion Adeline Gray of the U.S., Tokyo is a business trip! (Photo: UWW)

(For our Highlights of the weekend’s top events, click here)

The coronavirus created another first last week as the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee held its Team USA Media Summit online instead of in-person, using Zoom to connect athletes and news media over three days and 32 sessions.

You may have seen some stories from these interviews, but there was also a lot of fact-gathering for later features that will run during U.S. Olympic Trials events or even during the Tokyo Games. There were a lot of questions about the impact of the pandemic, the postponement to 2021 and the normal challenges of getting to a Games, and even a little bit of actual news.

Here’s part one of our digest of some of the most noteworthy highlights from Olympic hopefuls and veterans, some of whom had a lot to say (these are from the closed-caption transcripts, with errors corrected as identified):

ARCHERY/Brady Ellison, 2019 World Champion:

● “I feel technically I’m better than I was in 2019 and easily 2020. My strength is coming back and if I can just figure out, you know, a few hiccups and my equipment and stuff that I have right now, I think I’ll be getting back to probably a level I wasn’t in before and way better than I was in 2019.”

ATHLETICS/Allyson Felix, 9-time Olympic medalist:

● “For me, you know, being [Camryn’s] mom is the number one job that I have.”

● “So right now I’m still preparing to run the 200 and the 400 trials. Now I’m just going to see how training unfolds. but I would like to participate in both at trials and, you know, see the outcome of that. That’s what i’m getting ready for.”

● “I do plan on this being my final Olympics. I’m going to take it as it comes as far as that. But I don’t see myself doing another Olympics.”

CYCLING-BMX/Connor Fields, 2016 Olympic Champion:

● “For whatever reason, people think that there is an added pressure because you are the past gold medalist [in BMX in 2016]. For me, I think it goes the other way. I feel, in a sense, less pressure. I’ve already done it. So now I just have this bonus opportunity to go for it again. But it’s not like somebody is going to come into any house and take my gold medal way from me. I will always be an Olympic champion.”

CYCLING-Mountain Bike/Kate Courtney, 2018 World Cross Country Champion:

● “I definitely was also hit hard by the cancellation, but at the same time knew that it was the right decision and was really grateful that they made that choice early and clearly and gave us all a new target to aim toward. but also the time that we needed as a community, as a country, as a world, to start to sort through this really big challenge. I think one of the things that, in my mind, that changed over the year, is I think as a young athlete your biggest fear is sometimes getting the opportunity and failing, like going and not having a great race and not having the performance that you want. and I feel like, for me, it was replaced all of a sudden by this new unforeseen thing of not getting the opportunity at all to compete. and so I think for me I now just really appreciate every start line I get to go to and especially, you know, lining up for the Olympics. that’s something that I no longer take for granted and I think I will just really appreciate the opportunity.”

FOOTBALL/Megan Rapinoe, 2012 Olympic gold medalist:

● “It’s always so difficult when you win because all of the amazing things come with it obviously. And I think, you know, more than anything, just the exhaustion and from a mental perspective and a physical perspective, all of it is the hardest part, so I mean, for us, this is a nice little silver lining obviously of Covid and of the pandemic, just to have, you know, a year to rest. you know. Some players played a lot, went overseas. some players like myself took more time for themselves, time that we never really get to get our bodies right and just to have that break, so I think, you know, of all the teams we probably have the most benefit just because we would have been so tired, particularly after all the wildness after [winning the Women’s World Cup in] ’19. So I think, yeah, everybody is feeling lucky for that.”

● “So my hope is that, again, and when we talk about, you know, equality in women’s sports, we always talk, first about investment, and funding and resources and marketing and branding and investing in – not just the players but the support staff and coaching and, you know, media, TV media, print media, all of it. Those are the things we talk about first, and I think anybody who, you know, watches us or follows us or has skin in the game and equal pay or equality in that sense knows that’s what we talk about first, and at the very end, we understand that if all of those things are done, then yes, we will most likely be requiring a much higher salary than we’re at.”

GYMNASTICS/Simone Biles, four-time Rio Olympic gold medalist:

● “Right now my main focus is the Olympic Games and then after I have a tour that we’ve put together, so I’m really excited to go around the U.S. with all the girls and do that thirty-six city tour and then afterwards, I’m not so sure because [my coaches] Cecile and Laurent [Landi] are from Paris and so they’ve kind of guilted me into at least being a specialist and coming back [for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games]. But, you know, the main goal is 2021 Olympics first, tour, and then we’ll have to see.”

● “I always feel like the Olympics are world peace, and that’s when everybody just comes together and no matter the differences any of the countries have, everybody’s rooting for each other and want the best for the athletes, for your country. And I think that’s really neat in itself. But it’ll be very, very strange because for a year now and some change, we’ve been kind of separated and only doing certain things. So, it’ll definitely be weird. Obviously, we’ll be in a bubble, but I think it’ll be some excitement. People are ready for athletics and sports to come together again, and it’ll be really exciting and it’ll be like nothing they’ve ever experienced before. And it’s going to be really special.”

GYMNASTICS/Yul Moldauer, 2017 World Champs Floor Exercise bronze medalist:

● “Growing up, I’ve heard the [anti-Asian] jokes, the stereotypes and I kind of just push it away. But last month I was driving and a lady cut me off and at the red light she yelled at me, “go back to China,” and for me, my job is to represent this country, so I take a lot of pride in it.

“And when i heard those words, I just kind of laughed and shrugged, because at the end of the day my job is to represent this country, no matter what. and no matter if an individual feels like they need to say something or harass me, I’m just going to push that away because there’s so many other great Americans in this country that I get to represent. so, for me, you’ve got to deal with some of the things that you don’t want to deal with. …

“The reason why I spoke out [on Instagram] is just to bring awareness and just trying to make people realize that things are going on. But at the end of the day, when I wear USA on my chest, I don’t think about those things. I’m there for a reason, I’m there for a job. so, for me, I take a lot of pride wearing those letters on my chest.”

SHOOTING/Ginny Thrasher, 2016 Olympic 10 m Air Rifle gold medalist:

● “I started rifle shooting when I was 14 years old as a freshman in high school. Five years later, I qualified for the Rio Olympics, and then I actually won the very first gold medal of the Olympic Games, and the day after the Olympics, I actually flew back to the U.S. to West Virginia University for my sophomore year of college and since then, I have graduated from West Virginia University, finished my NCAA career with a degree in biomedical engineering and then I moved about the time of Pan Am [Games] in 2019, I moved back to the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. I have been here ever since.”

SWIMMING/Lilly King, 2016 Olympic 100 m Breaststroke gold medalist:

● “So I know that I personally have been drug tested 18 times since February of 2020, so the United States is doing everything they can to [test] athletes even more consistent with their testing at the start of 2021. So obviously we don’t know how the other countries will be testing so we can control what we can control, and I know the U.S. athletes are going to be tested.”

● “My mom likes to joke around that I am fourth generation of very strong females, so I think it stems from my family, and how we act, and that we, you know, we don’t really care what other people think about us, and we’re going to do what we set our minds to, and that’s just kind of who I am. It’s shocking, I enjoy being myself. It’s something that I need to deal with, and I’m not exactly hiding behind a wall, that’s not me. So it’s easier to be myself, and I’ve kind of always been like that, so might as well stick with it.”

● “Personally I don’t agree with the limitations on the protests. I know, you know, the Olympics is about the spirit of the Olympics, and fairness and fair play, and I don’t see why that should be restricted to just sports.”

TAEKWONDO/Paige McPherson, 2012 Olympic 67 kg bronze medalist:

● “Whenever we refer to the Olympics, we say it’s its own monster, and it’s solely because of those exterior pressures. In Taekwondo, generally so, we don’t necessarily have that big audience. Whenever we finally qualify to the Olympics, that crowd kind of gets to us, maybe. It’s just a different environment.”

WRESTLING/Adeline Gray, five-time World 67-75-76 kg Champion:

● “I spent a few more days at the [Rio Olympic Village] than Kyle [Snyder] did, but for the most part we trained at that other [USOPC training] location. We got into a little partying. They had some community events where a lot of different athletes that come and had music and dancing and just some different activities and you have a job to do. And some of those things are outside of your norm of what is a typical energy expenditure leading up to a major competition.

“A lot of it is kind of just distractions and I realized that in Rio I had a few too many distractions. So I had made a plan before Covid-19 and everything hit, that I wasn’t going to attend the opening ceremonies. I was going to limit my exposure when it comes to the media or some outside activities. And so I don’t know if I’m heartbroken by some of the changes that’s are going to go on, but I’m a little saddened for my teammates. This is their first Olympics, and just to have the chance to go through the experiences is nice. … But for me, I think it’s a positive thing to be able to just make it feel like a standard tournament, where we focus on each other and fairly protected and get to get our bouts in.”

WRESTLING/Kyle Snyder, 2016 Olympic 97 kg Freestyle gold medalist:

● “I’m going to let my talking happen when I’m on the mat, you know? The thing I really care about is getting the job done and winning when I’m on the mat and wrestle in a way I know I can wrestle. Interviews and social media and the other stuff, I don’t care about it. I just want to compete hard and dominate really. That’s what I’m focused on.”

USOPC/Bahati VanPelt, Chief of Athlete Services:

● “We will have five mental health experts on site in Tokyo for our athletes and staff, a Games first. We’ll have four mental health offices, two for the Olympic Games and two for the Paralympic Games along with our new mental health director, Jessica Bartley, who will be available to the staff and the athletes and [National Governing Body] staff in case something from the mental health side should arise. We’ll have increased background checks and require SafeSport training. many of these changes and improvements are based on athlete feedback.”

USOPC/Rick Adams, Chief of Sport Performance:

● “We will be having, as you said, a high-performance training center in Tokyo. It will be located in Setagaya City [a Tokyo district], where it will be more than a dozen sports that will be using that facility and we have got nutrition, sports science, we’ve got a track, multiple venues for our teams. We are, of course, are taking all of the precautions that we need to, to make sure that’s a safe and healthy environment and that involves everything from the transportation and athletes coming to and from the Village. But as it stands now, we do have a high-performance training center. Setagaya City has been an amazing partner for Team USA. We’re excited about the facilities, we’re excited about, as you said, competitively, what it will allow us to do. And so, we’re in a position where we want to replicate what we’ve done over the years at the summer Games.”

More in part two on the Team USA Media Summit!

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 649-event International Sports Calendar for 2021 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!

HIGHLIGHTS: Richardson zooms to 10.72 in 100 m; U.S. women held to 1-1 tie in Sweden; four world leaders for Ledecky in Mission Viejo

By
Rich Perelman
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World 100 m leader Sha'Carri Richardson (USA) (Photo: USATF/Josh Gurnick)

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

● Archery ● The always-popular AAE Arizona Cup in Phoenix was not part of the U.S. Olympic selection process, but was the first step in qualifying for the U.S. World Championships team.

There were no surprises as the 72-arrow first qualifying stage was won by favorites Brady Ellison and Casey Kaufhold. Ellison shot 690, well ahead of Jack Williams (667), Matthew Nofel (667), Matthew Requa (658) and Josef Scarboro (656). Kaufhold, now 17, won her 72-arrow round at 668, ahead of Mackenzie Brown (648), Jennifer Mucino (641), Olympic veteran Khatuna Lorig (636) and Gabrielle Sasai (634).

Elimination rounds were held on Sunday to crown the Arizona Cup champions, with Ellison shutting out Nofel, 6-0 and Kaufhold edging Brown, 6-5. Williams won the men’s bronze over Requa, 6-4, and Sasai took the women’s bronze by defeating Mucino, 6-2.

● Athletics ● Sensational sprinting was on display in Miramar, Florida on Saturday for the Miramar Invitational, unfortunately with a lot of wind-aided marks. Still there were five world leaders:

● Men/400 m hurdles: 48.81, Kenny Selmon (USA)
● Men/Long Jump: 8.27 m (27-1 3/4), Tajay Gayle (JAM)

● Women/100 m: 10.72, Sha’Carri Richardson (USA)
● Women/400 m: 49.91, Shamier Little (USA)
● Women/100 m hurdles: 12.54, Keni Harrison (USA)

For Richardson, 21, her win was a lifetime best and moved her to no. 6 on the all-time world list in the event and no. 4 all-time U.S. She accelerated away from the field in the second half, and won the race alone as she cruised into the finish, with American Javianne Oliver well back at 11.07 for second. She tweeted afterwards, “Thank you for all the congratulations, It’s just the beginning.”

It’s worth noting that no one has ever run this fast this young. In her pre-doping days, Marion Jones ran 10.65 in 1998 at age 22, but Richardson’s 22nd birthday isn’t until 25 March 2022!

The men’s 100 m was won by Kyree King in 9.97, with Justin Gatlin close at 9.98, with a +1.9 m/s wind.

American Kenny Bednarek won the men’s 200 m in a superb 19.65, fastest in the world for 2021, but aided by a big 4.0 m/s wind aid; Emmanuel Matadi (LBR) was a well-beaten seconds at 20.20. American Jenna Prandini won the women’s 200 m in a wind-aided 22.29 (+2.3).

Little’s 400 m world leader was just enough to beat fellow American Quanera Hayes (49.92), with Kendall Ellis third at 50.48. She’s the 26th American to go sub-50 and is now a real threat for the U.S. team for Tokyo in the event. Much better known as a 400 m hurdler – the 2015 Worlds silver medalist in the event – Little had a 400 m best of 50.40 coming into the season, but has now run 50.19 and 49.91 in her two outdoor races!

In the short hurdles, Harrison’s 12.54 world leader came in the heats, with a +2.0 m/s wind reading. She ran a blistering 12.38 in the final to beat Britain’s Cindy Sember (12.55), but with an over-the-allowable 2.7 m/s aiding wind. Same in the men’s hurdles, where World Champion Grant Holloway of the U.S. had the fastest heat time (13.14) but with a 3.3 m/s wind aid; he won the final in 13.04 (+2.2) over fellow American Daniel Roberts (13.30).

On Friday, women’s World Hammer Champion DeAnna Price set an American Record of 78.60 m (257-7) in winning the Botts Invitational in Columbia, Missouri. She already owned the record at 78.24 m (256-8) in 2019, but moved to no. 3 on the all-time list in the fifth round and extended her world lead for 2021.

At the Wichita State Open on Saturday, fellow American Brooke Andersen reached a lifetime best of 78.18 m (256-6) to move to no. 4 on the all-time world list and no. 2 on the all-time U.S. list – just behind Price – also on her fifth throw. Wow!

Along with the still-active Gwen Berry, who has not yet competed in 2021, the U.S. now has the nos. 3-4-6 women’s hammer throwers in history, an astonishing achievement considering American women had not won a single medal in Olympic or World Championships competition until Price won in 2019!

There was other hot action in the U.S. on Saturday, including a world-leading 8,484 decathlon from Karel Tilga of Estonia, competing for the University of Georgia at the Spec Towns Invitational in Athens, Georgia.

● Curling ● The WCF men’s World Championships in Calgary (CAN) was set for the playoffs to begin, but had to stop due to a sudden incidence of the coronavirus on Friday (9th).

Three positive tests were returned from non-playoff teams and one more from a playoff team on Saturday morning, and the competition came to a halt. Everyone involved in the event was tested on Saturday morning and came back negative, allowing matches to resume on Sunday with the full playoff schedule condensed into one day.

At the close of the round-robin, Niklas Edin’s two-time defending champions from Sweden had an 11-2 record to qualify directly into the semifinals. Joining him was the surprise Russian team skipped by Sergey Glukhov, also 11-2. The next four qualified for the quarterfinals: the U.S., skipped by Olympic champ John Shuster (10-3), Canada (Brendan Bottcher: 9-4), Scotland (Bruce Mouat: 9-4) and Switzerland (Peter de Cruz: 8-5).

Both North American teams were eliminated in the qualification playoff games: Mouat’s Scottish team knocked out Canada, 5-3 and de Cruz and Switzerland scored two in the ninth end and defended expertly in the 10th end to preserve a 7-6 victory over Shuster and the U.S.

Edin and Sweden promptly knocked out the Swiss in the first semifinal, 11-3, while Mouat and Scotland eliminated Russia, 5-3, to place Scotland in the final for the first time since 2012.

In the final, Sweden and Scotland went back and forth, end by end, and were tied, 5-5 after eight ends. But Edin’s squad struck for five in the ninth end and came away with a third straight world title by a 10-5 final margin. It’s Edin’s fifth World Championship as skip in the last eight events and the 10th world title for Sweden overall, second only to Canada (36).

The bronze-medal match was another thriller, also tied 5-5, after nine ends. But the Swiss managed a point in the 10th end on a Benoit Schwarz shot and claimed the bronze medal, 6-5. It’s the second straight Worlds bronze for the Swiss and their fourth bronze in the last seven Worlds tournaments, all with de Cruz as skip.

● Cycling ● The 60th Itzulia Basque Country stage race ended on Saturday in Arrate (ESP) with favored Primoz Roglic of Slovenia – the 2019 and 2020 Vuelta a Espana champion – taking the title with a 52-second edge on Dane Jonas Vengegaard and 1:07 ahead of last year’s Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar (SLO).

It’s Roglic’s second win in this race – he also won in 2018 – and he led from the very start, winning the Individual Time Trial in Bilbao and finishing the six stages placing 1-6-2-14-7-2. Roglic gained time on the field with his second-place finish in stage 3, where Pogacar won at the line, but Roglic’s overall lead expanded from five seconds to 20.

But American Brandon McNulty took over the race lead after a third-place finish on the hilly fourth stage and maintained a 23-second edge after the hilly fifth stage.

But the final, sixth stage was always going to be decisive: a seven-climb, 111.9 km ride won by France’s David Gaudu in 3:05:42, with Roglic right behind. But everyone else was at least 35 seconds back, with McNulty finishing 7:57 in arrears, and gave Roglic his final margin of 52 seconds. McNulty ended up 17th overall.

● Football ● It always seems to be Sweden that challenges the U.S. Women’s National Team when it seems most unbeatable and that happened again on Saturday at the Friends Arena in Stockholm, Sweden.

The 41st game between the sides ended in a 1-1 tie after sub Megan Rapinoe converted a gift penalty handed to the U.S. when Sweden’s Sofia Jakobsson tackled defender Kelley O’Hara in the 87th minute just outside the penalty area. But the shot was called by referee Lina Lehtovaara (FIN) and Rapinoe saved the U.S. from its first loss since 2019.

Sweden dominated parts of the game, foiled U.S. counterattacks and ended a 610-minute shutout streak for the U.S. and a 938-minute scoreless streak for American keeper Alyssa Naeher in the 38th minute. A corner kick by Kosovare Asllani sailed toward the box and found the head of Sweden’s 5-10 Lina Hurtig, who redirected it into the U.S. net for a 1-0 lead. Naeher later made a brilliant save on a shot by striker Fridolina Rolfo in stoppage time at the very end of the first half.

Both sides had excellent second-half chances that were missed, but the Swedes found holes in the U.S. defense and the normally smooth U.S. offense was heavily pressured, and passes that normally resulted on shots on goal did not. The U.S. did control possession by 55-45%, and had a final 20-9 advantage on shots (6-2 on goal).

The tie ended a 16-game U.S. winning streak, all under coach Vlatko Andonovski, who is now 16-0-1. The U.S. women’s unbeaten streak extended to 38 games (34-0-4), going back to January 2019.

The U.S. women will play France in Le Havre (FRA) on Tuesday, at 3 p.m. Eastern time and shown on ESPN2.

● Golf ● The Masters resumed its normal April dates in Augusta, Georgia, and made more history with the first-ever Japanese winner of the tournament.

Going into the final round, the surprise leader was Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, 29, who shot a brilliant 65 to sit at -11 on Saturday, four shots clear of Justin Rose (ENG: 72), Xander Schauffele (USA: 68), Marc Leishman (AUS: 70) and Will Zalatoris (USA: 71) at -7.

On Sunday, Zalatoris made a final-round push with a two-under 70 to finish at 279, and Jordan Spieth (USA) also shot a 70 to move into third at 281. But Matsuyama was just steady enough, getting to -13 as late as the 14th, then giving back two shots and landing in a bunker at 18. But he got out and onto the green on his third shot and then two-putted for a one-over 73 on the day and a final score of 278 (-10).

Schauffele made a charge, reaching -10 after 15, but then suffered a triple-bogey on 16 and finished at -7, tied for third with Spieth.

Matsuyama’s win was his seventh on the PGA Tour and his first since 2017. His prior best at The Masters was a fifth in 2015 and he has finished in the top six in all four majors in his career.

● Modern Pentathlon ● The second UIPM World Cup of 2021 saw Korea’s Woongtae Jun confirm his contender status for Tokyo honors with an impressive win in Sofia (BUL). It’s his fourth career World Cup win and came after starting 16 seconds behind Ilya Palazkov (BLR). Jun took over after the final shooting stage and powered to the finish line first, just ahead of Robert Kasza (HUN), who also passed Palazkov, settling for third.

The final totals showed Jun with 1,457 points to 1,455 for Kasza and 1,451 for Palazkov, who won the fencing, but finished no higher than 12th in the other events.

France’s Marie Oteiza finished fifth in fencing, fifth in swimming and sixth in riding to take a 13-second lead into the Laser Run and that was enough, as she held on to win her second career World Cup (the first was also in Sofia, in 2019).

Pole Anna Maliszewska started second in the Laser Run, but British vet Kate French passed her quickly and actually grabbed the lead on the final lap before Oteiza finished with a flourish and took the victory. Oteiza scored 1,367 to 1,360 for French, 1,348 for Maliszewska and 1,342 for Britain’s Joanna Muir.

In the Mixed Relay, Vladislav Michshenko and Elena Potapenko won the fencing and never looked back, winning with 1,442 points over Pavel Tsikhanau and Kseniya Klimiankova (BLR: 1,420) and Korea’s Changwan Seo and Unju Kim (1,415).

● Swimming ● The Tyr Pro Swim Series in Mission Viejo, California was an important stepping stone for Tokyo as the schedule was arranged with morning finals, mimicking in a small way the Olympic schedule later this year.

What was obvious is that no matter what time the finals will be held, beating American distance superstar Katie Ledecky will be tough. There were four world-leading performances at the meet (and one tie) and Ledecky was the focus:

● Women/200 m Free: 1:54.40, Katie Ledecky (USA)
● Women/400 m Free: 4:01.37, Ledecky (in prelims)
● Women/400 m Free: 3:59.25, Ledecky
● Women/1,500 m Free: 15:40.55, Ledecky
● Women/100 m Breast: 1:05.32 (=), Lilly King (USA)

Ledecky said at the Team USA Media Summit last week that her Tokyo program would focus on the 200-400-800-1,500 m Freestyle events and the 4×200 m Free relay. But that does not mean she isn’t thinking about the 100 m Free, not so much to finish in the top two, but to get a spot on one or more of the relays. And she was the no. 2 qualifier in the 100 m Free at 54.26 and competing just an hour after winning the 1,500 m, moved from seventh to second on the final lap in the 100 m final at 54.22. Amazing.

Ledecky’s 200 m time of 1:54.40 is her second-fastest ever and equal-11th fastest in history; it’s also the second-fastest time in history before June 1! Her 3:29.25 in the 400 m Free is the 25th sub-4 time in history and she has 20 of them! And there is more history to be written.

Sprint superstar Caeleb Dressel was busy in Mission Viejo, winning the 200 m Free and the 100 m Fly, then second in the 50 m Free to Bruno Fratus (BRA), 21.80-21.83. He was the no. 2 qualifier in the 200 m Medley, but did not swim in the final.

Other two-event winners included Ryan Murphy in the 100 m-200 m Back; Nic Fink in the 100/200 m Breast events; Abbey Weitzeil in the 50/100 Frees and Lilly King in the 100/200 m Breaststrokes.

Two other performers moved to no. 2 on the world list for 2021: Hali Flickinger in the 200 m Fly prelims (2:06.68; she skipped the final), and Melanie Margalis in the 400 m Medley (4:35.18).

Elsewhere, American Claire Curzan, 16, jumped to the no. 2 spot on the 2021 world list with a 56.20 win on Saturday in the women’s 100 m Butterfly at the TAC Titans Premier Invitational in Cary, North Carolina; that’s no. 2 all-time U.S. and no. 8 on the all-time world list. Remember that name!

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THE TICKER: A Berlin-Tel Aviv Olympic bid for 2036? Four new Russian doping sanctions hit two Olympic champs; four Nassar survivors trying end-run in Calif. courts

By
Rich Perelman
-

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

● Games of the XXXII Olympiad: Tokyo 2020 ● Osaka Prefecture Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura announced on Wednesday (7th) that owing to the area’s coronavirus infection levels, the Olympic Torch Relay will not be run on public streets on 13-14 April.

Instead, the relay segments will take place without spectators inside the Expo ‘70 Commemorative Park in the city of Sujita. The Osaka stop is the 10th of 47 stages of the relay that will end during the Opening Ceremony on 23 July.

● Games of the XXXIII Olympiad: Paris 2024 ● The French-language site FrancsJeux.com reported on Thursday (8th) that work has temporarily stopped on the renovation of the Parc Georges Valbon Park just north of Paris. A section of this enormous space – more than 1,025 acres – is expected to host sport climbing, shooting and be the media village site.

The Paris administrative court of appeal is hearing a challenge to the environmental authorization granted last year, and the stoppage is to allow the appeal process to be completed.

● Games of the XXXVI Olympiad: 2036 ● With the 2032 Games apparently to be awarded to Brisbane, Australia, the next available date is 2036. In Germany, this is an impossible year in which to host an Olympic Games, with echoes of the infamous Nazi Games of 1936 so obviously apparent.

Or is it?

Frank Kowalski, a lead organizer of the 2018 European track & field Championships in Berlin, and Richard Meng, President of the German Olympic Association (a club, not the National Olympic Committee) wrote in a guest column in last Saturday’s Berliner Morgenpost (shown in English per Google Translate):

“So why not send a completely new, strong signal of peace and reconciliation in 2036? A signal that does not displace the historical burden, but takes up the responsibility that arises from it? It would be such a signal if Germany and Israel apply together, more precisely: Berlin and Tel Aviv. With the sailing and surfing competitions on the eastern Mediterranean, but also with other sports such as beach volleyball in Israel’s lively metropolis. As a clear signal of how responsibility arises from obligation.

“It’s a vision, not any more. Germany is in the middle of the pandemic, faces a change in leadership in the federal elections and is currently quite a long way from long-term plans. Israel’s current Middle East policy remains difficult to integrate internationally, and there are no credible gestures of reconciliation in the immediate vicinity.

“Nevertheless: Berlin and Tel Aviv in particular, two liberal and pulsating metropolises, could stand together for a different spirit, for a perspective beyond the present. This could become clear in the application process, which also takes a few years. A sign that it is possible to learn from history.”

It’s only an idea, but it shows that once again, truth is stranger than fiction.

(Thanks to reader Dr. Holger Preuss (GER) for a correction on Meng’s affiliation).

● Athletics ● The Court of Arbitration for Sport announced a mass of decisions on sanctions and appeals cases on Russian athletes:

● Five appeals of sanctions imposed by the Court, with three having their sanctions reduced from four years to two years and nine months (Yuliya Kondakova/100 m hurdles, Svetlana Shkolina/high jump, Ivan Ukhov/high jump), one sanction reduced from four years to three years (Ekaterina Galitskaia/100 m hurdles) and one appeal dismissed (Lyukman Adams/triple jump). All of these dealt with cases from 2012, where Ukhov won the Olympic gold, but was disqualified due to doping. All are retired and expected to remain so.

● Two appeals against sanctions imposed by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency were struck down and one was upheld. Anna Knyazeva-Shirokova (1,500 m) and Andrey Isaychev (800 m) had their appeals granted and can compete. Rudolf Verkhovykh (400 m) had his appeal dismissed, but has resumed competing, having served his year’s suspension.

● Four first-time sanctions were imposed by the Court on actions by the Athletics Integrity Unit based on evidence from the McLaren reports. These included suspensions for Natalya Antyukh (2012 Olympic 400 m hurdles gold; 8 years); Oksana Kondratyeva (hammer; four years); Andrey Silnov (2008 Olympic high jump gold; four years) and Yelena Soboleva (1,500 m, set world indoor record of 3:58.28 in 2006; 8 years). Antyukh must forfeit her Olympic victory from London; Silnov’s 2008 win is not affected since his offense was from 2013.

Antyukh, 39, and Silnov, now 36, have both said they plan to appeal.

Australian Brett Clothier, the head of the AIU, commented on the importance of these cases:

“Yesterday’s CAS rulings confirm once again that the evidence underlying the McLaren Reports is reliable and is capable of establishing Anti-Doping Rule Violations for use of prohibited substances. The AIU has dedicated significant time and resources investigating and prosecuting these cases both at first instance and on appeal and, encouraged by these rulings, it will continue to investigate and bring forward new cases based on the McLaren evidence.”

A total of 13 suspensions of Russian athletes have been prosecuted based on the evidence collected in the McLaren reports.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced a 30-month suspension of U.S. 400 m runner Obi Igbokwe for use of the anabolic steroid DHCMT (oral turinabol) during an out-of-competition test on 26 May 2020.

His period of ineligibility began on that date and he has accepted the penalty. An All-American at Arkansas and Houston, Igbokwe had run 20.52 for 200 m in 2018 and 44.94 for 400 m, also in 2018. Now 24, he will be eligible again for the 2024 indoor season.

(Thanks to reader Shawn Price for updating Igbokwe’s A-A adventures to Houston as well.)

● Cross Country Skiing ● With the season completed, retirements are being announced. High on the list is Norway’s Martin Johnsrud Sundby, 36, winner of five Olympic medals – including two golds in 2018 and four World Championships golds, including the 15 km Classical race in 2019. He earned 30 World Cup wins and 74 medals during his career.

Three notable American competitors announced retirements: Sadie Bjornsen and the husband-and-wife team of Simi Hamilton and Sophie Caldwell-Hamilton. Bjornsen, 31, won a World Championships bronze in the Team Sprint in 2017 and earned seven individual World Cup medals; she was a 2014 Olympian in Sochi.

Simi Hamilton, 33, joined the World Cup circuit in 2010 and had one World Cup win and four medals during his career and was a 2010 Olympian in Vancouver. Sophie Caldwell and Hamilton married in 2019; Caldwell joined the World Cup tour in 2013 and had two individual wins and 10 World Cup medals in her career, all in Sprint races. She was sixth in the 2014 Olympic Sprint in Sochi.

● Gymnastics ● There is still no discernible movement toward settlement in the USA Gymnastics bankruptcy case, but four survivors are making moves on their own, with the attorneys for USA Gymnastics calling for a dismissals of their “end run” appeals.

When the federation filed for bankruptcy in late 2018, it asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana to enforce a provision of U.S. Federal law that provided for an automatic freeze of all individual cases which could be brought against it. The newest filings state that four plaintiffs filed “alter ego” cases in California in 2020 for relief against the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and are now pursuing them in earnest:

● Tasha Schwikert-Warren, 2000 Olympic Team bronze medalist
● Jordan Cobbs, sister of Schwikert, also a U.S. national team member
● Kennedy Baker, 2009 U.S. Junior Champion on Bars
● Jane E.D. Doe (an alias; this plaintiff is not identified)

The USA Gymnastics lawyers have cried foul:

“The Four Plantiffs alleged in their pre-petition lawsuits that the USOPC is USAG’s alter ego – i.e., that the USOPC so dominated and controlled USAG that USAG’s act or omissions purportedly making USAG liable for claims of sexual abuse are, also, the acts and omissions of the USOPC, triggering the USOPC’s own liability. If these allegations are true (which USAG contests), all of the over 500 hundred [sic] sexual abuse claimants in this chapter 11 case could pursue an alter ego claim against the USOPC as the party with ultimate culpability for USAG’s purported misconduct.”

The federation’s view is that would fly in the face of the purpose of the automatic stay, that is to aggregate all of the like claims together to work toward a common solution. And the ongoing settlement conference, which includes USA Gymnastics and the USOPC as parties,

“remains pending and USAG continues to negotiate in earnest with the Survivors’ Committee, the USOPC and other interested parties concerning the terms of a consensual plan of reorganization. …

“Even though the parties have not yet reached a mutually agreeable settlement, USAG is hopeful that continued mediation amongst all parties, without distracting litigation on the side, will successfully result in the global resolution that all parties have stated they desire.”

The USA Gymnastics attorneys have asked the Bankruptcy Court to enforce the automatic stay, “barring the Four Plaintiffs from prosecuting their Pre-Petition lawsuits.” The matter will be argued during an online hearing on 28 April 2021.

● Swimming ● Japanese swim star – and leukemia survivor – Rikako Ikee won the women’s 100 m Freestyle at the national championships in 53.98 and will now be eligible to participate in the women’s 4×100 m Freestyle at the Tokyo Games.

Ikee’s time of 53.98 did not meet the Japanese swimming federation’s cut-off time to be entered in the individual event (53.31), but she and the top four finishers combined to qualify per the Japanese standards for the relay.

Ikee will have one more chance to qualify in an individual event in the women’s 50 m Free.

Katie Ledecky was back in the water on Thursday on the first day of the Tyr Pro Swim Series in Mission Viejo, California and claimed a world-leading win in the women’s 200 m Free in 1:54.40. That was nearly four seconds faster than runner-up Allison Schmidt (1:58.04), the 2012 Olympic Champion.

Sprint superstar Caeleb Dressel won the men’s 200 m Free in 1:47.57, overtaking fellow American (and 2018 national champion at this distance) Andrew Seliskar (1:47.69) on the final lap. The meet continues through Sunday.

FINA and the Tokyo 2020 organizers announced the re-scheduling of two qualifying events, including the FINA Diving World Cup now set for 1-6 May in Tokyo.

The Olympic Qualifier in Marathon Swimming will now be held in Setubal (POR) on 19-20 June, with the Artistic Swimming qualifying tournament still under discussion.

● Weightlifting ● USA Weightlifting published Thursday (8th) a 57-page report from the Boston-based law firm of Prince Lobel Tye LLP that began:

“USA Weightlifting (“USAW”) retained us to look into certain allegations of race discrimination and retaliation as well as the organization’s climate, policies, and procedures. Through representatives of its Board and USAW’s senior leadership, we were urged – over and over again – to probe deeply and widely, hunting for problems and gathering every conceivable suggestion for improvement. …

“Ultimately, we found no race discrimination or retaliation, much less a pattern. Few may be surprised by this general conclusion given the rule-bound nature of the sport and the difficulty of pointing to a decision, misunderstanding, mishap, or mistake that was intentionally directed at anyone, much less aimed at anyone’s race. Often, those disappointed by a rule or policy change were counterbalanced by others who benefitted.”

The body of the report noted:

“The specific allegations under review were raised in complaints filed with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee in May 2020 that primarily relate to USAW team selection and athlete funding decisions during the period 2014-2020. Our investigation focused on allegations of race discrimination as well as retaliation for certain public anti-doping commentary. Related social media posts have been taken into consideration as appropriate, but no specific findings are offered in this regard.” …

“While the overwhelming majority of weightlifters, including those of color, reported few if any recent examples of racism in the sport, we also heard that weightlifting can be ‘welcoming’ but at the same time ‘not inclusive.’ Some witnesses also spoke to broad, societal concerns regarding implicit bias, systemic inequality, and other inherent disadvantages disproportionately borne by people of color that inevitably also impact the sport as discussed further below.

“‘I just want to help make the sport better,’ witnesses nearly always told us at the end of their interviews, but they were often nonplussed when asked, ‘How?’ As one notable lifter of color despaired, ‘I’m not sure what else we can do; fix America?’”

The report made 15 findings, including “No General Pattern or Practice of Race Discrimination at USAW” and made 28 recommendations to advance diversity, equity and inclusion goals. But there was also this:

“More than a few witnesses acknowledged the importance of anti-discrimination efforts, diversity, and inclusion in weightlifting while warning of an even more immediate existential challenge: ‘our biggest crisis is the future of the sport.’ Not only have Olympic athlete quotas for weightlifters dropped to new lows not seen since the 1950s, but ‘sexy,’ new, ‘alternative’ sports are also simultaneously seeking official Olympic status. Everyone also seems attuned to the ongoing turmoil at the IWF and questions over its governance and commitment to clean sport. ‘It keeps me up at night,’ one leader confided. Some are more sanguine, predicting that such a ‘failure’ could spark a renaissance in lifting in the United States and around the world, with new organizational structures and rules.

“Others describe this as a tough pull, if not an impossible one. Time will tell, but current and former USAW representatives are campaigning for the future of the sport here at home and in the upcoming IWF elections.”

● The Last Word ● Finn Timmo Lumme, the head of the International Olympic Committee’s television and marketing services team told SportsProMedia that a major shift is ongoing in the way the Olympic Movement is promoted in the future.

In addition to the familiar territorial broadcast agreements with broadcasters around the world, Lumme said the IOC is planning ahead:

“We’ve begun a review to look at how this might look and what might be more appropriate in a streaming world or in an omnichannel media world. It’s something that we’re looking at now and it won’t be something that we change before Tokyo or even Beijing, but I think we would expect that there would be a revised regime, certainly, there for Paris.”

And look for the IOC to begin to use its enormous archive of Games footage to create new programs, on its Olympic Channel digital platform and elsewhere:

“We were focusing on content on our own platforms but I think we will gradually broaden this and do syndication deals. We’ve moved beyond trying to drive audience for our owned and operated platforms. Of course, that remains very important, but with this scaling that I mentioned earlier we’ll look for a broader third-party distribution for our content.

“I don’t think the IOC has ever been accused of being too fast, but by the same token I would hope that we’re not being too slow. I think that we’ll look at all the opportunities we have before us but it could be possible. I mean, we’ve had plenty of proposals in the past to have [IOC intellectual property]-based series and so forth, and they continue to come in. I think at the end of the day, it’s not necessarily about trying to create franchises. It’s about telling the story in the right way.”

★

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LANE ONE: “Gotcha” reporting of “possible” U.S. boycott of Beijing 2022 was not just wrong, but was itself a manufactured crisis

By
Rich Perelman
-

A commentary: In a November 2020 report on trust in news media, 69% of Americans thought “news organizations being too dramatic or too sensational in order to attract more readers or viewers” was a major problem.

No kidding.

Enter the stories coming from Tuesday’s U.S. State Department briefing in Washington, D.C. led by a post from the CNBC business channel headlined “State Department says U.S. considering a joint boycott with allies of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.”

The story was rewritten six hours later, with a new headline: “U.S. State Department backs away from the idea of a Beijing Olympics boycott.”

There was a lot of damage caused in those six hours. Let’s see what happened :

● The original story quoted State Department spokesperson Ned Price from a comment at the end of his Tuesday briefing. Asked “You seemed to suggest on the [Beijing Winter] Olympics that the U.S. is in consultations with allies discussing whether to consider or plan some sort of joint boycott. Is that the case?”

Price answered: “Well, it is something that we certainly wish to discuss and that it is certainly something that we understand that a coordinated approach will be not only in our interests but also in the interests of our allies and partners. So this is one of the issues that is on the agenda both now and going forward, and when we have something to announce, we will be sure to do that.”

That’s the quote that went out and was picked up almost instantly around the world, including by this site. Seems clear and to the point, right?

● But the State Department publishes full transcripts of its briefings and last night, the transcript appeared. Price’s answer to the original question on the Beijing 2022 Winter Games creates a whole different context for his follow-up answer:

“QUESTION: With regard to participating in the Beijing Olympics, can you detail how the State Department has been or will be involved in the administration’s decision on that front?

“MR PRICE: Well, part of our review of those Olympics and our thinking will involve close consultations with partners and allies around the world. We have consistently said, when it comes to our concerns with the government in Beijing, including Beijing’s egregious human rights violations, its conduct of genocide in the case of Xinjiang, that what the United States does is meaningful, what the United States does will have impact, but everything we do that is – that brings along our allies and partners will have all the more influence with Beijing.

“And so that is why the Department of State, as part of our thinking on the Beijing Olympics, is engaging with partners, with allies to coordinate – coordinate closely on decisions and approaches to the government in Beijing. You saw an illustration of that only the other week when the United States, together with United Kingdom, together with Canada, together with the [European Union], enacted a set of sanctions against those responsible for some of the atrocities in Xinjiang. So clearly, we are coordinating on all of these issues of concern, and, of course, the Beijing Olympics is an area that we will continue to discuss.

“QUESTION: And when do you think those discussions will – specifically on the Olympics will be concluded with partners and allies?

“MR PRICE: Well, of course, this is – we’re talking about 2022 and we are still in April of 2021. So these games remain some time away. I wouldn’t want to put a timeframe on it, but these discussions are underway.

“QUESTION: And how complicated would U.S.-China diplomacy become if the U.S. decided to boycott the Olympics?

“MR PRICE: Again, I wouldn’t want to comment on a hypothetical. We know that when it comes to our engagement with the government in Beijing, the – principally, it is a relationship predicated on competition. There are also adversarial aspects of that relationship. There are also some cooperative aspects of those relationships – of that relationship. Really, all three of those were on display [at the March meetings] in Anchorage, both in the session that was public as well as in the discussions that were behind closed doors.

“But with our approach to Beijing, we will continue to be guided by two things and two things only. Those are our interests, including the interests we share with allies and partners around the world, and our values. And those are the values we share with our allies and many of our closest partners around the world.”

Price never said the word “boycott,” only the reporters did. Price said “we are coordinating [with allies] on all of these issues of concern, and, of course, the Beijing Olympics is an area that we will continue to discuss.”

That’s the context in which his ending comment of “it is something that we certainly wish to discuss” was made and is far away from any current discussion of a possible joint boycott of the Beijing 2022 Games.

But Japan’s Kyodo News Service saw the reports in the U.S. media echo chamber and posted a story datelined Washington, D.C. that began:

“The U.S. State Department said Tuesday a potential boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics is among issues Washington hopes to discuss with its allies and partners, amid growing criticism of China’s human rights record.”

In my opinion, the story from Price’s briefing misrepresented Price’s position-as-stated and used his standalone, final comment to give a false impression.

So, it was no surprise that the Price got after this quickly and CNBC (among others) changed its headline to “U.S. State Department backs away from the idea of a Beijing Olympics boycott” and quoted a State Department statement (apparently from Price), “Our position on the 2022 Olympics has not changed. We have not discussed and are not discussing any joint boycott with allies and partners.”

But CNBC doubled down on its original post adding (as did others):

“Department spokesman Ned Price had initially suggested during a press briefing earlier on Tuesday that a boycott of the Olympic Games was among the possibilities for addressing China’s human rights abuses.”

In my view, Price did no such thing and that CNBC and others used his comments out of context to say so does not make it true.

The response from China was quick and angry. The Associated Press reported Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian as promising a “robust Chinese response” to a potential boycott and

“The politicization of sports will damage the spirit of the Olympic Charter and the interests of athletes from all countries. The international community including the U.S. Olympic Committee will not accept it.”

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki had to state the unchanged U.S. policy position again on Wednesday:

“Our position on the 2022 Olympics has not changed. We have not discussed and are not discussing any joint boycott with allies and partners. We, of course, consult closely with allies and partners at all levels to define our common concerns and establish a shared approach, but there’s no discussion underway of a change in our plans regarding the Beijing Olympics from the United States’ point of view.”

The persecution of the Uyghurs in China’s Xinjiang province is a serious, horrific matter, and the continued focus by national media on a 1980-style U.S. boycott of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games is not. There are good ways to make the point to the Chinese government, the Chinese public and to the rest of the world that the situation must change; I made a near-costless proposal in February.

But then, this site is also among the untrustworthy crowd of news media in the U.S., so who would want my advice, anyway?

Rich Perelman
Editor

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THE BIG PICTURE: U.S. State Department exploring boycott of Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games (updated)

By
Rich Perelman
-

/This story has been updated; for a full follow-up, click here/ U.S. Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said at a briefing today (6th) that the American government is looking into a possible boycott of the XXIV Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China.

Asked about a possible boycott in concert with other countries, Price replied:

“It is something that we certainly wish to discuss.

“A coordinated approach will not only be in our interest but also in the interest of our allies and partners.”

China’s genocidal campaign against the Uyghur minority in Xinjiang province and anti-democracy moves in Hong Kong are the most visible concerns of the U.S. and other western governments. Calls for moves against China, including the 2022 Games, have come from politicians in Australia, Canada, Great Britain and other countries.

Asked a similar question on Monday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee would be consulted before being cut off by the questioner.

China will respond strongly, according to a report from the Eurasia Group consulting firm:

“China will punish countries that boycott the Games with political sanctions and commercial retaliation, but with much greater severity in the athletic boycott scenario. …

“If a company does not boycott the Games, it risks reputational damage with Western consumers. But if it does, it risks being shut out of the Chinese market.”

The U.S. government was the lead player in the boycott of the 1980 Moscow Games, but has since stayed away from such tactics.

/Update: Some hours after this story first appeared, State Dept. spokesman Price issued a statement including: “Our position on the 2022 Olympics has not changed. We have not discussed and are not discussing any joint boycott with allies and partners.”/

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